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Saturday, August 6, 2011

[ME] Dexter Chief didn't process domestic incident involving Milo Police Sgt. Pickel & Pickel's reinstated


Although he is required to do so, Dexter Police Chief Jim Emerson did not professionally process a domestic incident involving Milo police Sgt. Damien Pickel and Pickel's estranged wife. The chief's negligence came to light, Sgt Pickel resigned, the chief had his hand slapped, Pickel was cleared of the charge (since there supposedly not enough evidence) - then reinstated. Of course then Pickel was positioned to file lawsuits, and he did. It appears from what's been reported that the well-being of Sgt. Pickel's estranged wife is not important to the Dexter Police leadership, the Milo Police leadership, any city leaders, or even to the media. It's a glaring omission. Her well-being isn't addressed. EVERYTHING presented about what happened after the said-assault is centered around the (more important?) police figures: the chief's reprimand, Sgt. Pickel's job loss, his job-search challenges, his reinstatement, his reputation, his right to hurt his ex if she has something of his, his lawsuits, and his quiet first day back to work.

She matters to me, and she's in my prayers.

PREVIOUS POST:

HERE ARE NEWS EXCERPTS FROM LAST YEAR THROUGH AUGUST 4TH, 2011. NOTICE THAT YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING REPORTED ABOUT SGT. PICKEL'S WEAPONS BEING REMOVED, AND YOU WON'T SEE ANYWHERE THAT INDICATES THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY EVEN BOTHERED TO INTERVIEW THE VICTIM BEFORE DISMISSING THE CHARGES. HE DIDN'T.

DEXTER POLICE CHIEF PLACED ON PROBATION AFTER INVESTIGATION
The Bangor Daily News
By Diana Bowley
Posted Oct. 15, 2010
[Excerpts] Police Chief Jim Emerson was placed on 90 days’ probation Thursday after an investigation that was sparked by a letter of no confidence signed by the town’s four full-time police officers... What the investigation uncovered, he said, is that Emerson failed to carry out some of his duties as outlined in his job description. In a 15-page report, Pearson faulted Emerson for not providing effective leadership and maintaining harmonious relationships; for not demonstrating the ability to command the respect of the officers; and for not investigating all cases of alleged or apparent misconduct by department personnel and taking the appropriate disciplinary action... [Full article here]

DEXTER MAINE POLICE CHIEF AGREES TO TAKE STEPS TO IMPROVE JOB PERFORMANCE
Written by Jan Laux
November 2010 00:00
[Excerpts] After a vote of “no confidence” and an investigation by the town manager, Dexter Police Chief Jim Emerson was placed on probation for 90 days and given the opportunity to take corrective action to improve his job performance... [Full article here]

MILO POLICE SERGEANT ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC ASSAULT IN DEXTER
Bangor Daily News
By Diana Bowley, BDN Staff
Posted March 10, 2011
[Excerpts] Milo police Sgt. Damien Pickel of Dexter was arrested Thursday on a charge of domestic violence assault. Pickel, 42, a retired New York City police detective, has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the court case... Dexter police Officer Gary Morin said the domestic assault occurred in mid-February and has been under investigation since then. He declined to say why an arrest was not made earlier, and he also declined to release any further details... Piscataquis County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said Thursday it took time to gather all of the information in the case, and once that information was collected, he felt charges were warranted. Pickel, who also was a former Dexter reserve officer, was taken to the Penobscot County Jail, where he posted bail of $1,500 personal recognizance. [Full article here]

MILO SERGEANT ACCUSED OF ASSAULT ASKS FOR JURY TRIAL
Bangor Daily News
By Diana Bowley
March 31, 2011m.
[Excerpts] A Milo police sergeant accused of domestic violence assault has requested a jury trial. Sgt. Damien Pickel, 42, of Dexter is accused of grabbing a woman and slamming her into a closet door and wall on Feb. 17 in Dexter. The woman also accused Pickel of pushing his weight on her while trying to pin her down... "He held me by my wrists and I could feel his nails cutting into me... He pushed me hard against the wall and I knocked my head against the wooden window frame. I was still trying to get free. He then slung me around by my arms and pushed me into the bed, face first. He pinned me down and was still attempting to get into my pocket and retrieve the debit card." In her statement to police, the woman said she called Dexter Police Chief Jim Emerson, who is a friend of the couple, hoping that he would talk with Pickel. She told Emerson that she didn’t want Pickel to get into trouble or lose his job and declined to file charges. The woman reportedly showed Emerson the fingerprint-shaped bruises on her wrists and arms and Emerson agreed to talk to Pickel about the incident, according to the affidavit. He also told the woman that he was required to file an incident report. On Feb. 22, the woman said she told Pickel to stay away from the house, but on Feb. 28 after he had returned from a visit to New York, Pickel called her, according to the police affidavit. She said Pickel was very angry and advised that he had been served divorce papers at work. He told her, "You better watch your step," she said. A few days later, the woman said, her 3-year-old daughter found bullets on a night stand that she believes were left by Pickel purposely as sort of a message to her, according to the affidavit. She told police that she later found a shotgun and two boxes of shells missing from the house. On March 8, the woman decided to write a statement regarding the events... [Full article here]

DEXTER POLICE CHIEF FULFILLS 5-DAY SUSPENSION AFTER FAILURE TO PROCESS CRIME SCENE
Bangor Daily News
By Diana Bowley, BDN Staff
Posted May 11, 2011, at 12:31 p.m.
May 12, 2011, at 9:38 a.m.
[Excerpts] Police Chief Jim Emerson recently completed a five-day suspension for his failure to comply with department policies during a February call regarding an alleged domestic assault that involved another police officer. Town Manager David Pearson, who placed Emerson on unpaid suspension from April 18 to 24, said the suspension involved a call that a local woman made to Emerson on Feb. 17 regarding an alleged assault by Damien Pickel, then a sergeant with the Milo Police Department and a Dexter reserve officer. "Jim apparently got the original phone call and didn’t send somebody to process the crime scene," Pearson said Tuesday. Pearson said Emerson did notify District Attorney R. Christopher Almy, talked with the victim and obtained statements, but he did not process the alleged crime scene... The woman reportedly showed Emerson the fingerprint-shaped bruises on her wrists and arms and Emerson agreed to talk to Pickel about the incident, according to the affidavit. Emerson reportedly told her that he was required to file an incident report. Pickel, who is no longer with the Milo or Dexter police departments, has asked for a jury trial, which has been set for Aug. 1... Because concerns arose in the community about Emerson’s response to the alleged assault by Pickel, Pearson said he hired a private investigator to review the facts. The investigator found that Emerson had not followed the police department’s standard operating procedures... Emerson should have sent someone to the scene... [Full article here]

FORMER MILO POLICE SERGEANT FIGHTS TO CLEAR NAME, REPUTATION
Bangor Daily News
By Andrew Neff, BDN Staff
July 26, 2011
[Excerpts] Two weeks after a domestic violence assault charge against him was dismissed, former Milo police Sgt. Damien Pickel is trying to rebuild his life and career. Pickel, his attorney, N. Laurence Willey Jr., and private investigator Hank Dusenbery held a press conference at Willey’s downtown Bangor office on Tuesday to present Pickel’s account of the events that Willey described as “small-town politics at their worst.” Pickel, a former New York City police detective, was hired full time by Milo in October 2009. He has been unemployed since his arrest in March. The 22-year police veteran resigned from Milo’s Police Department after being placed on unpaid administrative leave following his arrest. “Nobody wants to hire someone who’s had their mugshot in the paper,” said Pickel. “I’ve been looking around for other things and I’m in the process of trying to go back to the town of Milo. That’s where I want to work. It’s just a waiting game right now.” Pickel, 42, was arrested after his estranged wife reported she had been assaulted by him in mid-February... The assault charge against Pickel has been dismissed by the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office. Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy would not address any specifics of the case on Tuesday, but offered a general statement. “Our position on this case is this, we really looked carefully at the evidence we had and the statements that were given, and we’re not sure what happened, and we don’t feel we can prove what happened,” Almy said. “We are not sure we can prove what actually happened and when a prosecutor is in that position, we’re duty-bound to dismiss the cas... Pickel, Willey and Dusenbery all contend that Pickel’s case was a way for Dexter police officers to try to discredit Dexter Police Chief Jim Emerson, a friend of Pickel’s... Willey said he will be sending out notices of tort claims and notices of claims in anticipation of possible future lawsuits... Willey notarized each notice of claim during the press conference and identified the people who will receive them. They include the town of Dexter, a former town official, four Dexter police officers, a BDN reporter and Pickel’s estranged wife... [Full article here]

MILO SELECTMEN REINSTATE POLICE SERGEANT
by WABI-TV5 News Desk
August 4th 2011
[Excerpts] A Milo police sergeant is back on the job, after he was accused, then cleared, of domestic assault. 42-year-old Damien Pickel was arrested in March after his then-wife reported he had attacked her a month earlier... Tuesday night, the Milo Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed to reinstate him. We're told that Sergeant Pickel returned to work Thursday morning. [Full article here]

MILO SELECTMEN REINSTATE POLICE SERGEANT
BDN
By Ryan McLaughlin
Aug. 04, 2011
[Excerpts] When Damien Pickel held a press conference late last month, he said that all he wanted to do was get back to work. Pickel, 42, officially got his wish this week as the Milo police sergeant has returned to the force after being cleared of a domestic violence assault charge... “I just want my reputation to be fixed,” Pickel said in a telephone interview Thursday. “It’s a new start for me. I am going to do the best I can do to the best job I can.” Pickel praised the work done by his attorney, N. Laurence Willey Jr., and private investigator Hank Dusenbery, a former Maine State Police trooper. He also expressed thanks to Dexter Police Chief Jim Emerson and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office. “I’m thankful to the town of Milo for having faith in me and saying that we want you to come back,” Pickel added... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety maine state politics]

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