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Hamilton Ohio police officer pleads guily to masturbating while peeking into motel windows
WEST CHESTER TWP. OH Jan 16 2012— A former Hamilton police officer accused of masturbating while peeking into windows at a Monroe motel has pleaded guilty to reduced charges of attempted voyeurism and public indecency.
Justin Lunsford, 27, of Trenton, entered the plea in Butler County Area III Court on Tuesday during an arraignment hearing. He faces up to 90 days in jail and fines when he returns to court for sentencing on Feb. 17.
Lunsford, who joined the Hamilton force in 2007, resigned in early December after learning he would be charged in the case.
Monroe police filed charges of voyeurism and public indecency against Lunsford Dec. 6. Both charges are misdemeanors.
A psychological evaluation was ordered as part of a pre-sentence investigation prior to sentencing.
Court records say that Lunsford’s acts on Nov. 30 were caught on security video at Parkside Inn on Hamilton-Middletown Road. The complaint, filed by Monroe Detective Gregg Myers, also indicates that Lunsford confessed.
Lunsford was stopped by police after motel patrons reported seeing a man in a white hooded sweatshirt, naked from the waist down in the parking lot. They also reported that he urinated and defecated in the lot.
Police said they caught Lunsford in a black SUV attempting to leave the parking lot. He told investigators that he had been at Putter’s Sports Grill in Liberty Township and stopped to urinate in the motel parking lot because it was a “dark place.
Source:Cincinnati.com
Two adults- two children killed in Fresno murder-suicide www.privateofficer.com
FRESNO, Calif. Jan 16 2012 AP— Two adults and two children were killed in an apparent murder-suicide Sunday at an apartment building in California’s Central Valley, while a fifth person was hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
Police were called to investigate a disturbance at the Fresno home shortly before 7 a.m. They found a man outside the apartment suffering from a stab wound, Fresno Police Lt. Mark Salazar said.
The man told officers his “wife” was inside and causing a disturbance; authorities later determined the woman was his live-in girlfriend, Salazar said.
Police then heard a gunshot and rushed inside. They found a woman believed to be in her 20s with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and a man in his 20s or 30s dead of a gunshot wound, he said.
Two children — an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old — also died from gunshot wounds. The children were the dead woman’s children, and all five people involved were Hispanic, Salazar said. No names were released.
“We have not done an autopsy yet and we’re continuing the investigation, but we believe it was a murder-suicide,” Salazar said. “We cannot confirm the order of events, and we don’t know what led up to the shooting.”
Police also were still investigating the circumstances around the man suffering from a stab wound, Capt. Dennis Bridges told The Fresno Bee. Bridges did not know if there was a history of domestic violence calls or other disturbances at the apartment.
The man suffering from the stab wound was taken to a local hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition.
A neighbor, Eric Gonzalez, described the residents of the apartment as a “normal” family.
“I never saw them fighting. They would come out with the baby carriage, and the man was taking care of his children,” he told an Associated Press reporter outside the apartment complex.
Gonzalez said he did not hear any fighting or gunshots before the incident.
Charlotte Flying Biscuit cafe manager murdered-co-worker sought by police www.privateofficer.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. Jan 16 2012– Police are still looking for the man detectives believe robbed and murdered a pregnant restaurant manager.
25-year-old Danielle Watson just heard her baby’s heartbeat for the first time on Monday.
Police believe a co-worker, Mark Cox, murdered her late Friday night.
For the first time, prosecutors will be able to use a new state law to charge Cox with two counts of murder one for Watson and one for her unborn baby.
The Unborn Victims of Violence Act took effect in December. It allows prosecutors to file a murder charge on behalf of an unborn child, even if the mother isn’t aware of the pregnancy.
The law says the child’s life begins at conception. Watson was two months pregnant.
“I would say North Carolina has the most restrictive version of the Unborn Victims of Violence Bill out of all the states,” said Jeff Gerber, a political lobbyist who helped get the bill passed in April.
Gerber said North Carolina is now the 37th state to have some sort of legislation allowing prosecutors to file charges on behalf of unborn fetuses.
Gerber said the law is a tool to help prosecutors keep murderers behind bars, and it will not interfere with a woman’s right to choose.
“Every single time this bill has been challenged in the judicial system it has been upheld as constitutionally allowable,” he said.
Watson worked as a manager at The Flying Biscuit cafe in Ballantyne. She called her fiancé before her death, but Smith told Eyewitness News he only heard background noise.
“It didn’t sound like anything [suspicious],” Keith Smith said. “It’s hard to explain. It was just muffled, but it was definitely a conversation. Not a heated one. Just something going on. I heard the word kitchen.”
His texts went unanswered, and his concern grew. After two hours, he called 911 and asked them to go to The Flying Biscuit.
Police said the dispatcher gave the responding officer the wrong address. Officers didn’t get to the scene of the crime until more than six hours later.
Police said Cox stole Watson’s car and fled the scene. Both the Highway Patrol and police departments in both North and South Carolina are on alert for Watson’s 1997 baby blue Chevy Cavalier with North Carolina license plate number: ZYX1952. Mark Cox was convicted in 2009 of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He served three years in prison and was just released back in November.
Police are asking anyone with information to call 704-432-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Source:WSOC-TV.com
Rhode Island men charged in felony theft of baby formula www.privateofficer.com
Narragansett RI Jan 16 2012 At about 5:05 p.m. on Jan. 8, Narragansett police arrested a pair of men in connection to shoplifted baby formula at Rite Aid and Stop and Shop.
•John R. Cordeiro, 40, of 224 Unit St., Providence, was charged with felony shoplifting, felony conspiracy, being a habitual offender and simple assault.
•Dale R. Bonanno, 40, of 27 South St., Pawtucket, was charged with felony conspiracy.
Police said that at about 4:20 p.m., they received a report of a shoplifter at Stop and Shop. An employee tried to stop the man from leaving, but the man pushed through the employee. In the ensuing tussle, the man lost his jacket.
Another employee followed the man out to Woodruff Avenue, at which point they were separated. However, a police officer searching the nearby area saw a man running near the Dillon Rotary before he jumped into the back of a dark maroon compact car.
Another officer made a traffic stop of the car on Boston Neck Road, after it ran through a red traffic light on Caswell Street. A witness from Stop and Shop identified the passenger – Corderio – as the man who took the baby formula from Stop and Shop.
According to policy, the store’s security manager also had surveillance of the theft. Police said that on the footage, Corderio can be seen taking the formula, confronting an employee by the door, shoving him out of the way, then leaving the store.
Police said when they interviewed Bonanno, he told them that he picked up Corderio from East Providence earlier in the day so that he could take more baby formula. According to police, Bonanno told them that Corderio took formula from CVS in Wakefield first.
From there, Bonanno told police they went to a “mom and pop” store down the street with a red and white sign, but Corderio left without stealing because he didn’t see any formula.
According to police, Bonanno told them that they next went to Rite Aid in Narragansett, where Corderio took several more packages of formula. Police later checked with Rite Aid, which verified via inventory that they were missing several units of formula.
Bonanno told police that Corderio and he next went to Stop and Shop, at which point Corderio ran into a problem stealing the formula. Bonanno told police he bought a candy bar at Mobil, before picking up Corderio at the Dillon Rotary when he called.
According to police, an inventory of Bonanno’s car revealed about 32 cans of baby formula. Police also located several syringes, commonly used for heroin injection, under a car stereo compartment.
Baby formula is a frequent target of shoplifters, either to be used as a mixing agent for drugs, or because of its resale value in impoverished areas. At this time, it is unknown if Corderio is the suspect wanted for a similar shoplifting incident on the morning of Jan. 8.
Corderio was charged with being a habitual offender, which is a modifier that comes with an additional prison sentence if he is convicted. According to the Rhode Island Judiciary online court database, he has been involved in more than 20 arrests dating back to 1989. Previous felony arrests include:
•In January 1991, he pleaded no contest to a Warwick police felony charge of possession or delivery of between one ounce and one kilogram of cocaine. He was ordered to serve 18 months at the ACI, followed by 8.5 years probation.
•In May 1998, he pleaded no contest to a Providence police charges of felony drug possession, possession of a needle and syringe, and possession of marijuana. He was ordered to serve 18 months at the ACI, followed by 4.5 years probation.
•In March 2001, he pleaded no contest to a Providence police felony charge of possession of stolen motor vehicle parts. He was ordered to serve six months at the ACI, followed by 4.5 years probation.
•In August 2002, he pleaded no contest to a Providence police felony charge of drug possession. He was ordered to serve 21 months at the ACI, followed by 7 years, 3 months probation.
•In January 2007, he pleaded no contest to a Providence police felony drug possession charge. He was ordered to serve 18 months at the ACI, followed by 7.5 years probation. However, he was ordered to serve an additional 2.5 years after violating his probation upon his release.
Because of Corderio’s current charges violate the terms of his probation, he was ordered to be held without bail after an arraignment on Jan. 9. His next court hearing is Jan. 17.
Source:Parch.com
Two Philadelphia men arrested for robbery at Granite Run Mall www.privateofficer.com
Philadelphia PA Jan 16 2012 Two Philadelphia men were arrested Saturday afternoon by Pennsylvania State Police for allegedly attempting to rob a woman in the parking lot of Kohl’s Department Store at the Granite Run Mall.
According to a release from the Media state police barracks, the alleged victim was walking from Kohl’s toward Sears Auto at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday when a car pulled up next to her.
The passenger of the car, Matthew Dennis, 25, allegedly asked for directions before getting out of the car and trying to take the woman’s purse. During a struggle, the victim threw her cell phone at Dennis but it landed inside the car, according to the release. Police said Dennis got back in the car and the driver fled.
A witness reported the attempted robbery and state police troopers caught up with a Chevrolet Impala matching the vehicle description at the intersection of Route 352 and Dutton Mill Road, according to the release. Police said the car was pulled over on Coebourn Boulevard, where the victim positively identified Dennis and the car’s driver, John Robert Nelson, 23. Both were taken into custody with the car’s other two occupants.
The phone was also found inside the car, according to the release.
Denver bingo robbery suspect shoots at security officer www.privateofficer.com
DENVER CO Jan 16 2012- Police in Denver are still searching for the gunman who walked into a crowded bingo hall and fired a gun Friday night.
The man walked into Barry’s Bingo, 1860 S. Federal Blvd. near the intersection of Federal and West Jewell, at about 8:35 p.m. Friday and demanded money from the cashier. That caught the security guard’s attention and the man shot at the guard when he stood up to approach the cashier.
According to the owner of Barry’s Bingo, the bullet bounced off a TV and hit the ceiling. The guard was not hurt.
The gunman and another man ran away when confronted. They drove away in a red Jeep Cherokee. The owner said that Jeep was found abandoned. Police are investigating the possibility it is a stolen vehicle.
The gunman is described as a black or Hispanic man in his early 20s, 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10, 120-150 pounds, dressed in all black with a black nylon mask. Police said there is no good description on the second suspect.
Detectives said they are investigating various forms of evidence from the scene.
Barry’s Bingo has a security guard on the premises during bingo games but will have an additional guard present because of Friday night’s shooting.
Source:CBS Denver
Joint Commission reports increased crime at hospitals www.privateofficer.com
Chattanooga TN Jan 16 2012 Hospitals — long considered places of healing — have experienced an increase in violent crimes in the last decade.
In the last five years, nearly three times as many assaults, rapes and homicides at hospitals were reported to the national hospital accreditation organization than in the previous five years.
“There was that day when hospitals were safe havens but what we’ve seen in the past eight or 10 years is that has shifted,” said George Mills, director of engineering at the Joint Commission, which accredits more than 19,000 hospitals nationally. “People will now go to hospitals to finish whatever [crimes] may have started somewhere else. Hospitals have more lock-down situations.”
Police responded hundreds of times to local medical centers in 2011, records show. That included responses to incidents at the hospitals as well as calls related to crime victims or suspects brought in for treatment.
Local hospitals said they are reviewing their security and response to violent crimes after a shooting in a local intensive care waiting room left two people dead on Jan. 6.
James Benson, 59, has been charged with two counts of felony murder after authorities say he walked into Erlanger at Hutcheson, a Fort Oglethorpe hospital, and killed his estranged wife, 56-year-old Mary Sue, and his mother-in-law, Charlotte Johnson, 77.
Hutcheson had relied on in-house unarmed security guards, but since the shooting, officials have contracted with Walden Security to provide armed guards.
Out of security departments for the five area hospitals — Erlanger Health System, Memorial Health System, Parkridge Health System, Erlanger at Hutcheson and Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Ga. — four declined to be interviewed for this story and provided a statement instead.
“Every hospital across the country is probably reviewing their security this morning,” Gregg Gentry, head of Erlanger Health System’s human resources department, said Monday after the shooting. “As these situations happen, it makes us pause and think through everything. It is our goal to provide the safest environment for our staff, patients and visitors.”
SAFETY CHALLENGES
Hospitals provide a unique set of safety challenges to security personnel — gang shooting victims arrive at trauma units, domestic spats end up in emergency rooms and estranged family members meet in visits to hospitalized family members.
“Hospitals are literally a powder keg,” said Bryan Warren, director of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety. “They are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It can be a very emotional place.”
Police respond to area hospitals for disturbances that range from shootings and assaults to disorderly conduct and drunkenness, incident reports show.
Nationally, the Bureau of Labor reported 91 homicides and 145 violent acts at health care facilities from 2007 to 2010. The previous four years were lower with 80 homicides and 126 violent acts.
The Joint Commission reported an even more dramatic increase with 177 assaults, rapes and homicides at hospitals in the last five years, compared with 61 cases in the previous five years.
Experts said numbers are probably much higher because many crimes go unreported.
Warren, whose agency works with hospitals to assess risks and implement security measures, said hospitals have to play a balancing act of providing access to patients and visitors while maintaining a safe environment.
Security risks also vary widely from hospital to hospital, depending if the hospital is a small rural hospital or a large urban facility that routinely cares for patients involved in gang incidents, he said.
Since 9/11, many public places have had tightened security and increased use of metal detectors.
Hospitals also have made changes, but most rely primarily on security guards and cameras to monitor their premises.
Other high-traffic facilities such as the Hamilton County Courthouse took a more drastic approach by closing off the main entrance and placing metal detectors at the two other public entrances, said Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Ron Parson.
SECURITY IN LOCAL HOSPITALS
Local hospitals have more than 10,000 employees and thousands more patients and visitors on their campuses throughout the year, making them some of the most heavily trafficked places in Chattanooga.
“It’s just like a little city. A little bit of anything can come in the door at any time,” said Glen Johnson, who has headed Memorial’s security since 1994. Out of the five area hospitals, Johnson was the only security director to agree to an interview.
Area hospitals use a mix of security measures to police their premises — Memorial uses unarmed in-house security guards, while both Erlanger and Parkridge have contracts with Walden Security, which provides armed guards.
“We are constantly shifting staff to areas where we feel the need is greatest,” Erlanger’s Debbie Shepherd wrote in an email. “We do have to balance the need for public safety and an overly restrictive security system.”
Hamilton Medical Center employs 14 armed security officers, who are trained for defensive weapons twice a year, said hospital spokesman Daryl Cole in an email.
But hospital officials declined to say if their security had changed since a shooting in the parking lot in December.
A 24-year-old patient, Andrew Desimone, sneaked from his hospital room to the parking lot on Dec. 18 and shot Kevin Bradford, who was visiting a relative, Dalton police reported. Desimone escaped, and police later found him at his home and arrested him on aggravated assault charges.
After last week’s shooting at Hutcheson, officials said they will spend time to assess the incident.
“We will continue to debrief from last week’s tragic events and review our security program and protocols,” Hutcheson’s administrator, Debbie Reeves, said in an emailed statement.
Memorial depends on guards, security cameras and a close relationship with the police department to provide security, Johnson said.
“You have to be really proactive; we monitor for any trends,” Johnson said.
SECURITY ASSESSMENTS
Experts said there are no national standards for hospital security or federal laws that dictate uniform security measures.
However, the Joint Commission assesses security as part of its credentialing process, which begins with a review of the hospital’s security policies and procedures, Mills said.
After looking at the security management plan, the organization checks to see whether the hospital is implementing those policies.
“We go out and survey the building,” Mills said. “If the hospital says they challenge people who come into the emergency room, we walk into the emergency room to see if that is actually happening.”
The Joint Commission released a study of violence in the health care setting in June 2010 that noted several factors contributing to the problem.
Leadership issues, particularly in areas of policy and procedure, were noted in 62 percent of the events. An increased need for staff education and other human resources-related factors were found in 60 percent of the events, the study noted.
The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety emphasizes security is everyone’s responsibility, Warren said. It provides security education for all employees, from volunteers working the gift shop to doctors, he said.
“You have to get everyone involved to increase that collaborative environment,” he said.
SECURITY CHANGES
The Joint Commission continues to look at security but has not made major changes in how it assesses security in recent years, Mills said.
Compared to hospital security in 1994 when he first took over, Johnson said hospital security has seen drastic changes and improvements.
“There is no comparison with what we have in place now,” Johnson said.
Technology has helped hospitals to provide much better security, with the ability quickly to lock down sections of the hospital or monitor visitors, he said.
The primary defense is public and employee awareness, Warren said.
“Anything can happen anywhere. We need to get out of the mindset that if it hasn’t happened yet, it won’t,” he said.
Source:timesfreepress.com
Kentucky doctor charged with attempting to kill husband at a Nashville hotel www.privateofficer.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Jan 16 2012– A Kentucky doctor has been charged with attempting to kill her husband at a Nashville hotel.
Officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department were called to the Hilton Garden Inn on Broadway early Saturday morning after reports of shots fired.
Investigators said 42-year-old Kristy Garrett and her husband 37-year-old David Chappell had been out drinking Friday night before returning to their hotel room.
Chappell told investigators the two got into a fight earlier in the evening, and it continued when they got back to the hotel. That was when he was shot.
Garrett was charged with attempted criminal homicide.
Chappell was listed in stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Officials said the couple was visiting Nashville from Greenville, Kentucky.
Source:newschannel5.com
Fort Bragg Staff Sgt faces attempted murder charges in police stand-off www.privateofficer.com
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Jan 16 2012
A Fort Bragg soldier is facing 30 charges after exchanging gunfire with police and barricading himself in his apartment for hours Friday night and Saturday morning.
Staff Sgt. Joshua P. Eisenhauer is charged with 15 counts of attempted first-degree murder, six counts of felony assault on a law enforcement official and nine counts of felony assault on a government official.
Eisenhauer was listed in critical condition after the gunfire exchange.
Two Fayetteville Police officers were also injured during the standoff with the soldier at an apartment complex, according to a police spokesman.
Ft. Bragg Saturday morning identified the soldier as Staff Sgt. Joshua P. Eisenhauer. He was assigned to Fort Bragg’s Warrior Transition Battalion. That’s a unit for wounded soldiers or soldiers transitioning out of the military, according to a Ft. Bragg spokesman.
Fayettevile police spokesman Gavin MacRoberts said Eisenhauer was in critical but stable condition at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.
In a 4 a.m. news conference spokesman MacRoberts said the injuries to the officers were “minor.” One officer has a cut to the head and the other has shrapnel in an arm.
The injuries are the result of a four-hour standoff that started with firefighters responding to a fire.
Firefighters arrived to the Austin Creek Apartment complex on 71st School Road around 10 p.m.
While there was not a major fire at the complex, firefighters were not able to get into any of the apartments they were trying to respond to, so they called police for help.
Police said a man started shooting at them around 10:30 p.m. and that officers fired back. The man then went back into his apartment on the third floor.
Police cleared out people from nearby apartments and took them to the fire station across the street.
“It is definitely nerve-racking when you know loved ones are in a situation and no ones giving you information, you just know someone has been shooting,” said Trevor Jones.
As a result, members of the Emergency Response Team used explosives to take out the front door of the suspect’s apartment. They sent in a robot.
They found Eisenhauer on the kitchen floor and he was taken into custody around 2:10 a.m.
One of the officers was also taken to the hospital. The other was treated on the scene.
Because this was an officer-involved shooting, the State Bureau of Investigation will be investigating. The officers involved will be placed on administrative duty during the SBI investigation.
The names of the officers will be released after “proper notifications” have been made, according to MacRoberts.
Police shut down 71st School Road around the apartment complex for several hours.
“They wouldn’t tell me anything. They wouldn’t tell me anything. They wouldn’t tell me if my apartment’s OK or what’s going on,” said a woman named Karen who lives in the complex, but declined to give her last name.
Jonathan Saucier also lives in the complex. He left work early when he found out about the situation. His wife was home alone.
“I’m actually very worried. I can’t get to her, but what can I do?,” he said.
While he couldn’t get to his wife because of the police barricades, his wife was giving him updates by phone.
“She first told me she’d been hearing gunshots. Everyone was hanging out of the balcony looking what’s was going on,” he said.
Saucier said his wife heard the explosion when police blew open the suspect’s door.
“She said it was the loudest noise she’s heard since and it set off car alarms.”
The road re-opened to traffic just before 3 a.m.
“I am truly proud of the valiant conduct displayed by our safety and security personnel in response to this challenging situation,” said City Manager Dale Iman in a written statement Saturday. “I am grateful to the fire fighters who attempted to make the citizens who were displaced to our fire station as comfortable as possible.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Jones lives directly below the suspect and said he was worried about his girlfriend. He also said Eisenhauer seemed like a quiet person.
Crisis Team negotiators tried unsuccessfully to contact Eisenhauer for several hours.
Source:NBC17
Kmart employee accused of stealing thousands of dollars in jewelry,says she needed to pay her mortgage www.privateofficer.com
Gwinnett County GA Jan 16 2012 A Kmart employee accused of stealing thousands of dollars in jewelry, told police she needed to pay her mortgage.
According to a police report, a store audit showed several pieces missing from the case. The store manager told police when he pulled surveillance video he saw the woman pocketing rings and necklaces.
Stephanie Blair, 26, of Sugar Hill is now out of job and charged with two counts of felony theft by taking.
Gwinnett County police said Blair worked at the Kmart on Buford Highway.
Investigators believe while on the job she pocketed several pieces of jewelry worth thousands of dollars.
According to the police report, when the officer questioned her, “She stated she stole the items to help pay her mortgage.” The officer noted “Blair said ‘She knew it was wrong and was sorry.’”
“There’s no right to steal at all. Obviously if you’re down on your luck and you’re looking for money to pay your mortgage, bills and so on, there are multiple ways to do that,” Ed Ritter with the Gwinnett County Police Department said.
Police said when the store manager confronted her she returned the items.
They included a gold ring worth about $1,600, two diamond engagement rings worth more than $5,000, two bridal rings and two rosary necklaces for a total of more than $12,000.
Blair is out of bond, awaiting her next court date.
Sears shoplifter pulls knife on loss prevention agent www.privateofficer.com
Toms River NJ Jan 16 2012 Police responded to Sears reference a shoplifting and Robbery at 730 p.m. Friday night.
Investigation by Officer Frank Moschella found that a white male was stopped by Loss Prevention Officers for Sears after a shoplifting incident and the suspect pulled out a knife and lunged toward the security officer.
Communication advised patrol units that the suspect then enter a white BMW and fled the scene. Sergeant Ralph Stocco and Office Wallace Polhemus, stopped the vehicle as it was pulling up to a residence on Whitesville Road shortly after the robbery.
The suspect exited the car and attempted to jump over a six foot fence when he was grabbed by Sergeant Stocco and Officer Polhemus and placed under arrest.
Police arrested David Forte 29 of 1767 Whitesville Road who was charged with robbery, aggravated assault and resisting arrest and placed in Ocean County Jail on $50,000 bail no 10 %..
Detective Louis Santora and Officers Art Pennell, Pascal Gambardella and Mark Nater assisted in the investigation and arrest.
20 people arrested, 38 others injured at Candlestick Park www.privateofficer.com
San Francisco CA Jan 16 2012 Police arrested 20 people at Saturday’s 49ers playoff game at Candlestick Park, authorities said.
Nineteen of the arrests were for misdemeanors, including intoxication, battery and resisting arrest. One person was arrested for a suspected felony – selling counterfeit tickets.
Police and the stadium’s security staff ejected “numerous persons” from the stadium, according to the police.
In addition, 38 people were treated by medical personnel, although police did not report any serious injuries.
Virginia Beach police charge U.S. Navy sailor in child’s death www.privateofficer.com
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. Jan 16 2012— A U.S. Navy sailor from the Ozarks is charged in the death of a four-month old girl. The Navy Times is reporting that Micah Patterson, 22, of Seymour, MO was looking after his girlfriend’s baby Tuesday in Virginia Beach, VA when police received a call that the baby girl wasn’t breathing.
Emergency responders say they suspected child abuse, and police took patterson into custody. The victim, Aubrey Hannsz, died the next day in the hospital. Patterson has been charged with felony child abuse and neglect, but so far has not been charged with murder.
Patterson is being held without bond.
118 Miami Dade officers laid off-police committed to core service www.privateofficer.com
Miami Fla Jan 16 2012 The day after Miami-Dade County sent layoff notices to 118 police officers, Police Department Director Jim Loftus said his force remains committed to its core service despite what he called a “crisis.”
“This is a big hit for us. It hurts in every possible way, but we will find a way to get through this for the betterment of the people we serve. That’s our focus,” Loftus said.
The layoffs represent roughly 5 percent of the department’s workforce of 2,000 officers. In addition to the 118 layoffs, there were 41 demotions, including some officers moved to public safety aides or other administrative roles.
Lofuts detailed what that means for residents in a nearly hour-long press conference Saturday with reporters. “The ultimate commitment is to the thing I call the road,” he said. “When people call, they want someone to come.”
With that priority, Loftus said he expects that:
• The response time for 911 calls will remain the same for now.
• Police units that combat violent crime will not be affected, nor will the number of police officers who patrol the streets. A patrol officer who has been laid off will be replaced with another officer from another unit.
Yet there will be fewer resources for units that deal with property crimes, economic crimes and community service projects. So it might take longer for Miami-Dade police to follow up on a robbery that occurred at a home while the owner was out of town, for example.
In addition, Loftus said there could be a longer, lasting effect — that the layoffs could make it harder to train the next generation of officers and management.
Recounting anecdotes of officers slated to leave the department — including one whose late dad was a former homicide sergeant and whose mom also worked at the department — Loftus called the layoffs the second hardest thing he has had to do in his career. The first: burying slain officers Amanda Haworth and Roger Castillo last year. “This as it stands right now, it’s No. 2,” he said.
The top cop met with his boss, Mayor Carlos Gimenez, and the mayor’s executive staff Friday evening and discussed how they would tell residents what the layoffs will mean to the community. Loftus said there was no tension or friction, rather a “sense of resignation and sorrow.”
The county also sent pink slips Friday to 17 corrections officers.
Also affected: the Government Supervisors Association of Florida OPEIU Local 100, which represents professional employees and supervisors. Only a handful of those union members received pink slips Friday, but more are expected beginning Tuesday.
The layoffs don’t take effect until Feb. 3, giving Gimenez one more shot — at a Jan. 24 meeting — at persuading county commissioners to impose a controversial concession on members of the powerful Dade Police Benevolent Association to save the jobs. The mayor wants union members to contribute an additional 5 percent of their pay toward healthcare, bringing their total contribution to 10 percent.
As for what Loftus would like to see come out of that Jan. 24 meeting: “I want our police department intact because I think that’s would be the best thing for everybody,” he said, noting that’s what he hoped for during the difficult contract negotiations.
Gimenez’s administration has identified 282 positions to eliminate from the GSAF union’s ranks, though some of them are already vacant. It has taken the county longer to figure out who will be affected by those layoffs because of so-called bumping rights that allow some employees to land jobs in other county departments.
Police and corrections terminations were almost entirely determined by seniority, with the newest officers let go first, though 13 officers who would have otherwise been laid off will be able to look for posts elsewhere in county government.
Earlier, the administration had said that at least 154 police officers and 145 corrections officers likely would lose their jobs.
The corrections department avoided additional layoffs by deciding to transfer inmates from the Women’s Detention Center in Miami, which the county will eventually close, to Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center east of Doral. The department also plans to phase out a popular juvenile boot camp.
Both unions — after renegotiating their contracts with the county and agreeing to numerous cuts and concessions — hit an impasse over the extra 5 percent healthcare contribution. Gimenez, who had warned commissioners they might have to impose unpopular concessions after approving a lower property-tax rate last year, asked the county commission to impose the concession anyway.
But a majority of commissioners, saying employees had already given up too much to help balance the county’s 2011-12 budget, rejected Gimenez’s proposal on Jan. 5, prompting the layoffs.
“This has been a difficult process,” Gimenez wrote in a memo to commissioners late Friday, “but given that we are over three months into this fiscal year and with other cost-saving alternatives being currently exhausted, these personnel reductions are now a necessary part of fulfilling our legal obligation to balance the budget.”
Source:www.miamiherald.com
