Submitted photoMonmouth police officer Randy Ewing is shown in uniform with two females the police chief said were underage and had been consuming alcohol.
Mayor says no coverup
Davies: Suspensions a personnel issue; Public not informed
Friday, March 3, 2006
MONMOUTH - Mayor Rod Davies denied Thursday the city and its police department covered up the suspension of two Monmouth Police officers in September.Davies said the matter was handled as a personnel issue and personnel issues are not released as public information.
Two Monmouth Police officers, Randy Ewing and Terry Hepner, were suspended from duty for five days without pay for what Monmouth Police Chief Brad Zeigler called "neglect of duty" - failure to take enforcement action against four underage girls who had been drinking and had possession of alcohol at Hepner's home. The incident happened in August. Zeigler said the officers did not buy the alcohol for the girls; the girls brought the alcohol to Hepner's home.
A third officer at Hepner's house, Brian Hall, was disciplined but not suspended, according to Warren County State's Attorney Chip Algren.
Algren, who released all three names, said Hepner and Hall were off duty when the four girls - whose ages are reported from 18 to 20 - arrived at Hepner's house with beer. Ewing, who was on duty, had stopped at Hepner's home.
While at Hepner's home, one of the girls took photographs of the others with the officers.
WQAD TV news of Moline reported Thursday that Selina Merrill, 18, Monmouth, was one of the girls in the pictures. Merrill told WQAD the photos were not meant to surface, but says they were stolen and photocopies began turning up at businesses.
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This picture was taken during an incident at a Monmouth Police officer’s home where underage drinking was taking place. |
After the disciplinary action, Zeigler learned of the photographs. He said he sought out those who might have copies of them but did not locate them. Weeks later, Algren gave Zeigler copies of the pictures.
Algren said the photos were left on a table outside his office in the foyer on the third floor of the Warren County Courthouse. Algren said he did not know who left the photographs until he went to the Warren County Jail where he found Aaron Warrington of Monmouth distributing the pictures.
Algren said Warrington's mother Cheryl also e-mailed the photographs to some members of the media.
Merrill told WQAD the police paid close attention to her after the photos surfaced. She received five speeding tickets within a month, including a DUI, speeding and seat belt violations.
"The police chief did an investigation and informed the state's attorney," Davies said. "They felt there was no basis for criminal charges and the police chief handled this in a manner consistent with personnel policy. No, we were not trying to hide this, it was a personnel matter."
Davies said he has seen the pictures and he could not tell if the girls had alcohol in their hands or if alcohol was involved.
"They were just pictures," Davies said.
Zeigler said it is important to note the women were not minors. A person is considered an adult in Illinois at age 18, but the girls were not the legal age to drink or possess alcohol.
"We have disciplined the officers and I don't anticipate any further action taken against the officers," Zeigler said.
