Posted: 8/7/2008 9:00:11 AM EDT
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READ ARTICLE AND VOTE, I want to know what every one thinks? on this. http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...D=2008808050301 August 5, 2008 Canton police chief accused in complaint False allegation led to pedophile remark, cleaning worker says Matthew Gruchow [email protected] An employee with a Sioux Falls cleaning company claims he and a co-worker were called pedophiles during questioning by Canton's police chief based on a child's false accusations. James Olson of the Intek cleaning company in Sioux Falls filed a complaint last week with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation against Canton Police Chief Al Warnock. Olson says Warnock and a Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy drew guns on him and a co-worker July 29 as the two worked to remove mold from a Canton home. He said Warnock called them pedophiles and other derogatory terms. The incident, Olson said, was instigated by a child's false claim that Olson and his co-worker tried to lure the child to their company van. "The embarrassment is unreal," Olson, 30, said. Warnock did not return calls or e-mails requesting comment. But Kyle Cwach, interim Canton city manager, confirmed by e-mail that his office received the complaint and that it was forwarded to the DCI. "To my knowledge, the review has not been completed," he said. Sara Rabern of the state Attorney General's Office confirmed that a complaint had been filed with the DCI, but that the office could not release details while the complaint is under review. Cwach said he would not comment on the incident until the DCI review is complete. Lincoln County Sheriff Dennis Johnson said that his deputy was there as a backup officer only, and that the department's chief deputy spoke with Olson. "He indicated to our (chief deputy) that he didn't have a problem with our guy," Johnson said. The sheriff's deputy acted appropriately, he said. The DCI has not contacted the department regarding the incident, Johnson said. Olson said he was taken outside at gunpoint where he and his co-worker were questioned about their contact with children in the area before eventually being left to work. Both men were wearing shirts with Intek emblems on them, and police were aware that they were working on the home, Olson said. "My supervisor told me that a minute before they walked into the house they were on the phone with my supervisor," he said. Intek management declined to comment. Neither Olson or his partner were placed in handcuffs or arrested. Olson said he was panicked, afraid that even the rumor of an accusation involving a child and the involvement of police would be enough to cost him his job and embarrass his family. A child's complaint, whether it later is discovered to be a lie or not, must be treated as legitimate, said David Schrank, chairman of the criminal justice department at Colorado Technical University and a former Sioux Falls police officer. "You're going to have to proceed with the reasonable assumption that the complaint is founded," he said. "The safety of the child comes first." While not commenting on Olson's case specifically, Schrank said that the first few minutes are critical after receiving such a complaint from a child and a possible suspect. The situation is rife with unknowns and often little information, he said. "It's sort of a no-win situation for law enforcement," Schrank said. Reach reporter Matthew Gruchow at 331-2301. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Links and References to Other Pages: http://www.argusleader.com/app...article?AID=2008808050301 |
Certainly isnt here. If that were the case, I'd be buried in Use of Force statements. |
It is for us. But UoF reports don't get made until we reach a certain level on our UoF continuum, and there are even exceptions made in that level. For us, drawing a weapon or chambering a round in a long gun is still on our very first level, Officer Presence. |
+1 |
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It looks like a typical news report where you really have no clue what happened. It could be anything from excessive force to the guys are lucky that the cops didn't use justified force on them by shooting. Did the cops pull guns on them for intimidation to get them to talk or did the guys reach near something that could be used as a weapon like maybe a hammer or crow bar (most likely) and the cops pulled their pistols anticipating self defense? Any wonder why law enforcement has a severe distaste for the media? |
Which one? The name calling or the proper police work/drawing your weapon part? |
Well that I can understand, but why would a state agency get involved for something that falls under officer presence? I mean, if I had to be worried that my own agency, let alone some state entity, was going to start giving anal exams over drawing my pistol, I'd be looking for a new employer. That's a nice headscratcher if you ask me. |
It's all about our definitions of each level of force. Drawing a weapon is considered non-verbal communication that creates an atmosphere of compliance, which is part of our 1st level of force. It's no big deal. UoF reports only get made wehn we get to the season and tenderize step. but we also get to deal with vessel on vessel UoF and airborne Uof. Fun stuff. |
We do paper when the arrestee compains of /pain/injury or anything that would reasonably cause injury. drawing your firearm would quite unlikely to cause injury |
We'd be buried, too. I always wonder what kind of city has so little going on that the police just pulling a gun out and drawing down on a subject is a newspaper article. The paper wouldn't be thick enough in the places I've worked. |