By BOB GARDINIER, Staff writer Last updated: 7:14 p.m., Friday, April 24, 2009 AMSTERDAM - Suspended Schenectady police Officer Kyle Hunter, charged last month with stealing his girlfriend's car, was arrested today charged with violating an order to stay away from her, Amsterdam police said.
Hunter was arrested on a felony contempt charge in Amsterdam Friday for violating an order of protection after he was found near the woman's home, said Detective Lt. Thomas DiMezza.
Hunter was taken back to Schenectady to be arraigned on the charge.
Hunter was charged March 27 with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after Schenectady police allege he fought with his girlfriend, a corrections officer, and then took her car without permission.
Hunter, an eight-year member of the force, was already the subject of an internal investigation for allegedly abusing the department's extended sick leave policy. He also lost his service weapon, but the department has declined to provide details about that prior incident.
Hunter was placed on unpaid leave for 30 days after the first incident.
Hunter joins two other officers currently having disciplinary problems at the department. Besides Hunter, disciplinary hearings are planned for officers Darren Lawrence and John Lewis. Lawrence allegedly punched a man and fought with police last fall. Lewis faces numerous charges for allegedly harassing his former wife, Schenectady Police Chief Mark Chaires has said.
Chaires said the department is requesting that Lawrence, Lewis and Hunter be fired.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCHENECTADY Suspended city offi cer is arrested once more Hunter faces two felonies BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
A suspended city police officer was arrested again, accused of damaging items during an argument with his girlfriend and violating an order of protection, police said. The incident went so far that city police had to use a K-9 to track their own suspended officer, Kyle Hunter. The track couldn’t find him early Thursday morning; he was finally found Friday at a friend’s house in Amsterdam, police said. Hunter faces one count each of felony criminal mischief and felony criminal contempt. The contempt charge relates to an order of protection that was put in place after his initial arrest March 27. In that incident, he was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, accused of taking his girlfriend’s car during an argument and refusing to give it back. “I’m going to [expletive] you like you [expletive] me,” Hunter was quoted in court papers as telling the woman then. Hunter, an eight-year police force veteran, was suspended without pay for 30 days after the first incident. Another 30 days without pay has been tacked on for the latest arrest. Hunter, who has faced discipline problems in the past, is one of seven city police officers already facing termination proceedings on a variety of accusations. Of those seven, Hunter and three others are the only ones facing criminal charges. Hunter’s new felony arrests mean he is now the only one facing automatic termination should he be convicted of the charges against him. The charges in Hunter’s most recent incident were upgraded because of the amount of damage caused, police spokesman Sgt. Eric Clifford said. He was unsure what exactly Hunter is accused of doing. The woman involved in the incident called police just before 12:30 a.m. Thursday. Arriving officers determined that the order of protection had been violated and began looking for Hunter, Clifford said. It was unclear if Hunter knew that police were looking for him. Police knew the direction Hunter was headed in and called in the Schenectady County sheriff’s K-9 team to try to find him. That search proved unsuccessful. An arrest warrant was sought, and Hunter was tracked down in...............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01101
I Can't believe this guy is not fired yet...what a joke
I agree. But is it their union contract that keeps his job, or is it the lack of leadership and refusing to discipline? Simply....does the comish or the mayor have the power or not to fire him 'right now'?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
They have the power. He should have been fired before now. They lack the will and are horrible leaders. They would rather blather about a laughable "County Force" then clean out their SPD. Start by firing the "Commiss".
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Prediction: Unless changes are immediately made to REPS-Son of Sam will be re-elected to a 3rd time with 100% of the vote. Disgusting dereliction of duty. Nobody cares-nobody says anything-nobody knows from nuthin-
Prediction: Unless changes are immediately made to REPS-Son of Sam will be re-elected to a 3rd time with 100% of the vote. Disgusting dereliction of duty. Nobody cares-nobody says anything-nobody knows from nuthin-
Of course he will. Even the cops would vote him back in....they clearly have it made with him in power.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCHENECTADY-- Suspended city police Officer Kyle Hunter has rejected a plea offer that would have cost him his job.
Under the agreement, Hunter would have had to plead guilty to second-degree criminal contempt and resign from the police department in satisfaction of the six criminal charges he faces related to domestic incidents last year involving his former girlfriend.
Assistant District Attorney Christina Tremante-Pelham today told Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago during the pre-trial hearing that the negotiated agreement, which didn't include any time behind bars, expired today.
Outside court, defense attorney Michael Horan said he believes the prosecution doesn't have much of a case against his client who is charged with two counts of felony criminal contempt, a single charge of misdemeanor criminal mischief and three counts of misdemeanor criminal contempt.
Logged
They have the power. He should have been fired before now. They lack the will and are horrible leaders. They would rather blather about a laughable "County Force" then clean out their SPD. Start by firing the "Commiss".
