Cop who Tasered woman is fired
He was unjustified in using the stun gun on a pregnant woman, the report said.
TROTWOOD, Ohio (AP) — A probationary police officer who shocked a pregnant woman with a stun gun has been fired, and four others have been disciplined after a departmental investigation, the safety director in this Dayton suburb said Friday.
Officer Michael Wilmer, who joined the police department in December 2006, had already been terminated for unrelated reasons, which included driving city-owned vehicles at excessive speeds and posting unauthorized pictures on his MySpace.com account, said Safety Director Michael Etter.
The investigative report prepared by Trotwood Police Maj. Quincy Pope said Wilmer was justified in using a Taser stun gun to subdue the woman but committed an error in judgment and violated department policy by administering the device to the woman’s neck, an area reserved for the most violent subjects.
Wilmer also failed to summon medical help or ensure that photographs were taken and documented inaccurate information, all in violation of policy, the report said.
Sgt. Richard Wright was suspended for one day for failing to see that photographs were taken of the woman’s neck and to ensure that she received medical evaluation.
Another sergeant was given a written reprimand for disseminating unprofessional messages, Etter said. An officer received a reprimand for failing to document a domestic violence complaint, and another officer was given a counseling form for failing to properly log the use of a stun gun, Etter said.
He said all the disciplinary measures had been served.
The Tasering occurred Nov. 18 when Valreca Redden, 33, went to the police department and asked officers to take custody of her 1-year-old son, the report said.
However, Redden refused to answer questions about herself and the boy and tried to leave with the child, disobeying Wilmer’s order not to leave, the report said.
Redden had not indicated that she was pregnant, and her winter coat concealed her pregnancy, the report said.
There was no telephone listing for Wilmer. A message seeking comment was left Friday with Columbus attorney Joseph Hegedus, counsel to the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, which represents Trotwood police officers.