Rommel Scalf Quits Holly Hill PD After String Of Taser Abuses

Now after one reads this article, one is left with more questions than answers about the internal affairs of Holly Hill PD. Rommel Scalf  had numerous previous complaints over excessive force using a taser gun. Instead of firing him for so many infractions he was instead given a desk job by then Commander Mark Barker, to head the Crime Prevention Community Relations Department. This included the ‘ Explorers’ , a youth group learning about police work. Barker is quoted as saying he ” thrived” in that position. That is until he used excessive force again with a taser gun he was not even allowed to have.

This story is not just a reflection on Rommel Scalf behavior. It draws a bigger picture of of the inner workings and mindset of the top brass in the Holly Hill Police Department. You certainly come away from the article feeling like there were many standards of professionalism not followed at the department for quite some time. I doubt Scalf thought he would even lose his job over it, but it did catch up with him.

This information was suppressed involving Janet Hawkins and Scalf during her trial when he arrested her. Holly Hill was withholding evidence to protect there own as long as they could.

Officer quits after Taser misuse

BY LYDA LONGA, STAFF WRITER

April 29 th 2011

HOLLY HILL — The Holly Hill policeman who scuffled with a Daytona Beach detective he arrested resigned after a string of incidents in which he misused a Taser, according to documents obtained this week.

In the latest incident, former officer Rommel Scalf pressed the trigger of his supervisor’s Taser — while it was still in the corporal’s hand — stunning a domestic violence suspect. But Scalf was not supposed to handle that weapon. Misuse of his Taser in other incidents prompted his supervisors to prohibit him from carrying one, according to Scalf’s internal affairs file.

Scalf, a 13-year Holly Hill officer, shot suspect Troy Foster the first time on a February afternoon. Following that, Scalf yelled for someone to give him a Taser and he shot Foster once in the side and again in the back while the handcuffed man was being led away by another officer, an internal affairs report shows.

Besides shooting a handcuffed suspect three times, Scalf also placed one of his colleagues in danger, the report shows.

Scalf, who resigned from Holly Hill police on March 17, declined comment for this article. But news of his resignation surfaced last week during the one-day trial of former Daytona Beach detective Janet Hawkins. Scalf arrested Hawkins on Sept. 22, 2009, at a traffic stop. Hawkins, 47, is awaiting sentencing on a charge of resisting without violence, a misdemeanor.

Testimony at the Hawkins trial and an internal affairs file at Holly Hill police revealed that the 45-year-old Scalf was not permitted to carry a Taser because of complaints about his use of force in the past.

In 2007, according to his internal affairs file, Scalf deployed his Taser 16 times. After that then-Police chief Don Shinnamon wanted him monitored closely, the internal affairs file shows.

In early 2008, Scalf met with trouble again, however.

On Jan. 12, Scalf blasted a handcuffed suspect with his Taser while the man sat in a patrol car. Scalf also kicked the man and punched him in the abdomen, his internal affairs file shows.

That incident prompted Police Chief Mark Barker — who was a commander at the time — to strip Scalf of his Taser-carrying privilege.

Shortly thereafter, Scalf was placed in the police department’s Crime Prevention Community Relations division, where Barker said Scalf “thrived.”

Then, on Feb. 28, police received the domestic violence call at the Foster residence on 10th Street.

Scalf responded as a backup officer for Cpl. Jeff Traylor — Scalf’s supervisor on that call — Cpl. Chris Yates and Officer Jason Weiss.

When police arrived at Foster’s home, he had bolted after striking his girlfriend on the chest. The suspect returned to the house then ran back out and Scalf gave chase. As Scalf ran, he tripped on some vegetation and cut his face when he hit the ground. Foster then ran into his home and locked himself in a bathroom.

That’s when Scalf — according to the internal affairs investigation — lost it.

He yelled at Traylor — his supervisor — to “kick in the door,” the report shows. Before the door was opened, Scalf yelled “When you see that mother (expletive deleted) shoot him!”

When the door opened, Foster was not violent; he verbally resisted when Traylor tried to handcuff him. At that Scalf yelled at Traylor: “Shoot that mother (expletive deleted) Jeff!” Traylor pointed his weapon at Foster as he assessed the situation, the report says. But that enraged Scalf even more, the report shows. He then yelled an obscenity at his supervisor.

At that point, Scalf advanced toward Traylor and pulled the trigger on Traylor’s Taser, the internal affairs report shows. A barb penetrated Foster’s torso, the report shows. As the suspect was handcuffed and being led away by Yates, Scalf yelled, “Someone give me a Taser!”

The officer who was leading Foster to the patrol car had to move to avoid getting struck by the Taser’s barb, the report shows.

At the time none of the officers at the scene knew Scalf was not supposed to have a Taser, the report says. It’s not clear whether one of the officers handed him the weapon or Scalf grabbed it, but Scalf was able to shoot Foster in the side as he walked away with Yates.

When Foster suddenly stopped, Scalf shot him again, this time striking him in the back, the report shows.

The officers who witnessed Scalf’s actions were stunned, the report says.

“It appeared to other officers and supervisors present that Officer Scalf was out of control, emotionally unstable and highly agitated during the encounter,” the report says. “His use of the term ‘Shoot that mother (expletive deleted)’ escalated an already tense situation.”

Barker said his officers are supposed to deploy their Tasers only when a person physically resists an officer’s commands.

While he said Scalf was “highly intelligent” and had received several commendations throughout his career with the department, Barker also said he cannot tolerate such behavior.

“His conduct at the scene that day was obviously unacceptable,” Barker said this week.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/04/29/officer-quits-after-taser-misuse.html

Commissioner Rick Glass Fired Amid Sexual Abuse Investigation

Here is our City Commissioner Rick Glass who voted for a special election this November 8th 2011, to change the 2 year term for commissioners, back to 4 years.Last November Holly Hill citizens turned out and voted for 2 year terms for commissioners !

Also Rick Glass is just one of the Holly Hill Commissioners that have failed to protect the children and citizens from threats of violence, harassment, assault & battery from Daytona NA Narcotics Anonymous and AA Daytona Alcoholics Anonymous(also known as the Volusia County Intergroup) members.

Holly Hill commissioner fired from job amid investigation into sexual abuse
BY PATRICIO G. BALONA, STAFF WRITER send an email to patricio.balona@news-jrnl.com
 October 22, 2011 12:45 AM
Rick Glass

HOLLY HILL — A Holly Hill city commissioner was fired from his job at a local agency for disabled people after the state began an investigation into possible sexual abuse of a client, officials confirmed this week.

Clay LaRoche, spokesman for the Department of Children & Families, said the state agency is investigating a possible sexual-abuse incident at the Arc of Volusia involving Commissioner Rick Glass.

“I can confirm that we have an investigation going on,” LaRoche said. “I cannot discuss the details because it is an open and ongoing investigation, but I can tell you that we are investigating.”

DCF started investigating the incident Oct. 11, LaRoche said.

snip

‘According to the sheriff’s report, the incident was discovered by a Department of Environmental Protection police officer at Apalachicola Circle and Wachula Avenue in DeLeon Springs at 9:18 a.m. Oct. 10.

The DEP officer requested assistance from the Sheriff’s Office after checking out a suspicious vehicle, a silver Ford van, parked in the area and after discovering the possibility of a “potentially inappropriate sexual encounter,” also referred to as a possible sex offense in reports, documents show.

The Arc’s King said the organization does own a silver Ford van.

The suspect, according to the report, was read a Miranda warning and was placed in the back of a deputy’s patrol car.

Due to the nature of the incident, the deputies who arrived on scene to help the DEP officer called the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Sex Crimes Unit, the report states.

Holly Hill Commissioner John Penny said Thursday that he had no knowledge of Glass being investigated, and the commission has not discussed anything as a group.

City Manager James McCroskey said he only knows that Glass told him he had been fired.

“I am familiar with the fact that he was fired from his job,” McCroskey said. “He said it was because of some event that happened at his job, but he didn’t give any details.” ‘

Full story here-

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/10/22/holly-hill-commissioner-fired-from-job-amid-investigation-into-sexual-abuse.html

Glass Investigation Not On Agenda

Mayor Johnson thinks that Rick Glass being fired for sexual abuse allegations is a personal matter,that has has nothing to do with the City of Holly Hill! REALLY? WOW!

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/10/25/glass-investigation-not-on-agenda.html

City Hall Brawl Participants Keep Secrets-Like AA

Richmond is taking a second look at allowing city employees to clam up to police after staffers refused to divulge details this week about a bloody brawl in their City Hall offices.

“Whenever you have your policies tested, that’s a time to evaluate them and see if they’re working,” said City Manager Bill Lindsay.

The issue arose Oct. 14 when paid participants in the city’s anti-violence program, the Office of Neighborhood Safety, fought at the department’s city office.

City policy allows that department’s employees to decline to speak with police in order to maintain the trust of the gang members they work with.

Police called to the fight found enough blood to indicate a felony-level assault might have occurred, but the apparent victim had left.

In the week since, Office of Neighborhood Safety employees have refused to divulge the names of all those present during the fight, police say.

The policy worked out between the office and the Police Department during the program’s formation in 2007 dictates that staff communicate with office Director DeVone Boggan, not police, in order to ensure confidentiality.

Boggan, the liaison between the office and police, has declined to speak with this newspaper for the past week.

Lindsay endorsed the existing policy this week in a letter to the City Council.

Snip

“We are not the police,” said peacekeeper Kevin Williams. “We have to use the same rules as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. If you give up the list of the people we’re trying to serve, then you erode the trust.”

Snip

*Here are government employees and the volunteers working for them keeping felony crimes under wraps to protect the criminals! This might explain why the Holly Hill PD protect the NA/AA members identity. Because they work with these people as well to obtain information. Even if citizens are threatened they protect criminals that attend AA/NA. This article shows to what extent Holly Hill City Hall and police will protect criminals. When will the City of Holly Hill put the local citizens and children first?

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19158519?nclick_check=1

Gun Confiscated From Holly Hill Commissioner Liz Towsley

Liz Towsley Patton voted yes to change 2 year terms that voters voted for last November ! She fails to support citizens asking for relief from harassment from Daytona NA/AA members……..but wants to stay 4 more years!

Gun confiscated from Holly Hill commissioner Liz Towsley

By judge’s order, a Volusia County sheriff’s deputy went to Towsley’s house Saturday evening and confiscated a handgun, magazine and some bullets, sheriff’s spokesman Gary Davidson said.

Circuit Judge William Parsons issued the injunction order on Friday after court documents described stalking and harassment Towsley has exercised over the past two years against Police Chief Don Shinnamon and Cmdr. Mark Barker.

In this case, the stalking and harassment was in the form of repeated complaints Towsley has filed against the chief and the commander, alleging conspiracy, bribery, extortion and misuse of public office, according to the injunction.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/hollyhill/

Holly Hill Fl Top Cops At Odds

Many of the same players that wont protect the public from threats of violence from Daytona NA and AA Members. They want to force 4 more years in office!

Holly Hill official, top cops at odds

Holly Hill official, top cops Shinnamon and Barker at odds  By LYDA LONGA   Staff Writer Daytona Beach News-Journal    April 2008

HOLLY HILL — Fearing for their jobs in what they call a city commissioner’s vendetta to discredit them through accusations of criminal actions and unethical sexual conduct, the police chief and his commander are asking the city to pay for a private attorney so they can defend themselves.

The level of Commissioner Liz Towsley’s scrutiny of Chief Don Shinnamon and Cmdr. Mark Barker for the past several months has reached such a fervent pitch — according to city memos and letters — that Towsley even followed Shinnamon to Jacksonville in early 2007 and snapped a photograph of his city car parked outside a hotel.  

CAREER CRIMINAL CHARGED IN HOLLY HILL ROBBERY

” He’s a dangerous, habitual felony offender and career criminal,and we are glad to get him off the streets,” Chief Mark Barker stated of this man.How about getting people like this out of our parks and playgrounds? Mark Barker has no problem letting dangerous,habitual felony offenders, that are career criminals attend Daytona AA/NA meetings in Sunrise Park,Holly Land Park and Centennial Park. All 3 parks have playgrounds where children play during meetings. He has aided in expanding this rehab business( that is against local zoning ordinances) and continues to pose a threat to the public safety.
‘Career criminal’ charged in Holly Hill robbery
By CHRIS GRAHAM, Staff writer
 September 8, 2011 12:05 AM
Daytona Beach News-Journal
A 49-year-old man released from a Virginia prison earlier this year is accused of robbing a Holly Hill bank at gunpoint Wednesday and may be involved in several other area heists, police said.

The man, identified by authorities as Michael Joseph Forsythe, walked into TD Bank, 1852 Ridgewood Ave., armed with a revolver and demanded cash before fleeing the bank and driving west on Calle Grande Avenue, Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said.

Forsythe’s getaway vehicle — a 2010 Acura MDX — was spotted minutes later in Ormond Beach, Barker said. A short chase ensued and law enforcement officials were able to surround Forsythe in the parking lot of the Nova Road Recreation Center.

The suspect was taken into custody without incident. Barker said the money and firearm were recovered and no one was injured during the robbery.

After authorities apprehended Forsythe, they learned he has a lengthy criminal past.

The suspect previously served a 15-year prison sentence in Virginia on auto theft convictions, Barker said.

After he was released, police believe Forsythe stole the Acura in Vero Beach, drove to North Carolina to steal a license tag and drove back down to Florida, Barker said.

“Obviously, he’s a dangerous, habitual felony offender and career criminal,” Barker said. “And we’re glad to have him off the street.”

Investigators from the FBI are interviewing Forsythe to determine if he is connected to other bank robberies in Central Florida and elsewhere, Barker said.

Forsythe will be charged with armed robbery and grand theft and taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, Barker said.