Veteran Pine Bluff Police Officer Faces Sanctions from Hall Internal Investigation
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: July 24, 2012
According to the Pine Bluff Police Department an internal investigation has resulted in a recommendation for disciplinary sanctions against Lieutenant Bob Rawlinson, a veteran officer and former spokesperson for the PD.
The disciplinary sanctions are the result of an internal investigation into why evidence in an 18-year-old cold case wasn't delivered to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for about a month.
Public Information Officer Lt. Joann Bates declined to comment further, and noted she could not provide the reasoning behind the recommendation, because Rawlinson has 10 days to appeal the decision. The decision was handed down on July 19th, according to Bates.
Rawlinson oversaw the search of a Pine Bluff businessman's home in connection with the cold-case of 18-year-old Cleashindra Hall. "Clea" was last seen at the home of Larry Amos 18 years ago and then vanished.
In March, leads in the case led Pine Bluff police to search Amos' home, where evidence was obtained, bagged, and removed. The evidence, according to the State Crime Lab, wasn't delivered until about a month after the initial search.
Last week, KARK reported that Crime Scene Technician Cathy Ruhl had been handed down a 5-day suspension in connection with the investigation into the delay.
In a letter written to Ruhl and obtained by KARK, Chief Brenda Davis-Jones wrote that the investigation revealed that, "The manner in which this evidence was handled in this case is unacceptable. It has further damaged the credibility of the department with the Hall's Family and lack of confidence from the citizens of this community."
Neither the disciplinary findings report nor a similar letter were provided to KARK in regard to Rawlinson's sanctions, with Bates citing the possibility of an appeal.
The disciplinary sanctions are the result of an internal investigation into why evidence in an 18-year-old cold case wasn't delivered to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for about a month.
Public Information Officer Lt. Joann Bates declined to comment further, and noted she could not provide the reasoning behind the recommendation, because Rawlinson has 10 days to appeal the decision. The decision was handed down on July 19th, according to Bates.
Rawlinson oversaw the search of a Pine Bluff businessman's home in connection with the cold-case of 18-year-old Cleashindra Hall. "Clea" was last seen at the home of Larry Amos 18 years ago and then vanished.
In March, leads in the case led Pine Bluff police to search Amos' home, where evidence was obtained, bagged, and removed. The evidence, according to the State Crime Lab, wasn't delivered until about a month after the initial search.
Last week, KARK reported that Crime Scene Technician Cathy Ruhl had been handed down a 5-day suspension in connection with the investigation into the delay.
In a letter written to Ruhl and obtained by KARK, Chief Brenda Davis-Jones wrote that the investigation revealed that, "The manner in which this evidence was handled in this case is unacceptable. It has further damaged the credibility of the department with the Hall's Family and lack of confidence from the citizens of this community."
Neither the disciplinary findings report nor a similar letter were provided to KARK in regard to Rawlinson's sanctions, with Bates citing the possibility of an appeal.
