Showing posts with label Officer Ronald Dupuis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Officer Ronald Dupuis. Show all posts

Friday, June 16, 2006

06162006 - Officer Ronald Dupuis - Dupuis wins unemployment claim after being fired for tasering partner - Highland Park PD


OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS' [Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]


SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR DUPUIS' HISTORY.


Also See:

Southgate police officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman while on duty. Before Dupuis could be fired, he quit the department. Criminal charges were not filed against Dupuis
[March 16, 1999]





Dupuis wins Unemployment dispute
Posted on June 16, 2006 by Hillary
Hamtramck Star
http://www.hamtramckstar.com/dupuis_wins_unemployment_dispute/

ACQUITTED TASER OFFICER EXONERATED, AGAIN

 Last month, an administrative law judge ruled that former Hamtramck Police Officer Ronald Dupuis did not tase his partner, in November 2005. Administrative Law Judge Douglas G. Wahl specifically ruled as a finding of fact: “The claimant performed a “function test” of his taser while he was in the passenger seat of the patrol car and did not tase his partner.” (Ex. 1)

Dupuis was accused of tasing his partner, Officer Prema Graham, in November 2005 while the two were riding in a patrol car. Dupuis was quickly fired by Chief James Doyle within days and later charged with assault and battery. The termination and charges came even before all the evidence was collected, including a read out from a taser computer chip that Doyle did not download until 30 days later. The taser chip showed that the taser was fired one time for a period of one second, consistent with a function test according to Certified Taser Instructor and Hamtramck Police Officer John Aiello during his testimony at the trial. (Ex. 2) Graham’s version accused Dupuis of firing the taser at least two times and for longer durations into her thigh. She also alleged that Dupuis grabbed the steering wheel and she fought him off, yet the patrol car videotape was not introduced to the jury. The Detective in charge of the case, Sgt. Vincent Bielecki testified that there was no evidence a crime was committed contained on the videotape in question. (Ex. 3) A Hamtramck jury took only 20 minutes to acquit Dupuis after the trial was held in March, in the 31st District Court in Hamtramck, MI.

This latest hearing was conducted pursuant to an Unemployment Claim dispute between Dupuis and the city of Hamtramck. In addition to the finding of fact exonerating Dupuis, again, Dupuis prevailed in that action and received a check for over $5,000 for lost unemployment compensation. The city filed for a re-hearing and was denied a re-hearing by the judge.

Strangely, the city only produced Chief James Doyle and Lt. Craig Serafino to testify. Noticeably absent from the hearing was Officer Graham herself, even though she was readily available and was on patrol on the day of the hearing. Lt. Serafino told the judge that he could not explain why Graham was not there. Chief Doyle told the judge that he did not get enough notice to have Graham present. However, the city received notice two weeks prior to the hearing, which is much more notice than most police officers get when they appear in criminal court.

This Unemployment hearing is now the second victory (after the acquittal) for Dupuis between he and the city of Hamtramck. An arbitration hearing is scheduled for July 2006 in which the Hamtramck Police Union is asking for reinstatement and backpay for Dupuis.

Dupuis who has maintained his innocence since the incident stated after receiving the latest award, “I feel great. Not only has a jury found me not guilty of a crime that I did not commit, but now a judge has found specifically as a fact that I did not tase anyone on that day.”

I hope the arbitrator is able to see what’s really happened as well,” Dupuis stated about the upcoming arbitration, “I really want to get back to work and put this unbelievable nightmare behind me.”

Dupuis was represented by Attorney Paul Wright during the unemployment hearing.




*************


DUPUIS' LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:




OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS' [Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]








Also See:

Feb. 17, 1997: Officer Ronald Dupuis written up for careless driving while on duty. Ecorse Police Department.


Between 1997 and 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis leaves the Ecorse PD and becomes an officer with the Southgate PD.


October 08, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis allegedly beat up a mentally disabled man. Southgate PD.


November 04, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis reprimanded by the Southgate Police Department for the October 8th beating incident.


Dec. 24, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of falsifying overtime slips. Southgate PD.


March 16, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman and repeatedly pulling her over while he was on duty. Southgate PD.


March 30, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was informed that he would be fired from the Southgate PD [Stalking incident].


April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis resigned from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident.


Sometime after April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Highland Police Department [after resigning from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident].


Nov. 7, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was laid off by the Highland Park Public Safety department.


Sometime after November 07, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Hamtramack PD, after being laid off by the Highland PD.


April 21, 2002: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop. Hamtramck PD. Resulted in a lawsuit, which was settled for $20,000 on November 05, 2005. Dupuis was not fired from the Hamtramack PD. for this incident.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2002/04/officer-ronald-dupis-hamtramck-pd.html


2004: Hamtramck police officer Dupuis was sued by a man who alleged Dupuis wrongfully arrested him and had him jailed for no reason. The man was released without being charged. His lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.


 Nov. 3, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of discharging a Taser stun gun and striking his female partner, Officer Prema Graham, in the leg with the weapon. [Hamtramack PD]


Nov. 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was fired from the Hamtramck Police Department for tasering Officer Prema Graham.


Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis won legal challenges related to the tasering incident Officer Prema Graham, and the Hamtramck PD's firing of him.


Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis returned to duty at the Highland Police Department [previously laid off from department in November 2000].


Dec. 7, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Taser incident.


April 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis found not guilty at trial of November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham


June 16, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis won an unemployment claim dispute against the City of Hamtramck for their firing of him after the November 2005 taser incident Officer Prema Graham. Chief of Police also refused to reinstate Dupuis.


2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck and Officer Prema Graham [November 2005 taser incident]


August 2006: City of Hamtramck lost appeal on Officer Ronald Dupuis' unemployment. 


November 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck: Civil Rights / Employment. Police Chief refused to reinstate him. [November 2005 taser incident of Officer Graham].


January 2007: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit to be reinstated to Hamtramck PD, following his being terminated after November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham. 


October 31, 2008: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit against City of Hamtramck.


2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of choking a woman who was in custody.


February 28, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a suit against Highland Park: Civil Rights / Employment. 


May 22, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis' gun "accidently" went off outside the department's cell block. Dupuis was shot in the leg. Sources at the Highland PD said there would be no disciplinary action taken against Dupuis.


January 12, 2014: An online video surfaced showing Officer Dupuis beating a hancuffed man during an arrest. "Highland Park city attorney Todd Perkins said he's aware of Dupuis' checkered past, although he said he will "draw no conclusions" from it."







Emma Craig https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=589843441146681

Post by Emma Craig.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Location: Hamtramck, MI, USA

Saturday, April 1, 2006

04012006 - Officer Ronald Dupuis - Taser Trial - Hamtramck PD



OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS' [Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]


SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR DUPUIS' HISTORY.


Also See:

Southgate police officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman while on duty. Before Dupuis could be fired, he quit the department. Criminal charges were not filed against Dupuis
[March 16, 1999]




The Trial
Posted on April 1, 2006 by Hillary
The Hamtramck Star
http://www.hamtramckstar.com/the_trial/

On Friday, Steve and I attended the “Taser Trial” at City Hall. First, I must say the renovation of the 31st District Court is beautiful; a classic courtroom with wood accents and vintage furniture. The seats for the public were at one time pews in a Catholic church with kneelers and hymnals.

 Family and friends of Dupuis packed into the pews on the right with a few college students attending for a class. We sat on the left with Graham’s family and friends, and numerous visiting Hamtramck PD officers. A cameraman from FOX2 also sat in the back briefly.

 The jury consisted of 4 men and 3 women. Three of the men were non-white, possibly Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian. Mr. Hammoud, the attorney sent by the prosecutor’s office, is an ESL speaker, Arabic possibly being his first language. The investigating officer, Sgt. Bielecki, was seated next to the prosecutor. A Mr. Sullivan represented Dupuis.

 Graham testified first. She has been employed by the HPD 8 years. She said that on that day, she was driving, and Dupuis asked her to stop at a gas station for a drink. She drove to a gas station, but past the first entrance “messing with him”. He grabbed the wheel for a second, and then stopped. She told him to “calm down”, and he pulled out his taser, removed the cartridge, removed the safety, and “cranked it once”. She was intimidated by the crackling and said, “I know you’re not going to tase me.” Dupuis jabbed towards her twice with the taser off, and then jabbed her thigh and “cranked it again”. She went straight to the station, made a report, and offered to show the marks to Lt. Mathias. She did not seek medical attention.

 On cross examination, Graham agreed that she wrote 2 reports about the incident, one immediately after, and another more detailed report later. That day, they stopped at a bank and a jewelry store immediately before. She admitted that Dupuis may have bought her a gift while vacationing in Hawaii, though she didn’t remember receiving a call from him after she had been in an auto accident. Graham received training on tasers, but did not accept a shock herself as some officers did. She was positive the trigger was pulled twice, and was told by someone that the firing data matched. She tried to withdraw her complaint a couple hours after filing it, but her request was not honored.

 Lt. Mathias, a 40-year veteran (possibly misheard “14 years”) of the HPD, testified that Graham came into the station and made an excited utterance that she couldn’t work with Dupuis anymore because he “dry stunned her”. He said it was improper for Dupuis to pull the taser. He did not confiscate the taser, and had to retrieve it from another officer Dupuis passed it onto in order to preserve it as evidence. Mathias said he sent Graham and Dupuis home. He did not look at Graham’s thigh because he felt it would have been inappropriate.

 On cross examination, Mathias was asked about Graham’s testimony that she finished her shift, and he conceded that may have been true, and Dupuis also may have worked at a desk the rest of the night. Dupuis was not arrested, a warrant was not requested, nor was his statement taken that night. Mathias said he called an off-duty detective in “within the hour”, but it was actually over 2 hours. Mathias was asked if police officers have a “different sense of humor”, and if he had ever said something to the effect that he could “trump up charges”. He agreed he had, but felt the quote was taken out of context.

 Detective Crachiola, HPD officer 11 years, testified that she took the photos of Graham’s thigh. She is not trained as an evidence technician and no scale was shown. She described the marks as 2 circles, approximately an inch apart, less then 1/8th inch across. She had never seen a taser injury before, and agreed there were no lines between the marks or swelling.

 Lt. Sarafino, HPD officer for 20 years, testified that he downloaded the data from the taser, and printed a report on November 30. The report showed the weapon was fired on November 3, at 15:24 hours, once for 1 second. Sarafino believed the report would show two entries if the weapon were fired twice. The defense attorney asked if information had been downloaded when Officer Nolan was tased, but it was ruled inadmissible.

 Officer Aiello, HPD officer the last 11 years, trains Hamtramck officers on taser use and gave a demonstration (later seen on FOX2 news). The attorney for the prosecution claimed to be afraid of the tasers, and gingerly moved them from his table to the witness stand. Aiello testified that taking the cartridge out of a taser is like removing the magazine from a gun. A drive stun only affects the local area. It is protocol to perform a function test at the beginning of each shift. Tasers fire for 5 seconds when the trigger is pulled. Turning the safety on during the 5 second period is the only way to stop it, which is common practice when performing a function test.

 Sgt. Bielecki, HPD officer for 24 years, testified that he wrote the warrant request to the prosecutors office, and asked for the video and taser report in the course of his investigation. When asked why he didn’t get the report or video sooner, he said downloading was “not immediately urgent” and the video shows outside of the car and has no sound. He was assigned to this case by Chief Doyle. The investigation was not referred to Michigan State Police, nor were they consulted, which was also Doyle’s decision. He was asked if he saw any problem with the discrepancies between his report and the report from the taser, he said he didn’t. The defense attorney said Bielecki led the prosecutor’s office to believe the taser was fired twice when he didn’t have the report yet, and asked if he felt he had a responsibility to present exculpatory evidence. Bielecki said he had sent a report to the prosecutor’s office “by mistake”. A warrant was issued on December 2.

 The prosecution rested. The defense moved for a mistrial on the grounds that improper statements were made and hearsay introduced. His motion was denied.

 The first witness for the defense was the president of Michigan Taser. He explained that a “drive stun” effects the localized area between the probes. If the trigger is pulled twice during the 5-second firing time, only one is recorded. Turning on the safety is the only way to cause a 1-second firing. While cross examining this witness, the attorney for the prosecution was holding a taser very comfortably; so comfortable that he used his own leg to illustrate his questions. He also referred to the probes as “arrows”, and continually talked about the probes until the defense objected on the grounds that they were irrelevant.

 The expert said the printed report was correct assuming the software, computer, and taser were working properly, and other than printing a report, there is no way to tell when a taser had been fired. He recommends a function test before every shift. He still instructs courses, though not for Taser International, and was not paid for his appearance in court. He said injuries vary depending on the duration of contact, and can include swelling or blisters.

 Ronald Dupuis testified that there are many practical jokers at the police department. That day, Graham was working a double shift. They stopped at a bank, and a jewelry store, and then he asked if she would stop at a gas station so he could buy something to drink. She told him he would have to wait until lunch. Lunch wouldn’t be for another 4 hours, so he didn’t believe her. On the way there, she slowed down to tease him more. They were joking back and forth, when he realized his vest had opened his holster, and it reminded him to perform a function test. He tested the taser, and said something like, “I don’t want to accidentally tase you when I collapse from dehydration.” He pointed it at her a couple times while it was off. She said, “You can get something to drink after I put some paper on this,” and started to return to the station. He thought she was joking. Practical jokes are common at the police department, like hiding equipment in the freezer.

 Dupuis said he did not intend to touch Graham with the taser and had no reason to because they were friends. He called to tell her about extra shifts, and bought her a gift while he was on vacation. The prosecutor asked why Dupuis had said he accidentally tased Graham in a meeting with the prosecutor on November 15. Dupuis said he had started to doubt himself because he didn’t think Graham would lie. He denied grabbing the steering wheel.

 During closing arguments, the prosecution tried to portray Dupuis as an abuser who was blaming his victim, and claimed the records were faulty. The defense said that tasers are designed to stop false accusations against police officers, and encouraged the jury to look at the physical evidence. He left them with the thought that if the marks on Graham’s leg were from a taser, it was not the taser in evidence.

 Within an hour of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.





Dupuis Not Guilty
Timeline and comments
Posted on March 31, 2006 by Steven
The Hamtramck Star
http://www.hamtramckstar.com/dupuis_not_guilty_timeline_and_comments/


11/03/05: Graham reports “taser incident” to superiors.

 11/15/05: Case referred to prosecutor’s office.

 11/16/05 anonymous comment: “the citizen reported that this poor excuse for a cop was fired this week.”

 11/17/05 anonymous comment: “I am not assuming the worst. I am just stating that the tasering was no accident.”

 11/18/05 anonymous comment: “I am aware that said officer is now denying it but now he knows he is not getting away with it. Once again, this is going to cost the city money. This officer has already cost the city too much.”

 11/19/05 anonymous comment: “With the proper releases and in a controlled environment I would be happy to come over and “accidentally” taser you. You might find that you have an change of opinion towards “accidental” use of the taser.”

 11/19/05 anonymous comment: “I agree with you that in a fair and just world the officer is assumed innocent until proven guilty, we do not live in a fair and just world.”

 11/20/05 anonymous comment: “I have no problem in labeling this guy a bad cop, mainly because he is.”

 11/30/05: Electronic records on Dupuis’ taser accessed”

 12/02/05: Warrant was issued for Dupuis

 12/08/05: Rob Cedar comments: “Hmmmm, maybe it wasn’t an “accidental tasering”, maybe the dismissal was justified, maybe it had nothing to do with Whittie.”

 12/09/05: Rob Cedar comments: “Like I’ve said before I prefer- need to deal in facts and do not have the luxury of public speculation.”

 12/09/05: Rob Cedar comments: “Think what you like, but my posting was to point out that it looked as though the tazering was not an accident, and was not a “trumped up charge” by as Julia would say, a corrupt police administration. If there is any satisfaction on my part its that the charges would indicate that maybe it was not a corrupt system -of which I have some responsibility for but simply a cowboy cop with questionable judgment. to say the least”






Dupuis Trial Friday
Posted on March 27, 2006 by Steven
http://www.hamtramckstar.com/ronald_dupuis_trial_friday/

Judge Keith Hunt from the 43rd District Court in will preside in Ronald Dupuis’ misdemeanor battery trial which is scheduled for Friday, March 31st at 8:30 AM in the 31st District Court, Hamtramck.

 There was a huge amount of speculation about the specifics of this case and the outcome his highly anticpiated.

 The Citizen reported on March 15th:

 And there’s some critical facts working for Dupuis, such as the fact that his taser has a recording chip that says the taser was fired up for recharging for a mere one second prior to the alleged assault. That’s hardly proof of tasering his partner three times.

 Which is very similar to our source who reported that Graham’s stroy was “physically impossible”.

 —

 Related Posts:

 11/14/2005 Police officer uses a taser on his partner

 12/12/2005 Dupuis pleads “not guilty” to tasering charge

 1/20/2006 “Taser incident” update


*************


DUPUIS' LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:




OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS' [Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]








Also See:

Feb. 17, 1997: Officer Ronald Dupuis written up for careless driving while on duty. Ecorse Police Department.


Between 1997 and 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis leaves the Ecorse PD and becomes an officer with the Southgate PD.


October 08, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis allegedly beat up a mentally disabled man. Southgate PD.


November 04, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis reprimanded by the Southgate Police Department for the October 8th beating incident.


Dec. 24, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of falsifying overtime slips. Southgate PD.


March 16, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman and repeatedly pulling her over while he was on duty. Southgate PD.


March 30, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was informed that he would be fired from the Southgate PD [Stalking incident].


April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis resigned from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident.


Sometime after April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Highland Police Department [after resigning from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident].


Nov. 7, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was laid off by the Highland Park Public Safety department.


Sometime after November 07, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Hamtramack PD, after being laid off by the Highland PD.


April 21, 2002: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop. Hamtramck PD. Resulted in a lawsuit, which was settled for $20,000 on November 05, 2005. Dupuis was not fired from the Hamtramack PD. for this incident.
http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2002/04/officer-ronald-dupis-hamtramck-pd.html


2004: Hamtramck police officer Dupuis was sued by a man who alleged Dupuis wrongfully arrested him and had him jailed for no reason. The man was released without being charged. His lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.


 Nov. 3, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of discharging a Taser stun gun and striking his female partner, Officer Prema Graham, in the leg with the weapon. [Hamtramack PD]


Nov. 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was fired from the Hamtramck Police Department for tasering Officer Prema Graham.


Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis won legal challenges related to the tasering incident Officer Prema Graham, and the Hamtramck PD's firing of him.


Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis returned to duty at the Highland Police Department [previously laid off from department in November 2000].


Dec. 7, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Taser incident.


April 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis found not guilty at trial of November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham


June 16, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis won an unemployment claim dispute against the City of Hamtramck for their firing of him after the November 2005 taser incident Officer Prema Graham. Chief of Police also refused to reinstate Dupuis.


2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck and Officer Prema Graham [November 2005 taser incident]


August 2006: City of Hamtramck lost appeal on Officer Ronald Dupuis' unemployment. 


November 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck: Civil Rights / Employment. Police Chief refused to reinstate him. [November 2005 taser incident of Officer Graham].


January 2007: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit to be reinstated to Hamtramck PD, following his being terminated after November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham. 


October 31, 2008: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit against City of Hamtramck.


2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of choking a woman who was in custody.


February 28, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a suit against Highland Park: Civil Rights / Employment. 


May 22, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis' gun "accidently" went off outside the department's cell block. Dupuis was shot in the leg. Sources at the Highland PD said there would be no disciplinary action taken against Dupuis.


January 12, 2014: An online video surfaced showing Officer Dupuis beating a hancuffed man during an arrest. "Highland Park city attorney Todd Perkins said he's aware of Dupuis' checkered past, although he said he will "draw no conclusions" from it."







Emma Craig https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=589843441146681
Post by Emma Craig.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Location: Hamtramck, MI, USA

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

01312006 - Officer Ronald Dupuis - Filed lawsuit claiming he had been defamed by taser criminal charges - Hamtramck PD




OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS' [Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]


SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR DUPUIS' HISTORY.



In 2006, Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the Hamtramck PD. He claimed that the City had defamed him with criminal charges in the taser incident.


Also See:

Southgate police officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman while on duty. Before Dupuis could be fired, he quit the department. Criminal charges were not filed against Dupuis
[March 16, 1999]


























































*************




Officer Ronald Dupuis' past law enforcement history:


Feb. 17, 1997: Officer Ronald Dupuis written up for careless driving while on duty. Ecorse Police Department.



Between 1997 and 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis leaves the Ecorse PD and becomes an officer with the Southgate PD.



October 08, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis allegedly beat up a mentally disabled man. Southgate PD.



November 04, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis reprimanded by the Southgate Police Department for the October 8th beating incident.



Dec. 24, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of falsifying overtime slips. Southgate PD.



March 16, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman and repeatedly pulling her over while he was on duty. Southgate PD.



March 30, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was informed that he would be fired from the Southgate PD [Stalking incident].



April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis resigned from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident.



Sometime after April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Highland Police Department [after resigning from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident].



Nov. 7, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was laid off by the Highland Park Public Safety department.



Sometime after November 07, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Hamtramck PD, after being laid off by the Highland PD.



April 21, 2002: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop. Hamtramck PD. Resulted in a lawsuit, which was settled for $20,000 on November 05, 2005. Dupuis was not fired from the Hamtramack PD. for this incident.



2004: Hamtramck police officer Dupuis was sued by a man who alleged Dupuis wrongfully arrested him and had him jailed for no reason. The man was released without being charged. His lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.



Nov. 3, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of discharging a Taser stun gun and striking his female partner, Officer Prema Graham, in the leg with the weapon. [Hamtramack PD]



Nov. 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was fired from the Hamtramck Police Department for tasering Officer Prema Graham.



Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis won legal challenges related to the tasering incident Officer Prema Graham, and the Hamtramck PD's firing of him.



Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis returned to duty at the Highland Police Department [previously laid off from department in November 2000].



Dec. 7, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Taser incident.



April 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis found not guilty at trial of November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham



June 16, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis won an unemployment claim dispute against the City of Hamtramck for their firing of him after the November 2005 taser incident Officer Prema Graham. Chief of Police also refused to reinstate Dupuis.
2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck and Officer Prema Graham [November 2005 taser incident]
August 2006: City of Hamtramck lost appeal on Officer Ronald Dupuis' unemployment.



November 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck: Civil Rights / Employment. Police Chief refused to reinstate him. [November 2005 taser incident of Officer Graham].



January 2007: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit to be reinstated to Hamtramck PD, following his being terminated after November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham.



October 31, 2008: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit against City of Hamtramck.



2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of choking a woman who was in custody.



February 28, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a suit against Highland Park: Civil Rights / Employment.



May 22, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis' gun "accidently" went off outside the department's cell block. Dupuis was shot in the leg. Sources at the Highland PD said there would be no disciplinary action taken against Dupuis.



September 19, 2013: Highland Park Officer Ronald Dupuis arrested uniformed / on duty Detroit Parking Enforcement Officer Rhianna Turner and her girlfriend Kera Hill, in front of Detroit PD. Dupuis transported them back to Highland PD and had the women jailed for four days - without charges. Turner lost her job due to the unlawful arrest and imprisonment.



January 12, 2015: An online video from Emma Craig surfaced, showing Officer Dupuis beating a handcuffed Andrew Jackson during an arrest. "Highland Park city attorney Todd Perkins said he's aware of Dupuis' checkered past, although he said he will "draw no conclusions" from it." In April 2015, Highland Park Police Chief Kevin Coney stated that Officer Dupuis was not facing discipline for the beating of Andrew Jackson.



January 14, 2015: Michigan State Police investigation of Officer Ronald Dupuis and other officers for the January beating of Andrew Jackson. Officer Dupuis was not suspended from duty during this criminal investigation.



February 09, 2015: Officer Ronald Dupuis was shot in the leg during a raid. Officer Dupuis was still on active duty despite an MSP investigation of the beating of Andrew Jackson during a January 2015 arrest.



February 13, 2015: Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy began criminal investigation of Officer Ronald Dupuis and other officers for the January 2015 beating of Andrew Jackson. Officer Dupuis was not suspended from duty during this criminal investigation.
"According to the office, it received a warrant request from the Michigan State Police, which investigated the arrest of Andrew Jackson Jr. on Jan. 12 by officers...One of the officers shown in the video making the arrest is Highland Park Sgt. Ron Dupuis..."



February 25, 2015: Lawsuit filed by Andrew Jackson against Officer Ronald Dupuis for January 2015 beating.



April 15, 2015: Lawsuit filed by Rhianna Turner and Kera Hill against Officer Ronald Dupuis for unlawful arrest and false imprisonment [September 2013]



April 20, 2015: Officer Dupuis cleared by Prosecutor Kym Worthy of criminal charges in the January 2015 beating of Andrew Jackson.
"Worthy did not defend some of the officers’ conduct.  She said some of Sgt. Dupuis’s behavior was improper and warrants possible punishment from his superiors. Still, Worthy said, charges aren’t warranted."



April 20, 2015: Highland Park Police Chief Kevin Coney announced that Officer Ronald Dupuis was not facing disciplinary action for the January beating of Andrew Jackson.

















Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Location: Hamtramck, MI, USA

Friday, November 4, 2005

11022005 - Officer Ronald Dupuis- Tasered female partner while on duty - Hamtramck PD




OFFICER RONALD DUPUIS' [Former Ecorse Police Officer; Former Southgate Police Officer; Former Highland Park Police Officer; AND Former Hamtramck Police Officer; Current Highland Police Department]


SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR DUPUIS' HISTORY.







November 03, 2005: Hamtramck Police Officer Ronald Dupuis, accused of tasering his female partner, Officer Prema Graham.

Also See:

Southgate police officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman while on duty. Before Dupuis could be fired, he quit the department. Criminal charges were not filed against Dupuis
[March 16, 1999]




















TASER OFFICER WINS ANOTHER ROUND AGAINST THE CITY OF HAMTRAMCK
Hamtramck Star
by Hillary
09/25/06 04:09:32 pm
http://hamtramckstar.com/index.php?s=Dupuis&sentence=AND&submit=Search

The city of Hamtramck (MI) has lost a third legal bout to fired police officer Ronald Dupuis. Dupuis was falsely accused of tasering his partner, Officer Prema Graham, in November 2005.

A Hamtramck jury quickly acquitted Dupuis of criminal assault charges.

Even though Dupuis was found not guilty of the charges, the city refused to reinstate him. The city through its attorneys, the Allen Brothers P.C., also contested Dupuis' Unemployment Compensation Claim.

That claim eventually lead to a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. The judge ruled that Dupuis was entitled to unemployment benefits and that as a finding of fact that "The claimant performed a "function test" of his taser while he was in the passenger seat of the patrol car and did not tase his partner."

Dupuis was given a check for over $5,000 in unemployment compensation. The city filed for a rehearing, which was denied by the judge. Facing that defeat, the city then appealed to the Michigan Unemployment Security Board of Review.

Dupuis latest victory came, late last month, in the form of a decision from the Board of Review.

The Board affirmed the administrative law judge's ruling. In the ruling, the Board of Review chastised the city, represented by the Allen Brothers Law Firm, for making careless mistakes in their brief, including several instances of citing wrong pages of transcripts and also mischaracterizing the testimony of the witnesses.

The biggest rebuke the board made was when the city’s attorney attempted to quote Dupuis while citing certain pages, wherein no such quote appeared on those pages or even in the transcript in any place. (Pg. 2: Bd of Review Decision)

The city now has the option to appeal to the Wayne County Circuit Court. It appears the city is spending more tax dollars in legal and filing fees trying to fight the exonerated police officer, than they have paid out in the unemployment compensation claim itself.

Dupuis is still seeking reinstatement through arbitration. His union has been engaged in an arbitration hearing since July. While there have been two days of hearings, the next arbitration date is not scheduled until January 2007.

Dupuis who has maintained his innocence since the incident in question remains optimistic stating, "I'm glad a jury, a judge and now an appeals board was able to see the truth, I hope the arbitrator does too and I can finally get my job back. It's rough going over a year without a steady paycheck."

Dupuis remains appreciative of those who have supported him throughout the ordeal. He is especially appreciative of a fellow police officer, Dennis Whittie, who was fired by the same police chief for writing a "thank you" letter to residents.

Dupuis openly supported Whittie and appeared at a city council meeting to support Whittie in his quest for his job back. Dupuis' appearance at the council meeting took place just three weeks prior to Dupuis' termination.

Dupuis said of Whittie, "He understands the culture of the place and was willing to stick by me from the beginning, even when it seemed that everyone else presumed I was guilty. I just hope we'll both be reinstated soon."

Dupuis was represented by Attorney Paul Wright during the unemployment hearing.

BACKGROUND OF INCIDENT
Ronald Dupuis was accused of tasing his partner, Officer Prema Graham, in November 2005 while the two were riding in a patrol car. Dupuis was quickly fired by Chief James Doyle within days and later charged with assault and battery. The termination and charges came even before all the evidence was collected, including a read out from a taser computer chip that Doyle did not download until 30 days later.

The taser chip showed that the taser was fired one time for a period of one second, consistent with a function test according to Certified Taser Instructor and Hamtramck Police Officer John Aiello during his testimony at the trial.

Graham's version accused Dupuis of firing the taser at least two times and for longer durations into her thigh. She also alleged that Dupuis grabbed the steering wheel and she fought him off, yet the patrol car videotape was not introduced to the jury.

The Detective in charge of the case, Sgt. Vincent Bielecki testified that there was no evidence a crime was committed contained on the videotape in question. A Hamtramck jury took only 20 minutes to acquit Dupuis after the trial was held in March, in the 31st District Court in Hamtramck, MI.







Dupuis wins Unemployment dispute
Hamtramck Star
by Hillary,
06/16/06 10:13:19 am
http://www.hamtramckstar.com/dupuis_wins_unemployment_dispute/

Last month, an administrative law judge ruled that former Hamtramck Police Officer Ronald Dupuis did not tase his partner, in November 2005.

Administrative Law Judge Douglas G. Wahl specifically ruled as a finding of fact: “The claimant performed a “function test” of his taser while he was in the passenger seat of the patrol car and did not tase his partner.” (Ex. 1)

Dupuis was accused of tasing his partner, Officer Prema Graham, in November 2005 while the two were riding in a patrol car. Dupuis was quickly fired by Chief James Doyle within days and later charged with assault and battery.

The termination and charges came even before all the evidence was collected, including a read out from a taser computer chip that Doyle did not download until 30 days later. The taser chip showed that the taser was fired one time for a period of one second, consistent with a function test according to Certified Taser Instructor and Hamtramck Police Officer John Aiello during his testimony at the trial. (Ex. 2)

Graham’s version accused Dupuis of firing the taser at least two times and for longer durations into her thigh. She also alleged that Dupuis grabbed the steering wheel and she fought him off, yet the patrol car videotape was not introduced to the jury. The Detective in charge of the case, Sgt. Vincent Bielecki testified that there was no evidence a crime was committed contained on the videotape in question. (Ex. 3)

A Hamtramck jury took only 20 minutes to acquit Dupuis after the trial was held in March, in the 31st District Court in Hamtramck, MI.

This latest hearing was conducted pursuant to an Unemployment Claim dispute between Dupuis and the city of Hamtramck. In addition to the finding of fact exonerating Dupuis, again, Dupuis prevailed in that action and received a check for over $5,000 for lost unemployment compensation. The city filed for a re-hearing and was denied a re-hearing by the judge.

Strangely, the city only produced Chief James Doyle and Lt. Craig Serafino to testify. Noticeably absent from the hearing was Officer Graham herself, even though she was readily available and was on patrol on the day of the hearing. Lt. Serafino told the judge that he could not explain why Graham was not there. Chief Doyle told the judge that he did not get enough notice to have Graham present. However, the city received notice two weeks prior to the hearing, which is much more notice than most police officers get when they appear in criminal court.

This Unemployment hearing is now the second victory (after the acquittal) for Dupuis between he and the city of Hamtramck. An arbitration hearing is scheduled for July 2006 in which the Hamtramck Police Union is asking for reinstatement and backpay for Dupuis.Dupuis who has maintained his innocence since the incident stated after receiving the latest award, “I feel great. Not only has a jury found me not guilty of a crime that I did not commit, but now a judge has found specifically as a fact that I did not tase anyone on that day.”

“I hope the arbitrator is able to see what’s really happened as well,” Dupuis stated about the upcoming arbitration, “I really want to get back to work and put this unbelievable nightmare behind me.”








The Trial
Hamtramck Star
by Hillary
04/02/06 02:12:28 pm
http://hamtramckstar.com/index.php/2006/04/02/the_trial

On Friday, Steve and I attended the "Taser Trial" at City Hall. First, I must say the renovation of the 31st District Court is beautiful; a classic courtroom with wood accents and vintage furniture. The seats for the public were at one time pews in a Catholic church with kneelers and hymnals.

Family and friends of Dupuis packed into the pews on the right with a few college students attending for a class. We sat on the left with Graham's family and friends, and numerous visiting Hamtramck PD officers. A cameraman from FOX2 also sat in the back briefly.

The jury consisted of 4 men and 3 women. Three of the men were non-white, possibly Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian. Mr. Hammoud, the attorney sent by the prosecutor's office, is an ESL speaker, Arabic possibly being his first language. The investigating officer, Sgt. Bielecki, was seated next to the prosecutor. A Mr. Sullivan represented Dupuis.

Graham testified first. She has been employed by the HPD 8 years.

She said that on that day, she was driving, and Dupuis asked her to stop at a gas station for a drink. She drove to a gas station, but past the first entrance "messing with him". He grabbed the wheel for a second, and then stopped. She told him to "calm down", and he pulled out his taser, removed the cartridge, removed the safety, and "cranked it once".

She was intimidated by the crackling and said, "I know you're not going to tase me." Dupuis jabbed towards her twice with the taser off, and then jabbed her thigh and "cranked it again". She went straight to the station, made a report, and offered to show the marks to Lt. Mathias.

She did not seek medical attention.

On cross examination, Graham agreed that she wrote 2 reports about the incident, one immediately after, and another more detailed report later. That day, they stopped at a bank and a jewelry store immediately before. She admitted that Dupuis may have bought her a gift while vacationing in Hawaii, though she didn't remember receiving a call from him after she had been in an auto accident. Graham received training on tasers, but did not accept a shock herself as some officers did. She was positive the trigger was pulled twice, and was told by someone that the firing data matched. She tried to withdraw her complaint a couple hours after filing it, but her request was not honored.

Lt. Mathias, a 40-year veteran of the HPD, testified that Graham came into the station and made an excited utterance that she couldn't work with Dupuis anymore because he "dry stunned her". He said it was improper for Dupuis to pull the taser. He did not confiscate the taser, and had to retrieve it from another officer Dupuis passed it onto in order to preserve it as evidence.

Mathias said he sent Graham and Dupuis home. He did not look at Graham's thigh because he felt it would have been inappropriate.

On cross examination, Mathias was asked about Graham's testimony that she finished her shift, and he conceded that may have been true, and Dupuis also may have worked at a desk the rest of the night.
Dupuis was not arrested, a warrant was not requested, nor was his statement taken that night.

Mathias said he called an off-duty detective in "within the hour", but it was actually over 2 hours. Mathias was asked if police officers have a "different sense of humor", and if he had ever said something to the effect that he could "trump up charges". He agreed he had, but felt the quote was taken out of context.
Detective Crachiola, HPD officer 11 years, testified that she took the photos of Graham's thigh.

She is not trained as an evidence technician and no scale was shown. She described the marks as 2 circles, approximately an inch apart, less then 1/8th inch across. She had never seen a taser injury before, and agreed there were no lines between the marks or swelling.

Lt. Sarafino, HPD officer for 20 years, testified that he downloaded the data from the taser, and printed a report on November 30. The report showed the weapon was fired on November 3, at 15:24 hours, once for 1 second. Sarafino believed the report would show two entries if the weapon were fired twice. The defense attorney asked if information had been downloaded when Officer Nolan was tased, but it was ruled inadmissible.

Officer Aiello, HPD officer the last 11 years, trains Hamtramck officers on taser use and gave a demonstration (later seen on FOX2 news).

The attorney for the prosecution claimed to be afraid of the tasers, and gingerly moved them from his table to the witness stand.

Aiello testified that taking the cartridge out of a taser is like removing the magazine from a gun.

A drive stun only affects the local area. It is protocol to perform a function test at the beginning of each shift. Tasers fire for 5 seconds when the trigger is pulled. Turning the safety on during the 5 second period is the only way to stop it, which is common practice when performing a function test.

Sgt. Bielecki, HPD officer for 24 years, testified that he wrote the warrant request to the prosecutors office, and asked for the video and taser report in the course of his investigation.

When asked why he didn't get the report or video sooner, he said downloading was "not immediately urgent" and the video shows outside of the car and has no sound. He was assigned to this case by Chief Doyle. The investigation was not referred to Michigan State Police, nor were they consulted, which was also Doyle's decision. He was asked if he saw any problem with the discrepancies between his report and the report from the taser, he said he didn't.

The defense attorney said Bielecki led the prosecutor's office to believe the taser was fired twice when he didn't have the report yet, and asked if he felt he had a responsibility to present exculpatory evidence. Bielecki said he had sent a report to the prosecutor's office "by mistake". A warrant was issued on December 2.

The prosecution rested. The defense moved for a mistrial on the grounds that improper statements were made and hearsay introduced. His motion was denied.

The first witness for the defense was the president of Michigan Taser. He explained that a "drive stun" effects the localized area between the probes. If the trigger is pulled twice during the 5-second firing time, only one is recorded. Turning on the safety is the only way to cause a 1-second firing.

While cross examining this witness, the attorney for the prosecution was holding a taser very comfortably; so comfortable that he used his own leg to illustrate his questions. He also referred to the probes as "arrows", and continually talked about the probes until the defense objected on the grounds that they were irrelevant.

The expert said the printed report was correct assuming the software, computer, and taser were working properly, and other than printing a report, there is no way to tell when a taser had been fired. He recommends a function test before every shift. He still instructs courses, though not for Taser International, and was not paid for his appearance in court. He said injuries vary depending on the duration of contact, and can include swelling or blisters.

Ronald Dupuis testified that there are many practical jokers at the police department. That day, Graham was working a double shift. They stopped at a bank, and a jewelry store, and then he asked if she would stop at a gas station so he could buy something to drink. She told him he would have to wait until lunch. Lunch wouldn't be for another 4 hours, so he didn't believe her.

On the way there, she slowed down to tease him more. They were joking back and forth, when he realized his vest had opened his holster, and it reminded him to perform a function test. He tested the taser, and said something like, "I don't want to accidentally tase you when I collapse from dehydration." He pointed it at her a couple times while it was off.

She said, "You can get something to drink after I put some paper on this," and started to return to the station. He thought she was joking. Practical jokes are common at the police department, like hiding equipment in the freezer.

Dupuis said he did not intend to touch Graham with the taser and had no reason to because they were friends. He called to tell her about extra shifts, and bought her a gift while he was on vacation.

The prosecutor asked why Dupuis had said he accidentally tased Graham in a meeting with the prosecutor on November 15. Dupuis said he had started to doubt himself because he didn't think Graham would lie. He denied grabbing the steering wheel.

During closing arguments, the prosecution tried to portray Dupuis as an abuser who was blaming his victim, and claimed the records were faulty.

The defense said that tasers are designed to stop false accusations against police officers, and encouraged the jury to look at the physical evidence. He left them with the thought that if the marks on Graham's leg were from a taser, it was not the taser in evidence.

Within an hour of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Taser case wasn't first problem for ex-officer
Checkered past casts doubt on the wisdom of his hiring
Detroit Free Press
January 19, 2006
BEN SCHMITT

Ronald Dupuis' troubled past.
Feb. 17, 1997: Written up for careless driving while working for the Ecorse Police Department.

Nov. 4, 1998: Reprimanded by the Southgate Police Department for a incident Oct. 8, 1998, in which he allegedly beat up a mentally disabled man at a gas station.

Dec. 24, 1998: Accused of falsifying overtime slips while working for Southgate.

March 16, 1999: Accused of stalking a woman and repeatedly pulling her over, also while working for Southgate.

March 30, 1999: Told by the Southgate Police Department that his one-year probationary period would not be honored and that he would be fired. He resigned three days later.

Nov. 7, 2000: Laid off by the Highland Park Public Safety department.

April 21, 2002: While working with the Hamtramck police, he is accused, with another officer, of assaulting a man during a traffic stop, which resulted in a lawsuit.

Nov. 3, 2005: Accused of discharging a Taser stun gun and striking his female partner, Prema Graham, in the leg with the weapon.

Nov. 5, 2005: Lawsuit settled for $20,000 stemming from traffic stop April 2, 2002.
Nov. 10, 2005: Fired from the Hamtramck Police Department.

Dec. 7, 2005: Charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Taser incident.
Ronald Dupuis was written up for careless driving in 1997 when he worked for the Ecorse Police Department.

He was reprimanded for allegedly beating up a mentally disabled man at a gas station when he was a Southgate police officer in 1998.

And in 1999, he was accused of stalking a woman while on patrol in Southgate.

Yet the 32-year-old still had a job -- as a Hamtramck police officer -- on Nov. 3 when police say he wounded his partner with a Taser stun gun while on duty.

Dupuis, who is scheduled to appear in Wayne County Circuit Court on Jan. 31 on a misdemeanor assault charge involving the Taser incident, has been fired. But his history as a cop raises questions about why he was hired in Hamtramck in the first place.

Hamtramck police officials concede that their background investigation may not have been thorough enough. When Dupuis was hired in 2001, the state had taken control of the city's finances.

"We didn't have the funding to use detectives for thorough background checks," Hamtramck Police Chief James Doyle said Wednesday. "We did the best we could."

Dupuis has worked as a police officer in Inkster, Ecorse, Hudson, Southgate, Highland Park and Hamtramck. He also worked as a Wayne County sheriff's deputy.

Dupuis declined to comment on his prior troubles and the Taser case through his attorney James Sullivan, who said it's not uncommon for ambitious police officers to change jobs often.

Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel says his department doesn't take background checks lightly. Not only are would-be employees subjected to driving record and criminal background checks, but their neighbors and past employers also are interviewed."Everyone, I don't care who it is, goes through this," Hackel said Wednesday.

An examination by the Free Press of Dupuis' employment records with seven different law enforcement agencies in 10 years shows a checkered past.

Eleven months into Dupuis' tenure with the Southgate department, a panel of three officers wrote a report recommending he be terminated after his one-year probation.

The March 1999 note cited five problem areas: attention toward police work, acceptance of feedback, problem solving and decision-making, field performance and relationship with citizens.The panel pointed to a February 1999 incident when Dupuis went to lunch rather than assist other officers in an arrest.

According to the report, when confronted, Dupuis responded: "That's right," with no further explanation.The next night he was sent to a residence on a domestic violence call and never showed, the report said.

Attorney Ben Gonek sued Dupuis, his partner and the City of Hamtramck on behalf of a man who said he was beaten during a traffic stop in 2002, settling for $20,000 last year.Gonek said he checked Dupuis' background and was baffled that Hamtramck hired him."It's clear to me that any department that hired him after some of his previous incidents" was subjecting its taxpayers to liability, Gonek said. "It was clear from his demeanor when I deposed him that he had a real short fuse."

Doyle, who fired Dupuis after the Taser incident, declined to comment on the case because it's still pending.
In that case, Dupuis allegedly demanded that his partner, Prema Graham, who was driving the police car, stop for a soda. When she refused, Dupuis grabbed for the steering wheel before prodding her twice with the Taser as she warded him off with her free hand, police said.

He then recharged the Taser and drove it into her right thigh, police reports said. She was hospitalized with minor injuries and has since returned to work.

Most of his trouble came in Southgate. In 1998, a lieutenant accused him of overtime fraud. In 1999, a 26-year-old woman filed a complaint claiming he had been stalking her."I was afraid he was going to harm her," said the woman's mother, Vicki Bedo.

The Southgate memo written by the three officers mentioned the stalking claim, adding: "it has come to our attention that there are multiple claims of similar actions by Officer Dupuis."

While there are no set standards for background checks, Gonek wondered how Hamtramck Police didn't consider the incidents in Southgate."All they had to do was get his personnel files," he said.

Gonek said that after he checked Dupuis' background for his lawsuit, the Taser incident didn't surprise him at all."The guy just seemed like a walking time bomb to do something really stupid," he said. "Hamtramck had no business hiring him."













Officer charged with Tasering partner
The News Herald
By Lena Khzouz,
PUBLISHED: December 11, 2005

Former Southgate police Officer Ronald Dupuis, 32, was charged Wednesday with assault and battery for allegedly discharging a Taser at his partner last month in Hamtramck.

Dupuis was working for the Hamtramck Police Department at the time of the incident but has since been fired.

Dupuis allegedly used his Taser on his partner Nov. 3 while they were driving near Conant and Holbrook.

Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, did not confirm that it was the result of an argument, as has been reported in other news stories.

Miller said arrangements were supposed to have been made for his arraignment last week.

According to the 31st District Court in Hamtramck, Dupuis had not been arraigned yet as of Friday morning.

Representatives of the city of Southgate would not release the dates of his employment without a formal Freedom of Information Act request.

Several police departments Downriver use Tasers, which are conductive energy devices utilized as a use-of-force option for law enforcement, private security and the military, according to Taser International.

They are shaped like a gun and can immobilize a subject up to 35 feet away, depending on the skill of the handler, for several minutes.

When the city of Melvindale last week chose to request bids for Tasers for its Police Department, Ron Dehne, a local representative of Taser International, described how being struck with a Taser feels.

"To me, it feels like you hit your funny bone throughout your whole body," he said.










Michigan Cop Said to Taser Partner Over Soft Drink
Updated: December 8th, 2005 05:06 PM PDT
Detroit Free Press
http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?id=27335&siteSection=1

An argument between two police officers over whether they should stop for a soft drink ended with the male officer using a Taser stun gun on his female partner, authorities say.

A Taser delivers an electrical shock to immobilize its target.

Ronald Dupuis, 32, was charged Wednesday with assault, which carries up to 93 days in jail on conviction. His arraignment was not yet scheduled, Hamtramck police Chief James Doyle told the Detroit Free Press.
The chief fired Dupuis, a six-year employee, about a week after the Nov. 3 incident.

According to a police report, Dupuis and partner Prema Graham began arguing after Dupuis demanded she stop their car at a store so he could buy a soft drink. Graham instead drove back toward the police station.
The two then struggled over the steering wheel, and Dupuis used his department-issued Taser to hit Graham in the leg, the report said. She was not seriously hurt.

Hamtramck police union lawyer Eugene Bolanowski said he expected Dupuis to hire a private lawyer.

Bolanowski said he would represent Dupuis should the officer be involved in a grievance.

Dupuis has worked for police departments in Ecorse, Highland Park, Inkster and Southgate and as a Wayne County sheriff's deputy.








Mich. officer accused of using Taser on partner
Posted 12/8/2005 7:35 AM
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-12-08-taser-assault_x.htm

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (AP) — A police officer has been charged with using a Taser on his partner during an argument over whether they should stop for a soft drink.

Ronald Dupuis, 32, was charged Wednesday with assault and could face up to three months in jail if convicted. The six-year veteran was fired after the Nov. 3 incident.

Dupuis and partner Prema Graham began arguing after Dupuis demanded she stop their car at a store so he could buy a soft drink, according to a police report.

The two then struggled over the steering wheel, and Dupuis hit her leg with his department-issued Taser, the report said. She was not seriously hurt.

Hamtramck police union lawyer Eugene Bolanowski said he expected Dupuis to hire a private lawyer.

Hamtramck is a city of 23,000 surrounded by Detroit.











Police: Officer used Taser in fight over soda
6-year veteran charged with assaulting his partner in Michigan incident
Updated 6:17 a.m. CT, Thurs., Dec. 8, 2005
MSNBC News
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10378923/

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - A police officer has been charged with using a Taser on his partner during an argument over whether they should stop for a soft drink.

Ronald Dupuis, 32, was charged Wednesday with assault and could face up to three months in jail if convicted. The six-year veteran was fired after the Nov. 3 incident.

Dupuis and partner Prema Graham began arguing after Dupuis demanded she stop their car at a store so he could buy a soft drink, according to a police report.

The two then struggled over the steering wheel, and Dupuis hit her leg with his department-issued Taser, the report said. She was not seriously hurt.

Hamtramck police union lawyer Eugene Bolanowski said he expected Dupuis to hire a private lawyer.
Hamtramck is a city of 23,000 surrounded by Detroit.










*************

Officer Ronald Dupuis' past law enforcement history:


Feb. 17, 1997: Officer Ronald Dupuis written up for careless driving while on duty. Ecorse Police Department.



Between 1997 and 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis leaves the Ecorse PD and becomes an officer with the Southgate PD.



October 08, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis allegedly beat up a mentally disabled man. Southgate PD.



November 04, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis reprimanded by the Southgate Police Department for the October 8th beating incident.



Dec. 24, 1998: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of falsifying overtime slips. Southgate PD.



March 16, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis accused of stalking a woman and repeatedly pulling her over while he was on duty. Southgate PD.



March 30, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was informed that he would be fired from the Southgate PD [Stalking incident].



April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis resigned from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident.



Sometime after April 02, 1999: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Highland Police Department [after resigning from the Southgate PD, to avoid being fired for stalking incident].



Nov. 7, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was laid off by the Highland Park Public Safety department.



Sometime after November 07, 2000: Officer Ronald Dupuis was hired by the Hamtramck PD, after being laid off by the Highland PD.



April 21, 2002: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop. Hamtramck PD. Resulted in a lawsuit, which was settled for $20,000 on November 05, 2005. Dupuis was not fired from the Hamtramack PD. for this incident.



2004: Hamtramck police officer Dupuis was sued by a man who alleged Dupuis wrongfully arrested him and had him jailed for no reason. The man was released without being charged. His lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.



Nov. 3, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of discharging a Taser stun gun and striking his female partner, Officer Prema Graham, in the leg with the weapon. [Hamtramack PD]



Nov. 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis was fired from the Hamtramck Police Department for tasering Officer Prema Graham.



Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis won legal challenges related to the tasering incident Officer Prema Graham, and the Hamtramck PD's firing of him.



Sometime after November 10, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis returned to duty at the Highland Police Department [previously laid off from department in November 2000].



Dec. 7, 2005: Officer Ronald Dupuis charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Taser incident.



April 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis found not guilty at trial of November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham



June 16, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis won an unemployment claim dispute against the City of Hamtramck for their firing of him after the November 2005 taser incident Officer Prema Graham. Chief of Police also refused to reinstate Dupuis.
2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck and Officer Prema Graham [November 2005 taser incident]
August 2006: City of Hamtramck lost appeal on Officer Ronald Dupuis' unemployment.



November 01, 2006: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a lawsuit against the City of Hamtramck: Civil Rights / Employment. Police Chief refused to reinstate him. [November 2005 taser incident of Officer Graham].



January 2007: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit to be reinstated to Hamtramck PD, following his being terminated after November 2005 taser incident against Officer Prema Graham.



October 31, 2008: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed suit against City of Hamtramck.



2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis was accused of choking a woman who was in custody.



February 28, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis filed a suit against Highland Park: Civil Rights / Employment.



May 22, 2012: Officer Ronald Dupuis' gun "accidently" went off outside the department's cell block. Dupuis was shot in the leg. Sources at the Highland PD said there would be no disciplinary action taken against Dupuis.



September 19, 2013: Highland Park Officer Ronald Dupuis arrested uniformed / on duty Detroit Parking Enforcement Officer Rhianna Turner and her girlfriend Kera Hill, in front of Detroit PD. Dupuis transported them back to Highland PD and had the women jailed for four days - without charges. Turner lost her job due to the unlawful arrest and imprisonment.



January 12, 2015: An online video from Emma Craig surfaced, showing Officer Dupuis beating a handcuffed Andrew Jackson during an arrest. "Highland Park city attorney Todd Perkins said he's aware of Dupuis' checkered past, although he said he will "draw no conclusions" from it." In April 2015, Highland Park Police Chief Kevin Coney stated that Officer Dupuis was not facing discipline for the beating of Andrew Jackson.



January 14, 2015: Michigan State Police investigation of Officer Ronald Dupuis and other officers for the January beating of Andrew Jackson. Officer Dupuis was not suspended from duty during this criminal investigation.



February 09, 2015: Officer Ronald Dupuis was shot in the leg during a raid. Officer Dupuis was still on active duty despite an MSP investigation of the beating of Andrew Jackson during a January 2015 arrest.



February 13, 2015: Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy began criminal investigation of Officer Ronald Dupuis and other officers for the January 2015 beating of Andrew Jackson. Officer Dupuis was not suspended from duty during this criminal investigation.
"According to the office, it received a warrant request from the Michigan State Police, which investigated the arrest of Andrew Jackson Jr. on Jan. 12 by officers...One of the officers shown in the video making the arrest is Highland Park Sgt. Ron Dupuis..."



February 25, 2015: Lawsuit filed by Andrew Jackson against Officer Ronald Dupuis for January 2015 beating.



April 15, 2015: Lawsuit filed by Rhianna Turner and Kera Hill against Officer Ronald Dupuis for unlawful arrest and false imprisonment [September 2013]



April 20, 2015: Officer Dupuis cleared by Prosecutor Kym Worthy of criminal charges in the January 2015 beating of Andrew Jackson.
"Worthy did not defend some of the officers’ conduct.  She said some of Sgt. Dupuis’s behavior was improper and warrants possible punishment from his superiors. Still, Worthy said, charges aren’t warranted."



April 20, 2015: Highland Park Police Chief Kevin Coney announced that Officer Ronald Dupuis was not facing disciplinary action for the January beating of Andrew Jackson.

















Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Location: Hamtramck, MI, USA
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)