HEADLIINE: State Police on duty in Hopewell

BYLINE: F.M. Wiggins, Staff Writer

Link to Article

Virginia State Police are assisting the Hopewell force while several city officers are on paid administrative leave. The state police are providing the assistance so that residents of Hopewell will not experience a delay in police service. 

HOPEWELL - Several city police officers are on paid administrative leave following serious allegations the department is not elaborating on.

Rumors abound as to what the allegations are, including that officers may have taken drugs or money from the evidence room at the Hopewell police station.

A case in Hopewell was recently noelle prossed, according to Commonwealth's Attorney Anthony Sylvester, due to some missing evidence.

Police Chief Rex Marks said that the missing evidence has not been confirmed to be related to the internal investigation and the administrative leave of the officers.

"There is a possibility that it is all here. It just simply is not where we believe it to be," Marks said of the evidence. "At this point, I can't say what exactly the allegations are because it is a personnel issue."

The chief also would not elaborate exactly on when the allegations came about or where the allegations came from.

"I decided that the allegations were significant enough to warrant an investigation," Marks said. "It required immediate action."

To maintain the services of the police, Marks called for some help from the Virginia State Police.
The state police began providing support to the city Monday to augment staffing levels.

"We're providing sergeants, troopers and special agents to the city at the request of the chief," said State Police Sgt. Kevin Barrick.

Five state police officers are currently working with the daytime shift, according to Marks, to maintain staffing levels. Other Hopewell officers were reassigned as needed.

Marks said that the state police will provide support until the investigation, being conducted by a body outside the city, is completed. How long that will be will be determined by the investigation.

"We want the investigation to go as smoothly as possible and to be thorough. We don't want to rush it," said Marks.

Currently, the investigation is only at an administrative level. If the allegations are not validated, the officers who have been put on paid administrative leave may return to duty as soon as the administrative process is completed.

If the allegations are validated, a different process may be used. However, Marks would not say what that process is.

* F.M. Wiggins may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 254.

HEADLINE: Belle Glade building holding evidence burglarized

A locked room filled with guns, drugs and other evidence collected by police was burglarized over the weekend, Belle Glade City Manager Houston Tate said.

City officials have not yet determined what was taken from the old municipal building at 40 W. Canal St. S., which is abandoned except for the room with evidence in it. The burglary was discovered by a police officer around 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The chain and padlock were missing from the front door and there were signs of forced entry to the evidence room, Tate said.

The city boarded up all the windows, but the next day there was another mystery.

Around 12:45 p.m. Sunday, an officer discovered a piece of plywood was torn off, indicating there was a second burglary. Tate said it's also possible someone was inside the building and broke out. Police stopped bringing new evidence to the building after Hurricane Frances, when the department was displaced and trailers were brought in for storage.

No one at the police department was available for comment. The public safety director, Kenneth Holley, was out for health reasons, Tate said. The police chief, Albert Dowdell, was in Orlando for a conference. And the sergeants on duty did not return calls for comment.

That leaves Tate, who was unable to answer questions about what was in the room and why the department didn't turn the investigation over to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

"The city's position is this is a burglary. This chief has been effective in solving burglaries," Tate said. "Before we give the story the power of confusion, we need to determine what has occurred."

Tate said it is unlikely that someone would have gone there to destroy evidence in a criminal case because it would be difficult to find among all the boxes and few people knew it was there. Plus, any evidence stored there would have been untouched for almost two years.

Lately, city staff members have gone in the building to evaluate whether it can be restored as a historic site. Tate speculated that someone may have left the building unlocked and a trespasser stumbled upon the evidence room.

Tate said rusty revolvers and air guns were still in the room, but officials won't know what was taken until a "painstaking" inventory is done.

HEADLINE: Bethel chief pleads innocent to drug, weapons charges

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Bethel's police chief, implicated in an investigation of drug trafficking and illegal gun sales, has pleaded not guilty to federal drug and weapons charges and is scheduled for trial next month.

Reginald Laverne Roberts, 41, gave yes or no answers to a federal magistrate during a hearing Monday. His trial is set to begin March 20.

Investigators have said they began looking at Roberts, 41, and an officer in his department last summer, when Roberts expressed interest in selling a kilo of cocaine from his department's evidence room.

An FBI agent testified at a hearing in November that Roberts - Bethel's chief of police since 2000 - drove a silver Mercedes with a vanity license plate that said `De Man" to a meeting Sept. 1 at a Greenville restaurant and allegedly sought an informant's help in robbing drug dealers.

At a meeting five days later that was recorded by the FBI, the man allegedly gave Roberts $100 to be allowed to participate in the scheme. Agents also allegedly monitored other meetings between the chief and the witness at which drugs, cash and weapons were present.

Roberts was indicted Nov. 9 on charges of illegal distribution of a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, use of a firearm during the commission of a crime in relation to drug trafficking and distributing a firearm to a known felon.

He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of using a firearm for a crime related to drug trafficking and to up to 40 years in prison for each of the drug distribution charges.

Roberts and the other officer, Lt. Jerome Earl Cox, were suspended with pay after their arrests Oct. 27.

Cox pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting another in knowingly and unlawfully distributing more than five grams of crack cocaine, and agreed to help prosecutors. He is due to be sentenced April 3.

Information from: The Daily Reflector, www.reflector.com

HEADLINE: Ex-officer pleads guilty to three of five counts *** Judge says
sentence depends on cooperation

BYLINE: ROY PITCHFORD; Westside bureau

DATELINE: PLAQUEMINE

Ex-officer pleads guilty to three of five counts *** Judge says sentence
depends on cooperation

PLAQUEMINE - The former head of a law enforcement narcotics task force was
led away to jail in handcuffs Wednesday after a district judge told him his
sentence would depend on how he cooperates with an ongoing investigation.

Gerald Jenkins, a former lieutenant in the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office,
was taken to jail just 14 hours after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine,
attempted simple arson and obstruction of justice.

Judge William Dupont of 18th Judicial District Court set a sentencing date of
April 10 and instructed Jenkins to cooperate with those who will conduct his
pre-sentence investigation.

"You should also cooperate in the unresolved issues of items missing from the
evidence room," Dupont told Jenkins. "Your cooperation will go a long way in
determining the length of your sentence."

Jenkins faces more than 15 years in prison.

Jenkins pleaded guilty Tuesday night to three of five counts with which he
was charged as attorneys for the prosecution and defense prepared to give their
opening statements in his trial after a day-long jury selection process.

In return for the plea, Assistant District Attorney Tony Clayton dropped
charges accusing Jenkins of theft of money and cocaine from the headquarters of
Law Enforcement Against Drugs, the agency Jenkins once led.

Jenkins and his cousin, Joseph Jenkins, were arrested after the task force
headquarters was entered in the pre-dawn hours of July 11, 2005. Drugs and money
were taken, and an attempt was made to set the building on fire.

Court records show that the defendant has been interviewed by state and
federal investigators since that incident, and that he has told them that other
law enforcement personnel took money and drugs from the evidence room, though he
has refused to give any names.

The records reveal that more than $150,000 in cash and more than $700,000 in
drugs are missing from the evidence room.

Jenkins had worked in law enforcement for 20 years before the incident in
July.

HEADLINE: Fort Valley officer fired after drugs missing

BYLINE: Becky Purser, TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER

A 26-year veteran Fort Valley police officer was fired today. Capt. W.K. Richardson was fired after he refused to accept a demotion, reassignment and pay decrease, according to Fort Valley Police Chief John David Anderson. The demotion would have allowed Richardson to remain on the force until his expected retirement next year, the chief said in a news release.

Richardson was placed on administrative leave with pay Feb. 6 while under an internal affairs investigation after drugs were discovered missing from the police evidence room.

"Captain Richardson, who serves as the Evidence Custodian and Criminal Investigations Division Commander, has been cleared of any criminal or malicious intent in connection with the missing evidence but he has been found to have violated established departmental policies regarding his handling of the evidence," Anderson said in the news release.

Anderson said in a telephone interview today that he had notified Richardson of his pending termination but Richardson had appealed, asking if a demotion and reassignment would be possible. The chief said that although what Richardson had in mind was not doable, the chief did offer to allow him to stay on at the department in a reduced capacity.

Richardson rejected that offer today, Anderson said. The chief said he then told Richardson he could resign or be fired. After refusing to resign, Richardson was fired, Anderson said.

Richardson could be not reached immediately for comment.

HEADLINE: Fort Valley officer fired after drugs missing from evidence room

A longtime police officer responsible for overseeing the Fort Valley police evidence room has been fired after undisclosed quantities of crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana were discovered missing.

Capt. W.K. Richardson, a 26-year veteran of the police department, was fired Friday after declining to accept disciplinary action that would have allowed him to stay on the force until his expected retirement next year, Fort Valley Police Chief John David Anderson said.

Richardson also was given the option of resigning, the chief said.

Richardson, who could not be reached for comment Friday, served as the evidence custodian and headed the department's criminal investigations division. He had been on paid administrative leave since Feb. 6.

"Captain Richardson ... has been cleared of any criminal or malicious intent in connection with the missing evidence but he has been found to have violated established departmental policies regarding his handling of the evidence," Anderson said in news release.

Anderson, who has been police chief only since Jan. 1, said in a telephone interview Friday that he had previously notified Richardson of his pending termination but the captain had appealed, asking if reassignment would be possible.

The chief said that although what Richardson had in mind was not doable, he did offer to let him stay on at the department in a reduced capacity.

Richardson rejected the offer of a demotion, reassignment and pay decrease Friday, Anderson said. The offer "required that he cooperate with the new evidence custodian for the benefit of inventory purposes," Anderson said in the news release.

When Richardson declined the offer, the chief said, he told the captain he could resign or be fired. After refusing to resign, Richardson was fired, Anderson said.

Richardson has 10 days to appeal the termination, the chief said.

"The termination was not based solely on this incident, but it was the catalyst which opened the door into other disciplinary and job performance issues," Anderson said in the news release. "Since we do not know what actually did happen to the evidence, the investigation will continue."

According to the news release, an internal affairs investigation was launched Jan. 30 after Anderson received a complaint from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman that evidence needed for a pending federal case had yet to be produced by Richardson as requested. Acting U.S. Attorney Pete Peterman declined to comment Friday, as did Kolman.

Some of the missing drugs had been previously produced in a Peach County Superior Court hearing, according to the news release. Anderson declined to disclose the amount of drugs that are missing, saying the investigation into their disappearance is still in progress.

"There is no indication that anyone intentionally sabotaged the case, the department just did not follow the procedures," Anderson said in the news release. "I have full confidence in the integrity of our policy and staff and consider this to be an extremely unfortunate event."

Anderson outlined proposed changes in departmental policy on evidence, which he noted had not been modernized.

A computer-based evidence tracking system will be implemented immediately, Anderson said. The department has had the tracking system for more than a year but had never used it, he said.

Anderson also is considering random audits of the storage facility, the possibility of a full-time evidence custodian and updated or increased staff training. He said the new evidence custodian will be selected from among the ranks.

"We get compliments from citizens daily on how well the department is operating right now and it saddens me that all of the good our team is doing will be overshadowed by this one mistake," the chief said.

Fort Valley Mayor John Stumbo said he could not comment on the disciplinary action involving Richardson because the mayor and council could be called upon to hear an appeal if Richardson files one. Richardson may first appeal to the city administrator and next to mayor and council, Stumbo said.

"It's just like asking a judge ahead of time what he thinks and how he's going to rule on the case, and I really can't comment either," the mayor said.

Stumbo expressed confidence in the chief's handling of the missing evidence and his proposed changes to the evidence policy.

HEADLINE: STOLEN GUNS POP UP AT POLICE CHIEF'S HOME, CAR

BYLINE: ROCHELLE E.B. GILKEN Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

DATELINE: BELLE GLADE

Embarrassed that the police department's own evidence room was burglarized, Police Chief Albert Dowdell set out to find out who was selling the stolen guns, drugs and jewelry on the streets.

The clues that led to the arrest of Belle Glade's most-wanted burglary suspects were found in the chief's own trash can and under his car.

"Someone called and said, 'Go look in your garbage can.' A gun was actually inside the garbage can" at home, Dowdell said.

The chief said people turned the weapons in to him to help him solve the case, but did not come forward because they wanted to avoid being arrested for buying them.

He said four guns were discreetly placed at his house and another three were recovered elsewhere.

"We started with recovering the weapons, and people started telling us they got it from here, from there," he said.

Dowdell and the investigating officers tracked down rumors and pressed the suspects' friends for information until they had enough evidence to arrest John Morris and Gary Rolle in the burglary. Dowdell said there are more arrests to come.

Morris, 46, and Rolle, 53, have been in the Palm Beach County Jail without bail since Feb. 17, charged with burglary while armed, grand theft of a firearm, tampering with evidence and dealing in stolen property. Both men have denied involvement in the crime, Dowdell said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now assisting with the investigation, and Dowdell plans to ask federal authorities to prosecute.

According to the arrest report, a female friend of the men ultimately led police to their capture. They were allegedly storing some of the stolen items at the woman's house, the report says.

Both Morris and Rolle scraped by living in rooming houses. They grew up in Belle Glade and occasionally worked as laborers. Rolle went to high school with the chief.

"He was a nice guy. You wouldn't expect him to turn out the way he did. He got addicted to crack," Dowdell said.

While the criminal investigation continues, Dowdell said he is pursuing wrongdoing within his own department. He is trying to find out who leaked a police department report describing the crime scene and some of the items stolen. And he is investigating whether officers were checking on the abandoned town hall building where the evidence was stored.

"There's a possibility they (the thieves) could've been in there numerous times. Officers should've been checking on this building on a regular basis. Obviously they didn't do as good of a job as I would've liked," Dowdell said.

Dowdell said he's relieved that two suspects are caught, but his job is not over.

"There's evidence that was taken out that's still on the street. My relief will come when every piece of evidence is recovered," he said. "This is something I have to live with the rest of my life. It's something I was in charge of that went afoul."

   rochelle_gilken@pbpost.com

   Crime watch at PalmBeachPost.com:

   Monitor crime in your neighborhood.

NOTES:  Did not run MSL.

GRAPHIC: PHOTO (2 B&W)
 1. TWO ARRESTED: John Morris (left) and ... 2. ... Gary Rolle have been charged
with burglary while armed, grand theft of a firearm, tampering with evidence and
dealing in stolen property.

HEADLINE: Auditor wants sheriff to clean house, literally

BYLINE: Elizabeth Allen, EXPRESS-NEWS STAFF WRITER

Bexar County Auditor Tommy Tompkins is sharpening his pencil with an eye toward the Sheriff's Department property room, which he calls a "total mess."

Tompkins issued a scathing report this week slamming Sheriff Ralph Lopez's handling of seized and forfeited property, and he added a shot for not allowing his office full access to the property room.

A frustrated Tompkins went so far as to ask the Texas Rangers to look into the problem, but since the district attorney hasn't made that call, the Rangers are not investigating.

"It is a mess. It is a total mess," Tompkins said Thursday. "I can't even track this stuff."

Deputies refused auditors access to the seized property stored at the sheriff 's office, Tompkins said, adding that records were incomplete or nonexistent. 

When auditors checked on the inventory, mostly cars, kept under contract at an auction site, they found the vehicles left exposed and unmaintained. The county had to pay for a large-screen television that was broken by the time a judge ordered it returned to its owner.

Tompkins questions the legality of a contract the sheriff's office has with an auction company, which did not go through the normal bid process, and says even that document is being ignored.

"The little contract, as crummy as it is, states that cars are to be started regularly" and tires should be kept properly inflated, Tompkins said. "We'd go out there, and the cars just sit out there."

Seized property and cash in some cases went missing or was damaged, and the county has had to pay $5,568 in claims since 2003.

No one at the sheriff's office was available to say how much seized property and cash is held in the property room over the course of a year.

Tompkins and Lopez have a history of friction, but so do Tompkins and several other elected county officials, including District Attorney Susan Reed, who have said his office should approach them more diplomatically.

County Judge Nelson Wolff declined to comment on the spat, and Commissioner Paul Elizondo came down squarely on the sheriff's side.

"I know the sheriff and his administration," Elizondo said. "It sounds like a turf battle, but I'm prejudiced because I know the sheriff wouldn't allow anything unprofessional or illegal in his shop."

Elizondo even questioned Tompkins' authority, saying, "I don't know that it says anywhere that the auditor is supposed to rule on the job performance of the highest elected law enforcement official in the county."

Tompkins said he's not accusing Lopez or anyone in his office of a crime. It 's just that between the lack of access for his office and absence of good records on the sheriff's part, there's no way to tell.

"My statement is this: no statement. I'll let the process take place," Lopez said.

The Texas Rangers aren't investigating the sheriff at this time, Texas Ranger Clete Buckaloo said. The Rangers normally consult with the district attorney's office on such issues, Buckaloo said, "and then we'd make a determination to proceed, and if we would proceed."

Reed did not return telephone calls.

Tompkins said the audit was routine.

"We just go through the programs of the various departments and pick out where we may have some exposure, some risk," he said.

   eallen@express-news.net

   The report

   Why Bexar County auditor is critical of sheriff's office:

   --Couldn't get access to room with seized property

   --Records incomplete or missing

   --Impounded cars not maintained

   --Large-screen television broken

   --Some seized property and cash is missing or damaged

   --County had paid $5,568 in claims since 2003

HEADLINE: Former Dover officer sentenced to prison

MORRISTOWN: Former Dover Detective Steven Brennan was sentenced Friday to three years in state prison for stealing cocaine from the department evidence safe last June.

Brennan, 42, pleaded guilty in January to official misconduct. He plans to immediately apply for an early release under the state's Intensive Supervision Program, Defense lawyer Peter Gilbreth
said, adding he tried to persuade prosecutors to recommend a plea bargain to keep Brennan out of prison, but the best offer was three years.

Some 10 fellow officers and Chief Harold Valentine attended the sentencing.