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Thursday, July 30, 2009

[NJ] Cop-family Sgt. Ronald Harvey in trouble again for domestic violence related incidents with his wife

A Millville police sergeant has been taken off the job after he was charged with stalking his estranged wife...

This is not the first time that Millville Police Sgt. Ronald ("Ron") A. Harvey has faced domestic violence related charges regarding his wife.

...
Two years ago, [Ronald A.] Harvey was served with a restraining order after an altercation with his wife. He went on sick leave following the complaint. The complaint was later dropped...

Sgt. Ron Harvey is son of then-Millville Police Chief Ron J. Harvey who left while under investigation. Sgt. Harvey is also brother to Millville Detective Sgt. Michael Harvey:


...In 2003, Ronald A. Harvey's wife filed charges against her brother-in-law, Michael Harvey, after she claimed the then-28-year-old police officer assaulted her and made terroristic threats against her. Michael Harvey was required to turn in his service weapon at the time...

Hmm.

BUENA: MILLVILLE POLICE SERGEANT CHARGED WITH STALKING

The Daily Journal
By Tim Zatzariny Jr. tzatzariny@thedailyjournal.com
and Joseph P. Smith
July 28, 2009
[Excerpts] A Millville police sergeant has been suspended with pay after being charged with stalking a woman, police said. Buena police on Monday charged Ronald A. Harvey, 38, of the 2500 block of Cedar Street in Millville, with one fourth degree count of stalking... The female victim alleged Harvey followed her to multiple locations, and that, coupled with other behavior by Harvey, put her in fear for her safety, [Detective Lt. David] Sherma said. "Apparently, there were some verbal confrontations," Sherma said. He said Harvey and the unidentified victim lived together... The case has been forward to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office... Millville Police Chief Ed Grennon said Tuesday that Harvey was suspended because the temporary restraining order prohibits him from carrying a weapon... [Full article here]

MILLVILLE POLICE SERGEANT CHARGED WITH STALKING ESTRANGED WIFE
by Sean C. McCullen, The News of Cumberland County
Tuesday July 28, 2009, 6:16 PM
[Excerpts] A Millville police sergeant has been taken off the job after he was charged with stalking his estranged wife here Saturday night. Sgt. Ronald A. Harvey was suspended with pay following his arrest Monday morning, Millville Police Chief Ed Grennon said today... Harvey, 38, of Millville, is charged with one count of fourth-degree stalking, a crime punishable by up to 18 months in jail... Buena Police Officer Dennis Steudle investigated the woman's claims and on Sunday night signed the stalking complaint against Harvey, who turned himself in to Buena police early Monday... Harvey was released on $2,500 bail, as set by Municipal Court Judge Henry Broome during an overnight bail hearing. Broome issued a temporary restraining order barring Harvey from contacting his wife, whom police did not identify by name. The restraining order also prohibits Harvey from carrying a weapon... Harvey is the son of former Millville police chief Ronald Harvey. [Full article here]

MILLVILLE POLICE OFFICER, CHARGED WITH STALKING WOMAN, SUSPENDED
pressofatlanticcity.com
By Daniel Walsh
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
[Excerpts] A Millville police officer has been suspended while he faces criminal charges in Buena... [Sgt. Ron] Harvey is not the first Millville officer to face legal problems related to women. One-time officers Steve Felice and Carl Heger each faced charges of assaulting women, while former Sgt. Robert Vanaman pleaded guilty this year to killing his wife. Harvey had, however, avoided most of the controversies that dogged his brother, Michael, and father, Ronald J. Harvey, on the police force. Ronald J. Harvey served as police chief until 2007, when he abruptly retired while under criminal investigation by state and county authorities for a series of real estate deals - in which Michael Harvey was involved - and potentially fraudulent use of time cards. No criminal charges were filed, however. Michael Harvey remains on the police force. [Full article here]

M'VILLE COP STALKED HIS WIFE, POLICE SAY
Ex-chief's son suspended with pay
The Daily Journal
By Tim Zatzariny Jr.
And Joseph P. Smith
July 29, 2009
[Excerpts] A Millville police sergeant has been suspended with pay after being charged with stalking his wife, police said... Two years ago, [Ronald A.] Harvey was served with a restraining order after an altercation with his wife. He went on sick leave following the complaint. The complaint was later dropped, and Harvey returned to work. The latest charge is related to three incidents that happened Saturday evening, said Buena police Detective Lt. David Sherma... Harvey's wife alleged he followed her to multiple locations, and that, coupled with other behavior by Harvey, put her in fear for her safety... The officer is scheduled to appear in Family Court in Atlantic County on Thursday for a hearing on the restraining order... "Suspension without pay is considered punitive in nature," [Millville Police Chief Ed] Grennon said. "We can't impose that" because the charge against Harvey is only an allegation, and the officer has not been indicted by a grand jury. Grennon said the suspension could be lifted if the restraining order is lifted. He said he had no comment on the actual charge against Harvey because he had not yet seen the police reports about the incident. [Full article here]

TWO YEARS AGO"

CHIEF'S SON FACES RESTRAINING ORDER

thedailyjournal.com
By MILES JACKSON
and JAMES P. QUARANTA
July 6, 2007
[Excerpts] A 14-year veteran of the Millville Police Department - and the son of department Chief Ronald J. Harvey - is facing a domestic violence complaint. The complaint, signed in Millville Municipal Court this week by the wife of Sgt. Ronald A. Harvey, 35, will be referred to the Family Division of state Superior Court, according to county Prosecutor Ronald J. Casella. A hearing closed to the public will be held in the Cumberland County Courthouse at a later date, Casella said... Harvey turned in his service weapon, according to Millville police Capt. Ed Grennon... Harvey and his wife were involved in a dispute Tuesday morning at Holly City Tire on West Main Street in Millville, according to a police incident report. The couple apparently fought over a set of keys for a truck, resulting in what the report said was "a small nick" on the finger of Harvey's wife... Sgt. Harvey's father, Chief Ronald J. Harvey, and his brother, Millville Police Sgt. Michael Harvey, and two senior Millville officers asked a Superior Court judge last month to stop a city investigation that the four officers harassed a colleague because he is gay. The four officers also allegedly engaged in retaliation against the officer after he complained about a hostile work environment. The results of that investigation haven't yet been made public. The senior Harvey, a longtime Millville police officer and chief since 2000, went on sick leave June 30 and isn't expected to return until at least July 30, according to the city clerk's office. The clerk's office declined to disclose the nature of the senior Harvey's illness. In 2003, Ronald A. Harvey's wife filed charges against her brother-in-law, Michael Harvey, after she claimed the then-28-year-old police officer assaulted her and made terroristic threats against her. Michael Harvey was required to turn in his service weapon at the time. The charges were later dismissed without court action.

MILLVILLE COP FACES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMPLAINT

The Press of Atlantic City
By Edward Van Embden
July 6, 2007
[Excerpts] A domestic violence complaint and a restraining order were issued against police Sgt. Ron A. Harvey on Tuesday after he and his wife, Ronda, were involved in two domestic disturbances on consecutive days earlier this week, officials said... Early Tuesday morning, Ron Harvey told police he drove his pickup truck to Holly City Tire for maintenance when his wife pulled up next to him in her BMW sport utility vehicle and the two began to argue. When he tried to get in his truck to leave, she grabbed the keys and suffered a scratch on her finger during the altercation... Riley said the incident stemmed from a separate domestic disturbance between the two that occurred the night before... Both the officer and his brother Michael are sons of police Chief Ron J. Harvey, who is currently out on a 30-day sick leave.

SERGEANT'S WIFE DROPS RESTRAINING ORDER
The Daily Journal, (Vineland, NJ)
James P. Quaranta
July 20, 2007
[Excerpts] The wife of a Millville police sergeant dropped a domestic violence complaint against her husband 10 days after she requested a restraining order, according to court records... Harvey's wife withdrew the complaint during a Family Court hearing July 13. After the restraining order was issued, Harvey, who was on vacation at the time, turned in his service weapon... Harvey, 35, has not returned to work since the incident and is on sick leave. His father, former Chief Ronald J. Harvey, filed for retirement last week...
[police officer involved domestic violence teflon new jersey]

[FL] PBSO Sgt. Brent Raban: "But like a good batterer i know the areas that hide the marks well."

...Together with two subordinates, [Palm Beach Sheriff's Office] Deputies Gregory Lynch and Michael Woodside, Raban would work the streets of the county's western communities, sometimes sporting a camouflage skullcap emblazoned with the word "PUNISHMENT," the investigation determined... Interviews done by internal affairs paint Sergeant Brent Raban as the leader of the group... The result of the investigation was the firing of Deputies Gregory Lynch & Michael Woodside and Radan's demotion from Sergeant to Deputy... "It was a comment I made in extremely bad taste," Raban told investigators later. "It was meant as a joke"...

Facebooker Palm Beach Sheriff's Sgt. Brent Raban wrote on fellow-facebooker Ralph Clark's photo of a battered suspect:
"Gravity... usually its agood something...sometimes it bites ya... ...had a guy run from me last night...i caught him upstairs and he too fell down soome stairs last night...and his medical clearance took a while...ask Lynch. But like a good batterer i know the areas that hide the marks well." [LINK]

SGT. RABAN'S FACEBOOK PROFILE PICTURE:
Demoted deputy on Facebook: 'I know the areas that hide the marks well'
Palm Beach Post
By Michael LaForgia
July 28, 2009
[Excerpts] Sgt. Brent Raban wore a badge and carried a gun issued by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, but he didn't think of himself as a crime fighter. Instead, the seven-year Sheriff's Office veteran considered himself a punisher on the mean streets of Belle Glade, and he bragged in Internet postings about his prowess in battering the people he arrested, according to an internal investigation released Monday. Together with two subordinates, Deputies Gregory Lynch and Michael Woodside, Raban would work the streets of the county's western communities, sometimes sporting a camouflage skullcap emblazoned with the word "PUNISHMENT," the investigation determined... Lynch and Woodside each were found to have broken four department rules and recommended for firing... In a prominent place on [Facebook] Raban's page, the former sergeant typed, "It's not crime fighting ... It's dealing out PUNISHMENT!"... In other places on his Facebook page, Raban crowed about dealing harshly with the people he arrested, writing in one instance that he roughed up one suspect. "But like a good batterer," he added, "I know the areas that hide the marks well." "It was a comment I made in extremely bad taste," Raban told investigators later. "It was meant as a joke." In another instance, he lamented that he was losing his cool because he had gone 14 days without hitting someone. [Full article here]
Cops suspended over controversial Facebook postings
WMGT
Posted by Brandon Long blong@wmgt.com
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
[Excerpts] ...Palm Beach Sheriff's Office Colonel Michael Gauger says the entries are "very concerning." Interviews done by internal affairs paint Sergeant Brent Raban as the leader of the group. There is a photo of him wearing a skull cap with the word "Punishment" on it. The comment on it reads, "It's not crime fighting...It's dealing out PUNISHMENT."... An email in December tipped off the sheriff's office. What followed was an internal affairs investigation into Sergeant Brent Raban, Deputy Sergeant Gregory Lynch and Deputy Sergeant Michael Woodside... Deputy Sergeant Gregory Lynch and Deputy Sergeant Michael Woodside were fired. Lynch has about two years with PBSO, Woodside less than one. Sergeant Raban has more than ten years with PBSO. He was demoted. He has also been reassigned and is not returning to the Glades. The Palm Beach County State Attorney's office found there was not enough evidence to press charges. [Full article here]
Rogue sheriff or foolish facebooker?
Palm Beach County Top News Examiner
Claire Portmann
July 29, 3:45 AM
[Excerpts] Brent Radan, with his actions on the streets of Belle Glade and his braggadocio on facebook, brought an Internal Affairs investigation down on himself and his two subordinates... In his photo album section, there are booking pictures of suspects who have required medical attention. They have the feeling of trophy mount displays. Under one of these, Radan comments about the suspect having been on the biting end of gravity and “But like a good batterer I know the areas that hide the marks well”... Whether the self promotion and allegations made on his facebook pages are true or not, the damage has been done. The result of the investigation was the firing of Deputies Gregory Lynch & Michael Woodside and Radan's demotion from Sergeant to Deputy. But the real damage is that which has been done to the image of and trust in the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office. It is especially so in the western part of the county, where these three patrolled and confronted people on the streets. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement fatality fatalities abuse florida sergeant teflon]

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

[TX] SAPD Officer Michael Cooper arrested for domestic violence

24 years on the San Antonio Police Department, 50 year old Patrolman Michael Cooper was arrested for choking and punching a 20 year old female family member. ***Although one news source names the victim as his wife, I am not so sure after reading the affadavit for arrest. I would guess it's his daughter. I removed names of the victim and witness -the victim's brother - while transcribing the affadavit, but the victim's brother shares Officer Cooper's surname.

(Also due to a recent Cooper family tragedy, family information - names of members of the family - was online. I won't post that here.)

FROM THE AFFADAVIT FOR ARREST WARRANT:

...OFFICER [V.] STATED THAT HE WAS DISPATCHED TO ________ TO INVESTIGATE AN ASSAULT. OFFICER [V.] MADE CONTACT WITH THE COMPLAINTANT AND HER BROTHER, [O.C.], WHO IS THE OUTCRY WITNESS. THE COMPLAINANT TOLD OFFICER [V.] THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS UPSET WITH HER BECAUSE HE BELIEVED SHE HAD A BAD ATTITUDE AND WAS ACTING DISTANT. ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINANT ON 07-24-09 AT ABOUT 10:00PM THE DEFENDANT BEGAN YELLING AT HER AND SHE BEGAN YELLING BACK AND THE DEFENDANT BECAME UPSET AND PLACED HIS HANDS AROUND THE COMPLAINANT'S NECK AND CHOKED HER AS HE PINNED HER DOWN ON HER BED. THE COMPLAINANT TOLD OFFICER [V.] THAT THE DEFENDANT RELEASED HER NECK AND CONTINUED TO YELL AT HER AND THEN JABBED HER ON THE CHEST WITH HIS HAND. THE COMPLAINANT TOLD OFFICER [V.] THAT THE NEXT MORNING HER BROTHER [O.C.] ARRIVED HOME AND SHE TOLD HIM THAT THE DEFENDANT CHOKED HER. OFFICER [V.] SPOKE TO [O.C.] AND [O.C.] STATED THAT HE CONFRONTED THE DEFENDANT CONCERNING THE ALLEGATIONS AND THE DEFENDANT ADMITTED THAT HE PLACED HIS HANDS ON THE COMPLAINANT BUT TOLD HIM THAT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

YOUR AFFIANT INTERVIEWED THE COMPLAINANT AND SHE STATED THAT ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT ABOUT 9:30PM SHE WAS IN HER APARTMENT WITH THE DEFENDANT AND THEY BEGAN TO ARGUE. THE COMPLAINANT STATED SHE WAS SITTING ON THE EDGE OF HER BED AND THE DEFENDANT WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF HER. THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TO YELL AT THE COMPLAINANT AND PLACED HIS FACE UP CLOSE TO HER FACE TELLING HER SHE WAS LIKE HER MOTHER AND WOULD NOT AMOUNT TO ANYTHING. THIS MADE THE COMPLAINANT UPSET AND SHE YELLED BACK AT THE DEFENDANT. THE DEFENDANT THEN LUNGED AT THE COMPLAINANT PUSHING HER ONTO THE BED ON HER BACK. THE DEFENDANT STRADDLED THE COMPLAINANT PLACING HIS HANDS AROUND THE COMPLAINANT'S NECK AND BEGAN CHOKING HER TO THE POINT THAT THE COMPLAINANT WAS NOT ABLE TO BREATHE OR TALK. THE COMPLAINANT STATED SHE REACHED UP AND PLACED HER HANDS AROUND THE DEFENDANT'S NECK AND HE THEN RELEASED HIS GRIP FROM AROUND HER NECK. THE DEFENDANT GOT OFF THE COMPLAINANT AND STOOD NEXT TO THE BED AND AS THE COMPLAINANT SAT UP ON THE BED THE DEFENDANT JABBED HER WITH A CLOSED FIST ON HER CHEST. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT ON SATURDAY 07-25-09 HER BROTHER [O.C.] ARRIVED AT THE APARTMENT AND SHE TOLD HIM WHAT THE DEFENDANT DID TO HER...




San Antonio police officer charged with assaulting wife
Reported by: Elsa Ramon
Email: ElsaRamon@woaitv.com
Last Update: July 28, 2009 - 7:05 am
SAN ANTONIO -- A police officer is on administrative leave as the department investigates an assault claim. SAPD Patrol Officer Michael Cooper is free on bond Monday after being arrested over the weekend... [Full article here]

SAPD Officer Faces Violence Charges
KSAT.com
By Tim Gerber
POSTED: Monday, July 27, 2009
UPDATED: 8:39 am CDT July 28, 2009
Read the arrest affidavit. (PDF)
A San Antonio police officer has been arrested and charged with assaulting a family member. According to court records, 50-year-old Michael Cooper was arrested Monday after he allegedly attacked a 20-year-old woman with whom he lives... Cooper allegedly pushed the woman onto a bed, straddled her and placed his hands around her neck. The woman told officers Cooper choked her to the point that she could not breath or talk. When the woman placed her hands around Cooper's neck, he reportedly let her go. The victim did not report the assault until the next day when she told her brother, who in turn called police... Cooper was booked on family violence charges and released on a $3,500 bond. [Full article here]

Officer arrested on family violence charge
mysanantonio.com, Express-News
By Michelle Mondo
07/27/2009 8:03 CDT
...When the two got up from the bed, he then “jabbed her with a closed fist” on her chest. On Saturday, she told her brother what happened and, on Sunday, police were called to make a report. Cooper is a 24-year veteran of the force, according to city records. [Full article here]

Monday, July 27, 2009

[TN] Chattanooga Police Officer Kenneth Freeman accused of dv assault and threat to kill girlfriend

Officer Kenneth Freeman of the Chattanooga Police Department is off duty because of alleged domestic assault to a girlfriend. According to a police report filed early Saturday morning, Officer Freeman threatened to kill the girlfriend...



OFFICER KENNETH FREEMAN ON PAID LEAVE AFTER DOMESTIC ASSAULT CHARGE
chattanoogan.com
posted July 18, 2009
Officer Kenneth Freeman was relieved of duty Saturday morning amid allegations of domestic assault against a girlfriend.
Chattanooga Police responded to a call at 4040 Mountain Creek Road at 1 a.m. and talked to Rose Blanks who stated that Officer Freeman threatened her following an argument... Officer Freeman will be on paid leave pending an internal and criminal investigation. Officer Freeman was in the news last December in an incident in which he shoved a 71-year-old Wal-Mart greeter to the floor. He was suspended following that incident and was sued in Federal Court. Prior to that, he had a courthouse shoving incident with Lloyd Levitt. [Full article here]

CHATTANOOGA OFFICER ON PAID LEAVE, ALLEGATIONS OF DOMESTIC ASSAULT
WDEF
Kristen Johnson
July 18, 2009
Officer Kenneth Freeman was relieved of duty this morning amid allegations of domestic assault against a girlfriend. Chattanooga Police responded to a call at 4040 Mountain Creek Road at 1 a.m. and talked to Rose Blanks who stated that Freeman threatened her following an argument. Investigators with the Youth and Family and Internal Affairs Divisions are working the case. Officer Freeman will be on paid leave pending and internal and criminal investigation. [LINK]

MORE DETAILS ON INVESTIGATION INTO CHATTANOOGA POLICE OFFICER KENNETH FREEMAN
WDEF
Amy Katcher
July 20, 2009
[Excerpts] Officer Kenneth Freeman of the Chattanooga Police Department is off duty because of alleged domestic assault to a girlfriend. According to a police report filed early Saturday morning, Officer Freeman threatened to kill the girlfriend after she jokingly said she'd call his wife... After making the initial statement the victim said she blew the situation out of proportion. But a neighbor of the victim tells us the two have had altercations in the past... The police report says the couple was drinking vodka and cranberry juice at an apartment in Alpine Villas Friday night. According to the report, Officer Freeman was in possession of his gun. "That's something we are looking into," Lt. Noorbergen said Monday. "There's allegations that there was alcohol. That Officer Freeman was drinking and if he was armed that could be a violation of our policy"... Since 1997 there have also been 26 citizen complaints against Freeman, but more than half have been unfounded. Lt. Noorbergen says the high number of complaints is because he works in high-crime areas. Lt. Noorbergen says Internal Affairs typically tries to finish investigations within 30 days. [Full article here]

Original Documents: Kenneth Freeman's Chattanooga Police Internal Affairs Records Show History of Complaints
Submitted by WDEF News 12 on July 23, 2009 - 12:24pm.
http://www.wdef.com/files/Officer_Ralph_K_Freeman.pdf
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement tennessee terroristic threatening threats TENNESSEE]

[NC] Will there ever be charges in the death of then-deputy's husband, Stacey Pollard?

Pitt County Sheriff's Lt. Michelle Pollard

From a news article earlier this month:

A Pitt County sheriff's deputy no longer is employed by the county and could lose her state law enforcement certification on morals charges. Lt. Michelle Y. Pollard, who's been at the center of civil suits in connection with her husband's 2005 death, saw her last day with the county on July 1...

On December 18th 2005 Stacey Pollard, Deputy Michelle Pollard's husband died. Michelle's story then was that she was bringing him a drink of hot chocolate and saw him floating in the pool:

...Later, after flunking the SBI polygraph given her in June 2006, she changed her story, telling investigators she had pushed her husband into the pool as a joke, then ran back into their home and locked the doors when he threatened to "get her back," according to the lawsuit... "We have a lieutenant in the sheriff's department who gave two different accounts of what happened that night," [Pitt County Commission Chairwoman Beth Ward] said. "I don't know which one is the lie... I don't think there was a formal investigation in his own department that questioned her about these two accounts." Fellow commission member Eugene James agreed. "When you change your story, that puts doubts in everybody's mind," he said...



Excerpts from some of the news in chronological order:

STACEY DEAN POLLARD GRIMESLAND
The Daily Reflector
Monday, November 21, 2005
[Excerpts] Stacey Dean Pollard, 33, died unexpectedly Friday, Nov. 18, 2005... Stacey, a native and lifelong resident of the Greenville area, was a graduate of both North Pitt High School and Pitt Community College. For many years, he worked as a licensed general contractor, owned and operated Pollard Homes, and was affiliated with S&W Foundations. He was a member of the Pitt County Home Builders Association. An avid outdoorsman, Stacey enjoyed hunting, fishing, four-wheeling and spending time with his dogs. A child at heart, he enjoyed playing with his kids and their friends as well as spending time with his family. He was loved by many and will be greatly missed by everyone. Stacey was preceded in death by his father, Max Pollard, in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Michelle Everette Pollard; son... mother... sisters... nieces... mother-in-law... and his special neighborhood children... Memorial contributions may be made to the Epilepsy Foundation 4351 Garden City Drive Landover, MD 20785-7223 or the Children's Hospital of Eastern NC, P.O. Box 6028, Greenville, NC 27834...

SHERIFF DENIES CHARGES IN SUIT
The Daily Reflector -
Erin Rickert
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
[Excerpts] Pitt County Sheriff Mac Manning on Tuesday denied allegations raised in a lawsuit claiming top officials in his office covered up the circumstances surrounding the 2005 death of a lieutenant's husband. Barbara Pollard, mother of the late Stacey Pollard, names Manning, Chief Lee Moore, Chief Rick Fisher and her daughter-in-law, Lt. Michelle Pollard, in the suit, filed last week in U.S. District Court... The 19-page lawsuit, filed July 5, states Stacey Pollard, then 33, was found by his wife Nov. 18, 2005, floating lifeless in a swimming pool at the couple's Grimesland home. A nearly month-long investigation into Pollard's death was initiated by the sheriff's office. When Pollard's family raised concerns, Manning said he sought a second investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation roughly two months later... "In this lawsuit, they allege Chief Moore and Chief Fisher did something to interfere or hinder the investigation, nothing could be further from the truth," Manning said. He said he managed the investigation and investigators reported directly to him during the first 24 hours after the incident. [Pollard family attorney David] Sutton said Tuesday the family brought the suit after discovering earlier this year that Michelle Pollard gave different accounts of her husband's death to the sheriff's investigators and the SBI. The lawsuit states Michelle Pollard told a sheriff's detective her husband was restoring a Corvette in the barn at their home. She said she was taking hot chocolate to Pollard when she saw him floating in the pool... In her SBI statement, Michelle Pollard said she pushed her husband in the pool as a joke. She saw him walking in the shallow end of the pool before running and hiding in the house. After 10-15 minutes of silence, she found him floating in the pool, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit alleges Michelle Pollard failed a lie detector test administered by the SBI. Manning said Tuesday differences in witness stories are not unusual... Sutton said Tuesday Stacey Pollard told friends he planned to end the marriage on the day of his death, and it is possible the news could have caused Michelle Pollard not to take extra measures to save her husband's life. If her SBI account is true, Sutton said, she pushed a known epileptic into a pool in winter and left him unattended... "I categorically deny that any member of this department hindered this investigation," Manning said, "and as I stated, I personally oversaw this investigation in the first 24 hours and thereafter"... [Full article here]

SBI ASKED TO RESTART PITT PROBE
The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC)
Jim Nesbitt
Thursday, July 12, 2007
[Excerpts] A state investigation of the 2005 drowning death of a Pitt County deputy's husband remains open despite the sheriff's strong denial that two top officers had affairs with the deputy and hindered an initial inquiry. Pitt County District Attorney Clark Everett has asked the State Bureau of Investigation to do additional work on the death of Stacey Dean Pollard, said Jennifer Canada, a spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Justice, on Wednesday... The lawsuit alleges that she failed an SBI polygraph and later changed her account of her husband's death.... [Pitt County Sheriff Mac] Manning said the SBI report contains a "plausible explanation" for the different accounts but declined to discuss it... "I am satisfied that Lieutenant Pollard did not cause the death of her husband," Manning said. Stacey Pollard's family expressed concerns about the department's investigation in January 2006, and Manning asked the SBI to step in roughly two months later. He also said three investigations - by his office, the SBI and the state medical examiner -- had reached the same conclusion: Stacey Pollard's death was an accident... Stacey Pollard's family remains convinced there was a coverup and SBI agents should have been called immediately. They say he was on the verge of leaving his wife because of her extramarital affairs. "My brother's dead, and we don't really know what happened that night," said Lynn Pollard Sutton, his sister. "There's two versions. Is there a third?" The 19-page lawsuit claims two top deputies named as defendants -- Lee Moore and Rick Fisher -- hampered the actions of sheriff's investigators because of romantic relationships with Lt. Pollard, who was a detective at the time of her husband's death. On the night of Stacey Pollard's death, Moore denied at least three requests by Dance to bring in the SBI to investigate "one of our own," the lawsuit said. Fisher sat in every time Dance questioned Lt. Pollard, hampering the investigation, the lawsuit said... Manning said he personally investigated rumored affairs involving his two top deputies and Lt. Pollard. Both Fisher and Moore denied having affairs with Lt. Pollard... "I have investigated it, and my opinion is that it did not happen, and I had no credible evidence that it did," the sheriff said... Although her mother's lawsuit asks for substantial monetary damages, [Stacey's sister Sandy] Griffin bristles at the suggestion they're in it for the money. "Justice and the truth," she said. "The family's searching for the truth. That's what we want out of this." [Full article here]

PITT OFFICIALS PRESS SHERIFF FOR ANSWERS
The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC)
Jim Nesbitt
Saturday, July 14, 2007
[Excerpts] Pitt County Sheriff Mac Manning needs to disclose the "plausible explanation" he believes explains why Lt. Michelle Pollard changed her story about her husband's November 2005 drowning after flunking a State Bureau of Investigation polygraph, elected officials said Friday. Pitt County Commission Chairwoman Beth Ward said the integrity of Manning's department is at stake following allegations in a civil lawsuit that two of the sheriff's top subordinates impeded the initial investigation of Stacey Pollard's death because of romantic relationships with Michelle Pollard... "We have a lieutenant in the sheriff's department who gave two different accounts of what happened that night," she said. "I don't know which one is the lie.... I don't think there was a formal investigation in his own department that questioned her about these two accounts." Fellow commission member Eugene James agreed. "When you change your story, that puts doubts in everybody's mind," he said. Lt. Pollard, who declined comment Friday and referred questions to Pitt County Attorney JoAnne Burgdorff, initially told a sheriff's investigator she was bringing a cup of hot chocolate to her husband when she found his body floating face down in the deep end of their backyard pool at their Grimesland home, according to the lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court by her husband's mother, Barbara Pollard... Later, after flunking the SBI polygraph given her in June 2006, she changed her story, telling investigators she had pushed her husband into the pool as a joke, then ran back into their home and locked the doors when he threatened to "get her back," according to the lawsuit... Stacey Pollard's family wonders why Manning didn't immediately call in the SBI to investigate a case involving one of his deputies. They also wonder why Lt. Pollard was promoted instead of disciplined for telling two different stories... The SBI didn't open its investigation until late March 2006, an N.C. Department of Justice spokeswoman said. Calling in the SBI early in cases involving a deputy or other law enforcement officer is a routine call for a sheriff or police chief who wants to make sure an investigation of "one of our own" is impartial, said Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell... [Full article here]


FAMILY FILES SUIT IN 2005 DEATH
Officially, Pitt County man drowned; cover-up suspected
The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC)
Jim Nesbitt
Sunday, July 22, 2007
[Excerpts] ...It was Nov. 18, 2005. Stacey Pollard, a burly, boyish and easygoing contractor who learned to build homes working for his late father, was 33. At the time of his death, sheriff's investigators found no sign of foul play. An autopsy found Pollard died from drowning, with a seizure as a potential contributing factor... But an explosive and sexually explicit civil lawsuit filed July 5 in a Greenville federal court alleges Michelle Pollard, then a deputy in the Pitt County Sheriff's Office and now a lieutenant, told investigators two different stories about her husband's death. The lawsuit also combines allegations of a cover-up by law enforcement with steamy passages about group sex and extramarital affairs... Stacey Pollard's family members say they filed the lawsuit only after Pitt County District Attorney Clark Everett decided earlier this year there was insufficient evidence to press criminal charges against Michelle Pollard and let them review the SBI report... The family has also set up a Web site -- justice4stacey.com -- which includes the lawsuit... The lawsuit claims Michelle Pollard received the proceeds of a $200,000 life insurance policy well before revising her story to SBI investigators. And, it alleges, she engaged in group sex at the couple's home the day of her husband's funeral and had an affair with a married man who, public records indicate, has a lengthy criminal history in Pitt and Beaufort counties... [Pitt County Commissioner Eugene] James and other county officials are more concerned about the two stories Michelle Pollard told investigators about the night of her husband's death... James and [chairwoman of the Pitt County Board of Commissioners, Beth] Ward also wonder why [Sheriff Mac] Manning didn't immediately request an SBI investigation of Stacey Pollard's death, a move other North Carolina sheriffs say they routinely make when a case involves "one of their own" to avoid charges of bias and cover-up. Manning waited about two months to request an SBI investigation, days after a tense meeting between investigators and Stacey Pollard's family in late January 2006. SBI special agent Dwight Ransome didn't start until late March 2006, a state justice department spokeswoman said. By then, Ransome told family members, his investigation was "like hunting Easter eggs in August".... [Full article here]


FORMER POLLARD DEATH INVESTIGATOR SUES
The Daily Reflector
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
[Excerpts] A former Pitt County Sheriff's Office deputy is suing the county, Sheriff Mac Manning and Chief of Investigations Lee Moore, according to documents filed at the Pitt County Courthouse. Attorneys for Paula Dance filed the suit just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, claiming the defendants caused Dance emotional distress and violated public policy during her investigation into the death of Stacey Pollard... Dance was the lead investigator in the case after Pollard drowned in the pool outside his Pactolus residence Nov. 18, 2005. Pollard is the husband of sheriff's deputy Lt. Michelle Pollard... The brief states Dance's ongoing concerns that a proper investigation could not be conducted because of the working relationship with Pollard's wife prompted interrogation and persecution from her superiors... Judge Earl Britt tossed out a case alleging sheriff's officials had a role in Pollard's death and an alleged cover-up. Plaintiff Barbara Pollard's wrongful death complaint was better suited to a state court, Britt ruled. Further, Britt denied Pollard's claim that the purported cover-up violated her civil rights.

COUNTY WANTS LAWSUIT DROPPED
The Daily Reflector
Kathryn Kennedy The Daily Reflector kkennedy@coxnc.com
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The attorney representing Pitt County in a lawsuit filed by a former sheriff's deputy asked that the allegations against the county be dismissed on Monday. Former investigator Paula Dance is suing the county, Sheriff Mac Manning and Chief of Investigations Lee Moore... [New Bern lawyer Scott] Hart argued that a county cannot be held responsible for the actions of a sheriff or his deputies... D. Bernard Alston of Henderson countered Hart's request by telling the court the county still has some control over the Sheriff's Office, especially in regards to positions and pay... The brief states Dance's ongoing concerns that a proper investigation could not be conducted because of the working relationship with Pollard's wife prompted interrogation and persecution from her superiors. The tensions forced her resignation in November 2007, the brief said. Additionally, the alleged "negligent and hostile actions" caused Dance to experience "severe emotional distress in the form of severe anxiety, paranoia, fear for her safety and well-being, and depression"...

SUIT AGAINST SHERIFF DROPPED
The Daily Reflector
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
[Excerpts] A former Pitt County Sheriff's investigator [Paula Dance] suing Pitt County, Sheriff Mac Manning and Chief Lee Moore has voluntarily dismissed her case, according to courthouse documents... Attempts to reach Dance's attorney were unsuccessful.

EX-DEPUTY FILES SECOND LAWSUIT
The Daily Reflector
Kathryn Kennedy
Thursday, January 29, 2009
[Excerpts] A former investigator with the Pitt County Sheriff's Office filed another lawsuit against Sheriff Mac Manning and former chief investigator Lee Moore earlier this month - her second in less than a year's time. Paula Dance led an investigation into the death of Stacey Pollard in Nov. 2005... Pollard, the husband of fellow sheriff's deputy Lt. Michelle Pollard, drowned in the pool outside his Pactolus residence Nov. 18, 2005. It was eventually ruled an accidental death by the medical examiner. Dance alleges that Manning and Moore refused her continued requests that an outside agency investigate the death because of their working relationship with a potential suspect. She also claims the pair sheltered Michelle Pollard from any interrogation or "meaningful scrutiny." In the lawsuit filed Jan. 16, she seeks damages for negligent infliction of emotional distress, common law obstruction of justice and civil conspiracy and constructive discharge in violation of public policy... She also filed a lawsuit last March suing Pitt County, Manning and Moore on nearly identical grounds - citing emotional distress and public policy violations. Superior Court Judge Jerry R. Tillett dismissed allegations against the county that May, and Dance voluntarily dismissed the remaining suits three months later... Civil lawsuits involving Stacey Pollard continue to flood into the Pitt County Courthouse, more than three years after his death. Last January, federal Judge Earl Britt tossed out a case alleging sheriff's officials had a role in Pollard's death and an alleged cover-up....
DEPUTY FACES REVOCATION, IS NO LONGER WITH OFFICE
The Daily Reflector
Michael Abramowitz
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
[Excerpts] A Pitt County sheriff's deputy no longer is employed by the county and could lose her state law enforcement certification on morals charges. Lt. Michelle Y. Pollard, who's been at the center of civil suits in connection with her husband's 2005 death, saw her last day with the county on July 1, according to an administrator with the sheriff's office. Pollard, who led the sheriff's gang unit, was notified April 9 that probable cause was found to revoke her justice officer's certification, according to Julia A. Lohman, director of the N.C. Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Commission. The commission found that on several occasions between May and October in 2006, Pollard's personal behavior was not "of good moral character" and that she failed to meet or maintain any of the minimum employment standards required by the Sheriff's Standards Division, according to her revocation notice. On April 9, the standards division mailed notification to Pollard and Sheriff Mac Manning that "... on or about May, 2006, while holding certification as a justice officer ( Pollard ) was observed smoking marijuana on at least three occasions," both in private and in public. That spring, Pollard also participated in a wet T-shirt contest at the Sunset Bar and publicly exposed her breasts, according to the commission's findings. Pollard also reportedly exposed her breasts in public at a rodeo in July 2006, Lohman said. "The facts and circumstances surrounding these actions establish probable cause to believe that you no longer possess the good moral character required of all justice officers, according to Rule 12 NCAC 10B.0301, Minimum Standards for Justice Officers," Lohman's report to Pollard said... Pollard's appeal is scheduled to be heard Sept. 21 in Halifax by Administrative Law Judge Melissa Owens Lassiter... [Full article here]

EX-SHERIFF'S LIEUTENANT COULD LOSE CERTIFICATION; COMMISSION CITES TOPLESS PICS, SMOKING POT
witn2go News
2009.07.15
[Excerpts] A Pitt County sheriff's deputy, whose husband's death raised a lot of questions, is no longer with the department. Michelle Pollard, who headed the department's gang unit, also stands to lose her certification from the N.C. Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Commission... In 2005, Pollard's husband, Stacey, drowned in the couple's pool. His mother filed a wrongful death suit, saying the sheriff's office botched the investigation. That suit was later tossed out of federal court, but later refiled in state court and is still pending. The standards commission said there was probable cause to revoke Michelle Pollard's certification because of her personal behavior... In her appeal to the commission, Pollard says she has never smoked marijuana. She says in February Sheriff Mac Manning approached her and said someone had made allegations about her using drugs. Pollard says Manning ordered her to take a drug test, which she says she passed. In answering allegations that she was nude, Pollard said it started as a domestic violence motorcycle run. "I was trying to support this cause. However, a good deed turned into a nightmare" said Pollard. The deputy claims she was drugged after she left her beer at the bar for a short time... We asked to speak to Sheriff Mac Manning and were told he is on vacation. [Full article here]

OFFICIALLY, PITT COUNTY MAN DROWNED; COVER-UP SUSPECTED
wnct.com
By Parul Joshi
Reporter
Published: July 15, 2009
[Excerpts] Eyewitness News 9 has learned a 16 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department resigned from her job after the North Carolina Sheriff’s Commission accused her of immoral behavior. Sheriff Mac Manning says Lieutenant Michelle Pollard wants to pursue another career. The North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission told Lieutenant Michelle Pollard they questioned her moral character saying they believed her justice officer certification should be revoked. The commission certifies all officers for sheriff’s offices in the state of North Carolina. Back in April, the commission’s director Julia Lohman, told Pollard why they didn’t think she should hold the honor. In Lohman’s letter to Pollard she writes... “…you no longer possess the good moral character required of all justice officers." Sheriff Mac Manning defended and praised Pollard’s work saying she was a talented investigator and the most knowledgeable gang detective on the force. Manning also stressed that Pollard’s justice officer certification has not been revoked and that decision will be up to a judge... Her last day on the job was July 1st of this year. Controversial claims surrounded Michelle Pollard ever since her husband Stacey Pollard drowned in their pool in 2005. His mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit two years later against Michelle Pollard, Sheriff Mac Manning, former Chief Lee Moore and Chief Rick Fisher. The suit claimed investigators at the Sheriff’s Office botched the investigation into Stacey Pollard’s death because of their close-personal relationship with Michelle Pollard. In January 2008, a federal judge dismissed that lawsuit. But the claims against Michelle Pollard were dismissed “without prejudice”; leaving the possibility of another suit on that claim. Two days later Barbara Pollard filed another wrongful death lawsuit against Michelle Pollard but this time in state court. There have been no major developments or filings in that case since January of this year. [Full article here]

POLLARD STATEMENTS DENY CHARGES
The Daily Reflector,
Michael Abramowitz
Thursday, July 16, 2009
[Excerpts] A former Pitt County deputy said she was drugged prior to participating in a wet T-shirt contest and denied other charges by a state agency seeking to revoke her law enforcement certification, according to pre-hearing statements. Michelle Pollard was responding to charges brought in April by the N.C. Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission... Pollard said in the statements the wet T-shirt episode at the Sunset Bar was "a good deed turned into a nightmare." It started as an effort to support a domestic violence awareness event, but her behavior got out of hand because someone spiked her beer with drugs without her knowledge, she said. "I completely understand how this situation looks on the surface; it has been very humiliating for me personally and professionally," Pollard said... Pollard's pre-hearing statements did not address the finding that on another occasion in July 2006, she exposed her breasts for beads at an unnamed rodeo... The former deputy is scheduled to be heard Sept. 21 in Halifax by administrative law judge Melissa Owens Lassiter, daughter of Pitt County Commissioner Mark Owens Jr... [Full article here]

LAWSUIT

[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement fatality fatalities murder NORTH CAROLINA unsolved unresloved]

Sunday, July 26, 2009

[OH] Officer Frank Koci killed his wife Bonnie & himself -- after the deputies called to their home left

... [Belmont County Sheriff Fred] Thompson said Bonnie Koci was found with a "fanny pack" slung over her shoulder and a suitcase near her body. The sheriff said he believes Bonnie Koci was leaving her home when she was murdered...

[From today's obituary] KOCI, Bonnie I., 68, of Bethesda, Ohio died Thursday, July 23, 2009 at her home. She was born July 20, 1941... Bonnie was a retired teacher, a member of the Belmont United Methodist Church, the Retired Teachers Association, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Celtic Society of Wheeling. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her husband Frank, and a grandson, Preston Taylor...

...Bethesda Police Chief Tim Zdanski said Frank Koci worked as a part-time police officer in the department until about 18 months ago. He said Frank Koci had been on medical leave since that time... he was hoping to come back...

[From today's obituary] KOCI, Franklin E., 68, of Bethesda, Ohio died Thursday, July 23, 2009 at his home. He was born Feb. 8, 1941... Frank was a retired teacher, a member of the Belmont United Methodist Church and the Bethesda Police Department. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie Hennessey Koci; and a grandson, Preston Taylor...

Visitation is Tuesday at 10 a.m., memorial service at 11 a.m., and memorial contributions may be made to Belmont United Methodist Church, 129 West Market St., Belmont, OH 43718.

Video: After deputies left, Officer Koci killed his wife Bonnie and himself


SHERIFF INVESTIGATES APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE
Deputies Had Responded To Scene Prior To Discovery Of Bodies
WTOV9
July 23, 2009
Updated: July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] A Bethesda man and his wife are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at their home... Sheriff's deputies remained on the scene along Noon Road late into the evening. [Belmont County Sheriff Fred]Thompson said it appears the husband shot the wife before shooting himself. Deputies had responded to a domestic violence call at the home earlier in the evening, Thompson said. Thompson said those officers left once the couple had calmed down. Less than an hour later, a relative went to the couple's home and found both dead, Thompson said... [Full article here]


COUPLE FOUND DEAD
Police believe husband shot wife, killed self
Times Leader
POSTED: July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] ...Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson identified the couple as Frank and Bonnie Koci. He said they both were 68-years-old... Thompson said the Belmont County coroner was called to the scene. He said the bodies were taken to the Kelly-Kemp-Braido Funeral Home in Bethesda. [Full article here]

RETIRED KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, HUSBAND KILLED IN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE
WTOV9
July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] A retired kindergarten teacher and her husband - a former school administrator - are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Belmont County. Police said they believed Frank Koci shot and killed his wife, Bonnie, at their home on Noon Road near Bethesda, then turned the gun on himself. Most recently, Bonnie Koci taught kindergarten in the Union Local School District. Frank Koci was best-known for being an administrator in Barnesville. He retired two years ago, investigators said. Police said they went to the Kocis' home Thursday evening. They said the couple started arguing while they were on the phone with their daughter. Their daughter called 911, and sheriff's deputies responded to what they called a domestic situation. Authorities said the couple had stopped fighting by the time law enforcement arrived. The deputies then left the home. About an hour later, a family member found the couple dead... [Full article here]

...Deputies were called to the Koci's home by their daughter. The fatal gunshots were fired a short time after deputies departed...

BETHESDA SCENE OF MURDER-SUICIDE
The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
By GABE WELLS
POSTED: July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said Bonnie Koci was leaving her Bethesda home Thursday night following an argument with her husband Frank when her husband shot her in the chest and then fired a single shot into his own head... Thompson said the bodies were discovered by a family member. Belmont County deputies were called to the Koci's Noon Road home at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report of the couple arguing. Thompson said deputies calmed the two and remained at the home until about 6 p.m. He said the fatal gunshots were fired a short time after deputies departed. Thompson said Bonnie Koci was found with a "fanny pack" slung over her shoulder and a suitcase near her body. The sheriff said he believes Bonnie Koci was leaving her home when she was murdered. Thompson said the weapon used in the killings was a semi-automatic handgun. Thompson said the initial argument that prompted the deputies' response was witnessed by at least two of the couple's young grandchildren. He said the children were picked up by their father while the deputies were still at the scene.... "The deputy told them to calm down and take it easy - regroup. He got them calm, and they were being civil with each other"... [Full article here]

Video: Bonnie Koci was packed to go but never made it out the door


GUNMAN IN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE WAS FORMER SPECIAL ED TEACHER, PART-TIME POLICE OFFICER
WTOV9
July 24, 2009
[Excerpts] The gunman who police believe was behind an apparent murder-suicide was a part-time police officer and former school administrator who worked with special-education students... Most recently, Bonnie Koci taught kindergarten in the Union Local School District. Frank Koci was a school administrator in Barnesville and Union Local. He retired two years ago and served as a part-time police officer in Bethesda, investigators said... Sheriff Fred Thompson said both victims were found in the living room with had single gunshot wounds. Thompson said it appears both died instantly. The sheriff said Bonnie Koci apparently had packed her bags to leave when she was shot and killed. A suitcase was found near her body. Thompson said a semiautomatic handgun lay at Frank Koci's feet... [Full article here]

TWO DEAD FOLLOWING DOMESTIC INCIDENT
By Mike Hughes
Times Leader
July 25, 2009
[Excerpts] Authorities are still investigating the apparent murder-suicide of Bethesda residents Frank and Bonnie Koci on Thursday evening. Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said that sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a domestic incident at the Koci's Noon Road location at approximately 5:30 p.m. They interviewed both Frank and Bonnie Koci and after accessing the seemingly calm situation, left without making any arrests because no charges were filed... Events escalated quickly from the time sheriff's deputies left to the time the office received a call about the shooting, but as Thompson explained, his deputies were unable to detain either party after the conclusion of their initial interviews. "The deputies talked to both of the Kocis and neither one of them indicated there was any kind of physical assault," Thompson said. "In order for the deputy to make an arrest, there has to be an indication of an assault, threat of an assault or some type of injuries... Mr. Koci answered the door and kind of wondered why we were there," Thompson said. While Ohio does have a Preferred Arrest Policy, the detainee of one or more of the alleged parties is not mandatory... Thompson also said the couple had no prior history of domestic issues. Frank Koci is reported to have used a semi-automatic 9 millimeter handgun... Thompson said that while deputies were on scene, they noticed a small collections of guns in a gun cabinet, but that the cabinet was locked and the handgun in question was not seen out in the open... "There wasn't any brandishing or mention of the murder weapon by either party during the deputies interviews," Thompson said. The sheriff said two of the couple's grandchildren were witness to the original argument that brought about the first call. The children's father came to pick them up while deputies were questioning the Koci's, but even he didn't mention that anything was out of the ordinary. "The son-in-law came to pick up the children, but he didn't mention anything to the contrary to the officers that something wasn't right," Thompson said... [Full article here]

WIFE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE WHEN SHOT
The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register
By GABE WELLS
July 25, 2009
[Excerpts] ...Bethesda police Chief Tim Zdanski said Frank Koci worked as a part-time police officer in the department until about 18 months ago. He said Frank Koci had been on medical leave since that time. Zdanski said Frank Koci was retired from a career in education. He served as a principal in the Barnesville school district and also worked in the Union Local school district. "He wanted to be a policeman because he wanted to continue helping people after he got out of the school system," he said. "Frank retired from Barnesville, and he came to me and said he wanted to be a policeman. He went to the East Ohio Law Enforcement Academy, and he was an excellent, part-time officer. He was on medical leave, but he was hoping to come back and help out"... [Full article here]

Video:[OH] Police Officer Koci kills wife Bonnie and himself

[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement fatality fatalities murder suicide privledge divorce lethal ohio funeral]

Saturday, July 25, 2009

[MS] Despite Chief, Firefighter McCaffrey who brutally beat wife is reinstated

A former Jackson firefighter [James McCaffrey] accused of beating his wife will be reinstated with the Fire Department... "I find it hard to believe an individual doesn't remember an occurrence of such violence, the amount of blood that was there," [Jackson Fire Chief Vernon] Hughes said... Chief investigator Gregory Travis, who oversees the fire department's internal affairs, said he considered the beating one of the most severe he has investigated...

PREVIOUSLY:
EX-JACKSON FIREFIGHTER APPEALS FIRING
Clarion Ledger
Kathleen Baydala
July 9, 2009
[Excerpts] Jackson Fire Chief Vernon Hughes testified this morning before the city's Civil Service Commission that he fired fireman James McCaffrey because of the brutality he exhibited during an attack on his wife in December. "It is my position as chief that we are held to a higher standard," Hughes said. McCaffrey was charged in January with felony domestic violence for allegedly beating his wife... He was fired from the fire department in March... McCaffrey had been drinking... His wife sustained serious injuries. She was subsequently hospitalized. McCaffrey said he has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder... McCaffrey said he had been taking an antidepressant medication (Lexapro) for about a month at the time of the attack. McCaffrey said he does not recall the incident. "I find it hard to believe an individual doesn't remember an occurrence of such violence, the amount of blood that was there," Hughes said... The city contends McCaffrey never alerted his supervisors that he was experiencing trouble... Further employment with JFD will continue to expose McCaffrey to additional stress and therefore termination was in the city's "best interest," deputy city attorney Lara Gill said. To comment on this story, call Kathleen Joyner at (601) 961-7262. [Full article here]

EX-FIREFIGHTER ACCUSED OF WIFE BEATING TO BE REINSTATED
Clarion Ledger
Kathleen Baydala
July 10, 2009
[Excerpts] A former Jackson firefighter accused of beating his wife will be reinstated with the Fire Department, according to a decision reached Thursday by the city's Civil Service Commission. Commission Chairman the Rev. Horace Buckley Sr. said the decision was based on testimony from James McCaffrey that he was suffering from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the assault. Jackson Fire Chief Vernon Hughes said he had not received the commission's order and would not comment on the recommendation... Chief investigator Gregory Travis, who oversees the fire department's internal affairs, said he considered the beating one of the most severe he has investigated... The former firefighter and emergency medical responder said he feels if the Fire Department had offered him counseling earlier in his career, the attack could have been prevented... "It was our conclusion after listening to him that the symptoms he was showing should have been recognizable to the supervisors he reported to," Buckley said... To comment on this story, call Kathleen Baydala at (601) 961-7262. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement TEFLON PUBLIC SAFETY BRUTAL BLOODY MISSISSIPPI mccaffery]

[KY] After attempted wife-murder, Department demanded & accepted the resignation of Firefighter Noah

... [T]he fire department went to Noah's jail cell and demanded, then accepted his resignation... Tiffany Noah was granted an emergency protection order against her husband... Her application for the order states that her husband tried to suffocate her for 20 to 30 minutes while their 12-year-old child watched...

VIDEO


$200K BOND FOR FIREFIGHTER CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
kypost.com
Ian Preuth ian.preuth@wcpo.com
7/09 6:06 pm
[Excerpts] A Northern Kentucky firefighter and EMT remains behind bars charged with attempted murder.
Independence police arrested Richard Noah Jr. Wednesday evening.
Police say they were called to a domestic violence incident involving his wife... Noah is currently in the Kenton County Jail on a $200,000 bond... The case remains under investigation by the Independence Police Department. [Full article here]

VIDEO


MAN FACES ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE
The Enquirer
July 8, 2009
[Excerpts] An Independence firefighter was charged Wednesday with trying to kill his wife... Richard Noah, 38, of Independence is charged with attempted murder related to a domestic situation at his home at about 3:45 a.m. Monday, said David Nichols, assistant Independence police chief... He has been serving since May 21, 2003. She told police her husband tried to suffocate her with cellophane wrapping and bed pillows, according to the police report. The couple got into a struggle and both suffered minor injuries... [Full article here]

VIDEO


EMT CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
NKY.Com » News
By Brenna R. Kelly bkelly@nky.com
July 9, 2009
[Excerpts] ...[Independence firefighter Richard Noah] was being held Thursday at the Kenton County Jail on $200,000 bond... Noah's wife, Tiffany, called 911 early Monday... When police arrived they found Tiffany Noah outside the home... Tiffany Noah, 34, told police her husband tried to suffocate her with cellophane wrapping and bed pillows, according to the police report. The couple got into a struggle and both suffered minor injuries. They were both taken to area hospitals. Noah's wife was treated and released. Noah was arrested about 5 p.m. Wednesday after he was released from the hospital... Tiffany Noah was granted an emergency protection order against her husband, court records show. He was ordered to stay 500 feet away from her, move out of their home and she was given temporary custody. Her application for the order states that her husband tried to suffocate her for 20 to 30 minutes while their 12-year-old child watched. The couple was married in May 1996, according to state records... "Rich Noah while employed here was an above-average employee," Messingschlager said. "This is not the Rich Noah we all know and worked with the past six years. The department as well as the community is in shock over this news. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family." [Full article here]

VIDEO


UPDATE FIREFIGHTER ACCUSED OF TRYING TO KILL WIFE ASKED TO RESIGN
FOX19
Posted: July 9, 2009 04:26 AM
Updated: July 10, 2009 04:19 AM
[Excerpts] An Independence firefighter is in the Kenton County Jail, accused of trying to kill his wife... On Thursday, the fire department went to Noah's jail cell and demanded, then accepted his resignation... "We did locate a piece of plastic, which I would refer to in a generic term as cellophane wrapping, that allegedly was used in an attempt to suffocate her," said Independence assistant police chief David Nichols. Noah's wife, Tiffany, escaped and called 911. She is expected to be okay... [Full article here]
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