CopSpace VII: The Reinstatening
Fired Lexington police officer files appeal to be reinstated:
Just when you thought it was over, the semi-scandal of the Lexington Kentucky Police Department rears it’s ugly head.
The recently fired Joshua Cromer has filed an appeal to have his job reinstated.
Superiors in the police department argued Cromer’s credibility and his ability to effectively do his job were compromised.
They also lodged charges against Cromer connected to his high-profile arrest of country singer John Michael Montgomery on Feb. 14, 2006, saying he improperly logged an audio recording from the arrest into evidence and did not disclose that he had received a cell phone call from someone inside the bar where the singer had left warning that Montgomery was driving drunk down Tates Creek Road.
Cromer and other officers testified that it was common practice for officers to not always turn in audio recordings they made until requested to do so.
Cromer said he did not report the cell phone call in order to protect someone who feared losing their job but wanted to do the right thing.
Montgomery eventually entered an Alford plea to a drunken-driving charge, which means he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.
In the appeal, Cromer’s attorney argues that Mayor Jim Newberry and the council erred by not allowing the council members to be examined for potential biases before the hearing began.
He also states that Cromer was not allowed a hearing within 60 days of his initial March 29, 2006, suspension as required by state statute.
They also say Cromer was interrogated by police internal affairs while off duty, which also violates state law.
Let’s not leave out the fact that Cromer posted and bragged about the arrest on his MySpace which is how all of this got started.
I would never tell police how to do their job but it sounds like that Cromer was fishing for a high profile arrest.
Thanks to Jessica for the link.
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