[WA] Little noticed 2003 article worth sharing: "Don't hate me just because I'm a Tacoma police officer"

Don't hate me just because I'm a Tacoma police officer, local man says

[Written a few weeks after Tacoma Washington Police Chief David Brame committed murder-suicide on his estranged wife Crystal. The article is no longer online at the original publication site so has been hosted on Google Docs. The officer chose to make his name public back then, but here on the blog I'm using initials because it's a time gone by - a very hard time - and this blog gets picked up and listed high in Google Search results. I'm not trying to make a scene. I'd just like to share what I feel is an unusually rare kind of writing - an officer writing publicly after a crime by his chief. 

Our area was so traumatized by this heinous crime that many people were saying things folks don't normally say out loud.

Excerpts:

LAKEBAY RESIDENT AND TACOMA POLICE DEPARTMENT PATROL OFFICER [D.W.] WANTS THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT RANK-AND-FILE COPS SHARE THEIR CONCERNS THAT THE TPD ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT COME COMPLETELY CLEAN ABOUT WHAT IT KNEW OF POLICE CHIEF DAVID BRAME'S PAST. THAT, HE SAID, IS WHY SO MANY OF THE LEAKS TO THE PRESS - INCLUDING ALLEGATIONS OF RAPE [COMMITTED BY BRAME] AND CRYSTAL BRAME'S 911 PHONE CALL - WERE MADE BY REGULAR OFFICERS. THOSE INTENTIONS, HOWEVER, SEEM TO HAVE BACKFIRED AGAINST THE VERY OFFICERS WHO WERE TRYING TO BLOW A WHISTLE ON THE SYSTEM... THE LEAKS, EXPOSING THE PERFIDY OF ONE, HAVE NOW LED TO THE STEREOTYPING OF THE MANY, MUCH TO THE CHAGRIN OF HE AND HIS TACOMA COLLEAGUES. HE SAID THAT TACOMA POLICE ARE BEING TARGETED BY CYNICS AND CRITICS ON CALL-IN RADIO SHOWS, NEWSPAPER LETTERS PAGES AND OUT IN THE STREETS... [D.W.] SAID THAT MANY CRITICISMS OF THE POLICE ARE MISGUIDED. HE POINTS AT HOW THE POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED "TRAINED KILLERS" OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, LABELING THEM AS WIFE-BEATERS BECAUSE OF THEIR TRAINING. [D.W.] SAID THE LABEL IS A MISNOMER. "THEY'RE NOT TEACHING US TO POP PEOPLE IN THE HEAD," HE SAID. CALLING POLICE OFFICERS "TRAINED MANIPULATORS" IS A BETTER DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE JOB ENTAILS... IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK THAT OFFICERS DO, MANIPULATION IS AN ESSENTIAL SKILL... THE PRESSURE ON OFFICERS IS INTENSE... THERE IS OFTEN A SENSE OF MACHISMO THAT PREVENTS OFFICERS FROM TAKING PART IN COUNSELING SESSIONS. BUT, HE SAID, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR TURNING THAT PRESSURE AND PAIN AGAINST ONE'S FAMILY. MOST COPS DON'T, HE CLAIMS... HE FEELS BETRAYED BY BRAME, A MAN HE ONCE THOUGHT OF AS A FRIEND, AND WONDERS AT HOW BRAME KEPT HIS APPARENT LONG HISTORY OF VIOLENT PROCLIVITIES TOWARD WOMEN SECRET FROM SO MANY "INVESTIGATOR" TYPE PEOPLE - HIMSELF INCLUDED. ONLY ONCE, [D.W.] SAID, DID HE EVER SEE ANY INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS BETWEEN THE BRAMES. IT CAME DURING A MOMENT WHILE BRAME WAS BEING SWORN IN AS CHIEF, IN DECEMBER 2001 AND CRYSTAL WAS SITTING NEXT TO HIM. "SHE LAUGHED OUT LOUD AND I NOTICED HIM LOOK AT HER AND SHE STOPPED," HE SAID. BOTH THE INTENSITY OF BRAME'S LOOK — AND THE ABRUPTNESS WITH WHICH [D.W.] SAID CRYSTAL STOPPED LAUGHING — STRUCK A FAMILIAR CHORD WITH THE VETERAN BEAT COP. "IT SEEMED KIND OF WEIRD," HE SAID. BUT IT WAS OVER IN A FEW SECONDS, AND DROWNED OUT IN HIS MEMORIES BY THE MANY YEARS OF MORE PLEASANT EXPERIENCES HE'D HAD BEFORE WITH THE DAVID BRAME HE SAYS HE KNEW BETTER — THE ADMIRABLE OFFICER AND CAPABLE ADMINISTRATOR. "HE STABBED US IN THE BACK," [D.W.] SAID.
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[LA] NOPD Officer Carter went to wife's job and "attacked" her - Arrested for threats, battery, and trespassing

...[New Orleans] Police Officer Tristan Carter was booked with threats on his wife, threats on an acquaintance of his wife, trespassing on government property and battery on his wife... Carter allegedly battered his wife before he was handcuffed and taken to jail...

NOPD OFFICER ARRESTED, BOOKED WITH BATTERY
by WWLTV.com
Posted on May 29, 2010 at 4:20 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- A First District police officer was arrested after a domestic dispute with his wife, according to New Orleans Police Department spokesman Officer Janssen Valencia. Officer Tristan Carter was arrested Friday after an incident that escalated into violations of the law, when he went to his wife's place of employment and allegedly made threats against and attacked his wife. "Police Officer Tristan Carter, a two year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department, was booked last night with threats on his wife, threats on an acquaintance of his wife, trespassing on government property and battery on his wife," said Valencia Carter was suspended without pay after Public Integrity investigators started a preliminary investigation into the incident. [LINK]

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICER SUSPENDED, JAILED AFTER ALLEGEDLY ATTACKING WIFE
The Times-Picayune
By Ramon Antonio Vargas
May 29, 2010, 6:04PM
A New Orleans Police Department officer was jailed and suspended Friday night after being accused of showing up at the post office where his wife works and attacking her. Tristan I. Carter, 27, a two-year veteran of the 1st District, was booked with counts of simple assault, criminal trespassing and domestic abuse battery, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court records showed. He had posted $5,000 bail for his release by Saturday. Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas announced that he had suspended Carter without pay for the duration of a Public Integrity Bureau investigation in a press release Saturday. NOPD civilian spokesman Bob Young said the attack happened about 6:30 p.m. at the U.S. Post Office at 1300 Florida Ave. Few other details about the attack were available. In the press release, officials only said Carter threatened his wife, threatened an acquaintance of hers and trespassed government property. Carter allegedly battered his wife before he was handcuffed and taken to jail. According to court records, a magistrate judge on Saturday determined that there was no probable cause for the trespassing count but placed Carter under a restraining order forbidding him from contact with his wife. The judge ordered Carter to return for another hearing July 13. [LINK]
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[WA] Washington State Patrol Trooper Trent Clasen arrested for domestic violence

 Trooper suspected of domestic violence
Yakima Herald-Republic
by Mark Morey
May 25, 2010
[Excerpts] A Yakima state trooper is assigned to his home while authorities investigate a complaint that he assaulted his wife over the weekend. Trooper Trent Clasen, 42, was booked into the Yakima County jail... The Yakima city prosecutor's office was reviewing the case because county prosecutors routinely work with Clasen and other troopers... Lt. Jim Keightley with the State Patrol said Clasen, an 18-year veteran of the force, had been relieved of his issued firearms and badge while the investigation continues. "The WSP takes these kinds of incidents very seriously," Keightley said... Clasen's wife was granted a temporary court order Monday barring Clasen from contacting her... Clasen's wife said he grabbed her wrists during the incident and struggled with her until their 14-year-old daughter was able to grab her mother's cell phone and call 9-1-1...  [Full article here]
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[FL] Officer Sharkey, now resigned, only gets summer in jail for vehicular attack on wife and her brother

I doubt that the fear will even have time to subside.

Previous post:
[FL] Officer Sharkey thought crashing into his wife repeatedly would help him see his kids? -  A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office [JSO] police officer [Arnold Rice Sharkey] was arrested after he showed up at his wife's job to confront her, then rammed her vehicle on a Jacksonville road... Sharkey hit the truck and tried to run them [his wife and her brother] off the road, but ended up flipping into a ditch... 

FORMER JACKSONVILLE COP SENTENCED TO JAIL IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE: Arnold Sharkey pleads guilty to using vehicle as a weapon against his estranged wife and brother-in-law
Florida Times-Union
Jim Schoettler
May 27, 2010 - 5:37pm

A former Jacksonville police officer will spend the summer in jail after pleading guilty Wednesday to using a vehicle as a weapon against his estranged wife and brother-in-law.

Arnold Rice Sharkey, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, while a second count was dropped. Along with a six-month jail sentence, Sharkey received 2 1/2 years' probation and fines. He received credit for 75 days he spent in jail.

Sharkey, a cop since at least 1989, was arrested in March and then resigned from the force after being accused of using a vehicle to ram a vehicle occupied by his estranged wife, Victoria, and her brother on New Berlin Road.

During the incident, Sharkey's vehicle flipped into a ditch and he was briefly hospitalized before being taken to jail. There were no other injuries. [LINK]
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[WA] TPD Officer Parkes - Why I can't post article excerpts about him.

I can't put the collected article excerpts here on the blog about Tacoma Police Officer John Parkes until - or unless - it becomes more public of why he is thought to be guilty of what he is charged with. The only thing I saw indicating the likelihood of his guilt was one sentence from the News Tribune:

"...The action was taken after the department learned the allegations against Pairkes were credible..."

The word "credible" just wasn't enough for me. I'd rather wait.

I'm not doubting the said-victim or the law enforcement investigators AT ALL. No. I commend the police for taking the victim seriously - but because of the NATURE of the charges, I'd rather wait until it's past the investigative phase. Whether he did it or not, and whether the victim is truthful or not - either way this is so grievously awful.  

It's a nightmare either way

and both ways.

No happy endings.

Let the truth prevail and justice - whatever that would be in this kind of case - be done.

Thank you to the law enforcement officers working on this.
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[LA] Shreveport Police Officer Dadrien Updite arrested for domestic violence AGAIN - while on leave for last wife assault

Previous post:
[LA] Shreveport Police Officer Updite charged with domestic battery abuse of his wife - ...Detectives were immediately notified and began their investigation. As a result of this investigation, detectives this afternoon obtained an arrest warrant charging Dadrien Updite with one count of domestic abuse battery...

Shreveport police officer arrested again
Shreveport Times
May 27, 2010
A Shreveport police officer on leave since a domestic battery arrest in March faces a second domestic battery charge. Dadrien Updite, 30, was booked at the Caddo Correctional Center on a domestic abuse battery charge after turning himself in Wednesday evening. Updite, who joined the Shreveport Police Department in 2008, was put on leave after a March 9 domestic abuse battery arrest. On Monday, Updite's wife filed a complaint alleging Updite battered her during an argument last week, said Sgt. Bill Goodin, Shreveport Police Department spokesman. Detectives investigated and obtained an arrest warrant for Updite. In March, Updite's wife alleged Updite attacked her during an argument. A police supervisor responded to a call about the incident, and detectives investigated before obtaining an arrest warrant. [LINK]
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[NY] Albany Police Officer Kittleman's girlfriend now says she didn't fear gun threat or his threat to kill her and her kids

..."At one point during our argument, Jim called me a (prostitute) and said, 'I'm going to kill you and the two kids.' But then he said that he would never do that," she added. "I don't believe Jim would ever do that and I didn't believe him when he said it...

SECOND ALBANY COP FACES COUNTS: Papers say his girlfriend summoned officers, then said she exaggerated
Times Union - Albany NY
By ROBERT GAVIN, Staff writer
Thursday, May 27, 2010
[Excerpts] The girlfriend of an Albany police officer called city police to their home after a heated incident Monday - prompting his arrest - and then said she exaggerated the incident, court papers show. Officer James Kittleman, 32, is one of two Albany police officers facing criminal charges and suspension in separate cases in which girlfriends accused them of making threats... Kittleman, a four-year officer, was charged with harassment, petit larceny and criminal tampering. A temporary order of protection was issued for Kittleman to avoid contact with his girlfriend... She said Kittleman removed his gun from his pocket, but she thought he wanted to readjust it and she did not feel threatened... "At one point during our argument, Jim called me a (prostitute) and said, 'I'm going to kill you and the two kids.' But then he said that he would never do that," she added. "I don't believe Jim would ever do that and I didn't believe him when he said it... She said she told them Kittleman threatened her with a gun so they would take her story seriously. [She] said she claimed Kittleman refused to let her leave the home, put his hand on her mouth and told her to stop screaming -- then said it was not the case... [Full article here]
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[NY] Indictment against Albany Police Officer Robert Schunk alleges bruises, cuts, and swelling on girlfriend were from A GUN

...Police reports filed in the case state  Schunk, and his girlfriend, Barbara Waters, have a history of alcohol-fueled domestic troubles... The [Albany Police Officer Robert] Schunk indictment, meanwhile, alleged he caused cuts, bruises, swelling and other pain to a woman that were inflicted by a gun...

Previous post:
[NY] Albany Officer Schunk arrested for alleged domestic violence this time. - An Albany police officer was suspended early today following his arrest on charges related to a domestic incident involving his girlfriend... It's the second time in five years that Schunk has been arrested and suspended from duty...

Second Albany cop faces counts
Times Union - Albany NY
By ROBERT GAVIN, Staff writer
Thursday, May 27, 2010
[Excerpts] Officer Robert Schunk faces a possible 21/3 to 7 years in prison on a felony assault charge. Schunk, who allegedly pointed a gun at his girlfriend during an argument last year, was arrested Tuesday after an Albany grand jury indicted him... The Schunk indictment, meanwhile, alleged he caused cuts, bruises, swelling and other pain to a woman that were inflicted by a gun between Jan. 3 and 4. The grand jury's probe stems from statements Barbara J. Waters of Halfmoon made to Albany detectives last month after she and Schunk, 38, of Albany both were arrested following a violent domestic incident that began in the town of Halfmoon. The couple are no longer together. Waters alleged that Schunk pointed a gun at her in January 2009 during an argument that she said became physical. The department did not immediately announce the arrests... Schunk's case was prosecuted by Lyn A. Murphy of the Saratoga County district attorney's domestic violence unit. A judge appointed Murphy as a special prosecutor... [Full article here]

SINCE LAST BLOG POST:

Violence in records of Albany cop: Policeman accused of kicking girlfriend during argument at her apartment
Times Union - Albany NY
By BRENDAN J. LYONS, Senior writer
April 6, 2010
[Excerpts] An Albany police officer who was arrested for roughing up his girlfriend early Saturday allegedly caused bruising to her arms and legs when he grabbed and kicked her during an argument at the woman's apartment, records show. Police reports filed in the case state the officer, Robert Schunk, and his girlfriend, Barbara Waters, have a history of alcohol-fueled domestic troubles. Waters also was arrested for charges she caused extensive damage to Schunk's apartment in Albany that same night. Albany police officials said they suspended Schunk on Sunday morning following his arrest by Saratoga County sheriff's deputies. He was arrested on a warrant charging him with misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. Schunk, 38, also was cited for harassment, a violation, for kicking open the woman's bathroom door, grabbing her and throwing her against the shattered door and causing her to cut her hands, police said. The reckless endangerment count relates to the woman's statement that Schunk nearly ran her over when he backed up his pick-up truck as she tried to retrieve items he took from her apartment following the physical confrontation. The incident at her apartment took place about 1:30 a.m. Three hours later in Albany, Waters, 36, was charged with a felony count of criminal mischief by Albany police. She is accused of entering Schunk's Albany residence that night and causing an estimated $3,000 worth of damage, including dumping cooking oil on his belongings... Neighbors told police they saw Schunk enter the apartment and leave several minutes later clutching a bag. A neighbor said Schunk was "whistling and singing"... Schunk had seen Waters speaking to a male patron, she said, Schunk dumped a beer over her head and took her keys as he accused her of having "a party" at her apartment without his knowledge. "I said: 'No, Bob, I didn't.' Then he called me a bitch (and) told me I keep secrets from him," Waters said. "He said I'm going to take your tv and we're done." Waters said she left the bar, went to her apartment and Schunk followed, using her keys to unlock the door. He started yelling. Two neighbors gave statements to police that they were startled awake by the screaming and one of them heard a loud bang that may have been Schunk kicking in a bathroom door. One of the neighbors said it was common for the couple, who have been together more than two years, to have heated arguments... A domestic incident report on file in Halfmoon Town Court indicates there is "prior domestic violence history" and that police reports had been filed in the past related to the couple's problems. The incident report also indicates Schunk has an "alcohol history"... Under departmental policy officers on the Albany force are required to report any contact with other law enforcement agencies if an incident involves a police response or potential criminal activity. Schunk was arraigned early Saturday in Halfmoon Town Court. A judge set bail at $1,000 cash, which records indicate was posted by Christian Mesley, a fellow Albany officer and president of the Albany Police Officers Union. He is due back in town court on April 13. It's the second time in five years that Schunk has been arrested and suspended from duty... [Full article here]

Grand jury probes officer: Panel is weighing allegations Albany cop pointed gun at his girlfriend during fight
Times Union - Albany NY
By BRENDAN J. LYONS, Senior writer
May 16, 2010
[Excerpts] A grand jury is investigating allegations that an Albany police officer leveled a gun at his girlfriend during an argument early last year that turned physical, according to two people familiar with the investigation. The grand jury probe of Officer Robert Schunk, who has been arrested twice in the past six years, stems from statements the girlfriend, Barbara J. Waters, made to Albany detectives last month after she and Schunk, 38, both were arrested following a violent domestic incident that began in the town of Halfmoon. The couple are no longer together... Albany County prosecutors have recused their office from handling Waters' allegations that Schunk pointed a gun at her in January 2009 during an argument that she said became physical. Waters declined to be interviewed for this story... In a deposition filed in Albany City Court, Schunk said he arrived at his residence about 1:50 a.m. on April 3 and spotted Waters' vehicle parked outside. He drove around until she left and then discovered someone had broken a window to get inside. "I stayed outside and called South Station," Schunk wrote. "Upon entering my home I observed glass all over." He estimated the damage "to be approximately $1,000 to replace and clean up." Schunk's statement to Albany police did not make any reference to a fight he had with Waters about an hour earlier at her apartment in Halfmoon. Saratoga County deputies arrested Schunk after Waters gave a statement that he had struck her, injured her and allegedly backed his pickup truck toward her as she gave chase on foot trying to retrieve belongings he took from her apartment... Police records in Halfmoon accuse Schunk of bruising Waters' arms and legs when he grabbed and kicked her during an argument. Schunk also is accused of kicking open Waters' bathroom door, grabbing her and throwing her against the shattered door and causing her to cut her hands... Schunk is due back in Halfmoon Town Court on June 8. Waters, a self-employed nanny, is due back in Albany City Court next week... [Full article here]
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[AL] "ONGOING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE" preceded Commissioner Nordine's arrest for the murder of girlfriend Angel Downs

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said he believes the death of Angel Downs resulted from an ongoing domestic violence situation with Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine that spiraled out of control... Alleged abuse in the extramarital relationship was one of the factors in the impeachment trial Nodine faces in Mobile County... 

Video:

...The witness list has partially been released containing the names of those who will be called to testify in the upcoming murder trial of Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine. Insiders report the list of names is a who's who of Mobile's political elite... [Nordine] graced the pages of the Palm Beach Post back in 1988 for having broken into a girls home he was supposedly dating and beating her about the legs. She declined to press charges...

Stephen Nodine, Alabama County Commissioner, Charged in Alleged Mistress Angel Downs' MurderCBSNEWS
Carlin DeGuerin Miller
May 26, 2010 12:09 PM
[Excerpts] Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine was indicted Monday morning for the murder of his alleged mistress Angel Downs and surrendered to authorities in front of multiple news cameras Monday afternoon. Baldwin County authorities announced Monday that Nodine is their only suspect in the May 9 murder of Downs in front of her Gulf Shores, Ala. home, about 50 miles south of Mobile. Nodine is also accused of abusing Downs during their alleged extramarital affair. "There was a history there," Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack told reporters. "I think it escalated that night. I think the evidence is going to show that there was a confrontation, and the result of that confrontation ended in Ms. Downs being shot and subsequently dying. I think that the state will be able to prove that." Downs was shot once in her head in the driveway of her home... Nodine has been under scrutiny for ethics violations. He was indicted by a Mobile County grand jury Jury May 14, just five days after the murder, on multiple ethics charges. The grand jury also recommended that Nodine step down as commissioner . The indictment accuses him of abusing Downs, misusing county property and funds and fraudulently purchasing more than 2,400 Lortab painkillers from nine pharmacies in four states... He has also been criminally charged in Mobile County with second-degree possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has denied all charges... [Full article here]

Nodine Indicted and Arrested for Murder
Lagniappe Web Exclusive
By Kevin Lee
May 25, 2010
[Excerpts] Surrendering to authorities, Mobile District 2 County Commissioner Stephen Nodine was handcuffed this evening by Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputies in the street outside the jail, surrounded by a swath of reporters... “We’re here to announce that the Baldwin County grand jury has indicted Stephen Nodine in the murder of Angel Downs,” Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb told media... Downs’ sister, Susan Bloodworth was seen on the front row of the courtroom gallery when the indictment was handed over. Bond was set at $500,000. Downs, Nodine’s mistress of six years, died in front of her condominium off Ft. Morgan Road in Gulf Shores. Neighbors say they saw Nodine’s truck leave the scene after hearing a gunshot. Downs’ family and friends have consistently refuted suggestions of suicide. Alleged abuse in the extramarital relationship was one of the factors in the impeachment trial Nodine faces in Mobile County... Nodine’s defense was simple. “He was not there,” co-counsel John Williams said. Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Mack described the evidence in the Downs case as “voluminous” heading into the final days before grand jury presentation... [Full article here]

Murder case against Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine continues to build
Examiner.com, Mobile Political Buzz Examiner
Daniel McBryde
May 26, 7:00 PM
[Excerpts] The witness list has partially been released containing the names of those who will be called to testify in the upcoming murder trial of Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine. Insiders report the list of names is a who's who of Mobile's political elite. It's as if the entire ruling class is being put on trial for their part in the now infamous rise to prominence in Mobile politics of the troubled young man from Palm Beach Florida. Speaking of which, information is flowing fast and furious from that part of the country as well on the notorious antics of our anti-hero when he graced the pages of the Palm Beach Post back in 1988 for having broken into a girls home he was supposedly dating and beating her about the legs. She declined to press charges, the paper reported, and apparently and only wanted Nodine to go away, as so many in Mobile wish he would do now... [Full article here]

Sheriff believes death of Angel Downs resulted from ongoing domestic violence
al.com (blog)
By Kim Lanier
May 26, 2010, 5:31AM
[Excerpts] Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said he believes the death of Angel Downs resulted from an ongoing domestic violence situation with Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine that spiraled out of control... A Mobile grand jury earlier this month recommended that Nodine, 46, be removed from office. The indictment accused him of abusing Downs, misusing county property and funds and fraudulently purchasing more than 2,400 Lortab painkillers. He has also been criminally charged in Mobile County with second-degree possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has denied all charges... Nodine has been segregated from the rest of the jail population -- standard procedure for all highly publicized cases, Mack said... Many questioned why it took so long to bring charges against the commissioner, the sheriff said. "You've got to have your facts straight. So that's what we were trying to do," Mack said. "Our goal was not to get it done as quickly as we could, but to get it done as efficiently as we could. I don't know that I've ever had a case before where you literally had three legal situations going on. You've got a murder case in Baldwin County. You've got a simple drug possession case in Mobile County. Now factor in a civil proceeding of impeachment. And all three will share some -- not all -- but some of the same evidence. The evidence kind of melts into each case," he said... Dean, who has known Nodine for 17 years, said he didn't know what he would be asked in the closed deposition... [Full article here]
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[MN] Mille Lacs County leads the way for Minnesota to address officer-involved domestic violence

 ...Lane Judson said, “We need to come together and listen to the voices of those who died from domestic violence”...

...This training is the first step in getting law enforcement agencies throughout the state to develop policies specifically for officer-involved domestic violence. There’s liability if there’s no policy in place... The hope is to have a trained advocate in every county that can be called on because the dynamics in officer-involved violence is so different...

Judy Pearson, Pearl Crisis Center Executive Director:
...“Lane being here brought that presence of what it’s like for a family to lose their child... He brought it to life. You couldn’t deny it”...

ADDRESSING OFFICER-INVOLVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Peace officers are meant to keep the peace. Not abuse and kill their loved ones.
Mille Lacs County Times
May 26, 2010

Lane Judson whispered to his dying daughter that he’d do whatever he could to make sure another woman wasn’t killed like she was.

Lane’s daughter Crystal was shot by her husband in a parking lot in 2003. He then shot himself. Their two children ran to the car to see their father and their mother dying.

Crystal’s husband was David Brame - Tacoma, Washington’s Chief of Police.

Lane was one of two speakers at recent training seminars hosted by Pearl Crisis Center for law enforcement, legal services, advocates and probation officers from around the state.

Author and advocate Diane Wetendorf was the other speaker.

The focus of the training was handling domestic violence by peace officers.

The training was supported via a grant through the Violence Against Women Act, in which Lane Judson worked to get government change.

Emergency responders encounter domestic violence on a daily basis. But when the offender is one of their own, it makes it more complex.

Who does the wife of an abusive spouse (who happens to be in law enforcement) turn to when she can’t turn to the law?

Crystal had filed an Order for Protection (OFP) against her estranged husband. The day before she was killed, city officials publicly announced that Crystal’s claims of abuse and threats would not be investigated because it was a “private matter.”

“It takes tremendous courage for a victim of domestic violence to leave their abuser,” Lane noted.

One bad cop can damage an entire department of officers who put their lives on the line each day trying to keep the peace.

“All of you do outstanding jobs and they need your help,” Lane told officers present. “Thank you for what you do.

“Our job as men in the community is to hold accountable men who are abusers. We need to make sure we do not condone the behavior.”

Lane spoke of the difficulty in an officer-involved domestic violence case. Often their own internal affairs department investigates, he said. Or the officer resigns before an investigation is complete and the officer goes to another police department.

“And the abuse continues,” Lane, who was a reserve officer for five years, said.

Crystal’s story

Crystal’s story appeared on 48 Hours Mystery with Leslie Stahl just three weeks after the murder/suicide.

When Crystal confessed to a neighbor that she had gotten a restraining order against her husband because he pushed her into a closet and put a gun to her head, telling her she wouldn’t get out of the marriage alive, he was stunned. How do you call the police on the police chief?

Brame choked Crystal, punched her, threatened her and kept such close tabs on her that he’d watch her using the bathroom.

An online journalist broke the story that Crystal had filed an OFP. That’s when the city manager publicly announced he was standing behind Brame - his friend and chief of police.

That April day, Crystal was on the phone with her mother while driving in her car. She told her mother she thought she saw Brame and said, “I gotta’ go, I gotta’ go.”

The estranged couple ended up in the parking lot at the same time.

Brame told the kids to wait in the car and that he had to talk to their mother.

Witnesses heard them arguing and heard Crystal say, “Oh no, don’t. Don’t.”

He pulled her head down and shot her point blank. Then shot himself.

A woman from a nearby video store saw the children run to the car, grabbed them and brought them inside her store to the sounds of “daddy shot mommy.”

Crystal’s brother-in-law said, “People knew deep dark secrets and did nothing about it.”

In 1988 a woman reported being raped by Brame. He took two psychological exams that stated he should not become a police officer. Yet, he not only became one, he was promoted to chief of police of a large metropolitan city.

Two months after the shooting, the city manager was fired. He had known about the rape allegation, but Brame had known about a fraud case the city manager was involved in.

The murder/suicide case was investigated for three years.

“It happens in our own backyards,” Lane said.

Learning, developing policy

Ninety-four people attended Lane’s seminar, another 79 attended Wetendorf’s. They were held at Northern Lights Banquet Center on May 6, May 12 and May 13.

Pearson said the seminars gave officers an outlet to talk about it.

“Lane being here brought that presence of what it’s like for a family to lose their child,” Judy Pearson, Pearl Crisis Center Executive Director, said. “He brought it to life. You couldn’t deny it.”

Krista McFarland of Pearl said evaluations completed by attendees showed the training gave an increased knowledge of officer-involved domestic violence.

“They were very engaged,” McFarland added.

This training is the first step in getting law enforcement agencies throughout the state to develop policies specifically for officer-involved domestic violence.

There’s liability if there’s no policy in place.

Pearl is bringing in the Red Wing Police Chief to help with policies. Agencies in Mille Lacs County are expected to have their policies in place by August.

McFarland and Milaca Police Officer Jackie Minks will conduct training on those policies.

The hope is to have a trained advocate in every county that can be called on because the dynamics in officer-involved violence is so different.

Alex Graves, Homeland Security Sr. Program Specialist, told Pearl staff he’s never seen so many police chiefs in one training. All of the police chiefs in Mille Lacs County attended the training.

Graves told of a former law enforcement officer he worked with and the signs they all missed. The officer shot and killed his wife in 2002.

And when Lane returned to Washington, he learned of another officer who just killed his mother-in-law, his father-in-law and then himself, in front of his children.

“You can see red flags when you look back,” Pearson said. “People wear masks and it’s really hard to stop it.”

Lane said, “We need to come together and listen to the voices of those who died from domestic violence.” 

http://millelacscountytimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3338&Itemid=33

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities minnesota state helper training]

[SC] Police Officer Butler says those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

THIS IS CHRISTOPHER TROY BUTLER... AND I AM PREPARED TO FACE WHAT EVER GOD HAS PREPARED FOR ME FOR MY SENTENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR THE EMBARRASSMENT THAT I HAVE CAUSED MY FAMILY AND THE NORTH CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT...

N. CHARLESTON OFFICER CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Post and Courier
By Andy Paras
Thursday, May 20, 2010
[Excerpts] A North Charleston Police officer remains on leave after he was arrested in Charleston Tuesday. Charleston Police charged Christopher Troy Butler, 31, with criminal domestic violence Tuesday night. Butler was already on leave with the North Charleston Police department... Officers arrived at a Culpepper Circle home and found Butler leaning against a pickup truck with his shirt off, bleeding from the face. The victim told officers that she and Butler were married but recently separated, according to an incident report. The victim said the suspect had been drinking when he arrived at the house and began punching a bird feeder, kicking lights and headbutting a lamp post in the yard. She said the suspect tried to fight her brother when he attempted to step in between them and also swung the victim around by her right arm and hair, the report says. Officers on the scene noticed bruising on the victim's arm... [Full article here]

POLICE OFFICER STILL ON LEAVE AFTER ARREST
The Post and Courier
By Andy Paras
Friday, May 21, 2010
[Excerpt] ...Officers on the scene noticed bruises on her arm. They also noticed a lamp post lying on the ground, next to Butler's hat, the report states. Butler has been released from the Charleston County Detention Center on his own recognizance. [Full article here]

A FEW SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE INTERNET:

...THIS IS CHRISTOPHER TROY BUTLER... AND I AM PREPARED TO FACE WHAT EVER GOD HAS PREPARED FOR ME FOR MY SENTENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR THE EMBARRASSMENT THAT I HAVE CAUSED MY FAMILY AND THE NORTH CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. MAKE NO MISTAKE I AM NOT WRITING FOR SYMPATHY OR FORGIVENESS, I AM MY OWN MAN. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE NORTH CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED ME EVERY MEANS FOR HELP WITH MY CONDITION, WITH WHICH I AM HIGHLY GREATFUL FOR. I WOULD HOWEVER LIKE TO MAKE KNOWN TO EVERYONE THAT THIS SITUATION WAS BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL BY MANY WITH BIAS OPINIONS. WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT THOUGH, WE ARE ONLY HUMAN. UNFORTUNATELY, NEWS TODAY DOESN'T NORMALLY MAKE THE HEADLINES UNLESS IT IS NOT GOOD NEWS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE OVERCOME BY THE NEED FOR GOSSIP AND DRAMA. NO ONE WANTS TO SEE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN AMERICA THEY ARE MORE INTERESTED IN THE "JERRY SPRINGER" VERSION OF NEWS, IF U WILL. MY POINT BEING THIS...WAS I ARRESTED? YES. AM I GOING TO HAVE TO FACE MY CONSEQUENCES IN THE END? YES. MEANING THAT I AM BEING TREATED JUST LIKE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL/CITIZEN WHO HAD A BAD DAY AND MADE A MISTAKE. SO FAR THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE. I BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE CHOSEN MY CAREER TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AND THAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT, I AM THE "BLACK SHEEP" SHOULD I KNOW BETTER AND TRY TO CURVE MY ANGER? YES, BUT I AM ONLY HUMAN...JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU WHO ARE SO QUICK TO JUDGE ME OVER NEWS HEADLINES AND ARTICLES. WHERE YOU THERE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY TOOK PLACE? I HUMBLEY ACCEPT YOUR CRITICIZM WITH DEEP THOUGHT AND PRAY THAT I CAN BE MORE LIKE THE PERFECT PEOPLE WHO ARE NEGATIVELY COMMENTING ON MY SITUATION. "THOSE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT CAST STONES" I AM NOT PERFECT BUT I HAVE PATIONATELY GIVEN 10 YEARS OF HONEST SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF NORTH CHARLESTON AND ALWAYS TRIED TO DO THE RIGHT THING. FURTHER MORE, BEING HUMAN I NEVER FORGOT THE SECOND CHANCES THAT I WAS GIVEN COMING UP. EVERYONE HAS HAD A SECOND CHANCE FOR A BETTER OUTCOME IN LIFE WHETHER SMALL OR LARGE. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I HAVE RETURNED THAT FAVOR IN MY LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER 10 FOLD...NEVER FORGETTING WHERE I HAD COME FROM. SO IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT HAVE MADE POSITIVE COMMENTS AND THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVEN'T. ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS HAVE MADE AN EVER LASTING IMPRESSION ON ME FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. IF MY LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER IS ENDED DUE TO THIS, THEN THAT I WILL HAVE TO FACE AS A MAN. EVEN THOUGH THAT MAY BE THE OUTCOME, THERE ARE MANY OF YOU THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT UNDERSTAND WHERE I AM COMING FROM. WE ARE ALL HUMAN...HUMANS MAKE MISTAKES. GOD BLESS THE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE, WHO HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO POTENTIALLY PLACE THEIR LIVES IN HARMS WAY, EVERY DAY...

" .. Butler had been drinking when he arrived at the house... Don't forget .. he probably DROVE a vehicle to that location .. while drunk as a skunk. And this is a NORTH CHARLESTON POLICE OFFICER? Could we not dig up the reason for him already being on leave from the department?...

...Just so everyone knows...He did NOT hit his wife. There were about 14 rookies on the scene for training and they were asking questions. A lot of the information above is incorrect. The lamp post is NOT on the ground. It stands. The actual lamp itself is still attached to the lamp. The incident report was not fully correct as it was told by the "witnesses" and all of this information should be confirmed before printing information about a family. It's tragic for the rest of the parties involved to have to read things that are so untrue. Yes, the officer was intoxicated. Yes, he beat himself up, but to keep from hurting anyone else on scene.

...This is Karen Butler (not estranged) and my husband is NOT a thug nor did he attack, hit or harm me in anyway. There were so many police officers in training at the sceen that ALOT of the information you are hearing is INCORRECT. Some people have problems which he has been receiving help for from NCPD which HAS been helping despite what you people are saying! He is also one of the best officers who worked at NCPD (Top Cop with many arrest) and I promise you would want him on your side if you were in danger! And for you to assume he drove to the residence drinking is but a mear assumption....it said arrived at the sceen so NO he was not drinking and driving so get your facts straight before implying that NCPD allows their officers to drink and drive. And to Harpo it's none of your business so stop trying to dig up information on my husband. He is NOT this monster he is being made out to be and I love him and support him 100% and no I am not a scared victim so do not try going that route!
5/21/2010 12:48 PM EDT on Post and Courier

...Butler is a great officer. Many individuals whom are arrested, whether police or not, know that officers reports do not always depict the scene and the incident accurately. We all have had our moments in life that we needed the assistance of others to be lifted back to our feet and placed on the correct path. Butler is that man...

...Troy...I have nothing but respect for you & I am proud of you & I am proud to call you "family." You & Karen are in my thoughts & prayers. EVERY couple goes through rough patches & every person makes mistakes. No one is perfect. People do love a good story, which is what they got from all of the misinformation, forget about those people. Keep your head held high & be proud of all of the good that you have done. Dont be ashamed because you are human & don't allow the bad to overshadow the good.I love you, bubba, hang in there!...
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety south carolina state recant]

[NM] New Mexico State Police Officer Serrano fired for hitting, biting wife

New Mexico State Police officer Luis Serrano, 28, smacked and bit his wife during a fight. Serrano was fired from the New Mexico state police May 14, three days after being placed on paid administrative leave, "based upon the finding of the incident."

OFFICER CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: STATE COP COULD LOSE BADGE
KRQE
Amanda Goodman
11 May 2010
[Excerpts] A New Mexico State Police officer was arrested on a domestic-violence charge Tuesday in San Juan County. Luis Serrano, 28, smacked and bit his wife during a fight... “slapped her two times across her face because she was crying to loud”... Serrano was arrested and charged with one count of battery on a household member... Serrano was placed on administrative leave. State Police Lt. Eric Garcia said the department chief will make the decision about Serrano’s future with the department by Friday...

STATE OFFICER ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY BITING WIFE
Daily Times
Elizabeth Piazza
May 12, 2010.
[Excerpts] ...Luis Serrano, 28, who was employed Feb. 8, 2009, was placed on paid administrative leave following the incident and his employment status will be determined by the end of the week, State Police Lt. Eric Garcia said in a release... "It all depends on the circumstances of the case," spokesman Peter Olson said of his employment status. "Every issue is handled as an individual issue and we have to look at all the facts of the case before we make a determination"... The couple's friend, Ashley Polanco, told police she heard "a smack which she described as sounding like a slap on bare skin," and heard Serrano's wife cry out, "please stop, you're hurting me"... The deputy noticed redness and swelling on the wife's lips, but did not see any visible injuries on Serrano's face...

DA SEEKS TO MOVE CASE AGAINST OFFICER
Daily Times
Elizabeth Piazza
May 25, 2010.
[Excerpts] The District Attorney's Office, to avoid any improprieties, is asking an outside agency to prosecute the state police officer who is accused of biting and hitting his wife... Serrano, 28, is charged with misdemeanor battery on a household member after he allegedly slapped his wife twice on the face, held her down on the bed and shook her head from side to side while holding it tightly during a May 11 incident... Serrano was fired from the New Mexico state police May 14, three days after being placed on paid administrative leave, "based upon the finding of the incident," State Police Lt. Eric Garcia said.... Serrano also is a member of the 717th Support Unit for the New Mexico National Guard, said Lt. Col. Jamison Herrera, spokesman for the New Mexico National Guard...
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder new mexico state politics professionalism]

[PA] Philadelphia Police Officer Rudolf Gary charged with 1st Degree Murder for killing his wife's brother Howard Williams

Municipal Judge Karen Simmons drew applause from slain Howard Williams' family and friends packing the standing-room-only courtroom when she ordered Philadelphia Police Officer Rudolf Gary to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of an instrument of crime and related counts... "Everyone told him to 'Put the gun down, there's kids out here,'" said James Felder, one of the witnesses and a friend of Williams'. "He screamed he didn't care."

Previous Post:
[PA] Officer Gary murdered his brother-in-law Sunday. Cop's estranged wife says it's not the first time he was violent or threatening  - ...Shanea Williams says she's in the process of divorcing the officer–who's now accused of killing her brother. "He's not getting away with this, he's not, he's not... He's just a loose cannon who feel like because he's a cop he can do what he want"...

Former Phila. officer held on murder charge
Philadelphia Inquirer
Troy Graham
Thu, May. 20, 2010
After two witnesses described former Philadelphia Police Officer Rudolph Gary's gunning down his unarmed brother-in-law, a Municipal Court judge on Wednesday ordered him held on a first-degree murder charge. The ruling inspired a rousing round of applause from family members packing the courtroom, many wearing shirts memorializing the victim, Howard Williams. Both witnesses at Wednesday's preliminary hearing were hit by stray gunfire after Gary opened fire on a South Philadelphia street this month, they said. Gary, they said, was trying to break up a fight involving his girlfriend when he went to his truck and returned with a gun, which prosecutors later identified as his semiautomatic service weapon. "Everyone told him to 'Put the gun down, there's kids out here,'" said James Felder, one of the witnesses and a friend of Williams'. "He screamed he didn't care"... He said Gary pointed the gun "at everybody ... making everybody get back"... Gary fired the first shot into Williams' chest... Gary fired several more times as Williams lay on the sidewalk... After he became a police officer, Gary was involved in two other confrontations involving his girlfriend. In October, [Officer Gary's estranged wife] Shanae Williams and [his girlfriend Amber] Colon squared off, and Gary slammed his estranged wife into the steps outside her home, according to the Williams family. Howard Williams went to confront Gary and Gary pulled his gun and badge, the family said. Internal Affairs also investigated an incident after Colon's ex-boyfriend accused her of attacking him. He said Gary threatened him and did nothing to stop the assault. Gary denied making any threats and was exonerated, according to an Internal Affairs memo... [Full article here]

Applause as judge orders murder trial for ex-cop
Philadelphia Daily News
Mensah M. Dean
Thu, May. 20, 2010
The two surviving victims of former Philadelphia Police Officer Rudolph Gary Jr. testified in court yesterday that he brought a real handgun to a frolicking water-gun fight earlier this month and used it to kill his brother-in-law. "I just started sliding down the car and I couldn't get up. I felt a burning sensation," Indira Johnson said of the moment a bullet from Gary's service weapon tore through her left lower leg, breaking a bone. She attended the standing-room-only preliminary hearing on crutches and was wearing a leg-and-foot brace. "I was standing there - I couldn't believe it was happening," testified James Felder, 18, who suffered a graze wound on a leg. Not so fortunate was Howard Williams, 22, Gary's brother-in-law, whom the off-duty cop is charged with shooting at least three times May 2... Municipal Judge Karen Simmons drew applause from Williams' family and friends when she ordered Gary, 26, to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of an instrument of crime and related counts... The two witnesses said that Gary fired at Williams even after he fell on his back... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities murder pennsylvania state jail divorce hx repeat philly]

[PA] Slick Philadelphia Police allow slick Officer Anthony Floyd to "RETIRE" the day before his DV arrest

IMPORTANT NOTE: 
Anonymous comments previously posted in the comment section of this post INCORRECTLY confused the HONORABLY RETIRED Philadelphia Police"Lieutenant" Anthony Floyd "Jr." with the accused Philadelphia Police "narcotics officer" Anthony Floyd - who this post is concerning. Retired Lt. Floyd is a reputable businessman in the security field, has never been arrested or charged with any crime, left the Philadelphia Police Department in excellent standing, is better looking, and is not even related to the accused. (Thank you for your service and may God bless all you put your hands to.)

Here's the slick one:

Phila. Cop Retires Day Before Arrest for Domestic Abuse
by KYW's Kim Glovas
Posted: Thursday, 13 May 2010
[Excerpts] A Philadelphia narcotics police officer who retired on Tuesday at the age of 46 was arrested on Wednesday on domestic assault charges. Anthony Floyd, a 26 year veteran of the Philadelphia police department, and a member of the Narcotics Intensive Drug Investigations Unit, faces charges of simple assault, making terroristic threats, stalking, reckless endangerment and harassment... Floyd's union contract called for police to inform him of the charges and then give him three days to surrender. It's uncertain whether the officer will receive his pension. Floyd becomes the 7th Philadelphia officer to be charged with criminal offenses since December. [Full article here]

Phila. officer charged with assault on friend
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Allison Steele
May. 13, 2010
A Philadelphia police officer was arrested Wednesday on charges of assaulting, threatening, and stalking a female friend this year... [Philadelphia Police Officer Anthony] Floyd is the third Philadelphia police officer in just over a week to land in the news with a career-ending scandal. On May 3, Officer Rudolph Gary was charged with murder in the shooting of his unarmed brother-in-law in an apparent dispute over a water-gun fight. Gary also wounded two bystanders, police said. And on Tuesday, Sgt. Robert Ralston was fired from the department after admitting he shot himself and fabricated a story about being shot by a [Black / African American] man. Police sources have speculated that Ralston concocted the tale because he wanted to be transferred to another district, or because he wanted attention... [Full article here]

Cop retires, then gives up to face assault charges
Philadelphia Daily News
By David Gambacorta
May 13, 2010
...A source familiar with the case said Floyd, who is married, was romantically involved with the woman he allegedly assaulted in February. His wife apparently learned of his extramarital relationship when he was arrested, the source said... Police said detectives began investigating Floyd on Feb. 3, when his paramour contacted the Internal Affairs Bureau and claimed she was the victim of a domestic assault. Floyd, who worked in the Narcotics Intensive Drug Investigations Unit, was told earlier this week to report to Internal Affairs for a meeting. He retired after being notified of the meeting. Floyd surrendered to Internal Affairs investigators yesterday and was charged with simple assault, making terroristic threats, stalking, reckless endangerment and harassment. Although Floyd's retirement appeared to be a possible last-ditch attempt at saving his pension, police union officials say it was likely not the case. For one thing, Floyd joined the force in 1996, but began working for the city in 1984, making him eligible to retire at age 45. The city's code also makes it difficult to strip retirees of their pension, even if they end up behind bars. Chapter 22-1300 of the code states that a city employee could lose retirement benefits only if he or she pleads or is found guilty of perjury; accepting or offering a bribe; engaging in graft or corruption; theft, embezzlement or willful misapplication of city funds; malfeasance in office or engaging in conspiracy to commit any of the above... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement pennslyvania]

[CT] DV charges against Seymour Police Sgt John D'Antona REDUCED to "Breach of Peace"

The charges against a police sergeant who was arrested in March in a domestic violence case have been changed to breach of peace, a misdemeanor... The boy suffered bruising around his eye and nose, and a line of broken blood vessels under his eye...

News excerpts from April 6th through May 22nd

SEYMOUR COP ORDERED TO SURRENDER FIREARMS
New Haven Register
By Lauren Garrison lgarrison@newhavenregister.com
Published: Tuesday, April 6, 2010
DERBY — A Seymour cop arrested last week in a domestic violence incident was ordered to surrender or transfer all firearms when he was arraigned in Superior Court Monday. Judge Burton Kaplan also imposed a partial protective order on Seymour police Sgt. John D’Antona for the 13-year-old male relative involved in the incident. Kaplan ordered D’Antona to cooperate with the state Department of Children and Families. D’Antona, 40, of Ansonia, was arrested by Ansonia police April 1 on charges of risk of injury to a minor and third-degree assault... “I think there are cases of parental discipline which may cross the line into abuse, but clearly this is not one of those cases,” [D’Antona’s attorney Gregory] Cerritelli said. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Seymour police Lt. Paul Satkowski contacted the Ansonia Police Department on March 30 to say that D’Antona had been involved in a domestic violence incident at his Ansonia home March 28. According to the affidavit, the youth told police that D’Antona became angry after he admitted to lying to him, and began swearing at the boy. The teen said D’Antona picked him up, threw him onto a recliner and hit him three or four times in the face. He said D’Antona told him to sit on a love seat, then grabbed him by his left collarbone and held him down. The boy said D’Antona swore at him and “told him that he was lucky to still be breathing”... The boy suffered bruising around his eye and nose, and a line of broken blood vessels under his eye, according to the affidavit. The affidavit says D’Antona later apologized to the boy several times, saying the injury was worse than he thought... [Full article here]

POLICE SERGEANT FAILS TO SHOW IN COURT ON DOMESTIC CASE
Waterbury Republican American
May 14, 2010
ANSONIA -- A Seymour police sergeant charged last month in a family dispute is due in court later this month. Sgt. John D’Antona was set to appear Thursday in Derby Superior Court, but a Superior Court judge ordered a bail commissioner letter be sent to D’Antona with a court date of May 20 after he didn’t show at court... He has been placed on administrative leave from his assignment as a patrol sergeant, pending resolution of the court charges. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, D’Antona, who lives in Ansonia, told police he slapped his 13-year-old son in the face because the boy lied about his sister hitting him. [Full article here]

CHARGES AGAINST SEYMOUR OFFICER REDUCED
New Haven Register
Lauren Garrison lgarrison@newhavenregister.com
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The charges against a police sergeant who was arrested in March in a domestic violence case have been changed to breach of peace, a misdemeanor... John D’Antona was originally charged with risk of injury to a minor, a felony, and third-degree assault when he was arrested by Ansonia police April 1. His attorney, E. Gregory Cerritelli of New Haven, said a protective order against him was also vacated. “That will hopefully facilitate his return to work,” Cerritelli said. He explained that the protective order had banned D’Antona from carrying firearms. Cerritelli said a special prosecutor, Kevin Dunn from Rocky Hill, is now handling the case because the Derby court serves the town Police Department... “Ultimately, we’re hopeful that the matter will be dismissed,” Cerritelli said. He added, “Truthfully, it doesn’t even rise to the level of criminal conduct... It’s a situation where he exercised his parental right to discipline”... D’Antona is next due in court July 29... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety connecticut police child abuse]

[AZ] Wife-abusing Deputy Slocum "resigned" just in time, but still certified to work as a cop in Arizona

...Official reports show, [Pima County Sheriff's Deputy David] Slocum's wife announced she was moving out. Slocum grabbed his duty weapon and threatened to kill himself. "She was trying to use the telephone and call 911", said Lt. Deanna Coultas from the Pima County Sheriff's Department. "He slapped the phone out of her hand". According to reports, Slocum then dragged her down the hallway and locked himself in a room with a gun. She heard a shot, ran in and found Slocum uninjured... the Arizona Peace Officer's Standard's and Training Board out of Phoenix never revoked his certification...

Video:

9OYS INVESTIGATES: IS A FORMER PIMA COUNTY DEPUTY FIT FOR DUTY?
KGUN9-TV
Reporter: Tammy Vo
Posted: May 23, 2010 5:20 PM PDT
Updated: May 24, 2010 9:03 AM PDT
[Excerpts] David Slocum is no longer with the Pima County Sheriff's Department, but he is still able to serve as a police officer anywhere else in the state. After 2 questionable incidents involving Slocum, some are questioning, whether he is fit for duty? Pima County Sheriff's Department staff say, what happened between Slocum and his now, ex wife on November 14th 2008, went too far. Official reports show, Slocum's wife announced she was moving out. Slocum grabbed his duty weapon and threatened to kill himself. "She was trying to use the telephone and call 911", said Lt. Deanna Coultas from the Pima County Sheriff's Department. "He slapped the phone out of her hand". According to reports, Slocum then dragged her down the hallway and locked himself in a room with a gun. She heard a shot, ran in and found Slocum uninjured. The bullet had missed. Slocoum's wife called for help and police took him to the hospital. "It's alright to get upset but this went way beyond getting upset" said Coultas. [Pima County Sheriff Clarence] Dupnik fired David Slocum who appealed to the Pima County Law Enforcement Merit Council. A group of civilians who voted 2 to 1 to give him his job back... [Member Georgia] Brosseau argued, "He broke his own phone and he was in his own house. It was a case of an officer who made a very bad decision off duty on his property, on private matters related to his marriage." The council approved a one month suspension, but member Richard Huff believes, it should have upheld the dismissal... But it would not be the last time we would hear from David Slocum. In March, he escorted a troubled 12 year old back to his jail cell. According to other deputies, the kid flipped Slocum off, called him names and challenged him to a fight. Slocum took off his gun belt. The Sheriff's Department says, Slocum stepped into the cell and removed the kid's shackles. The kid backed down... Days later, Slocum turned in his resignation letter but he's still certified to be an officer elsewhere. That's because the Arizona Peace Officer's Standard's and Training Board out of Phoenix never revoked his certification. 9 On Your Side wanted to know why? POST rules state it can revoke certification if any officer who shows "malfeasance or disrupts public trust", or has a mental disability that affects job performance. Slocum's wife reported, he was depressed, bi-polar and on several medications... 9 On Your Side's Tammy Vo asked Lt. Coultas from the Sheriff's Department, "Do you think the Merit board dropped the ball in giving him his job back?". Coultas responded by saying, "Absolutely." Criminal chares against Slocum were dismissed. The County Attorney's Office says, it was because, in part, the his wife would not testify... [Full article here]

EARLIER NEWS:


DEPUTY BACK ON THE JOB AFTER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE
KOLD
By Christopher Francis cfrancis@kold.com
Posted: Feb 12, 2009 10:05 PM PST
Updated: Mar 02, 2009 2:26 PM PST
A Pima County Sheriff's deputy arrested for domestic violence has his job back. A review board voted to reinstate Deputy David Slocum but with a suspension for 30 days. Deputies say Slocum was arrested last November after an altercation with his estranged wife. Investigators say he dragged her down the hallway and fired his gun into the floor of his home. "He became suicidal, and she was doing various interventions to try to keep him from doing this," says Deputy Mike O'Connor of PCSD. "He had a gun in his hand and was pointing it at himself." Domestic violence charges are still pending against Deputy Slocum. The incident is also being investigated by the Arizona Peace Officer's Standards and Training Board. [LINK]

Video:

PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY TO GET JOB BACK
azcentral.com, Associated Press
Feb. 14, 2009 07:22 AM
A Pima County Sheriff's Department deputy who allegedly grabbed his wife by the leg and dragged her down a hallway in their home with a gun in his hand will get his job back. David Slocum was fired by the department on Dec. 29 after he was arrested and charged with assault, criminal damage, unlawful imprisonment and for preventing the use of a telephone in an emergency. Three of the charges fall under the state's domestic violence statutes. Slocum was "upset about the impending dissolution of his marriage" when he began an emotional altercation with his wife on Nov. 14, the sheriff's department said. Slocum appealed his dismissal to the Pima County Law Enforcement Merit System Council. The council decided Thursday to overturn Slocum's dismissal and suspend him for 30 working days. Slocum's criminal case is pending. [LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety lethal arizona state tucson accountability repeat hx]

[NJ] Corrections Officer Bell has gone...

 The death of a Morris County corrections officer found inside his Morris Township apartment was ruled a suicide...

MORRIS COUNTY CORRECTIONS OFFICER FOUND DEAD AT HOME IS RULED AS SUICIDE
The Star-Ledger
By Jim Lockwood
May 20, 2010
[Excerpts] The death of a Morris County corrections officer found inside his Morris Township apartment was ruled a suicide, authorities said today. Michael Bell, 42, a 22-year veteran of the county corrections department found Wednesday at 4:11 p.m. at his Lindsley Arms apartment, died from a gunshot wound to the head... No further details were released. On Tuesday, Bell had been questioned by prosecutor’s office investigators about his interactions with certain inmates at the Morris County Jail... Bell’s survivors include a wife and two children. Word of his death stunned his friends and colleagues. "This was one person you’d never expect this from," said Ron Flammer, former president of Bell’s union, PBA Local 298. "I spent 10 years of my career with the guy. He was always level-headed. This just comes as a shock to me." In June, Bell and another jail officer, Jerry Ugrina, filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the sheriff’s and corrections departments and the former undersheriff who oversaw the lockup... "I’m devastated by the news" of Bell’s suicide, Tandy said. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family. This is a tragedy. Mike’s been through a lot at the sheriff’s office stemming from his allegations" in the lawsuit... [Full article here]
[law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities suicide new jersey state]

[WA] Never forgetting Monty and Sue.

...The Multanens raised numerous foster children along with their son, Eric, and daughter, Sara. Monty “spent his time caring for his children and grandchildren in whatever ways necessary”... He built two kayaks and liked to paddle around Lacamas Lake. Susan Multanen left a career as a registered nurse to stay home and take care of the family... "My brother and his wife were great parents and great grandparents"...

Video: Vancouver couple victims of Gig Harbor deputy shooting

Excerpts From Article, "Retired LCC dean, wife killed in Pierce County shooting," The Daily News, By Erik Olson, May 15 2010:

A Vancouver-area man [Monty Edward Multanen] who authorities say was shot and killed by his son-in-law, a Pierce County deputy, early Saturday morning was a retired Lower Columbia College dean and Clatskanie native son... Monty Multanen began his tenure at LCC as a vocational agriculture instructor and retired as the college's dean of health and public services in 2002, LCC President Jim McLaughlin said... he also served as director of the Oregon department of vocational agriculture education... Monty Multanen grew up in Clatskanie, and his sister, Sonja George, and mother Elena Multanen still live there... Sue Multanen was a retired registered nurse in the Vancouver area, the couple raised numerous foster children along with their biological son and daughter... [Monty] Multanen also was a former administrator of the Firm Foundation Christian School in Battle Ground... "I knew Monty to be a very kind, gentle, soft-spoken man," [Jonathan] Johnson, a Battle Ground resident, said...

Excerpts From Article "Deaths at deputy's hands confound survivors," Seattle Times, May 16 2010:

Allen Myron and his father-in-law, Monty Multanen, 70, were so close that Myron named his yellow Labrador, Monty, after him. The two regularly worked on home-improvement projects together. His mother-in-law was so fond of Myron that when the couple visited from Vancouver, Wash., she brought along Little Debbies, one of his favorite snacks...

Excerpts From Article "Community mourns couple shot and killed by Pierce Co. deputy," NWCN, King5, by OWEN LEI, May 16 2010:

A community gathers this morning to remember Monty and Sue Multanen, the two people shot and killed Friday by their son-in-law, Pierce County Deputy Allen Myron. It is not easy for relatives and friends of Allen Myron's family to understand why Myron would kill his in-laws... Monty Multanen was an educational director for the Oregon Department of Education, the Edmonds School District and Lower Columbia College. Sue Multanen once worked as a nurse.

...Susan Multanen left a career as a registered nurse to stay home and take care of the family...

Excerpts From Article "Deputy's motives unclear: ‘The man’s hands that killed my grandparents were not the hands of my dad’," Sean Robinson, Kathleen Cooper and Cole Cosgrove, News Tribune, May 16 2010:

...Monty Multanen was the director of career and vocational education for the Oregon Department of Education in the 1980s. He worked for the state until the early 1990s before moving to Washington, according to his son Eric Multanen of Portland. Susan Multanen worked as a nurse when she was younger but stayed home to raise her family... Why were the Multanens at Myron’s home? Was there a family dispute that led to the shooting? Police wouldn’t say...

Excerpts From Article "Deaths at deputy's hands confound survivors," Seattle Times, May 16, 2010:

Allen Myron and his father-in-law, Monty Multanen, 70, were so close that Myron named his yellow Labrador, Monty, after him... "We are supposed to grieve together and suffer each other's burdens," [Fox Island Alliance ChurchPastor Andy] Snodgrass asked his flock to be tight-lipped about the tragedy and especially "not to talk about family matters outside of the family"...

...Monty spent most of his time in his garden...

Excerpts From Article "Vancouver couple target of Gig Harbor bullets," KATU News, By Meghan Kalkstein, May 16 2010:

A top Oregon school official and his wife are murdered, and police say their son-in-law pulled the trigger... This husband and wife lived in a quiet neighborhood tucked back off Vancouver's Northeast 162nd Avenue – a neighborhood where the couple even left neighbors notes when they left town. This time, however, Sue and Monty Multanen didn't tell anyone before the trip that took their lives... We spoke to the couple's son Eric by phone Saturday. He said his dad worked for the Oregon Department of Education for a number of years, and his mom was a nurse at one point. They were both enjoying their retirement years in their Clark County home before this tragedy. "You might say they were the perfect neighbors," said one of their Vancouver neighbors, Conrad Geiger. In this quaint neighborhood, homeowners said Sue and Monty were always helpful. "He was just a really super, friendly person," Geiger said. They said Monty spent most of his time in his garden. It's something Kenneth Creek watched grow as he lived next door for more than a decade. And when his neighbors would go out of town, Creek said Monty always brought over two items: freshly cut flowers, and a note detailing where they were going and how to get a hold of their two children. It's something they did every time, Creek said, except their most recent trip to Gig Harbor. He shows us one recent note, reading "Sue and Monty are in San Marcos, CA, Nov. 3-7. Home Saturday evening." Without a note, when Creek heard the news, "I couldn't believe it," he said. "I was sort of stunned"... Kenneth Creek said he can't believe his neighbors are gone forever. He still can't figure out why they left, this time, without leaving him a note. "It was a really unexpected thing for these people," Creek said, "because they were just nice people"...

Excerpts From Article "Murder-suicide victims from Vancouver remembered fondly," Columbian, By Bob Albrecht, May 17 2010:

...The Multanens raised numerous foster children along with their son, Eric, and daughter, Sara. Monty “spent his time caring for his children and grandchildren in whatever ways necessary,” said Eric Multanen, 46, of Portland. He built two kayaks and liked to paddle around Lacamas Lake. Susan Multanen left a career as a registered nurse to stay home and take care of the family, said Eric Multanen. Recently, she served a stint as a secretary at East Park Church in Vancouver...

...They were both enjoying their retirement years in their Clark County home before this tragedy. "You might say they were the perfect neighbors"...

Excerpts From Article "It's sad, truly shocking, and it's hit home," KBOI2, Michael Calcagno, May 15/17 2010:

..."My brother and his wife were great parents and great grandparents." Gary [Multanen, Monty's brother] said his brother had two kids and two adopted kids. Gary will head to Washington tomorrow to be with his niece Sarah, now the single mother of four kids who have all lost their dad, grandpa and grandma.... Saturday in an exclusive television interview with KBOI-TV Gary Multanen said his brother had been helping his son-in-law with money during the leave. Adding more mystery and confusion, says Gary, to this seemingly inexplicable violence.

Excerpts From Article "Monty and Susan Multanen Killed in Gig Harbor Shooting Incident," The Clatskanie Chief, May 19 2010:

Monty Edward Multanen, 70, who grew up in Clatskanie and visited often with relatives here, and his wife Susan Mary Elisabeth (Wiinikka) Multanen, 68, were killed Friday, May 14, in Gig Harbor, Wash... A private graveside service for Monty and Susan Multanen will be held Monday, May 24, at Murray Hill Cemetery in Clatskanie. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at the Crossroads Community Church, 7708 NE 78th St., Vancouver...

Obituaries:
Monty Edward Multanen
Former Clatskanie resident, 70
The Daily Astorian
5/20/2010 11:35:00 AM
Monty Edward Multanen, 70, of Vancouver, Wash., formerly of Clatskanie, died Friday, May 14, 2010, in Gig Harbor, Wash. He was born Oct. 2, 1939, in Clatskanie, to Clifford Edward and Elena Margaret (Johnson) Multanen. His mother survives, residing in Clatskanie. His father preceded him in death. On June 23, 1962, he married Susan Mary Elisabeth (Wiinikka) Multanen in Clatskanie. She also died Friday, May 14, 2010. He is survived by two sons, Eric Multanen of Portland and Richard Multanen of San Diego; two daughters, Sara Myron of Gig Harbor and Debbie Hinchen of Salem; two brothers, Gary and Cliff Multanen of Boise, Idaho; two sisters, Sonja George of Clatskanie and Sandy Geer of Alaska; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 23 at Groulx Family Mortuary, 25381 Wonderly Road in Rainier. Interment will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, May 24 at Murray Hill Cemetery in Clatskanie. A memorial will follow at 3:30 p.m. Monday at Crossroads Community Church, 7708 N.E. 78th St. in Vancouver. Groulx Family Mortuary in Rainier is in charge of the arrangements.

Obituaries: 
Susan Mary Elisabeth Multanen
Former Clatskanie resident, 68
The Daily Astorian
5/20/2010 11:34:00 AM
Susan Mary Elisabeth Multanen, 68, of Vancouver, Wash., formerly of Clatskanie, died Friday, May 14, 2010, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She was born Nov. 20, 1941, in Hancock, Mich., to Wayne Henry and Martha Elisabeth (Kolehmainen) Wiinikka. Her parents preceded her in death. On June 23, 1962, she married Monty Edward Multanen in Clatskanie. He also died Friday, May 14, 2010. She is survived by two sons, Eric Multanen of Portland and Richard Multanen of San Diego; two daughters, Sara Myron of Gig Harbor, Wash., and Debbie Hinchen of Salem; a brother, Peter Wiinikka of Hillsboro; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by a brother, Richard Wiinikka. Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 23 at Groulx Family Mortuary, 25381 Wonderly Road in Rainier. Interment will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, May 24 at Murray Hill Cemetery in Clatskanie. A memorial will follow at 3:30 p.m. Monday at Crossroads Community Church, 7708 N.E. 78th St. in Vancouver. Groulx Family Mortuary in Rainier is in charge of the arrangements.

Excerpts From Article "Benefit for widow of sheriff's deputy who killed in-laws, himself," The News Tribune - Lights & Sirens, , May 20 2010:

Local caterers and event planners are holding a barbecue cook-off and carnival benefit for the widow of a Pierce County Sheriff's deputy who killed his in-laws before fatally shooting himself. The benefit will take place Tuesday, June 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Eventco Field in Fife, 7213 45th St. Ct. E. Ticket sale proceeds will benefit Sara Myron and her four children... Tickets will be $20 for adults and $5 for children, with kids younger than five free of charge. For more information, visit http://www.tacomanace.net.
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