Archive
NY comedian arrested for bringing knife into airport security area www.privateofficer.com
Cardon Christopher Ellis — a self-styled New York comic and moviemaker — was charged in a federal felony complaint with carrying a weapon on an aircraft. Earlier Wednesday he was arrested after allegedly admitting he had concealed the multitool and slipped it past security; he also purportedly boasted about the act to another passenger.
“While waiting in line, Ellis boasted to another passenger in line that he could get a knife through security without detection,” FBI Special Agent Dan Horan stated in court documents. “Once on the secure side of the … checkpoint, Ellis approached the other passenger and showed him the [multitool] that he had smuggled through the checkpoint without detection.”
It was that passenger who then notified a nearby security officer. Ellis is believed to have seen that exchange; Horan alleged that airport video camera footage showed Ellis then removing what was believed to be the multitool and trying to hide it in his carry-on bag to board Southwest Flight 704 to New York via Chicago.
After prolonged questioning by security officers, Ellis eventually revealed that “he did possess a knife tool” and that he “knowingly brought the knife through the security checkpoint by artfully concealing it to avoid detection,” Horan stated.
Ellis remained in Salt Lake County jail Thursday on a federal hold order. If convicted of the charge he faces, Ellis could serve up to 10 years in prison. He was to appear before a federal magistrate Friday.
Guardsmark pays to settle sex discrimination claim www.privateofficer.com
New York Nov 12 2010 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
Guardsmark LLC, a major provider of security services in North America and the United Kingdom, will pay $52,500 to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.
The EEOC had charged that New York-based Guardsmark discriminated against Danielle R. Jones and other female security guards in its Houston office because of their sex. According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Civil Action No. 4:09cv3062), Guardsmark engaged in gender-based discrimination by succumbing to customer preference for male security guards and reassigning the women to inconvenient, lesser-paying security guard posts.
In addition to the monetary payments, the consent decree signed by U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr. requires Guardsmark to provide managerial and supervisory employees at its Greater Houston branch office with mandatory training on federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment; to post a notice at its Greater Houston branch stating Guardsmark’s commitment to prevent all workplace discrimination and retaliation; and to submit reports to the EEOC detailing its compliance with the decree.
“This settlement serves as reminder to businesses that a customer’s preference to be staffed or served by workers of a particular gender is never an excuse to engage in illegal sex discrimination,” said EEOC regional attorney Jim Sacher. “Misinformation, stereotypes and false assumptions about the job capabilities of women still cloud many employment decisions. The EEOC will take all necessary steps to ensure that job opportunities traditionally reserved for men are open to all employees.”
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on the agency’s web site at http://www.eeoc.gov.
Solano County High School teacher arrested for sex with student ww.privateofficer.com
VALLEJO CA Nov 12 2010 — A Solano County high school teacher was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of having sex with one of her students in her Vallejo home, law enforcement officials said.
Felecia Killings, 27, a Rodriguez High School English teacher, was released on bail from the Solano County Jail after being arrested on suspicion of the statutory rape of a 16-year-old male student. The student is 17 now, police say.
Police investigators are working to determine whether there may be other victims, officials said.
Killings, on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, has been teaching at Rodriguez High for five years, Fairfield Suisun Unified School District spokesman Ron Hawkins said.
“Yesterday, it was brought to the administration’s attention that there was a female high school teacher who possibly was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a student,” Hawkins said. “We contacted the Fairfield Police Department, and based on their initial investigation, they contacted the Vallejo Police Department and they arrested her at Rodriguez sometime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.”
Hawkins said this is the first such situation he’s aware of in the district since he started there in 2006.
“We want to assure the community that we take student safety very seriously,” he said. “We’re continuing to cooperate with the Fairfield and Vallejo police departments and will vigorously investigate all allegations of inappropriate relationships between students and staff.”
Source:MercuryNews.com
Cal. mall security nab car thieves nabbed usinig plate scanner www.privateofficer.com
SACRAMENTO, CA Nov 12 2010 - Police arrested a man suspected of stealing a car and driving it into Arden Fair mall’s parking lot Tuesday thanks largely to license plate scanners mounted on security vehicles, and new high definition cameras in and outside the mall.
Sacramento police spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said 19-year-old Kintachi Ramey allegedly stole the grey Pontiac from his job in Folsom. Once spotted at the mall, he was arrested and charged with possesion of a stolen vehicle, said Leong.
The vechile was identified after a security vehicle drove by and recorded the license plate number. Since the car had been reported stolen, the license plate number triggered an alert that prompted mall security and police sift through security video and identify the driver.
Some of the new HD surveillance cameras, priced at $16,000 each, helped spot Ramey as he walked into the mall, and into one of the movie theaters.
“As far as prosecution of crimes, and as far as us being able to download it to a disk for evidentiary nature for law enforcement, we can download it to a disk,” said Arden Fair Mall security chief Steve Reed. “The clarity is impeccable.”
Reed said they’re in the process of replacing many of the existing standard definition cameras with the new HD versions, ultimately having the entire property surveyed in HD video.
NC teacher charged with student rape www.privateofficer.com
WILLIAMSTON, N.C.Nov 12 2010 – A middle school teacher charged with statutory rape and sex offense with a student is out on bond tonight.
Sara Leann Dwiggins’ bond was reduced from $200,000 to $50,000 under the condition that she stay with her mother, Cynthia Dwiggins, at their home in Salisbury.
Dwiggins must also contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office once a week and is under curfew.
She’s middle school math teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, all of which leaves a school system looking for answers.
“She’s been suspended with pay pending an investigation of the incident,” said Ron Melchiorre, Martin County School Superintendent.
Sara Leann Dwiggins was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of statutory rape and another two counts of sex offense with a student.
Law enforcement officials say Dwiggins’ charges revolve around two time frames at the Bear Grass school, one in late May of this year and another in June.
“It’s a difficult situation and I think it’s one of disbelief and shock, to be honest with you,” said Melchiorre.
Melchiorre says Dwiggins also taught at Southcreek Middle School, shortly after Bear Grass School closed down. He says Dwiggins taught 7th and 8th graders and the school is standing by to offer assistance if needed.
“Our councilors are on standby, ready to work with our students and teachers because we’re concerned not only about the staff but the student and teacher that’s involved,” said Melchiorre.
A concern that Melchiorre hopes won’t interfere with the student’s education.
While out on bail, Dwiggins also cannot approach any Martin County students, school board members or be on school property until the investigation is complete.
Source:CBS9
NM Corrections officer killed by police after bank robbery www.privateofficer.com
Albuquerque NM Nov 12 2010 We have learned that the man who robbed a bank and then committed suicide yesterday was a state corrections officer.
Police have identified him as 25-year-old Eric Soto who killed himself after a police chase in northeast Albuquerque yesterday.
Right now, police and co-workers sat that it is a mystery why officer Soto decided to rob a bank yeterday.
Police say that a chaotic police chase occurred when officers tried to pull over a truck and ended up shooting its tires out near Comanche and Louisiana streets
The corrections officer who worked at the state’s largest prison and the priuson warden said that he had no problems there and was a fine officer.
Police responded to a bnak robbery and say that say they tried to stop a fleeing vehicle driven by Soto but that he refused to pull over.
During the chase, Soto killed himself police said.
Warden Anthony Romero says the news is supprising. “just utter shock and disbelief. I’m saddened by this turn of events.
Police have not released any other details in this incident.
Police arrest shoplifter after he pulls gun on security www.privateofficer.com
American Fork Utah Nov 12 2010 Police arrested a Lehi man Thursday after he threatened security officers with a gun at Kohl’s in American Fork.
Tyson Blaine Gurr, 25, was booked into the Utah County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery, possession of a weapon by a restricted person, three counts of possession of a controlled substance, obstruction of justice/evidence tampering, retaliation against a witness, possession of another’s identification, unlawful possession of a transaction card, failure to stop at the command of police, possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI, resisting arrest and criminal mischief.
American Fork police Sgt. Gregg Ludlow said Gurr was in Kohl’s for more than two hours, allegedly shoplifting. He was confronted by Kohl’s security in the parking lot, and he pulled out a gun and told the security officers to get back, Ludlow said.
Gurr then got into a vehicle, got out and ran away, Ludlow said. Police were already on their way, and the security officers watched where Gurr had gone so officers were able to find and stop him. During the pursuit, he tried to throw the gun, which turned out to be an air soft gun, and later threatened one of the officers, Ludlow said. Gurr also had three kinds of prescription medication without a prescription, Ludlow said.
Veteran Cincinnati officer bilks Kroger www.privateofficer.com
Cincinnati OH Nov 12 2010 A veteran Cincinnati police officer, who also worked security for a Kroger store, was caught bilking close to $3,000 from the store by charging for hours he never worked.
On 54 occasions, Spec. Darryl Chatman would clock in at the Winton Hills Kroger store and then leave, bilking the store of between one to six hours in pay each time for work he never did. On several occasions, he clocked in while he was still on the clock at the police department.
The police department’s Internal Affairs division said Chatman violated the departments code of ethics, considered to be one of the top violations that could result in firing on a first offense.
Chatman, 53, has worked at the department since 1988. Because of his age, he is eligible to retire. As of Thursday, he was still being paid by the department.
Chatman worked at Kroger for six years. His shift there started after his morning shift at the police department ended.
Kroger and other companies use Cincinnati police officers for special duties such as security and traffic control. The officers can make arrests and deter crime.
Companies contract with the department and pay $31 an hour directly to the officer.
Allegations that Chatman scammed the store came to light in late March when he was spotted clocking in just before 2 p.m. – even though another officer was already working the special off-duty detail, according to police records. He then left for 6½ hours while on the clock. He was supposed to report for the special duty at 4:50 p.m., instead, he didn’t arrive to work until 8:30 p.m.
When confronted two months later by Kroger, Chatman dismissed the theft of $2,867.50 as an accident, saying he was likely checking the amount of hours he amassed in a pay period and didn’t realize he was officially clocking in.
When confronted over the summer by police officers – after Kroger reported the matter to police – Chatman admitted he stole from the grocer.
Chatman will not be criminally prosecuted because Kroger didn’t wish to go forward with charges of theft against him, Lieutenant Col. Richard Janke said.
The internal affairs report states the grocery giant considered Chatman an employee and the company does not pursue cases against employees who bilk them by stealing time on the clock.
The police department allows special off-duty details provided it does not interfere with regular work and that the officer gives himself or herself at least a 15-minute window of time before clocking out at the city job and clocking in at the special detail. That window is meant to ensure that an officer is not leaving early from the city-paid job and/or driving too quickly to get to the secondary job.
Chatman violated that policy 35 times when he clocked in before the 15-minute time frame, on some occasions as many as nine minutes before his police department shift ended, the investigation states.
Chatman made close to $71,000 two years ago as a city police officer, and about $10,000 of that was overtime and other special compensatory time from the city.
That figure does not include what he was paid for off-duty special details at Kroger or other jobs where he may have worked.
Chatman lost his special off-duty details at the Kroger store in May.
Two months later, he told police investigators he clocked in early as a way to cope with emotional and financial issues and that he thought Kroger wouldn’t question the number of hours he was putting in.
Chatman has been dealing with financial troubles, including a tax lien on his home, for about a decade, according to court records.
Source:Cincinnati Enquirer
