FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5/31/11
Quartzsite, Arizona Police Chief Jeff Gilbert is struggling desperately to maintain his position after three quarters of his own officers filed formal complaints against him with Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs (AZCOPS) and Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST). The timing of these complaints appears to be in response to evidence and testimony expected to be revealed in currently pending lawsuits against the town and the ongoing criminal prosecution of citizens who have a documented history of complaining about the police chief's patterns and practices. Now that Governor Brewer has signed a bill which amends A.R.S. 14 - 1822 and allows AZPOST to revoke an officers certification, many citizens and law enforcement officers are hoping that's the least of what happens to Jeff Gilbert.
A former officer with the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), Gilbert is also a current legislative member of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP)
Allegations have been made against Quartzsite's Police Chief for both criminal conduct and ethical violations of the town's personnel manual. They range from assault, illegal searches and arrests, surveillance and investigation of political opponents, "official police business" being conducted without reports filed, false reporting, and grant fraud, to abuse of National Crime Information Center (NCIC) background checks for personal use and/or without probable cause. La Paz County Republican Precinct Chairman Michael Roth maintains he was falsely arrested for "disorderly conduct" and placed on the FBI "terrorist watch list" for his outspoken criticism of Police Chief Jeff Gilbert.
After being notified that officers of the Quartzsite Police Department intend to publicly announce a vote of "no confidence", read their formal complaints and ask the Town Council to terminate Chief Gilbert's recently renewed contract for "cause" at the next regular meeting of the Common Council on June 14th, Mayor Ed Foster scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, June 1st at 6 pm, to discuss the situation.
The police chief's current contract, which included additional pay raises, was prematurely renewed on February 8th, 2011 by unanimous council approval, after Mayor Foster recused himself from the meeting. Foster wanted no part of what he believed was an orchestrated plot by Town Manager Alexandra Taft to secure ongoing employment for Gilbert, before the majority of the Quartzsite Town Council faced a March recall election. All five political challengers wanted Chief Gilbert terminated, but narrowly missed in their attempt to unseat recalled incumbents.
Rather than have the officer's complaints investigated at no charge by the Major Crimes Division of the state police, Town Manager Alex Taft has instead chosen to hire a private firm, in what appears to be a pattern of damage control and cover up. Last spring, it was rumored that a friend of Chief Gilbert's at the Sheriff's office was specifically requested to investigate complaints made to AZPOST by Mayor Ed Foster, former Councilman Bill Moore, and businesswoman Jennifer Jones (Harris). This assignment was alleged to be the result of a deal struck between Taft, Gilbert, and La Paz County Sheriff Don Lowery. Lowery had also refused to investigate the assault complaint made by Jones against Police Chief Jeff Gilbert and Quartzsite Detective Felipe Rodriguez on April 13th of 2010, despite the video being posted to Youtube.
A recent town council candidate with no prior criminal history, Jennifer Jones has been arrested three times, and charged with a total of 10 misdemeanors since filing her AZPOST complaint. Her husband John was also arrested over the same incidents, and charged with three misdemeanors. Neither has been brought to trial. The police chief compared Mrs. Jones and Michael Roth to Tucson gunman Jarrod Laughner at the January 11th Quartzsite Council Meeting. After a year and a half of contriving criminal complaints that didn't hold water, the Police Chief finally arrested the mayor May 10th, on charges of "disorderly conduct". Apparently, the result of Foster calling Gilbert an "idiot" five days earlier in the parking lot of Town Hall.
The rift between Chief Gilbert's supporters and numerous critics runs deep. La Paz County Prosecutor Sam Vederman has repeatedly refused to insert his office into the political fray. Pending the results of the current AZCOPS/AZPOST investigation, many in the community are now hoping that the FBI and Justice Department will take a serious look into Quartzsite corruption.
For more information, contact:
Will Ponce, President, Quartzsite Police Officers Association
(928) 210-6177
Mayor Ed Foster
(928) 750-8113
Michael Roth, La Paz County Republican Precinct Chairman
(602) 791-5401 or (928)927-8888
AZCOPS
http://www.azcops.org/
333 W Ft Lowell Rd Ste 211
Tucson AZ 85705
Office 520.622.2215
(24/7) Toll Free 888.622.2215
Fax 520.622.2216
AZPOST
http://www.azpost.gov/index.htm
2643 E. University Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Voice: 602.223.2514
Fax: 602.244.0477
AACOP http://azchiefsofpolice.org/
75 East Civic Center Drive
Gilbert, Arizona 85296
Office - 480-635-7757
FAX - 480-635-7761 "Quartzsite Police Chief Gilbert assaults man for videotaping " "...Gilbert's warning to town council"
"...Mayor and Publisher arrested"
http://quartzsitearizona.blogspot.com/2011/05/politically-assisted-suicide-mayor-and.html
Witness intimidation by Chief Gilbert's right hand man, Sgt. Xavier Frausto (added 6-4-11)
http://qtown.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-03-Letter-Foster-to-Taft-re-Frausto.pdf
Jennifer "Jade" Jones
Publisher, The DESERT FREEDOM PRESS
(928) 575-6594
News you can use for La Paz County, AZ!
http://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/
Actual documents provided by a reliable source are viewable below:
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Oh say it isn't so, more bad pigs or I mean cops.
ReplyDeleteThis is really beginning to look like a banana republic.\
Cops shooting a family man in Tucson 61 times and making the EMT's wait 1 hour before letting them take him to the hospital.
Or the cop who traded sexual favors from young girls to not give them tickets.
Yes the thin blue line is "AMERICA"S FINEST?" finest
street gang in america.
Sheila
www.placeofrefuge2012.com
if they have all of this proof, why don't they just arrest him?
ReplyDeleteOfficers cant arrest officers within their own department without some kind of protocol. That's why they want DPS (the State Police) to take over now. I'm just glad these officers are finally taking a stand on behalf of the citizens. I know it wasn't an easy choice for them to make. Hopefully, other police departments will hear about this story, and follow the courageous lead of Quartzsite Officers, rather than blindly "follow the leader"...
ReplyDeleteI support the 10 officers who came forward because of what they stand for..
ReplyDeleteHuntly and the Council supports the "cheef" because of what he'll stoop too..
Bill Moore..
These cops need to sit in a jail cell for 20 years...
ReplyDeleteThe chief thinks he is God But instead he just an ass
ReplyDeleteThese Khazars (Gilbert and Roth) will be handled by the Lord. I will pray for them. It will be only days before Yahweh handles this police force. They should be arrested for treason. Residents of QUARTZSITE AND LA PAZ COUNTY rise up - surround and follow their homes and family as long it takes. THe Lord is man of war and he returns soon. THe Lord will punish Gilbert severely this week - Gilbert no longer will be disciplined by the rod of the Lord. The Lord no longer knows Gilbert nor his family. They have been cursed for Generations. God Bless you all
ReplyDeleteGilbert is a Khazar - shill.
ReplyDeleteThis statement is terribly written. It reads like a teenage diary bitchout. Good for them for standing up, though.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anon 7/12/11@14:02 -- the quality of the writing is ABYSMAL - but sadly representative of average cops today. One can thank our FINE Federal "Dept. Of (mis)Education" for much of this...
ReplyDeleteThat said, the poor quality of writing is irrelevant. If in fact the claims made therein are true, then the town has an even bigger problem than one would think based on other public information!
In short, this whole mess sounds like something out of a bad movie. A small Western town is being taken over by some corrupt politicians and their "Official Enforcer" the Sheriff. The people aren't happy, but anyone who tries to stop them through normal means finds themselves being harassed and even criminally charged by the crooked "lawman" and his gang of fellow crooks-with-badges.
Finally the townsfolk elect a Mayor who promises to clean up the swamp of corruption - but he's stymied at every turn by the corrupt majority and their "legal" enforcers. The townsfolk try to pressure the bad-guys, which just gets them more "official" mistreatment by the crooked cops.
Things finally reach a boiling-point, and...
Well -- that remains to be seen!
Sadly, this isn't just a "quartzite" problem -- it's happening all over our Republic to one level or another!
Just as many don't recognize their town any more -- millions of us no longer recognize what's happening in This Place Where America Used To Be!!
I know damn well what our Forefathers would have done - and it would appear that there are more than enough townsfolk and "good cops" to handle the situation in quartzite.
I personally believe there are also enough true Patriots to handle whatever may come for all of us as well -- the only real question is whether we have the fortitude to stand as our Forebears did!
If the ballot box, soap box and jury box all fail, the last resort is the cartridge box!
We should thank God for giving our Founders the wisdom to so equip us -- though we pray God grant that we never need it!
In short, to paraphrase an old cliche:
God, Grant We The People the Serenity to accept the things we cannot change;
Grant us the COURAGE to change the things we can;
And the Wisdom to know the difference!!
God help us all -- and God Save Our Republic!!
If this guy is really as out of control as you are trying to make everyone believe, you'd better watch your step. That's a big ol desert out there.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when you hire a police officer from a reservation police department with no managerial or supervisory experience. Just because you are a small town does not mean you hire someone with no experience. These officers need a leader, and Chief with experience.
ReplyDeleteRet. Ca. Cop.
You get what you pay for. Hire a guy that was an officer with an Indian reservation PD and no supervisory or managerial experience? Where else was he empaled and why did he end up at the bottom? Hmm mm
ReplyDeletePolice is working for human safety reason. Police and other department is finding new tools and knowledge than crime cases and crime solving.
ReplyDeletePrivatdetektiv