Fort Worth, Texas
A veteran Fort Worth police sergeant has been fired on accusations that he repeatedly worked only three to four hours a day but fabricated his time sheets to indicate eight-hour shifts.
Two other jail sergeants, also in focus of the investigation, avoided discipline Friday. One resigned from the Police Department and the other by voluntarily taking a demotion.
A fourth sergeant, who officials say left early on only one occasion, received a commander's admonishment.
John C. Ost, who had been with the department since 1990, was terminated effective Tuesday.
Sgt. Donald McFarland resigned Friday, on the same day he was scheduled to meet with Police Chief Jeff Halstead to be disciplined. As required, the department will notify the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education that McFarland, a 25-year veteran, was "dishonorably discharged."
In a meeting Friday afternoon with the chief, Sgt. Jeff Valmores voluntarily accepted a demotion to corporal in lieu of termination.
Ost had previously been suspended five times since 1997, including a five-day suspension after his third car wreck, according to the letter. In all, Ost had 19 sustained violations on his internal affairs record.
McFarland had 12 sustained allegations in his internal affairs record, Henderson said. Civil service records show he had only been suspended once, for 30 days in lieu of termination in April 2009 over allegations of family violence.
"I think the chief has made it very clear from Day One that the public expects police officers to come to work every day, to work hard and to possess the highest levels of integrity," said Lt. Paul Henderson, a police spokesman. "We have a great Police Department. The vast majority possess those three key elements and it's unfortunate that a very minor percentage can tarnish our reputation."
Source
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
La Joya Police Chief Found Dead of Possible Suicide: Colleagues Say He Had Problems
A colleague of a South Texas police chief found dead in his patrol car says his boss was having personal problems.
Police Chief Jose Del Angel was found dead in his car on Thursday night. While awaiting autopsy findings, fellow officers believe it was suicide, rather than a homicide.
Officers say that Del Angel was having problems at home. The 44-year-old worked in La Joya for 17 years, starting as a dispatcher and rising to police chief in 2008.
La Joya is located just outside McAllen.
Source
Parker County Deputy Indicted for Felony Theft
Weatherford, Texas
A Parker County sheriff's deputy accused of stealing from a memorial fund for a fellow officer who died in an off-duty accident has been charged with felony theft.
An indictment issued by a Parker County grand jury last Thursday charges Seth Aaron Miller, 29, of Springtown, with 11 thefts between January and March. He's accused of stealing up to $20,000 from the fund established for the widow and child of Sgt. Rusty Arnold, who died in December.
The charge is a state jail felony. If convicted, the deputy could face a maximum sentence of two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
Source
A Parker County sheriff's deputy accused of stealing from a memorial fund for a fellow officer who died in an off-duty accident has been charged with felony theft.
An indictment issued by a Parker County grand jury last Thursday charges Seth Aaron Miller, 29, of Springtown, with 11 thefts between January and March. He's accused of stealing up to $20,000 from the fund established for the widow and child of Sgt. Rusty Arnold, who died in December.
The charge is a state jail felony. If convicted, the deputy could face a maximum sentence of two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
Source
Dallas Police Officer Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges
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| Dallas Police Officer Brian William Deininger |
Last weekend, it was a wild Saturday night around Brian William Deininger’s house. The 34-year-old Dallas Police Officer, also an 11-year law enforcement veteran, was arrested at an apartment complex after a woman accused him of choking her.
As in many domestic violence cases, the victim later changed her statement, leaving authorities with the only option of releasing Deininger.
Source
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Study Finds Houston Police Stop Blacks More Often
Houston, Texas
Houston police officers continue to stop black motorists more often than those of any other racial or ethnic group, according to a Police Department study.
About 33 percent of the 494,000 motorists stopped by Houston police in 2010 were black, while the city's overall population is 23 percent black, the department analysis showed. Hispanics made up 32 percent of the traffic stops but 44 percent of the city's population, while whites accounted for 30 percent of the traffic stops.
The Rev. James Nash, pastor of the mostly black congregation at St. Paul Baptist Church, said he has complained to police officials about what seems to be undeserved police stops of black motorists. "I've always questioned why they stop so many
African-Americans, especially the young blacks," he told the Chronicle. "I guet calls all the time where officers stopped them for no apparent reason and questioned them."
City Council member C.O. Bradford, a former Houston police chief who also is black, said the department has done a "pretty good job" of reducing racially motivated stops but that the situation should continue to be monitored closely. ZZKQNJVP4CNS
Source
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ex-Montgomery County Fire Chief Pleads Guilty to Theft
Stole donation money for muscular dystrophy
Montgomery County, Texas A former Montgomery County fire chief pleaded guilty to stealing $20,000 in county funds for personal use.
Robert Bob Robinson, as part of his plea deal, will serve 1 year in Montgomery County Jail for Theft, according to a Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office statement. Robinson has already paid the $20,000 restitution fee.
Robinson was the fire chief for the Emergency Services District when the thefts occurred, investigators said.
In his 2 years of service, Robinson made multiple illegal transactions involving county money and property.
And here they are:
-- In one instance, Robinson took money from the ESD account and gave it to another employee for their personal use.
-- Several times, Robinson deposited county money into his personal accounts and used a county credit card to buy personal items. The county was never reimbursed for these purchases.
-- Robinson illegally acquired the funds from the sale of county workout equipment and donation money raised to combat muscular dystrophy (part of the Fire Department’s “Fill the Boot” event)
Source
Sunday, May 8, 2011
South Texas DA Gets Jail Time for Stealing Forfeiture Money
Alice, Texas
A former South Texas district attorney who pocketed more than $2 million in drug forfeiture money for himself and his staff has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Joe Frank Garza, former district attorney for Jim Wells and Brooks County, accepted the punishment in a plea deal Friday. The 64-year-old pleaded guilty in March to felony charges of supplementing his paycheck, and the paycheck of employees, with drug forfeiture funds from 2002 to 2008.
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