Pubdate: Fri, 07 Sep 2001
Source: Quad-City Times (IA)
Section: Front Page, Section A, Above the fold, headline
Copyright: 2001 Quad-City Times
Contact:  http://www.qctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/857
Authors: Marc Chase, Rachelle Treiber, Quad-City Times
Note: Not specifically about drug policy however bears scrutiny and 
response due to implications

BETTENDORF POLICE OFFICER'S JOKE BACKFIRES

What Bettendorf police say began as a practical joke between officers led 
to a jailhouse confrontation between one officer and a theft suspect .

Bettendorf Police Chief Phil Redington confirmed Thursday that a note 
penned by Sgt. Chris Kauffman ended up being included as evidence in a 
criminal case against Brian L. Turner, 23, of Coal Valley, Ill.

Kauffman was required to apologize to the Scott County Attorney's office 
and a district judge for planting the phony note in the back seat of 
Turner's impounded car in order to play a joke on his fellow officer, Sgt. 
Keith Kimball, Redington said.

Redington and Scott County Attorney Bill Davis characterized the incident 
as a mistake in judgment that will not happen again. But the suspect's 
mother said her son is angry that he was used as part of the prank and is 
considering suing the department.

Redington said the events unfolded as follows:

The incident began the evening of Aug. 22, when Kimball arrested Turner on 
a charge of third-degree theft. Court documents allege Turner rented a room 
at a Bettendorf motel under a fictitious name and instructed that the bill 
be sent to a nonexistent landscape company.

Kimball also seized as evidence a car Turner had been driving. Police 
brought the suspect to the Scott County Jail at 9:45 p.m.

When Kimball returned to the police department, Kauffman asked Kimball if 
he was going to examine Turner's vehicle for evidence that night. Kimball 
told Kauffman he would wait until morning.

Kauffman then initiated the prank, dropping a hand-written, crumpled note 
into the back seat of Turner's car.

The note contained a checklist of things the suspect supposedly planned to 
do to the officer, including setting up false bank and travel accounts in 
Kimball's name.

Kauffman then left for the evening.

Kimball later decided to search the vehicle that night and came across what 
he believed to be a note written by Turner. After reading the note, Kimball 
drove to the Scott County Jail and confronted Turner. Kimball also included 
the note as evidence in Turner's criminal case.

"Brian (Turner) said Officer Kimball kept saying he was messing with his 
personal life," said Turner's mother, Debra Kimbel, of Coal Valley.

The next morning, Sgt. Kimball learned the note was all part of a joke and 
personally apologized to Turner, Redington said.

And when the chief learned of the incident, he required Kauffman to 
apologize to prosecutors and Scott County Judge Douglas McDonald. Redington 
said the incident was dealt with as an internal personnel matter and that 
Kauffman remained on staff. Kauffman was not asked to apologize to Turner.

Kauffman declined comment on the matter when contacted Thursday by the 
Quad-City Times.

Turner's mother, Debra Kimbel, asked for a letter of apology from 
Redington. In an Aug. 30 letter, the chief wrote: "I would like to 
apologize to you and your son, Brian, for the needless concern our officer 
caused during our recent contact with him."

On Thursday, Redington acknowledge the letter, and the mistake.

"One of our officers made a mistake by doing an internal joke that got out 
of hand. It will not happen again," Redington told the Times. "No matter 
who would have done this, no criminal charges could be filed for what was 
written."

But Turner's mother said the incident raises questions about how police 
handle evidence.

"What prevents officers from planting any evidence?" she said. "What would 
keep someone from putting an AK-47 in his back seat?"

Davis, the county's lead prosecutor, said he does not consider the incident 
to be serious.

"I was aware of what happened, and I did accept the officer's apology," 
Davis said. "It is obviously a case of an officer with a little too much 
creativity and time on his hands.

"These police officers work side by side every day and often rib each 
other," Davis added. "Some of that is appropriate and some of it isn't."
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