Post by Site Admin on Feb 23, 2006 12:02:46 GMT -5
Marengo suspends officer
Publication Northwest Herald
Date January 26, 2006
Section(s) Local News
Page
MARENGO - The Marengo police department has suspended an officer named in a multi-million-dollar civil rights lawsuit pending an investigation into leaked police reports.
Although police now are staying mum on why officer Kelly Given was placed on paid administrative leave, Chief Les Kottke briefly confirmed the reason Tuesday before deferring further comment to legal counsel.
"She was put on paid administrative leave [in] reference [to] some reports that might have left the building inappropriately, illegally or otherwise," Kottke said.
Although Kottke did not describe the reports, a Northwest Herald article on Jan. 15 cited juvenile arrest reports that contradicted some of the accusations made by 17-year-old Nichole Surber, one of six plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in August. The paper obtained the police reports, which were verified as authentic by the department, from a confidential source.
Kottke said Wednesday that Given has not yet been accused of wrongdoing and has not been charged with anything.
Police attorney Mark Gummerson confirmed Tuesday that Given had been placed on leave sometime last week. Both he and Kottke said an "internal investigation" is under way.
Fraternal Order of Police union representative Richard Stomper declined comment, citing privacy issues.
Given is named in two alleged incidents in the civil rights lawsuit filed last August, as are former Marengo police officer Scott Crawford, the city, and former Police Chief Larry Mason. The lawsuit alleges that Given and Crawford hurt Surber, then 16, by sitting on her during what started as an underage-drinking arrest at a Marengo High School football game in 2004. Surber also complained that officers allowed a police dog to bite her and that her breasts were exposed during the arrest, but friends were not allowed to help her cover herself.
The suit seeks at least $1.5 million for each of the six plaintiffs.
While Given still is on the force, Crawford resigned Aug. 30 before he would face a disciplinary hearing for various offenses. In exchange, the city agreed not to disclose the problems to other departments where Crawford might seek employment without his consent.
Attempts to reach Given were not successful Wednesday.
Crawford now works as a part-time patrol officer in Round Lake Heights. He left the Waukegan Police Department in 2001 after a police-brutality lawsuit filed by the handcuffed suspect he was videotaped hitting was settled out of court for $30,000.
By KEVIN P. CRAVER
kcraver@nwherald.com
tinyurl.com/lk5a8
Publication Northwest Herald
Date January 26, 2006
Section(s) Local News
Page
MARENGO - The Marengo police department has suspended an officer named in a multi-million-dollar civil rights lawsuit pending an investigation into leaked police reports.
Although police now are staying mum on why officer Kelly Given was placed on paid administrative leave, Chief Les Kottke briefly confirmed the reason Tuesday before deferring further comment to legal counsel.
"She was put on paid administrative leave [in] reference [to] some reports that might have left the building inappropriately, illegally or otherwise," Kottke said.
Although Kottke did not describe the reports, a Northwest Herald article on Jan. 15 cited juvenile arrest reports that contradicted some of the accusations made by 17-year-old Nichole Surber, one of six plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in August. The paper obtained the police reports, which were verified as authentic by the department, from a confidential source.
Kottke said Wednesday that Given has not yet been accused of wrongdoing and has not been charged with anything.
Police attorney Mark Gummerson confirmed Tuesday that Given had been placed on leave sometime last week. Both he and Kottke said an "internal investigation" is under way.
Fraternal Order of Police union representative Richard Stomper declined comment, citing privacy issues.
Given is named in two alleged incidents in the civil rights lawsuit filed last August, as are former Marengo police officer Scott Crawford, the city, and former Police Chief Larry Mason. The lawsuit alleges that Given and Crawford hurt Surber, then 16, by sitting on her during what started as an underage-drinking arrest at a Marengo High School football game in 2004. Surber also complained that officers allowed a police dog to bite her and that her breasts were exposed during the arrest, but friends were not allowed to help her cover herself.
The suit seeks at least $1.5 million for each of the six plaintiffs.
While Given still is on the force, Crawford resigned Aug. 30 before he would face a disciplinary hearing for various offenses. In exchange, the city agreed not to disclose the problems to other departments where Crawford might seek employment without his consent.
Attempts to reach Given were not successful Wednesday.
Crawford now works as a part-time patrol officer in Round Lake Heights. He left the Waukegan Police Department in 2001 after a police-brutality lawsuit filed by the handcuffed suspect he was videotaped hitting was settled out of court for $30,000.
By KEVIN P. CRAVER
kcraver@nwherald.com
tinyurl.com/lk5a8