Posted: Thu 12:18 PM, Mar 14, 2013 | WCTV.Tv
Reporter: Julie Montanaro; Tallahassee Police Department Email
By: Julie Montanaro
March 14, 2013
Tallahassee, FL – A grand jury presentment blasts the Tallahassee Police Department for its handling of a shooting on Misty Garden Circle in January.
A plain clothes officer’s car was shot up; there were about a dozen bulllet holes in his car and two men have been arrested for trying to kill him.
The grand jury says TPD was outside the city limits and outside of its jurisdiction that night and did not follow its own policies for notifying the Sheriff’s Office.
It even called for law enforcement in the county to be conslidated under the sheriff.
WCTV will have reaction coming up tonight on Eyewitness News.
Press Release: Tallahassee Police Department
Please see the below message from Chief Dennis Jones:
On January 12, 2013, Officers from the Tallahassee Police Department were gathering information concerning a group of suspected burglars. The activities started within the City limits with information then leading officers to a location in the county, near 2824 Misty Garden Circle, just outside of the city limits. One of our officers had exited his vehicle in an attempt to determine the location of a suspicious vehicle when he heard a noise coming from that residence. The officer got into his unmarked car and drove to that location ultimately leading to shots being fired at the officer by two suspects. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office conducted the criminal investigation and charges were filed for attempted homicide of the police officer.
Beyond the criminal case, the State Attorney chose to take the case to the grand jury over the issue of mutual aid and whether the officer was working outside the city limits. I received a copy of the grand jury report last evening. From an administrative standpoint, I initiated an internal affairs investigation on February 11, 2013, after the grand jury approved the second degree murder charges against the suspects, so that I would have all the facts concerning the criminal charges. The purpose of our internal affairs investigation is to determine if department policies and procedures were followed. We will dedicate as much time as is needed to interview the more than 25 TPD and Sheriff’s Office employees connected to this incident. Once the internal investigation is complete, I will fully consider the recommendations of the Grand Jury in making any changes to policies or procedures that are deemed necessary.
Since my appointment as chief, the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office have worked extremely well together. I anticipate that our close working relationship will continue as we both work to help ensure the safety of citizens in our community.
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Misty Garden Circle shooting leads to TPD, LCSO investigation
Posted: Thursday, March 14, 2013 10:24 am | Updated: 12:23 pm, Thu Mar 14, 2013 | WTXL.Com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — An internal affairs investigation involving two local law enforcement agencies is underway following a shooting in the Misty Garden Circle area, according to Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones.
The shooting happened January 2013. An investigation into a suspected burglary ring lead Tallahassee police officers to an area just outside of city limits and into the Leon County Sheriff’s Office’s jurisdiction. Two of the suspects shot at one of the officers, who was in an unmarked car.
An arrest was made and charges were filed in that criminal investigation handled by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. However, Chief Jones says the State Attorney has chosen to take the issue of whether or not the TPD officer was working outside city limits to a grand jury.
Chief Jones says that since February 11, he has performed an internal affairs investigation of the entire department to see if they followed proper procedures and policies in that case. He says that they will continue to take the time to speak with all 25 LCSO and TPD employees involved in that Misty Garden Circle incident.
Chief Jones says that he received the grand jury report on Wednesday evening; and, once the internal investigation is complete, he will fully consider their recommendations on any changes that need to be made to policies and procedures.
“Since my appointment as chief, the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office have worked extremely well together,” Chief Jones writes in a press release. “I anticipate that our close working relationship will continue as we both work to help ensure the safety of citizens in our community.”
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