Sprout fired

Sprout FIRED!!!! Wow

Sprout FIRED!!!! Wow

ANY TRUTH TO THIS HEADLINE? If so, what was the reason for him leaving--health issues???? :!: :cop:

Read TBO.com ass face he was fired today!!!!

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/07 ... ied-woman/

link:
http://suncoastpinellas.tbo.com/content ... ied-woman/


ST. PETERSBURG - A St. Petersburg police officer was fired today amid allegations he kept in contact with a married woman he was told to stay away from, according to internal affairs documents.

Among other things, Officer Steven Sprout was less than truthful about the circumstances surrounding the alleged contact, the documents say.

Sprout met the woman, Jennifer Arcaro, in 2003, when Arcaro was dating Ron Arcaro before the Arcaros married later in the year, investigative documents say. Sprout was then investigating an incident in which Ron Arcaro was suspected of slashing the tires of Jennifer and another man she was seeing before the Arcaros married, the documents say.

The Arcaros had an on-again, off-again relationship, but remained married, and Ron Arcaro filed a complaint against Sprout with the department, the documents say. As a result, Sprout was issued an administrative order Dec. 21, 2005, prohibiting him from having any contact with either Arcaro. The order was rescinded Jan. 21, 2007, and the Arcaros' divorce was finalized Jan. 14, 2008.

Authorities, however, received information that while the Arcaros were still technically married, Sprout had violated the order. Jennifer Arcaro said the two communicated by cell phone during the time the order was in effect; she also said they also communicated on a dating Web site, the documents say.

She said, though, that a physical relationship didn't commence until after the order was rescinded, the documents say.

A neighbor of Jennifer Arcaro, however, complained that Sprout visited Jennifer Arcaro while the administrative order was still in effect. Two other neighbors later interviewed said the same thing.

Sprout denied having any contact with either Arcaro while the order was in effect, other than to tell Jennifer he couldn't talk to her, internal affairs documents show.

This year, Ron Arcaro filed another complaint against Sprout, saying Sprout's conduct in the presence of his then-wife was inappropriate. Among other things, Ron Arcaro was upset with Sprout because, at some point during Sprout's relationship with his then-wife, Sprout moved the couple's child's fingers in a photograph in such a way as to suggest the child was making an inappropriate gesture.

It was also found that Sprout used his take-home squad car to visit Jennifer, which is a violation of the take-home squad car policy, the documents say.


Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

Ah that's what I love about this place. They never hesitates to kick an officer when he's down! It's a disgrace to fire someone under his circumstances, when he isn't even workin g the street anyway. And don't even start shovelling the BS about it being in the works for a while and admin has no control of the timing. Talk to me about that when Donnie's drug investigation finally gets closed or Foster finally gets what he deserves. Until that time I don't want to hear it. I will change what I said though, they never hesitate to kick a WHITE officer when he's down. This place is a F*(6(&*g disgrace!

This had to be a witch hunt. It should have been handled "in house" and without "burning" him. Why, WHY are others' actions -- which are far worse-- not cause for termination?????? You know why, internal corruption??? :cry:

They know he would probably not be returning to work because of health issues, so they figured they could save the work comp money I guess. I hope he has a lawyer. What about his medical bills and such? Disability pay?

What "proof" do they have other than he said-she said? From what I gather, the alleged "girlfriend" is a known liar and trouble maker. (Her ex-husband even admits that.) I've talked to several officers who have dealt with her; she is the classic bi-polar personality. If she doesn't get her way, she will do or say anything to get even. I've heard that she continues to try to contact Sprout by phone and through the department. Sounds to me like she is stalking him, not the other way around.

And as far as the neighbors, how can anyone be sure that their time line is correct? Bet they can't pick Sprout out of a photopack. Heck, I'd bet they can't remember what they had for lunch on July 16th, but they can say for certainity that he was at the house on a certain date 2 years ago! And it sounds as if they saw a cruiser in the neighborhood, not Sprout actually at the residence. Gee, I think those cars all look alike. Besides, with the way IA "interviews" people, you can bet they suggested the answers they wanted to hear.

A picture is a split second recording of an actual event. What reason did he have to lie? How can you say it isn't the way that he said it happened.

He admitted driving his cruiser to her house after working off-duty or invests. He'd asked to hit the streets early, but was denied. So instead of driving all the way home, he visited her to discuss allegations she was making about him being the father of her baby. He was trying to get her to provide actual proof before he accepted that fact. Why is this wrong? Someone who lives in the city can stop and visit, so why should a county resident be punished? Does the city want the liability of someone driving home that far with the added chance of an accident occurring? They were also angry that he spent the night at her place after working past 0200 hrs (he never gets off on time), then having to be back for a 0700 hrs off-duty job. No sex occurred, he just slept. Sounds to me like he was being diligent in the fact that he was able to get more sleep, which would be safer. The city doesn't need anyone having more cows step onto the road in front of him! But the way the city talks, if he'd have went to a local motel, he'd still have been in violation.

The GO is a little fuzzy on this. I, as a city resident, can go visit friends or family, but he can't since he lives in the county. But wouldn't it make more sense that I could go to my home since I live in the city, but county residents need some sort of relief so they aren't a liability when driving unnecessarily? What do they expect officers to do, sleep in their cruisers, sit in the station for several hours, when their is a few hour gap between work/court assignments and regular duty? When an officer can get an extra hour or 2 of rest instead of driving home by stopping to visit a friend, what is the big deal?

Sprout also said that he had worked for a long time to get a neighborhood house condemned. I have been in the house in question. Garbage was piled to the ceiling, the front door wouldn't close, and was infested with rats. The ceiling was falling in, the place was covered in mold, and there was no running water. The occupant was using buckets as toilets. There were also several burglary calls there in which the occupant said guns were stolen. I know Sprout was trying everything he could to get the fixed up or condemned. It finally worked, as the house was closed up early last year. I saw the resident and some other people fixing it up, and there is now a new front door on it. If he checked on the house on his way home, is that wrong? Just because he didn't do it on the clock? How many times do we get asked to do something at the front desk on our way out, or get flagged down for a question on our way home? Do we go back on the clock? I haven't met anyone yet who goes back on the clock for things like that. How many times do we get in trouble for too much OT? It isn't worth the hassle.

I've talked with Sprout in the past about the grief this girl was trying to bring on him. He didn't want her going to the department as she threatened to do if he didn't just accept the fact that he was the baby's daddy (which he found out during IA wasn't his). So when he finally told her to prove it or get lost, she stirs up trouble. The picture in question, while admittedly is questionable at first glance, appears to have been stolen from the "girlfriend" by her ex-husband, who turned it into the city. Sounds like they both just wanted to start problems. And again, who can say for sure that it didn't happen the way Sprout said? Those of us that know him can say he is an honest person and will tell you when he's wrong.

It was definitely a witch hunt. Everyone has known that Bevin and Chuckles didn't like him, so they finally got him. Where's the PBA in all of this? Hopefully, his appeal will be successful.

We need a lot more officers like him. And I want him back on the streets because I know he has my back.

Sprout ny brother, hang in there. We are all behind you!

This is a bunch of bull, one guy steals overtime watching porn and he gets 45 days. No way should the department have become involved in this situation like they have. Had they held Major Story to this standard he would have been fired years ago. This is flat wrong!

But Sprout isn't one of the a$$ kissers like the others, so he was doomed. If the PBA is as strong as they say they are, this should be a no-brainer of an appeal.