Archive
Oklahoma DOC Officer of the Year www.privateofficer.com
Tipton was honored Wednesday at the State Capitol.
Tipton began her career in 1994 and is a member of the hostage negotiation team. In January 2009, her team participated in a hostage negotiation competition in San Marcos, Texas, where they received first place. Since Sergeant Tipton is bilingual, she also assists as interpreter for parole hearings and other areas when needed.
Target security agent run over by fleeing crossdressing shoplifter www.privateofficer.com
Authorities said Tony Lamar Wilson, 28, was charged with first-degree attempted assault and third-degree robbery after he turned himself in to Dothan Police Lt. Keith Gray.
Dothan Police Investigator Chris Barbaree said Wilson dressed as a woman and attempted to shoplift around 1 p.m. on Saturday when a Target security employee attempted to detain him.
Wilson fought the employee, entered a vehicle and then hit the security agent with the vehicle before fleeing, causing moderate injuries, Barbaree said.
Multiple Dothan police units, a Houston County Sheriff’s Canine Unit and the Dale County Sheriff’s Air Unit spent time tracking Wilson throughout Saturday afternoon.
Gray said Wilson decided to turn himself in after the search.
It was the Dale County air unit that flew over Gray as he met Wilson in an undisclosed location, Gray said.
“It doesn’t happen often that a suspect wants to meet with you, but the air unit followed me all the way to the station. We’re certainly appreciative for that assistance,” Gray said.
“We’ve been working jointly to integrate the unit to work with us on the apprehension of serious crimes such as this, especially in tracking.”
A bond was not set for Wilson as of 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The name of the Target employee who was injured was not released.
Police officer’s home, vehicle fire called arson www.privateofficer.com
Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine said the fire was reported around 3:47 a.m. Sunday. The officer, William Horton, was awakened by the sound of a tire on his car exploding from the heat of the fire. Oxendine said the officer and his girlfriend escaped unharmed.
Oxendine said it was well-known that Horton was a police officer, and believe that may be why he was targeted.
Horton’s Chevy Trail Blazer and a golf cart were destroyed, though there was only minor damage to the home. Anyone with information about the fire can call 800-282-5804. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Dallas security officer faces armed man www.privateofficer.com
Dallas TX May 9 2010 Polce say that at approximately 5:30 a.m., a young Mexican male was involved in a disturbance at the El Az Deloro Restaurant located at 5405 Dolphin Road. The suspect and another individual were intoxicated and were escorted out of the restaurant by security officers working at the location.
The suspect and friends returned location, and the suspect smashed out the front window of the establishment with a rebar. Both security officers, who were uniformed and armed, confronted the suspect in an attempt to detain him for police. One of the security officers peppered sprayed the suspect and his two friends because they became aggressive toward him and his partner. The suspect then pulled a pistol from his waistband and proceeded to point it toward the security officers.
One of the security officers, Mr. Daniel Arroyo feared for his life and his partner therefore, he pulled his weapon and fired two shots at the suspect; these rounds struck a parked car. The suspect fled on foot into a wooded area. On-duty patrol officers were close by, witnessed the disturbance, and gave pursuit for the suspect. Using additional officers, helicopter, and K-9, officers were unable to locate the suspect at this time. There were no injuries to report.
Shoplifter dies in struggle during CVS theft www.privateofficer.com
Chicago IL May 9 2010 City police are conducting a death investigation after an alleged shoplifter died during a struggle after fleeing from a drug store in Little Village this morning, officials said.
The incident happened just before 11 a.m. at a CVS pharmacy in the 2600 block of South Pulaski Road, police said.
Authorities said the 34-year-old man was shoplifting, then was chased out of the store and ran into an alley next to the building. The man fell unconscious during a struggle.
The man was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The dead man was identified as Anthony Kyser, 34, of the 1400 block of South Hamlin Avenue, who was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday.
Stamford city employee arrested for theft of funds www.privateofficer.com
Fred Manfredonia, 59, of Branford, has been charged with larceny and forgery. Manfredonia managed employee benefits including the city’s education incentive program.
The investigation started when another city employee contacted human resources because they didn’t receive their tuition reimbursement. Manfredonia was on vacation so the city’s controller began to track down the check and found that it was issued and deposited, but not to the employee’s account.
Police later learned that five checks were issued to five employees and were forged and deposited into Manfredonia’s bank account. The five checks amounted to $13,927.
Manfredonia posted a $50,000.00 bond and is due in court on May 13.
Little Rock school security supervisor arrested www.privateofficer.com
The Little Rock school district just placed 48 year old Robert Moore on leave as it conducts its own internal investigation. This as Little Rock police are moving forward with a case they say is all caught on camera.
Little Rock schools hire security guards to make sure your children are safe. This week, a security supervisor found himself on the other side of the law.
Police say it happened when Moore hired a new female security guard at the district’s security office.
“He interviewed her, told her she needed to try on some uniforms, she went into a room where the uniforms were,” Lt. Terry Hastings said.
That’s when police say she saw a camera recording her every move.
“She took the tape out of it, finished her interview with Mr. Moore and then left,” Hastings said.
Now the DVD with the evidence is in the hands of investigators.
“It’s unfortunate that sometimes people make bad choices often that result in consequences,” Tiffany Hoffman of Little Rock Schools said.
School officials placed Moore on leave. They don’t believe he’s ever done this.
“The good part is the aspect of his job does not take him into the schools so we don’t believe that any students were in harm’s way,” Hoffman said.
FOX16 went to the home listed as Moore’s address. No one answered the door.
“It kind of causes a bad image when you have this happen to whatever agency is involved in it,” Lt. Hastings said.
Police arrested Moore Wednesday and he got out of jail on a $2500 bond. He’s charged with Video Voyeurism, a Class D felony.
Police would not comment on what was caught on camera. Officers say they have to present it as evidence in court.
CT nightclub security officer assaulted with chair www.privateofficer.com
Police said they responded to Maribel’s Cafe, 1155 Main St., Bridgeport, at 12:41 a.m. on a report of a large fight. They were told that a man and woman were responsible for numerous assaults during the fracas.
The woman, later identified as Carmen Colon, 25, of Pembroke Street, allegedly hit a security guard from behind with a chair during the fight. Colon also reportedly hit a woman in the head with pool sticks, pool balls and her fists after an altercation on the dance floor.
The woman later sought treatment at Bridgeport Hospital for head injuries.
When the guard attempted to remove Colon from the club, the man — identified as Hector Castillo, 28, of Pembroke Street — was at first helpful, trying to maintain control in the club.
Once Colon was outside, she allegedly tried to hit the guard. Castillo then reportedly became angry, hit the guard multiple times, and chased him around parked vehicles in the vicinity.
The couple fled, but police later found them on Brook Street. Colon and Castillo were identified by the guard as the two who had assaulted them.
Colon was charged with second degree assault and was held on $10,000 bond. Castillo was charged with third degree assault and held on $2,500 bond.
Palm Beach denies deputy raises, hires security force to patrol www.privateofficer.com
To the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association, the decision to take money from the city’s strained general fund to pay rent-a-guards to walk the docks for a year was a slap in the face to officers who have been protesting the elimination of step raises this year and what they believe is city misspending.
“The waterfront is a very big investment, $32 million, and you want to keep it protected,” police union treasurer Lou Penque said. “But you already have a platoon downtown, so this is almost comical.”
The regional manager of guard firm IPC, Wilfredo Perez-Borroto, responded that police shouldn’t see his company as a threat.
IPC “is here to work with the city, the mayor and the chief,” said Perez-Borroto, who goes by Willie Perez.
The Downtown Development Authority, a taxing district funded by downtown property owners and businesses, already pays for a combination of city police officers – referred to as the Entertainment District Unit – and IPC guards, to provide security downtown. However, when the waterfront docks opened, the DDA said it was maxed out financially and that the docks should be considered a city responsibility .
Penque said city cops on duty downtown can handle any security breach at the docks, but DDA director Melissa Wohlust argues that dock guards have different responsibilities from police officers.
“Everybody calls it private security, and in essence IPC is a security company, but what we’ve done is create a security ambassador program,” Wohlust said.
On top of monitoring for problems, Wohlust said, IPC guards already stationed downtown take newsletters to businesses, hand out umbrellas to people on Clematis Street and give directions. At the waterfront, the IPC guards will greet visitors and help them tie up their boats.
Penque laughed at the notion.
“What issues are we having with those docks?” he asked. “Do they need someone to help tie up boats?”
Expanding IPC’s territory
IPC has handled CityPlace security for years but has been gaining work beyond Clematis Street and the waterfront.
That work includes security for the new city hall, which is paid for out of the general budget, and beginning Monday, IPC will monitor Broadway, which will be paid by a federal grant.
For the past two years, two IPC guards have patrolled the Northwood business district 24 hours a day under a Community Redevelopment Agency contract.
Although security guards cannot arrest criminals, their presence deters crime, supporters say. The CRA’s marketing coordinator, Sharon McCormick-Keiley, said the effort has reduced panhandling and given merchants a sense of security.
Police have not felt similarly comforted.
Much of the union’s anger is directed at Perez, especially after IPC worked SunFest while West Palm Beach police protested outside over city spending and the elimination of the step raises.
On April 29, Perez – escorting Frankel through the SunFest protest – admits he spat at and lightly head-butted protester Jim Whalen (the same protester who the next day was involved in an argument with Frankel’s son, Ben Lubin, which led to Lubin’s arrest).
Perez, a 42-year-old Army vet, also serves, at times, as Mayor Lois Frankel’s bodyguard. Perez said he does it on a volunteer basis, when he’s off the clock. The mayor’s secretary will call him to see whether he’s available when Frankel requests assistance.
Frankel praises Perez for “dedicating his life to the revitalization of downtown West Palm Beach and the Northwood Area” and for “running a very professional organization.”
Perez’s beef with police goes back to 1993 when he was fired as a Miami police officer for filing six false police reports. He admitted to the accusations at the time, saying he hadn’t properly filled out the forms, but he was never charged.
Perez said the firing stemmed from a personal dispute with a captain. Angered that he was singled out for a minor infraction in a department full of corrupt officers, Perez became a whistle-blower. He approached The Miami Herald with evidence of officers stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money by lying about being on the scene for driving under the influence arrests so they could earn overtime in court.
The Herald launched an eight-month, five-part investigation in 1997 and the paper applauded Perez as a hero. Although no officers were fired because of the investigation, the city and state attorney’s office tightened requirements for officers logging DUI arrests.
Perez never got his job back in Miami. He went to physical therapy school for two years before being hired by IPC more than a decade ago to replace CityPlace’s first-year contract with Wackenhut .
Perez started the West Palm Beach branch of the Chicago-based security company, beginning with six employees and expanding to about 260 employees, which includes about 220 full and part-time guards. Perez said he hasn’t profited off the company’s massive expansion in West Palm Beach, and that he’s satisfied seeing downtown prosper while providing jobs to people in the area.
Penque accuses IPC of “undercutting every other company” and not going through the proper request for proposals process with the city.
However, the city’s former procurement official, Nora Laudermilk, said the bid process was fair and that IPC beat 14 companies for citywide security.
Penque did not like the choice of Perez’s IPC company.
“He head-butted (a protester) with his hat and spat at him,” Penque said. “That’s the type of character that is head of security. We’re being professional. He’s absolutely not.”
Wohlust, the DDA director, defended Perez.
“I don’t know of anybody who works as hard as he does,” she said. “He can be a polarizing figure, but I think he’s committed to making sure this is a safe and secure area.”
Perez didn’t want to talk about his past, but said IPC has helped the police clean up the city.
“Most police officers, I do respect,” Perez said. “But they don’t understand what’s best for the city.”
Mayor: It’s cheaper
Frankel said deploying private security across the city is necessary, and cheaper than adding more police officers.
IPC and the police have different roles “and when you combine them correctly, you can really add to quality of life,” Frankel said.
IPC’s waterfront contract was approved by a 3-1 vote of the city commission. Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell was the lone dissenter and Commissioner Jeri Muoio recused herself because her son-in-law works for IPC.
“That’s $72,000 we’re taking from parks and rec’s budget from the general fund,” Mitchell said.
“If using private security irritates the police, I don’t care about that. But we have to prioritize, and this will be a recurring expense.”
Not only does Penque believe that waterfront ambassadors and boat greeters are unnecessary, he said the police department has its own part-time public safety workers who earn $15 an hour.
According to a city spokesman, the IPC dockworkers will earn $17.44 an hour. Perez said the guards, after expenses, net only $11 an hour.
“It’s always been planned for this waterfront to have security. That’s all there is to it,” Frankel countered. “The public wants more security, not less.”
