KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Officer Paul Bradley Rogers’ Record Cleared Six Ye...

KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Officer Paul Bradley Rogers’ Record Cleared Six Ye...: A Noble, Okla., police officer, who  shot and killed a child while trying to shoot a snake, has had his record cleared. Six years ago, ...





Prosecutors still investigating Detroit cops accused of vigilante justice
Detroit— Nearly three weeks after two police sergeants were arrested for allegedly using their guns and badges to enact vigilante justice, no charges have been filed.The sergeants — one a Detroit cop, the other from St. Clair Shores —were arrested July 27, but released two days later.
On July 21, the two men allegedly wore their badges around their necks and drew their department-issued pistols when they approached two men at an eastside Citgo gas station on French Road. According to police, the sergeants took a cellphone and $500 cash. One of the officers also allegedly struck a victim in the head with the butt of his gun, although the man reportedly was not seriously hurt.
Police sources told The Detroit News it wasn’t a random robbery; rather, the victims were targeted because earlier they had stolen the phone and money from the suburban officer’s daughter.


Man found not guilty in case, files suit against Englewood Cliffs and police



A New York City resident who was found not guilty of indecent exposure, lewdness, and child endangerment charges in July 2012, is suing Englewood Cliffs police in federal court.
On July 19, Michael Telzer, 56, who is representing himself, filed a lawsuit alleging false arrest, wrongful imprisonment, malicious prosecution, witness and evidence tampering, withholding of exculpatory evidence and violation of due process.
The borough, Police Chief Michael Cioffi, Lt. William Laraia, Sgt. Daniel Morrisey, and officers Gerald McDermott, David Hill and Ronald Waldt are all named as defendants.
On July 14, 2011, Telzer was charged with lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child after, police said, a mother called 911 to report a man allegedly exposing himself on the Witte Field walking path on Johnson Avenue.
According to The Record, Cioffi issued a press release the following day describing an alleged incident in which a woman claimed Telzer exposed himself to her 6- and 9-year-old daughters.
According to Telzer's lawsuit, the initial charges brought up against him stated that his "zipper was down and pants were unbuckled."
According to the court filing, police collected a paper towel found in a waste basket at the park for testing — which came back negative for Telzer's DNA.
The lawsuit also states the officer who testified at the Telzer trial said he never saw him expose himself.
Telzer alleges evidence was withheld via recording from a police car camera that allegedly provided exculpatory evidence — evidence that would be in Telzer's favor — but it was never given to prosecutors. The video allegedly includes portions of the woman's initial statements.

Furthermore, according to the lawsuit, Cioffi allegedly ordered Deputy Chief Michael McMorrow to change the report he filed of Telzer's 2011 arrest — a report that, the lawsuit claims, concluded "Telzer did not engage in any suspicious activity and had merely been jogging."

A Leadwood police officer charged with felony stealing has waived his right to a jury trial in favor of a court trial.




Police K-9 handler Eric Smith, 29, of Perryville, is charged with two counts of theft/stealing over $500. According to court reports, Smith took orders and deposits for mounting animal heads in his taxidermy business a year ago but didn't perform the services.

man’s claim of police brutality now an issue in democratic primary for Syracuse mayor


A disabled man’s claim of police brutality for refusing to sit down on a Centro bus has emerged as a significant issue in the upcoming democratic primary for Syracuse mayor.
Speaking at a news conference on equal rights, Syracuse City Councilor and candidate for mayor, Pat Hogan told reporters, "I am appalled at what I saw."
Hogan was referring to surveillance video of a May 3rd incident in which Brad Hulett, a severely disabled passenger, was tased and dragged off a Centro bus by two Syracuse police officers, allegedly breaking his hip in the process. Hulett was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
The incident has sparked outrage among disabled and civil right advocates, as well as a lawsuit against the City.
"If I was mayor, the police chief and officers would be in my office the next day," says Hogan.

He accused the mayor and the police chief of being silent on the issue.

Former Eutawville police chief indicted on misconduct charge in Bernard Bailey killing




A grand jury has indicted former Eutawville Police Chief Richard Combs in the fatal shooting of a retired correctional officer. Combs’ indictment for misconduct in office alleges that he used excessive force against 54-year-old Bernard Bailey, who was shot three times during a confrontation on May 2, 2011
Bailey’s friends have said the shooting apparently stemmed from a dispute over a traffic ticket issued to one of Bailey’s daughters.
Friends have said Bailey was shot in his truck outside the municipal building after exchanging words with Combs that morning. An autopsy showed that Bailey was shot twice in the chest and once in the shoulder.
His friends described Bailey as a gentle, kind-hearted and law-abiding man who, at the time of his death, was working as an assistant manager at a Walmart in Summerville.
Combs, then 35, was originally placed on leave but was later terminated.

The lack of official information in the case led to deep, mounting frustration in Eutawville. 

Chief Responds To Allegation


 The Davenport police chief is defending his officers involved in the beating of a suspect.
Video came out earlier this week of a February incident showing the officers confronting a woman allegedly caught shoplifting.
 “I’m not making excuses for the officer that deviates from policy I’m a realist it’s going to happen from time to time and then we’ll deal with it accordingly, she was hit, policies were violated,” Chief of Police Frank Donchez told affiliate WQAD.

Officials say there was disciplinary action taken against one of the officers. However since it’s a personnel issue, the details aren’t being released

UC Davis cop fired over pepper spray expected to get comp benefits




The University of California, Davis expects to provide workers compensation benefits for a former police officer who drew national attention for pepper-spraying seated demonstrators, a university spokeswoman confirmed Friday.
John Pike, who was dismissed from his position as UC Davis police lieutenant, is seeking work comp benefits from his former employer for a nervous system or psychiatric injury that occurred on Nov. 18, 2011, California Department of Industrial Relations records show.
Video and photographs taken that day showed him spraying students who blocked a sidewalk in protest of tuition hikes and other issues. As a result of the video, Mr. Pike received death threats against himself and his family, while he was widely criticized across the Internet.

 “Although (an) agreement has not been completed, the university expects that, in accordance with the board rating, John Pike will receive financial compensation,” the university said in a statement. 

Cop Dog Killers: Dog Shot by Police Serving Warrant at Wrong Addres...

Cop Dog Killers: Dog Shot by Police Serving Warrant at Wrong Addres...: The City of Leander, Texas, has announced that it will not pay the veterinary bill for a dog who was shot by a Leander Police officer aft...

Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...

Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...: BALTIMORE, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Baltimore police officer on charges of operating a prostitution business,...

The Battle for Police Oversight: ACLU, Albuquerque reach settlement in police overs...

The Battle for Police Oversight: ACLU, Albuquerque reach settlement in police overs...: ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and the city of Albuquerque reached a settlement Wednesday in ...

Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...

Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...: BALTIMORE, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Baltimore police officer on charges of operating a prostitution business,...

Photograph the Police: Philly cop caught on camera slapping Chester woman...

Photograph the Police: Philly cop caught on camera slapping Chester woman...: Philadelphia Police public affairs confirms that Lt. Jonathan Josey got his job back after being fired by the Philadelphia Police Departm...

drunk and drugged up cops

State police arrest SFPD cop
Officer Joseph Baca has been charged with negligent use of a deadly weapon for shooting a gun while drunk.
According to a probable cause statement filed by New Mexico State Police, last Saturday a little after 11 p.m. a patrol officer was called out to State Road 512, in an area several miles south of Chama, to investigate reports of shots being fired.
When he got there, the officer says he heard more shots and went into the woods to investigate. About 20 to 30 minutes later the officer spotted Baca and his wife, SFPD Sgt. Andrea Dobyns.
According to a probable cause statement, the two told the officer the same story, claiming they had been drinking but hadn't heard any gunfire recently and hadn't fired any weapons. The couple had magazines with ammunition and three guns with them including a Glock .40 caliber handgun, the same type SFPD issues to its officers.

Investigators say they found a number of shell casings with ammunition that matched the caliber of the weapons Baca and Dobyns had with them as well as a soda can with several bullet holes in it on the ground.

Stillwater officer waives drug-charge hearing
STILLWATER, Okla. -- A Stillwater police officer has waived a preliminary hearing on a drug charge.  Sgt. Tom McConaghy is charged with larceny of a controlled dangerous substance. He has a district court appearance set for Sept. 13. McConaghy is charged with taking prescription painkillers from the police department's prescription drug disposal vault. 

Miami-Dade Officer Suspended For Alleged Drunk Driving Accident
A Miami-Dade Police officer has been suspended as being investigated for allegedly driving drunk and fleeing the scene of an accident. Larry Laverde was off-duty on August 11th driving northbound on Southwest 127 Avenue in a marked police cruiser, when he ran a flashing red light. While crossing the intersection, Laverde reportedly hit a Mazda driving eastbound on Miller Drive. “This is something crazy, completely 100 percent irresponsible,” said Fernando Monch, the driver of the Mazda. “Could have killed me, I’m supposed to be protected by police not police do that to me then disappear.”According to the arrest affidavit, Laverde fled the scene of the accident and drove home.

Ludlow police officer charged with stealing cocaine from evidence locker
LUDLOW, Massachusetts — A high-ranking Ludlow police officer has been charged with stealing drugs from the department's evidence locker. Lt. Thomas Foye, according to court documents, was captured on video surveillance entering the locked narcotics locker at the police station, where he appears to handle and open evidence bags.


Off-duty cop charged with DWI in wrong-way crashes
MALVERNE, N.Y. (AP) — An off-duty New York Police Department officer is facing drunken driving charges after crashing into other cars while going the wrong way on a Long Island roadway. Ronald Holmes, 48, of Elmont, was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway around 1:45 a.m. Saturday.
Authorities say he hit several cars, sending one person to the hospital. Along with being charged with driving while intoxicated, he also faces reckless endangerment charges.



Cop fired after showing up to work drunk appeals the firing, believe it or not, loses appeal
LAKE CITY - The Utah Court of Appeals today upheld the firing of Stewart Becker, a Sunset police officer who showed up to work drunk.
Becker's attorneys challenged the validity of the portable blood test result that was used to justify the officer's dismissal. But the court ruled that the state law citing a policy of testing urine to establish blood alcohol content does not apply to government enties, so Sunset could use the PBT results.
 On April 1, 2007, Becker finished a shift at 6 a.m. and was scheduled to report back for a second shift at 2 p.m. that afternoon. When Becker arrived for work at 2, he discussed the shift change with his supervisor, Sgt. Bruce Arbogast, who noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from Becker. Becker admitted he had consumed approximately five shots of liquor before going to bed at 8 or 9 that morning.
Arbogast requested that Becker blow into a PBT. Becker blew into the PBT, which registered a breath alcohol content of 0.045.

Officer charged with off-duty DUI pleads guilty to lesser charge
A Seattle police officer originally charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence was sentenced Friday to two days in jail, with 362 days suspended, after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving, according to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office.
The officer, Marie Gochnour, and a second officer, Sean Moore, were off duty Dec. 17 when they were arrested after a 911 caller reported a car had hit a pole near First Avenue South and South Lander Street in Sodo.
According to a police statement, Gochnour allegedly stopped the Nissan Altima in the middle of the street and switched places with Moore, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
Both officers were found in Gochnour’s car.
Gochnour registered a breath-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.234 percent and 0.247 percent, according to the City Attorney’s Office. Moore’s breath tests measured at 0.161 and 0.149 percent. The state’s legal limit is 0.08 percent.
During BAC testing, Gochnour cursed at the arresting officer, acted in an aggressive manner and gave him the middle finger, according to a police report.
Gochnour and Moore were charged in March with misdemeanor driving under the influence, according to the City Attorney’s Office.
The city would not normally offer a reduced charge for this type of case, according to Kimberly Mills, spokeswoman for the City Attorney’s Office. However, the city had significant proof problems, including not being able to locate the 911 caller for trial.
Moore is scheduled for trial on Sept. 3, Mills said.
A department internal investigation has been on hold while the criminal case was progressing.
Paige Cornwell: 206-464-2517 or pcornwell@seattletimes.comInformation from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.


Waupun Officer Facing Six Felony Charges



A Waupun officer who was subject of police manhunt last week has been charged with six felonies in Green Lake County. Bradley Young is facing counts of burglary, criminal damage to property and stealing a vehicle. Young is accused of burglarizing a restaurant in Green Lake, stealing two vehicles and leading authorities on a high speed chase in Western Wisconsin last Monday.

Officer Dewey Pressley is heard discussing falsifying a police crash report


A former Hollywood Police officer ended his appeal and surrendered at the Broward County Jail on Friday to begin serving a 90-day sentence for falsifying records following a crash four years ago, court records showed.

On Feb. 16, 2009, Dewey Pressley, 46, was the DUI investigator when Officer Joel Francisco's patrol car rear-ended a car driven by Alexandra Torrens-Vilas. The video camera mounted on the dashboard of Pressley's patrol car recorded Pressley discussing the collision report and saying he was willing to bend the truth to protect a fellow officer because Torrens-Vilas had failed a roadside sobriety test. Prosecutors dismissed drunken driving charges against Torrens-Vilas after they released the recording to the public. Pressley and Francisco were fired and charged.

Fairfax County Police Watch: Newark police officer has been sentenced to three ...

Fairfax County Police Watch: Newark police officer has been sentenced to three ...: NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A former Newark police officer has been sentenced to three months in prison for conspiring with another person to fra...

Newark police officer has been sentenced to three months


NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A former Newark police officer has been sentenced to three months in prison for conspiring with another person to fraudulently obtain more than $60,000 in payments from a federal public housing assistance program.

Suliaman Kamara of Newark will also have to serve two years of supervised release once he's freed from prison.

Staten Island cop Michael Daragjati, already in federal prison, agrees to pay $7,500 to false arrest victim


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An imprisoned ex-cop has agreed to pay $7,500 out of his own pocket to a black man he falsely arrested in Stapleton two years ago, according to the man's attorneys.
According to authorities, Michael Daragjati, 34, of Tottenville, who is white, arrested Kenrick Gray on April 15, 2011 because Gray had complained about being stopped and "roughly" frisked on Targee Street and Laurel Avenue. The next day, he boasted to a friend in an intercepted phone call that he had "fried another n - - -," said court documents.

Gray filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, which came to a close after Daragjati agreed to a $7,500 settlement with Gray, while the city has agreed to pay out $125,000, said Jason Leventhal, Gray's attorney. 

Cops and the women they abuse: U.S. Marshals arrest Danville cop at airport

Cops and the women they abuse: U.S. Marshals arrest Danville cop at airport:  A Danville police officer is behind bars, arrested as he arrived at the Indianapolis International Airport.  Officer Chris Gill is now i...

Cop Dog Killers: Proof that we have too many cops without enough to...

Cop Dog Killers: Proof that we have too many cops without enough to...: For this needless gathering the Fairfax county police sent six cops for the dedication of a K9 statue. Why six? Why not one? In fact, w...

Cop Dog Killers: SC Officer Suspended After Police Dog Dies

Cop Dog Killers: SC Officer Suspended After Police Dog Dies:    BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (AP) _ A Bennettsville police officer has been suspended without pay for two months after his police dog died in a...

This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Monroe cop facing child rape charges

This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Monroe cop facing child rape charges: A local police officer charged with having sexual relationship with a girl for nearly a decade will be in court Tuesday.  Investigators ...