In 2002, it was discovered that $4 was missing from the evidence room of the Mooresville Police Department. Almost immediately, the State Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate, and the evidence custodian was suspended without pay pending the completion of the investigation.
Mooresville Police Chief John Crone was quoted in local newspapers, saying: “We just feel that it’s better to get the SBI in right away. We just want to make sure it’s done by the book.”
The Mooresville Tribune reported that Crone believed that “during the investigation, the employee needs to be suspended to prevent him from carrying out the duties of his position and possibly further breaching the public trust.” The Charlotte Observer reported that Crone believed “it is routine to ask another agency to investigate anytime a police employee is suspected of wrongdoing.”
There is now evidence that Crone improperly transferred $361 in “loose change” from the evidence room to the bank accounts of Cops for Kids, a fund over which he has exercised exclusive control and that has paid for expenditures personally benefiting him.
Just hours before tonight’s town board meeting, we have a simple question: If the absence of $4 from the evidence room justifies calling the SBI and suspending the suspect in the theft, why are the same steps not justified when there is evidence that $361 was wrongly removed from the evidence room?
Listen for an answer -- or non-answer -- to this question at tonight's town board meeting. It starts at 6 p.m. in Town Hall.
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52 comments:
THANK YOU JAMIE!!! It appears that MPD officers on this blog are supporting Crone. While I understand that you must do so to protect your jobs you must also realize the position that Crone has put you all in. Removing money from the evidence room could potentially place your cases in jeopardy. Of course, we do not know the circumstances of what evidence was removed, however, anything in that room is evidence and must be treated as such. There should be a log of when he or whomever removed the money and from what case that evidence was attached to. Is it $300 that has been removed or is there more? This does place the MPD in a bad light but you only have your chief to thank for that. Do not blame the people commenting on this blog. They are only reacting to the information presented to them. And the information provided regarding the activities of the Chief are very damaging and suspicious.
The role of the town manager also dictates that he/she act to preserve the integrity of town government and trust in law enforcement by the public. The town manager (Erskine Smith) neglected his duty as town manager by not contacting another law enforcement agency to come in to investigate. The town board as well neglected their duty by not calling an emergency meeting once there were indications that financial documents weren't accessible for the public and under lock and key in the chief's office. The question is why did the system to protect the public fail? Then we seem to have a "damage control" action after the fact which raises other red flags. Tonight we will find out whether our town government functions for the people or for the few in positions of power. The noise so far has been loud, but if the town fails to take effective action, I would invest in some earplugs!
All I gots to say is everthang wuz goin' jest fine here until all them dang fereigners and Yankees moved here and started astirrin' thangs up!
greetins frum uncle clem!!
Jaimie, what time will the doors be open tonight for a seat to this? I understand the Charlotte media will be in tow?
The town board meeting starts at 6 p.m. in Town Hall. But you can be there earlier than that.
This whole situation is very unfortunate, but realistically, the town, police dept, fire dept, etc have always been corrupt or full of corrupted people. I have been affiliated with the police dept for many years. I have seen a lot of good officers come and go and few bad officers (Captains) stay, and if they did leave they were re-hired for whatever reason?? Someone really needs to take a fine tooth comb and go thru that dept. There are a few really good officers still there who are there to do their job and who are HONEST. Some are there to do whatever it takes to get that promotion or a pat on the back. Tonight is going to be crazy!!
Let me get this straight....Erskine Smith is John Crone's interim supervisor....hmmmmm Erskine was also the former library director's supervisor. When she was caught for running the Lirary pretty sloppily Erskine went to her office and did a little cleaning of his own....hmmmmm The Mooresville Golf Course was under Erskine and there were some inproprieties and that had to be investigated.....but appartently Erskine is not learning much from experience....Comissioners, TAKE NOTE!
1:26 wrote "It appears that MPD officers on this blog are supporting Crone." I just finished reading all the comments (heard about this on the news), and I'm actually shocked at HOW FEW officers are supporting Crone. You would think a chief of police would be the most beloved person in any PD and that his officers would be coming out in droves, but it appears not in Mooresville. That right there is very telling. Personally, it was very embarrassing for me as a Mooresville resident to turn on the TV and hear that our police chief may have been dipping into charity dollars meant for the elderly and children in need. Not something to write home about...
This is a continuation of the "Count Up Vigil" of the number of days which pass from the day Cops For Kids scandal broke (7/4/08) to the day that Police Chief Crone and Interim Town Manager Erskine Smith are suspended or terminated for their roles in it.
The information I specifically refer to is:
1) the transfer of cash from the police evidence room into the nonprofit corporation known as Cops For Kids.
2) the withdrawals of cash (large and small) from the nonprofit corporation known as Cops For Kids, and
3) the lack of proper documentation for the finances of the nonprofit corporation known as Cops For Kids, such as actual itemized receipts of all expenditures in general, cash in particular
4) mounting documented misrepresentations made by both of these two individuals with regard to the nonprofit corporation known as Cops For Kids
This is Day No. 3.
When the chief came to visit me and to "discuss" my concerns regarding the activities of his department, we happened to discuss the revolving door of his department. He said that his department is difficult to work for because he demands the highest level of integrity. I wonder why that doesn't apply to him?
Ultimately, both Crone and Smith are under the supervision of the town commissioners. Let's give them another raise for doing yet another fine job.
Channel 9 reported that this item was removed from the agenda tonight because the agenda was so long. What the ???????
On Channel 9, Crone admits that he might not be the best keeper of books, but his integrity is above reproach. Okay, let's give him that for the sake of argument. Do you want an honest, lousy bookkeeper in charge of a 7 million dollar budget?
So, I missed the meeting. Did our commissioners "table" the discussion in their usual fire and retreat method? Or have they gone with the Personnel defense again?
Get serious people. This is all going to be over by the end of next week and everyone involved will come out smelling like a rose. This is the same department that has officers using Tazers on Wal-Mart employees, Sergeants extorting money from mentally challenged citizens, and Lieutenants cracking handcuffed arrestees over the head with flashlights. Mooresville loves to take yesterday’s trash from other departments and mold them into “leaders”. Department motto (modeled after “The New Colossus” – The Statue of Liberty Poem) “Bring us your lazy, your corrupt, your fired masses, yearning to be in administration…we can give you that and more. We lift the lamp beside the golden door (evidence room).” Good luck people, but I think you are getting your hopes up, only to be let down.
to the 2:47 post
When you live in a town you pay tax dollars. When your money is used in a manner that is inconsistent with regulations set in place by the government, that is the same as breaking the law. Mass groups of corruption have been targeted throughout human history by people that want things to be just and right.
In the past few years certain political officials in mooresville have had some pretty dark clouds appear over their heads. Including countless bits of information that scream fraud and corruption. Those with a hand in are past running and hiding, they are now doing damage control( covering their ass ). Wasting of money needs to be stopped. It doesn't matter if your a yankee, a southerner, mexican, black or green martians. People that strive to get thing done right embrace freedom of the people. Not freedom of politicians to do as they please "cuz thangs wer jest fine before foreigners and yankees showed up"
Another important historical fact for you:
THE NORTH WON THE CIVIL WAR.
I would get used to transplants taking over your town.
BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!!
THERE IS IN FACT A LINK BETWEEN MATT AND JAMIE..... MOST OF YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T, HERE WE GO.
MATT'S WIFE SELLS HOME DECOR OR TUPPERWARE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH ATKINS' WIFE (ATKINS IS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS). ATKINS LIVES BESIDE JAMIE. THIS IS HOW IT WENT. MATT GOT FIRED, CRIED WITH HIS WIFE,HIS WIFE WENT TO HER FRIEND (ATKINS'S WIFE) TELLING HER WHAT MATT HAD TOLD HER. MRS. ADKINS TELLS MR.ADKINS ALL THE GOOD STUFF.MR ADKINS IS FEEDING JAMIE INFO FROM MATT OR MATT'S WIFE.
SEE HOW EASY THAT WAS. MR. ADKINS
WE ALL KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE THE CHIEF.SO YOU WERE FEED INFO FROM MATT OR HIS WIFE, DID NOT KNOW WHAT DO WITH IT, SO YOU WENT TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, JAMIE WITH THE INFO.
THIS IS HOW ALL THIS STARTED.
MY MY GOOD OL BACK DOOR POLITICS.
WAY TO GO TEAM SCREW THE CHIEF AND POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS BUD IS FOR YOU!!!!!!!!
I know a needy child, who could desperately use $450. I guess I'll just go to the Mooresville Police Department and see if I can get it from the Cops for Kids program. Better yet, I'll just stop at the front counter and see if they can get the money out of evidence, like the money given to Chief Crone.
Hey, you with the caps lock on, what did you say??????? Make yourself clear without the yelling and the inuendo.....
This situation should not automatically reflect badly on the whole Mooresville police department. But, it does rest squarely on Crone's shoulders. He said tonight on Channel 36 (1)he has every check and every receipt and (2)if he is guilty of anything, he's guilty of poor accounting. He wants a chance to defend himself.
So, Mooresville people, hold his feet to the fire. Demand to see every check, every receipt, every bank statement. It's your money. If he has nothing to hid, he'll give up the documents for review.
And, the previous post makes sense. He's already admited to poor bookkeeping. Do you really want him in charge of a multi-million dollar law enforcement budget?
This is for 8:43 and everyone else who is taking personal swipes at people. Lets have an independent investigation to discover if laws have been broken. The one item that is getting lost in this entire event is not who has an ax to grind, are you a native or a transplant, or is this just a continuation of incompentence and malfience on behalf of the powers that be in Mooresville. The one question is was a law broken? A SBI investigation should help in this matter, especially when a former employee was suspended without pay and eventually fired for mismanagement of funds from the evidence room.
We know that record keeping was poor, that is by Mr. Crone's on admission. We know that records were not kept were they were supposed to at town hall. We know that Cops 4 Kids is an unknown charity that apparently had no bylaws, advisory board, or board minutes as Mr. Crone, the head of this entity did not even know that it was a corporation filed with the State of North Carolina.
Who discovered this or was tipped off is just a red herring for the real issue. Mr. Crone knew about record keeping and the need for proper usage by the whole library fiasco. I think all of Mooresville saw that mess and I do not wish to see that happen again; however, right and wrong should be paramount regardless of appearance or damage to public confidence.
The children that went on these trips were they disadvantaged youths or children of capable families? Who chose the kids for the Mayor's Council? Why did Mr. Crone's wife go on these trips without paying her portion the way that the other town boards spouses have to pay?
As a taxpayer that is seeing his taxes go up 3cents per hundred, waste is not acceptable at this time. We have witnessed the United Way mess, now the Cops 4 Kids mess. I am tired of everyone "getting theirs". I do not know most of these people involved but I do know that a number of dollars was asked and approved for Cops 4 kids. That is my tax dollars and I pay a fair amount. Lets have the investigation and find the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
PS: Charlotte.com is reporting a WCNC story that the meeting tonight did not have Chief Crone speak because "Crone had hoped to personally address many of those questions before the Mooresville Board of Commissioners Monday night but in an abrupt move, the town attorney and mayor cancelled his appearance, saying they needed more time to investigate the allegations." FYI
to 9:42
IS THAT YOU MATLOCK? MAN, ANDY GRIFFIN IS MY FAVORITE POLICEMAN.... IT IS GOOD TO KNOW YOU ARE STILL ALIVE.
To 9:18
I DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD HERE WHAT I WAS TYPING ON HERE. I AM NOT YELLING JUST TYPING. I CAN HEAR THE KEYS ON MY COMPUTER BUT I CAN'T HEAR MYSELF YELLING.
SORRY IF YOUR SPEAKERS ARE LOUD ON YOUR COMPUTER....
LOL
Mr. Allcaps?
What is you point? In your view someone "ratted out" someone else so the rat should not be believed and everyone walk away from the crime? Gee I had heard stories about the Mooresville policemen and I guess you are giving legs to these wild stories. Way to go trueblue.
I do not accept the excuse of needing to review financial records to excuse the topic of cops for kids financial dealings. The Police Chief stated he may have lost track of a few things. The town board did not need to go into specifics. But maybe a little more effort would be nice
to July 7, 2008 10:01 PM
LET ME HELP YOU OUT. THAT IS WHAT WE TRUEBLUE PEOPLE DO FOR CITIZENS.
MY POINT IS THAT IF MATT WERE NEVER FIRED THIS WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.
WHEN HE GOT FIRED HIS "FRIENDS FOR FIRED COPS" STARTED THE WHOLE COPS FOR KIDS THINGS. IF THERE WERE PROBLEMS THAT HE KNEW ABOUT HE SHOULD HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE MIKE BEFORE HE GOT FIRED..
IF HE WERE STILL EMPLOYED JAMIE WOULD HAVE NEVER GOT HIS INFORMATION.
MATT USE TO GET SOME COPS FOR KIDS MONEY FOR DARE PROGRAMS, PIZZA FOR THE KIDS, A BIKE FOR THE ESSAY WINNER, T-SHIRTS, AND TROPHIES.
SO THAT IS MY POINT.
HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND IT BETTER NOW.
BY THE WAY THEY ARE HIRING IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A BULLETPROOF VEST TO WORK EVERYDAY, TELL YOUR FAMILY YOU LOVE THEM AND MEAN IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT PATROL CAR YOU MIGHT NOT MAKE IT HOME. OH LET ME GUESS YOU DONT WANT THAT JOB DUE TO THE PAY AND DANGER....
GO TRUEBLUE.
YOU ARE WELCOME.......
Hey, all caps, thanks for the clarification.
I will say that pay back or not, this type of money handling is not acceptable.
Here are some questions. 1. Prior to this story breaking, has anyone seen bylaws, rules, etc>
2. Prior to this breaking, is anyone aware of any members of a board of directors?
3. Why has no one filed a 501(c)(3) application with IRS?
It sounds like "true blue" is overcompensating for an inadequacy!
Put a sock in it and turn off your caps!
July 7, 2008 11:00 PM
IT IS THE TRUTH AND YOU KNOW IT...
PUT A SOCK IN IT....
FONZ IS THAT YOU? HEEEYYYYYYY
AND SUCH BIG WORDS YOU MUST HAVE THE BIG WORD OF THE DAY CALENDER.....
PUT A SOCK IN IT...
CLASSIC
So are you saying that Burleyson just happened to be able to create the bank deposit slip that showed $300 plus in "loose change" from the evidence room deposited directly into the chief's favorite charity? A slip that was in a file in a locked room where only the chief had a key. Pay attention to reality, 8:43. Though Burleyson had nothing to do with this story coming out, it wouldn't matter if he did. The facts and documents are there regardless. This is about the police chief taking money from the evidence room (money taken from the pockets of citizens of this town, who are merely accused of crimes) and putting it where he wanted to. Converting it to his personal use. Taking large cash withdrawals out of a "charitable" fund. Defend that !
TO;
July 7, 2008 11:09 PM
MY POINT IS THAT IF MATT WAS NEVER FIRED THE PEOPLE OF MOORESVILLE WOULD HAVE NEVER GOT THIS STORY FROM JAMIE. BECAUSE MATT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING UNTIL HE LOST HIS JOB. THAT IS ALL I AM SAY.
THERE WOULD BE NO BLOG, NO STORY, AND NOTHING TO DEFEND.
BUT THAT LITTLE MAN STEPPED UP THE BIG OL MIKE AND CRIED AFTER HE GOT THE BOOT.
THAT IS MY POINT.
I guess you'll never know now will you? It sounds to me like this is going to eat you alive. Too bad, so sad.
Sounds like the whole police department, the town hall and most of our town commissioners need replaced. But Erskine Smith will not suspend Crone and it will all be pushed under the carpet as an issue in a couple weeks for continued business as usual.
Suspending Crone is a no brainer, Its even is a win-win situation for Erskine Smith to suspend him. But Erskine Smith wont suspend Crone and the town board wont dismiss Erskine.
I often wonder if the town board does not have a backbone or does Crone and Smith have some secret evidence they are holding over some of the members of the town board. Something really rotten smells here.
Let's think about it, would the Gatton Report print any story without confirmation/corroboration and risk libel? Would Mr. Burleyson throw away a job of 9 years for a stuffed animal? Would Mr. Burleyson disparage his fellow officers? You seem to think yes, but logic says no. What is there to gain? Blackballed like other officers who were "forced" from MPD. Logic would suggest that he sue the hell out of everybody. But maybe, just maybe, there are other "true blues" talking around town that are tired of the current state of affairs at MPD. I can understand your frustration, but we do appreciate you and your service.I hope inside you are happy that maybe one day you can do your job without wondering if giving an old lady a ride home won't breach policy and get yourself "Blockered" like others!
TO July 7, 2008 11:32 PM
HOOVER IS DEAD. THERE IS NO SECRET POLICE STUFF GOING ON!!!!! NO PICTURES OR RECORDINGS ON OFFICIALS.
YOU GET RID OFF MOST OF THE DEPARTMENT IS CRAZY. ARE YOU GOING TO APPLY TO POLICE THE TOWN? YEAH RIGHT!
TO July 7, 2008 11:38 PM
BELIEVE ME I HAVE BEEN BLOCKERED. BUT IT ONLY HURT A LITTLE.........
I SAY GET HIM THE BIG OL BOOT TOO.
Good night all,
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the lord my soul to keep,
and if I die before I wake,
I pray my donations Chief Crone to take!
Went to town board meeting tonight. No question about it. Thunberg is PROTECTING ERSKINE SMITH AND CRONE. I felt sick to my stomach when I left there because it was so absolutely clear. We have a dirty mayor.
Looks like the Blog Drunk (all caps lady) finally passed out. Kinda miss her. Entertaining as all drunks usually are...Maybe the Cops For Kids beer fund ran out? Ah well. There's always tomorrow. Just withdraw a little cash from CFK or take some from the evidence room, get some more booze and get back on the blog lady.
So what happened?
I stayed long enough to see it buried in "Closed Session-Personnel". Did they have the balls to fire Erskine and The Chief, or will it just go away?
I see what you mean by the Mayor's protecting Smith and Crone.
As previous posters have said, I have tied the links together:
Chief says get dirt on all your bosses. His "Cronies" have dirt that confirms what another poster has said in the past about the Mayor...
They know where the room is that he rents by the hour and have video of the Mayor and the Ward 4 Commissioner he is so fond of.
The Mayor knows they have the dirt and Walla! It all gets swept under the rug.
Erskine Smith and Chief Crone are safe yet again, until...
The Revenge of LibraryGate -Part 4
The scandals continue!
Crone looked like he hadn't slept in a while on the news.
To the All Caps 7/7 8:43 "Breaking News" Posting: This mess started about six years prior to Matt B. getting fired. Did you consider the fact that Matt isn't the source of this information but rather many other disgruntled employees who are sick of seeing the good people go and the rotten ones stay (i.e. a missing couch in a very important murder investigation? I believe that was prior to Matt's firing). And, please decide how you are going to spell Atkins. This commissioner is a man of integrity and wants Mooresville cleaned up. HE should be our next mayor. It is disappointing to wake up this morning and find Smith and Crone still employed. Smith needs to show some sense of self respect, dignity and intelligence and resign from his position. He is associated with too many scandals in this town. I would really like to see more aggressive action on the part of our entire town board to remove Smith. Was Jamie Justice involved in this much scandal in so many different areas? It doesn't seem like it took much to get him "to resign." You all have much more on Smith over many more years. Think about it. Clean it up - don't sweep it under the rug.
True Blue you are starting to bore me. You sound like you are using some of the evidence from the evidence room. Stay away from that white power dude. Ha Ha!
You make great points 7:24. Unfortunately it has been my personal and repeated experience that one cannot use words such as "sense of self respect, dignity and intelligence" in the same sentence as "Erskine Smith". I don't know what's wrong with the man, but I know he has a badly warped moral compass and anybody who goes by his compass has ended up very lost.
July 8, 2008 2:33 AM
WOW YOU WERE UP WAY PAST YOUR BEDTIME.... DON'T WORRY I WILL NOT TELL YOUR MOMMIE......
TO;July 8, 2008 7:24 AM
IF THIS HAD BEEN BUILDING FOR 6 YEARS YOU MUST KNOW BE ON THE INSIDE. I GUESS YOU DID NOT HAVE THE BALL TO STEP FORWARD. IT IS JUST KIND OF CONVENIENT THAT MATT GETS FIRED AND AROUND 2 WEEKS LATER (ONE WEEK OF INVESTIGATING BY JAMIE) THIS ALL COMES OUT. JUST REMEMBER THERE WOULD BE STORY WILL OUT LITTE OL MATT AND HIS "FRIENDS FOR FIRED COPS".
AS FAR AS SPEAKING TO ATKINS I WILL SPEAK TO HIM JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. HE IS NOT MORE THAN HUMAN.
BUT HE HAS HAD IN FOR THE CHIEF FOR ALONG TIME. LETS SAY LIKE 6 YEARS.
Trueblue does not represent the sentiment of the rest of the "Department". The hard working-honest officers of integrity want the truth to come out regardless of how all of this was started. This has sadly tainted the reputation of every one of us who wear a badge. I must say though...if I were that former evidence custodian, I would be asking some questions myself...
MPD officers, WE LOVE YOU! We are so, so happy that you are now free from the scourage of Crone. Be free, be happy, and be safe. You are our heroes and you have always deserved better than Crone. We are collectively ashamed that it took us this long to free you from his shackles. We are truly sorry for looking the other way for so many years. It is a new day now...
I ditto that. We love you officers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This too shall pass. It will only get better from here on out.
This is for the MPD officers. Stand strong and tall. The worst is over. Crone's gone and we will not let him come back to terrorize you any longer.
July 7 8:42
Ever hear of tongue in cheek dummy? That comment was intended to flush out the truly pompous.Uncle Clem is a throw-back to a column we used to have here called "Uncle Dan from Doolie".
Guess you have a little trouble recognizing a Southern joke-and I have news for you- it ain't over pal!You didn't win...
Guess you cant take a northern joke!
And have fun fighting it, I've gotta do other things.
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