DATE' November24, 1997TO: Chief William Benson
FROM: Officer William A. Drossman
SUBJECT: Sergeant Bob Terry, Citizens Mike Gaw and Bob Hill
Please accept this letter as a request for a final answer on two different inquiries made by Sgt. Terry.
To refresh your memory, on Friday, May 16,1997, I received a phone call at my residence from Sgt. Terry. In that phone call Sgt. Terry addressed two different citizens, both who have powerful political influences in this community.
The first inquiry, which Sgt. Terry stated was initiated by Mike Gaw, involved the allegation that Officer Ken Sircy and I were conducting a narcotics investigation involving Glaw.
Gaw allegedly informed Sgt. Terry that he(Gaw)had received that information from another Cookeville Police Officer. I informed Sgt. Terry that the information was false and requested that he disclose the officer's name who gave that information to Gaw. Sgt. Terry stated that he did not have that information, but did acknowledge that Gaw was a friend of his, and, quote, "At one time, Mike flaw had enough cocaine to sprinkle on everyone in Putnam County." I informed Sgt. Terry that I had never met Gaw and knew nothing of his past with cocaine. I also informed him that unless Gaw was willing to identify the officer who supplied that information, that I considered the allegation an attempt from Gaw to show his political influence rather than exposing someone who was spreading rumors from within the Police Department.
The second inquiry, which Sgt. Terry stated was initiated by Bob Hill, involved an arrest which I made.
The arrested individual was an employee off Hill's, as was his father. The arrest stemmed from a traffic stop which found that the individual was driving a car which was not registered. Further investigation found he was accompanied by a juvenile female whose grandmother had forbid the girl to be with the arrested individual. Coupled with those facts, Sgt. Dukes and Officer Sealy found that a radio inside the individual's trunk had the serial number removed. Sgt. Terry stated that Hill thought I was being 'Too hard' with the individual, even though the subject pled guilty to all charges. I informed Sgt. Terry that the arrest report stated all the facts, and that Hill was inappropriate in making any allegation of police misconduct.
On Tuesday, May 20, 1997, I met with yon and Lt. Webb to discuss the phone call and request closure of some sort. After I expressed my feelings about the call and the fact that Gaw had implicated a police officer as the source of his information, I informed you that I wished to pursue a formal complaint on the officer who talked with Gaw. You asked that you be given the opportunity to talk with Gaw; and, that you felt that Gaw would identify the officer to you. To this date, I have not received an answer.
As far as the complaint made by Hill, I accepted the fact that Hill felt comfortable complaining to Sgt. Terry, but that his complaint was not valid. However, I do not feel that Hill was ever advised that his complaint was not valid; or, never informed that you talked with him about it. Again, I expressed my feelings that Hill was merely attempting to show me that he had political influence that could cause me professional problems.
I still request that the officer who talked with Gaw be identified; and, that appropriate disciplinary action be taken against him for spreading false rumors about two other members of this police department.
Thank you