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Archive for the ‘Fired’ Category
Bibb County Georgia Deputy Sheriff Robert Moran Fired For Stealing Money From High School Band Program
June 26th, 2008
MACON, GEORGIA - For the second time in two weeks, a Bibb County sheriff’s deputy has found himself on the other side of the law.
The sheriff’s office announced Wednesday that a deputy was terminated following an investigation of a possible theft totaling more than $2,000 from the Westside High School band program.
Robert Moran, 41, who volunteered as president of the school’s Band Boosters, was arrested Monday and charged with felony theft by taking in connection with the incident, sheriff’s office spokesman Lt. George Meadows said.
He was released on $3,400 bond from the Bibb County jail, where he worked as a corrections officer, and fired the same day.
A tentative trial date has been set for July.
Deputy Jiwana Daquare Green, 30, who is also assigned to the corrections division, was arrested June 12 on charges of misdemeanor marijuana possession following a traffic stop by Macon police for a burned out headlight and cracked taillight.
Read MoreFort Lauderdale Florida Police Officer Robert Merkel Fired And Charged With Lying On Report
June 16th, 2008
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - A Ft. Lauderdale police officer has been fired and charged with falsifying and official report.
Former police officer Robert Merkel, 45, faces one count of official misconduct, a felony, and one count of falsifying official records, a misdemeanor.
The arrest and charges stem from an incident last year in which Merkel confiscated money from a drug suspect and mislabeled it when he turned it over to the police department’s evidence room.
An internal affairs investigation said rookie officers Christopher Clemons and Grant Moule made the original arrest of the drug suspect after a brief foot chase in the 13-hundred block of Northeast 5th Terrace. During the arrest, officers found $315 dollars in the man’s pockets along with other items and a cell phone. Clemmons counted the money in front of the man and then placed it beside him on the ground along with his other possessions. He then placed the cell phone on top of the cash to keep it from blowing away. Both Clemons and Moule then left the drug suspect with another officer so they could search the surrounding area for any drugs the man may have thrown away during the chase. When they returned, Merkel was holding the drug suspect’s cash in his hands.
Read MoreGuns, Drugs, Porn, And Evidence From Sexual Assault Cases Found In Fired Methuen Massachusetts Police Chief Joseph Solomon’s Locker
May 13th, 2008
METHUEN, MASSACHUSETTS — Marijuana, knives, handguns, pornographic magazines and evidence from sexual assault cases were among dozens of items found in police Chief Joseph Solomon’s locker after he was fired last week.
Police cut the lock on Solomon’s department locker Thursday afternoon, a day after he was fired, and inventoried the contents which, according to a report, included everything from a water bong to a Valentine’s Day card.
Acting Chief Katherine Lavigne acknowledged there were numerous pieces of evidence found in the locker. Police are now investigating whether “all of the cases were processed properly,” she said.
The department will “be in touch” with District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office about the matter, Lavigne said. Blodgett declined comment, pending further review of the contents of the locker.
It was unclear yesterday if any charges could be pending against the former chief as a result of the locker inventory.
Read MoreVeteran Crossville Tennessee Police Officer Greg Patton Fired - Details Hidden From Taxpayers
May 1st, 2008
CROSSVILLE, TENNESSEE - Thursday morning a former midstate police officer was under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Crossville officer Greg Patton - a 9 year veteran - was fired Monday for misconduct and conduct unbecoming of an officer.
The city’s police chief would not go into detail about what exactly Patton was accused of, but he did say that he learned about the allegations over the weekend and asked the district attorney to investigate.
The district attorney in turn contacted the TBI.
Collier County Florida Sheriff Don Hunter Calls Special Press Conference To Announce Latest In A Series Of Firings
May 5th, 2007
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA - Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter called a special press conference the other day to announce the latest in a series of firings of wayward deputies.
He says he did so to help drive home a point. He says he wants the community to know that behavior such as choking suspects at substations is not acceptable, and he wants deputies and other staff members to get that message, too.
We believe the community already understands that. His department’s handling of such cases speaks for itself, although the message can get murky when apparent lawbreaking is handled in house rather than by courts.
Hunter is more on point with the second part of his rationale for the press conference, because it is clear that all of his deputies and staff have as yet to embrace what he calls his no-nonsense, public-service-first philosophy.
Read MoreLee County Florida Deputies And Dispatcher Fired After On Duty Sex
April 20th, 2007
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - Two Lee County sheriff’s deputies were fired separately this month amid allegations they had sex with women while they were on duty, authorities said.
In both cases, records show the deputies’ relationships were reported by a jilted lover — the wife of Deputy Michael Haigis brought cell phone records to the sheriff’s headquarters after finding a Valentine’s Day card in his duffel bag. And 17-year veteran Sgt. Edwin Cintron was subjected to an Internal Affairs investigation when a 7-Eleven clerk reported he’d left her for another clerk, according to sheriff’s reports.
Both men were ultimately fired. A sheriff’s dispatcher, Cristina Baughman, also was let go after authorities determined she and Haigis carried on their affair at work.
“There’s no place in law enforcement for that type of nonsense on duty,” Lee Sheriff Mike Scott said. “I was angry and embarrassed, and took very quick action to investigate it.”
Read MoreImmokalee Florida Jail Commander Betsy Varnold Fired After Thefts In Payroll Scheme - Previously Fired From Collier County Sheriff’s Department After Similar Efforts
February 5th, 2007
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA - A commander at the Immokalee Jail Center was fired in December after an investigation revealed she was falsifying her time card by including exercise time, travel time to and from work, and time spent talking on the telephone while off duty.
A recently released internal investigation also revealed that Cmdr. Betsy Varnold, 43, had been disciplined by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for similar behavior in the early 1990s.
Varnold, a 22-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, had her appointment withdrawn on Dec. 5. She was earning $103,098 a year at the time. The investigation into Varnold’s behavior began in September after Capt. Chris Freeman sent a memo to Chief Scott Salley about discrepancies in Varnold’s time card. Freeman conducted a review of her time card entries and discovered a pattern of inaccuracy, a report indicates.
Varnold could not be reached for comment for this story.
Read MoreNutcase Veteran Collier County Florida Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Chanyne M. Cunningham Fired After Stalking His Former Girlfriend, Threatening To Shoot Himself, And Misuse Of Law Enforcement Database
January 25th, 2007
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA - A 10-year veteran of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office has been fired for stalking an ex-girlfriend, threatening to shoot himself and accessing an agency database for unauthorized purposes, a recently released internal investigation report indicates.
Sgt. Chanyne M. Cunningham had his appointment withdrawn on Nov. 2 after the Sheriff’s Office’s professional responsibility bureau revealed he had engaged in immoral, unlawful or improper conduct on or off duty and for accessing an internal database for unauthorized purposes.
Cunningham, 34, started at the Sheriff’s Office on March 19, 1996, and was making $65,534 a year when his appointment was withdrawn.
The investigation began after an incident on March 30, 2006, when Cunningham’s ex-girlfriend, Kelli Renton, reported that she was being stalked, the report indicates. Attempts to reach both Cunningham and Renton at home for comment on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Read MoreFired For Bogus Diploma-Mill Degrees, Naples Florida Police Officers Joe Popka And Drew McGregor Want Their Jobs Back
October 13th, 2006
NAPLES, FLORIDA - Two former Naples police officers who have been fighting for months to be reinstated to the force will have to wait a little longer to find out if they will get their jobs back.
Nearly three months after former officers Joe Popka and Drew McGregor were fired for submitting diploma-mill degrees to obtain pay increases, the two officers’ twice-delayed grievance hearing finally was conducted behind closed doors inside Naples City Hall on Thursday morning. City Manager Bob Lee presided over the hearing, which started at 8 a.m. and concluded at noon.
The two former officers, both dressed in black suits, were joined on one side of a long table by their attorney, Michael Coviello of the Florida Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Across the table sat Deputy Chief James Slapp, representing the police department, along with Naples Human Resources Director Denise Perez, and City Labor Attorney Jon Fishbane.
Read MoreFired Lee County Florida Deputy Sheriff Troy Hale Admits To Bogus Traffic Stops - Charged With Robbing Motorists
August 27th, 2006
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - A Lee County Sheriff’s deputy arrested and fired earlier this month after being accused of stealing money from a group of men he pulled over has admitted to his bosses that he conducted similar stops on at least five occasions, according to the sheriff’s office.
In an Internal Affairs report released today by the Sheriff’s Office, former Deputy Troy Hale said he targeted Hispanic drivers because they were less likely to call police. He said he pulled over five or six groups of Hispanics from Aug. 7 of this year until he was caught in early October.
Hale, 24 was fired earlier this month after a group of Hispanic men said he pulled them over in the East Fort Myers area and took $1,150 from them. A few days later, another group of Hispanic men said he had stolen $470 from them. In each instance, Hale, a former marine, was charged with grand theft.
Read MoreVeteran Lee County Florida Deputy Sheriff Kim Falk Fired For Laundry List Of Substantiated Charges After Internal Drug Investigation
August 3rd, 2006
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - A 16-year veteran of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was fired Tuesday after an internal affairs investigation into allegations she abused prescription drugs. An internal affairs investigation was unable to substantiate the drug abuse claim, but information learned during the led to Lieutenant Kim Falk’s termination.
In a 15 page internal report released this week, coworkers spoke of Falk’s odd behavior which led them to believe she was under the influence of something. Sixteen deputies described Falk as often having “slurred or halted speech, coupled with an inability to complete her thoughts or sentences.”
One recalled an instance where she “drove around the substation 12 times” during a roll call.
Another time a sergeant “discovered that Falk was laying on the floor and appeared to be somewhat incoherent.”
Despite all the odd behavior, Falk denied misusing prescription drugs while at work, denied the unusual or bizarre behavior, and denied being lethargic.
Read More20 Year Veteran Lee County Florida Deputy Sheriff Capt. Les Partington Sues In Federal Court After Being Fired For Lying
June 27th, 2006
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - A 20-year Lee County Sheriff’s Office veteran fired in February on charges he lied during an internal affairs investigation has filed a federal lawsuit in an attempt to get his job back.
Les Partington, who earned $85,200 as a watch captain, also is seeking back pay, the value of lost fringe benefits, compensatory damages, and lost future earnings if he is unable to return to his job, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers.
“They said they fired me for lying, but that’s a lie,” Partington said Monday. “I’m not going to just go away after 20 years. I want my name back. I’ve never been called a liar, ever, until these people took over and did this to me. … We’ll go to federal court and look for justice.”
Read MoreCivil Service Board Upholds Firing Of 20 Year Veteran Lee County Florida Deputy Sheriff Capt. Les Partington For Lying
May 3rd, 2006
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Civil Service Board unanimously determined Tuesday that Sheriff Mike Scott had just cause to fire a 20-year veteran accused of lying during an internal investigation.
Capt. Les Partington, who had an “exemplary” record with the Sheriff’s Office, said he plans to continue to fight for his job and will discuss a possible lawsuit with his attorney. Partington, who has always denied lying, has offered to take a polygraph test or voice stress test, but the Sheriff’s Office wasn’t interested, testimony showed.
“We’re not going to let this go now,” Partington said after the 6½-hour hearing in the old Lee County Courthouse. “I didn’t spend 20 years of my life there to end like this. … We didn’t expect to win this. No one ever has. I think the board members are afraid for their own jobs. If it happened to me, it could happen to them.”
Read MoreSuspended Drug Addict Collier County Florida Deputy Sheriff Scott Anderson Fired After His Latest Arrest
March 30th, 2006
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA - Collier County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Scott Anderson was arrested Wednesday evening and was charged with reckless driving and fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers. He was suspended from the sheriff’s office when the incident happened and was fired on Thursday.
A Collier County deputy allegedly spotted Anderson weaving and speeding in his pickup on Collier Boulevard around 11:45 p.m. Another deputy spotted Anderson’s truck traveling east on Golden Gate Boulevard at approximately 85 mph. The deputy reportedly saw Anderson’s truck drift and nearly strike the curb.
Deputies tried to stop Anderson, but instead of pulling over, he sped up to 95 mph. A deputy reportedly followed Anderson for about a quarter mile with emergency lights and sirens activated.
After reversing direction, Anderson stopped in the outside lane on Golden Gate Boulevard, west of 11th Street Southwest.
Anderson was placed under arrest for high speed fleeing and eluding and willful and wanton reckless driving. Anderson is being held without bond at the jail.
Read MoreHero To Zero: 20 Year Veteran Lee County Florida deputy Sheriff Capt. Les Partington Fired After Being Caught Lying During Internal Investigation
February 22nd, 2006
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - A 20-year Lee County Sheriff’s Office veteran fired Tuesday by Sheriff Mike Scott because he was “caught lying” during an internal investigation denies being untruthful and plans a legal appeal to get his job back.
Capt. Les Partington, who had an “exemplary” record with the Sheriff’s Office, said he would appeal his firing to the Civil Service Board.
Scott said Partington was terminated for “improper conduct — untruthfulness” after a 10:20 a.m. meeting because he twice denied speaking with Deputy Daryl Holton, a black officer, about Holton’s being upset over remarks he deemed racially offensive. Partington was being questioned in November as part of an internal affairs investigation into comments by Capt. Gary Kamp, who later was cleared.
Read MoreVeteran Lee County Florida Deputy Sheriff Capt. Les Partington Fired After Lying During An Internal Investigation
February 22nd, 2006
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA - A 20-year Lee County Sheriff’s Office veteran fired Tuesday by Sheriff Mike Scott because he was “caught lying” during an internal investigation denies being untruthful and plans a legal appeal to get his job back.
Capt. Les Partington, who had an “exemplary” record with the Sheriff’s Office, said he would appeal his firing to the Civil Service Board.
Scott said Partington was terminated for “improper conduct — untruthfulness” after a 10:20 a.m. meeting because he twice denied speaking with Deputy Daryl Holton, a black officer, about Holton’s being upset over remarks he deemed racially offensive. Partington was being questioned in November as part of an internal affairs investigation into comments by Capt. Gary Kamp, who later was cleared.
Read MoreCollier County Florida Deputy Sheriff Oluwashola K. Lawal Fired After Relationship With An Inmate
February 6th, 2006
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA - A Collier County sheriff’s jail deputy was fired in January after she developed an inappropriate relationship with an inmate who had telephoned her at home 16 times and the two had conversations laced with sexual innuendo, internal affairs reports say.
Oluwashola K. Lawal, who also was discovered to have passed notes between inmates and gave an inmate the address of another inmate he’d fought with, was fired for improper conduct, violation of agency rules and for lying to investigators after a polygraph test showed she wasn’t truthful in her answers concerning passing mail or notes between inmates.
Internal affairs reports give this account:
Lawal first met inmate Jose Rios during an investigation of an attempted suicide of another inmate at the jail. Rios told her that he thought he knew her from New York and eventually they found that they knew some of the same people, including Rios’ cousin. She said she told his cousin via e-mail that he was in the Collier County jail about a week after she met him.
Read MoreFired Collier County Florida Deputy Sheriff Cpl. Steve Calkins Was Last To See 2 Men Who Disappeared - Claims He Didn’t Do Anything Wrong
January 22nd, 2006
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA - He’d do the same in their shoes.
Steven Calkins, now 51, said he’d never stop looking for his children if they disappeared.
The former Collier County Sheriff’s Office corporal was the last person confirmed to see Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos.
Both went missing more than two years ago after Calkins said he gave them rides. Families and authorities still are searching for the men.
“I’m concerned, too, if they’re missing,” he said. “If they’re not, it’s not fair to me. … I find it hard to believe someone can disappear from the face of the earth.”
Calkins thinks they could be hiding out or that they ran into someone else.
“There’s a lot of con artists in Southwest Florida,” he said.
Calkins lives on a tree-lined North Naples street with his three children and wife. He’s a family man, he said, an old-fashioned cop who often gave rides to people.
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