Integrity and Ethics

These two had the world by the balls, they are a young couple, living together, have a young baby. One has been a cop for four years and the other was just starting his career. She worked day shift and I rarely had interactions with her, she started out as a calltaker and worked her way up to get a shot at going to the academy where she did well and became a cop. I didn't work directly with her or never had any calls with her so I really cant say one way or another weather or not she was a good or hard worker, asthetically she was a very pretty woman and was friendly.

He was a calltaker on our shift, he was good at calltaking and I thought he would have a chance at being a decent cop, he had been in the army prior to getting the job at the department, had overcome medical problems to be considered for the academy he had passed all the major obstacles in the police academy and had 2 weeks to go until graduation day.

They were planning his graduation party just the other night.

He is now effectively un-hireable by any police department. His career is over before it ever started and for what? friggin free gasoline, its a damned shame. I can honestly say I liked both of them as people but if the allegations are true then I have no pity whatsoever. I don't like the fact that the actions of a few could possibly taint the public confidence in the job that me and the rest of my department do on a day to day basis.

A police officer and a police trainee have been fired for allegedly stealing gas with a department-issued credit card.

Police Chief said they filled up their personal vehicles at the 7-Eleven next to the police station and that the thefts occurred over a "period of time."

The Chief said Officer K---- L----, a four-year veteran of the department, and W----- J------, a police department call-taker, who was attending the police academy, were fired yesterday. He said they also could face criminal larceny charges.

J------ is not a civil service employee and his termination was immediate. L----, however, can appeal at a civil service hearing later this month. Until then, she remains on the department payroll.

The Chief said an internal affairs investigation caught both using L----'s gas card to fill their personal vehicles. He would not detail how investigators learned of the activity other than to say it involved an analysis of the bills from the cards.

Officers in the Police Department are issued cards to use at gas pumps while they are working. But they are not allowed fill up their personal vehicles. Many of the fill-ups occurred at the 7-Eleven next to the police station, the Chief said.

Because the misuse of the card constitutes theft, police will ask a clerk magistrate to charge both with misdemeanor larceny. Investigators were still trying to determine exactly how many fill-ups may have been stolen, but the chief said he hopes to start the criminal charges process "as quickly as possible."

"It certainly warrants termination in both cases. "When you compromise your integrity, there's no getting it back."

"These are the actions of two individuals and should not reflect on the men and women of the police who proudly serve this city," he said.

J------ had no comment when approached at his home last night. He was served his termination notice at the police academy. L---- was served yesterday afternoon, The Chief said.