The one-day suspension he received for leaving his department-issued Taser in a police car where it came up missing “was too harsh,” according to Detective Jerry Lambert, who appealed that suspension Tuesday morning.
Lambert took his case to a civilian review board consisting of Assistant City Attorney Daryl Taylor, Civic Center Building Manager Steve Stephens and Ted Davis, chief of staff for Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr. The review panel replaced the Civil Service Commission, which was abolished by the Pine Bluff City Council last year.
Police Chief Brenda Davis-Jones suspended Lambert, citing department policy that says officers are responsible for maintaining control of Tasers, using the same degree of control and care as they do their firearms.
Citing the department’s Use of Force Policy, Lambert argued that “my Taser is not held to the same degree as my weapon. The Taser is an alternative to deadly force,” Lambert said.
Lambert said the incident occurred when he left his Taser in his equipment bag, which also contained his flashlight, report pads and other items in a car used by detectives, and when he checked the bag the following day, the Taser “was gone.”
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“It had been taken out of the bag,” Lambert said.
Questioned by Davis, Lambert said he couldn’t “recall taking it out of the bag. If I’m not going to use it, it stays in the bag.”
After discovering the Taser missing, Lambert said he notified his supervisor, who also checked the car and was unable to find the Taser, then made a report.
“A few months later, it reappeared,” Lambert said.
Defending her decision, Davis-Jones said she “had a problem with the whole thing. Not taking care of his Taser and leaving it in the vehicle.”
“He was careless and there was an opportunity for it to be stolen,” Davis-Jones said later, explaining that when officers use their Taser, information about that use is recorded in the weapon, then downloaded at the department’s Office of Professional Standards.
While not recording who used the Taser, the information includes how many times it was used and the length of time it was used.
“The problem was not keeping up with the Taser,” Davis-Jones said. “We don’t know who had it. It was missing for a period of time.”
Lambert’s attempt to bring up other officers leaving their weapons in vehicles was interrupted by Taylor, who said “we’re here to deal with what you did. Not what other people do.”
He also contended that someone “deliberately took the Taser,” but wasn’t allowed to expand on that statement.
Similarly, although Davis-Jones cited only one policy violation when she suspended Lambert, the chief said there were other violations of policy but she was not permitted to bring them up during the hearing.
Asked by Taylor why he did not carry the Taser on his side like he did his firearm, Lambert said it is “not mandated by department policy.”
In closing, Lambert argued that the department policy is not clear enough about how to maintain equipment, and also questioned why he received notice of disciplinary action only a short time ago.
“This has been going on for six or seven months,” Lambert said. “It started in January or February. Why did it take so long?”
The review panel will have 10 days to announce their decision in the matter.