Riviera Beach police sergeant sentenced to probation for dru

[NewsHound]

Riviera Beach police sergeant sentenced to probation for drunken shooting

From Sun-Sentinel.com

A Rivera Beach police sergeant was sentenced to a year of probation on Thursday for an October 2009 incident where he got drunk and fired more than a dozen shots from his service revolver while off-duty.

Michael Dodson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of using a firearm while intoxicated and disorderly intoxication as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Circuit Judge Richard Oftedal sentenced Dodson to six months' probation on each charge for a total of a year on supervision.

As part of the plea agreement, Oftedal said Dodson could apply to end his probation early after six months if he pays $253 in court costs and finishes 100 hours of community service.

In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop a felony charge of shooting in a building as well as a charge of falsely reporting a crime.

According to arrest records, Dodson fired off 15 rounds from his service weapon shortly after someone dropped him off at his house from a night of heavy drinking. He then slashed himself more than 100 times with a box cutter and hit himself with a hammer, trying to make it look like he had been attacked, Palm Beach Gardens Detective Richard Moretti said in a sworn statement.

He called for backup and told Palm Beach Gardens police he was beaten and cut in his garage by two masked men. He said he shot at them as they ran away.

Dodson left court without comment, flanked by his attorneys Thomas Gano and Donnie Murrell.

Rose Anne Brown, spokeswoman for Riviera Beach Police, said the department will conduct an internal affairs investigation into the incident. Brown said Dodson remains on restricted administrative assignment.

It was about time that this case came to an end. It took the biased ass state attorney Danielle Croke to resign and a regular state attorney to be assigned to the case. Once that happened and he reviewed the facts it was apparently clear to him that Dodson told the truth that night about being attacked and shooting in self defense. Thats why they dropped the false report and the shooting charge.

Yes Dodson took a plea to using a firearm under the influence and disorderly intox. Dodson violated the using a firearm under the influence statute the minute he put gun in his pants and was intoxicated. Thank GOD he did or he could have been killed. He was disorderly when he returned to the house at 645 am and cussed Gardens the F**K out. Who whouldnt have done that? He was the victim of a violent crime and they were treating him like shit.

Unfortunately all of this was lost on the media who just wants to stir shit up. Dodson those of us smart enough to see the truth see this as a win, the rest of the opinions dont matter. Sorry to see that it took 2 years for someone at the state attorney to realize the truth.

Now that the truth is starting to come out that he may have really been attacked and Gardens dropped the ball I'm wondering if FDLE is going to look into the way that Gardens handled the case. I heard from a Riviera cop that Dodson said it was two white males and Gardens had two white male suspects detained that night in the neighborhood who had histories of burglary and home invasion and agg battery. Of course the media wants to crucify Dodson for taking a plea, but when do they ever get it right.

I have been following this case since it first happened since dodson was the detective who arrested the man who killed my nephew. I knew dodson was not lying from the beginning because I know his character and dedication. The news makes it seem like the plea means that dodson admitted he lied. I am glad that "about time" explained what the plea means. I pray that dodson has made it thru this terrible ordeal ok. My prayers have been and will continue to be with him.

It took the state 2 years to finally figure out the truth, or to swallow their pride. I hope that dodson is getting support from his co workers, he lost 2 years waiting and still the press misses the point. I work for another department and when we read the original PC it was clear PBG got their feelings hurt. Good luck Sgt Dodson

MIKE QUIT ****ING POSTING THIS SHIT. YOU SAVED YOUR JOB AND YOUR FREEDOM. WE ALL KNOW YOU CUT YOURSELF, JUST GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE MAN.

THIS IS NOT GARDENS FAULT ITS YOUR FAULT TO START WITH THEN YOUR FAULT TO RUN YOUR MOUTH ON THE SCENE. YOU WERE A DETECTIVE THINK ABOUT IT YOU ARE MAKING IT VERY OBVIOUS YOU ARE GUILTY.

TAKE WHATEVER PUNISHMENT THE JOB GIVES YOU AND GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE. BE HAPPY YOU GOT YOUR FREEDOM AND A POLICE PENSION.

OH AND PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF THE DEPARTMENT STAY INSIDE IT BEST FOR EVERYBODY.

REALHONEST:
I DOUBT DODSON POSTED ANYTHING ON HERE. SEEMS LIKE HE WOULD HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO

As a fellow officer, i am worried what he might do to himself, if he gets demoted and then his physco girlfriend leaves him. Guy needs to be on meds is not stable.

He comes to work dirty and smelly and is an asshole. He walks around like the entire world owes him an apolgee.

I heard that he has a history of being unstable?

So he is Dirty LOL, just what I expected another Dirty Riviera Beach Cop.

Is part of his plea deal a makeover, cause he looked like shit on the news.

How does he even go to work? Doesn't he know not one person believes him, they only lie to him so he doesn't off himself.

Guy is a legend in his own mind and he lives in a fantasy world. I guess this is the same fantasy world he got robbed in.

Makes me embarrassed to know him.