Archive
Private firms set to take over core probation services www.privateofficer.com
England UK March 28 2012 After all the furore over the proposed radical extension of the role of the private sector in policing, what should we make of G4S and Serco advertising to recruit probation officers? The role of private security companies in the prisons has been well-established for nearly 20 years but the core work of probation services has been sacrosanct. Indeed, the 2007 Offender Management Act, which was designed to open up probation services to potential voluntary and private sector providers, specifically reserved the provision of advice and assistance to the courts for the public sector. So it is something of a surprise to see that G4S is looking to recruit probation officers to work with “public sector clients”. The security company says the typical work undertaken by its probation officers will involve providing pre-sentence court and bail information reports, assessing offenders’ risk and threat to the public, and overseeing unpaid work programmes for offenders. The justice minister, Crispin Blunt, sent a shiver through the world of probation earlier this month when he told the Probation Chiefs’ Association that he was considering repealing section 15 of the 2007 act, which reserves the production of 175,000 probation reports for the courts to the probation services. Blunt was warned by John Fassenfelt, the chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, that the courts would not be impressed by such a development. Fassenfelt says he worries that a privately employed probation officer might be tempted to give advice that favoured their company’s local tagging and curfew programme. He says such a loss of confidence because of a feared conflict of interest could result in more courts playing it safe and jailing more offenders. When the consultation paper on the future of the probation service was published on Tuesday that specific option was not included, but the paper does envisage large swaths of probation work being put out to tender. The new options include the management of low- and medium-risk offenders in the community and many innovative “payment by results” pilot partnership schemes waiting for the green light. The only other area reserved for the public sector probation service appears to be the management of high-risk offenders. The scale of the reforms facing the probation service is reflected in the radical proposal to allow probation trusts to significantly reduce the 35 probation areas should they feel it is necessary to organise competition contracts on a regional, rather than a local, basis. Even this has been the subject of a behind-the-scenes struggle between the justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, and Theresa May, with the home secretary bidding to give the new police and crime commissioners (PCCs) a decisive role in commissioning probation services. But earlier this month May called a truce and signalled that while the 40-odd PCCs may work closely with prisons, probation and other local services they would not have direct power over them. You may well ask when ministers and not just private security companies are going to be put on a payment by results basis. Source:Guardian UK
Atlanta joint task force arrest more than 40 car thieves www.privateofficer.com
Deputy sheriff fired for mowing lawn in shorts retains police certification www.privateofficer.com
Bradley County TNMarch 28 2012 The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office withdrew its request to have a former deputy decertified by the state agency responsible for developing and enforcing standards and training for police officers.
Maj. Jim Hodgson with the BCSO Administration Bureau wrote a letter to the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission on Tuesday stating, “Upon further consideration in the matter of William Dallas Longwith and on behalf of Sheriff Jim Ruth, I wish to withdraw the request to have him decertified as a law enforcement officer.”
Longwith said Wednesday the sheriff’s actions were embarrassing and caused unnecessary stress on him and his family.
“Sheriff Ruth has been untruthful throughout this process and knows I have done nothing wrong,” Longwith said. “That is the reason he withdrew the decertification request.”
Longwith was fired from the Sheriff’s Office Jan. 4, based on complaints he allegedly wore boxer shorts (underwear) outside his home in August 2011 and again in December 2011.
The decertification hearing had been scheduled for this afternoon in Nashville.
In an email request for clarification of what was meant by further consideration, Hodgson replied, “Subsequent to our request for decertification, we were informally advised by reliable sources that the POST Commission has been reluctant to decertify officers discharged for disciplinary reasons, unless there was clear evidence of a criminal violation involved in the officer’s conduct.
“Since the internal investigation into complaints about Mr. Longwith’s objectionable conduct disclosed no clear criminal violation, I decided that it would likely be a waste of the time, energy and resources of the Sheriff’s Office, as well as the POST Commission, to press the decertification effort.”
Hodgson said being discharged by the employing law enforcement agency for disciplinary reasons is clearly one of the stated criteria for decertification.
“In fact, for years training administrators were frequently encouraged by POST representatives to file for decertification for officers so discharged, or for officers who resigned in the face of charges that could have resulted in termination,” he said. “Agencies have only a 10-day window following termination to file for decertification.”
According to Tennessee Commerce and Insurance Communications Director Christopher Garrett, two requests for decertification by local law enforcement agencies are on file with the POST Commission.
One Cleveland police officer accused of shoplifting was placed on the Dec. 20, 2010, agenda. The second request for decertification was Longwith.
“I was informed late yesterday [Tuesday] the police department has rescinded its order for decertification; the item is being removed from the agendas for this week’s meetings,” Garrett wrote via email.
No other requests or records were found for any officer to be decertified from the Sheriff’s Office in the past 30 years and no local officers have been decertified.
According to Garrett, Longwith’s certification will remain in good standing. Rules state that between five and 10 years without working full-time as a law enforcement officer, the officer must attend a three-week transition school within six months of employment. Officers with a break of longer than 10 years are required to attend a basic law enforcement academy.
According to the Jan. 4 termination letter from the Sheriff’s Office to Longwith, he was fired after a complaint was received in August 2011 from a neighbor alleging the deputy was “wearing nothing more than boxer shorts (underwear) while mowing your lawn. You were spoken to on this matter and you chose to ignore Sgt. James Dearth and continue to engage in the same manner which resulted in a second complaint from a different citizen in December 2011.”
Longwith said Wednesday he did wear casual clothing, including UT shorts and a T-shirt on his own personal property on various occasions, but maintains none of the clothing was underwear or anything that could be construed as inappropriate.
“This heavy-handed approach to dictate clothing that can be worn off-duty on your own property concerns me because it could affect other officers as summer approaches and casual wear is worn more frequently around swimming pools and such,” Longwith said. “Thanks to the many elected officials, friends and to my church for their support and prayers while I properly deal with these bogus allegations. Thanks to everyone who has supported me by writing letters and those that were willing to travel to Nashville to speak on my behalf.
“I hope this matter can be laid to rest, and the Sheriff’s Office ends their attacks on me. This issue has caused a loss of sleep and of course, additional monetary losses. I am confident that I will be cleared of any wrongdoing, and I thank everyone for their support.”
Hodgson said, “Mr. Longwith’s termination followed a repeat of objectionable behavior for which he had been previously warned by his sergeant. For Mr. Longwith to state that his former supervisor found no policy violation involved, contradicts the clear existence of the earlier warning.
“His assertion that he was fully clothed is contrary to statements made by and photographs taken by the complainants in this matter. It was my concern about Mr. Longwith’s refusal to accept responsibility for his conduct that prompted me to recommend the request for decertification.
“We are confident that our discharge of Mr. Longwith was fully justified and will withstand legal challenge, and that we can successfully refute any related claims made by Mr. Longwith which are contrary to the facts.”
Longwith retained Chattanooga attorney Gerald Tidwell to study Longwith’s legal options.
Read more: Cleveland Daily Banner
Eighth-grade student charged with threatening students via Facebook www.privateofficer.com
Mandeville LA March 28 2012 An eighth-grade student at Monteleone Junior High School near Mandeville, Louisiana, was arrested after threatening on Facebook to kill fellow students on campus Monday, The Times-Picayune reports.
Just before 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, the student, who lives in Lacombe, allegedly wrote on his personal Facebook page, “Your (sic) all gonna die when I see you tomorrow … except for my list of survivors … lol.”
He later posted a numbered list of six survivors. Under No. 7, he wrote, “I will think of the rest later.”
The student was arrested on one count of terrorizing. He has been transferred to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Facility and is being held there pending a 72-hour hearing.
Former Little Rock police officer-3 others sentenced for armored car robbery www.privateofficer.com
LITTLE ROCK, AR March 28 2012– A former Little Rock police officer and three others were sentenced Monday for their roles in a 2007 armored car robbery.
Jason Gilbert, who was an officer with the Little Rock Police Department, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and one year of supervised release. According to the Department of Justice, Gilbert’s role in the robbery, as well as a failed 2005 attempt to rob Arkansas Armored Car, was to monitor police radio and alert the rest of the crew if any alarms or 911 calls were reported in the robbery.
Antonio “Tony” Person was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The DOJ says Person was the leader in the 2007 robbery. He also received 3 years of supervised release.
Allen Clark and Sterling Platt, who later became employed as law enforcement officers (US Department of Veterans Affairs and UAMS respectively) were sentenced as well. Clark received a year and a half in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Platt was sentenced to 2 years of probation.
One defendant, Mark Davis, remains to be sentenced. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
Boise man arrested for pointing gun at off-duty officer www.privateofficer.com
Boise ID March 28 2012 Police received the report of a suspect brandishing a weapon on the connector near Franklin on Friday, around 4:30 p.m.
The victim, an off duty Boise Police officer, tells responding officers that Matthew Allison, 22 of Boise, was passing him in his private vehicle, when the Allison produced a handgun. The officer told police he waved the handgun in a threatening manner. He says Allison pointed the handgun in his direction and then immediately took off, accelerating at a high rate of speed.
The off-duty officer followed the the car, relaying information to on duty police officers. Allison continued to drive at a high rate of speed, changing lanes and driving erratically. On duty officers in marked patrol units conducted a high risk traffic stop in a parking lot at 23rd and Fairview.
Officers recovered the handgun used in the incident along with a knife Allison had concealed on his person. A check through Ada County Dispatch indicated Allison was currently suspended from driving. He charged with Felony Aggravated Assault, Reckless Driving, Driving Without Privileges, Carrying a Concealed Weapon.
Source:KIVI.com
Lake Forest Police: Three Boys Who Committed Suicide Did Not Know Each Other www.privateofficer.com
Lake Forest, Ill. March 28 2012- Lake Forest police are investigating the death of another student in the north suburbs.
Over the past three months, three boys in the area have taken their own lives, all choosing to do it in the same way.
Investigators told FOX Chicago’s Darlene Hill that the boys didn’t know each other and didn’t hang out. The major thing they all shared was that they went to the same high school and they all died by throwing their bodies in front of a fast moving train.
Classmates at Lake Forest High School describe the three boys as a chess player, a football player, and an all around good kid.
Ed Schutt was a senior at the high school. His father reported him missing Saturday evening. His body was found Sunday morning near the Metra tracks, less than a half mile from the family’s home.
15 year-old William Laskero Teskoski was struck and killed near the 1400 block of north Western Avenue. His body was found on Feb. 28. His friends say he was a good athlete, and a real team player both on and off the field.
“No one really expected it. He was a happy kid, everyone liked him,” said a friend.
Classmates say the same thing about sophomore Fraid Hussein. He loved acting and playing chess. His friends say they wish they knew his problems so they could help solve them.
“Everyone’s emotions are really held up. People are talking about it, but no one is really expressing emotion,” said a friend.
Grief counselors have been available at the school to talk with students. The police chief says suicides in Lake County are on the rise.In 2010, there were only four suicides. This year they’re averaging one a month.
Police don’t believe the three students shared a pact on dying, adding it was probably just the easiest way to go.
Source:Fox Chicago
PA. mother bludgeoned her 11-year-old daughter to death-then commits suicide www.privateofficer.com
North Heidelberg Township PA March 28 2012 A 39-year-old woman and her 11-year-old daughter were found dead in their North Heidelberg Township home in what investigators said Monday appears to be a murder-suicide.
Donna Evans fatally bludgeoned her 11-year-old daughter, Madison Evans, before setting the house on fire and killing herself Sunday night, state police said.
Investigators said Donna Evans was distraught over the breakup with a lover.
Police and firefighters were dispatched to the residence at 2331 Brownsville Road at 9:36 p.m. Sunday for a house fire. Officials didn’t indicate who called in the fire.
Firefighters quickly put out the small fire and found the mother and daughter dead in the house, officials said.
Troopers investigated through the night and remained at the house until well after daybreak Monday. Investigators had closed a portion of the road until about 9 a.m.
Shirley Salerno, who lives a few doors from the Evans residence, said she was awakened by the arrival of emergency vehicles.
“There were fire engines and ambulances and police,” Salerno said as she waited with her children for the school bus Monday morning. “They were here for hours and hours. I finally went to sleep after 2 a.m., and they were still here.”
Another neighbor said she knew Evans and her daughter were dead, but she declined to talk about it further. She said Evans lived there with another woman.
Berks County Deputy Coroner Kurt E. Katzenmoyer pronounced Donna Evans and Madison Evans dead at 1:42 a.m. Monday. Rulings on the causes and manners of the deaths were delayed pending results of autopsies to be performed today by a forensic pathologist in Reading Hospital.
Donna Evans shared custody of her daughter with the girl’s father, who lives in the Wilson School District, officials said.
Madison Evans was a sixth-grade student at Wilson West Middle School in Lower Heidelberg Township, which had school counselors stationed in a large instruction room to help schoolmates with their thoughts and feelings about her death, Principal Kyle Wetherhold said.
The district announced news of her death, without providing specifics, to the staff before students were given the news, he said. Wetherhold informed parents of the girl’s death via the district’s automatic calling system, which referred parents to local news media for more information.
Wetherhold said numerous children in the school, which houses sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, went to the grief room. Counselors invited students to draw pictures or write letters as a way of processing and expressing their feelings.
“You’re talking 11-, 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds, so the impact is hard to assess,” Wetherhold said. “I think they have a lot of questions. The question we’ve been getting is why does something like this happen? We tell them a lot of time we don’t know why these things happen, but it’s important to talk through it.”
The school will have a memorial case for students to place items such as teddy bears in remembrance of their classmate, the principal said.
Source:readingeagle.com
Charleston SC man dies in shooting range accident www.privateofficer.com
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC March 28 2012 - The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has identified the man killed following an accidental shooting that occurred Monday at a North Charleston gun range.
The victim is 60-year-old Benny Patterson, of North Charleston. The coroner says Patterson died at 5:47 p.m. Monday from a gunshot wound to the chest.
North Charleston police officers responded to Trader World Gun Shop on Cross County Road around 5 p.m. Monday and located a victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
According to witnesses at the gun range, Patteron was shooting on a lane when he stopped to inspect the weapon. He turned the handgun toward himself when it discharged, striking him.
Patterson was taken to MUSC where he died a short time later.
The indoor range has been temporarily closed at Trader World Gun Range. The acting manager said he didn’t know how long it would be closed.
Source:WCSC
Oregon construction worker chases down bank robber www.privateofficer.com
WILSONVILLE OR March 28 2012 – A Wilsonville man chased down a suspected bank robber Monday afternoon after he spotted a man running out of a Wells Fargo bank.
Construction worker and father Nick Butler, 40, spotted the suspect tossing away a hat and taking his shirt off as he ran out the front door of the branch about 1:30 p.m.
His action reflected a series of episodes in recent weeks in the Portland area of citizens stepping into dangerous situations.
“I was just minding my own business,” Butler said. “I just put my truck in park, and got out and started chasing him.”
Butler ran track in high school, a sprinter.
“I’m like, ‘I’m going to get him,” Butler said. “He’s going to be easy.”
The race was on. The suspect weaved through traffic. A half-mile later, Butler had closed the gap.
“He was peeling his pants off, the last part of the little uniform he had on,” Butler said. “I ran after him as fast as I could and hit him, and all he said was, ‘ouch.’ His eyes got that big.”
In moments, officers arrived, Butler continued recalling the drama, his hands forming a handgun. “And then the cops . . . get down!”
Police arrested 30-year-old Matthew Charles Herstrom, 30, on accusations of second-degree robbery.
“On the one hand, we appreciate the help, and it made the difference today,” said Sgt. James Rhodes of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. “On the other hand it’s a risky business. People who rob banks are desperate or often armed.”
Herstrom was not armed. For that, Butler was grateful. All he wanted to do was keep Wilsonville safe.
Asked if he would do it again, Butler said, “maybe I wouldn’t do it, but probably.”
Does he expect a reward from Wells Fargo? No, Butler said, but a better deal on his mortgage interest rate would be nice.
Source:kgw
92-year-old vegetable vendor robbed by teens www.privateofficer.com
FAIRFIELD COUNTY, SC March 28 2012 - If you looked at Palmer Boulware’s land in Fairfield County, you’d see a plow that looks a little antiquated and a barn that seems a little weathered.
But a closer look would show that Boulware’s soil is fresh and his shovel is just as sharp as his 92-year-old mind. But what’s his secret?
“Just working like a dog. All I know. I never did smoke, I never did drink,” Boulware said.
Boulware, a World War II vet, moved to Fairfield County in the 40′s. He grows tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash.
In the off-season, he buys potatoes and onions and sells them out of his truck. On Friday, his truck was at the corner of College and Spring streets in downtown Winnsboro. Seems like a normal day, right? Wrong.
Chief Fred Lorick explains.
“From what I understand, two of the kids came up and acted like they wanted to buy something, other kid grabbed his wallet. Of course, all of them ran,” Lorick said.
That’s right, the kindly vegetable vendor was robbed.
“I guess the police are questioning them up, don’t know if I’ll get the money back or not,” Boulware said.
Boulware says the group got away with a “couple hundred dollars” of his money. A couple hundred dollars is a lot when you consider that Boulware likes to do things the old way. Take his bananas for example. Boulware sells a 2-pound bushel for $2.
“It’s really kind of a shame that he has to worry about some kids taking his money,” Lorick said.
The chief says what’s equally surprising about the suspects is their ages: a 14-year-old boy, a 15-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl.
“All indications are she was the ringleader,” Lorick said. “That’s kind of unusual.”
Due to the fact that the teens are minors, we cannot identify them, but we can tell you that all three of them face strong armed robbery charges.
It’s not clear if Boulware will ever see the money again. He thinks there is a chance the robbers — more than 70 years his minors — may reap what they sow. As will he.
Boulware says he’ll continue to sell his wares regardless of the robbery.
“I reckon I’ll try ’til they knock me out,” Boulware said. “I reckon.”
Source:WIS
Las Vegas police pay $100,000 to man beaten by police for videotaping them www.privateofficer.com
LAS VEGAS NV March 28 2012 (AP) — A Las Vegas police money committee has approved a $100,000 settlement for a man who says he was attacked and beaten in his driveway as he videotaped police in his neighborhood.
The department’s Fiscal Affairs Committee signed off Monday on the settlement with Las Vegas resident Mitchell Crooks.
News 3′s Reed Cowan is in the newsroom with the first interview with Crooks who say he’s not stopping here. Crooks wants people to know that he sued to make a police officer accountable.
Crooks was arrested in March 2011 after Officer Derek Colling approached him as he videotaped police investigating a report of a burglary.
Colling was fired in December after a departmental investigation. In five years as a police officer, he was involved in two fatal shootings that coroner’s juries ruled were justified.
Crooks moved to Las Vegas after making headlines in 2002 when he videotaped two Inglewood, Calif., police officers beating a 16-year-old boy.
Southern Indiana hospital nurse’s aide accused of identity theft www.privateofficer.com
CLARKSVILLE, IN March 28 2012- A nurse’s aide at a southern Indiana hospital has been arrested after being accused of using patient information to apply for credit cards.
Clarksville Police said Patricia Albano worked at Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany when she took several patients’ information, and applied for several credit cards in their names.
Albano is now charged with forgery and identity theft.
WAVE
Monson-Sultana School teacher arrested for sexual assault on student www.privateofficer.com
Reedly CA March 28 2012 A veteran valley teacher has been arrested on allegations of sexual assault against a student.
Officers took David Blancas, 43, into custody at his home in Reedley on Sunday. He’s accused of sexually assaulting a male student about ten years ago.
Blancas, who teaches 6th grade at Monson-Sultana School, has been an employee with the Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District for 25 years, administrators said.
District Superintendent Roy Woods, who also serves as the school’s principal, says he’s disappointed after hearing about the allegations against Blancas on Monday. He sent a letter home with students on Monday afternoon to explain to parents what happened.
“We want to reassure parents that this is a safe school. And that we’re doing everything that we can to look into this to make sure that we keep our kids and staff safe,” said Woods.
Reedley Police Chief Joe Garza says his department started looking into the allegations in the middle of last year when the victim came forward. The man attended Monson-Sultana School, he said.
Garza believes the alleged assaults happened off-campus on several occasions within Reedley city limits.
“We don’t know if there are any other victims, however, we are reaching out to the community. To the public at large. You know, if there are any other victims, we encourage them to come forward,” said Garza.
Blancas has been put on paid administrative leave, Woods said. The district will conduct its own investigation into what happened while leaders wait for the outcome of the criminal investigation, he added.
Blancas has worked as a teacher, athletic director, and coach during his time with the district, Woods said.
As of early Monday evening, Blancas remained in the Fresno County Jail on $150,000 bail. No one was available for comment at his home.
Neighbor Albert Rosas, who lives across the street from Blancas, says he’s never noticed anything suspicious at the home.
“It’s shocking to hear something like that. He’s a pretty nice guy when I talked to him,” said Rosas.
If you have any information about the case, call the Reedley Police Department at (559) 637-4250.
Saraland High School teacher arrested for making sexual advances toward student www.privateofficer.com
SARALAND, Alabama — March 28 2012
Investigators say a Saraland High School teacher was making sexual advances towards a student using an electronic device.
Police arrested 29 year old Nathan Blaylock on Monday and charged him with sexual misconduct. Investigators say the messages went on for several days. Blaylock is due in court Wednesday.
According to the school’s website, Blaylock taught science and coached HS basketball.
Dr. Wayne Vickers, superintendent of Saraland schools says Blaylock has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Source:AL.com
Two SC men face murder charges in bar shooting www.privateofficer.com
Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell says 17-year-old Jerrell Lee has been charged with murder and 21-year-old Darren Abraham has been charged with pointing and presenting a firearm.
Ravenell says a fight inside Bill’s Bar and Grill spurred the shooting around 2:00 a.m on Sunday. The fight continued outside and shots were fired, hitting the 19-year-old Holly Hill victim who has not yet been identified.
When deputies arrived, they found the victim lying next to a car in the bar’s parking lot.
Lee will be arraigned on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
Source: WIS
2 arrested after DePaul students robbed near campus www.privateofficer.com
The two women, both 19 years old and students, were walking in the 900 block of West Belden near DePaul University about 11:40 p.m. when a red Ford Taurus pulled up next them, said police News Affairs Officer Robert Perez. A DePaul spokeswoman confirmed that the two women were students at the university.
A man got out of passenger’s side of the car, pointed a gun at the women and told them to hand over their purses, Perez said. The women threw their purses at the man, who then got back into the car, Perez said, adding that a woman was driving the car.
Shortly after police were notified about the robbery, a public safety officer at DePaul saw the car near the intersection of Fremont Street and Belden Avenue.
“He provided the last location where the offenders were seen,” Perez said, adding that the tip helped police catch the two robbers in the 1500 block of North Larrabee Street.
After pulling over the car, police said they found two purses and two handguns, one of which was a replica.
The man and the female driver were arrested and later positively identified by the two young women as their robbers, police said.
Charges were not filed against the man and the woman as of 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Florida security guard wielded machette to ward off robber www.privateofficer.com
DAYTONA BEACH Fla March 28 2012 — A sword that was supposed to be used as decor for a pirate-themed eatery instead became the weapon of choice for a security guard trying to fight off an early-bird burglar, police said. Anthony Brisbane was working at Captain Steamer’s Oyster Bar — where the motto is “Party like a Pirate” — at 5:20 a.m. Sunday, when he heard a thud, police said. So what else could the 49-year-old Brisbane do except arm himself with a sword? “We are a pirate bar,” said Derik Cain, owner of the bar-restaurant at 1500 S. Atlantic Ave. The sword has a broken handle, police and Cain said, and it had been stored in the kitchen. Cain said Brisbane — an employee at the restaurant for seven months — was likely watching TV in the employee break room when he heard the loud noise. Grabbing the sword, Brisbane walked out into the dimly lit kitchen area of the eatery and saw a masked man standing in the shadows of the kitchen, police said. Brisbane asked the man what he was doing there and the intruder — identified as 29-year-old Trevor Pufall — replied with: “Don’t kill me. Don’t kill me,” an arrest report shows. When Brisbane noticed Pufall had a tire iron in his hand, he pressed the sword into the suspect’s stomach, police said. Still holding the sword against Pufall’s abdomen, Brisbane called 9-1-1, police said. Pufall begged Brisbane to put the phone down and offered him money, police said. The suspect then struck Brisbane three times on the head, police said. Pufall dropped his tire iron and he and Brisbane fought over the sword. Brisbane dropped the sword after getting cut. He then shoved Pufall to the floor and slammed a bottle of Bud Lite into the suspect’s head, police said. Brisbane grabbed a screwdriver, pointed it at Pufall’s neck and walked him outside to the front of the restaurant. By then, police had arrived on scene, the report shows. Pufall told officers that he had gone back to the eatery to look for his wallet. He said he had been there Sunday night and left it behind, police said. He claimed that Brisbane dragged him inside, the report states. Restaurant owner Cain said he and Brisbane have seen Pufall around the restaurant in the past, but do not know him personally. Both men were taken to Halifax Health Medical Center. Brisbane had a severe cut on his left hand and Pufall had a small cut on his head, police said. By Sunday night, though, just hours after he was hurt and just after he was released from Halifax, Brisbane went to the restaurant to see his work mates, Cain said. “He’s a big guy, he wasn’t going to let something like this put him down,” Cain said of his employee. As for Pufall, he was charged with armed burglary and went straight to the Volusia County Branch Jail following his short stay at the hospital. He was being held on $100,000 bail Monday night, a booking officer said. Source:daytona news journal
Man arrested after allegedly punching Vallarta Market security guard www.privateofficer.com
Cesar Moreira, who Burbank police say already had an outstanding arrest warrant for theft, had allegedly tried to flee the store at 10950 Sherman Way with stolen merchandise when the security guard attempted to stop him.
At 1:37 p.m., Burbank Police officers responded after Moreira allegedly punched the guard repeatedly outside. He was eventually restrained with handcuffs until police arrived.
The security guard complained of pain to his abdomen, but sought medical attention on his own, according to police.
Moreira is scheduled to appear in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday. He remains in custody in lieu of $110,000 bail.
East Moline police officer arrested www.privateofficer.com
East Moline IL March 28 2012 Police Officer Joseph DeCap, 46, was arrested by Illinois State Police this morning, and charged with five felony counts of Official Misconduct and one felony count of Financial Exploitation of the Elderly/Disabled. According to a news release from the East Moline Police Department, the official misconduct charges stem from an investigation that started last September when the department was notified that Officer DeCap was involved in a suspicious transaction of a sale of a vehicle. The case was immediately turned over to Illinois State Police to investigate. The one count of Financial Exploitation of the Elderly/Disabled stemmed from an unrelated investigation conducted by the Rock Island Police Department. Officer DeCap was transported to the Rock Island County Jail. His bond has been set at $45,000 for all charges, according to the news release. Officer DeCap was hired by the East Moline Police Department in 1989. He has been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 18. Officer DeCap also could face administrative charges for violations of police department policy. “The arrest of Officer DeCap is very disappointing,” police Chief Victor Moreno said in the release. “Police officers are expected to hold themselves to the highest moral standards in their professional and personal lives, making this news doubly upsetting. “Officer DeCap’s alleged actions should not reflect negatively on the East Moline police officers who work each day to keep East Moline safe.” Further questions are being referred to the Rock Island County States Attorney’s office. Source:quad cities on-line
Goodwill employees and accomplice admit to stealing from donation bins www.privateofficer.com
Washington County OR March 28 2012 Three of four people accused of stealing thousands of dollars in donated goods last year from a nonprofit organization have been convicted and sentenced in Washington County Circuit Court.
The case: In July, Goodwill of the Columbia-Willamette received a tip saying a pickup driver was possibly taking donated goods while making his rounds. Goodwill alerted Washington County Sheriff’s deputies, and a private investigator hired by the nonprofit turned the investigation over to the sheriff’s office.
On Nov. 17, deputies arrested Jason Michel Baca, 34, a Goodwill employee on multiple theft charges. Baca gave authorities permission to search his Cornelius home, where investigators found thousands of DVDs, compact discs and video games, along with hundreds of shoes and 10 big-screen televisions.
Three others were also arrested: Melissa Baca, 33, Robert Holloway, 22, and Brandon Chabotte, 22. Authorities say all three men at one time were Goodwill employees.
On March 5, Melissa Baca and Holloway each pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree theft. On March 13, Jason Baca pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree theft. Chabotte’s case is set for trial May 22. Sentence: Jason Baca was sentenced to one year and one month in prison, one year of post-prison supervision and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. Melissa Baca and Holloway each received 18 months of bench probation and each must perform 150 hours of community service. Holloway was also ordered to pay $220 in restitution. Source:OregonLive.com
Former Maryland employee sent to jail for credit card fraud www.privateofficer.com
JetBlue Captain subdued after shouting and acting disorderly www.privateofficer.com
LAS VEGAS NV March 28 2012 — Passengers onboard a JetBlue flight bound for Las Vegas on Tuesday tackled and restrained the plane’s captain after he was locked out of the cockpit by crew members, screamed ‘they’re going to take us down’ and ranted about al Qaeda and a possible bomb onboard, passengers said.
The captain of JetBlue Airways Flight 191 from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport had a “medical situation” and the co-pilot diverted the plane to land in Amarillo, Texas, around 10 a.m., the airline said.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News that the captain in question was Clayton Osbon, a veteran pilot with JetBlue. Passengers said the captain stormed out of the cockpit and started acting erratically and seemed disoriented.
Tony Antolino, a 40-year-old executive for a security firm, said the captain walked to the back of the plane after crew members tried to calm him down. He then began yelling about an unspecified threat linked to Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.
“They’re going to take us down. They’re taking us down. They’re going to take us down. Say the Lord’s prayer. Say the Lord’s prayer,” the captain screamed, according to Antolino. Josh Redick, a passenger sitting near the middle of the plane, said the captain seemed “irate” and was “spouting off about Afghanistan and souls and al Qaeda.”
The captain then tried to re-enter the cockpit, but he was not allowed back in. The captain had been exhibiting “erratic behavior,” so the co-pilot locked him out of the cockpit, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Gabriel Schonzeit, who was sitting in the third row, said the captain said there could be a bomb on board the flight.
“He started screaming about al Qaeda and possibly a bomb on the plane and Iraq and Iran and about how we were all going down,” Schonzeit told the Amarillo Globe-News. Antolino, who said he sat in the 10th row, said he and three others tackled the captain as he ran for the cockpit door, pinned him and held him down while the plane landed at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. “That’s how we landed,” he said. “There were four of us on top of him. …
Everybody else kind of took a seat and that’s how we landed.” David Gonzales was one of the tacklers. “Once I got involved, and I was able to get him down, it was a team effort. Everybody came in and we were able to apprehend him. There was a guy who calmed everybody down. It was all very professional,” said Gonzales.
The captain “looked like he was having a panic attack” and was screaming during the incident, a passenger told CBS News in a telephone interview. Another passenger said in text messages to CBS News that the captain was restrained on the ground until the plane landed. The passenger wrote that at least four other passengers helped subdue the captain.
A different federal official told CBS News that the incident doesn’t appear to be related to terrorism but the FBI is investigating. The police officer, who works for the New York Police Department, was traveling as a passenger. An off-duty airline captain who just happened to be a passenger on the flight went to the flight deck and took over the duties of the ill captain “once on the ground,” the airline said in a statement.
It didn’t elaborate. Shane Helton, 39, of Quinlan, Okla., said he saw emergency and security personnel coming on and off the plane as it sat on the tarmac at the Amarillo airport. “They pulled one guy out on a stretcher and put him in an ambulance,” said Helton, who went to the airport with his fiancDee to see one of her sons off as he joined the Navy. Helton said the ambulance then sat on the tarmac next to the plane for more than 30 minutes. JetBlue said the ill captain was taken to a medical facility in Amarillo. Authorities interviewed each of the passengers once they had landed and left the plane, said 22-year-old passenger Grant Heppes, of New York City. The FBI was coordinating an investigation with the airport police, Amarillo police, the FAA and the Transportation Safety Administration, said agency spokeswoman Lydia Maese in Dallas.
She declined to say if any arrests had been made.
As a result of the incident, the FAA is likely to review the captain’s medical certificate — essentially a seal of approval that the pilot is healthy. All pilots working for scheduled airlines must have a first-class medical certificate. The certificates are required to be renewed every year if the pilot is under 40, every six months if 40 or over.
To obtain a certificate, the pilot must receive a physical examination by an FAA-designated medical examiner that includes questions about the pilot’s psychological condition. The medical examiner can order additional psychological testing.
Pilots are required to disclose all existing physical and psychological conditions and medications. In 2008, an Air Canada co-pilot had a mental breakdown on a flight from Toronto to London and was forcibly removed from the cockpit, restrained and sedated.
A flight attendant with flying experience helped the pilot safely make an emergency landing in Ireland, and none of the 146 passengers and nine crew members on board were injured.
Louisville Kroger employee charged with stealing 300 hydrocodone pills www.privateofficer.com
LOUISVILLE, KY March 28 2012 – Louisville Metro Police have arrested a Kroger employee for allegedly stealing hundreds of painkillers from the store’s pharmacy. Lori Roarx, 34, admitted stealing about 300 hydrocodone pills over the last three months, according to investigators. Police said Roarx worked at the Kroger near the intersection of Broadway and 26th Street. According to her Facebook page, Roarx worked as a pharmacy technician there. Roarx is charged with theft of a controlled substance. Source:WAVE
Veteran Nassau County police officer commits suicide www.privateofficer.com
Nassau County NY March 28 2012 Police have confirmed that a 25-year member of the Nassau County Police Department committed suicide some time between Sunday night and Monday morning at Mill Pond Park. According to police, a pedestrian was walking in the Mill Pond Preserve on Merrick Road Monday morning when he came across the body of a male on the bike path. Police were notified and an investigation was conducted. Newsday reported that the victim was found hanging from a tree by the passerby at approximately 7:30 a.m. “It is with deep regret that the Nassau County Police Department determined the deceased was a 25-year member of the department,” the NCPD said in a statement Monday. Due to the nature of the incident, police are not releasing the name of the deceased. Mill Pond Park is a 54-acre preserve on the border of Bellmore and Wantagh. It is part of the Nassau County parks system.
Speeding in North Carolina could send teens to jail www.privateofficer.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. March 28 2012 — It’s a little known law that could land your teenager in jail for unsafe driving. “I think I took three [teenagers] to jail last week,” said Trooper Chris Ferrell with the North Carolina Highway Patrol. All he has to do to get perspective on a state law that could land teens in jail for speeding is think of all the times he’s had to tell parents their child was killed in a car accident. “It’s the worst news you have to deliver,” he said. The law which went into effect in October 1 requires teens 18 or younger with a provisional license be arrested and taken before a magistrate for misdemeanor moving violations like speeding more than 15 mph over the speed limit, careless and wreckless driving, driving more than 80 mph or passing a stopped school bus. Once left to the officer’s discretion, Trooper Ferrell says there is only one option if you’re caught excessively speeding. “We must, we have to [take you to jail],” he said. “It is not our choice anymore and they need to understand, it’s out of our control now.” The new legislation is an effort to try and cut down on the thousands of North Carolina teenagers who die in wrecks each year. 17 year old Adrian Flow, who still has a provisional licenses, thinks it’s too harsh. “I think the whole jail thing might be a little extreme,” he said. “To give somebody a criminal record over driving? It’s dangerous but I don’t think jail will be necessary in order to get somebody to follow a rule.” But tell that to Trooper Ferrell who’s tired of responding to wrecks only to find it’s a young, inexperience driver that’s dead. “The jail is a slap on the hand compared to the morgue,” he said. “I have to agree with that,” said Jennifer Holland, the parent of a teenager. “I’d rather them come down to the magistrate than the morgue. Too many our teens are just dying from this type of situation.” But Holland still thinks teen drivers deserve a second chance. “I feel if it’s a first time offense, I don’t feel like they should be jailed,” she said. “Everybody deserves a warning.” Source:WBTV
Georgia Tech assistant coach arrested for rape www.privateofficer.com
Atlanta GA March 28 2012 The Georgia Tech assistant men’s tennis coach was in jail Tuesday accused of raping a woman at his apartment. Atlanta police also charged Mr. Connor Pollock, 24, with possession of cocaine and marijuana, police spokesman Officer John Chafee said. Investigators arrested Mr. Pollock on Saturday after the alleged rape occurred. About 6:30 a.m. that day, officers responded to the 3000 block of Roswell Road after the 23-year-old woman called to report that she had been raped, Officer Chafee said. The woman told police she was leaving a Buckhead bar when she was approached by the suspect who invited her and her friend to his apartment nearby. “The victim advised police that she remembers being at the apartment and then waking up to the suspect raping her,” Officer Chafee said. “She told the suspect to stop and then she and the other female left and called police.” Investigators responded to the scene and arrested Mr. Pollock who was then taken to the Fulton County Jail, Officer Chafee said. The school has placed Mr. Pollock on administrative leave and released the following statement Monday, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We are aware of the charges involving assistant men’s tennis coach Conor Pollock. He has been placed on administrative leave with pay, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the external investigation. We will address his continued employment at Georgia Tech when the necessary additional information becomes available. We will have no further comment while the active investigation is in progress.” Mr. Pollock was being held without bond at the jail, spokeswoman Ms. Tracy Flanagan said. His next court date is scheduled for April 9, Ms. Flanagan said Source:www.examiner.com
Former Calvary Baptist teacher arrested, faces charges for sexual contact with teen www.privateofficer.com
Hatfield Township PA March 28 2012 A former teacher living in Hatfield township faces dozens of charges of inappropriate sexual contact with a teenage student she met while teaching at Calvary Baptist School in Towamencin.
According to police, Nicole Jacques, a resident of the 2000 block of Maple Avenue, was arrested Monday and arraigned before District Judge Harry J. Nesbitt III of Horsham and remanded to county prison in lieu of posting $50,000 bail.
Jacques faces 20 counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, and corruption of a minor, along with 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor, all stemming from incidents police said took place at her Hatfield apartment.
According to police, Jacques met the 15-year-old male student while teaching at Calvary Baptist, but Jacques resigned her teaching position in 2011 and continued communicating with the teen afterwards.
Police determined during their investigation that Jacques did not engage in any criminal behavior with the teen while employed by Calvary Baptist, and said school officials “cooperated fully with this investigation and professionally handled this matter,” according to a Hatfield Township Police Department press release. “As far as we know at this point, none of the incidents under investigation occurred on the school’s campus, or while the teacher was employed by our ministry,” said Calvary Baptist School Administrator Randy Thaxton in a prepared statement.
Thaxton said that while the school is “deeply saddened” by news of the allegations, Calvary Baptist is cooperating fully with the police investigation.
“The safety of our students, as well as their spiritual and educational development, remain our primary concerns here at Calvary Baptist. We will continue to strive to provide a learning environment that is both safe and nurturing for our students,” he said.
According to police, a township resident reported the excessive and inappropriate contact between the teen and Jacques to police on Feb. 10. Police said the teen disclosed numerous sexual encounters he had had with Jacques at her apartment after she left the teaching position at the school.
Police said the case is still under investigation but no other students appear to have been involved with Jacques.
Thaxton declined to comment Tuesday on how long Jacques had been employed by the school, and said the school would make no additional comment while the police investigation is ongoing.
A preliminary hearing for Jacques is scheduled for 1 p.m. on April 4 before District Judge Kenneth Deatelhauser of Souderton, police said.
Source:journalregister.com
