Archive
Man arrested at Wal-Mart for low hanging pants www.privateofficer.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Nov 27 2010 — Black Friday shoppers at a Memphis Walmart were so upset by a man’s low-hanging pants and his revealing red underwear that an off-duty officer arrested him for indecent exposure.
Records obtained by The Commercial Appeal newspaper showed Mario Bernard Johnson, 22, was asked by the officer who was working security at the store to pull up his pants after several women shoppers complained.
When the officer saw the man with the low pants again in line, tensions rose with profanity, loud talk and finger-pointing.
He faces an additional charge of disorderly conduct.
Johnson was arrested at about 5:30 a.m. and was held in the Shelby County jail on a $500 bond.
The Associated Press
Security officer injured during bar fight www.privateofficer.com
RACINE WI Nov 27 2010
A security guard required staples after being hit over the head during a fight at Park 6, 500 Sixth St.
According to police reports, security was moving the crowd out of the bar about 1:40 a.m. Friday, Nov. 26, prior to closing. Several active fights broke out, reports said, and during one of them, a security guard was hit over the head with an unknown object. Another guard brought the injured man over to the bar area and called police.
When officers spoke with the man, he was unstable from blood loss and the head wound. He was taken to Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-All Saints hospital, 3801 Spring St., where he required staples to close the 5-inch long cut on his head.
Police sent several squads to the area to help maintain order. One person was arrested, though it was unrelated to the assault or any of the fights. Officers on the scene stopped one person, who was then arrested for possession of marijuana.
Police are looking into whether the incident was captured on the bar’s security cameras.
Principal, teachers charged with abusing students www.privateofficer.com
LAS VEGAS NV Nov 25 2010 — The Nye County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a teacher, her aides and the school’s principal on four charges of child abuse.
Police said special education teacher Sarah Jane Hopkins, 52, at Floyd Elementary School in Pahrump had been physically punishing her mentally and physically disabled students for at least the past two years.
Police also said that Hopkins’ aides, Phyllis La Von DuShane, 73, and Kathryn Ann Cummings, 56, also participated in the physical punishment of the children.
An unnamed individual had alerted officers to the abuse, saying the teacher and her aides were using unreasonable physical punishment on the children, which spurred an investigation, police said.
During the investigation, police learned that Floyd Elementary Principal Holly Ann Lepisto, 53, was told of the allegations of Hopkins’ abuse during the last school year but did a poor investigation and then didn’t follow up, police said.
The investigation also revealed that Lepisto may have given the impression that the abuse was tolerated and failed to notify authorities.
Four children were identified in the abuse charges and have disabilities that include visual impairment, cerebral palsy, speech challenges and hearing impairment.
The Pahrump Disability Outreach Program released a letter admonishing the “betrayal of trust,” adding that the charges are “a devastation felt not only by you and your families but by all of us as a community.”
Police make arrests in nightclub security officer murder www.privateofficer.com
Police on Tuesday charged Gill with homicide and aggravated assault. He is accused of shooting Long, 33, early Sunday at Shooter Alley.
Long, one of two men who were shot, died after he was taken to a hospital, Parish said. The other man, who police have not named, was released from the hospital Monday morning.
“Apparently three guys started misbehaving and Chris and two other bouncers tossed them out,” Long’s friend, Frank Aldridge, told the AJC.
While Aldridge said the three men later might have returned to the club and specifically targeted Long, Parish said Monday that “indications from our detectives are the suspect randomly fired inside the club.”
Long was a wrestler with Lucha Libre USA, a Mexico-based company that produces live events and television shows on MTV2. He went by the nickname “Solid” and was the comedic sidekick to Marco Corleone, Aldridge said.
Aldridge, who previously owned the Good Ol’ Days restaurants in Atlanta, met Long about 15 years ago and hired him as a manager. When the restaurants closed, Long helped launch the WWA4 Wrestling School, which Aldridge has owned since 1995.
“We were working on a lot of wrestling shows, including a very creative Christian wrestling operation,” Aldridge said.
Source:AJC.com
LA teacher charged with student sex assault www.privateofficer.com
Los Angeles CA Nov 25 2010 A 51-year-old Southern California high school teacher has been arrested for investigation of having sex with an underage female student.
Los Angeles police detectives say Mark Stephen Hubbard, who has taught for eight years at Hillcrest Christian School in suburban Granada Hills, was arrested Sunday. He was booked for investigation of multiple sex crimes and released on $100,000 bail.
During a Tuesday news conference, investigators said they are looking for any additional victims.
Detectives say Hubbard, who is a health teacher, athletic director and assistant boys basketball and baseball coach, had an ongoing sexual relationship with at least one female student.
Hillcrest Christian spokesman Rick Donnelly says Hubbard was placed on leave until police and the school finish investigating.
Source:www.sfgate.com
Off- duty Texas officer dies in crash www.privateofficer.com
EUFAULA, Okla. Nov 25 2010 — Authorities say an off-duty law-enforcement officer from Texas has died in an accident on U.S. Highway 69.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says 50-year-old Patrick Sirois of Killeen, Texas, died in the accident about 7:50 p.m. Tuesday about one mile north of Eufaula in McIntosh County.
Troopers say a car driven by 17-year-old Beonce Hobson of Checotah was southbound at an unsafe speed when it hit a disabled pickup truck that was partially in the roadway. They say the impact moved the pickup, pinning Sirois between it and a guardrail. Troopers say Sirois was wearing a reflective traffic vest and had his badge and firearm visible at the time of the accident.
Sirois, a Nolanville, Texas, reserve police officer, was pronounced dead at a Eufaula hospital. There were no other injuries
Parker County teacher faces sex crime charges www.privateofficer.com
Parker County TX Nov 25 2010 The two teens approached the Perrin High School math teacher after hearing a rumor that she’d left another school district because she’d been “messing around” with students.
The boys, ages 16 and 18, told investigators that they repeatedly asked Kimme Annette Woolf if she wanted to fool around.
Initially, the teacher sent them on to their next class.
But eventually, according to an arrest warrant affidavit, she agreed.
On Friday, Woolf surrendered to the Parker County Sheriff’s Department on two warrants alleging improper relationship between a teacher and student and one warrant alleging sexual assault of a child under 17, all second-degree felonies.
“She’s 29 and she’s the teacher, and she needed to be the adult and decline the advances,” said prosecutor Jay Lapham of the Jack County district attorney’s office. “She needed to be the adult and say no.”
Woolf, who is married, was booked into jail and immediately released upon posting $30,000 bail, jail officials said. She could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Her attorney, Bob Glasgow, was in court Tuesday and did not return a call to his office.
According to the affidavit, suspicions about Woolf arose around Oct. 20 after the 18-year-old’s father noticed a strange vehicle parked outside the 16-year-old’s residence in Perrin, a small town about 15 miles south of Jacksboro.
Hours later, the father spotted the vehicle leaving — being driven by a woman he recognized as a Perrin High School teacher.
The father alerted the 16-year-old’s mother, who told him that she had found text messages on her son’s phone indicating that he and Woolf had been having sex, according to the affidavit. The mother told investigators that she questioned her son about the messages but that he had brushed her off.
The affidavit states that when the mother questioned the 16-year-old about having a visitor on a day he was supposed to be home sick, the teen acknowledged that Woolf had brought him lunch, that they had had sex and that they had previously been involved sexually.
When the 18-year-old’s father asked his son about Woolf, he acknowledged that Woolf had performed oral sex on him on two occasions, the affidavit states.
The affidavit states that, rather than reporting the matter to the school, the parents typed a letter asking Woolf to resign “because they didn’t want it to become public for fear of humiliating the boys or them being in danger from the husband.”
Woolf, according to the affidavit, begged the 18-year-old’s father not to turn her in and said she had resigned.
Upon learning days later that Woolf was still working at the school, the teens’ parents reported the relationships to the principal, the affidavit states.
Investigators interviewed Woolf’s husband, who said he had suspected that his wife was having an affair.
The husband told investigators that he had received a call from his wife, telling him that she had a letter that he needed to read. The affidavit states that when her husband jokingly asked Woolf whether she was having sex with a student, she admitted that she had been having sex — with students — the affidavit states.
John Kuhn, superintendent of the Perrin-Whitt school district, said Woolf worked at the school from 2006 until she resigned Oct. 26.
“We immediately followed our policies and we have policies in place to ensure that allegations against staff are taken seriously and investigated fairly,” Kuhn said. “We also have policies in place that require us to report these type of allegations to Child Protective Services and the State Board for Educator Certification. We followed our policies to the letter.”
Lapham said investigators are still trying to determine the validity of the rumor about Woolf “messing around” with students while a teacher for the Mineral Wells school district.
“At this point, I know that she resigned from Mineral Wells, but I don’t know all the particulars in regards to her departure,” Lapham said.
The Mineral Wells school district office was closed Tuesday for the Thanksgiving holiday. But Assistant Superintendent Linda Porter-Bradford has told the Mineral Wells Index, “When she was employed we had no documented information that would have kept her from being re-employed.”
Source:www.star-telegram.com
Security officer shot during robbery www.privateofficer.com
They fired as the victim ran, striking him in the upper chest. He made it inside his apartment, where he told his girlfriend what had happened before he collapsed and she called 911, police said.
The gunmen ran down Howley Street, where a man who had heard the shots spotted them from his window and called out to them. Police said they fired a shot at him before continuing to flee.
Police put out descriptions of the gunmen over the radio, and they were spotted within about 45 minutes by an off-duty officer who was working a detail at 40th and Butler Streets. They were arrested and held in the Allegheny County Jail.
The victim was intubated and has not been able to talk to police, Lt. Daniel Herrmann said.
“We’ll know once we talk to him exactly what happened,” he said.
The victim’s name was not released
Source:www.post-gazette.com
Guards hurt in armored truck crash www.privateofficer.com
MONMOUTH, Ore.Nov 25 2010 – A man in an armored car suffered critical injuries when the rig hit a tree along Highway 99 and overturned.
The 24-year-old passenger was in the back of the Loomis armored vehicle. He was taken by air ambulance to Corvallis Good Samaritan Regional Hospital, where he was in critical condition, state police said.
The 22-year-old driver was not injured. Both men were wearing saftey restraints.
Police did not release the identities of either man.
The crash happened shortly before 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning on Hwy 99W south of Monmouth.
State police and Polk County sheriff’s deputies secured the scene until Loomis officials arrived to coordinate removal and property and the vehicle
Source:KVAL
School janitor faces sex crimes with student www.privateofficer.com
Lebanon, Ind. Nov 25 2010
A school janitor is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. Around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, police arrested 40-year-old Bryan Delaney, a custodian at Lebanon High School.
A school resource officer received information about Delaney.
According to Lt. Det. Dave Scott, the lead investigator on the case, the alleged sexual attack took place at Delaney’s home.
He has been preliminarily charged with sexual misconduct with a minor.
Off duty Chicago officer shot to death www.privateofficer.com
Chicago IL Nov 25 2010 A police this evening identified an off-duty Chicago police officer found dead in his black SUV after being shot several times as a decorated 15-year veteran of the department.
The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. Monday. About 24 hours later, police identified him as David A. Blake, 45, of the Southwest Side, a 15-year veteran of the department who had been assigned to the Chicago Police Department’s SWAT unit for the last five years.
An autopsy by the Cook County medical examiner’s office today found Blake had died from several gunshot wounds in a homicide.
Blake’s gun and wallet were found inside the SUV in the 2900 block of West Seipp Street, just north of 85th Street, leading investigators to believe robbery was not a motive, a source said. The SUV’s windows were closed and the shots were apparently fired from inside the car, another source said. Blake also was found with a cigarette in his mouth, a source said.
It was not known what Blake was doing in the neighborhood, which is made up of single-family homes. He did not live nearby.
Lorenzo Davis, a retired commander of the Chicago Police Public Housing Unit, lives just south of the address in the Wrightwood neighborhood. He said many active and retired police officers live there.
Police Superintendent Jody Weis said during a press conference early this morning that Blake was a 15-year department veteran assigned to a SWAT unit. He had originally been hired in August 1995, according to police and city records.
This evening, police said Blake had worked first in the Grand Crossing District on the South Side and later worked in the Central District, as well as in the Targeted Response and Public Housing units. He received 84 awards during his career, including 67 honorable mentions, one commendation, and numerous other achievements “highlighting courageous and distinguished service,” the department said in a news release.
In an unofficial capacity, Blake also played four seasons with the Chicago Police Enforcers football team, which raises money for charity by playing competitions against other teams from across the country, according to the release.
In his press conference early today, Weis decried the violence that led to Blake’s death.
“We’ve done this too many times this year, and it’s with a great deal of sadness that once again I stand before you announcing death of a Chicago police officer,” Weis said. “We’re very sad and this should not be happening.”
Colleagues described him as a hard-working and dedicated officer who often took upon himself the responsibility of taking the lead car in operations involving execution of search warrants.
Neighbors in the Southwest Side community where the officer and his family lived for some three decades said they were stunned by the news of his death.
“He’s one of our kids,” said Carole Lucien, who saw the officer grow from a good kid into a strong man. “All the kids are our kids around here.”
“We’re all hurt here,” she said.
Lucien said the officer was an only child and that his parents were both dead. He still lived in the tan brick, single-family home in which he grew up.
Weis asked anyone with information to call the Wentworth Area at (312) 747-8380, or 911.
Source:WGN
Stroger Hospital officer killed in beating www.privateofficer.com
Dwayne Parks, 45, of the 9500 block of South Euclid Avenue, was pronounced dead at 5:09 p.m. Tuesday at Advocate Trinity Hospital, according to a spokeswoman for the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Parks had worked as an officer at the hospital for 16 years, according to public records.
Parks was found unresponsive Tuesday in a gangway on the 9400 block of South Langley Avenue, said Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.
Preliminary reports said he was involved in a physical altercation prior to his collapse, Greer said.
The medical examiner’s office spokeswoman said Parks was an apparent battery victim, but his cause of death was pending autopsy reports.
Greer said the incident is being classified as a death investigation.
Security guard charged with murder in shoplifting incident www.privateofficer.com
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga.(Atlanta .)Nov 24 2010 — DeKalb deputies arrested a 30-year-old on Tuesday for the murder of Kenneth Barnes.
Erik Lecal Burris was arrested at the Rainbow Clothing Store near the Atlanta Five Points Marta Station. He was employed as an unarmed security guard and was on duty at the time of arrest.
According to the warrant, Burris fatally shot Barnes during an armed robbery attempt at 4410 Tree Mountain Parkway at Hampton Village Apartments in Stone Mountain.
Burris was taken to the DeKalb County Jail without further incident.
Boston security officer recognized for aiding police www.privateofficer.com
Boston MA Nov 24 2010 Boston Police recognized a civilian that assisted officers with a recent vandalism incident in the Financial District. Mr. Brian Schnabel working as a security guard at 82 Devonshire Street observed a vandalism in progress in the Financial District. Mr. Schnabel called 911 to report the incident and continued to assist the 911 dispatcher with location updates and further information.
Mr. Schnabel also followed the suspects and observed locations of the vandalism and the suspects descriptions. Once the suspects were apprehended, Mr. Schnabel continued to assist officers with a positive identification and returned the officers to the scene of the vandalism. Without the assistance of Mr. Schnabel, this incident may have gone unsolved or would have been more difficult to solve. Mr. Schnabel exemplifies the citizen assistance that is invaluable to solving crimes quickly and bringing the perpetrators to justice. The Boston Police wishes to recognize Mr. Schnabel for his assistance in helping to solve the incomprehensible crime of a 13 and 15 year old who were caught vandalizing 11 vehicles on District A-1.
CT State Police charge men with casino scam www.privateofficer.com
Mashantucket CT Nov 24 2010 – State police arrested two men who they said traveled here from South Korea and became involved in cheating at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The cheat involved a mechanical device in the game of Baccarat, according to police, who said the arrests were the result of a three-month investigation.
Police charged Young Su Guy, 60, of South Korea with 16 counts of cheating, 16 counts of possession of a cheating device, seven counts of first-degree larceny and three counts of third-degree larceny.
Wookyung Kim, 34, of South Korea, was charged with eight counts of conspiracy to commit cheating; first-degree larceny; two counts of second-degree larceny; three counts of third-degree larceny; and fifth-degree larceny.
The investigation included help from the Foxwoods Office of the Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security, New Jersey State Police Casino Unit and Foxwoods surveillance.
Baltimore area malls deploy K-9 teams www.privateofficer.com
Baltimore MD Nov 24 2010 A K-9 security team will be dispatched to patrol five Baltimore-area malls to beef up security at the properties, mall owner General Growth Properties announced Tuesday as the holiday shopping season gets under way.
The team of two German shepherds will monitor activity at Harborplace & The Gallery, Towson Town Center, White Marsh Mall, The Mall in Columbia and Mondawmin Mall.
While General Growth officials said no single crime or incident prompted the use of the K-9 unit, the new security plan comes after several high-profile crimes at Mondawmin this summer, including a robbery in which a gunman escaped with $100,000 worth of watches and jewelry from Elite Gold & Diamond.
Several area malls have enhanced security features in recent years by improving lighting and adding security cameras after crimes. A teacher was fatally shot in the parking lot of Towson Town Center in 2005, and Arundel Mills in Hanover has boosted security after several robberies.
Source:Baltimore Sun
Atlanta TSA agent kidnaps-rapes woman www.privateofficer.com
Atlanta GA Nov 24 2010 A TSA employee based at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport tried to kill himself after allegedly abducting a woman, sexually assaulting her then giving her a suicide note to deliver.
MARTA police are among the law enforcement agencies investigating the claim that Randall Scott King, 49, kidnapped the woman from the Lakewood station Wednesday night. King accompanied her there from the airport where she left with him voluntarily, Hartsfield-Jackson spokeswoman Katena Carvajales told the AJC.
But King allegedly restrained the woman in the MARTA parking lot and took her to his house in Hogansville, about 50 miles south of Atlanta, where the sexual assault occurred, police there say.
“The victim stated that she was released by Mr. King who provided her with a suicide note and instructions on where to deliver it,” Hogansville Police Department Sgt. Jeff Sheppard said in a press release.
A relative brought the woman, who was still bound in leopard print, novelty handcuffs, to the Union City Police Department, Det. Gloria Hodgson said.
Union City authorities notified the Hogansville Police Department, who dispatched officers to King’s home. They found him with “several wounds about his body,” Sheppard said. King was airlifted to Columbus Regional Medical Center where he remains in critical condition. Criminal warrants have been obtained by Hogansville police.
King, a behavior detection officer, has been with the Transportation Security Administration for nearly five years, spokesman Jon Allen told the AJC.
“We are cooperating fully with law enforcement during this ongoing investigation,” Allen said.
Ohio court security officer attacked by defendant www.privateofficer.com
Avon Lake OH Nov 24 2010 During a pretrial hearing and bond review on several Fairview Park charges last week, a Cleveland man assaulted and injured a Rocky River Municipal Court security guard.
The defendant, 51-year-old Bryan Hurt of Cleveland, became very angry when he learned Judge Donna Congeni Fitzsimmons intended to revoke his bond, Rocky River Prosecutor Michael O’Shea said.
“He became frighteningly belligerent,” O’Shea said. “As per our current protocol, we called a security guard to come to the room. The defendant physically assaulted him, bit down on him, injured his shoulder and broke his nose. The defendant’s attorney jumped into the fray and prevented this guy from grabbing the gun of the guard. It would have been a very scary and different outcome if he would not have been there.”
Rocky River police were called to the scene, arriving in less than a minute, O’Shea said. They got Hurt on the ground, tased him and arrested him.
Hurt is charged with felonious assault, resisting arrest, attempted escape and aggravated robbery for attempting to take the guard’s gun.
Hurt was in court for charges out of Fairview Park, including operating a vehicle while intoxicated, operating a vehicle while intoxicated after a prior conviction, willful/wanton disregard, using weapons while intoxicated, aggravated menacing and resisting arrest.
Hurt was under suspension with no driving privileges, according to court documents. During the traffic stop for his new operating a vehicle while intoxicated charge, which took place in July, Hurt had a firearm that he pointed at the driver and passenger of another vehicle, according to court documents. Hurt also has prior arrests for domestic violence and menacing by stalking.
Dixie State University security rescues suicide victim www.privateofficer.com
St George Utah Nov 24 2010 Dixie State College security officers responded quickly to an emergency situation at Shiloh Hall when a DSC student attempted suicide.
Don Reid, director of campus security, said Jeffrey Pectol, a freshman English major from American Fork, inflicted injuries on both of his arms with a knife.
Reid said two students reported the incident, and his office received a call from the housing office before the 911 call was made. He said Security Officer Jon Alexander was near the area and was able to respond quickly.
“The response time for the officer was probably less than a minute,” Reid said. “All of our officers are trained EMTs, so we had him bandaged up before the ambulance arrived.”
Campus Housing Director Seth Gubler and two other campus security officers in addition to Reid responded to the emergency.
Reid said they received the call at 12:04 p.m., Alexander arrived at 12:05 p.m., and the ambulance was on scene by 12:12 p.m.
The officers had already taken Pectol’s vital signs and assessed his condition, so the ambulance was able to transport him to Dixie Regional Medical immediately.
“What we did is emergency medical: treat for shock, control the bleeding, get transported immediately, so they can start advanced life support,” Reid said.
Reid said it would be difficult for anyone other than a trained pathologist to determine at what time Pectol injured himself. He said Pectol’s cries for help likely saved his life.
“With some presence of mind, realizing that he was in a dire situation, he had just enough energy to call out for help,” Reid said. “It was pretty serious. It was good that we got to him when we did.”
Reid said Pectol’s parents have been notified, and they are on their way to see their son.
Pectol will receive counseling before returning to DSC. Both of the students who reported the emergency are already receiving counseling.
Dixie News
Maine Corrections Officer Dead During Training www.privateofficer.com
Maine Department of Corrections
Maine
End of Watch: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Biographical Info
Age: 58
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Senior Corrections Officer John Paskewicz suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in a training exercise on defending against attacks with edged weapons.
He had just completed one of the scenarios and was speaking to his son, who also serves as a corrections officer, and other officers when he suddenly collapsed. The officers immediately began CPR until paramedics arrived but were unable to revive him.
Officer Paskewicz was a U.S. Army and Navy veteran of the Vietnam War. He had served with the Maine Department of Corrections for 20 years and was assigned to the Maine Correctional Center.
Agency Contact Information
Maine Department of Corrections
25 Tyson Drive 3rd Floor
State House Station 111
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: (207) 287-2711
Please contact the Maine Department of Corrections for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.
OFFICER DOWN DEPUTY SHERIFF SAM BROWNLEE
Weld County Sheriff’s Office
Colorado
End of Watch: Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Biographical Info
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and hospitalized
Deputy Sam Brownlee was shot and killed while attempting to capture a suspect following a high-speed chase.
A deputy from neighboring Morgan County and a Wiggins police officer attempted to stop the suspect after identifying the suspect’s vehicle in relation to an earlier domestic violence case. The suspect refused to yield and led officers from multiple agencies on a high-speed case across Morgan and Weld counties.
The pursuit at times exceeded 100 miles per hour before stop sticks were deployed, successfully disabling the vehicle in a residential area of Evans. Deputy Brownlee pursued the suspect on foot before both were shot in an exchange of gunfire.
Deputy Brownlee had served with the Weld County Sheriff’s Office for five years. He is survived by his wife.
Agency Contact Information
Weld County Sheriff’s Office
915 10th Street
Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970) 356-4015
Please contact the Weld County Sheriff’s Office for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.
Jersey City man assaults school security www.privateofficer.com
Phillip T. Flood II, 32, of Wayne Street, was charged with aggravated assault and making terroristic threats after the 8:17 a.m. incident at School 29′s Clerk Street annex, reports said. He has previously been charged with drug dealing and theft of unemployment insurance, officials said.
Yesterday, the 48-year-old Jersey City Board of Education security guard told police a man parked a 2003 Mercedes in the school no parking zone and he told the driver he could not park there because it is a posted no parking zone during school hours, reports said.
The guard said the driver began arguing with him, refusing to move the vehicle and at one point threw a crumpled piece of paper that struck his face, reports said.
He said the driver then said, “You don’t know me and my boys. I carry guns. I run this side of the street. You and the ‘po po’ can’t touch me,” reports said.
The driver then reached around his waist band as if to gesture that he was armed, reports said.
The Mercedes pulled away, but the guard got the plate number and responding officers found the car is owned by Willie Flood, reports said. The guard was still at the South District Police Station filing a report when Flood II walked in and he identified him as the driver of the Mercedes.
In 2007, Flood II was charged with selling marijuana out of his mother’s Mercedes at Wayne and Barrow streets, and he was charged with offenses including dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of a school and within 500 feet of a park, reports said. The matter was later downgraded to municipal court.
In 2006, the state charged Phillip Flood with unlawfully collecting $13,000 in unemployment insurance and he paid back the money and entered a pretrial intervention program, officials said.
In early 2008, Willie Flood was inducted into Channel 5′s “Hall of Shame” after veteran reporter Arnold Diaz aired an exposé on her hiring Flood II as her council aide and as a data processing systems programmer in the Register’s Office. He gave up the $15,000 city job but kept the $40,000 county job, officials said.
Flood II could not be reached for comment. Reached at her home last night, Willie Flood said: “He is the most wonderful son I have ever met in my life – ever.”
Former Detroit school guards sue for back pay and their job www.privateofficer.com
The suit filed in U.S. District Court by 178 of the 226 laid-off security guards claims DPS violated federal due process laws when it terminated them June 30 to make way for a private security firm, Securitas.
The guards also claim DPS tarnished their reputations by accusing them publicly of chronic absenteeism when DPS never attempted disciplinary action for attendance issues against any officers, the suit says.
DPS cannot outsource a department when it has an existing contract with the union workers, said Ernest Jarrett, the Detroit attorney for the guards.
“It’s absurd that my clients are out of work when they have a contract that says they should be working,” Jarrett said.
DPS spokesman Steven Wasko wouldn’t comment on specifics of the suit but said: “The fact remains that the decision to move to managed competition for this vital and primary service resulted in annual savings of more than $3 million and, more importantly, a highly responsive and trained work force whose attendance is guaranteed by the new performance-based contract.”
The federal case is the latest in the guards’ attempt to reclaim their jobs, following cases in circuit court, appeals court and before the Michigan Employee Relations Commission. Complicating the matter is the guards’ claims that their union, Teamsters Local 214, failed to fairly represent them by enforcing the contract.
Local 214 President Joe Valenti said his union continues to work hard on behalf of the guards in settling grievances and with litigation, even though he can’t have contact with the guards, based on their attorney’s request, he said.
Conflict arose when a group of guards petitioned to have another union, the Michigan Association of Police, represent them, therefore blocking the Teamsters from negotiating a deal with the district that could have prevented the outsourcing, Valenti said.
Source:detnews.com
Shoplifters get life in prison for death of security agent www.privateofficer.com
Forty-year-old James Woodworth and 20-year-old Samantha Lomasney apologized Tuesday during sentencing in an Oakland County court. They were convicted last month of first-degree felony murder in the January death of 36-year-old Greg Wainio.
Wainio was dragged and crushed as he tried to stop the couple from driving away from a Waterford Township Kmart store with $400 in CDs.
Defense attorneys had sought a lesser charge, saying the couple panicked and meant no harm. Prosecutors say their actions ended in first-degree murder.
The victim’s brother John Wainio told Woodworth and Lomasney at Tuesday’s hearing that he wants to see them die in jail.
Charlotte airport director wants TSA out www.privateofficer.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C.Dec 23 2010 – Some airline passengers are protesting the TSA’s new security measures which require passengers to go through a body scanner or be patted down by a TSA employee.
Passengers say they will boycott the body scanner on Wednesday. That means they would have to undergo a pat down which could take up to four minutes per person and snarl lines through security.
Passengers told WBTV they had mixed reactions.
“I don’t care for it, but if it’s going to help go with it,” said Germaine Antaya, a passenger.
” [It's] too much infringement on our privacy,” said Sandra Komito.
Jerry Orr, the director of Charlotte Douglas International, said he’s not happy with TSA being in charge of the airport’s security.
“I think they spend way too much money and I think it could be done a lot quicker, a lot better at a lot less expense,” he said.
Orr told WBTV he has always believed the airport’s police officers could do the job TSA agents do. He says he has been carefully following the backlash of the body scanners and thorough pat downs over the past several days. To him, the complaints — especially flight attendant Cathy Bossi’s harrowing experience over being asked to removed her prosthetic breast –are nothing new.
“With the amount we’ve spent with the technology that’s available that’s seems a lit overboard doesn’t it,” said Orr.
Judy Ponder, whose grandchildren arrived from Texas Friday night, agrees. Both are under the age of 12 and Judy shudders to think of them getting patted down.
“Not for children,” said Ponder. “Um, adults maybe — not for children.”
But when asked if Ponder thinks TSA doesn’t belong here, she wasn’t willing to go that far.
“TSA was created for a reason,” she said. “I think I have to go with that. You put up with it. So I think that’s your choice. Like, it don’t like and I don’t like it. But if I have to fly I have to put up with it.”
TSA has been under fire recently over its security procedures. The agency maintains it won’t change protocol even though many have complained the pat downs are invasion of privacy and allegations TSA agents have taken the pat-downs too far.
Source:WBTV
Louisville police recruit steals evidence from police www.privateofficer.com
Louisville KY Nov 23 2010 A Kentucky man, training to become a Louisville Metro police officer, is now accused of stealing evidence.
Police arrested Troy Hilpp, charging him on several counts, including evidence tampering and theft.
Hilpp was in court for a pre-trial hearing today.
Officials accuse him of stealing a Playstation 3 from the evidence room, as well as two of the department’s cameras.
He’s also accused of illegally filling prescriptions for hydrocodone and oxycodone.
He was released today on his own recognizance.
Source:WBKO
Retail Security Prepares For Big Shopping Season www.privateofficer.com
WASHINGTON Nov 23 2010 —As retailers prepare for the start of the biggest shopping season of the year, loss prevention professionals were reminded to “put your game face on,” said Joe LaRocca, senior asset protection advisor for the National Retail Federation, during a media conference call on Nov. 11. “Stores are going to be busy this year, especially with the increase in sales, and with the number of customers you can expect stores to be full,” he said.
While overall shrinkage figures are down from previous years, from about $36 billion to $33 billion, retailers can expect to see increases in theft, particularly external theft, during the holiday season. “Increased holiday sales means more shoplifters,” said LaRocca. And, it’s not just amateur or opportunistic shoplifters that retailers need to be concerned about. Holiday sales means an increase in organized retail crime as well. LaRocca said that based on its annual ORC survey, 89.5 percent of retailers report being victimized by ORC, but more disturbing is that fact that nearly 59 percent of retailers reported that the problem is getting worse, not better.
Retailers need to have their game face on prior to Black Friday, however. LaRocca said that retailers should be especially conscious of increases in external theft and ORC cases leading up to the primary shopping season. He noted that ORC organizations began preparing for the holiday season months ago. “August, September and October are a heavy period for boosters because they’re in the business of stealing and reselling and they’re stocking up for the holidays just like legitimate retailers would,” he said. This activity will continue right up to the holidays.
In addition to theft, the holiday season means an increase in returns fraud. A survey released last week by NRF found that based on the 111 retailers surveyed, return fraud is expected to amount to $3.68 billion this holiday season, up from $2.74 billion last year. Return fraud will cost retailers an estimated $13.95 billion during the 2010 calendar year, up from $9.59 billion in 2009. LaRocca said retailers need to ensure that they have strong return policies in place to combat fraudulent returns. “It’s hard to find that balance between honest customers versus someone who’s abusing the policy either ethically or criminally and stealing from stores,” he said.
Also, controlling massive amounts of people during the holiday season is a priority for loss prevention professionals. The NRF released its second annual crowd control guidelines on Nov. 5, reminding retailers about ways to manage large crowds. “Dealing with a large number of shoppers is no surprise and no different during the holidays. Retailers are staffed and ready to go and we expect most will be well positioned to support the large crowds in their stores.” LaRocca said retailers’ strategy of opening earlier and staying open later will help relieve some of the crowd congestion.
Source:SDN
Housing Authority uses technology to enhance security www.privateofficer.com
The first priority for Brown was to ensure that tenants felt safe and secure in the housing complexes. One of the initial steps was to install a key fob system instead of traditional physical keys. “The key fob allows entrance and instead of a key, which can be duplicated or lost, the key fob can be taken out of the system right away,” Brown said. Also, the key fobs can be specifically programmed so that only certain tenants have access to designated stairwells and laundry facilities, for example,
For additional security measures, the housing authority installed video intercom systems from Aiphone. “The Aiphone is installed outside the entrance door and shows tenants the picture of the person downstairs. With an intercom, it could be anyone,” he said. The system is also programmed to notify the central command center if a door is propped open.
The largest part of the security enhancement is the addition of a wireless video surveillance system. The housing authority began installing the Honeywell camera system in 2006. Currently, it has about 380 in place, but Brown estimates by the time the project is fully rolled out there will be 500 cameras in place. The majority of the cameras are monitoring and recording activity outside of the buildings, but there are a few cameras inside some buildings. Nearly all the cameras are wireless, too. Brown said the cost per camera for wireless was 30 percent less than the cost for wired cameras and a fiber network.
The video system incorporates some smart analytic technology and will notify operators in the command center if more than six people are gathering in one area, for example. One of the housing authority’s challenges was combating illegal dumping, so the video cameras are trained to watch dumpsters and other areas around the buildings. The housing authority keeps video for approximately 45 days, which is more than sufficient, said Brown.
Brown said the housing authority is open to incorporating other advancements into its system. “We’re always interested in something if it fits into our game plan,” he said. For those new technologies, Brown says he relies on Honeywell to come up with different configurations to the system. For example, Honeywell has programmed the elevators with the key fob system for an additional layer of security. “The elevator is pulled from the ground floor, so tenants don’t have to worry because even if someone gets past the door and the guard, they can’t get into the elevator,” he said.
Brown said the housing authority spent nearly 18 months evaluating and testing different solutions. A pilot project with Honeywell that involved a small number of wireless cameras installed in a community center proved to Brown that the wireless technology was mature. “We tried it at one site and it worked. That meant the technology has been perfected,” Brown said. Following the initial pilot project, Brown said the other sites were surveyed prior to the massive installation.
During the evaluation process, Brown also said he reached out to local law enforcement to see if the cameras could be of use to them as well. “When we set out with the camera network, we discussed with the police if they had any areas of interest where we could put up an additional camera that would be of use to them,” he said. In the future, Brown said he expects police to be able to have full access to the cameras in their patrol cars. “We will be able to give them IP addresses so they can see the cameras on our sites and will actually be able to do virtual tours,” he said.
N Miami police officer under investigation for sex with minor www.privateofficer.com
Officer Willie Walden, 48, who patrolled North Miami High School, North Miami Middle School and several local elementary schools, was relieved of duty on Nov. 10.
A 23-year employee of North Miami, Walden joined the police force in 2002 and quickly became well known in the community for his involvement in PAL.
In January, North Miami named Walden officer of the month for his work with PAL. He was credited for securing the funds to house the program in it’s own facility.
The center is a partnership between PAL and a fitness-training company. It also offers yoga and personal training for a fee. PAL gets a percentage of the proceeds.
“He’s a very well respected individual both inside and outside of the department,” Cuevas said.
Walden declined to comment.
Walden and another officer helped oversee about 600 students annually through PAL and its after-school activities.
Working with kids is “primarily what they do everyday,” said police spokesman Neal Cuevas.
The program includes youth sports, entrepreneurial development and tutoring. In the past, both officers have traveled with students to compete in out-of-town competitions.
Walden has been relieved of duty with pay pending the outcome of the police investigation.
North Miami police did not release details of the allegation, but Cuevas said the student is a minor.
“The police department received the complaint, and we’re still waiting for the outcome of the investigation,” Cuevas said.
Source:www.miamiherald.com
Police search for bank robber dressed as guard www.privateofficer.com
ALAMEDA CA Nov 23 2010 — A man who disguised himself as a security guard when he robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Alameda also is suspected of carrying out at least two other bank robberies in San Francisco, police said today.
The man did not display a weapon during the robberies and no one was hurt.
The Alameda robbery occurred about 10:15 a.m. Friday at the Well Fargo branch at 2260 Otis Drive, where the suspect handed a note to a teller and demanded cash.
A second man waited outside the bank as a look-out and also served as a getaway driver, Alameda police Sgt. Pat Wyeth said.
After the robbery, the men climbed into a white 1987 four-door Chevrolet Impala with a California license plate and were last seen traveling westbound on Otis Drive, witnesses said.
The San Francisco robberies occurred Nov. 5 at the Wells Fargo branch at 557 Castro St. and Nov. 13 at the Chase bank at 1811 19th Ave.
During the robberies the suspect wore a dark blue baseball cap with the word “security” written at the front, as well as a tan dress shirt with shoulder patches. Witnesses described him as African-American, 45 to 50 years old, 6 feet tall and about 180 pounds.
Witnesses could not provide details about the accomplice who waited outside during the Alameda robbery, describing him as a man wearing a tan coat and a tan hat.
While investigators have linked the main suspect to three robberies, they suspect he may have carried out other bank robberies
Anyone with information about the suspects or the robberies is asked to call Alameda police at 510-337-8340.
Source:Mercury News
