Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for January 31, 2006 MAYOR FIRES 2 OFFICERS AND DISPATCHER

Admit wrongdoing...you stay. Maintain innocence...you go. Expect lawsuits.

From local news sources...

Illinois: Two Cairo Police Officers and Dispatcher Fired After Jail Death

Brooks Ware,
WPSD NewsChannel 6

Demetrius Flowers was arrested in Cairo, Illinois last month during a domestic disturbance. Hours later, he was found hanging in a holding cell by his shoelaces. Monday two Cairo Police Officers and a radio dispatcher were fired for their roles in Flowers' death: Officers Gary Hankins and Timothy Brown and Dispatcher Don Beggs.

Mayor Paul Farris says Officer Terry Crowe and dispatcher Legina Meyer were hired back because they signed an Admission of Wrongdoing. It's a deal at least one of the fired officers says he was never offered. Not long after Demetrius Flowers was found dead in his cell, three police officers and two dispatchers on duty that night were suspended without pay. Now, three of those employees have been fired.

Mayor Farris, "Two admit that they fell short, also known as dereliction of duties. Three will not even admit that they fell short." One of those officers heard the news for the first time on NewsChannel 6. Fired Officer, Gary Hankins, "It would have been nice to hear it from my chief or the Mayor beforehand."

Gary Hankins says he was never given the chance to sign an Admission of Wrongdoing. But, Hankins says he wouldn't have signed one anyway because he didn't have any dealings with Flowers' the night of his death. Hankins, "I told Terry Crowe to make sure he got all of his property. Search him, make sure he doesn't have anything on him. That's the extent of my duties." But, Mayor Farris says signing the Admission of Wrongdoing wouldn't have necessarily gotten the three employees their jobs back.

Farris, "There's disparities between their rank and supervisory positions." Mayor Farris says the officers did not follow procedure the night Demetrius Flowers' died, leaving a family lost and three city workers unemployed.

Hankins, "As far as I'm concerned, my life is done. I mean, I am a cop. It's what I do, it's who I am." We tried to contact Demetrius Flowers' family, but they weren't available for comment. Illinois State Police are still investigating Flowers' death.

Cairo mayor fires two cops, dispatcher

KYLE W. MORRISON ~ Southeast Missourian

The three were fired for violating policy and not admitting responsibility for their actions, Mayor Paul Farris said.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Three Cairo police employees were fired Monday for violating department policies in connection to the death of a jail inmate. Two others were able to keep their jobs.

Mayor Paul F. Farris fired Lt. Gary Hankins, Lt. Timothy Brown, and dispatcher Don Beggs from their positions with the Cairo Police Department effective Monday.

Also on Monday, Farris lifted the suspension of dispatcher Legina Meyers. A fifth employee, patrolman Terry Crowe, had his suspension lifted about a week and a half ago.

The five employees had previously been suspended without pay in connection to the death of Demetrius Flowers, 38, who was arrested early Dec. 14 , brought to the city jail, and found dead in his cell around 9 that morning.

A preliminary autopsy found that Flowers died of strangulation. He was reportedly found hanging by shoelaces in his cell.

The five suspensions were issued Dec. 19 as officials investigated whether the employees had failed in their duties in connection to the death, particularly in how Flowers was able to obtain shoelaces, Farris said. Foul play is not suspected, he added.

In recent weeks, Farris and some members of the city council have been at odds, and the firing brought new criticism. "This is a little hasty," Councilman Bobby Whitaker said of the terminations. "If he (Farris) is doing this because they didn't follow procedure, then they need to fire Terry Crowe."

While all five had violated police policies, only Crowe and Meyers admitted to doing so and had dropped grievances filed against the department. Neither are seeking retroactive pay for their time on suspension, Farris said.

When asked if it was fair to fire some employees and not others who admitted committing the same infraction, Farris said yes.

"The key is acceptance of wrongdoing," he said. Hankins, Brown and Beggs were all told they could be terminated if they did not admit to violating the policies.

"I think I was fair in the amount of time I gave them," he said. The mayor did not consult the council before issuing the terminations and reinstatement, adding that he did not need to.

Flowers was arrested and processed by Brown, who showed up before his 4 a.m. shift began. Hankins and Crowe were to finish their shifts at 4 a.m., with Brown replacing Hankins as the station commander, Farris said.

Since both lieutenants were on duty when Flowers was processed, both were responsible for ensuring Flowers had nothing in his cell that shouldn't be there, such as the shoelaces, Farris said.

"When you are the high-ranking power, you are responsible," the mayor said.

At one point, Crowe was asked to check Flowers, but all he found was a wallet, which was placed in a locker with the inmate's other belongings, including a pair of shoes and shoelaces.

A pair of shoes was later found underneath the bunk in the cell. It is not clear how Flowers obtained the shoelaces.

After Flowers was placed in the cell, Cairo police dispatchers were responsible for watching over any inmates in the lockup. They must physically check each cell every 30 to 40 minutes, Farris said.

Meyers was relieved by Beggs, who came in at 6 a.m., he said. While the pair recorded their checks, they did not do them, he said.

The Illinois State Police are investigating the death and are in possession of a videotape of Flowers in his holding cell.

Flowers' mother, Deborah Flowers, said none of the five employees should be allowed back at work.

"All of them should have been fired," she said. Flowers declined to comment on what, if any, legal action her family may be taking.

Southeast Missourian writer Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

Cairo mayor fires two senior officers

by andrea hahn
the southern

CAIRO - Two senior Cairo police officers and a dispatcher were fired Monday by administrative order of Cairo Mayor Paul Farris.

Lt. Gary Hankins and Lt. Timothy Brown and dispatcher Don Beggs were fired after a month's suspension without pay.

However, Officer Terry Crowe and dispatcher Legina Meyer were hired back after being suspended without pay beginning Dec. 19.

The five were on duty when 38-year-old Demetrius Flowers, who was in custody of the Cairo Police Department, died in a holding cell Dec. 14. Flowers had been arrested early in the morning that day in connection with an alleged domestic battery, but had not been charged with any crime.

Alexander County Coroner David Barkett said Flowers died of ligature strangulation. He was found with shoelaces around his neck. A coroner's inquest to determine if the death is suicide, homicide or accidental has not been scheduled yet pending toxicological test results.

Farris has declared he believes the death is a suicide and he finds "no credible evidence" Flowers died as the direct result of any action from anyone at the police department.

City Attorney Michael O'Shea said at a meeting Jan. 21 with the Cairo chapter of the United Front that he believed the death was "not a suicide" but not a homicide either. He did not specify what he thought was the ultimate cause of Flowers' death by strangulation.

Farris acknowledged the continuing investigation by state police, but noted in his administrative order that the city's investigation was complete. He referred to his "vested authority to impose discipline" on city employees as sufficient authority to terminate employment for the three police department employees.

Farris listed as his reasons for firing them that the three had violated "rules and regulations" pertaining to detainees at the city holding facility and that the violations were "knowing acts of omission or commission." Farris said the "breaches and violations were by no means slight but were manifestly serious."

The police officers are accused of not removing property from Flowers as specified by procedures - including shoelaces. The dispatchers are accused of not physically checking on Flowers as required but rather checking on him via a video monitor.

Farris defended his decision to hire back Crowe and Meyer because the two had admitted they failed to follow proper procedures. He said at a news conference Monday night that the three he fired "will not even admit they fell short."

Predictably, Farris' decision has caused hard feelings. Farris said in an earlier conference the three he fired had brought a grievance against the city.

Crowe and Meyer were both recent hires for the police department. Those fired were all long-term employees, the mayor said.