1KQ1ER

2 Lakeland Police Officers Punished In Inquiry
Chief goes against recommendations that the pair be terminated.

By Jeremy Maready
THE LEDGER

A Lakeland police sergeant was recently demoted and her lieutenant husband suspended following a series of controversial internal investigations.

The situation has become highly charged, prompting the second in command at the Lakeland Police Department to urge dismissal of the sergeant.

Other officers in the LPD chain of command also concluded what the couple, Lt. Al Wilson and Sgt. Felicia Wilson, did was so serious it constituted felonies and said each should be fired.

But Police Chief Roger Boatner went against those recommendations, opting for less severe punishments.

Police records describe the charges as second- and third-degree felonies for theft and illegally using the department's computer for their own gain. Prosecutors in the State Attorney's Office, however, said they would not pursue any charges, the records show.

The couple are fighting their punishment, maintaining that in some cases they did nothing wrong and in others the offenses were minor.

Three internal investigations concluded in August, when punishment was levied, according to the internal investigative reports released by the Police Department.

Since then, the couple has filed four grievances disputing the findings. Those findings:

The couple inappropriately used LPD computers to gain an advantage in receiving outside overtime shifts.

Sgt. Wilson broke department policy in a car chase.

Lt. Wilson violated a direct order in taking time off.

Sgt. Felicia Wilson was demoted to patrol officer late last month for 10 policy violations named in the internal affairs investigation. Her husband, Lt. Al Wilson, was given a 42-hour suspension and a formal reprimand, for seven such violations. The couple was also suspended for 30 days from extra duty details.

Al Wilson has worked for the department for 16 years and is paid $81,879 a year. His wife, Felicia Wilson, has worked for the department for 13 years and was paid $63,963. But her salary was reduced 10 percent to $57,567 when she was demoted to patrol officer in August, personnel records show.

In their grievances, the Wilsons are asking that their records be cleared, back pay returned and Felicia Wilson be reinstated as a sergeant.

Since the Police Benevolent Association filed the grievances Sept. 4, Boatner has remained mum on the matter, citing the ongoing dispute. He declined a Ledger request for an interview about the situation.

COVER YOUR ASSETS

Cover Your Assets is the name of LPD's computer system used to assign overtime details to officers, better known by its initials - CYA USA.

The department's system for assigning these details is based on seniority. The higher your rank, the sooner you have access to pick assignments.

But Lt. Wilson never learned how to use it, he said. Instead, he put his wife in charge of signing him up for overtime details by letting her create and use his password.

That was not an unusual practice among spouses - "a matter of convenience" - according to a December letter to Boatner from Assistant Chief of Police Bill LePere.

But some of the Wilsons' fellow officers complained about what she was doing.

One in particular, Sgt. Tony Lewis, took exception when he was notified by Sandy Sanders, an accountant clerk in charge of the CYA system, that Lt. Wilson was signed up for a detail July 19, 2007.

Lewis knew it was impossible for Lt. Wilson to work the shift because he was in Virginia attending the FBI National Academy.

When supervisors learned of the incident, they suspended Lt. Wilson from the system until he returned in September, and the shift was put back into the system for someone else to work.

Capt. Tom Day told Lt. Wilson not to let his wife sign up for him again, Lt. Wilson said, and that verbal counseling seemed to be the end of it.

But three months later, the issue resurfaced when LePere sent Boatner a letter citing a "preliminary investigation" detailing the discovery of possible criminal acts, according to the Dec. 20 letter.

At that point, the Wilsons weren't aware that LePere had been looking into the matter.

Boatner didn't authorize an internal affairs investigation until two months later, on Feb. 19, reports show.

Lt. Wilson questions the delay.

"If these things I did were so egregious, why did it take so long for the investigation?" he asked in an interview Wednesday with The Ledger.

LPD internal investigators concluded the case was very serious. They consulted with department lawyer Roger Mallory, who determined "probable cause (for criminal actions) may exist" in the case, citing five Florida statutes that cover computer crimes and theft.

In the internal affairs report, investigators said they spoke with State Attorney's Office officials, who said that while probable cause existed, the office would not pursue a criminal case, leaving it an administrative matter.

Despite the absence of a separate investigation to determine whether the couple had committed any crimes, supervisors cited the pair for committing felonies as support for their decision to recommend that they be fired.

"The most serious charge of violating a felony statute is sustained based on the actions of Sgt. Wilson, and this finding subsequently calls into question her ethics, honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity - something that police officers hate to do with other officers," LePere said in his June 19 recommendation about Sgt. Wilson. "I believe I am, however, duty bound to make a recommendation in this matter to terminate Sgt. Wilson's employment."

Click on the link to read the rest of the story. http://www.theledger.com/article/200...NEWS/809120382

http://www.theledger.com/article/200705 ... /705260439


Read the article (link above) about her promotion and see how sickening it now sounds.

I'm still in shock that Hill/Boatner friendly Ledger printed the story.

Now that she has been found out, Birdwell will be the next to be exposed.

I have written to the Attorney General and ask all of you to do the same.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20070526/NEWS/705260439


Read the article (link above) about her promotion and see how sickening it now sounds.

Let's not forget he was the PAL director at one time and is now on the PAL Board.

Perhaps some old PAL finances should be reviewed by a financial forensic expert.

I say he should be thrown off the PAL Board at a minimum.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20070526/NEWS/705260439


Read the article (link above) about her promotion and see how sickening it now sounds.

Black female promoted to sergeant
Woman Makes LPD History

By GABRIELLE FINLEY
The Ledger

Published: Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 3:25 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 8:34 a.m.

Black female promoted to sergeant
Woman Makes LPD History

By GABRIELLE FINLEY
The Ledger

LAKELAND - It was a long time coming, residents said, but Lakeland Police Officer Felicia Wilson made history Friday by becoming the first black woman in the agency promoted to the rank of sergeant.

By becoming a sergeant, Wilson has "taken the oath to move the police force forward," LPD Chief Roger Boatner said Friday during Wilson's promotion ceremony.

Wilson's promotion is a "huge responsibility" that goes beyond the walls of the police department, Boatner said.

"It's truly a matter of changing what goes on in the City of Lakeland."

Wilson's family and Polk County's black community leaders, civic leaders and colleagues crowded the Lakeland police station on Massachusetts Avenue to support Wilson, 38, leaving standing room only.

Wilson's husband, Lt. Al Wilson, presented her with her new badge during the ceremony.

When questioned about the amount of time it took the department to promote a black woman officer, City Commissioner Gow Fields said given the few number of black women officers in the agency, Wilson's promotion was "right on time."

Four, or about 1 percent, of the nearly 300 Lakeland Police Department officers are black females, Lt. Wilson said. Between 20 and 30 officers are black, he said. About 20 percent of those living in Lakeland are black, according to 2005 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For the rest of the article click on the link. http://www.theledger.com/article/200...NEWS/705260439

[Lonewolf1]

They don't call it the funny papers for nothing. I notice that Finley aint singing her praises now.

2 Lakeland Police Officers Punished In Inquiry
Chief goes against recommendations that the pair be terminated.

By Jeremy Maready
THE LEDGER

A Lakeland police sergeant was recently demoted and her lieutenant husband suspended following a series of controversial internal investigations.

The situation has become highly charged, prompting the second in command at the Lakeland Police Department to urge dismissal of the sergeant.

Other officers in the LPD chain of command also concluded what the couple, Lt. Al Wilson and Sgt. Felicia Wilson, did was so serious it constituted felonies and said each should be fired.

But Police Chief Roger Boatner went against those recommendations, opting for less severe punishments.

Police records describe the charges as second- and third-degree felonies for theft and illegally using the department's computer for their own gain. Prosecutors in the State Attorney's Office, however, said they would not pursue any charges, the records show.

The couple are fighting their punishment, maintaining that in some cases they did nothing wrong and in others the offenses were minor.

Three internal investigations concluded in August, when punishment was levied, according to the internal investigative reports released by the Police Department.

Since then, the couple has filed four grievances disputing the findings. Those findings:

The couple inappropriately used LPD computers to gain an advantage in receiving outside overtime shifts.

Sgt. Wilson broke department policy in a car chase.

Lt. Wilson violated a direct order in taking time off.

Sgt. Felicia Wilson was demoted to patrol officer late last month for 10 policy violations named in the internal affairs investigation. Her husband, Lt. Al Wilson, was given a 42-hour suspension and a formal reprimand, for seven such violations. The couple was also suspended for 30 days from extra duty details.

Al Wilson has worked for the department for 16 years and is paid $81,879 a year. His wife, Felicia Wilson, has worked for the department for 13 years and was paid $63,963. But her salary was reduced 10 percent to $57,567 when she was demoted to patrol officer in August, personnel records show.

In their grievances, the Wilsons are asking that their records be cleared, back pay returned and Felicia Wilson be reinstated as a sergeant.

Since the Police Benevolent Association filed the grievances Sept. 4, Boatner has remained mum on the matter, citing the ongoing dispute. He declined a Ledger request for an interview about the situation.

COVER YOUR ASSETS

Cover Your Assets is the name of LPD's computer system used to assign overtime details to officers, better known by its initials - CYA USA.

The department's system for assigning these details is based on seniority. The higher your rank, the sooner you have access to pick assignments.

But Lt. Wilson never learned how to use it, he said. Instead, he put his wife in charge of signing him up for overtime details by letting her create and use his password.

That was not an unusual practice among spouses - "a matter of convenience" - according to a December letter to Boatner from Assistant Chief of Police Bill LePere.

But some of the Wilsons' fellow officers complained about what she was doing.

One in particular, Sgt. Tony Lewis, took exception when he was notified by Sandy Sanders, an accountant clerk in charge of the CYA system, that Lt. Wilson was signed up for a detail July 19, 2007.

Lewis knew it was impossible for Lt. Wilson to work the shift because he was in Virginia attending the FBI National Academy.

When supervisors learned of the incident, they suspended Lt. Wilson from the system until he returned in September, and the shift was put back into the system for someone else to work.

Capt. Tom Day told Lt. Wilson not to let his wife sign up for him again, Lt. Wilson said, and that verbal counseling seemed to be the end of it.

But three months later, the issue resurfaced when LePere sent Boatner a letter citing a "preliminary investigation" detailing the discovery of possible criminal acts, according to the Dec. 20 letter.

At that point, the Wilsons weren't aware that LePere had been looking into the matter.

Boatner didn't authorize an internal affairs investigation until two months later, on Feb. 19, reports show.

Lt. Wilson questions the delay.

"If these things I did were so egregious, why did it take so long for the investigation?" he asked in an interview Wednesday with The Ledger.

LPD internal investigators concluded the case was very serious. They consulted with department lawyer Roger Mallory, who determined "probable cause (for criminal actions) may exist" in the case, citing five Florida statutes that cover computer crimes and theft.

In the internal affairs report, investigators said they spoke with State Attorney's Office officials, who said that while probable cause existed, the office would not pursue a criminal case, leaving it an administrative matter.

Despite the absence of a separate investigation to determine whether the couple had committed any crimes, supervisors cited the pair for committing felonies as support for their decision to recommend that they be fired.

"The most serious charge of violating a felony statute is sustained based on the actions of Sgt. Wilson, and this finding subsequently calls into question her ethics, honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity - something that police officers hate to do with other officers," LePere said in his June 19 recommendation about Sgt. Wilson. "I believe I am, however, duty bound to make a recommendation in this matter to terminate Sgt. Wilson's employment."

Click on the link to read the rest of the story. http://www.theledger.com/article/200...NEWS/809120382

I heard the PBA union is representing these two!

Is this true? Can it be that a union that is supposed to stand up for good cops is supporting these two greedy, selfish employees?

If so, how do your officers feel about their union supporting the very 2 that were screwing them, the city, and the community?

[Lonewolf1]

You need to know or remember that the Union represents all members that are involved in any discipline. Right or wrong, guilty or innocent. Even these two felons are entitled to due process and fair representation.

Even though Boatner let them off due to political pressure or his own lack of backbone, they will eventually get whats coming to them. If the Standards and Training Commission doesn't yank their certification, every case they are involved in will be trashed by every defense attorney. No prosecutor wants to take a case where they have to start off explaining to a judge or jury that even though the officer is a thief and a liar, his/her testimony is still good. Jerry Hill doesn't even have to send the letter of death.

[Pitch Black]

Well-stated Lonewolf. Hopefully FDLE will act quickly on this matter.

Uhhhhhhh......Jerry Hill is on the VCDC board at the FDLE and whether or not he likes Boatner....he owes Boatner a huge favor after the Arly Smith thing. So don't hold your breath that the FDLE will do anything. You all need to contact the Attorney General for this stuff.