[FL] 152 to 3 "No Confidence" vote on Chief Scott & he resigns

December 2005
Attitudes about domestic violence matter most maybe at the top of the command chain. If the chief's not on-board it will be close to impossible to make progress.
Boca Raton Police Chief Andrew Scott's wealthy friend was being arrested - on charges he assaulted his wife, another policeman, & a restaurant manager - when the chief made the decision to interrupt the flow of that process. There were citizen protests, a lot of media attention, and ultimately the Boca Raton police officers gave a no-confidence vote of 152 to 3 & the Chief has now resigned.

[CT] No internal probe on Officer Velez - arrested 6 times for DV - including threats to kill

VELEZ

December 1st, 2005
News is in. New London police didn't conduct an internal investigation of Police Officer Genaro Velez Jr.'s charge that he threatened to kill ("empty my clip" into) his ex-wife and any family member that gets in his way. Velez has been arrested 6 times for domestic-violence complaints - charges dropped in all the cases with some witnesses saying they are afraid to testify. He's had 6 restraining orders filed on him by 4 women. His personnel records show he's been the target of 15 civilian complaints concerning his behavior with women, his workplace, & the public. The Police Chief (Bruce Rinehart) has been saying there's an "ongoing investigation" but in a response to the Police Union lawyer, City Attorney Brian Estep responded, "It would appear that after the assignment of this matter to the Deputy Chief that an Internal Affairs number was not created and no investigation has occurred.” NOT ONLY IS OFFICER VELEZ STILL WORKING, but he's asking to be reimbursed for wages and vacation days during his 17-month suspension because the case against him was dismissed.
His wife (currently living in hiding) says, "You can't stay married to someone like this who tries to take your life away."

[CT] Ciara

I had posted on the ugly event of State Trooper Victor Diaz murdering Newington Police Officer Ciara McDermott in a murder-suicide a couple of weeks ago - but today I saw this picture of Ciara and wanted to share it.
Absolutely lovely.
I'm really sorry the world lost her.

[CT] Troopers & women say they fear Oxford Officer Burr

November 30th - December 1st, 2005 - Oxford Police Cpl. James Burr has just been suspended again. He's had three restraining orders filed against him by 2 women and has been suspended from duty & had his guns taken away twice. The State Troopers supervising Burr say they fear he'll hurt them or somebody else, that he's unstable, and possibly using drugs. Burr's ex-girlfriend said in court that he called her recently 94 times in two days, parked outside her house, and she's afraid. His former wife also filed a restraining order against him in 2003 and a second one in 2004. Oxford First Selectman (City Manager) August Palmer III had planned on having Burr RETURN TO WORK regardless of everything but yesterday Judge Deborah Frankel extended his restraining order for 6 months, and today finally it's announced there will be an internal investigation. FINALLY! BURR BLAMES the murder-suicide last week - Trooper Victor Diaz murdered Officer Ciara McDermott - for the current extension of his restraining order, but he was collecting those before last week's tragedy. Police are also looking into whether Burr made threatening comments to others that he would go after the 2 troopers if he lost his job.

[CA] Deputy Michael Slayton's slew of dropped dv charges (Why?)

November 29, 2005
Former Sutter County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Slayton has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of stalking his estranged wife. It appears that the other charges are dropped since they are no longer in the lingo of the case - three counts of spousal abuse, battery, making a death threat, burglary, six counts of violating a restraining order, and installing unauthorized wiretaps and video cameras in the house he had shared with his wife. Threatening death or great bodily injury and stalking are felonies. Slayton violated the protection order six times in a three week period and the judge upheld the $1M bail because of the percieved danger to his wife. She reports that he broke her wrist, pushed her down an attic ladder, set up surveillance cameras in her bedroom, hacked into her e-mails, after separating would break into the house, & follow her in her car. After the judge ordered Slayton to surrender his seven long guns and five handguns Slayton was heard during a monitored phone call from the jail asking a relative to keep two of the guns. Deputy District Attorney Diana Bermingham told the judge, "There are at least two missing."

He's eligible for up to five years' probation.

[FL] Deputy Lisha Davis killed by her husband

2005
Gadsden County Sheriff's Office Deputy Lisha Davis was killed in front of two of her children by her husband Ervin Davis. They had just recently split up.

From her online guestbook:
"My deepest sympathy go out to the children and family of Deputy Daniels. I was very pleased with the opportunity of having such a excited and motivated person to work with our agency. Deputy Daniels was eager to work with children and wanted the opportunity to blossom as a law enforcement officer. She will be truly missed by me, the agency, and the people she touched."
Sheriff Morris A. Young
Gadsden County Sheriff's Office (Quincy, FL )

[AL] Officer Steven Jones Arrested for dv-related break-in

Nov 29, 2005 News:
Dothan Police Officer Steven Jones is on administrative leave with pay after being arrested early Saturday. Jones has been charged with 3rd degree burglary after breaking into the residence his wife was house-sitting. Police Chief John Powell says the incident is connected to a domestic violence situation between the officer and his wife.