By Gal Tziperman Lotan
Lakeland K-9 officer was
ordered to stay away from ex-fiancee, police spokesman says
A Lakeland police officer is on
paid administrative leave after being charged with aggravated stalking of his
ex-fiancée, a police spokesman said.
Robert Manrow, a K-9 unit
officer who has been with the department for 14 years, was arrested around 1
a.m. Saturday, said Sgt. Gary Gross, a department spokesman.
Manrow and the woman he is
accused of stalking broke up in August, Gross said.
Since then, she has asked him
to stop trying to contact her about 10 times, and his supervisors at the police
department ordered him to avoid all contact with her, Gross said.
"We will not tolerate any
officer misconduct," Gross said in a statement.
"It's unfortunate that
this incident occurred and have no doubt that Officer Rob Manrow will be held
accountable for his actions."
Manrow moved out of the house
he shared with his former fiancée in mid-August, a few days after they
separated, Gross said.
The following week, Manrow's
ex-fiancée found him in the house unannounced, Gross said.
He came in through the garage
door, which he opened with a remote he still had.
Manrow's ex-fiancée asked him
to leave, and he did, Gross said.
But she found him again a few
days later in the back yard, saying he wanted to gather some of his belongings.
His former fiancée let him take
his things and asked him to leave again, Gross said.
In early September, Manrow
allegedly sent his ex-fiancée text and social media messages that put "a
well-founded fear" in her, Gross said.
"Enough is Enough,"
she replied Sept. 8, after he sent her more text messages and photos, Gross
said.
Manrow's supervisors ordered
him to stop contacting his former fiancée on Sept. 9, Gross said.
Four days later, Manrow told a
few other employees he was unhappy with the situation – particularly with
another police department employee, who he suspected was having a relationship
with his ex, Gross said.
This is the second time this
week a Lakeland police officer has come under fire.
On Thursday, a Lakeland police
"Detective of the Year" resigned following a DUI arrest in July.
Det. Billy Joe Lane handed the
Osceola County deputy sheriff who pulled him over his bank card instead of his
driver's license, deputies said.
His blood alcohol content was
0.188, more than twice the legal limit, according to his arrest report.
During a sobriety test, Lane
was unable to walk in a straight, almost fell over twice and the deputy stopped
the exercise out of fear Lane might fall and hurt himself, deputies said.
A disciplinary review suggested
that Lane should be fired for "Unlawful Conduct" and "Conduct
Unbecoming." Lane resigned before the department could fire him.
Lane entered a not-guilty plea
in September, court records show.
