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Eastern Michigan University police Chief commits suicide www.privateofficer.com
Ann Arbor MI Dec 24 2011 Eastern Michigan University police Chief Greg O’Dell died Friday at the age of 54 after an apparent suicide just west of Ann Arbor, police confirmed late this afternoon.
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derrick Jackson said Ann Arbor police received a call from a family member at O’Dell’s home Friday morning reporting a possible suicide note. Jackson said police later found O’Dell’s vehicle near Huron River Drive west of Wagner Road.
Jackson said police found O’Dell dead of an apparent suicide when they arrived in the area.
Police had the area near the scene closed off since 12:30 p.m. and are continuing to investigate the incident. Jackson said police are continuing to look for information about the incident.
The news left Washtenaw County’s law enforcement community mourning a respected colleague who’d been active in this community for more than 30 years. At least one officer was seen in tears at the scene.
Saline police Chief Paul Bunten knew O’Dell since he began working at the Ann Arbor Police Department and was extremely shocked when he heard the news Friday. Bunten said O’Dell was a wonderful human being, a very bright and smart administrator and a real good police officer.
“He was able to deal with very difficult issues and he made them look so easy, to be honest with you,” Bunten said. “I’m just so saddened by this.”
O’Dell leaves behind a wife and three daughters. He had just returned to EMU as police chief after a three-month stint as police chief of the University of Michigan Public Safety Department.
At the time, he told AnnArbor.com, “The complete driving force in making this decision is I just really had an opportunity to return to a job that I loved. There wasn’t any bad thing about Michigan, I really loved it. I’ve had a career now where I’ve worked in four different police agencies and I’ve loved every agency I’ve been with.
“Given where I’m at in my career, I think returning to Eastern is the best decision for me to make at this point.”
O’Dell had been in law enforcement for 30 years, spending the majority of that time with the Ann Arbor Police Department. O’Dell was with the AAPD for more than 20 years and ended his tenure there as the deputy chief of police, also serving as interim police chief.
He spent three-and-a-half years in charge of the EMU Department of Public Safety before coming to the U-M Department of Public Safety.
O’Dell graduated from Eastern Michigan and received a law degree from the University of Toledo. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy and the EMU school for police staff and command.
Detective Don Lupi, of the Saline Police Department, said he and O’Dell worked on a case together 18 years ago and O’Dell never forgot him afterward. He said they had run into each other at a number of events over the years and O’Dell always made time for conversation.
“I worked with him back in the Ann Arbor days when he was a polygraph operator,” Lupi said. “He was a top-notch investigator and a top-notch guy.”
Lupi said one of the most inspiring things about O’Dell was how he always made time for lower-ranked officers as he moved up the chain of command.
“It didn’t matter how high he moved up the ladder,” he said. “Greg always had time for people on the front line and it was inspiring for us.”
Bunten said he and O’Dell often played golf and had just spoke with each other a few days ago. Bunten said there was no indication when they spoke that something was wrong.
EMU president Susan Martin issued this statement Friday evening: “We are profoundly shocked and saddened by this news. Chief Greg O’Dell’s death is an enormous loss to Eastern Michigan University and the Washtenaw County area. Chief O’Dell was wonderful man who was deeply admired for his tremendous contributions to the Ann Arbor and Eastern Michigan communities.
“He was respected both as a caring person and as a highly accomplished police officer. He was a beloved and key member of the leadership team of Eastern and I will personally deeply miss him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends at this very difficult time.”
Roy Wilbanks, chair of the EMU Board of Regents, called O’Dell “a professional in every sense of the word” and said he made a tremendous impact at the university.
“Chief O’Dell will be missed by all of us here at Eastern,” Wilbanks said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”
Many Washtenaw County law enforcement officials offered their condolences to O’Dell’s family.
Ypsilanti Police Chief Amy Walker said O’Dell was a friend of hers that she had worked with closely during his years at Eastern Michigan. She said the Ypsilanti police would offer their assistance to O’Dell’s family and the EMU community in whatever way they could.
“He was my friend and I am deeply saddened,” Walker said. “My prayers go out to his friends and family. He was a true professional.”
“I’ll miss my friend and all we were able to do,” she added.
Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton called O’Dell an excellent law enforcement official and said he would be deeply missed.
“Greg was a good friend and this is a tremendous loss to law enforcement in Washtenaw County and most importantly his family,” Clayton said. “We offer our prayers and support to them.”
O’Dell’s former colleagues at the University of Michigan were also shocked and saddened at the news of his death Friday. The university issued this statement through spokesman Rick Fitzgerald: “All of us at the University of Michigan express our deepest condolences to the family of Greg O’Dell.”
“We also express our sincere sympathy to his many friends, colleagues, and to the entire law enforcement community.”
“Greg was a good man. He will be missed.”
Officials from Ann Arbor police declined comment when reached Friday afternoon. Police Chief Barnett Jones and Deputy Police Chief John Seto were unable to be reached.
Resources exist in Washtenaw County for people who may be experiencing thoughts of suicide. Anyone in that circumstance is urged to get immediate help. 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is a 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Hotline (Military veterans press #1 ). 734-662-2222 Ozone House is a 24 hour hotline for youth. 734-996-4747 is a 24-hour hotline at U of M Psychiatric Emergency Services.
Source:AnnArbor.com
Salvation Army bell ringer shoplifted at K-Mart www.privateofficer.com
Sterling Heights MI Dec 24 2011 A Salvation Army bell ringer shoplifted BB guns, a vibrator and video games from the Sterling Heights Kmart store where he was collecting donations, according to Sterling Heights police.
The 21-year-old Detroit man has not yet appeared in court but is expected to be charged with retail fraud after he was arrested Dec. 15 at the Kmart at 18 Mile and Dequindre roads, police said.
Major Lori Wright of the Mount Clemens Salvation Army, who hired the man, said she fired him immediately when informed about the charge. She called the incident unfortunate, and that the man showed no criminal background.
“We do a background check and go through a one-hour orientation with them,” she said. “We have drivers who go out and check on the ringers periodically. But we can’t be there with them all the time. Unfortunately this happened.”
She said there is no evidence that the suspect stole any donations.
The man was suspected of stealing for several days by Kmart security personnel before he was apprehended and arrested by police about 9 p.m. on Dec. 15 for stealing two Xbox video games.
“He was being watched,” said Kmart spokeswoman Kim Freely. “When he was finally caught, he confessed.”
Security workers suspected the man of entering the store on a break and stealing two BB guns Dec. 5, an air-gun cartridge Dec. 6 and a Trojan vibrator/personal massager and K-Y Jelly on Dec. 7, police said.
Wright said each holiday season she hires about 150 bell ringers, who earn $8 per hour, in addition to securing dozens of volunteers. Many of the hired ringers need income, she said.
Davenport woman charged with shoplifting twice in one day www.privateofficer.com
Davenport IA Dec 24 2011 A Rock Island woman who spent 18 minutes in jail Wednesday after being arrested on a theft charge was arrested again less than an hour later after she was caught stealing items from another store, Davenport police said.
Danielle Erin Jennett, who marked her 33rd birthday Wednesday, was arrested at 12:30 p.m. by Davenport police on a charge of fourth-degree theft after she allegedly tried to steal a pair of boots and 12 video games from the Kmart store at 3808 N. Brady St.
According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Sgt. Andrew Waggoner, Jennett put on a pair of boots being sold in the store and then walked away from the shoe department.
She then removed 12 video games from the electronics section. Jennett was seen by store employees removing the security labels that activate the store’s security alarm, according to the affidavit. She placed the games in her purse.
When Jennett saw that store employees were watching her, she removed the games from her purse and tried to leave the store.
Kmart employees stopped her in the parking lot.
The value of the boots and video games totaled $409.
Fourth-degree theft is a serious misdemeanor under Iowa law and carries a sentence of up to one year in jail upon conviction.
Jennett was booked into the Scott County Jail at 2:32 p.m. and was released at 2:50 p.m. after posting 10 percent of a $1,000 bond with a bondsman. She was in jail for 18 minutes, according to the Scott County Jail website.
Just 43 minutes later, at 3:33 p.m., Davenport Police Officer Douglass Adams was sent to JC Penney at NorthPark Mall, 320 W. Kimberly St., to investigate a case of shoplifting.
According to Adams’ arrest affidavit, employees watched as Jennett removed several items totaling $633.47 from the store’s shelves and placed them in a plastic bag. She then tried to leave the store without paying for the items.
Adams arrested Jennett on a charge of third-degree theft. The charge is an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of up to two years in prison upon conviction.
Jennett was booked back into the Scott County Jail at 4:58 p.m. Wednesday on $2,000 bond.
Source:www.qctimes.com
Salinas shoplifter steals pricey TV with help of shoppers receipt www.privateofficer.com
SALINAS, Calif Dec 24 2011- Salinas police are looking for a second suspect who they say helped steal a pricey TV at the Walmart on North Main Street.
Police say a suspect purchased a 48″ Visio TV for approximately $1,000. She walked outside with the TV and handed the receipt to Marquesha Davis.
Police say Davis entered the Wal-Mart and chose the same style TV and exited without paying for it, holding the receipt from the previous purchase.
After exiting the store she reportedly gave the receipt back to the initial suspect. Security called police as Davis reportedly loaded the TV into a Cadillac. However, when officers arrived, they say Davis wouldn’t get out of the car and fled the scene.
According to police, about 3 minutes later, she stopped at her apartment where she was taken into custody.
Davis was booked for the listed charges as well as a $3,000 traffic warrant. The initial suspect has not yet been identified.
Bayonne Walmart employee arrested for stealing $13,341 worth of Apple iPod Touch and iPad devices www.privateofficer.com
Bayonne NJ Dec 24 2011 A Bayonne Walmart employee was arrested Wednesday and charged with stealing $13,341 worth of Apple iPod Touch and iPad devices, according to police reports.
Lewis C. Wright Jr., 23, a resident of Jersey City, was charged with theft, reports said.
Store security told police that Wright confessed during an interview that he stole 24 iPads and seven iPod Touch devices over the course of his employment at the Bayonne Crossing location on Route 440 near New Hook Road, reports said. The store opened in mid-October. None of the items were recovered, police said.
A man who identified himself as a member of the store’s security team declined to comment on the matter yesterday.
Wright, who has outstanding warrants in Jersey City, Mount Laurel, Woodbridge and Bayonne, was taken to the Hudson County jail in Kearny, reports said.
State administrative law judge upheld firing of cop for selling sex toys www.privateofficer.com
DURHAM, N.C. Dec 24 2011 (AP) – A judge is backing North Carolina Central University officials for firing a campus police officer after learning he sold sex toys out of the trunk of his car while on duty.
A state administrative law judge this week upheld the university’s decision to fire Lt. Michael Shaw last year.
Shaw admitted to selling the items to a female officer, but said it occurred during his break. He also said the items were not pornographic, his conduct was not illegal, and his dismissal was unwarranted.
Defense lawyer Mark Key of Lillington said Friday his client will appeal. Key stressed that Shaw sold items to officers who were his friends, not to students or faculty members.
Alabama police charge three people with paying Walmart customers to buy drugs www.privateofficer.com
Brewton AL Dec 24 2011 Three Monroe County, Ala., residents are facing charges for allegedly taking part in an attempt to pay Walmart customers to buy drugs in Escambia County, Ala.
Brewton Police Department narcotics agents received a call from a concerned citizen that people were trying to pay Walmart Pharmacy customers in Brewton to purchase pseudoephedrine, a cold medicine that can be used in the manufacture of methamphetamines. The sale of the products are limited, and customers are required to show identification.
At the pharmacy, Brewton Police Sergeant Williams Mosley found Angel Coakley, age 28 of Monroeville, who was attempting to purchase pseudoephedrine. Officers then later learned that Coakley was traveling with her boyfriend, 31-year old Michael Brandon Morris and his brother, 23-year old Charles Gregory Morris, both of Monroeville.
Police were able to locate the Morris brothers driving in circles in the Wal-Mart parking lot waiting for Coakley to return with the pseudoephedrine.
The investigation then led officers to a room at the Colonial Manor Motel where they executed a search warrant and found an active meth lab, drug paraphernalia and methamphetamines.
Michael Morris and Angel Coakley were both charged with unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance in the first degree, unlawful possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamines, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance in the second degree. Charles Morris was charged with attempt to commit a controlled substance crime.
Source:AL.com
Disturbances, injured shoppers and arrests reported in Air Jodan shoe release www.privateofficer.com
Charlotte NC Dec 24 2011 Police and Medic were called to three Charlotte-area malls before daybreak Friday, after shoppers seeking Air Jordan shoes became unruly.
No injuries were reported, but at least one fight broke out, and a door was damaged at a mall. Police cleared patrons from the malls.
After the early-morning mall unrest, hundreds of shoe-seekers flocked to area stores, where police were also called to maintain order. At the Bobcats store at Time Warner Cable Arena, the crowd – including young children and babies – swelled into the hundreds, with police lined up at barricades.
“This is way crazier than Black Friday!” yelled a man at the Bobcats store. Hundreds of shoppers remained milling around in front of the barricades, even after being told by police that there were no more Air Jordans for sale at the store.
Similar problems were reported this morning at a number of malls across the country, and social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook were flooded with reports of the rush for footwear.
The subject of the trouble: a limited edition re-release of the Air Jordan XI Concord shoes, made by Nike and selling at a suggested price of $180. The shoes were released initially in 1996, and their return had people standing in lines for up to 24 hours at some malls and sporting good stores around the country.
According to a news release, the shoes were scheduled to go on sale at 5 a.m. today.
And that’s when trouble started at Carolina Place, SouthPark and Northlake malls in the Charlotte area. Within two hours, police and mall management had closed all three malls.
Several shoppers at Carolina Place Mall in Pineville reported they were bumped and jostled by fellow shoppers when the doors opened at 5 a.m. One young woman said the crowd quickly became unruly, with shoppers headed to three stores that were selling the shoes.
“People were crazy,” she said.
One girl said she lost her shoes in the midst of all the pushing and shoving.
Several shoppers told the Observer there were between 150 and 200 people, some with children, standing in line when the doors opened. WBTV coverage showed two women pushing one another before being separated by police.
By 6 a.m., shoppers said police and mall management told them to leave. At least a dozen Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Pineville police cars were parked at the mall.
There also were reports of heavy police presence at SouthPark and Northlake malls, and WSOC-TV reported that Northlake Mall asked shoppers to leave.
SouthPark Mall was cleared by police about 6 a.m. At Northlake Mall, a door was ripped from the hinge and the glass broken. Police and mall management there cleared the mall by 7 a.m.
Medic reported nobody needed transportation to any hospitals.
SouthPark Mall management issued a news release, saying they “were working with police” to deal with the problem.
Management at the other malls could not be contacted Friday morning.
The rush continues
After the malls were cleared, crowds started gathering at other local stores. Police were present at stores on Wilkinson Boulevard and North Tryon Street to deal with the groups of shoppers. By late morning, a rumor had spread that there were 500 pairs of shoes at Time Warner Cable Arena’s Bobcats store, which would go on sales at noon.
The crowd grew. Many of those waiting said that they had been to three or four stores already, trying to get the coveted shoes. Some said they had been waiting at different stores since 8 p.m. Thursday, only to be turned away at the malls.
A woman told the Observer her 12-year-old grandson had been waiting at the arena since midnight. She was trying to get him out of the crowd before things got rowdy, but she couldn’t find him anywhere.
Shortly after 11 a.m., a Bobcats representative with a megaphone addressed the crowd.
“No one ever got 500 pairs of shoes, anywhere…You guys are making it unsafe,” he said. “We have people pushing, and small kids.”
The store was sold out of shoes; season ticket holders had been allowed to shop first, and had snatched up all the pairs. The Bobcats offered anyone who came out a pair of tickets to next Friday’s game against the Orlando Magic, and a t-shirt.
CMPD Major John Diggs addressed the crowd a half-dozen more times. “Just so you’re clear, there are no more available at this location…The store is not opening…there are no shoes left for purchasing,” he said.
After about half an hour, the crowd began to dwindle – many talking about heading to other stores that might have the shoes.
It was much the same story elsewhere in the country. Four people were arrested at a mall in Lithonia, Ga., and extra police were called out to deal with problems at five malls in the Washington area. One person was arrested at a mall in Spotsylvania County, Va.
At Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis, authorities reported about 1,500 people in line to buy 300 pairs of shoes available at a store. Some pushing and shoving was reported, and there also were reports of problems at Lafayette Square Mall in Indianapolis.
Two men arrested for thefts from security vehicle www.privateofficer.com
KALISPELL, Mont. Dec 24 2011 — Two men were arrested on suspicion of stealing a flashlight and camera from an armored security truck while the driver checked on a call at a Whitefish-area condominium.
Sheriff Chuck Curry says the security truck driver returned to his vehicle early Wednesday and saw two people running away from it. His door was open, a bag was missing and his light bar controls were damaged.
Curry told The Daily Inter Lake the security guard saw a vehicle trying to leave the area and spotted his bag inside, so he drew his firearm. The driver walked away. Both men surrendered when deputies arrived.
Eighteen-year-old Keevin Ward of Kalispell and 20-year-old Evan Flink of Missoula face charges of misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to vehicles and being minors in possession of alcohol.
Source:dailyinterlake.com
Spotsylvania County emergency communications employee faces identity theft charges www.privateofficer.com
Spotsylvania County VA Dec 24 2011 An emergency communications employee with the city faces multiple felony charges, including identity theft, in Spotsylvania County, officials say.
Local law enforcement there charged Robert Mains, a city employee since 1980, with identity theft, forgery and using false information to obtain a loan. Mains is now on unpaid administrative leave, a city spokesperson said.
Officials released few specifics about Mains’ arrest, but said Alexandria police initiated an investigation of the longtime employee in October. At the time, Mains was placed on paid administrative leave, according to a city statement.
Local police transferred the investigation to authorities in Spotsylvania County, where Mains lives, sometime within the past couple of months. The charges brought against Mains are not related to his work with the city, officials said.
They were alerted to his arrest Wednesday morning. Mains currently is out on bail and awaiting trial.
His arrest comes just weeks after another city employee, Timothy Wanamaker, deputy director of the general services department, pleaded guilty to embezzling about $30,000 from Buffalo, N.Y., between 2004 and 2008. Wanamaker has since resigned.
Source:Alexandria Times
Former Highland teacher arrested for sexual indecency with a child www.privateofficer.com
Sharp County ARK Dec 24 2011 Following an in depth investigation by the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department and Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children, former Highland teacher Nathan Miller, 30, of Violet Hill, was arrested Dec. 19 on two felony charges related to sexual indecency with a child.
According to a case report, State Police Investigator Jeanette Cooper and Sharp County Detective Sergeant Ken Guidry began working on the case in November, following a call regarding possible inappropriate behavior between Miller and a 15 year old female student. Former school Resource Officer Mike Baldwin had also made the office aware of the possibility of the activity between the teacher and student. Baldwin became aware of the incident after a complaint was made by the student’s mother, alleging her daughter and Miller were having sexual contact.
Prior to the call, Highland resource officer Steve Chism had also been made aware of the allegations. The initial investigation was handled internally by Highland High School Principal Clint Shackleford. Following an interview with Shackleford, Miller resigned his teaching position. Shackleford provided telephone records indicating he contacted the proper authorities regarding the case on the day he was made aware of the incident, Oct. 27, the same day Miller was terminated from the Highland School District.
Chism had dealt with the student in late October, and had confiscated her cell phone pending an investigation by law enforcement.
Initially, the female student was not cooperative with investigators, but Juvenile Court Judge Kevin King ordered her to communicate with law enforcement.
Guidry and Cooper interviewed the girl on Nov. 18. She told investigators Miller was her math teacher and she contacted him on Facebook because she was planning on moving out of state.
After the initial contact, the two began to have phone conversations which eventually led to nude photo’s being exchanged between the two. She told investigators Miller repeatedly told her during their contact that no one could find out or he would be in serious trouble for communicating with her. The female denied having sexual contact with the teacher.
Miller’s wife had also received a phone call about the indecent behavior between her husband and the student, and the student said she received a call from the wife ordering her to stay away from her husband.
When investigators met with Shackleford about the incident, he expressed regret for not involving law enforcement in the investigation earlier.
He provided detectives with access to the teacher’s personnel file, which included documents pertaining to Shackleford’s action, including Miller’s letter of resignation dated Oct. 27, as well as an email sent to Shackleford from the teacher expressing his regret for the situation.
Shackleford told Det. Guidry he had received two complaints of possible inappropriate texting between the two.
Miller admitted to having sent one, claiming it was simply a funny text, but he admitted inappropriate photos were included.
Shackleford said Miller did not elaborate and was asked to resign immediately.
Det. Guidry then contacted Miller via email, as no phone number was supplied, and requested he come into the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department to give a statement.
Miller said he would come in, but cancelled and rescheduled several times.
Det. Guidry then told Miller he strongly suggested he come in for the interview.
During this time frame, a story about the possible inappropriate behavior broke in a local newspaper, despite Miller not yet being charged.
Miller e-mailed Guidry back telling him that, under the advice of his legal counsel, the interview would not be in his best interest.
Highland Resource Officer Steve Chism learned from Special Agent Jeff Shackleford of the Attorney General’s office that he could extract data from cell phones.
Det. Guidry secured the necessary documentation and contacted Shackleford on Dec. 8.
After an examination of the student’s phone, Shackleford extracted two photos of Miller’s genitals, as well as two of the female’s breast and vaginal area, and numerous sexually explicit texts exchanged between the two.
Miller was arrested on Dec. 19 in Izard County, where he lives, by deputies with the Izard County Sheriff’s Department.
Miller is charged with one count of engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium, a Class B felony and one count of sexual indecency with a child, a Class D felony.
Sharp County Chief Deputy David Huffmaster with the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department extradited Miller back to the Sharp County Jail the same day.
Source:Area Wide News
Storm Lake Iowa’s public safety employee charged with theft www.privateofficer.com
STORM LAKE, Iowa Dec 24 2011 – A long-time employee of Storm Lake Iowa’s public safety business office has been charged with theft.
Lee Martin, 43, of Storm Lake was arrested Tuesday after a month-long investigation.
Public Safety Director Mark Prosser says Martin, who had been the office manager for years, was charged in connection with taking more than $12,000 in city funds over the past year.
The investigation began in early December, when Prosser was notified of irregularities in projected balances of funds transferred from the Public Safety Office to City Hall.
The funds came from tow bills, tow storage fees, parking tickets and animal licenses. Lee was placed on administrative leave without pay during the investigation.
Police allege that for over a year Martin took cash from deposits transferred to City Hall totaling over $12,000 and also altered receipted cash documents. An additional investigation is underway into previous years of cash transfers from Martin’s Office to City Hall.
Martin was arrested Tuesday and charged with Ongoing Criminal Conduct and Theft.
Source:KTIV
York City man vomits in police officer’s face during shoplifting arrest www.privateofficer.com
York PA Dec 24 2011 A York City man faces a number of charges – including aggravated assault and resisting arrest – after he allegedly vomited in a police officer’s face.
Officer Jesse Trout of Springettsbury Township Police was attempting to arrest Kyle Orvest Knudsen, 20, for retail theft at Walmart in the township about 1:40 p.m. Monday when the incident occurred.
A store manager allegedly saw Knudsen concealing merchandise in the electronics area of the store and notified Trout, who was at the store for another real theft, according to township police.
After hiding 97 items, valued at $2,080.98, under his coat in a shopping cart, Knudsen made his way to the grocery selection of the store where he picked out a drink, drank it and discarded the can without paying for it, according to his arresting documents.
As Knudsen left the store, Trout and store loss prevention officers attempted to stop him.
Fight: When Trout stopped Knudsen and attempted to place him under arrest, Knudsen pushed Trout and said, “I didn’t do anything,” charging documents state.
During a struggle in which Knudsen tore the pocket off Trout’s shirt and ripped the portable radio from the officer’s uniform, Knudsen kicked Trout’s legs and torso as the two wrestled on a sidewalk in front of the store, documents state.
As Trout was holding Knudsen to the ground, Knudsen vomited and spit the vomit onto Trout’s face and uniform.
One of the witnesses to the incident intervened and held one of Knudsen’s wrists as Trout attempted to place handcuffs on him. Knudsen also spit vomit on the man who was assisting the officer, according to documents.
Trout was able to handcuff Knudsen, who continued to resist arrest until additional officers arrived and were able to place Knudsen in a police car, the documents state.
Charges: Knudsen is charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor resisting arrest, felony retail theft and the summary offences of disorderly conduct, harassment and criminal mischief.
The retail theft charge, which is normally a misdemeanor, is a felony because Knudsen has two previous retail theft convictions, the documents state.
Knudsen remains in York County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Source:yorkcitydispatch.com
OfficeMax suing a former security manager for thefts www.privateofficer.com
BIRMINGHAM AL Dec 24 2011 OfficeMax North America Inc. is suing a former security guard and an Alabama security firm, Security Engineers Inc. of Birmignham, after the office supply company discovered that software was stolen from its McCalla distribution center.
The 2,506 units of software had a retail value of $852,000, according to the federal lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court.
The former guard, Walter Skrobak, 38, of Woodstock, has pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods and one count of making false statements involving a tax return. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Naperville, Ill.-based OfficeMax is seeking a return of the money.
Source:AL.com
Lamar County volunteer fire chief arrested for felony embezzlement www.privateofficer.com
PURVIS MS Dec 24 2011 – A Lamar County volunteer fire department chief who was falsely arrested for impersonating a police officer in Lumberton this spring was taken into custody earlier this week by the investigative arm of the Mississippi Highway Patrol on a felony embezzlement charge.
William Leroy King II, 37, of Lumberton was arrested about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday by agents of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. He was accused of using a fuel card issued by the Rock Hill Volunteer Fire Department for personal use.
“He had been issued a fleet card for fuel, and he is accused of using that card for his personal vehicle,” MBI spokesman Jon Kalahar said.
Investigators from the Office of the State Auditor and Lamar County Sheriff’s Department helped uncover the scheme that Kalahar said had been going on for at least the past year.
“We’re talking about several thousands of dollars,” Kalahar said.
King’s bond was set at $25,000 Thursday during his first appearance in Lamar County Justice Court, and he was returned to the Lamar County Jail.
Kalahar said the investigation was ongoing, with more charges possible.
“There also is a secondary investigation being conducted by Lamar County into the misuse of county property,” Kalahar said.
Lamar County Fire Coordinator George Stevens said Thursday that King had been relieved of his duties, with assistant chief Dwight Seals taking over at Rock Hill.
“He’s been dismissed from the fire department, and there’s a thorough investigation under way right now by various agencies,” Stevens said.
Kalahar said a curiosity in the fuel records prompted a closer look by the state auditor’s office.
“He was supposed to be using that card to be fueling up the department’s (fire) engines,” Kalahar said. “But someone noticed that some of the (receipts) were for unleaded gasoline instead of diesel. That’s when the state auditor came in to it, and then they contacted us.”
Rock Hill became Lamar County’s 12th volunteer department in spring 2009, operating in the southeast corner of the county. The VFD’s newly-minted station at the intersection of Pistol Ridge Road, Deavers Road and Old Highway 11 welcomed its engines for the first time just this week.
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King had been the chief for about a year.
Rock Hill’s relationship with the county varied from the pacts made by the other VFDs, Administrator Chuck Bennett said.
Rock Hill does not yet have its own grading district, a rating system used by the state to assess the level of fire protection in an area. The better an area’s rating, the lower the insurance premiums charged to individual home and business owners.
The county contracts with the various volunteer departments to provide fire protection. In return, the county agrees to supply a level of funding and act as the administrating entity for grants and other state and federal programs.
Bennett said in every agreement – except with Rock Hill – the county appoints the board members for each district that oversees the volunteer departments. In the case of Rock Hill, the county had not appointed board members.
“We have no oversight on their department,” Bennett said. “We contract with them for fire protection, and we do provide funding through our contract. But they have their own board of directors.”
In any case, Bennett said the county does not provide fuel cards to any of the volunteer fire departments.
Stevens said he had been caught off-guard by the arrest, although he said there had been other allegations made against King.
“This particular thing, it did (come as a surprise), but I’ve had some other things that were brought to my attention,” Stevens said. “There were some other issues that had come up that we were looking at real hard, that a lot of people were looking into.”
Stevens declined to provide details.
This past April, King was involved in a case of mistaken identity, when he was arrested by Lumberton police and accused of impersonating a police officer.
The charge was dropped a few weeks later when it was discovered the person King had been accused of impersonating was actually a Lamar County Sheriff’s Department narcotics officer.
King had been the chief for about a year.
Rock Hill’s relationship with the county varied from the pacts made by the other VFDs, Administrator Chuck Bennett said.
Rock Hill does not yet have its own grading district, a rating system used by the state to assess the level of fire protection in an area. The better an area’s rating, the lower the insurance premiums charged to individual home and business owners.
The county contracts with the various volunteer departments to provide fire protection. In return, the county agrees to supply a level of funding and act as the administrating entity for grants and other state and federal programs.
Bennett said in every agreement – except with Rock Hill – the county appoints the board members for each district that oversees the volunteer departments. In the case of Rock Hill, the county had not appointed board members.
“We have no oversight on their department,” Bennett said. “We contract with them for fire protection, and we do provide funding through our contract. But they have their own board of directors.”
In any case, Bennett said the county does not provide fuel cards to any of the volunteer fire departments.
Stevens said he had been caught off-guard by the arrest, although he said there had been other allegations made against King.
“This particular thing, it did (come as a surprise), but I’ve had some other things that were brought to my attention,” Stevens said. “There were some other issues that had come up that we were looking at real hard, that a lot of people were looking into.”
Stevens declined to provide details.
This past April, King was involved in a case of mistaken identity, when he was arrested by Lumberton police and accused of impersonating a police officer.
The charge was dropped a few weeks later when it was discovered the person King had been accused of impersonating was actually a Lamar County Sheriff’s Department narcotics officer.
Source:hattiesburgamerican.com
Navy couple were found shot dead after three-hour stand-off www.privateofficer.com
San Diego CA Dec 24 2011 A Navy couple were found shot dead after a three-hour stand-off with police.
Military instructor Sekai Southern, 36, killed his wife Portia, 26, before turning the gun on himself at their off-military base home in Serra Mesa,
San Diego yesterday.
Police found the couple’s 18-month-old toddler unharmed in a playpen on the same floor as the bodies in the two-storey property.
Their five-year-old daughter was at school as the tragic scene unfolded.
‘We’re looking at this as a domestic-violence incident,’ police homicide Lt. Ernie Herbert told The San Diego Union-Tribune.
‘What prompted this, we don’t know yet.’
Police were called to the home at about 12.40pm after a neighbour reported a domestic disturbance.
An officer arrived to see Portia trying to leave the property and a man, believed to be Sekai pulling her back in, reports the Union-Tribune.
The man barricaded himself inside the residence as SWAT officers were called and a two-block area around the home was evacuated.
During the incident, Sekai had called the police and a family member to day that he had shot his wife, police Lt. Andra Brown said.
After three hours, efforts to negotiate with Sekai were unsuccessful, and SWAT officers entered the house and made the grim discovery.
Both Sekai and Portia served in the Navy and Agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and private security for the military housing also responded to the scene, reports the Union-Tribune.
The children are expected to be handed into the care of a relative.
‘It’s always sad. It’s the holiday season,’ Herbert told the Union-Tribune. ‘It’s tough for everybody.’
Portia’s father Michael Frazier of Houston, told 10News that his daughter, was a wonderful mother to her two children.
‘I loved my baby’ Frazier said, adding that he was not aware of any problems with her husband, Sekai Southern.
“I thought he was a pretty good dude,” Frazier told 10News.
Frazier said that although his daughter loved being in the Navy, she found it difficult to be away from her family during overseas deployment.
The police have previously been called to the couple’s home responding to a report of domestic violence, reports the Union-Tribune.
In July, 2010, a woman called police to say that her husband had choked and punched her.
Officers who responded arrested the man on suspicion of spousal battery, and he was booked into jail, Lt Brown told the Union-Tribune.
Retired law enforcement officer hired to lead Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s security force www.privateofficer.com
SALISBURY NC Dec 24 2011 — A retired law enforcement official will lead Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s security overhaul.
The college hired Tim Bost as the director of campus of safety and security Thursday.
Bost, who retired from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office as a major in June 2009, is being brought on board in the newly created role to help streamline the college’s armed and unarmed security forces. His annual salary will be $57,500.
“He has a wealth of experience and expertise from many years as second in command for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office,” President Carol Spalding said Thursday. “His degrees and numerous certifications, as well as his keen knowledge of our college through his work with our Basic Law Enforcement Training program, also make him well qualified.”
Bost, a sworn law enforcement officer, has been working as a part-time security officer at the school for more than 30 years.
“He knows our service area extremely well and will contribute to keeping our campuses in Rowan and Cabarrus counties very safe,” Spalding said.
Bost, who was hired as one of the college’s first security officers in 1978, said he was interested in job because he sees it as an opportunity to “raise the bar of professionalism in security on the campuses.”
When Bost begins the post Jan. 9 he’ll take a look at the safety and security assessment the college had done by Risk Management Associates, a Raleigh-based security consulting firm, earlier this year.
“One of the biggest things I certainly want to start looking at is coordination of our services because there are multiple agencies involved,” he said.
Bost said he’ll also focus his efforts on improving the consistency of record keeping at the college’s multiple campuses and providing regular trainings for both armed and unarmed officers.
“Those are some of the initial things I’m going to look at,” he said. “One of the things where we have a little deficit is a comprehensive crisis management plan.”
A crisis management plan would include security issues such as an active shooter on campus and safety threats like fires and tornados.
Bost said officials have already been working on the plan and he’s hoping to help them get it wrapped up within a year.
But Bost said his No. 1 goal is in line with college officials.
“They are taking security very seriously,” he said. “They want to maintain the safest campuses they possibly can because the goal is for students to come to class and not be worried about their safety. That’s really my greatest objective.
“I would like to think that anything I contribute will make people feel safe when they come to the college.”
Arkansas woman arrested with loaded gun at airport www.privateofficer.com
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Friday that the 60-year-old Little Rock woman was arrested Thursday morning and charged with carrying a weapon.
Authorities say the woman had a loaded .38-caliber handgun in a carry-on bag as she was moving through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. Security officials discovered the gun as the bag went through an X-ray machine.
The Democrat-Gazette says at least 10 people have been arrested at the airport this year for attempting to carry handguns on planes.
Woman with pepper spray, other customers help security subdue shoplifter www.privateofficer.com
Athens-Clarke police say a security guard spotted a man stuffing clothes into a bag in Georgia Square Mall in Athens Wednesday.
Police tell the Athens Banner-Herald that when the suspect was confronted, he tried to choke the security guard and punched him several times in the ribs.
They say several shoppers intervened, including a woman who sprayed the fighting men with a can of pepper spray, and an off-duty probation officer who helped to handcuff the suspect.
Police said the suspect faces charges of felony theft by shoplifting and battery. Authorities say the guard was not seriously hurt.
Source:AP
Nashville aiport confiscates twice as many guns in 2011 www.privateofficer.com
NASHVILLE, TN Dec 24 2011 - Nashville airport officials said this year that they’ve confiscated twice as many guns from passengers as they did last year.
The airport reported 40 firearm violations so far this year compared to 19 in 2010.
The Transportation Security Administration said some people said they forget about the weapon or grabbed the wrong bag when going to the airport.
Firearms or ammunition can’t be brought in your carry-on bag, but some guns can be checked.
Travelers that don’t check and declare them could be fined several thousand dollars.
TSA has reported this year that they have stepped up efforts their efforts in stopping weapons from making their way aboard an airline.
Several other airports also report increased weapons were confiscated this year.
Off -duty California deputy charged with murder at bar www.privateofficer.com
MURRIETA, Calif. Dec 24 2011 – A man claiming to be a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy was taken into custody after a deadly shooting in Murrieta.
Murrieta Police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at about 8 p.m. Wednesday at Spelly’s Pub & Grille at 40675 Murrieta Hot Springs Road in Murrieta.
When police arrived, a man in front of the bar was quickly taken into custody. The man identified himself as an off-duty Riverside County sheriff’s deputy.
Inside the bar a man shot several times was lying on the floor.
The deputy was identified as 42-year-old Dayle Long, a 10-year veteran of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Long was charged with murder in the shooting death of 36-year-old Samuel Vanettes. Vanettes was pronounced dead at the scene.
There were reportedly 20 to 30 people inside the bar when the shots were fired.
Witness Rob Kielar, the bar’s DJ, said there was an altercation inside the bar that may have led up to the shooting.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department did not comment on the shooting other than to say the investigation is being handled by the Murrieta Police Department.
Long has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
Spelly’s Pub & Grille posted the following statement on its Facebook page:
“This is a horrible tragedy that happened to unfortunately take place at Spelly’s. We all know that the world can be a scary place and it is horrible when it hits us so close to home in our close knit town.”
Anyone with information related to the case should contact Murrieta Police at (951) 696-3615.
Former security guard convicted by federal jury for providing security for drug transaction www.privateofficer.com
WASHINGTON DC Dec 24 2011 – A former private security guard was convicted by a federal jury yesterday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for his role in providing security for a drug transaction, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, United States Attorney Rosa E. Rodriguez-Velez of the District of Puerto Rico and Special Agent in Charge Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
Ricardo Amaro-Santiago, 39, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, attempting to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug transaction. Amaro-Santiago was charged in an indictment unsealed on October 6, 2010, along with 89 law enforcement officers in Puerto Rico and 44 other individuals, as part of the FBI undercover operation known as Guard Shack.
According to the indictment and information presented in court, in May 2010, Amaro-Santiago provided security for what he believed was an illegal drug deal, but which in fact was part of the undercover FBI operation. According to information presented at trial, Amaro-Santiago was employed as a private security guard, but posed as a Puerto Rico police officer during the transaction. Information presented at trial also revealed that Amaro-Santiago was brought into the scheme by a co-defendant who was a police officer of Puerto Rico.
In return for the security he provided, Amaro-Santiago received a cash payment of $1,000.
United States District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi scheduled sentencing for April 2012. At sentencing, Diaz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Marquest J. Meeks and Tracee Plowell of the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. The case was investigated by the FBI. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico also participated in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Contact: Department of Justice Main Switchboard – 202-514-2000
Reported by: US Department of Justice
Police make arrest at Sawgrass Mills Mall for video voyeurism www.privateofficer.com
Sunrise Fla Dec 24 2011 Police arrested a man they say took photos underneath women’s dresses at the Sawgrass Mills Mall.
Zanri Lesmes, 40, faces charges including video voyeurism, battery on an officer and resisting arrest.
Judge John Hurley said in court that mall security had already been on the lookout for Lesmes after he was seen taking pictures under women’s dresses on Nov. 18.
Police say he tried the stunt again on Thursday.
Hurley said that according to police, Lesmes was standing in a store’s clothing isle and taking photos under women’s dresses with an electronic device.
When authorities approached him, Lesmes tried to delete the photos he had on the screen, police said.
Lesmes pushed authorities away, began running and punched an officer when he was caught, police said. The officer was cut on his face. Hurley said authorities found about 10 images.
Lesmes was being Friday on $17,000 bond because of his “quite lengthy criminal history,” Hurley said.
Hurley added that if Lesmes is released from jail he will not be allowed to have a camera in his possession and cannot to return to the mall.
Lesmes said he doesn’t have any attorney yet.
Naked man jumps from ambulance and dies www.privateofficer.com
TUSTIN, Calif. Dec 24 2011 - The California Highway Patrol says a man has died after he jumped naked out of an ambulance on a freeway and was hit by a truck while trying to flee.
CHP Officer John Patterson told The Orange County Register the man began acting erratically Friday as the ambulance was northbound on Interstate 5 in Tustin.
The driver stopped in the center divider area and the man leaped out the back.
Patterson says the man jumped over the divider’s concrete wall, ran across southbound lanes and onto a connector road, where an off-duty deputy grabbed him and tried to calm him down.
Patterson says the man broke free and jumped in front of a pickup truck that struck and killed him. His name hasn’t been released.
Man falls from hospital ceiling dressed only in underwear www.privateofficer.com
Frankfort KY Dec 24 2011 A man is likely to face charges after he crashed through ceiling tiles in a stairwell at Frankfort Regional Medical Center Wednesday evening.
The man, who was not a patient at the time, fell through the drop ceiling tiles of the hospital and landed on the stairs, Frankfort Police Maj. Fred Deaton said.
To make matters more bizarre, the man was wearing only his underwear while intoxicated from “ingesting some sort of substance,” Deaton said.
“There was an off duty officer working security detail, and he received word of a man running through the hospital in his underwear on the third floor of the medical pavilion,” Deaton said.
The hospital stressed to The State Journal that the man was not a patient at the hospital at the time of the crash, though he was treated in the emergency room and admitted overnight after the fall, according to Deaton.
“We don’t want people thinking this is a patient care issue,” said hospital spokesman Brad Wands Thursday afternoon. “He was not a patient.”
The man destroyed ceiling tiles and other items above five rooms before falling through the ceiling over the stairwell, Deaton said.
Police are investigating and will release the man’s name if charges are filed, Deaton said.
Source: The State Journal
Nebraska Furniture Mart security officer saves baby’s life www.privateofficer.com
KANSAS CITY, KS Dec 24 2011 - A father was frantic. His baby had gone limp and stopped breathing.
A Nebraska Furniture Mart guard calmly stepped in and helped perform CPR.
Without him, and a nurse who was shopping in the store, the Rahman family said they believe they would not have their baby girl today.
Mahira Rahman, not even 1 year old, suffered a seizure while the family was shopping. Surveillance video captured the father’s frantic actions in front of security officer Mark Warren’s work station.
As others called 911, Warren stepped in to save the little girl’s life when he realized that the father wasn’t taking decisive action.
“I took the child and put her right here and started to do the assessment like you learn in basic CPR class,” he recalled recently.
Frantic family members surrounded him, watching Warren’s every move.
“You just kind of say a little prayer and hope that you do the right thing and you focus on the patient, the child” he said. “You don’t worry about what’s going on around you.”
A nurse who happened to be shopping at the store rushed to Mahira’s aid. She took over the resuscitation efforts, allowing Warren to push back anxious family and bystanders crowding the area. The baby began breathing again and was whisked by ambulance to a hospital.
Nebraska Furniture Mart provides training for all its security officers to ensure they are ready to deal with every possible emergency, store director Ed Lipsett said.
“We put all of our security officers through quite a bit of extensive training including First Aid and CPR and anything we can to make sure our customers have a safe environment to shop in,” Lipsett said.
Nebraska Furniture Mart employees were relieved to learn that the little girl was treated and released.
After such excitement, some might have wanted to head home to decompress. Not Warren and his colleagues.
“We all went back to work taking care of other customers,” he said with a smile.
And one area family is very grateful for the extraordinary care they received.
Source:KCTV
On duty security officer charged with sexual battery www.privateofficer.com
Watsonville CA Dec 24 2011 A security guard has been jailed for allegedly using his position of authority to sexually abuse a woman in the Target parking lot early Friday, the Watsonville Police Department reported.
Jose Moreno, 43, was arrested on suspicion of sexual battery later Friday, police reported.
The woman came to the Watsonville police station around 7 a.m. She said she had been napping in her vehicle in the shopping center parking lot after driving back into Watsonville from out of town and stopping at Del Taco for food. She paused to sleep because was too tired to drive home, police said.
She awoke around 3:45 a.m. to a man she perceived to be a police officer. He asked her for identification and if she had any drugs or weapons on her, according to police.
The woman told him she didn’t have anything illegal but the man accused her of putting items down her pants. He tugged down her pants and underwear, police said.
The man then got the woman’s phone number and allowed her to leave, she told police.
Detectives jumped on the case. Santa Cruz Peninsula Security patrols the Target property and Moreno was on duty at the time of the alleged attack, police reported. Detectives said he had the woman’s phone number with him when he was arrested.
