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

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

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Sunday, November 30, 2008

[OH] Officer Walker arrested on a rape inside his apartment charge

Police officer charged with rape
WKYC-TV, OH
Nov 29, 2008
CLEVELAND -- A police officer from Garfield Heights faced a judge Saturday morning on rape charges. Cleveland police say, Vinson Walker is accused of sexually assaulting a 22 year old woman inside his home in the early morning hours of November 16th. After an investigation, police say a warrant was issued for Walker's arrest on Wednesday. They arrested him that day at the Garfield Heights Police Station.

[FL] Captain Elmore not arrested or charged for breaking girlfriend's nose

I've been waiting for a delayed arrest but it doesn't seem to be coming. Using police tactics drunk on his girlfriend seems to be no more than a Miami Beach personnel issue - not a criminal one.

REPORT: POLICE CAPTAIN ACCUSED OF BREAKING GIRLFRIEND'S NOSE
Woman Treated For Fractured Nose, Minor Bruising, Injured Jaw
WTVJ-TV
Nov. 18, 2008
A Miami Beach police captain is under investigation in connection with an incident in which he is accused of breaking his girlfriend's nose after an argument over politics, the Miami Herald reported Saturday. According to the report, the incident took place at the Deerfield Beach apartment of Capt. Robert Elmore Sunday night; his girlfriend was treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital Monday for a fractured nose, minor bruising and an injured jaw, according to the paper. The paper reported that in 2007, as a lieutenant, Elmore mandatorily enrolled in "diversity training" class after a colleague said he frequently used racial slurs. [LINK]

MIAMI BEACH COP FACES PROBE OVER INJURIES TO HIS GIRLFRIEND
The Miami Herald
By David Ovalle dovalle@MiamiHerald.com
Saturday, 11.15.08
...Capt. Robert Elmore, 46, who heads the afternoon patrol shift, has not been charged. Come Monday, Elmore will be shifted to administrative duties until an investigation is completed by the Broward Sheriff's Office. Miami Beach Chief Carlos Noriega would not comment on the allegations but spoke Friday with Elmore. "From my initial meeting with him, I am confident things will work out favorably," Noriega said... According to a report released by BSO on Friday, Elmore and his girlfriend, Kimberley Lake, 42, were talking politics when he "became enraged"... She alleged she hit the back of her head when Elmore pushed her into a wooden column. Then as Lake woozily walked back to the dining room, Elmore grabbed her from the back of the neck, "slamming her face into the ground," according to the BSO report. "This action resulted in a fractured nose." Lake left the apartment. Elmore "was screaming from the balcony that he committed the above acts in order to defend himself," the report said. Unknown witnesses calmed Elmore down, telling him to not drive her home because he was drunk, the report said. Lake returned to the apartment, but Elmore "slammed the door in her face." She hid under a bush "because of her fear" before later agreeing to be driven home by Bill Riley, Elmore's roommate. Riley is the division chief over the Miami Beach's patrol, the department's third in command... The chief took Lake home to Miami Beach. The next day, she was treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital for a fractured nose, minor bruising and an injured jaw. Elmore, by telephone, agreed to pay her medical bills, the report said. The next day, Lake reported the alleged beating at BSO's Deerfield Beach office... Last year, as a lieutenant, Elmore was ordered to take a "diversity training" class after one of his detectives complained he frequently used ethnic slurs. [Full article here]

[FL] Deputy Erin White's boyfriend tasered, she's arrested

DEPUTY ARRESTED IN VERBAL ALTERCATION WITH ORLANDO POLICE
cfnews13.com
Monday, November 17, 2008
ORLANDO -- An off-duty Orange County sheriff's deputy has been released from jail after being arrested Sunday for getting into a verbal altercation with Orlando police officers. Police said they were trying to take a man into custody around 2:30 a.m. Sunday in Downtown Orlando, when his girlfriend, off-duty deputy Erin White, got into a verbal altercation with authorities. White, 28, was arrested and booked into the Orange County jail. She was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. White has been an Orange County deputy for less than a year. It was unknown if White's boyfriend faces any charges. [LINK]

OFF-DUTY DEPUTY ARRESTED AFTER FIGHT
Woman's Boyfriend Shocked By Taser, Deputies Say
Local6.com, FL
November 17, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. -- An off-duty Orange County sheriff's deputy was arrested early Sunday morning after her boyfriend was shocked with a Taser gun by Orlando police. Erin H. White, 28, was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence. According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Orlando police went to the 100 block of South Orange Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. in reference to a call about a physical fight. Officers discovered a large crowd -- about 150 people -- that had formed, and a man resisted being taken into custody, deputies said. The man, who was not identified, was shocked with a Taser gun, and White then became involved in a verbal confrontation with officers, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. White, who has been a deputy with Orange County since February, was arrested and taken to the Orange County Jail. [LINK]

[CA] 50 years ago: "Dot was deathly afraid of Dick. He had beaten her - been trouble to her ever since they were married"

Click image to see larger
[Image source: Los Angeles Times, The Daily Mirror blog]

EX-DEPUTY SHERIFF SLAYS WIFE, THEN KILLS SELF
Adopted Son of the Pair Found Near Mother;
Estranged Man Ends Life as Police Close In
Los Angeles Times
November 30, 1958
[Excerpts from image] A former Sheriff's deputy, denied the love of his estranged wife, strangled her and then fatally shot himself in a tragic 18-hour climax to their turbulent four-year marriage yesterday. The body of beautiful Dorothy Mae Butler, 27, a registered nurse, was found clothed and sitting in the half-filled bathtub of her home at 10800 Canelo Road in South Whittier. In a bedroom, the couple's 18 month old adopted son, Scotty, sat screaming in terror and discomfort in his crib. Six hours later, Richard Jack Butler, 31, who deputies said triggered the chain of tragedy, ended his life as some of his former lawmen colleagues closed in for his capture. Cornered and bleeding from 14 self-inflicted slashes on his wrists and arms, Butler fired one bullet from a friends's 38-calliber service revolver into his temple at the home of his parents, 1000 S Main St., Santa Ana... One neighbor told investigators: "Dot was deathly afraid of Dick. He had beaten her... been trouble to her ever since they were married"...

[NY] Desk Duty in a paramilitary organization

...Officers who have been on desk duty say the stigma is hard to erase in a paramilitary organization that values the solidarity that comes with wearing the same uniform and facing the same dangers. "Modified duty is purgatory"...

[The article does not touch on the topic of remorse, learning from one's past errors, or on officers taking personal responsibility for how they ended up on desk duty.]

TO THE POLICE DEPT., IT'S DESK DUTY.
TO SOME OFFICERS, IT'S MORE LIKE A CELLBLOCK.

New York Times, United States
November 30, 2008
By CHRISTINE HAUSER
[Excerpts] Some monitor surveillance cameras in housing projects. Others escort prisoners to court or check in patrol cars. And some, true to the police lingo, really do sit behind a desk, shuffling papers and answering phones. These jobs are known as desk duty, a generic phrase in the Police Department for a range of jobs to which hundreds of officers have been reassigned over the years. Pulled off the streets, stripped of guns and badges, kept inside four walls and away - as much as possible - from the public, officers who are put on desk duty because their conduct is under investigation find themselves far from the enforcement activities they signed up to do. "We like to call it the 'cellblock' because it is like you are in prison," said an officer who spent more than 18 months watching surveillance video while authorities investigated an accusation that he had struck a suspect... "It is the worst place in the world if you enjoy being a police officer," he said. "You sit at a desk and stare at 30 monitors."... Levied against anyone from a rookie patrol cop to a 20-year decorated detective, the desk duty reassignment is a great equalizer. There are no assumptions of guilt or innocence or nods to rank... "Doing court paperwork, moving prisoners, driving delivery vehicles - it is a range of glamourless jobs," said Eugene O'Donnell, a professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who is a former police officer and prosecutor in New York City. "You are unarmed most of the time and everybody knows that you are sort of disabled by the fact that you are not on full duty," he said. "There is almost a universal stigma to it." The Police Department's chief spokesman, Paul J. Browne, said that it was a necessary tool. "Prudence and good order in a police department dictate that at times certain personnel be relieved of their enforcement duties," he said... Police unions have accused the department of using desk duty for political reasons, such as in high-profile cases, which the department denies. Unions have also complained that it is too open-ended, with an officer sometimes desk-bound even after being cleared. Some officers say the department sometimes intentionally assigns officers to desk-duty jobs requiring a long commute, an unofficial form of punishment known as toll therapy... Officers who have been on desk duty say the stigma is hard to erase in a paramilitary organization that values the solidarity that comes with wearing the same uniform and facing the same dangers. "Modified duty is purgatory," said Rae Koshetz, a lawyer who once worked in the Police Department handling internal trials... "It is a dumping ground," said the officer from the surveillance unit. "The connotation is that you are a screw-up" Lt. Michael W. Pigott, a veteran emergency services officer, gave an order on Sept. 24 to an officer in Brooklyn to fire a Taser at an emotionally disturbed man, who then fell 10 feet and suffered a fatal head injury. The Police Department said the order appeared to have violated guidelines that said Tasers should not be used when a person could fall from an elevated surface. Soon after Lieutenant Pigott was ordered to work the desk at Fleet Services Division in Queens, which handles police vehicles, he committed suicide. While Lieutenant Pigott wrote in a suicide note that he feared criminal prosecution, a detective who worked with him, Stephen Dillon, said he seemed hurt by the decision to put him on desk duty and take his gun. Since he was cleared in the Diallo shooting, Officer Boss has been unsuccessfully fighting in court to be restored to full duty with his weapon, saying that his colleagues have ridiculed him with the name "Kenny No-Gun." The Police Department has refused, saying that the public would be upset if he were rearmed, and that the department would be prejudged if he were ever involved in another shooting. "I was a very proactive patrol cop and anticrime officer," he said. "It is demoralizing. It breaks my heart." [Full article here]

[NY] Officer Curley's brother: "My brother's fighting for his life since this whole nightmare started by his wife. He's a broken man."

Previous entry from January:
[NY] Do we fear Officer Curley most, or the systems that keep him an officer?
- ...The New Jersey police officers found rifles, ammunition, scopes, a ski mask and a bulletproof vest in the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu...

Recently fired Officer James Curley is scheduled for trial on December 8th. I thought it would be good to get a general idea of what's going on before it starts.

...Curley has been held since June "as a danger to the community and as a flight risk"...

Excerpts from the news since the last January post:

James Curley, 43, of Ramapo is charged with crimes against his estranged wife and people associated with her... "My brother's fighting for his life since this whole nightmare started by his wife," Michael Curley... "He's a broken man," Michael Curley said of his brother. "Mentally, he's hurting"... Curley was wanted in New Milford, N.J., on a property crime charge and failing to appear in court to answer that charge. He was accused of threatening a local doctor and slashing the tires on the doctor's car... a warrant from an Emerson, N.J., court accused Curley of stalking and violating an order of protection to stay clear of his estranged wife, who worked in New Jersey [for a doctor]... Curley faces two counts of second-degree criminal contempt and two counts of bail jumping in Airmont Justice Court... A bench warrant also was issued for Curley's arrest in Suffern Justice Court on a charge of second-degree aggravated harassment. He is accused of threatening two younger female relatives [related to accusations of molesting young relatives? Then in May, Officer Curley] was indicted on federal domestic violence-related charges... two counts of crossing state lines with the intent to either kill, injure or harass another person and stalk that person and place that person under surveillance. Curley is charged in Emerson, N.J., with stalking and violating an order of protection to stay clear of his estranged wife. He is accused of placing a computerized global positioning system on the victim's car for surveillance - an accusation he also faced in Emerson... Curley has had a contentious relationship with Ramapo. The department declined to hire him after his probationary officer period ended because of incidents in the police academy. Curley sued and got his job back several years later, in 1989... A sprained ankle, suffered in 1990 when he fell 8 inches from a plank during construction at the police department, has put Curley out on leave under what's known as "207-c" for most of the past 18 1/2 years. Because this was an on-the-job injury, taxpayers have been giving Curley a full paycheck, now $115,000-plus a year, tax-free...

Saturday, November 29, 2008

[MD] They say a female Baltimore Police Officer shot herself

We're praying for you!!!

From video below:
"...and shell casings were marked along the street and in the apartment stairwell..."


OFF-DUTY BALTIMORE OFFICER WOUNDED IN SHOOTING
WTOPnews.com
November 28, 2008 - 10:08am
PARKVILLE, Md. (AP) - An off-duty Baltimore City police officer has been wounded in a shooting at an apartment building in Parkville. WJZ-TV reports the female officer was wounded about midnight Friday at the complex on Arbor Station Way. The station says the officer was shot in the face and will undergo surgery at Shock Trauma in Baltimore. [LINK]



OFF-DUTY BALTIMORE OFFICER WOUNDED IN SHOOTING
foxbaltimore.com
November 28, 2008 12:40 EST
PARKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- The Baltimore County Police Department says a shooting that wounded an off-duty Baltimore City police officer has been ruled an attempted suicide. The shooting was reported shortly after midnight Friday at an apartment building on Arbor Station Way in Parkville. The female officer was taken to Shock Trauma in Baltimore and was expected to undergo surgery. WJZ-TV reported the woman was wounded in the face. [LINK]

UPDATE: No printed articles in circulation mention the shell casings that were shown in the video above. Any articles referencing the shell casings at the scene have been removed from news sites. I don't know why or what that means.

Friday, November 28, 2008

[TX] Deputy Figueroa shot Jailer Perez over (reported) involvement with his wife

HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTY ARRESTED FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH DEADLY WEAPON
Fort Bend Sun
Nov 26 3:04 AM
A personal altercation between a Harris County sheriff's deputy and a civilian jailer has led to the arrest of the deputy for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to the police report, Jose Figueroa, 39, a Harris County sheriff's deputy, was arrested on Nov. 22 after shooting, James E. Perez, who works as a civilian jailer with Harris County. According to a preliminary investigation, Perez was involved with Figueroa's wife. Perez went to the couple's home to see Fiqueroa's wife despite the fact that Figueroa was present, according to information obtained in the investigation. A physical altercation occurred between the men and as Perez was walking down the front walkway, leaving the home, Figueroa obtained a handgun and shot him in the back. Figueroa then called 9-1-1 to report the incident and was questioned and arrested when police arrived. The Harris County sheriff's deputy was arrested and taken to the Fort Bend County Jail for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Figueroa posted and was released under a $50,000 bond, according to a sheriff's department press release. Perez was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital, Downtown and later released. [LINK]

[To contact me: oidvn@yahoo.com]

[Article Link] "Police culture breeds harassment"

Police culture breeds harassment
Policing is about power - and sometimes that means power over women

The Hamilton Spectator
Krista Warnke
November 28, 2008
Nov 28, 2008
[Excerpt] ...There appears to be something about police culture, in Hamilton and elsewhere, that fosters patterns of demeaning behaviours toward women. U.S. statistics -- which may not be applicable in Canada generally or Hamilton specifically -- show that domestic abuse by American police officers is about 10 times higher than in the rest of the population... [Full article here]

[KY] Ex-cop Randall Creek indicted for murder of ex-girlfriend Debbie Rediess

Previous post:
[KY] Debbie Ann McKinney Rediess - Simpson County Sheriff's Deputy Randall Creek murdered his ex-girlfriend Debbie Ann McKinney Rediess of Smith's Grove, Kentucky on October 5th in the driveway of her home. He's been picked up in Iowa & will be returned to Kentucky to face murder charges...

FORMER SHERIFF'S DEPUTY INDICTED FOR MURDER
WBKO, KY
Reporter: Ryan Dearbone ryan.dearbone@wbko.com
Nov 19, 2008
A grand jury returns an indictment for Randall Creek. Wednesday, the Warren County Grand Jury indicted former Simpson County Sheriff's Deputy Randall Creek for "Murder"," Wanton Endangerment", and "Tampering With Physical Evidence". Creek will be arraigned sometime in the next week where a pre-trial conference will be set to try to come to resolution. If nothing is resolved, Creek would be headed to trial. "He has not plead yet. A plea will not be made until such a time where we can offer in the case, but I'm anticipating this case to be tried by a jury," notes Warren County Commonwealth Attorney, Chris Cohron. The charges stem from the October 5th shooting death of Debbie Rediess of Smith's Grove. Kentucky State Police say Creek killed Rediess at her home early that morning after a domestic dispute. Creek is currently lodged in the Warren County Regional Jail. [LINK]

[PA] Tredyffrin Board upholds firing of convicted Officer McCarthy

A 10-year veteran officer of the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Michael McCarthy was fired nearly three months ago. At a Nov. 17 public meeting the board of supervisors upheld the police superintendent's and township manager's decision to do so...

He lost his job, but the courts really let his victim down.

Previous entries:
  • [PA] Officer McCarthy's wife: "I thought he was going to kill me" - ...McCarthy, the woman testified, reminded her he was a police officer and that he could kill her. “I thought he was going to kill me..."
  • [PA] Tredyffrin Officer charged with assault of his wife - (The woman) had a large bruise on her chest," Lower Pottsgrove police officer Matthew Kemp wrote in the criminal complaint, alleging the bruise was about 3 inches wide and ran from the base of the woman’s neck to her stomach area...
  • [PA] Officer McCarthy wants info omitted from his wife-assault trial - ...[Defense lawyer Sean] Cullen also wants to prevent the jury from learning that the victim filed for a protection from abuse order against McCarthy. Any statements McCarthy gave to authorities at the time of his arrest were improperly obtained by authorities and should be prohibited as trial evidence, Cullen argued...
  • [PA] If Cop McCarthy's severely bruised wife had died, would they have even believed her then? - A Chester County police officer will serve a probationary sentence... "I served my country in the military. I served my community. I've always tried to do the best that I could"... The 5-foot 2-inch tall woman who weighs 100 pounds claimed McCarthy, who stands 6-feet 2-inches tall and weighs about 200 pounds, grabbed her by the neck and "body-slammed" her facedown into the tub and then pressed her sternum against a faucet, causing her to gasp for breath...
SUPERVISORS BACK DECISION TO FIRE POLICE OFFICER
Michael McCarthy had been convicted of a misdemeanor charge of harassment
Suburban and Wayne Times, PA
By Chris Williams
Nov 28, 2008
A 10-year veteran officer of the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Michael McCarthy was fired nearly three months ago. At a Nov. 17 public meeting the board of supervisors upheld the police superintendent's and township manager's decision to do so. According to reports, the Lower Pottsgrove man was convicted in May of a misdemeanor charge of harassment stemming from a June 2007 argument he and his wife had at home. He was acquitted of two simple-assault charges and sentenced to one year of probation for the harassment conviction. He was also ordered by the court to complete an anger-management counseling program and 24 hours of community service. McCarthy, who was on administrative leave without pay from the Tredyffrin Police Department since the incident, was terminated on Sept. 2. The township grievance procedure gives terminated employees the chance to appeal such decisions to the police superintendent, township manager and board of supervisors. A terminated employee can also seek an arbitration hearing, though it is uncertain whether McCarthy will do so. Throughout his trial McCarthy maintained his wife suffered an abrasion to her chest after she accidentally fell into a bathtub as the two argued about their relationship in the early-morning hours of June 26, 2007. McCarthy's version of what happened varied significantly from his wife's account. He "body-slammed" her into the tub and pressed her chest against a faucet, his wife testified. According to published reports, McCarthy, the woman testified, reminded her that he was a police officer and that he could kill her. Police say the woman suffered a 3-inch-wide abrasion that ran from the base of her neck to her stomach area. However, McCarthy's lawyer argued she could not have sustained the injuries at the hands of McCarthy. According to his lawyer, McCarthy had a pre-existing neck injury that he sustained while on police duty and was incapable of the motions described by the woman. McCarthy's wife got a temporary protection-from-abuse order against McCarthy after the incident, court records show. [LINK]

[TX] The black eyes & "unconfirmed" broken nose of Chief Morrow's wife Cindy are from sex. (Is ANYone believing that?)

The domestic violence recant of Bryan Police Chief Ty Morrow's wife Cindy & the just-recently revealed domestic violence call to City Manager David Watkins home that occurred two and half months ago. Watkins says he can be objective though -- and transparent in the investigation of Chief Morrow. (Mud is not see-through.)

DV-accused city mgr Watkins probes Chief Morrow's dv


FROM BELOW: ...The wife of Bryan Police Chief Tyrone Morrow claims the chief abused her in the past, according to an internal police report... Bryan police Chief Ty Morrow's wife said Wednesday that her husband had never abused her, contradicting statements that she made to police over the weekend when officers were called to a disturbance at the couple's home... Wednesday, Cindy Morrow said her nose was never confirmed broken and the black eye happened during sex... "It's unfortunate that a
private matter
has been made public because of my position at the police department," Morrow said... "In all honesty, I don't recall the statements I made to the police and these allegations are completely false," she wrote. "In an intoxicated state, I made statements to the police that were not true." The e-mail was sent from Ty Morrow's city-issued e-mail account, but Cindy Morrow confirmed by phone that she had written the statement and stood by its accuracy... On Wednesday [11/26/08], Ty Morrow told The Eagle that while his wife was in handcuffs, she tried to kick him and he "swatted" her, causing her to lose her balance and fall into the wall, causing the damage. ...Assistant Chief Peter Scheets, who is serving as acting chief, said Wednesday that his wife went to the Morrows' house that night because Ty Morrow asked her to come over. Scheets said that he didn't know the details of his wife's visit to the Morrows' and that she couldn't discuss it because she had been interviewed by the police in a pending investigation. Scheets said his wife's friendship with Cindy Morrow prompted the request for her visit... When asked by The Eagle on Monday [11/24/08], authorities said police had never responded to calls at the Morrows' house. On Wednesday, when asked again, Scheets said that in February an officer responded to the couple's home from either a 911 hang-up or a suspicious-person call. Scheets said he was not able to provide more information about that call... "My job is to issue transperancy whether it's [MYSELF] David Watkins City Manager or Ty Morrow Police Chief to measure that every incident that occurs in Bryan." [HOWEVER] It wasn't until last night that Watkins disclosed his [OWN] domestic dispute to the Bryan city council.

Chief Morrow denies allegations of past wife abuse


BRYAN POLICE CHIEF TEMPORARILY STEPS DOWN
KBTX
Crystal Galny galny@kbtx.com
Nov 24, 2008
[Excerpts] Bryan Police Chief Tyrone Morrow has voluntarily placed himself on administrative leave until an investigation is complete regarding a weekend domestic dispute. In an memo sent to the police department Monday afternoon, Chief Morrow wrote that he and his wife had a disagreement early Sunday morning in which he called police for assistance... Chief Morrow called police at 12:47 a.m. saying he handcuffed his wife after an argument became physical. Chief Morrow told police that he didn't want to interfere with his wife's access to police and asked that officers respond to their home. Both suffered minor injuries... Both claimed the other person instigated the confrontation, and neither wished to pursue criminal charges. According to the police report, alcohol could be smelled on the breaths of both Ty and Cindy Morrow. "This is an extremely embarrassing situation for me and my family," Chief Morrow wrote in the memo. "Since this incident my wife and I have reconciled." A joint criminal investigation will be conducted by Bryan Police and the Brazos County's Sheriff's Office. Those results are expected to be completed by Wednesday and turned over to the County Attorney's Office. Results of an internal affairs investigation will be turned over the City Manager. "I want to ensure that my family and I are addressed as any other member of the community would be addressed in a similar situation," Morrow wrote... [Full article here]

BRYAN CHIEF PUT ON LEAVE
The Bryan College Station Eagle
By Kelly Brown kelly.brown@theeagle.com
November 25, 2008 6:05 AM
[Excerpts] Bryan Police Chief Ty Morrow was placed on administrative leave Monday pending an investigation into a family violence call that officers made at his home over the weekend... Morrow told The Eagle that his wife had too much to drink at a charity function in College Station and he wouldn't let her drive home. The verbal dispute continued at their house when she "continued to assault me" Morrow said. Cindy Morrow could not be reached for comment... Peter Scheets, an assistant police chief, initially said a sergeant within the department would investigate the situation and present his findings to the Brazos County Attorney's Office. However, Scheets later said he spoke with County Attorney Rod Anderson who suggested an outside agency help with the inquiry, so a deputy [???] with the sheriff's department will oversee the investigation with the assistance of the Bryan sergeant. The deputy will present his findings to Anderson's office. Scheets said a parallel investigation by an internal affairs officer at the Bryan department also is ongoing. The officer will file his report directly with City ManagerDavid Watkins. That it will be Watkins who will rule on the findings from internal affairs -- either clearing Morrow of any wrongdoing or opting to take personnel action -- raises a potential issue: Whether Watkins is the best city official to be making the call. Watkins had his own experience with police who were summoned to a disturbance at his house 2 1/2 months ago. No charges were filed in the case, which now is closed. Watkins said he's confident he will be objective in deciding Morrow's case. Police reports state that Watkins and his wife were involved in a verbal altercation while driving home from a reception late Sept. 11. He pulled into a gas station and got out of the car when she moved to the driver's seat and left him behind, prompting him to call a taxi, according to the report. Once at home, Watkins and his wife again were fighting and the pair got into a shoving match, Watkins said. Reached on Monday, Kay Watkins said: "Unfortunately a private matter has become public because of my husband's position. We made a mistake and have forgiven each other. David is dedicated to his work and his family and this incident is behind us." Watkins described the incident as an intense argument that his wife didn't want to escalate, so she called police. "I want people to trust that we have integrity in the process," Watkins said of the inquiry into Morrow. "I think, personally, that I'm objective enough to review Det. Jackie Maynard's analysis in the internal affairs report, but if anyone questions that, then I'd have no problem having someone else take a look at it." Mayor Mark Conlee said he has no concerns about Watkins' involvement. "From what I understand, Ty Morrow handled his situation in a professional way, taking himself out of the picture in the investigation, and I think David is just as professional," Conlee said. "If either were trying to hide something, they'd have kept the police out of it." Conlee said he will monitor the inquiry closely.
"As far as I'm concerned, the incident with David and his wife is between them -- no charges were filed and it was a private situation," Conlee said...
[Full article here]

BRYAN CITY MANAGER TO REVIEW TY MORROW'S CASE
KBTX
Mike George george@kbtx.com
Nov 25, 2008
[Excerpts] Should the city manager decide the fate of the Chief of Police when both have been involved in domestic disputes? Bryan City Manager David Watkins will review the internal investigation into a domestic violence call at Chief Ty Morrow's home. However, it was a little more than two months ago that police were called to Watkins home for a domestic disturbance. While that case was not criminal and is now closed, questions are raised as to a potential conflict of interest in Watkins handling of the case. However Watkins says that's not the case and it's his job to look into this. "My job is to issue transperancy whether it's David Watkins City Manager or Ty Morrow Police Chief to measure that every incident that occurs in Bryan." It wasn't until last night that Watkins disclosed his domestic dispute to the Bryan city council. Never the less, Mayor Mark Conlee tells News 3 he believes both individuals are professionals in doing their job, and he has confidence in Watkins... [Full article here]

OUTSIDE AGENCY TO CONDUCT CHIEF MORROW INVESTIGATION
KBTX
Crystal Galny galny@kbtx.com
Nov 26, 2008
[Excerpts] An outside law enforcement agency and prosecutor will oversee the criminal investigation into a family violence call Sunday at Bryan Police Chief Ty Morrow's home, officials said Wednesday. Authorities are not sure who will conduct the investigation or what prosecutor will review the case... [Full article here]

BPD CHIEF DENIES NEW ALLEGATIONS FROM INTERNAL POLICE REPORT
KBTX news@kbtx.com
Nov 26, 2008
[Excerpts] The wife of Bryan Police Chief Tyrone Morrow claims the chief abused her in the past, according to an internal police report obtained by News Three... Cindy Morrow told officers who responded to the Morrow home Sunday morning, that there had been prior assaults, including one in February in which Chief Morrow broke her nose and gave her two black eyes. She said she didn't pursue anything at the time because she wanted to protect her husband's job, police reports said. Chief Morrow responded to the allegations Tuesday evening telling News Three that the incident his wife claimed occurred in February, never happened. Officers wrote in their report that the chief called police early Sunday morning for assistance and when they arrived, Chief Morrow was sitting outside the house holding a beer. The police chief smelled of alcohol, but police said he did not appear to be intoxicated. Morrow also had a bloody scratch across his nose... Cindy, also smelled of alcohol, but appeared to be intoxicated... Both her elbows had small, bloody abrasions on them, her shirt had blood on it near her elbow, and her wrist was swollen and cut, police said. According to police, Chief Morrow said he handcuffed his wife after she slapped him multiple times in the head and hit him in the face causing the scratch on his nose. But Cindy Morrow told a different story. She told police, the chief pushed her and threw her into several walls. Cindy said she wouldn't take that from anyone and fought back, according to police documents. She said, "Ty threw her around again like she was some common criminal and she responded by pushing him again," police wrote in the report... Police also noticed a hole in one of the living room walls, which was approximately five inches tall and 12 inches wide, reports stated. Cindy said it probably happened when Ty threw her into it, police wrote. But police noted in the report there was no evidence of sheetrock dust on her or her clothing. As for the hole in the wall, Morrow told News Three Tuesday that his wife was drunk and stumbled and fell into it. Cindy Morrow could not be reached for comment. Chief Morrow said she is currently seeking help... [Full article here]

POLICE: REPORT ON BRYAN POLICE CHIEF TY MORROW WAS LEAKED
KBTX
Mike George george@kbtx.com
Nov 26, 2008
[Excerpts] A follow up to a story we first told you about Tuesday night. News 3 reported on an internal police report we had obtained in regards to Bryan Police Chief Ty Morrow's domestic disturbance case this weekend... This afternoon acting Bryan Police Chief Peter Scheets says the version of the report KBTX obtained is authentic but he says the report has elements from two reports written by two different Sergeants who responded to the scene. Scheets says it's as if different elements had been cut and pasted together. He says the supplemental reports contained information that had at the time not been verified. Police tell News 3 the report we obtained was a leaked report. Meanwhile News 3 has learned Bryan Police are conducting an investigation to determine how the report was leaked... Meanwhile a criminal investigation is being conducted by a yet unknown outside agency. The results will be turned over to a yet unnamed special prosecutor for consideration. [Full article here]

Chief Morrows wife Cindy recants regarding domestic violence


WIFE OF POLICE CHIEF COMMENTS ON DOMESTIC DISPUTE
KBTX
Joe Brown brown@kbtx.com
Nov 26, 2008
[Excerpts] The wife of Bryan Police Chief Ty Morrow is speaking out on a weekend domestic disturbance between the couple. In an interview Wednesday with News 3, Cindy Morrow says she was intoxicated and doesn't remember much of the evening. She says she and her husband had gotten into an argument, but she doesn't recall making the accusations that came to light in a police report. Among those allegations was a February incident where she said Morrow broke her nose and gave her a black eye. Wednesday, Cindy Morrow said her nose was never confirmed broken and the black eye happened during sex. She also said her husband had never abused her or touched her in a negative way...

THE FOLLOWING IS A LETTER SUBMITTED BY CINDY MORROW:
November 26, 2008,
To Managers and Editors of the Local Media:

I want to add my comments to the local story of Domestic Violence that you are running on my husband and me. It is most unfortunate that a very
private matter
has become the subject to such public scrutiny and ridicule, because of my husband’s position as the Chief of Police. My husband and I are embarrassed and ashamed of our actions, but insist that they are private matters that must be resolved between us.

I am astonished but yet not surprised that a police department employee would choose to release a confidential police report that had not yet been completely investigated for validity and that KBTX would choose to accept and release this document without verifying its truth. I am even more astonished by the fact that both you and KBTX reported in your news reports that I couldn’t be reached for comments on your stories. This statement is not true. No one from your news organizations ever attempted to contact me.

I want to offer the following statement regarding the incident which occurred on November 22 and into the early hours of November 23, 2008. My husband and I attended a Charity event at the Hilton Hotel. My husband was working the event and had to be there earlier than myself. Because of this, we drove separate vehicles. During the event I consumed a large quantity of alcohol. It is unclear to me how I got home or why my husband and I argued.

Once we reached our home, this argument resulted in a physical confrontation. I don’t remember much about the argument due to my extremely intoxicated state. This is very embarrassing for me to say the least. What I do remember is hitting my husband repeatedly and at some point him restraining me by placing handcuffs on me. My husband called my personal friend to come attend to me.

Upon this friends arrival my husband released me from my handcuffs. I was still in a very agitated and continued to yell. I did not know my husband had called the police until I was seated in my kitchen. The officer then interviewed me. While being interviewed by the police officer, I am told I made several allegations of past abuse to include a broken nose and blackened eyes. I am certain now, this was because I was very angry at being handcuffed. In all honesty, I don’t recall the statements I made to the police and these allegations are completely untrue.

I don’t remember much about the confrontations that took place on November 22 - 23, 2008. What I do remember is that I was very intoxicated. In an intoxicated state, I made statements to the police that were not true.

Since this event, I have been interviewed by no less than three law enforcement officials. I have stated on the police record, and I am now stating it publicly to you, that my husband is not abusive and has never abused me.

I want to close by stating that my husband and I are Christians, we are parents, role model’s to at risk children from our community and consummate professionals. This was not appropriate behavior on our part. However, I would hope that you never lose site of the fact that my husband and I are human beings and as such we have problems like everyone else. These problems are private matters that do not deserve to be publicly displayed. I am sure you wouldn’t display your personal issues in the manner in which you have displayed mine.

Cindy Morrow

Chief Morrows wife Cindy recants regarding dv - full


[Full article here]
CHIEF'S WIFE DENIES ABUSE
The Bryan College Station Eagle
By Cassie Smith cassie.smith@theeagle.com
Thursday, November 27, 2008
[Excerpts] Bryan police Chief Ty Morrow's wife said Wednesday that her husband had never abused her, contradicting statements that she made to police over the weekend when officers were called to a disturbance at the couple's home... When interviewed by police Sunday morning, Cindy Morrow told a sergeant that upon returning home, the couple began arguing and her husband pushed her and threw her into several walls... Cindy Morrow also told officers that there had been prior assaults, including an incident in February in which Ty Morrow broke her nose and blackened both eyes, the report says. Ty Morrow said Wednesday that he had never hit his wife and that she was intoxicated the night she made the statements.
"It's unfortunate that a private matter has been made public because of my position at the police department," Morrow said.
On Wednesday, Cindy Morrow refused to speak to a reporter about her statements to police, saying that a television interview hadn't captured her message fairly... While being interviewed by police, she made several allegations of previous abuse, she said in the statement. "I am certain now, this was because I was very angry at being handcuffed. In all honesty, I don't recall the statements I made to the police and these allegations are completely false," she wrote. "In an intoxicated state, I made statements to the police that were not true." The e-mail was sent from Ty Morrow's city-issued e-mail account, but Cindy Morrow confirmed by phone that she had written the statement and stood by its accuracy. Ty Morrow called police early Sunday through dispatch intake rather than 911, and two sergeants on duty responded to the couple's home. Morrow told police he handcuffed his wife to stop her from hitting him and called police because he "did not want to interfere with his wife's access to the police," according to the report. The sergeants noted a hole in one of the walls inside the residence that was about 5 inches tall and 12 inches wide, according to police reports. ON WEDNESDAY, TY MORROW TOLD THE EAGLE THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS IN HANDCUFFS, SHE TRIED TO KICK HIM AND HE "SWATTED" HER, CAUSING HER TO LOSE HER BALANCE AND FALL INTO THE WALL, CAUSING THE DAMAGE. Ty and Cindy Morrow both declined to press charges, and Ty Morrow agreed to leave the home for the night. Brazos County Sheriff Chris Kirk, whose office was initially investigating the matter, confirmed Wednesday that the investigation would be turned over to another agency to avoid any appearance of conflicts... Brazos County Attorney Rod Anderson, who was to review the investigation's findings, also said Wednesday that a prosecutor from outside Brazos County would determine whether charges should be filed... A parallel Bryan police internal affairs investigation is in progress, and the findings will be given to City Manager David Watkins. Assistant Chief Peter Scheets, who is serving as acting chief, said Wednesday that his wife went to the Morrows' house that night because Ty Morrow asked her to come over. Scheets said that he didn't know the details of his wife's visit to the Morrows' and that she couldn't discuss it because she had been interviewed by the police in a pending investigation. Scheets said his wife's friendship with Cindy Morrow prompted the request for her visit. When asked by The Eagle on Monday, authorities said police had never responded to calls at the Morrows' house. On Wednesday, when asked again, Scheets said that in February an officer responded to the couple's home from either a 911 hang-up or a suspicious-person call. Scheets said he was not able to provide more information about that call. Cindy Morrow said the matter was unfortunate but private. "My husband and I are embarrassed and ashamed of our actions, but insist that they are private matters that must be resolved between us," she said in her statement Wednesday. [Full article here]

To the decision makers and policy authors in Bryan - please visit www.lanejudson.com and www.policedomesticviolence.com to spare yourselves deaths, national scandal, and muti-million dollar lawsuits. You are ripe for disaster.

To the domestic violence community surrounding Bryan - do your jobs, get involved. People are trembling and unprotected. Disempowered Are you equipped? See: www.abuseofpower.info Where are the quotes from you in the news?

To KBTX -
Wow. You ARE doing your job. Only by this being in the open can it be resolved correctly. Victims of officer and public official domestic violence are lost without true journalism. We need you. Thank you from the many that are unsupported, with no voice, who live in the shadows of power afraid.

Prayers are lifted for the Morrow's, their children, and everyone trying to do the right, and best thing regarding this web of potentially lethal contradictions.

Leaders lead. The mayor can't stand back - it's his city.

[VT] Judge/ Atttorney Neisner who used wife Margaret as his scapegoat - is convicted

...The reduction to the charges has a major impact on the potential punishment for Neisner, who will be sentenced at a later date. Instead of facing a maximum of 24 years in jail, Neisner now faces a maximum of eight years' imprisonment...

Excerpts from news - November 15 through 25:


EX-TRAFFIC JUDGE SET TO BE TRIED Rutland Herald
By Brent Curtis brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
November 15, 2008
[Excerpts] A Killington lawyer who sometimes sits as a traffic court judge in Vermont is set to go to trial later this month on charges, including three felonies, after allegedly lying to police about his role in a crash that injured a motorcyclist. In a final, pre-trial hearing in Rutland District Court on Friday, the lawyer for Melvin B. Neisner Jr., 52, said his client decided not to accept the prosecution's offer of a plea deal... According to police affidavits, Neisner told police that his wife had been driving the SUV when the crash took place. His wife, who declined to provide a statement to a State Police investigator, was then taken to the State Police barracks in Rutland where she was charged with leaving the scene of a crash... Trooper Robert McKenna, who investigated the crash, also wrote in an affidavit that if Neisner had been honest on the night of the crash, he would have processed him for drunken driving. A breath test that McKenna administered to Neisner the night of the crash registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.123, which is above the 0.08 legal limit for driving in Vermont. [Full article here]

WIFE INITIALLY TOOK BLAME
Barre Montpelier Times Argus, VT
By Brent Curtis brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
November 21, 2008
[Excerpts] Taking the stand in her husband's trial, Margaret Neisner said she initially took the blame for a crash that her husband allegedly caused because Melvin B. Neisner was depressed and she feared he might harm himself. "I was afraid for my husband but not in the way that you might think," Margaret Neisner said... Her husband, a 52-year-old Killington lawyer and former part-time traffic court judge, is charged with felony gross negligent operation for allegedly causing a crash last year that injured a motorcyclist. He also faces felony charges for leaving the scene of the crash and impeding a police officer as well as a misdemeanor charge of lying to police. Those last two charges stem from Neisner's comments to State Police investigators that his wife was behind the wheel of a sport-utility vehicle involved in the crash... Margaret Neisner was charged with causing the crash before her husband came forward with his lawyer a month after the incident to acknowledge that he was the driver. Pausing to collect her thoughts and control her emotions, Margaret Neisner testified that she held her tongue and didn't deny her husband's allegations because she feared for his life. "He had been going through a rough patch since my father died … He was suicidal and that's why I did what I did," she told the court. "I feel like I saved his life that night … He's my husband. I love him and I didn't want to lose him. He's the father of my children and I tried to get help for him in the past." Melvin Neisner watched solemnly from the defense table as his wife testified about his state of mind on the night of Sept. 22, 2007, when the accident took place. Neisner also didn't flinch when his wife told the court that she appealed to Killington Constable Scott Bigelow for help before she was arrested by State Police. Margaret Neisner said she approached Bigelow, who was at her home investigating the crash on the night of the incident, twice. In her first private conversation with Bigelow, she said she told the constable "I swear to God I wasn't driving." In her second appeal, she said she told Bigelow, "I don't know what to do"... [Motorcyclist Michael] Schumann's injuries included a hairline fracture to his ankle which was set in a cast, a broken tooth and a number of cuts and abrasions. He told the court the crash did $11,000 worth of damage to his motorcycle... [Full article here]

NEISNER GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS
Rutland Herald, VT
By Brent Curtis brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
November 25, 2008
A Rutland jury delivered a mixed verdict in the trial of Killington lawyer and former part-time traffic court judge Melvin Neisner — finding him guilty of all four offenses but reducing two felonies to misdemeanors. Neisner, 52, faced felony charges for grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle with serious injury resulting, leaving the scene of an accident involving a serious injury and hindering a police investigation of the accident as well as a misdemeanor charge of lying to police. But the 12-member jury, who returned a verdict after 4-1/2 hours of deliberation in Rutland District Court on Monday, reduced the first two charges from felonies to misdemeanors by removing the aggravating "serious injury" component of the offense. The reduction to the charges has a major impact on the potential punishment for Neisner, who will be sentenced at a later date. Instead of facing a maximum of 24 years in jail, Neisner now faces a maximum of eight years' imprisonment... [Full article here]

[OH] Sarah says police ignored her fear of Officer Sanchez

...During the trial, Long said she had complained about Sanchez harassing her to several officers after she first met him in 2000, including to her neighbor, Capt. William Engle, but nothing was ever done. Instead, she said, Sanchez continued to pull her over, call her on the phone, stop by her house and shine a spotlight from his cruiser on her home...

Woman testifies that she was terrorized by Lorain police officer Jesus Sanchez
Chronicle-Telegram, OH
Brad Dicken bdicken@chroniclet.com
Nov 18, 2008
[Excerpts] Lorain police Officer Jesus Sanchez spent two years terrorizing her, Sarah Long testified Tuesday during the first day of Sanchez’s menacing by stalking trial. At times tearful, Long said she endure years of Sanchez pulling her over, calling her, shining the spotlight from his police cruiser into her home and going so far as kissing and touching her, once even trying to stick his hand down her pants. “I tried to avoid him at all costs... I pretty much locked myself in my house... I was afraid to go out, afraid of Jessie and the other officers"... [Full article here]

Accuser in officer stalking case testifies for second day
Chronicle-Telegram, OH
Brad Dicken bdicken@chroniclet.com
Nov 20, 2008
[Excerpts]A tearful Sarah Long returned to the stand Wednesday to continue her testimony against Jesus Sanchez, the Lorain police officer accused of stalking her for nearly two years... Long’s now 15-year-old son testified Wednesday that Sanchez told one of Long’s other children to get away while he held their mother... Several other witnesses also took the stand Wednesday, providing bits and pieces of testimony to back Long’s story. Her former neighbor, Rachel Perry, testified that she recalled a police cruiser pointing a spotlight at Long’s house several times a week and police coming over to confront a man who was pounding on Long’s door... Lorain police officer Miguel Baez testified he was called to Long’s home in September 2002 for an unwanted man at the residence. Baez said he recognized Sanchez when he arrived and immediately called a supervisor to the scene... [Full article here]

Prosecutor: Lorain cop abused his position
Chronicle-Telegram, OH
Brad Dicken bdicken@chroniclet.com
Nov 20, 2008
[Excerpts] ELYRIA — Lorain police Officer Jesus Sanchez abused and betrayed his position when he stalked Sarah Long in 2001 and 2002, Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Peter Gauthier said Thursday during closing arguments in Sanchez’s trial. “The duty of a police officer is to serve and protect, not harass,” Gauthier said. Gauthier said it was amazing that Long ever complained to police about the harassment that Sanchez, 53, allegedly subjected her to for approximately 1½ years. “What do we do when the protectors become the people we need to be protected from?” he asked county Common Pleas Judge Edward Zaleski, who will decide whether Sanchez is guilty of two counts of menacing by stalking he faces... During the trial, Long said she had complained about Sanchez harassing her to several officers after she first met him in 2000, including to her neighbor, Capt. William Engle, but nothing was ever done. Instead, she said, Sanchez continued to pull her over, call her on the phone, stop by her house and shine a spotlight from his cruiser on her home. He also would touch and kiss her. Gauthier said the most serious of those incidents came in November 2001... Gauthier also blasted the internal investigation into Sanchez that was conducted by Sgt. Daniel Smith, who closed his investigation on Sept. 15, 2002, without finding any problems. That same day police were called to Long’s house to remove Sanchez, who was allegedly pounding on the door and shouting curse words at her. Smith testified Thursday that he had investigated the case to the best of his ability, but Gauthier pointed out he never even interviewed Sanchez and conducted “a really poor investigation.” Zaleski said he plans to announce his verdict Dec. 2, after he reviews the evidence... [Full article here]

Thursday, November 27, 2008

[OH] Police Chief Osiecki's armed standoff after he read the news

...[Medina County Sheriff Neil] Hassinger says earlier in the day, several officers had gone to [Brunswick Hills Police Chief Robert] Osiecki's home to reassure him after an article appeared in a local newspaper Thursday. The article stated that next week he would be disciplined or fired for an October incident in which he allegedly was intoxicated and pointed a gun at a relative inside his home... Area police chiefs who know Chief Osiecki were on scene to help with negotiations... Osiecki also made several demands, although the sheriff wouldn't reveal what they were... Brunswick Hills Township Police Chief Robert Osiecki is charged with handling a weapon while intoxicated and aggravated menacing following a standoff with police and SWAT teams Thursday afternoon... In 1998, Osiecki and his wife, Doreen, were charged with disorderly conduct after a fight outside a local fast-food restaurant... [How that case was resolved is not mentioned.] ..."We are very concerned for him and his family and hope he gets the help he needs," [Trustee Christina] Kusnerak said...

News pieces and parts from november 4th through the 27th:

BRUNSWICK HILLS POLICE CHIEF SUSPENDED FROM DUTY
The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH
Melissa Martin
November 04, 2008 08:34AM
BRUNSWICK HILLS -- Township trustees suspended Robert Osiecki from his duties as township police chief last week pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Trustee Christina Kusnerak said the township's board of trustees met in executive session Friday and voted to suspend Osiecki from his position with pay until that investigation is complete. The board reconvened Monday morning for a second executive session at the Medina County prosecutor's office to discuss "employee disciplinary matters." Kusnerak declined to comment on the outcome of that meeting. [LINK]


CHIEF MAY BE DISCIPLINED OR FIRED
The Medina County Gazette
By Lisa Hlavinka lhlavinka@ohio.net
November 20th, 2008
[Excerpts] Township trustees have set a hearing for 10 a.m. Wednesday for the possible discipline or termination of Police Chief Robert Osiecki... Details are scant, but the board of trustees laid out the charges in a resolution as follows:
-- On or about October 29, 2008, at your home you became intoxicated and were involved in altercation(s) with member(s) of your family.
-- On or about October 29, 2008, while intoxicated you handled a loaded firearm.
-- On or about October 29, 2008, you introduced a loaded firearm to a volatile and dangerous situation while you were intoxicated during an altercation with your family member(s).
-- On or about October 29, 2008, while intoxicated and after you introduced a weapon into a dangerous and volatile situation you threatened to kill yourself.
-- On or about October 29, 2008, after you introduced a loaded firearm to a volatile and dangerous situation you became involved in a further physical altercation with a family member... Township police did not have a report on the incident... [Full article here]

POLICE SWARM EMBATTLED BRUNSWICK HILLS CHIEF'S NEIGHBORHOOD
Plain Dealer
Posted by Patrick O'Donnell
November 20, 2008 14:47PM
[Excerpts]The street where embattled Police Chief Robert Osiecki lives is closed and police, including officers in camouflage and carrying heavy weapons, are stationed around his house... A mobile command unit and heavy-duty police vehicles were set up on Lone Tree Court, near Substation Road. [Full article here]

BRUNSWICK HILLS: POLICE CHIEF'S HOME SURROUNDED; SCHOOL BUS ROUTES IMPACTED
Title updated to: BRUNSWICK HILLS: CHIEF LEAVES PEACEFULLY FROM HIS HOME
WKYC-TV, OH
Nov 20, 2008
[Excerpts] ...The domestic violence charge stems from an incident in October where Osiecki is accused of reportedly pulling a gun on a family member... [Full article here]

MEDINA SHERIFF UPDATES SWAT STANDOFF WITH CHIEF
Plain Dealer
Posted by Patrick O'Donnell
November 20, 2008 16:10PM
[Excerpts]Medina County Sheriff Neil Hassinger confirmed SWAT officers are posted outside the home of embattled Brunswick Hills Police Chief Robert Osiecki... Osiecki is home alone. He has guns inside the home... "He's been very respectful and friendly to me," Hassinger said. Police have blocked off Osiecki's home on Lonetree Court. [Full article here]

BRUNSWICK HILLS POLICE CHIEF SURRENDERS, ENDS STANDOFF
Plain Dealer
Patrick O'Donnell
November 20, 2008 17:26PM
[Excerpts]...Police Chief Robert Osiecki surrendered to a SWAT unit about 5 p.m., ending a five-hour standoff. Osiecki threatened to injure himself, police on the scene said. He had been suspended from his job two weeks ago after an altercation at his home and village officials were expected to fire him next week... Osiecki called police about noon and asked for help, though it was unclear what help he sought. Brunswick Hills police then called the Medina County Sheriff's Office, requesting backup. SWAT units were deployed and police talked with Osiecki over the phone... [Full article here]


STANDOFF ENDS PEACEFULLY IN BRUNSWICK HILLS
MyFox, Fox8
Thursday, 20 Nov 2008
[Excerpts] ...Area police chiefs who know Chief Osiecki were on scene to help with negotiations. Sheriff Hassinger says he spoke with Osiecki several times during the ordeal and says he never threatened to hurt himself, although there were weapons in the home. Osiecki also made several demands, although the sheriff wouldn't reveal what they were... Sheriff Hassinger says earlier in the day, several officers had gone to Osiecki's home to reassure him after an article appeared in a local newspaper Thursday. The article stated that next week he would be disciplined or fired for an October incident in which he allegedly was intoxicated and pointed a gun at a relative inside his home... Brunswick school administrators used reverse 911 to contact parents of students who live in the neighborhood. Since police would not allow school buses to travel in the area, those student were kept at school until their parents could pick them up... [Full article here]

BRUNSWICK HILLS TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF ROBERT OSIECKI SURRENDERS
Plain Dealer
Patrick O'Donnell
November 21, 2008
[Excerpts] Police Chief Robert Osiecki, the man charged with keeping the peace in this rural community, had a four-hour confrontation with heavily armed officers on Thursday that shut down much of his quiet neighborhood. After two SWAT teams patrolled outside his house and police talked to him for hours Thursday afternoon, Osiecki surrendered peacefully. Police from Osiecki's own department had called the Medina County Sheriff's Office for help after the chief threatened to harm himself. "They felt that something was going to happen, and that's why we got involved," Sheriff Neil Hassinger said... Osiecki, 50, who has a history of alcohol-related troubles, was accused by township trustees of handling a loaded gun while intoxicated during a domestic altercation at his home Oct. 29... In 2003, trustees suspended him for 10 days after he was found guilty of driving under the influence and crashing his township car into a ditch. He served three days in jail, but the remainder of his 30-day sentence was suspended. During that trial, State Highway Patrol officers said Osiecki had tried to get them not to charge him with drunken driving as a "professional courtesy." In 1998, Osiecki and his wife, Doreen, were charged with disorderly conduct after a fight outside a local fast-food restaurant... [Sheriff] Hassinger said Osiecki's family was not home at the time and was not allowed back in during the standoff. Hassinger, who said he has known Osiecki professionally for about 15 years, declined to give details about Osiecki's threats. He said the chief had at least two handguns in the house. Asked if Osiecki was carrying them during the standoff, Hassinger replied, "Possibly"... Hassinger said it was unfortunate he had to handle a colleague in this kind of situation. "As far as seeing a law enforcement officer doing this -- it hurts." [Full article here]

CHIEF IN JAIL ON $100,000 BOND
The Medina County Gazette
By Lisa Hlavinka lhlavinka@ohio.net
November 22nd, 2008
Brunswick Hills Township Police Chief Robert Osiecki is charged with handling a weapon while intoxicated and aggravated menacing following a standoff with police and SWAT teams Thursday afternoon. At 10 a.m. Friday, Osiecki, 51, was transported to the Medina County Jail after his release from Medina General Hospital, where he was taken Thursday for a psychological evaluation, the county sheriff’s office reported. His bond is $100,000. Handling a weapon while intoxicated and aggravated menacing are first-degree misdemeanors... Township trustees suspended Osiecki without pay on Oct. 31 and have filed written disciplinary charges of malfeasance, misfeasance and misconduct in office against him. The charges stem from an Oct. 29 incident. Although details have not been released, the incident apparently involved a domestic situation between Osiecki and his family in which he is accused of bringing a loaded firearm into a “dangerous and volatile situation,” a trustees’ resolution says. Trustees are waiting for the results of an investigation by the county prosecutor’s office... This is the second time Osiecki’s job has come under review. In 2003, he was convicted of driving under the influence. Trustees placed him on probation for one year and unpaid leave for 10 days. They required him to attend alcohol rehabilitation for one year, and while on probation, he was subject to random alcohol testing... [Full article here]

CHIEF'S FUTURE WITH TOWNSHIP UNCERTAIN
The Brunswick Sun Times
By Melissa Martin mmartin@sunnews.comBrunswick
Thursday, November 27, 2008
BRUNSWICK HILLS Township trustees say they are awaiting the results of an internal investigation being conducted by the Medina County Prosecutor's office before moving forward with a disciplinary hearing regarding township police chief Robert Osiecki. By Brunswick Sun deadline Tuesday, trustees were still uncertain whether the hearing, initially scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 26, would commence as planned in light of the two first-degree misdemeanors Osiecki was charged with last week. Police were called to Osiecki's Lonetree Court residence Thursday afternoon after Osiecki contacted members of his own department threatening to harm himself. Following a four-hour standoff with two area SWAT teams, Osiecki surrendered peacefully and was taken to Medina General Hospital for a psychological evaluation. Medina County Sheriff Neil Hassinger said Osiecki was intoxicated and home alone during the incident. He also said that in his possession were at least two loaded handguns. Upon his release from the hospital Friday, Osiecki was transported to the Medina County jail where he was charged with handling a weapon while intoxicated and aggravated menacing. He was held on a $100,000 bond. Trustee Christina Kusnerak declined to comment as to how the latest allegations would affect Osiecki's role with the township, but said trustees are proceeding cautiously. "We are very concerned for him and his family and hope he gets the help he needs," Kusnerak said. Trustees continued to meet in executive session last week as they have since Osiecki was suspended with pay on Oct. 30 following another domestic incident at Osiecki's home on Oct. 29. During that incident, Osiecki allegedly handled a loaded gun while intoxicated. The board has since filed written disciplinary charges of malfeasance, misfeasance and misconduct in office in connection with the Oct. 29 incident. They have also launched an internal investigation and participated in a series of closed-door meetings at the Medina County prosecutor's office to discuss disciplinary action and possible termination. [LINK]

BRUNSWICK HILLS TRUSTEES POSTPONE POLICE CHIEF ROBERT OSIECKI'S DISCIPLINARY HEARING
The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Brunswick Hills Township - Police Chief Robert Osiecki's future as chief will not be decided until Dec. 10 after township trustees delayed his disciplinary hearing that was scheduled for Wednesday. Osiecki, 50, has a history of alcohol-related troubles and is accused by township trustees of handling a loaded gun while intoxicated during a domestic altercation at his home Oct. 29. Osiecki, who has been police chief since 1993, is also scheduled for a bench trial on Dec. 12 on charges of using a weapon while intoxicated and aggravated menacing. Those charges are from his four-hour standoff with Medina County sheriff's officers Nov. 20 at his home after threatening to harm himself. Osiecki was released from County Jail on bond Tuesday, according to court records, and is now at the Windsor-Laurelwood Center for Behavioral Medicine. That center, with branches in Willoughby and Beachwood, treats mental health issues and addictions. [LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence, ohio politics]