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Lies, Undocumented Actions and Policy Violations: Details Into Odessa American’s Police Misconduct Investigation
Lies, Undocumented Actions and Policy Violations: Details Into Odessa American’s Police Misconduct Investigation 2/3/13
Felicia Bolton
fbolton@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
February 3, 2013
ODESSA, TX - In the Sunday edition of the Odessa American newspaper, reporter Jon Vanderlaan unveils the misconduct of multiple Odessa police officers.
The misbehavior includes reports of lies, undocumented actions and multiple policy violations. It’s a conflict lasting for nearly a year, but never made public to the community.
Line by line the Odessa American article goes into detail on how the Odessa Police Department’s guns and gangs task force violated standard operating procedures during the arrest of 2 men on March 13th.
In the OA’s story, Vanderlaan stated that Sergeant Mike Anaya ordered Corporal Ray Delbosque, a patrol officer assisting the arrest, to shut off his camera and microphone.
According to documents received by the OA, Anaya told the officers the command came from the Odessa Police Chief Tim Burton.
"Well the order, according to the investigation, came from Sergeant Mike Anaya who was fired as a result of this investigation. One of the officers claim that Anaya told him that it [the order] came from the chief, that it came from the top," said Odessa American Reporter Jon Vanderlaan.
Police files obtained by the Odessa American state that sergeants in authority above Anaya, including the chief of police, denied making that command. Mike Anaya was then terminated from the position.
The article reports that 4 other officers on the scene were also reprimanded for their actions. These include Delbosque for shutting off his microphone without explaining why and Corporal Patrick Chadwick for force against a citizen (during the arrest) and not reporting it.
City of Odessa Public Information Coordinator Andrea Goodson stated that the city does not deny the wrong doings, but never made it [information] public to protect the officers.
"I don't think there was any attempt by anyone to hide anything... there was no need to publicly embarrass the officers involved," said Andrea Goodson.
She said the city continues to stand in support of the police department and this situation shows that the checks and balances are in place.
"Our officers work hard. They put their lives on the line and we do have checks in place through cameras. In this situation, there were reprimands that had to be paid, so that should show there is integrity in our police department," said Goodson.
The Sunday issue of the Odessa American newspaper has more details into multiple violations of the taskforce; including how the misbehavior could interfere in a criminal case.