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..Jacksonville Police Department

Memo
To:
From:

Patrolman Jared Degroot Chief Anthony Grootens

Date: Re:

11/01/2011 Discipline

I have reviewed an internal inquiry of alleged violations of the Jacksonville Police Department Policy and Procedure Manual: General Order 11 G-29 Police officers must remain obedient and responsible to all verbal and written orders issued by supervisors and to all work assignments transmitted to him/her by authorized persons. General Order 11 G-5 A police officer is responsible for all calls for service. Jacksonville Patrolman Labor Contract Article 15 clearly states that officers receive a 45 minute meal break but the officer is still subject to priority calls. I have determined that just cause exists to support the allegations. I believe you neglected your duty. Specifically you failed to respond to an officers call for assistance, while you were on lunch break, until you were asked to do so. I am imposing a three day suspension without pay for these violations. Please make arrangements to meet with Lt. Dave Kruzan to schedule the disciplinary time off for this suspension. Please have this suspension served no later than the end November 2011. You are advised that any future violations of departmental policy will lead to progressive disclpline. To avoid future problems concerning these specific violations you need to adhere to the directions spelled out in the Jacksonville Policy and Procedure Manual.
cc: Pt!. Jared Degroot Personnel rile Lt. Dave Kruzan

Date:

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JackSOl1vilie Police Depart111erlt

200 W. Douglas Jacksonville, IL 62650 (217) 479-4630

TO: Deputy Chief Tim Shea FROM: Lieutenant David Kruzan DATE: October 26,2011 REF: Ptl. Jared Degroot not responding to call

On Wednesday, 10/26/11, Sgt. Doug Thompson advised me of an incident that occurred on Sunday, October 23,2011 when I was not working, Sgt. Thompson was the Shift Commander on the day of the incident. Sgt. Thompson stated at approximately 1 :30PM, a call came in to the Jacksonville Police Department of a subject attempting to force entry into the house, Sgt. Thompson stated Ptl. Degroot was on break and responded only after being advised by Sgt. Thompson to respond, Sgt. Thompson advised the incident was recorded on the radio record log, Ihad Sgt. Thompson request IT Specialist Rex Ginder make a compact disk recording of the radio traffic from the incident. Ireviewed the audio recording of the incident and will attach the disk to a copy of this report. I also advised Sgt. Doug Thompson to document the incident in a memorandum format addressed to me, Iwill attach Sgt. Thompson's memorandum to a copy of this report. Ireviewed the memorandum and the audio recording of the incident and in my opinion Ptl. Degroot's inattentiveness to be reckless and inexcusable, The following is a summary of the incident based on Sgt. Thompson's account in the memorandum and the recording from the radio log, At approximately 1:30PM, the Jacksonville Police Department received a call stating a subject was attempting to force entry into a residence, Sgt. Thompson was unable to respond due to relieving the Telecomrnunicator for a lunch break, Ptl. Degroot and Ptl. Turner were on break for lunch, Ptl. Vasquez was on a call for service, Pt1. Coop was the only officer to respond immediately, Ptl. Turner asked Sgt. Thompson how many officers were responding and Sgt. Thompson advised "one", Ptl. Turner cleared from his lunch break and responded, Ptl. Coop arrived 011 the scene first. Shortly after his arrival, Ptl. Coop's portable radio began "keying up" repeatedly with no audible radio traffic, This often occurs when all officer is in a physical altercation. Sgt. Thompson began to check Ptl. Coop's status [mel there was no response, Ptl. Coop requested "more cars" in an excited tone of voice. Sgt. Thompson toned Ou1 Ptl. Coop's request using Alert 3, Ptl. Vasquez cleared from his call for service. and responded 10 Coop's location, Ptl. Degroot did not acknowledge any of the radio traffic incluai.ig the Alert Tone 3, Sgt. Thompson ~cI--C."~ 1... i""f~ resoondiac Pt1 Dezrcor had to c ... \.. 1'01' ask . d.._ \. .......... Ptl Devroot \:;q ",~J., "'':1(;;0 ;l')'JI" '- ,,:rf~ 1_ :;> \... .1
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clarification of the situation as well as the location of Ptl. Coop, Ptl. Tumer arrived on scene and the suspect was placed in custody, Ptl. Degroot cleared from his lunch break after receiving clarification but was advised to disregard prior to arriving on the scene, After reviewing the incident, I feel as though Ptl. Degroot's lack of attention to the radio traffic could have resulted in Ptl. Coop or the resident being seriously injured, This call was toned out twice including the last Alert Tone 3 transmission which included the details and location, Alert Tone 3 is only used for "Hits" and "Officer needs assistance", There is no excuse to ignore any radio traffic, but especially an Alert Tone 3,We as officers have an obligation to our fellow employees to assist an officer in distress regardless of what we are doing at that time, Ptl, Degroot's behavior was inappropriate and in my opinion showed an inattentiveness which directly jeopardized Ptl. Coop's safety, It was fortunate that no one was injured, Under Article IS-Hours and Overtime from the Jacksonville Police Patrolman Labor Contract, the language clearly states that officers receive a 45 minute meal break but the officer is still subject to priority calls, I feel as though this situation was clearly a priority call.

In the Jacksonville Police Policy General Order 11, G-5 which states Patrolman are responsible for all calls for service, Even though an officer receives a 45 minute meal break, it does not excuse a non-response to a high priority call such as in this situation.
The Jacksonville Police Policy Manual states an officer must remain obedient and responsible to all verbal and written orders issued by superiors and to all work assignments transmitted to him/her by authorized persons, Ptl. Degroot was not obedient or responsible when this call was transmitted because he had to be prompted to respond after two different alert tones (including an Alert Tone 3) and an officer requesting assistance, Even after the information had been transmitted twice, Ptl. Degroot still had to ask what the situation was ancl the location of the officer needing assistance, Therefore, I feel this is a clear violation of a Patrolman's duties as defined in General Order 11, G-29,

It is my understanding that Ptl. Degroot has received discipline for inattentive related behavior in the past. Please review the attached documentation and it is my recommendation that Ptl. Degroot receives <1 minimum three day suspension without pay for this incident.

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Lieutenant David Kru,d.n

Jacksonville Police Departl1tent

200 W. Douglas, Jacksonville, IL 62650, Tel: 2174794630, Fax 217 479-4637

To: From: Date:

Lt. Dave Kruzan Sgt. Doug Thompson

10/26/11
to officer needing assistance

Subject: Ptl. Jared Degroot not responding

On Sunday, October 23Td, 2011 at approximately 1:30pm the Jacksonville Police Department received a report of a subject attempting to kick the door to his mother's residence in. The complainant advised her son did not live at the residence. During this call Ptl. Tino Vasquez was handling a call of an upset customer at a gas station, Ptl. Dave Turner and Ptl. Jared Degroot were both on break for their lunch, ancI I 'was sitting the communications center so the TIC could have her lunch. That left only Ptl. Andy Coop to respond to the call. Ptl. Coop acknowledged the call and advised he 'was heading that way. While Ptl. Coop was enroute Ptl. Turner got on the radio and asked me if anyone else was heading that "yay and Iadvised him nobody else was going. Ptl. Turner stated he would clear from his lunch to go assist Ptl. Coop. During this time Ptl. Coop had arrived on scene. Approximately 1 minute after Ptl. Coop's arrival his radio began to click. I knew it was his radio because it was showing up on the dispatch screen. From prior experiences when the radio clicks in this manner the officer is usually struggling with a suspect. I began to check Ptl, Coop's status and did not receive an answer. After the second status check I was getting ready to hit the alert 3, which is officer safety tone, 'when Ptl. Coop requested more cars. I gave the alert 3 tone and informed officers of Ptl. Coop's location. I heard Ptl. Vasquez clear from the gas station and Ptl. Turner arrive on scene. Ptl. Degroot did not acknowledge the alert 3. After a few seconds I asked Ptl. Degroot U he was responding and he did not know what I was referring to. I informed Ptl. Degroot a tone had been dispatched for Ptl. Coop neecling assistance and Ptl. Degroot had to ask where Ptl. Coop was located. All of this came after the call had been toned out initially and then the alert 3 tuned out with all required information disseminated over the air. This is not the first time Ptl. Degroot has not heard radio traffic. While working with Lt. Chris Johnson Ptl. Degroot was given verbal counseling for not monitoring radio traffic after a TIC complained to Lt. Johnson. I have also had two dispatch ers inform me Ptl. Degroot frequently does not respond to radio traffic and they nave to call him on the radio two and sometimes three times. Two days before this incirlen: TIC Blakeman said she had called him on the radio three times and ill: dic~ Hot J'espc).:.d until the ~:l!i;cltime nne! then

approximately 5 minutes later when she tried to reach him on the radio he did not respond until she called for him a second time. Per contract, each officer shall be allowed a forty-five (45) minute meal period per tour of duty. This meal period shall be considered out of service time during which the officer will be subject only to priority calls. I believe the type of call that Pt!. Degroot did not respond to was a priority call. A subject is attempting to kick a door in and only one officer responds. Then when a tone is disseminated to alert officers that another officer needs assistance he still doesn't respond that is a com plete lack of awareness of other officers situations. It should also be noted that Ptl. Degroot called in on the radio at 12:57pm to advised he was going on break. Therefore, he had over thirty (30) minutes for lunch before this call even came out.

Sgt. Doug Thompson #2073

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