Update: Mayflower Police Chief Suspended Amid Documents Investigation
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: October 18, 2012
Update (October 18):
KARK 4 News has learned that Mayflower Police Chief Billy Baker has been suspended amid a documents investigation.
According to the Mayflower Mayor's Office, Chief Baker is suspended with pay until the results of the hearing set for November 27th are disclosed.
Sgt. Jeremy Hanson will be serving as interim police chief during that period.
Original story (October 17):
Mayflower Police are the subjects of a state law enforcement standards investigation that could cost the chief his job.
Mayflower's police chief is accused of fabricating training documents, saying their department took radar certification classes, while the director of the state's Law Enforcement Training Commission says he made it all up.
In fall of 2011, Chief Billy Baker turned in reports saying he held a training course that taught his
department how to use radar guns to catch speeding drivers.
State standards accepted the documents, then certified Mayflower officers.
After looking into their files and speaking to officers who said they were never trained, the director says it became clear the chief forged the documents.
Now the commission is recommending revoking the chief's certification.
If that happens, he will lose his post and ability to serve anywhere in the state.
The chief's hearing is next month.
So far, the county prosecutor can't say exactly what could happen to all the speeding tickets given out over the last few months, but it could give drivers a chance to contest them.
KARK 4 News has learned that Mayflower Police Chief Billy Baker has been suspended amid a documents investigation.
According to the Mayflower Mayor's Office, Chief Baker is suspended with pay until the results of the hearing set for November 27th are disclosed.
Sgt. Jeremy Hanson will be serving as interim police chief during that period.
Original story (October 17):
Mayflower Police are the subjects of a state law enforcement standards investigation that could cost the chief his job.
Mayflower's police chief is accused of fabricating training documents, saying their department took radar certification classes, while the director of the state's Law Enforcement Training Commission says he made it all up.
In fall of 2011, Chief Billy Baker turned in reports saying he held a training course that taught his
department how to use radar guns to catch speeding drivers.
State standards accepted the documents, then certified Mayflower officers.
After looking into their files and speaking to officers who said they were never trained, the director says it became clear the chief forged the documents.
Now the commission is recommending revoking the chief's certification.
If that happens, he will lose his post and ability to serve anywhere in the state.
The chief's hearing is next month.
So far, the county prosecutor can't say exactly what could happen to all the speeding tickets given out over the last few months, but it could give drivers a chance to contest them.
Comments
If this is true and they did not complete the radar classes and were not certified to use them a lot of people can take their tickets back to court and fight it. Why is he getting paid though? He is not working. No work no pay.
William S.
October 18, 2012 at 5:58 pm
