[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... 

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[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]

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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]
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