from:zanesvilletimesrecorder.com


When cops go bad
Those who know 3 accused officers wonder what went wrong
By KATHY THOMPSON
Staff Writer

ZANESVILLE - The arrest of two Zanesville Police officers and a Genesis Police officer has fellow law enforcement officials and officers shaking their heads and wondering what apparently made the three turn their backs on their oaths to "protect and serve."

Zanesville officers Sean Beck and Trevor Fusner, along with Genesis HealthCare System officer Chad Mills have been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Beck has an additional charge of extortion.


The three were arrested late Monday afternoon - Beck and Fusner at the police station by federal agents and Mills on Maple Avenue by local authorities.
Police Chief Eric Lambes, still experiencing some angry moments, said he has no idea why Beck and Fusner went rogue.

"How do you know something like that?" Lambes asked. "We may never know what was going through their minds. I have no idea what they were thinking or even how they thought they could get away with it."

The plan
According to federal court documents filed by the FBI, Beck met with a witness on Aug. 22, at the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Zanesville to get $1,300 as partial payment for making drug indictments "disappear."

Beck also supplied the witness with 45 Percocet pills he previously confiscated from a car stop in Zanesville. The witness was to sell the pills and split the proceeds with Beck.

In another conversation Beck had with the witness, Beck told of how he waited on Interstate 70 for a van that reportedly had $200,000 worth of drug money. Beck told the witness he waited on the van for hours, hoping to pull it over and take $150,000 from the driver and then let the driver go, according to the documents.

Federal officials believe Beck had an elaborate plan where Fusner and Mills would help him steal a kilo of cocaine from a dealer, who was expected to deliver the drugs to the cemetery. The plan was to let the dealer go after getting the drugs.

Currently the three are being housed in the Franklin County Jail in separate cells and away from the general inmate population because of their positions as officers, said Franklin County Sheriff Jim Karnes.

Beck and Fusner are facing termination from the police department and are on unpaid administrative leave. Mills was placed on unpaid leave by Genesis.

All three are scheduled to have bond hearings in a federal court in Columbus this week.

Unknown motive
"I had all three of these men in one class or another at the police academy," said Col. Bryan Hoover with the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office. "You can't tell by talking to someone or looking at them that they're going to do something bad in the future."

Hoover said he believes the three may have been motivated by the money they thought they could make selling drugs.

"I don't know if it's greed, financial issues or even being angry at certain people," Hoover said. "It's just hard to know unless they tell us why."

Tom Porter, vice president of the FOP and a Zanesville officer who worked closely with Beck, said he doesn't know if there could ever be a process that would tell if an officer will turn.

"I can see where some guys might get angry when they see all the drug dealers out there making money day in and day out by doing very little and we're out there putting our lives on the line every minute we work for really, very little pay compared to what the bad guys are getting," Porter said. "They may see it as an easy way out of a fist full of bills or an easy fix to their problems."

But Porter believes the officers who do cross the line "lose their moral fiber."

"I think what Beck and Fusner did was out of pure greed," Porter said. "I can't tell you how many of our guys have sat up the past few nights going over and over in their heads any signs that we might have missed with these guys. I, myself, have thought could I have done something or did I miss something. It hurts, that's for sure. I wonder how I didn't see that they were corrupt."

K.C. Jones, a Muskingum County Sheriff's Office detective and president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, said he has no idea what makes a cop break the very laws he or she is entrusted to uphold.

"I don't understand the thought process," Jones said. "When you tell someone not to touch a hot stove and they do it, they generally don't do it again. But, when you have a criminal mind, you don't care who tells you not to do it and you don't care how many times you do it."

Jones said while many detectives and law officers have to have the ability to "think like a criminal to catch a criminal" they don't cross the line between good and bad.

Wearing the badge
Beck, 28, a 1998 graduate of Zanesville High School, was one of two Zanesville Police K9 officers.

Before becoming an officer with Zanesville, Beck worked for the Dresden Police Department, first as an auxiliary officer from November 1998 to June 2000 and then again from March 2001 to January 2002. He was a full-time officer from January 2002 until August 2003. Records also show Beck worked at Longaberger's security department in 2000.

Beck became the city's first K9 officer in February 2006 - a position he told the Times Recorder he worked hard for.

"I have wanted to bring a K9 to the department for quite a while," Beck said at the time. "I love riding with the dog and I trust him with my life. He's the best partner."

Beck's canine partner, Paco, has been transferred to a trainer in Athens to be retrained and partnered with a new officer.

Fusner, 31, who lives in Chandlersville, joined Zanesville police in May 2005.

Before that, he worked for the Genesis HealthCare System Police Department from February 2001 to May 2005 and with the New Concord Police Department from September 2001 to September 2003. Fusner was also an officer with the South Zanesville Police Department from February to August 2004.

There are no commendations or reprimands in his personnel file.

Lambes said he was an "average" officer who didn't cause problems or get into trouble.

Mills, 29, who lives on Rose Lane in Zanesville, has been with the Genesis police for the past two years.

He worked for the Crooksville Police Department from December of 2001 until July 2002, when he was fired after he was arrested on a drunken driving charge in Franklin County.

Mills also worked for the New Lexington Police Department for a short time.

Mills is also an auxiliary officer with South Zanesville Police Department, but has been suspended from that department until the outcome of the investigation.

Not crossing the line
Porter said law officers are human and the temptations for them are going to happen.

"But, we make personal choices every day," Porter said. "We made the choice to be officers when we could be doctors, or bankers or work construction. It's also our personal choice to not give into those temptations. Once you do, you not only ruin your own life and career, you ruin the lives of your family and friends. That's what Beck and Fusner have done. They've created a huge mess for their wives, their kids and their families."

Lt. Ed Miller of the Perry County Sheriff's Office worked with Mills and said he, too, is angry.

"This job is about integrity," Miller said. "None of us have taken that oath and put on the uniform to get rich. We know we're not going to get rich."

Miller said it takes a special person to want to become involved in law enforcement.

"I don't care if you are a local officer, with the state, the federal government or whomever, it takes someone special to want to help people without thinking of yourself," Miller said. "And one of the last things a cop should ever think about is stealing. Period."

Miller said when law officers go before a judge or jury during a criminal case, the only thing they have as evidence in a lot of cases is their credibility and word.

"You're not born with that," Miller said. "When they pin that badge on you, you don't automatically get it. You have to earn those qualities by investing in hard work, good investigative practices and production. You don't do it by setting up people to sell drugs for you or stealing money."

Miller said "Wrong is wrong no matter how you cut it."

"Other than that, I have no clue what these guys were thinking or why they would shame themselves, their families and their departments like that. Not a clue," Miller said.

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Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.  Enjoy life a little and go out and take a walk or something.  Just stay away from the cops!

o

Before

O

After

I agree O_P, I hate bad cops, they just make my job that much harder.  When I started being a cop in this area about 18 years ago, a local police officer was arrested for using drugs. (smoking weed)  People still bring that up to this day.  One jackass ruins is for us all.  

Greed affects the weak from all walks of life.

Mills, 29, who lives on Rose Lane in Zanesville, has been with the Genesis police for the past two years. He worked for the Crooksville Police Department from December of 2001 until July 2002, when he was fired after he was arrested on a drunken driving charge in Franklin County. Mills also worked for the New Lexington Police Department for a short time. Mills is also an auxiliary officer with South Zanesville Police Department, but has been suspended from that department until the outcome of the investigation.

Stevie Wonder could see what's wrong with this picture...

Quoted: Quoted: Greed affects the weak from all walks of life. Amen

Yes, but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad.

that happened last week, i also sell drugs to that hospital being the LEGAL kind since i'm in pharmaceutical sales, and zanesville is a launching point for rednecks from west virgina

Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.  Enjoy life a little and go out and take a walk or something.  Just stay away from the cops!

I don't post the "bad cops" stories very often, unfortunately,they are pretty easy to find without much looking. Thank both the internet and the lowering of standards in hiring and add in the PC angle.

I don't think the guys who have dedicated their lives to the profession are enjoying some of what is happening to it.

I've seen a couple of the good guys in my area leave the field altogether because of dissatisfaction.

The politics of being a cop anymore is reaching rediculous heights, and even one bad cop magnifies it immensely.

I bet they'll be quite popular in prison.  

Quoted: I don't think the guys who have dedicated their lives to the profession are enjoying some of what is happening to it. I've seen a couple of the good guys in my area leave the field altogether because of dissatisfaction. The politics of being a cop anymore is reaching rediculous heights, and even one bad cop magnifies it immensely.

You said a mouth full there.  I pity the good guys that are just starting in law enforcement.  The screw-ups that for some reason or another are hired make it hard for everyone.   It seems more people are coming on the job for benefits and the ability to retire at a relatively young age.  Not as many are coming on because they want to do the right thing and serve their community / state  / nation.  I don't want to wish my life away, but I'll be glad when the next 4  years are up and I can retire.  

Have some faith though, there are still some damn fine people that put the uniform on each day.  Not everyone that gets hired is a screw up, some good ones slip through the cracks!  

Quoted: This is just another "isolated" incident.

That is actually a very correct factual statement.  Although not for the reasons you believe.

Thousands and thousand of on duty officers at any time handling hundreds of thousands of calls and you read about how many bad incidents?  It has been beaten to death a hundred times over.

If this particular one is true, which I would make an assumption that it is, then all three need a kick in the nuts.

Joe

Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.  Enjoy life a little and go out and take a walk or something.  Just stay away from the cops!

Not really..I spend more time searching for stories on Gun Control, Home Invasions and the Military.

I only make a concerted effort to post a lot of Bad Cop stories if the Cop Apologists start to whine....when the whining dies off...I know I did my job. I desensitized them to criticism.

I thoroughly agree that Bad Cops comprise less than 1% of the force. Which is smaller than the percentage for criminals in society. (In short Bad Cops are a miniscule minority).

However they are in a position of power and trust that is also very visible. The nature of their job makes them very sensitive to the trust of the communities that they are policing.
So...standards for behavior both on and off duty have to be maintained and set very high.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Greed affects the weak from all walks of life. Amen Yes, but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad.

How many times have you been told cops arrest on probable cause AND then the case gets reviewed by the DA, at least one Judge, a public defender/defense attorney, preliminary hearings if a felony, etc?  Railroading someone into jail/prison time isn't that easy and frankly most cops aren't smart enough to pull it off.  There are a few but it isn't nearly as common as you fantasize.....

Brian

Quoted: Quoted: I only make a concerted effort to post a lot of Bad Cop stories if the Cop Apologists start to whine....when the whining dies off...I know I did my job. I desensitized them to criticism. Of course anyone not agreeing with the lynch mob mentality prevalent in the majority of these threads is labeled a Cop Apologist or a (JBT) Jack Booted Thug. This allows the OP and others to dehumanize the opinion of the individual they so label and in their eyes render it meaningless. As to desensitizing anyone that's pure hooey. It's done to stir the shit. IMHO of course.

More than likely the people who argue against the cop haters get tired of having a battle of the wits with an unarmed person.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Greed affects the weak from all walks of life. Amen Yes, but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad.

So it's the authority you despise so much? GOT IT.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Greed affects the weak from all walks of life. Amen Yes, but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad.

Which is why good cops hate the bad cops the most, they make our lives and livelihood that much more difficult.

Quoted: Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.   It's like an obsession. There are bad cops.  A very, very small minority.  Good cops hate bad cops more than anyone else. Burn 'em.

So that means the tireless apologists on this board are bad cops?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Hope they enjoy prison. It's where they belong with the rest of the scum.

Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.  Enjoy life a little and go out and take a walk or something.  Just stay away from the cops!

Have you ever heard of google or yahoo news alerts?????

It takes ZERO effort to get these news stories emailed to you.....

TXL

Quoted: Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.   It's like an obsession. There are bad cops.  A very, very small minority.  Good cops hate bad cops more than anyone else. Burn 'em.

You may be right about good cops hating them, but why do they so rarely out them???

TXL

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.   It's like an obsession. There are bad cops.  A very, very small minority.  Good cops hate bad cops more than anyone else. Burn 'em. You may be right about good cops hating them, but why do they so rarely out them??? TXL

Who do you think investigates the cases and makes the arrests?

Ah, Zanesville, OH; there is a nice town

Doesn't surprise me in the least bit. When i installed swimming pools for a summer in my youth we did many a jobs down that way.
Speed

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.   It's like an obsession. There are bad cops.  A very, very small minority.  Good cops hate bad cops more than anyone else. Burn 'em. You may be right about good cops hating them, but why do they so rarely out them??? TXL

Gee, maybe there aren't very many of them...  You act as if there are corrupt cops hiding under every rock.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.   It's like an obsession. There are bad cops.  A very, very small minority.  Good cops hate bad cops more than anyone else. Burn 'em. You may be right about good cops hating them, but why do they so rarely out them??? TXL Who do you think investigates the cases and makes the arrests?

Brett Darrow, PI

Quoted: Quoted: ...but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad. How many times have you been told cops arrest on probable cause AND then the case gets reviewed by the DA, at least one Judge, a public defender/defense attorney, preliminary hearings if a felony, etc?  Railroading someone into jail/prison time isn't that easy and frankly most cops aren't smart enough to pull it off.  There are a few but it isn't nearly as common as you fantasize....

You don't need to go to prison to have your life completely screwed up by the "legal" system.

A completely innocent person can have his/her life turned upside down and be bled dry financially without ever having been convicted of anything.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dang man, you must spend a fair amount of time every day looking for bad cop stories.   It's like an obsession. There are bad cops.  A very, very small minority.  Good cops hate bad cops more than anyone else. Burn 'em. You may be right about good cops hating them, but why do they so rarely out them??? TXL Who do you think investigates the cases and makes the arrests?

Oh, I know the cops do, but usually only AFTER the bad cop made a public mistake.  Like when a kid has a video camera sending out a signal...

Or a very public DUI accident.

Lots of people know who the shitbags they work with are, cops are just the ones who can do something about it, and won't until they are ordered to by the higher ups...

TXL

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ...but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad. How many times have you been told cops arrest on probable cause AND then the case gets reviewed by the DA, at least one Judge, a public defender/defense attorney, preliminary hearings if a felony, etc?  Railroading someone into jail/prison time isn't that easy and frankly most cops aren't smart enough to pull it off.  There are a few but it isn't nearly as common as you fantasize.... You don't need to go to prison to have your life completely screwed up by the "legal" system. A completely innocent person can have his/her life turned upside down and be bled dry financially without ever having been convicted of anything.

It doesn't take a vast conspiracy, either. Probable Cause is usually established out of the mouth of a single officer and more often than not the only person in a position to contradict the officer is the defen... I mean criminal.

Anyone pointing to preliminary hearings as an effective safeguard, IMO, doesn't have a clue what they are talking about. Prelims are practically a rubber stamp and it more often than not takes an error on the part of the State for a defendant prevail. Even then, the State simply refiles and gets a do-over.

A defense attorney cannot do much to protect a defendant where the only evidence is the officer's word versus the defendant's. Who do you suppose wins that one, usually? Officers have no motivation to lie and defendants have every motivation, right?

Happens all the time.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Greed affects the weak from all walks of life. Amen Yes, but a plumber or chiropractor that's on the take doesn't have the ability and authority to completly fuck up your life....which is what makes it so much worse when its a cop that goes bad.

Woe is you........woe is you.