Agent hits girlfriend and nothing happens

[jmn]

My boyfriend who works for the secret service hit me tuesday. The local police officer arrested him and he spent 1 1/2 days in jail. The Domestic Violence officers are doing nothing to help me only him. They didn't even interview his neighbors to see if they had herd anything like I sugested since he is claiming he doesnt know how I got this black eye. They said hell be offered 2 yr probation and anger classes but thats it. Its funny that a police dept would want to keep someone like that. especially when they are non union. Go figure they hit and its ok if someone in the military did that they would be kicked out. I'll update you with all the specifics after the 1 of July when he goes to court to plead guilty or not guilty.

[InSane1]

If you really want to **** him off.. call your local news channel. lol..... tell them your story.

[Niteshift]

Before you start calling the news..........

Find out what happens first.

He hasn't even entered a plea! And, to be honest, cops are very often wrong about what a person will or will not get as a sentence.

Further, if he is convicted or pleads no contest, regarless of his sentence, his career is over, since he will be prohibited from possessing a firearm. That's a federal law, so he won't work as a cop anywhere.

Lastly, you said "Its funny that a police dept would want to keep someone like that."

They shouldn't fire him.......yet. He's accused. He's not convicted yet. What if he's found not guilty? What if it turns out that you made it up because you found out he was cheating on you etc?

I'm not defending what he is accused of doing by any means. If he did it, he should be punished. But don't start saying that nothing is going to be done when the system hasn't even had a chance to do its thing yet.

[Sig220Man]

I'm not sure what more you expect the police to do at this point. It's been less than a week since your boyfriend's arrest. If he was released after a day and half in the clink, it's because he likely got his bail reduced or even eliminated. ONLY a judge can do that. Don't blame us.

As far as your neighbors not being interviewed, you may not realize that the detectives may be short on staffing, and may not be able to interview your neighbors immediately. Also, if there's enough evidence to support domestic violence (such as bruising to the face, trashed house, etc), there may not be a need to interview neighbors.

Your boyfriend has a court date coming up, so I don't know what you mean by the Domestic Violence officers "helping him more than" you. If you're unhappy with the potential sentence, blame your state Legislators, the judge, and your local prosecutors for that. Sentencing is something we as law enforcers have NO input on.

[SGT Dave]

and nothing happens

The local police officer arrested him and he spent 1 1/2 days in jail.

This is a contradiction on your part. Did he get arrested or not? If so, then “something” happened. I'm sorry for your predicament, and don't condone it, but they don't send out teams of officers on these things.

The Domestic Violence officers are doing nothing to help me only him.

What do the DV Officers at THAT AGENCY normally do? Not what you think they SHOULD do, or what your friends at work think they SHOULD do, or the ones over in another county at a different agency do, but what is in their policy for normal incidents? How (specifically) are they helping him, as the defendant?

They didn't even interview his neighbors to see if they had herd anything like I sugested since he is claiming he doesnt know how I got this black eye.

I always enjoy being told how I should do my job by people who don’t do it. NOT! Does McGarrett do that on Hawaii 5-0? If he does, it’s only because he works only serious felonies, and has an entire office of FICTIONAL officers he has at his disposal.

Why do you feel that they should have interviewed the neighbors to see if they “herd” anything? He was arrested, wasn’t he? It sounds like a cut and dried DV assault, that the defendant was arrested for, WITHOUT REGARD for his employment. Happens everyday, albeit maybe not to you. Before you cast disparaging remarks about the local law enforcement being derelict in their duty, please make sure your info is correct. No one does this it seems, often just basing their logic on “Well, ANYONE knows that the police are supposed to… “ Usually, whatever follows this opening to a sentence is incorrect.

They said hell be offered 2 yr probation and anger classes but thats it

Sorry, but that’s almost standard nationwide on first time offenders with clean records. I’m sure you would want more, but that’s usually the standard. Please just don’t use this as another reason for justifying your initial statement “and nothing happens.”

Go figure they hit and its ok if someone in the military did that they would be kicked out

You need to inform the Department of Defense of this policy they are supposed to have then. Last I heard, that was not an automatic “out.”

[FLLawdog]

First of all, sorry to hear about that.

Second of all, let's set some things straight:

1. He has been charged thus far, NOT convicted. Untill he has been proven guilty, he's innocent. He will not be proven until the judge says so.
2. I don't know where you live, but I've never heard of there being an ongoing investigation after the arrest for DV. Normally, the defendant is jailed, he gets bonded eventually and they go trial. There usually isn't a need to interview neighbors and drag them into it.
3. He spent a day and a half in jail. That's a long time for someone who is gainfully employed. Around here, they stay in until they see the judge the next morning. He can either ROR or set bond.
4. The sentencing sounds accurate for a first time offender (should read first conviction).

Its funny that a police dept would want to keep someone like that. especially when they are non union. Go figure they hit and its ok if someone in the military did that they would be kicked out.

Different standards. The military goes by UCMJ and the states go by their laws. Even though he works for a government agency, he is still subject to civilian laws. This means that they CAN suspend him until a verdict has been reached, but nothing else can be done until he is PROVEN guilty. It's not a matter of wanting him, it's a matter of due process.

[Royce]

Well said, Niteshift and FLLawdog.

jmn, Niteshift's right he hasn't been convicted of anything, so don't go looking for him to loose his job yet.

And a litte advice, tell the truth, always tell the truth, don't bend the truth, just because you might be angry at the time.

[Niteshift]

"You need to inform the Department of Defense of this policy they are supposed to have then. Last I heard, that was not an automatic “out.”

We should probably look into this one.

Last I heard, it pretty much was, since there was no exception for the military (or LE) to the law prohibiting persons convicted of DV from possessing firearms.

Regardless of the job, a soldier is a soldier and a firearm is sort of an integral part of being a soldier. (Air Force and Navy need not respond. The junior varsity services are not being referred to )

[Royce]

Hey, what about Jim Burnes? Maybe he could answer that question. His profile say's "Retired Military Police, 1965 to 1986" Maybe he's kepted up with issues in the Military over the years. I wonder what he would say.

[Sparky]

WTF?

First you say your boyfriend is a secret service agent, and then you refer to him being on a non-union police department. Which is it? He doesn't also happen to be a "body guard", does he?

And let me tell you something, the laws that keep you from being fired or punished prior to due process also protect him. If he is a cop or an agent, he didn't sign his rights away when he took the job.

In the US, we are ALL considered innocent until proven guilty and that protection is for everybody including cops.

And to say that nothing will be done is absurd. Unlike just about every other profession in the freaking WORLD.. a cop with a DV conviction can flush his career right down the tiolet. You won't see that happening to any truck drivers, accountants, doctors, computer techs, etc. If anything, MORE happens to a cop or a soldier after a DV conviction than anyone else because they can no longer possess firearms.

[Jim Burnes]

Royce,

Niteshift and all, have it covered. The military had a bad reputation for smoothing things over in a DV; sometimes just shipping the wife back home and/or reassigning the soldier.

But now, if there is a DV apprehension the Army (and the Air Force, don't know about the USMC), will require the soldier to undergo various anger managment courses and the Chaplain kicks in some programs also. Very intense. The company commanders even have to make progress reports to their Battalion on such DV referrals.

They also have their security clearance suspended, prohibited from any training with arms, explosives or any range.

There is another side to this new and imporoved DV response in the Army, and that is that the wives may be less willing to report the DV assault; the soldier could simply be discharged and lose his retirement, which is a considerable amount of money and lose that retirement benefits package which is a real lifesaver.

Jim Burnes

[SGT Dave]

Nite-

My view is similar to what Burnes has posted. I will defer to you since you were Active Duty, but my buds who were active duty at Bragg have mentioned this, and, although FAR more serious, (UCMJ usually is) I am also aware that it gets "smoothed over" alot also, on and off-post if the service record is good.

[Royce]

Jim Burnes

I just thought I'd mention you because you were in the military and would probably know the issue that the woman was speaking of, that's all.

[ 06-23-2002: Message edited by: Royce ]