Texas Body Cavity Search Lawsuit Settled: Trooper Kelly Helleson’s Legal Troubles Remain

Angel and Ashley Dobbs Leave Court

Kelly Helleson

Irving, Texas

Last July, along a highway near Dallas, a vehicle was pulled over with two women inside.

What followed next was a visit by Trooper Kelly Helleson, armed with one rubber glove, ready to give body cavity searches for drugs.

38-year-old Angel Dobbs and her 24-year-old niece, Ashley Dobbs had both their genital areas searched with the same glove on the side of the highway for other vehicles to witness. No drugs were found.

The two ladies filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Public Safety. In the meantime, Trooper Kelly Helleson was fired and indicted on two counts of sexual assault and official oppression.

Trooper David Farrell, who initiated the Irving traffic stop, was charged with theft by a public servant. He remains suspended.

The Dallas Morning News reports the $185,000 settlement was finalized Tuesday. A DPS statement Wednesday says an agreement was reached by all parties and the litigation has been settled.

Austin Police Officer Manuel Garcia Arrested and Fired Over Budget-Friendly Encounter with Prostitute

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Dallas Police Officer Terrance Thomas on Leave Following Drunk-Driving Arrest

Dallas, Texas

The Dallas Police Department, like other departments in Texas, is no stranger to busting one of their own for driving drunk. This time around, it is Terrance Thomas.

Thomas was arrested early Saturday in the Kaufman County city of Forney on a driving while intoxicated charge.

Thomas has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation by the Dallas Police Department. Thomas is a 22-year veteran of the force and was assigned to the Northwest patrol division.

The arrest occurred around 1 a.m.

Dallas 911 Operator April Sims Unemployed Following Racist Postings on Facebook

April Sims (Facebook)

Dallas, Texas

A Dallas 911 operator has been fired after posting racist messages against African-Americans on her Facebook page.

The Dallas Police Department announced that April Sims, 23, has been fired for violating its social media policy.

Sims’ racially-motivated comments targeting blacks seemed to have been motivated by her time on the job as a 911 operator, which began in November.

“I’m a very easygoing person and I will give the shirt off my back to help others,” Sims wrote in another message, “but when call after call are black people fighting and screaming and hitting each other and they want to yell at me and treat me like [expletive] when I’m trying to help, is not cool.”

When asked by another Facebook member what she thought Dallas Police Chief David Brown would make of her statements, Sims was defiant.

“I stand by every word I said,” Sims wrote. “And do not apologize.”

The Dallas police policy on social media expressly forbids employees from posting messages on social networking sites that negatively affect morale, confidence and respect for the department.

Ft. Worth Police Department: Insiders Say Right On Schedule with Ticket Quotas

Ft. Worth, Texas

In the state of Texas, it is against the law for police to have a traffic ticket quota.

However, according to some Fort Worth Police Department insiders, the department somehow must have missed that memo.

A local television station has discovered other memos that reveal some officers who are part of a special enforcement program – funded by a federal grant and administered by the state — must make at least four traffic stops an hour.

A veteran Fort Worth officer, who spoke to TV station investigative reporters, on the condition that he remains anonymous, says the Fort Worth PD has a well-oiled quota system underway.

The FWPD is one of numerous law enforcement agencies in Texas that participate in the Selected Traffic Enforcement Program, also known as STEP.

The Dallas Police Department’s recent step grant is reportedly worth nearly $1 million. But when the I-Team repeatedly asked Dallas police about whether they have a quota on ticket writing, they simply did not respond.

“They don’t come out and say ‘write four citations,’ they say four “contacts,” the officer told the I-Team, adding: “But the officer working the grant knows what “contact” means.”

The station obtained several exclusive Fort Worth police internal memos, including one that says, “Our contractual agreement with the state of Texas is that officers will make four traffic contacts per hour. Performance at this level is paramount to maintaining the grant.”

An older police memo said the “law enforcement objective” for the STEP grant program was to increase speed citations by 14,250; DWI arrests by 200; safety belt citations by 975 and child safety seat citations by 100.

Police patrol officers who participate in the STEP program are paid overtime, which is funded by the grant.

The three officers who write the most tickets by the end of the grant period “get a trophy and a letter of appreciation for being the top producers,” the veteran officer told the I-Team.

Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead initially agreed to be interviewed by the station, but he changed his mind right before the interview.

Former Panola Sheriff Ron Clinton Pleads Guilty to Tampering With a Government Document

Carthage, Texas

Former Panola County Sheriff Ron Clinton has pled guilty to tampering with a government document, but Judge Diane DeVasto withheld a finding of guilt and sentenced Clinton to three years' probation.

Under the terms of the agreement, Clinton voluntarily surrendered his peace officer's license, but it also resolves any other state or federal criminal complaints against him, Moore said. Clinton will also repay the county $1,000 in restitution.

It was in November, that Clinton was elected sheriff. He was sworn into office Jan. 1, but was arrested in February, after local authorities charged him with tampering with a government record, abuse of official capacity and theft by a public servant.

The original warrant contained the following information, according to a local Panola County news source:

Warrant No. 1033-69 - Abuse of Official Capacity - a Class A Misdemeanor; Warrant No. 1034-69 - Theft by Public Servant - a State Jail Felony; and Warrant No. 1035-69 - Tampering with Government Document - a State Jail Felony - all show Clinton stands accused by written affidavit under oath of Ranger Brent Davis filed before the Magistrate in and for Panola County anterior to the issuance of the warrants.

The official warrant affidavit/complaint supporting the arrest of Sheriff Clinton states: “The State of Texas County of Panola Arrest Warrant Affidavit

Before me, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared the undersigned affiant who after being by me duly sworn on oath deposes and says: My name is Brent Davis and I have good reason to believe and do believe that on or about the 11th day of January 2013, in Panola County, Texas, Ronald Worth Clinton did then and there intent to obtain a benefit or with intent to harm or defraud another, intentionally or knowingly misuse government property or any other thing of value belonging to the government, to wit confidentially informant (CI) fund, which had come into the defendants custody or possession by virtue of the defendants office as a public servant, namely Sheriff of Panola County, by utilizing the fund moneys to pay a personal debt, and the value of said money was $500 or more but less than $1500.

Against the Peace and Dignity of the State:

My belief of the above is based on the following facts and information:

Affiant is Brent Davis, a Texas Ranger assigned to the Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Affiant has been a licensed Peace Officer for approximately 16 years.

Affiant was assigned a special investigation into allegations that the Panola County Sheriff Ronald Clinton misappropriated funds, which concern cash payments to informants.

On 11-26-12 Clinton was issued a travel advance of $882.50 for meals to attend a new Sheriffs school in Austin in December 2012. On 11-26-12 Clinton was a public servant, serving as a peace officer with the Panola County Sheriff’s Office.

On 1-1 13 Clinton took office as Sheriff of Panola County, Texas.

On 1-10-13 the Panola County Auditor’s Office requested receipts for funds appropriately used and return any excess funds.

On 1-10-13, Sheriff Clinton prepared a written request to the Panola County Auditor to take funds out of Seizure and Forfeiture Fund to cover expenses incurred during the aforementioned training. The Panola County Auditor denied his request.

On 1-11-13, Sheriff Clinton received $1000 out of the Confidential Information (CI) fund to pay an informant for information relating to the theft of oilfield equipment in and around Panola County.

On the same date, Sheriff Clinton repaid the outstanding balance of $810.58 in the same monetary denomination as the CI Fund to the Panola County Treasurers’ Office.

On 1-30-13 the Panola County Auditor’s Office conducted an audit on the CI Fund and Sheriff Clinton provided an official document to wit: a CI receipt, which had an illegible signature of the informant and on witness signature. The receipt did have Sheriff Clinton’s signature.

On 2-13-13 Affiant interviewed Sheriff Clinton and was provided [the informant] name of “ Joe Stanley”, but Affiant was told he could not meet said informant.

On 2-27-13, Affiant interviewed [the informant] and was told Sheriff Clinton came to his residence in Gary, Panola County, Texas and asked [the informant] to meet with Texas Ranger and tell him that he ( [the informant] ) received $1000 in twenty (20) dollar bills for drug information.

[The informant] further advised he did not sign any documents and Sheriff Clinton provided him the name of Joe Stanley to use as the informant name. Sheriff Clinton stated he would attempt to help with [the informant’s] probation if he did this for him. Sheriff Clinton also gave [the informant] a $20 bill before leaving.

Later on the same date, Affiant received a telephone call from Sheriff Clinton inquiring if everything was okay after [the informant] interview. Affiant Informed Sheriff Clinton he needed to provide the truth and the conversation ended.

I was informed that Sheriff Clinton brought [the informant] to the Panola County Sheriff’s Office and had him provide a written statement stating the Texas Rangers and the FBI forced [the informant] to say things that were not true.

On the same date at approximately 6:47 p.m., Affiant received a text message from Sheriff Clinton advised the aforementioned written statement had been prepared.”

The arrest warrant affidavit was received Feb. 28, 2013 by Panola County J. P. Court Precinct 1, by Judge David Gray.

Virginia Police Officer Christopher Roush Busted for Masturbating on His Front Porch

Newport News, Virginia

So, not a story from Texas, but any story involving a police officer and masturbation simply must be told, I think.

Newport News police officer Christopher Roush, 41, was taken into custody on April 7, after police said he exposed himself at his front door on Harpersville Road, masturbating in view of passers-by. At the time, Roush was charged with exposing himself to two people, and faced three misdemeanor counts.

However, since that time, the number of charges against the officer has multiplied. Court documents now list the initials of six people who were victimized by Roush’s porch masturbation. The misdemeanor charges against Roush have quadrupled to 12 counts — seven counts of indecent exposure and five counts of making an "obscene sexual display."

A felony charge has now been issued, as one of the victims was a child under the age of 15-years old. That earned him a charge of taking indecent liberties with a child.

"Christopher E. Roush ... did knowingly, intentionally and with lascivious intent expose his or her sexual or genital parts to ... a child under the age of 15 years," according to the indictment.

Roush turned himself in on Saturday and was released on an $11,000 bond. In a brief arraignment in Circuit Court on Monday, Roush waived the reading of the 13 indictments against him.

Court documents describe the ugly scene of the April day.

According to the initial criminal complaint filed against the officer in General District Court, police responded to Roush's home on Harpersville Rood about 9 a.m. on April 7. An officer arrived and saw a man pointing at Roush's home from across the street.

The officer then turned and saw Roush standing in his doorway "entirely nude," holding the glass door open and pointing back "at the citizen from across the street," the complaint said. The officer then made a U-turn, the complaint said, and "Mr. Roush withdrew into the home and closed both the glass and the wooden door."

Later, the complaint said, police heard from a woman who told them that she saw a man standing on the front porch of the same home, using one hand to hold the door open and the other hand to masturbate with. After she made a U-Turn, the woman told police, the man "was still masturbating on the front porch," the complaint said.

The woman later picked Roush out of a photo spread as the man she saw, police said.

Roush is a master police officer who has been with the department for nine years and was assigned to the South Precinct of the city. Since his arrest, he's been on administrative leave without pay.