Venice officers suspended for accidental shooting of 5-year-

[News Flash]

Venice officers suspended for accidental shooting of 5-year-old
VENICE -- A police officer who accidentally shot and wounded his 5-year-old stepson at the department's firing range in November has been suspended after an internal investigation.

The range supervisor was also suspended.

Officer Billy Masters received a one-month suspension, while range supervisor Sgt. Joseph Whitehead was suspended for two weeks. Neither man will be paid during his suspension.

"We had a serious mistake," Police Chief Julie Williams said after releasing the department's report Wednesday. "We move on and do better."

Masters was finishing his night of gun training...
Click here (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080110/NEWS/801100357/-1/Help07) for the full story.

Venice officers suspended for accidental shooting of 5-year-old[quote="Kim Hackett, Herald-Tribune":i1prf0j5]VENICE -- A police officer who accidentally shot and wounded his 5-year-old stepson at the department's firing range in November has been suspended after an internal investigation.

The range supervisor was also suspended.

Officer Billy Masters received a one-month suspension, while range supervisor Sgt. Joseph Whitehead was suspended for two weeks. Neither man will be paid during his suspension.

"We had a serious mistake," Police Chief Julie Williams said after releasing the department's report Wednesday. "We move on and do better."

Masters was finishing his night of gun training...
Click here (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080110/NEWS/801100357/-1/Help07) for the full story.[/quote:i1prf0j5]



Sgt. Joseph Whitehead was suspended for two weeks.

First Tom now Joe, what is it with the Whiteheads and not being able to stay out of trouble as LEO's

Don't forget ole Bud. He didn't last 12 months at SPD.

Joe Whitehead is a good egg in my book!!!! He should be somewhat close to retirement, right??? Good for him (and Sue)!!! I like'em both!!! Got memories that go way back!!! :)

Joe Whitehead is a good egg in my book!!!! He should be somewhat close to retirement, right??? Good for him (and Sue)!!! I like'em both!!! Got memories that go way back!!! :)

Yep, believe he will have 25 yrs in come March, just as you would have Dan Mc.

You guys graduated from the old Sarasota VO-TECH academy in March of 1983 with Jeff Bell.
There was another cadet from that class that went to VPD with you and Joe, but he has been gone from the PD for sometime and I can't remember his name. Some people in the class use to refer to him as "Old Frankenstein head".

Man those half day evening classes were a pain for some. Espesialy when it cut into the drinking time for some of those SSO marine patrol reservist cadets.

Then you had to go to that dressed up orange grove, they called a gun range on Fuitville Rd.
Worse was that horse steak they served at the graduation dinner at a place I think was called the Royal Restaurant on 301 in Sarasota.

But in all seriousness, there is a big "DUUUUUUUUUH!" gene in the Whitehead family when it comes to common sense and staying out of trouble on the job.