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Probe to see if patrolman violated policy while on duty
STAFF REPORT
WARREN — Police Chief John Mandopoulos has ordered an internal investigation to determine whether Patrolman Frank Dascoulias violated departmental policy Sunday while on duty in the Lowe’s store on Niles-Cortland Road.
Mandopoulos said he received a complaint alleging that Dascoulias, who is also an official with the patrolmen’s union, was shopping at the home improvement store while he was on duty.
Mandopoulos said he encourages officers to spend time in Warren businesses while they are on patrol as a form of community policing and to make their presence felt.
“They love to see a uniformed cop in there,” Mandopoulos said of Warren businesses.
But if Dascoulias was buying items while on duty, he will be charged with a violation of departmental policy, Mandopoulos said.
As for whether it is permissible for officers to look at merchandise while on duty, that is a bit more of a gray area, Mandopoulos said.
“Do they look? Yes,” he said. But if an officer is spending too much time looking, like hours, that would be a problem, he added.
The store has security cameras inside, so it shouldn’t be hard to determine whether Dascoulias made a purchase or how much time he was there, Mandopoulos said.
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Comments
Most of the police that I have seen spending time in a business have been up front near the cash registers or near the door and they have been monitoring people in and out. They have not been "cruising" the aisles, looking at merchandise. They rarely move around the store. "Making their presence felt" is code for an excuse to shop while on duty. SAME OLD SHIZZNIT. Thanks so much for a really wise and productive use of my tax dollars police chief Mandopoulos.
Mandopoulos said he encourages officers to spend time in Warren businesses while they are on patrol as a form of community policing and to make their presence felt.
“They love to see a uniformed cop in there,” Mandopoulos said of Warren businesses.
As a former police officer I do know that it is true that businesses do want a police officer around and welcome it especially when we have people who are shoplifting for Christmas. Some businesses even pay to have an off duty police officer in the store. I fyou want to direct a problem it should be about the cutbacks in safety forces. Stop worrying about the pissants while the elephants are running wild in the streets.