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PINNED POST. CLICK HERE: Keeping these 3 videos of officer-involved domestic violence fatalities on top from now on...

Officer-Involved Domestic Fatalities - 1 Officer-Involved Domestic Fatalities - 2 [WA] Tragedy Will Occur If They Don't Have ...

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

[PA] There's no title for this post. It's just sad. Everyone is standing in the need of prayer.

TROOPER'S WIFE SECURES PFA ORDER
observer-reporter.com
By Linda Metz
2/11/2012
[Excerpts] The wife of a state trooper accused of being drunk when he crashed into another vehicle Wednesday, killing the driver [Daryl Leroy Nunemaker], has been granted a temporary protection-from-abuse order against her husband. Washington County Judge Gary Gilman Thursday granted the temporary PFA order to [Mrs.] Dalessandro of Canonsburg, who filed for protection from her husband, Jeffrey Michael Dalessandro, following the accident. Jeffrey Dalessandro, 35, who is assigned to Troop B's Pittsburgh station, faces numerous charges, including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol, in connection with the 10:15 p.m. crash that killed Leroy Nunemaker, 21, of Edinboro... [Mrs.] Dalessandro said she's afraid her husband will harm her or their two sons, ages 5 and 7.... A hearing on the permanency of the order is set for 9:30 a.m. Feb. 21 before Gilman... [Full article here]

It hurts to post. What a sad mess all the way around, for everyone involved.
Condolences to the family and friends of Daryl.
Mrs. Nunemaker, you are strong and doing your best for the kids.
Jeffrey please do what you can to hold on and accept help.
Lifting a prayer for all.
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities pennyslvania state politics]

[WI] Officer Ferencevich facing domestic charges that include gun use


Minocqua Police Officer Mark Ferencevich is facing charges of endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct/domestic abuse. Ferencevich, who is now on administrative leave, has been employed at the Minocqua Police Department since 2010. Minocqua Police Chief Andrew Gee isn't sharing details. I'm opting to not post Officer Ferencevich's picture.
[Google him here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal wisconsin state politics]

Sunday, February 19, 2012

[AL] Who's the Boss? Sheriff Ana Franklin is. Deputy Fanning can appeal if he wants to, but...


..."These are serious charges," [Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin] said... [Deputy Donald] Fanning’s termination is final regardless of the outcome of any court case, Franklin said. "He can ask to appeal it, but deputy sheriffs are appointed by the sheriff and they work at the will of the sheriff, and they can be terminated at any time and it’s not subject to appeal," she said....

MORGAN COUNTY DEPUTY ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WAFF
Source: Limestone County Sheriff's Department
Posted: Feb 16, 2012
[Excerpt] A Morgan County Sheriff's deputy was arrested on domestic violence charges. Donald Fanning turned himself in Wednesday night on a warrant charging him with domestic violence and strangulation. Fanning also has two felony domestic violence warrants out on him from the Huntsville Police Department... [Full article here]

MORGAN DEPUTY ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The News Courier in Athens, Alabama
Adam Smith
February 17, 2012
[Excerpts] A Morgan County sheriff’s deputy is being held in the Limestone County Jail and is out of a job after being charged with domestic violence... His bail has been set at $30,000. Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin said Fanning has been terminated from the department. “He had not turned in his uniform, but he has been notified (of his termination),” she said... [Full article here]

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES TO COST DEPUTY: Jailed Morgan officer to be fired
The Decatur Daily
By Seth Burkett
2/17/12
[Excerpts] A Morgan County deputy arrested on domestic violence charges will be terminated from his job, Sheriff Ana Franklin said Thursday... Fanning faces charges of second-degree domestic violence and strangulation. Both are Class B felonies. Franklin said she told Fanning on Thursday afternoon that he was being terminated for conduct unbecoming a law enforcement officer, but the paperwork on his dismissal had not been completed. She said Fanning would be given an official termination letter later. “It was ordered in a protection from abuse order that all weapons be surrendered, so he’s unable to perform the duties of his job, and his conduct relative to this case was such that he needed to be terminated,” Franklin said. “These are serious charges,” she said... Fanning’s termination is final regardless of the outcome of any court case, Franklin said. “He can ask to appeal it, but deputy sheriffs are appointed by the sheriff and they work at the will of the sheriff, and they can be terminated at any time and it’s not subject to appeal,” she said... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal professionalism alabama state politics]

Saturday, February 18, 2012

[NY] Officer Walerowicz gets probation after face-punching girlfriend - Niagra Falls PD

...Niagra Falls Police Officer Henry Walerowicz] had been accused of punching, his then girlfriend in the face during an incident on May 15... Testimony in the case showed Walerowicz was involved in an intimate relationship with the victim at the same time he was seeing another woman that he has a child with, while also divorcing a third woman... Medical records showed the victim suffered a concussion and had a bruise to her face... 

PREVIOUS POST:
[NY] Niagara Falls Police Officer Walerowicz's second arrest is for domestic violence. The first arrest is sealed.

FALLS COP GETS PROBATION IN TONAWANDA DOMESTIC CASE
Niagara Gazette
By Michael Regan
February 16, 2012
[Excerpts] A Niagara Falls Police officer avoided jail time at sentencing in Tonawanda City Court on Wednesday morning following a domestic assault conviction. Henry J. Walerowicz, 40, of Niagara Falls, will instead face three years of probation and a five-year order of protection against his former girlfriend, following a conviction last year for striking her in the face in May. He also will not be allowed to possess fire arms... Walerowicz remains on paid administrative leave from the Falls force pending a possible appeal... Walerowicz has a history of criminal charges prior to his tenure with the department, including an incident in Lackawanna that has since been sealed... alerowicz did punch the victim, which was backed up by a photo presented by prosecutors during the trial showing the victim with a bruised eye. [Full article here]

OLDER:

ASSAULT CHARGES FOR FALLS OFFICER
Niagara Gazette
By Neale Gulley and Rick Pfeiffer
May 28, 2011
[Excerpts] A Niagara Falls police officer was arrested in the City of Tonawanda for misdemeanor assault stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident earlier this month. Henry J. Walerowicz, 40, of Niagara Falls, surrendered voluntarily after police in the City of Tonawanda issued a warrant for his arrest... “We were aware of the victim and her complaint,” Falls Police Superintendent John Chella said... “We have consulted with the corporation counsel and the city administrator and they are drawing up suspension papers,” Chella said... If the administrative charges are not resolved in 20 working days, Walerowicz would placed on paid administrative leave pending further hearings. “It was a domestic incident and apparently it got physical. A complaint was made. It was reviewed by detectives. Information and statements were obtained,” City of Tonawanda Police Lt. Fredric Foels said. “Police officers are held to the same standards and mores as everyone else. Because the person is a Niagara Falls police officer we called Niagara Falls police and talked to their professional standards unit. They were apprised of the situation. Within two hours yesterday (Walerowicz) surrendered at our police station,” he said. Sources tell Greater Niagara Newspapers Walerowicz had a criminal arrest around the time he was hired by the Falls Police. The incident took place in Lackawanna and the case was reportedly quickly resolved and then sealed... Walerowicz is the second Falls officer to face domestic violence charges in the last year. In December, veteran Officer Mark Feldhousen was arrested and charged with second-degree assault for an incident involving an estranged girlfriend. On May 3, a Niagara County Court jury found Feldhousen guilty of third-degree assault. He faces sentencing on that conviction in June. [Full article here]

A POLICE MATTER
Niagara Falls Reporter
Oct. 11, 2011
[Excerpts] That there is a serious morale problem in the Niagara Falls Police Department is inarguable. On the heels of former patrolman Ryan Warme's guilty plea to charges of drug dealing, witness intimidation and sex crimes, no fewer than three city police officers have been charged with domestic violence counts over the past 10 months. NFPD Lt. Dave Kinney, eldest son of Department of Public Works Director Dave Kinney, last week joined Mark Feldhausen and Henry Walerowicz on the list of city police officers arrested....Police Chief John Chella told reporters he knew "very little" about the Kinney case. He must be the only one then, because the streets have been buzzing with the story since the end of July. It's an ugly story, and perhaps the ugliest part of it is the special treatment Kinney received because his father is a top appointee of the Dyster administration...  [Full article here]

FALLS POLICE OFFICER CONVICTED OF ASSAULTING FEMALE
Niagara Gazette
By Rick Pfeiffer
December 2, 2011
[Excerpts] A Falls cop, accused of assault in a domestic violence incident, has been convicted after a two-day trial in City of Tonawanda Court. Judge Mark Saltarelli found Officer Henry Walerowicz guilty of third-degree assault. He had been accused of punching, his then girlfriend in the face during an incident on May 15... Testimony in the case showed Walerowicz was involved in an intimate relationship with the victim at the same time he was seeing another woman that he has a child with, while also divorcing a third woman... Medical records showed the victim suffered a concussion and had a bruise to her face... The judge said Walerowicz had to be held to a “higher standard” because he is a police officer... The victim originally contacted Falls Police about the assault. “We were aware of the victim and her complaint,” Falls Police Superintendent John Chella said. “We turned the matter over to the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office and they determined it happened in Erie County (and referred it to the DA there)”... “I’ll be meeting with the corporation counsel Monday and we will be exploring termination (of Walerowicz),” Chella said... In October, Feldhousen was accused of violating the terms of his probation for having booze and ammunition in his home during a visit by Niagara County probation officers. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety repeat hx murder new york state politics]

[NY] Niagara Falls Police Lt. Kinney trial for domestic charges set for April 2nd

The Buffalo News
A trial date of April 2 was set Tuesday for a suspended Niagara Falls police lieutenant who faces domestic violence misdemeanors. State Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. also set a March 20 pretrial appearance for Lt. David W. Kinney, 45, who was suspended from the force following his Oct. 5 arrest. Kinney is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal trespass and one count of third-degree menacing, stemming from purported incidents at his girlfriend’s Niagara Falls home July 23 and Aug. 9. Another man allegedly was present on the latter occasion, leading to the menacing charge. [LINK]

OLDER:

FALLS POLICE LIEUTENANT CHARGED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE
Niagara Gazette
By Rick Pfeiffer
October 6, 2011
[Excerpts] A Niagara Falls Police lieutenant has been arraigned on domestic violence-related charges. Lt. Dave Kinney, a 16-year veteran of the force was arraigned in State Supreme Court on Wednesday on a Niagara County grand jury indictment that charges him with two counts of third-degree criminal trespass and one count of third-degree menacing. Kinney pleaded not guilty to the charges, all misdemeanors, and was released on his own recognizance... Falls Police Superintendent John Chella said Kinney was placed on paid administrative leave on Aug. 10, when the “allegations against him first surfaced”... DA [district attorney] Michael Violante declined to discuss the specifics of the case against Kinney... Chella also said he knew “very little” about the specifics of Kinney’s case. After his arraignment, Kinney was moved from administrative leave to suspension...It’s the third time in less than a year that a Falls police officer has been charged in a domestic violence-related incident. In December, Officer Mark Feldhousen, a 38-year veteran of the force, was arrested on a felony assault charge. He was later convicted on a misdemeanor assault charge, after a jury trial, and sentenced to three years probation in June. In May, Officer Henry Walerowicz, a three-year veteran, was arrested by City of Tonawanda police on a misdemeanor assault charge. That case is still pending in Erie County Court... “Although (Kinney) is only accused, not convicted (of any charges), it does distract from the great work the men and women of the Niagara Falls Police Department are doing.” [Full article here]

A POLICE MATTER
Niagara Falls Reporter
Oct. 11, 2011
[Excerpts] That there is a serious morale problem in the Niagara Falls Police Department is inarguable. On the heels of former patrolman Ryan Warme's guilty plea to charges of drug dealing, witness intimidation and sex crimes, no fewer than three city police officers have been charged with domestic violence counts over the past 10 months. NFPD Lt. Dave Kinney, eldest son of Department of Public Works Director Dave Kinney, last week joined Mark Feldhausen and Henry Walerowicz on the list of city police officers arrested....Police Chief John Chella told reporters he knew "very little" about the Kinney case. He must be the only one then, because the streets have been buzzing with the story since the end of July. It's an ugly story, and perhaps the ugliest part of it is the special treatment Kinney received because his father is a top appointee of the Dyster administration...  [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety brass new york state politics]

Friday, February 17, 2012

[NYPD] Four New York Police Department suicides since the beginning of the year.



NYPD Police Officer Matthew Schindler,
married father of three, was driving toward his home on the Long Island Expressway when he pulled over in Nassau County and shot himself. [Mass Of Christian Burial Saturday February 18, 2012, 10:00 A.M. at St. Elizabeth R.C. Church.] Date of death: February 13, 2012.

Schindler is the second NYPD officer to commit suicide in eight days and the fourth since the start of the year.

NYPD Police Officer Brian Saar,
a father of twin five-year-old daughters, shot and killed himself in his house in Suffolk County on Super Bowl Sunday, reportedly after arguing with his wife. Date of death: February 5, 2012.

NYPD Police Officer Patrick Werner, 
killed himself at his parents’ home in Yorktown Heights after fleeing from a car accident. Sources told The New York Post he had been arguing with his girlfriend on his cell phone at the time of the accident. Date of death: January 15, 2012.

NYPD Police Officer Terrence Dean, 
shot himself with his service pistol while on duty at the scene of a Queens car burglary after getting a phone call from his fiancée, urging him to get help for his severe depression. He had held a gun to his head in front of her little girl earlier that day. DOD January 19, 2012.

Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance
http://www.poppainc.com/

Safe Call Now
http://www.safecallnow.org/
On Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/safecallnow

Badge of Life
http://www.badgeoflife.com/
On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Badge-Of-Life-Police-Suicide-Prevention/134416789957929
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder new york state politics]

Thursday, February 16, 2012

[US][LA] Wrongful death lawsuit filed against police officer husband of Chanda White Pickney

...The suit states [4 year old] Ethan was at the family's Timberlake subdivision home while his mother, Chanda Pickney, allegedly was held captive and killed in late October... The language in the suit and evidence in the criminal case being developed against Donald Pickney strongly suggest he tortured Chanda for two to three days before she died Oct. 29

PREVIOUS POST
[US][LA] Chanda White's police officer husband (with past accusations) under arrest for her murder - ...Both of the Pickney's were employed at the Alexandria Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pineville - Donald as a full-time police officer and Chanda as a physician's assistant... Donald Pickney previously served in the Marines, in the the Louisiana National Guard and in law enforcement with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office and the Opelousas Police Department... Paul N. Gennuso, who is retired from the Opelousas Police Department, said he knew both Pickneys well ... and had praise for the victim... "She had a inner beauty that was unbelievable"..

SUIT SEEKS PAYMENT FOR SON OF SLAIN WOODWORTH WOMAN
Alexandria Town Talk?
Billy Gunn
Feb. 15, 2012
[Excerpts] The mother of a Woodworth woman who died last year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Donald Pickney, who is suspected of holding his wife, Chanda Pickney, hostage for days and killing her. The suit filed by Chanda Pickney's mother, Bernadell White, also seeks to collect from two insurance companies Chanda's life insurance proceeds for Ethan Pickney, the 4-year-old son of Chanda and Donald Pickney and the grandson of White. White filed the suit earlier this month in 9th District Court in Alexandria. Bernadell and Andrew White now care for Ethan at their Opelousas home. The suit states Ethan was at the family's Timberlake subdivision home while his mother, Chanda Pickney, allegedly was held captive and killed in late October... The language in the suit and evidence in the criminal case being developed against Donald Pickney strongly suggest he tortured Chanda for two to three days before she died Oct. 29... The lawsuit, which names Donald Pickney as one of the defendants, seeks damages from Pickney. It claims Chanda suffered pain, mental anguish, emotional suffering, shock and grief. It states that before she died, Chanda had a "conscious awareness of her impending death"... Pickney has been charged in a bill of information with manslaughter, but the case will go before a Rapides Parish grand jury where the manslaughter charge could be enhanced and other charges added in an indictment... In a pretrial hearing this month, 9th District Judge Thomas Yeager allowed into evidence crime scene photos taken at the Pickneys' home, including photographs of the couple's bathtub, scratches on the footboard of their bed, blood spots on the bed, a handcuff pouch, bruises behind one of Chanda's ears, injuries in her mouth and on the insides of her calves, according to court records. Chanda Pickney was a physician's assistant at the Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center in Pineville, where Donald Pickney was a police officer who patrolled the grounds... Bernadell White seeks damages for Ethan Pickney's loss of a mother's love, guidance, companionship and financial support. White also is pursuing life insurance proceeds from two policies Chanda had at the time of her death. The suit names as defendants the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Fidelity and Guaranty Life Insurance Companies, which the lawsuit says have not paid death benefits. The beneficiary in the policy is Donald Pickney... [Donald Pickney] is a military veteran, a former deputy with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office and a former officer with the Opelousas Police Department. [Full article here]

A FEW ITEMS SINCE THE LAST POST:

Judge grants protective order for Woodworth slaying victim's relatives
thetowntalk.com
By Billy Gunn
November 3, 2011
[Excerpts] A Rapides Parish judge has granted a protective order to the parents and 4-year-old child of a homicide victim believed by police to have been killed by her husband. Andrew and Bernadell White this week filed for the protective order against Donald Pickney of Woodworth, who is suspected of killing Chanda White Pickney. Ninth District Judge Thomas Yeager signed the order Wednesday... Writing in the petition for protective order alludes to some of charges against Donald Pickney. "Between Oct. 27 and Oct. 29, 2011, ... the defendant admitted to striking the minor's mother, handcuffing the minor's mother," according to the petition... Rapides Parish Sheriff's Maj. Jasper Bay said Thursday he would not release more information on the investigation... Bay said detectives don't know exactly how Chanda Pickney was killed, and he would not say what investigators believe was the cause of her death. An autopsy was done on the victim's body on Monday. Bay said the report is weeks away and that more information would be released at a later time... [Full article here]

RPSO Charges Husband In Wife's Death
KALB
Posted: Oct 31, 2011 7:38 AM PST
Updated: Nov 14, 2011 8:43 AM PST
[Excerpts] ...On Saturday, Rapides Parish Sheriff's deputies were called to Cabrini Hospital to investigate a "dead on arrival" patient, 33-year-old Chanda Pickney of Woodworth, who was brought to the hospital by her husband, Donald. "Based on the physical nature of it, things on her body, we felt that we had enough probable cause to arrest her husband in the death of Mrs. Pickney," said Major Jasper Bay, with RPSO. Pickney was arrested and booked into the parish jail where he is being held on $265,000 bond. He's being charged with one count each of 2nd degree battery, false imprisonment and 2nd degree murder.... [Full article here]


EXCERPTS FROM
LEGACY GUEST BOOK COMMENTS




...My condolence to the White family. Ms. White was my provider at the VA Center in Alexandria, Louisiana. Ms. White was a bright and caring person. Not only was she my provider, she was my friend. I would ask about her son on every visit, she was so proud of him. She had a way of showing that she cared about you and your life. I feel very lucky to have known Ms. White. You will be truly missed. Be with God...




...I think of you everyday Chanda, along with all of my young cousins who are with you in heaven...




...R.I.P Chanda - miss you and think about you everyday
co-worker VAMC...




...The news of Ms. White's passing was a shock. The light of one of the most caring and thoughtful people I have ever met has been snuffed out before her time. May she walk in the light of God always...




...To my provider at the VA Hospital.
I will miss you so much my dear friend...




...Truly our prayers are being lifted up to the Lord for this family, our hearts have been deeply touched and Chanda is having an impact on the hearts of so many people, even those that may not have known her very well. She will always be remember as a very quiet, meek and humble person...




...What a beautiful and kind woman, gone too soon. A piece of her is left behind in the form of handsome Ethan. I pray that her beautiful presence is alive each day in Ethan. Dear God, shelter him in your arms and rock him to sleep doing difficult times. When our hearts are heavy, catch our tears...




...A prayer of comfort for your family has been sent to GOD. I will truly miss your smiling face here at the VAMC...




...Chanda White was a chosen one, She choose to live her life helping others and honoring the Lord. She was an angel and a helper to me when I was enrolled in LSUE and we met up again when she was at LSUHSC-Shreveport. I was a much older student and was fortunate to have wonderful people around me like Chanda to help me. I have always admirred her beautiful smile and carrying nature. I want her mother and father to know that it was the younger students like Chanda that helped me to understand Trig, Chemistry, Physics, and many more classes to allow me to be where I am today. She is a true blessing to all around her and always willing to lend a helping hand. I am sure she is in heaven and smilling her sweet smile as she looks over he son. God Bless and take care of your family at this very difficult time...




...We send this message with sad hearts. We will miss Chanda living next door. Her smile will light forever...




...A kind & talented professional. A soft voice & touch. She will be missed. I pray for her family that they may feel God's comfort...




...To the family of Chanda White. I am a VA family employee. Our Lord blessed our VA family with a beautiful sister and fellow co-worker for nearly 6 wonderful years. Previous postings can clearly state pure facts regarding Chanda but I know for sure that she had a spiritual soul made of gold and an outer being made of beauty, kindness & respectfulness. She was a loyal employee sister and a wonderful gift to her patients. Helping others was her mission. God loaned you Chanda, in physical form, for only 33 years but her heart and memories will be with you forever. She will be seen each and every day thru her beautiful son, Ethan. I would personally like to "Thank You" for rearing such a beautiful & respectful person. Our VA family chain, as well as the White family chain, has been broken but rest assure that we will see our beautiful Chanda again. Until then, rest in peace Chanda. To the White family and little Ethan, my prayers are with you as you endure this transitional time. God Bless...




...You are in my heart and prayers. I'm going to miss Chanda very much. She was not only my counselor, co-worker, but my friend. God has blessed me to know such a wonderful angel, Chanda. I love you and may you rest in peace...




...To her baby boy, your mother exemplified what a heart of GOLD means, she will forever be in your heart. Chanda, you will NEVER be forgotten....your beautiful smile still shines in the hearts of all who were so blessed to have met you. I love you, I miss you....rest in peace...




...My thoughts and prayers are with the family. I will miss being Ethan's teacher...




...HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MY CO-WORKER AT THE VA. SHE WAS A BLESSING TO US AS WELL AS HER PATIENTS AND WE WILL ALL MISS HER. I WILL TRULY MISS HER WALKING BY MY OFFICE EACH MORNING WITH A CHEERFUL "HI"...




...Chanda White was a beautiful person. She made an impact on my life. I can still remember our converstations and how she made me see things more clearly. It's hard to beleive that she is gone from us so soon. No one can replace her, her role has ended. May you rest peacefully with God now Chanda. We will miss you...




...I worked with Chanda at the VA. She was such a beautiful person, inside and out. She touched so many lives and our lives are the better for it. She will be truly missed and will remain in our hearts. I wish her family a peace that surpasses all understanding. I pray for Ethan everyday...




...We are very sorry for your loss. You have our sympathy. Chanda was a great and caring person who will never be forgotten...




...May God be with her family, especially her son, just 4 years old...



[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder united states federal louisiana state politics hx repeat gypsy cop hop]

[PA] Philadelphia Police Officer Carter accused of assaulting his wife

Philadelphia Police officer Dwayne Carter, accused of assaulting his wife, was arrested on multiple domestic violence assault charges last Friday. After an internal affairs investigation Carter was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment. Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has ordered that Carter be fired. 
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety professionalism pennsyvania state politics]

[NY] State Police Captain's wife, Cynthia Gavitt, still missing

NOT FORGETTING CYNTHIA GAVITT

...Cynthia Gavitt, a mom of two, is the wife of Capt. William Gavitt of the State Police’s Troop G in Loudonville... "They know its one of their own, and they are working as hard as they can,” State Police Maj. William Sprague said... [November 1, 2011]

No one appears to still be looking for Cynthia, who was last seen October 28, 2011. The presumption appears to be that the river was the only place to look because her car was found nearby. Another presumption appears to be that police were looking for the victim of a suicide, because the bridge was the center of the search. Unlike famous missing people that get hundreds of articles written about them, Cynthia got a few days in the news - short articles with very little written about her as a human being other than she was sweet, the mom of 2, and a housewife. If she committed suicide, why was she that desolate? If she did not commit suicide, what happened to Cynthia Gavitt?

Below is all there is in the news.

POLICE SEARCHING FOR MISSING HALFMOON WOMAN AFTER FINDING HER VEHICLE ABANDONED IN PARKING LOT
The Saratogian
Michael Cignoli
Saturday, October 29, 2011
New York State Police are searching for a city woman after discovering her abandoned vehicle in a Halfmoon parking lot. State police said Cynthia Gavitt, 48, was last seen Friday morning. She is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds and has hazel eyes and brown hair. Her 2004 silver Toyota Camry was located Saturday in a parking lot off Canal Road in Halfmoon, officers said. Anyone who has seen Gavitt since Friday morning or has information regarding her whereabouts is asked to contact  state police at 583-7000. [LINK]

TROOPERS SEEK HELP IN LOCATING SARATOGA WOMAN
timesunion.com
Monday, October 31, 2011
[Excerpt] HALFMOON, N.Y. (AP) — State police are seeking help from the public in locating a 48-year-old Saratoga County woman [Gavitt]... [Full article here]

MISSING WOMAN IS TROOPER’S WIFE
timesunion.com
November 1, 2011
by Dennis Yusko
[Excerpts] State Troopers Wednesday will resume searching around the Mohawk River in Halfmoon for the wife of a State Police captain who is sick and went missing. State Police and its scuba team have been looking since Saturday for Cynthia Gavitt, 48, of Saratoga Springs. On Tuesday, they concentrated their efforts in the river and around Canal Road, where police on Saturday discovered Gavitt’s Toyota Camry parked in a lot. Gavitt, a mom of two, is the wife of Capt. William Gavitt of the State Police’s Troop G in Loudonville. She has experienced severe physical health problems since the start of this year, which has been a major concern for her and her family, State Police Maj. William Sprague said. “There’s no indication she was forcibly taken or there was any crime committed,” Sprague said... She was reported missing Saturday morning. Search efforts have remained around Canal Road, which is located by the river. The scuba team stopped working at dusk. Members will continue their efforts early Wednesday, Sprague said... “They know its one of their own, and they are working as hard as they can,” Sprague said... [Full article here]

STATE POLICE STILL SEARCHING FOR MISSING SARATOGA WOMAN
YNN
Video reporter: Erin Vanella
11/01/2011 10:33 PM
[Excerpts] The search continues for a missing Saratoga woman. State Police say Cynthia Gavitt is married to a captain on the force. She was last seen on Friday. Police have been searching Halfmoon for signs of her disappearance after her car was found there on Saturday. Our Erin Vannella has the details... Police have released more information about a missing Saratoga woman. Cynthia Gavitt is the wife of a State Trooper... Police found her car on Saturday in a parking lot in Halfmoon. Since then, they have been searching the area for any leads. Cynthia Gavitt is married to Administrative Captain William Gavitt, who is stationed out of Troop G. POLICE SAY Cynthia has been suffering from severe physical health problems, medical problems, for the last year, and that has been on her mind... Members of the State Police say both Cynthia and Captain William Gavitt are well loved and respected by friends and family... Crews will resume their search Wednesday morning. [Full article here]

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR STATE TROOPER’S WIFE
YNN
11/02/2011 06:44 AM
[Excerpts] Police are resuming their search for a missing Saratoga County woman, who is the wife of a state trooper... "Our people have doubled their efforts. Captain Gavitt is widely respected. Our investigation has confirmed what many of us already know, that Cynthia Gavitt is well loved by her family, and liked and respected by all her friends and acquaintances," said Major William Sprague, State Police. Police have conducted aerial and ground searches, and divers are searching the Mohawk River with a sidescan sonar. [Full article here]

RIVER SEARCH FOR WOMAN WILL RESUME
timesunion.com
By Dennis Yusko
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
[Excerpts] State troopers Wednesday will resume searching around the Mohawk River for the wife of a State Police captain who is sick and went missing. State Police and their scuba team have been looking since Saturday for Cynthia Gavitt, 48, of Saratoga Springs... She has experienced severe physical health problems since the start of this year, which has been a major concern for her and her family, State Police Maj. William Sprague said... [Full article here]

TROOPERS STEP UP SEARCH FOR MISSING WOMAN
timesunion.com
By Dennis Yusko
Thursday, November 3, 2011
[Excerpts] Additional state troopers were dispatched Wednesday to the Mohawk River near the Crescent Bridge in an effort to find the ill wife of a State Police captain who went missing five days ago. "We haven't made any discoveries," Capt. John McCarthy said around noon Wednesday as he stood in a parking lot by the river just east of Route 9. The lot served as a base for the 25 to 30 troopers who conducted land and water searches on Wednesday for Cynthia Gavitt, 48, of Saratoga Springs. About 20 troopers worked there Tuesday, McCarthy said... The mother of two was reported missing Saturday when police found her vehicle along Canal Road, located just west of the bridge and Route 9. Cynthia Gavitt, a housewife, had experienced major medical problems since the beginning of the year, police said. "By all accounts, she is a very sweet woman," said McCarthy, who works with William Gavitt. State Police scuba teams were diving in the river in groups of four to six. The water is 6 to 25 feet deep in the area, McCarthy said. Other teams conducted ground searches around the bridge. Though the teams were aided by good weather Wednesday, the river water is so murky that divers can hardly see their hands in front of their faces, McCarthy said. The size of the search party was typical for a person who is believed to be missing in water, McCarthy said. "The hope is we find her and give the family some closure," he said. [Full article here]

STATE POLICE CONTINUE SEARCH FOR MISSING WOMAN
timesunion.com
Thursday, November 10, 2011
[Excerpts] State Police continued their search Thursday for a missing woman, Cynthia Gavitt, on the Mohawk River under the Crescent Bridge between Halfmoon and Colonie... According to State Trooper Maureen Tuffey, the search operation has been scaled back, with limited State Police involvement supplemented by area fire department divers. Their efforts, Tuffey said, have been hampered by poor visibility in the water. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder suicide usur unsolved unresolved new york state politics]

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

[HI] Retired Honolulu Police Major Yasuhara murder-suicide of wife Julia


Sunday, retired Honolulu Police Major Leighton Yasuhara shot and killed his wife Julia before turning the gun on himself. Their son had gone to check on them after Leighton "unexpectedly" cancelled an appointment.
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder suicide hawaii state politics]

Monday, February 13, 2012

Deleted post

July 28 2015 - I was going over some old cases and because the man this officer threatened was a registered sex offender living with his baby's mama (someone sent a link to an update), and since parenting is complicated and keeping our kids safe is a priority it's too murky to for me to keep it on the blog. 

So why didn't I just delete the whole post? Remind me to and I will, but unless I change the post before I delete it, Google will keep a copy of what was here. Now, once Google crawls this site again, hopefully it will save THIS post instead - a post that doesn't even mention the officer's name.

I've preserved the old post in case this officer reoffends and ends up in the news. 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

[OR] Ex-Medford Police Officer Brian Brush gets 88 years for murdering ex-girlfriend, Lisa Bonney


Lisa Bonney, loving mother of 2
March 3, 1964 - September 11, 2009

Former Oregon police officer Brian Brush was sentenced Thursday to more than 88 years in prison for the 2009 murder of his ex-girlfriend on a busy beach in front of tourists and two police officers...

PREVIOUS POSTS:

BRIAN BRUSH, LONG BEACH KILLER, GETS 88 YEARS FOR 2009 MURDER
The Daily News Online
By Tony Lystra
Thursday, February 9
[Excerpts] Former Oregon police officer Brian Brush was sentenced Thursday to more than 88 years in prison for the 2009 murder of his ex-girlfriend on a busy beach in front of tourists and two police officers. "You deserve every single day of this," Pacific County Superior Court Judge Michael J. Sullivan told Brush, citing the "violence, terror, the horror" Brush inflicted on his victim, her family and the people who witnessed the shooting. Brush, 49, shot Lisa G. Bonney, a 45-year-old mother of two, on Sept. 11, 2009, four times with a shotgun... The sentence came at the end of an gut-wrenching, two-hour hearing during which some members of Bonney's family flung coarse language at Brush and condemned him. Nine security officers and Pacific County Sheriff's deputies positioned themselves throughout the courtroom, several of them flanking Brush as a few family members sneered in his direction... Bonney's 19-year-old daughter, Olivia Bonney of Vancouver, demanded repeatedly during a rambling testimony of about 20 minutes that Brush look at her. Brush kept his eyes cast downward. "Hey, you! You murdered her!" Olivia Bonney called out... The shooting happened about two months after Bonney broke up with Brush... "He was losing everything else in his life," [Lisa's ex-husband] Raymon Bonney said. "He snapped." Still, some of Bonney's family members said they could not bring themselves to hate Brush. Bonney's eldest daughter, Elizabeth Bonney, a 20-year-old junior at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, told the court she was overcome with an impulse during the trial to approach Brush and ask how he was holding up. "I don't know — I care," she said, as though she was surprised to hear herself speaking the words. "I just feel that now I'm left with cleaning up a mess — a mess that you created. I feel I need to be so strong. I do it for my mom." [Full article here]

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder oregon state politics]

[CA] LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus left her DNA on the body of murdered Sherri Rasmussen

SHERRI RAE RASMUSSEN
Murdered
...Rasmussen was a tall, athletic 29-year-old 
hospital nursing supervisor with a pretty smile...


...[Los Angeles Police Department scientist Jennifer] Francis said the genetic profile of Lazarus and the bite mark would be expected to be found in one in 402 quadrillion individuals... "Metaphorically speaking, this case is about the new LAPD investigating the old LAPD... There's the old adage that the LAPD would never go after one of its own, but this case flies in the face of that"...


Previous Posts:

On trial: Stephanie Lazarus

EX-LAPD DETECTIVE STEPHANIE LAZARUS' DNA MATCHED SAMPLE FROM VAN NUYS MURDER VICTIM'S BITE MARK, TESTIFIES CRIMINALIST
Daily News
By Linda Deutsch
02/10/2012
[Excerpt] DNA taken from the mouth of a former police detective so closely matched saliva from a bite mark on the arm of a murdered woman that no one else could have produced that genetic similarity, a criminalist told jurors Friday. Los Angeles Police Department scientist Jennifer Francis, who analyzed evidence in the 26-year-old murder case, offered a conclusion that bolstered prosecution claims that defendant Stephanie Lazarus murdered her romantic rival. Francis said the DNA of Lazarus was found on the bite mark discovered on victim Sherri Rasmussen's body after she was slain in 1986... Lazarus has pleaded not guilty and her lawyer, Mark Overland, has suggested that the DNA swabs taken at the time of Rasmussen's killing were corrupted over the years and are not reliable evidence. Prosecutors claim that Lazarus was consumed with jealousy when her longtime lover, John Ruetten, announced he had decided to marry Rasmussen, a nursing supervisor at a hospital. When Rasmussen was killed, investigators believed she was the victim of a home invasion robbery. Lazarus' name came up when the case was reopened and new detectives looked at the facts. Other police witnesses have told how they followed Lazarus surreptitiously and collected her DNA from a cup she discarded during a shopping trip... Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Paul Nunez, Francis said the genetic profile of Lazarus and the bite mark would be expected to be found in one in 402 quadrillion individuals... The trial is in recess until Tuesday. Monday is a court holiday. [Full article here]

2010 Video:

A BITE, BULLET AND BROKEN HEART: FORMER LA COP STANDS TRIAL FOR MURDER
Cable News Network
By Ann O'Neill, CNN
Wed February 8, 2012
[Excerpts] ..."A bite, a bullet, a gun barrel and a broken heart, that's the evidence that will prove to you that defendant Stephanie Lazarus murdered Sherri Rasmussen," Deputy District Attorney Shannon Presby told jurors... The trial promises to tell the story of a decorated female officer who rose through the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department while allegedly hiding a dark secret: She was getting away with murder... Rasmussen was a tall, athletic 29-year-old hospital nursing supervisor with a pretty smile... "Metaphorically speaking, this case is about the new LAPD investigating the old LAPD," said Andrew Blankstein, who has covered the department for the Los Angeles Times since the 1990s... "There's the old adage that the LAPD would never go after one of its own, but this case flies in the face of that."... At the time of the slaying, Lazarus was in her second year with the Los Angeles Police Department. The killing occurred on a Monday. Lazarus had taken the day off; Rasmussen had called in sick that morning. Authorities estimate she died before lunchtime... Lazarus was a newbie patrol officer when [John] Ruetten broke up with her for good... [DNA] Testing in 2005 revealed the assailant was a woman. But still some detectives clung to the burglary theory and focused their inquiries on known female prowlers. From the beginning, the victim's family had pointed to an ex-girlfriend of Ruetten's who was a cop, and as the DNA testing advanced, undercover police followed Lazarus to a Costco store and retrieved a discarded soda from a trash can. Saliva traces from the straw matched the bite mark DNA, and she officially became a suspect... Presby said the chances of the killer being anyone else is "one in 1.7 sextillion." That's a 17 followed by 20 zeroes... As prosecutors set the scene with their first witnesses, the images projected on a large screen... Her father, Nels Rasmussen, occasionally choked back sobs, and one of the victim's sisters teared up at the sight... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder cold case reopened female perp perpetrator california state politics]

[SA] People are praying for Michelle Gilfellow, shot by her South African police officer husband



Works at South African Police Service
Shot by cop husband, Eugene Gilfellow, who has died




Please leave all your well wishes prayers and thoughts here When Michelle wakes up she can read all your messages

"Lord, I don't always understand your ways. I don't know why Michelle has to suffer, but I trust you. I ask that you look with mercy and grace toward her. Nourish her spirit and soul in this time of suffering and comfort her with your presence. AMEN!"

"Hemelse Vader, ons kom vanaand na U toe In die kosbare naam van Jesus. Ons stap nou in die geloof na Kuilsrivier Medical Centre, waar ons kollega en vriendin le in ICU, Here ons bid vanaand vir n radikale aanraking uit die genesende hand van van U . Die word se dat deur U wonde het daar vir ons genesing gekom. Here ek pleit by U omdat U Jehova Rava is die God wat gesond maak dat U michelle sal aanraak. U kosbare bloed oor haar. Here ons bid vir haar kinders en die familie dat U hulle vanaand sal kom toevou onder U heilige kombers. Sny die planne van die duiwel in Jesus naam af. Wees met almal gedurende hierdie onbekende nag. Amen!"



Cop who shot wife and self dies
By Megan Baadjies
February 8 2012 at 04:55pm

The Metro police officer who shot his wife before turning the gun on himself has died.

Eugene Gilfellow, 30, was on life support after he shot his wife, Michelle,32, and himself in the head during an argument on Sunday afternoon.

Police found the couple in their main bedroom where it is believed he used his service pistol.

Michelle worked at Nyanga police station and is still clinging on for dear life.

On Tuesday police confirmed Eugene died on Monday afternoon after his life-support machines were turned off.

While the exact details of the incident are still sketchy a source close to the family says the couple were going through a divorce and Michelle had moved out of the house a few weeks earlier.

The woman, who was one of the first people at the scene on Sunday afternoon says Michelle and Eugene were “a happy couple”.

“They have been living in the area just over a year and they were a very happy couple,” she tells the Daily Voice.

“It was very surprising when she suddenly moved out.”

She says on Sunday Michelle arrived at the house with her sister to take her two sons to the beach with them.

“The boys lived with their father,” she explains.

It was during this time that an argument started between them about the children and where they were going to stay.

“They [children] were still inside the house when two shots were fired,” she says.

“The children then ran out of the house into the street and told [a neighbour] their daddy shot their mommy.”

The woman says Michelle told a friend they were getting divorced.

A memorial service will be held for Eugene at Philippi headquarters on Wednesday. - Daily Voice
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities cop on cop attempted murder-suicide afrikaans pretoria sap politics]

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

[US][CA] Not forgetting FBI Agent Wendy Woskoff (2005)

Wendy left
January 23, 2005

..."She was the ultimate 'go-to' person at the bureau"... "Wendy would never hear the word 'no'"... "Wendy left a very important legacy of her work"...


TOP FBI AGENT IN L.A. PLACED ON LEAVE: Sources say division chief Jim Sheehan is being transferred to Washington after the suicide of his former girlfriend, a colleague. 
Los Angeles Times
By Greg Krikorian And Christine Hanley
February 3, 2005

The head of the FBI's criminal division in Los Angeles has been placed on administrative leave pending a reassignment to the bureau's headquarters, law enforcement sources said Wednesday.

The transfer of veteran FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Sheehan comes amid an internal investigation into the recent suicide of a longtime agent, Wendy Woskoff, with whom Sheehan had been romantically involved until several months ago, sources said.

Woskoff, 54, died of a self-inflicted gunshot Jan. 23 at her Santa Monica home. A 24-year veteran of the FBI, Woskoff was most recently assigned to an intelligence squad in the Los Angeles division.

Sources said Woskoff left two notes at the scene of her suicide. One was addressed to her immediate supervisor. The other made reference to her relationship with Sheehan.

Because the agent used her FBI-issued weapon in the suicide, sources added, the FBI - as is customary - launched an internal investigation with agents from Los Angeles and bureau headquarters. Five days after the shooting, the FBI also placed a security hold on the coroner's report in the case.

Sheehan, who is single, didn't supervise Woskoff, who was separated from her husband, and their relationship apparently did not violate FBI regulations. But several FBI sources said that bureau officials concluded that it was in the best interest of the office to transfer Sheehan.

"There are a lot of problems in the L.A. office ... and a lot of personnel issues," said one FBI source who spoke on condition of anonymity. "And this shooting unleashed everything in the way of rumors."

Sheehan could not be reached for comment.

Woskoff's mother, Helene, had little comment Wednesday about her daughter's death. "This was a tragedy. She was a beautiful, brilliant young woman. And right now I really don't want to talk about it," she said.

Services for Woskoff will be held today.

Times staff writer Scott Glover contributed to this report. [Original link]







FBI AGENT CONFIRMED DEAD FROM GUNSHOT
By Daily Press staff
WILSHIRE-MONTANA

Authorities on Monday confirmed that an FBI agent committed suicide in Santa Monica over the weekend by firing a single gunshot to her head.

An autopsy report completed Monday showed Wendy I. Woskoff, 55, shot herself with a handgun of an unknown caliber, said LA County Department of Coroner's Lt. Fred Corral, who works in the investigations division.

The Santa Monica Police Department responded to a call at 11:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of 17th Street, between California Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Officers found Woskoff lying in her apartment, SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega said.

Unnerved residents witnessed authorities combing the streets throughout the day and evening Sunday, raising concerns that the area was a crime scene.

Nick James, 41, a filmmaker who grew up on 17th Street and has lived there nearly 30 years, said for some reason Woskoff s car alarm had been set off frequently in recent days.

He and his neighbors watched as several SMPD squad cars surrounded the scene, with uniformed officers, SMPD detectives and FBI investigators scouring the scene.

"They immediately came and taped it off," said James, who lives with his wife and young son.

"There were two couples out on the street that were just crying...                                  

"First of all, you're thinking, 'Did somebody get attacked?'" James added.  "And a lot of the neighbors were concerned. Nobody expected anything like this [suicide] to happen.

They think it was a robbery, and everybody's speculating what it could be.

"There's a lot of single moms around. It was frightening."

FBI   spokeswoman Laura Eimiller couldn't confirm or deny the incident, and said the agency declined to comment.



FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES RECALL VETERAN FBI AGENT AT MEMORIAL: Wendy Woskoff is remembered as a valued 'go-to' person. She took 
her life two weeks ago.
Los Angeles Times
By Henry Weinstein
February 4, 2005

Veteran FBI agent Wendy Woskoff, who committed suicide two weeks ago, was eulogized Thursday by friends, colleagues and relatives as an intense, highly dedicated, creative agent who saved lives and had a significant impact on improving the agency's technological capability.

"She was the ultimate 'go-to' person at the bureau" in Los Angeles, said Dennis English, a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide Division, during a memorial service at the Skirball Cultural Center.

English, who worked with Woskoff on a variety of cases, told mourners in a packed auditorium how she artfully followed a would-be bomber and then, by posing as a helpless customer in an electronics store, got the man to talk to her. The conversation enabled her to see what he purchased, information that played a role in his arrest and conviction before he could commit another crime. The 54-year-old Woskoff weighed just 90 pounds.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Lisa Feldman and FBI agent Scott Gariola talked about Woskoff's love of the work she did as a technology specialist during the last decade of her 23-year FBI career.

Both remembered how Woskoff, a USC graduate, mastered the techniques of how to trace phone calls to their origin, with the help of phone company employees who initially were reluctant to provide information.

"Wendy would never hear the word 'no,' " Gariola said. He said he often called her late at night during a crisis and that she always came up with information that helped other agents.

"Wendy left a very important legacy of her work," Feldman said.

Woskoff developed specific forms for each of the phone companies, Feldman noted, in order to satisfy them that a law enforcement agency was entitled to get information rapidly. "She made them perfect," Feldman added, and now law enforcement agencies around the country are using the forms Woskoff developed.

On a more personal note, Feldman said she regretted not having talked to Woskoff more in the weeks just before she killed herself. Woskoff's untimely death, Feldman said, is a reminder that "casework will always be there but friends may not be."

The final speaker was John Hoos, who was an FBI agent for 30 years and Woskoff's ex-husband. They were married for more than 20 years. They met in 1980, when Hoos spoke at a class Woskoff taught at University High School in West Los Angeles. Soon after, she telephoned him and asked how she could become an agent. She said she had read an article in Cosmopolitan Magazine in 1981 that said FBI work was an up-and-coming career for women.

That story elicited laughter, as did several others Hoos told. He read at length from a memo Woskoff wrote to her FBI supervisor telling him she needed a better car for her surveillance work and that it needed to have a mirror that would hide her wrinkles and say in English, Hebrew and Yiddish, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Wendy's the fairest agent of them all."

Hoos concluded his remarks by reading "What it takes to be Number 1," the epistle of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, and telling the crowd that Woskoff personified the traits Lombardi described, even though she watched only one football game a year - rooting for USC to beat UCLA.

"I firmly believe," Lombardi wrote, "that any man's finest hour -his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear - is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious."

Hoos said that Woskoff had done that many times, and as Lombardi had said, "she had what it takes to be number 1, and to number you have to pay the price."  [LINK]




MEMORIAL CELEBRATES LIFE OF FBI AGENT: Friends, Colleagues Recall Veteran FBI Agent at Memorial. Wendy Woskoff is remembered as a valued 'go-to' person. She took her life two weeks ago.
The Lookout
By Joyce Tse
February 4, 2005

Wendy Woskoff, an FBI agent who took her life in her Santa Monica apartment last month, was remembered at a memorial service Thursday as a tiny but tough agent with a "wacky" sense of humor.

The 200 fellow officers, family and friends who filled the Skirball Cultural Center auditorium recalled a self-described "Jewish American Princess" who took herself lightly, but was dead serious about a job dedicated to catching the bad guys and saving the victims.

"She was whenever, wherever, whatever," said Scott Garriola, using the first and last letters of Woskoff's name to describe how she was always available. "She was wacky at times, wild at times, warm some of the time and wonderful all the time."

The 5' 2" Woskoff could shoot with the best of them and do more pushups than her larger more muscular colleagues, fellow agents recalled. She was also a mean driver who once tracked down a crazy motorists in three minutes, leading to jokes about her own skills behind the wheel.

Even on her time off, Woskoff was eager to help, sometimes stepping out from a movie showing to call fellow agents and check if they needed help.

"She was the ultimate go-to person in the bureau," said Dennis English, a detective for the robbery homicide division, who described Woskoff as an agent who got information about suspects so quickly she sometimes beat the machines that trace calls.

Although there were some tearful moments, there was mostly laughter, as speakers took turns sharing anecdotes that encapsulated the humor Woskoff exuded.

Woskoff, who loved shopping at Nordstrom's, liked poking fun at her feminine side. She compiled fake Christmas letters touting outrageous accomplishments and adventures, and she once wrote a fake memo requesting a car "that compliments my hair color," which she changed several times, requiring a number of cars to match.

During an especially poignant part of the service, Woskoff's sister was presented with an Award of Excellence by Lisa Feldman on behalf of the United States Attorney's office for all of the contributions that Woskoff made to solving countless cases.

A former special education teacher, Woskoff decided she wanted to become an FBI agent after reading an article in a magazine about top new professions for women. Becoming a female FBI agent was one of them.

In April 1981, Woskoff was sworn in as a new agent to the bureau, where she worked for the last 23 years -- moving from the surveillance team to the tech team.

Many described her as a natural for the job, capable of working faster than others, while still getting results. She was also described as always ready and willing to assist new recruits.

On January 23, Woskoff, 55, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in her Santa Monica apartment.

The Los Angeles Coronor's Office told The Lookout that Woskoff had become depressed and frequently talked about suicide for some time before her death.

Woskoff left two notes behind, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times.

The first note was reportedly addressed to Woskoff's immediate supervisor, while the other note made references to FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Sheehan, a colleague and an ex-boyfriend.

The memorial comes at a time when the FBI has made plans to reassign Sheehan to the bureau's Washington office, according to the Times. [LINK]




FBI AGENT….STEP-MOM…CRAZY….LOYAL…CARING…..
The world according to Chad blog
By spiralout1976
June 4, 2011
------------------
[Excerpts] ...Dear Wendy,
I’m not even sure where to begin with you. You were the one, besides my mom, that was always there for me. My mom and you were two of the strongest women in my life. Always were and always will be... I was blessed to have a mom that has always loved me unconditionally and a step-mom that also thought of me as her own and loved me unconditionally. You were always the one that was the “buffer” between my dad and I. You always fought for me. You always thought of me as your own son. You looked after me. You always wanted the best for me. You cared. You talked to me. You worried about me. You loved me for who I was and who I became. I could tell you anything. I knew you would always protect me. You kept the things I told you to yourself. You guided me, but never forced your views upon me. You gave me direction towards the path that you thought was best for me. Although I may have never took the path you always wanted I realized that you knew where to point me in life. You made me think. You fought with me. You disagreed with me. You hurt me. You made me accept others. You taught me patience. You gave me strength. You taught me compassion. You always believed in me. You taught me how to feel for others... [Full message here

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities alleged said suicide federal united states california state politics]

[PA] Deputy Mary Farrell charged with terroristic threatening against her fired former deputy ex



A Luzerne County deputy sheriff [Mary Jean Farrell] is denying charges that she threatened her former domestic partner [former deputy sheriff Jennifer Roberts]...


PREVIOUS POSTS:

DEPUTY SHERIFF CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC THREATS
Citizen's Voice
Michael P. Buffer
Published: February 7, 2012
[Excerpts] Luzerne County Deputy Sheriff Mary Jean Farrell has been charged with terroristic threats and harassment, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday by city police. Farrell, 51, of Fairview Township, said Monday she had not been served the complaint and said her former domestic partner, Jennifer M. Roberts, filed the charges against her. "She is lying through her teeth," Farrell said. "I have been a victim from the start." Farrell is a witness in another criminal case against Roberts, who was fired as a deputy sheriff last August... Farrell has been receiving disability pay through the Pennsylvania Heart and Lung Act since October 2010, records show. The state law requires this pay for police, fire and sheriff's office workers injured on the job. County officials are reviewing whether to suspend Farrell... [Full article here]

COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF DENIES CHARGES: Mary Jean Farrell accused by former domestic partner of terroristic threats, harassment.
The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
February 7, 2012
[Excerpts] A Luzerne County deputy sheriff is denying charges that she threatened her former domestic partner at a tavern on Blackman Street. City police on Monday filed charges of terroristic threats and harassment against Mary Jean Farrell... Farrell was charged after her former partner, Jennifer Roberts, a former deputy sheriff, claimed she was threatened on Jan. 24... Farrell strongly denied the allegations. She said she was returning property to Roberts, who works as a bartender at the Pitcher’s Mound. “Jen called me to bring a microwave to her, and I told her I’m not bringing anything to your house,” Farrell said. “She said bring it to my place of work. I thought, great, it’s a public place”... Farrell said she left the tavern and did not threaten Roberts. Roberts told police Farrell threatened her saying, “I’m going to get you, you and your girlfriend. I will (expletive) you so bad, you will pay for everything you have done to cost me my kids for three months and all the money you cost me to get them back”... Vesek, in a written statement to police, said she heard Farrell threatening to “bury” Roberts and Roberts’ girlfriend... Farrell said Sheriff John Gilligan called her Monday to tell her she was suspended and to surrender her badge and weapon pending a termination hearing... Farrell has not worked for nearly a year due to a disability... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal female perp perpetrator cop on cop pennsylvania state 

[TX] If it takes so much cop power to safely arrest 1 (allegedly) battering officer, what do the victims endure?


...Pct. 4 Asst. Chief Tim Cannon confirmed to KHOU 11 News that the use of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task force is a normal precaution when officers are arresting a fellow lawman armed with a badge and gun...

If the heavily armed, fearsome, professional, MIGHTY, tactical and wise Harris County Sheriff's Office - the largest in Texas - pulls in the additional strength of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force as a precaution when arresting one "fellow lawman" accused of domestic violence - and they do - imagine how overwhelmed and in danger the domestic violence victim is in dealing with the abusive officer alone. How scary is that? There really needs to be special forms of protection and access for help. If it's a unique perp then it's a unique victim. BOTH need to be handled with special expertise, precautions, and protocols.

ALDINE ISD OFFICER ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
KHOU 11 News
by Kevin Reece
Posted on February 3, 2012
[Excerpts] Houston - A police officer with the Aldine Independent School District was arrested early Friday and charged with domestic violence in a series of alleged attacks against his wife. Harris County Pct. 4 Constables Domestic Violence unit began investigating Heriberto Morales, 47, after his wife recently filed complaints, admitting that the alleged abuse has been going on for at least the last seven months. She claims that as far back as June of 2011 and as recently as November, December, and again last month, that Morales made repeated physical and verbal assaults including throwing her to the ground, kneeing her in the stomach, punching her, dragging her out of bed and threatening to kill her. Morales was arrested Friday with the help of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task force. He was arrested without incident and ordered held in the Harris County Jail without bond until a scheduled court hearing next Monday. Pct. 4 Asst. Chief Tim Cannon confirmed to KHOU 11 News that the use of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task force is a normal precaution when officers are arresting a fellow lawman armed with a badge and gun... [Full article here]

GULF COAST VIOLENT OFFENDERS TASK FORCE - U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
Apprehension of United States Marshals Service fugitives and state and local violent offenders... [LINK]

GULF COAST TASK FORCE TACKLES WORST OF THE CRIMINALS: Law agencies work together to capture fugitives, people charged with violent crimes... [LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal repeat hx policy houston texas state politics]