Officer Down

http://www.justnews.com/news/24005025/detail.html

Deputy down responding to a call. :cry:
My condolences to her husband, family, and the Department.

Be safe out there guys! Be safe when you drive. We've had too many officers down in the past couple of years reference vehicle accidents!

Rip Misty.

Heads will roll for this.

Huh?

RIP. We are sorry for your loss.

Stay strong!

I had the privilege of knowing Missy, even though it was for a brief period of time. I remember working with her on my squad in sector 4 when she first got hired down there. We quickly got along and I remember telling her that I got hired in Miami and was leaving the Sheriff's office. She gave me this face and said,"Awwwww." R.I.P. Missy and may God comfort your family during these times of grief.

Please be careful out there guys.
Kevin

Rip Misty.

Heads will roll for this.

Please explain.

No way!

Rip Misty.

Heads will roll for this.

The circumstances although not intentional are highly questionable and tragic for all no matter how you look at it.

A Monroe County Sheriffs Office Sergeant also happens to owns and operate a very successful gun shop in the Keys. He operates the business during normal business hours and works a long shift afterwards. It is said by his fellow Deputies that he does gun shop business during hours he's supposed to be working for the Sheriffs Office and shows signs of being exhaused from the constant 20 hour days. It is also rumoured (just a rumour) that he sleeps while on shift. When dispatchers could not raise the on duty Sergeant by radio for some time, they called several other contact numbers they had including more than one mobile phone number. Patrol units began running in emergency mode frantically trying to locate the Sergeant who they thought was in trouble when the horrific crash occurred. The Sergeant finally made contact saying he was taking a rest room break and must not have heard the radio or phone calls.

I had the privilege of knowing Missy, even though it was for a brief period of time. I remember working with her on my squad in sector 4 when she first got hired down there. We quickly got along and I remember telling her that I got hired in Miami and was leaving the Sheriff's office. She gave me this face and said,"Awwwww." R.I.P. Missy and may God comfort your family during these times of grief.

Please be careful out there guys.
Kevin



REST IN PEACE AND CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY

As mentioned before, people usually running their mouths for circumstances where all the facts are not even out. All this smack will not bring light to any situation.
RIP DEPUTY MELISSA POWERS.




Rip Misty.

Heads will roll for this.

The circumstances although not intentional are highly questionable and tragic for all no matter how you look at it.

A Monroe County Sheriffs Office Sergeant also happens to owns and operate a very successful gun shop in the Keys. He operates the business during normal business hours and works a long shift afterwards. It is said by his fellow Deputies that he does gun shop business during hours he's supposed to be working for the Sheriffs Office and shows signs of being exhaused from the constant 20 hour days. It is also rumoured (just a rumour) that he sleeps while on shift. When dispatchers could not raise the on duty Sergeant by radio for some time, they called several other contact numbers they had including more than one mobile phone number. Patrol units began running in emergency mode frantically trying to locate the Sergeant who they thought was in trouble when the horrific crash occurred. The Sergeant finally made contact saying he was taking a rest room break and must not have heard the radio or phone calls.

So EMS1 I guess you have information the general pubic does not have. Thats see, first off do you know who caused the crash? Sure wasn't the Sgt. I think it might have been the guy that pulled out in front of her and then left the scene.... only to return two hours later saying how sorry he was. But I am sure you alreay knew that. He does gun shop business during his shift ????? So how many guns does he sell between 6pm and 6am.... just wondering. He shows exhauston for his 20 hour days.... do you what his hours are, do you know how many employees he has, when he gets there when he leaves and what his S.O. shift is. This is great, sleeps on shift, that is an easy one to prove, but then again I guess people do sleep talk on the radio all night long.

So you know for a fact that the called several other contact numbers.... really did you speak to dispatch, how many other contact numbers does he have, are you sure they where all called?

I guess don't know all the facts becuase he did not say he did not hear the radio but in fact there was another reason why contact was not made.

I have an idea, instead of causing sh&^ on this board wait till the investigation is done and all the facts are in before you start this crap. The S.O. deputies are hurting enough without this kinda crap going around. By the way if you are really wondering then go ask the Sgt. yourself, I think in the middle of all this going on you just might be surprised by the truthful real factual answears you get.

If not then screw off !

After reading this I'm afraid the rumors are mostly true. Wanna bet the gun shop surveilllance video mysteriously disappears.


Deputy dies in wreck
BY ADAM LINHARDT Citizen Staff
alinhardt@keysnews.com

A Monroe County sheriff's deputy was killed Tuesday when her patrol car slammed into a parked tractor-trailer while she was trying to find another deputy who was not responding to his radio.

Melissa Powers lost control of her squad car and hit the truck around 10:20 p.m. near Mile Marker 101.8 with enough force to move the rig about 45 degrees, the truck's owner said.

The patrol car spun onto the shoulder, veered into the Buz Wiseman Crane Services parking lot and struck the front of the semi, sheering much of the truck's front end and totaling both vehicles, according to troopers and Wiseman.

Powers was pinned in the car and had to be extricated, said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Becky Herrin. A helicopter responded and landed at Key Largo School, but when it arrived, Powers was deemed too injured to be airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, Herrin said.Powers, 36, was pronounced dead at Mariners Hospital at 11:30 p.m.

How fast Powers was going and what caused her to lose control remains under investigation, said Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Kathy McKinney. Troopers interviewed one witness who reported that Powers had her lights and siren on at the time of the wreck, McKinney said. She was wearing a seat belt, reports say.

Powers was heading north on U.S. 1 to check on Sgt. Tom Kiffney. She and other deputies began searching for Kiffney around 10:18 p.m. His last reported location was John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, according to dispatch records. Dispatch and deputies reportedly could not reach him by radio.

Kiffney apparently had stopped at his gun shop, Kiffney's Firearms & Indoor Range at 105910 Overseas Highway, to use the restroom. Deputies found him there about the same time Powers crashed, Sheriff Bob Peryam said.

Peryam and Park Manager Pat Wells were not aware of any incidents at the park Tuesday night, but deputies sometimes drive through the park to check on campers, Wells said.

Kiffney was unreachable because his radio was on a different channel, one used to run tag numbers or gather warrant information, Peryam said. It appeared Wednesday that Kiffney either unintentionally switched the radio to the other channel or forgot to switch it back to the main dispatch line, Peryam said.

What happened with the radio as well as why Kiffney couldn't be reached by cell phone, either, is being investigated, Peryam said. But Kiffney has not been placed on leave pending the probe.

"The best we can tell, there wasn't anything done wrong, but we're investigating what happened," Peryam said. "Right now our focus is on Powers and her family."

Powers became a patrol deputy in Key Largo in February. She was hired as a patrol deputy in Marathon in December 2008. She worked for the Florida Department of Corrections before that.

Powers is survived by her daughter, Autumn Guerrero; stepson, Lexus Guerrero; and longtime boyfriend, Detective Lazaro Guerrero of the Homestead Police Department, according to the Southernmost Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.

"She was mild-mannered and not only a good deputy, but a good mother, friend and partner to those she worked with," Peryam said. "This is a tragedy and we're going to miss her."

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Four other Keys deputies have been killed in the line of duty in traffic accidents. David Cormier was killed in 1989, Michael Alexander in 1998, Robin Tanner in 2007 and Nick Pham in 2008.

Before those traffic-related deaths, there had been no in-the-line-of-duty deaths since 1905, when deputy and game warden Guy Bradley was shot by poachers in the Everglades, and 1901 when Deputy Frank Adams was shot while breaking up an altercation in Key West.

Reporter Steve Gibbs contributed to this report.


alinhardt@keysnews.com

So EMS1 I guess you have information the general pubic does not have. Thats see, first off do you know who caused the crash? Sure wasn't the Sgt. I think it might have been the guy that pulled out in front of her and then left the scene.... only to return two hours later saying how sorry he was. But I am sure you alreay knew that. He does gun shop business during his shift ????? So how many guns does he sell between 6pm and 6am.... just wondering. He shows exhauston for his 20 hour days.... do you what his hours are, do you know how many employees he has, when he gets there when he leaves and what his S.O. shift is. This is great, sleeps on shift, that is an easy one to prove, but then again I guess people do sleep talk on the radio all night long.

So you know for a fact that the called several other contact numbers.... really did you speak to dispatch, how many other contact numbers does he have, are you sure they where all called?

I guess don't know all the facts becuase he did not say he did not hear the radio but in fact there was another reason why contact was not made.

I have an idea, instead of causing sh&^ on this board wait till the investigation is done and all the facts are in before you start this crap. The S.O. deputies are hurting enough without this kinda crap going around. By the way if you are really wondering then go ask the Sgt. yourself, I think in the middle of all this going on you just might be surprised by the truthful real factual answears you get.

If not then screw off !




I was skeptical of the rumors, but sadly the news article pretty much shows that EMS 1's info was right on point in not all but most points and pretty much shreds every line of your smoke and mirrors defense of him. Lets mourn the horrible loss, but not cloud the facts. If you have seen the e-mails being sent to every police officer in Miami-Dade, you would see the support and love we're showing. We're gonna do our best to support you in these tough times. Her husband and family deserve the truth though. He is a cop and very much our family too.

Much love to our Monroe County Brothers and Sisters. We stand with you in your loss. We'll be there in force on Monday.

I would not respond to any of this but some of this made me sick. Deputy Powers was a cop and she died being a cop. She was responding to the last known location of another officer who might need her help. Thats what we do we help each other and the citizens. And if your a real cop even after this tragedy you will do the same thing several times a shift. Don't stain her memory by attempting to blame the Sgt. I know that Sgt. and have worked with him for many years, he is an excellent cop and a hard worker who cares about his people. He will live with the events of that night forever. Shame on the person that wrote those negative things about Powers and the Sgt. I cant believe that another cop would write that and quite frankly if your not a cop you don't know what we do and you never will. If an officer did write that crap, i have a couple of questions. Ever stopped by your house during your shift to pick something up, feed the dog, check on your kids, use the bathroom, eat a meal? As long as your home is in your district or zone none of these things are aganist policy. My second question is have you ever being alert toned because you didn't answer your radio? I personally hear someone in the county being toned on average once a shift. I personally have forgoten to switch back to one after running a tag or person. In district seven there are several areas where our radios simply dont transmit. I would gladly put my life in Tom's hands long before I would trust the person who wrote that garbage. By the way I have trusted Tom with my life on many occasions and he has never let me down or anyother cop. I know we are all hurt by the death of Melissa but still only have each other and we have to stick together BE SAFE

My deepest sympathy to the MCSO and the family of Deputy Powers. I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a fund set up for her kids that I may send a donation to. I no longer live in Florida due to an ill family member, but my heart is still there and I miss the MC Deputies that I had the privilege of working with. God bless you all and may He keep you safe.

If this was the first time this type of incident had happened, it would be one thing, BUT IT WASN'T. I thought you checked out with dispatch if you were busy? If nothing more there needs to be a change in the GEOS (policy).

RIP Deputy, you will not be forgotten.



I would not respond to any of this but some of this made me sick. Deputy Powers was a cop and she died being a cop. She was responding to the last known location of another officer who might need her help. Thats what we do we help each other and the citizens. And if your a real cop even after this tragedy you will do the same thing several times a shift. Don't stain her memory by attempting to blame the Sgt. I know that Sgt. and have worked with him for many years, he is an excellent cop and a hard worker who cares about his people. He will live with the events of that night forever. Shame on the person that wrote those negative things about Powers and the Sgt. I cant believe that another cop would write that and quite frankly if your not a cop you don't know what we do and you never will. If an officer did write that crap, i have a couple of questions. Ever stopped by your house during your shift to pick something up, feed the dog, check on your kids, use the bathroom, eat a meal? As long as your home is in your district or zone none of these things are aganist policy. My second question is have you ever being alert toned because you didn't answer your radio? I personally hear someone in the county being toned on average once a shift. I personally have forgoten to switch back to one after running a tag or person. In district seven there are several areas where our radios simply dont transmit. I would gladly put my life in Tom's hands long before I would trust the person who wrote that garbage. By the way I have trusted Tom with my life on many occasions and he has never let me down or anyother cop. I know we are all hurt by the death of Melissa but still only have each other and we have to stick together BE SAFE

Thats Roth 2.0 got to blame someone could not be the half ass radio system that was seriously changed from it's original design, no in car radios, 12 hour shifts, under staffing and refusal to pay overtime to cover shifts with enough people. Another worker ant down hire the next 1. God bless Missy Powers and her family and have faith in knowing that 1 day Bob (Roth 2.0) and the Marathon boys will answer to the same God. The right thing at the right time for the right reason yeah right.

I would not respond to any of this but some of this made me sick. Deputy Powers was a cop and she died being a cop. She was responding to the last known location of another officer who might need her help. Thats what we do we help each other and the citizens. And if your a real cop even after this tragedy you will do the same thing several times a shift. Don't stain her memory by attempting to blame the Sgt. I know that Sgt. and have worked with him for many years, he is an excellent cop and a hard worker who cares about his people. He will live with the events of that night forever. Shame on the person that wrote those negative things about Powers and the Sgt. I cant believe that another cop would write that and quite frankly if your not a cop you don't know what we do and you never will. If an officer did write that crap, i have a couple of questions. Ever stopped by your house during your shift to pick something up, feed the dog, check on your kids, use the bathroom, eat a meal? As long as your home is in your district or zone none of these things are aganist policy. My second question is have you ever being alert toned because you didn't answer your radio? I personally hear someone in the county being toned on average once a shift. I personally have forgoten to switch back to one after running a tag or person. In district seven there are several areas where our radios simply dont transmit. I would gladly put my life in Tom's hands long before I would trust the person who wrote that garbage. By the way I have trusted Tom with my life on many occasions and he has never let me down or anyother cop. I know we are all hurt by the death of Melissa but still only have each other and we have to stick together BE SAFE
Stop. You can not defend the indefensible. This crap has rocked on for way too many years and both the Sgt. and the Capt. should be dealt with. This situation has been a running joke for years. What a tragedy.

I would not respond to any of this but some of this made me sick. Deputy Powers was a cop and she died being a cop. She was responding to the last known location of another officer who might need her help. Thats what we do we help each other and the citizens. And if your a real cop even after this tragedy you will do the same thing several times a shift. Don't stain her memory by attempting to blame the Sgt. I know that Sgt. and have worked with him for many years, he is an excellent cop and a hard worker who cares about his people. He will live with the events of that night forever. Shame on the person that wrote those negative things about Powers and the Sgt. I cant believe that another cop would write that and quite frankly if your not a cop you don't know what we do and you never will. If an officer did write that crap, i have a couple of questions. Ever stopped by your house during your shift to pick something up, feed the dog, check on your kids, use the bathroom, eat a meal? As long as your home is in your district or zone none of these things are aganist policy. My second question is have you ever being alert toned because you didn't answer your radio? I personally hear someone in the county being toned on average once a shift. I personally have forgoten to switch back to one after running a tag or person. In district seven there are several areas where our radios simply dont transmit. I would gladly put my life in Tom's hands long before I would trust the person who wrote that garbage. By the way I have trusted Tom with my life on many occasions and he has never let me down or anyother cop. I know we are all hurt by the death of Melissa but still only have each other and we have to stick together BE SAFE
Stop. You can not defend the indefensible. This crap has rocked on for way too many years and both the Sgt. and the Capt. should be dealt with. This situation has been a running joke for years. What a tragedy.

I find it odd you mention the Capt and Sgt should be dealt with.............yet you skip over a certain untouchable Lt. A Lt. that showed up on a manhunt without a gun, being driven around by a non sworn employee cause she had just had brain surgery. A gunfight breaks out and who gets blamed....the cops that were prepared to act. You are right there is a long time running joke...but it has nothing to do with the Sgt (who hasn't worked in Key Largo for a year) or the Captain(who has been here two years). God help us if this Lt's protector gets elected Sheriff. We all know they are running this mess. And its clear you are with them....blaming cops for this accident is just what Rick and his Marathon Mafia do.....PS and blame cops for a hurricane flooding cars

It's so sad that this young officer had to lose her life because a Sgt. wasn't paying attention to his radio once again. Yes I know what happened I know the facts, most all of us do by now. Stop defending a man who obviously messed up big time. Sure we all make mistakes we are not perfect, but to make them over and over and over again is just not right. I'm not surprised this happened its not the first time he's been caught with his pants down. Those of us who know him really know him and are not surprised by this at all.

Thats Roth 2.0 got to blame someone could not be the half ass radio system that was seriously changed from it's original design, no in car radios, 12 hour shifts, under staffing and refusal to pay overtime to cover shifts with enough people. Another worker ant down hire the next 1. God bless Missy Powers and her family and have faith in knowing that 1 day Bob (Roth 2.0) and the Marathon boys will answer to the same God. The right thing at the right time for the right reason yeah right.
It's worse than you know. One state agency offer their complete radio system including in-cars, consuls etc when they went to Macom. FWC still uses their old handhelds to monitor us. The offer was refused.

I remember the "Lou and Julie show". Still wake up screaming in the middle of the night from the "Lou and Julie Show". I still can't believe the Capt. at that time did nothing to stop it. It made the dept. and officers look bad. To allow that type of behavior what a shame. Sneak off here sneak off there, plan an out of county vacation while working with the other person on the same shift. Who goes grocery shopping for over an hour during their shift in full uniform in their Police Vehicle every week and gets away with it every week. I guess the one who is "with" her Sgt. thats who.

Sheriff report on fatal crash cites possible violations
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BY GARY PHILLIPS
gphillips@keysreporter.com
Posted - Friday, October 29, 2010 10:00 AM EDT


A report released this week on a crash that killed a sheriff’s deputy says some possible violations of policy should be investigated further and could result in discipline against sheriff’s office employees.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s internal investigation into the crash of Deputy Melissa Powers has been concluded, but no disciplinary action against any sheriff’s office personnel has been assessed yet, according to spokeswoman Dep. Becky Herrin.

Herrin made the report available on Wednesday. She wrote in an e-mail to The Reporter that the report summarizes a number of issues that “need to be investigated by the appropriate commanders for possible discipline. Those investigations will be taking place now that the administrative investigation is finished.”

Powers, 36, died after the June 22 accident, in which she lost control of her police car around mile marker 101.8 on Key Largo. The vehicle left the road and struck a parked truck, a fence and a tree. A Florida Highway Patrol report said she was driving 106 mph before the crash.

Powers, along with other officers, was reportedly trying to locate Sgt. Tom Kiffney, who dispatchers couldn’t reach after numerous radio and cell phone calls. It was later learned that Kiffney had stopped to use the bathroom at a store he owns, Kiffney’s Firearms at mile marker 106. Video surveillance confirmed he was at the store for approximately 40 minutes, the report said.

Kiffney said he had tuned his police radio to an alternate channel used to check vehicle registrations and warrants and he had not switched it back to the regular dispatch frequency, and had mistakenly left his department-issued cellphone in his police car. He was located about 20 minutes after the accident, the report said.

GPS disconnected

Sheriff’s office vehicles have Global Positioning System units to track their whereabouts, but the one in Kiffney’s car was disconnected because it interfered with his in-car computer, he said.

The report, by Inspector Donnie Elomina, also says communications supervisors had not been monitoring patrol car GPS systems for more than two months and had been using the GPS monitor screen to watch television, the report said.

The report says Kiffney committed three possible “neglect of duty offenses” that night.

“Kiffney failed to maintain radio contact, therefore other patrol units were looking for him. Kiffney did not respond to his department issued cell phone when dispatch was trying to locate him, and Kiffney failed to advise communication that he was out of his vehicle when he went to his gun shop,” the report said.

Kiffney’s last known location was John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park at mile marker 102.

The report says other possible violations were Deputy Darnell Durham’s and Powers’ use of a “Code 3” response — high speed with emergency lights and sirens — to Pennekamp park when it was not an emergency and it had not been determined that Kiffney needed help. The report says they also failed to inform dispatchers they were using “Code 3” responses.

Following the accident, Col. Rick Ramsay, second in command under Sheriff Bob Peryam, instituted several policy changes to limit danger to sheriff’s officers.

In a memo to Peryam outlining the new rules, Ramsay wrote, “I ordered anyone who has a second job or business not to go there while on duty, unless it is a call for service within their zone.”

Other policy changes are that deputies are to use “Code 3” response only if instructed to do so by their supervisor, all GPS units must be connected and working, deputies who have sheriff’s office cellphones must have them in their possession and turned on, and in-car video cameras will automatically begin recording when vehicles exceed 65 mph.

The new driving policies also ban passing vehicles on the right side, which Powers was attempting to do when she lost control.

Nicolas Briand, 23, of Key Largo was arrested August 6 in connection with the incident and was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death. The FHP said witnesses claimed Briand pulled from Michelle Drive onto U.S. 1 and into Powers’ path, causing her to swerve and lose control.

Numerous phone messages left at the office of Briand’s attorney have not been returned.

This is all fine and dandy I suppose, but the MCSO website still maintains NO info on the crash and that she was responding to a "call"..and thats all....No mm, no location, no respect for her and what she actually died for..Technically, that is false info considering all the other reports say otherwise yet in her memory..PIO states only "was killed in the line of duty in a traffic accident which took place at 10:20 p.m. on June 22, 2010 while responding to a call." Nothing more..thats it...no call type she was responding to, or location where she died...Look at all the other the other deaths since 2007....compare...

Again, when you state someone (deceased) was responding to a call, that would mean several things,an actual call for starters and it would be public record therefore someone called in, but no one made a report that nite for a call for service...thats not what happened...we know that..she was listening to ptl1 code 5's in sector 6 and no responded....what a shocker! Was his phone off too? Thats the number I would have called..I also would have know from the background noise where he was at...Who was on ptl2, if he switched channels and someone was doing their job right, this would not have happened...