DALLAS POLICE SUPERVISOR ACCUSED OF MISHANDLING EVIDENCE IS DEMOTED

Patrol Officer Accused Of Drinking Terminated

A veteran Dallas Police Department supervisor accused of mishandling drug
evidence was demoted and a patrol officer accused of being intoxicated on
duty was terminated Friday, police officials say.

Acting Chief Randy Hampton demoted Senior Cpl. Michael Gilmore, who had
been a sergeant in the southwest patrol division.

Cpl. Gilmore, 39, was the last officer disciplined in connection with a
June 1999 incident in which officers were accused of not placing
confiscated narcotics in the department's property room.

Department officials said the allegation was serious because it involved
the mishandling of criminal evidence. Internal investigators also sustained
charges that he failed to follow rules governing how officers can work
off-duty assignments.

Cpl. Gilmore could not be reached Friday for comment.

"We depend on supervisors to guide the actions of other employees," said
Deputy Chief Ron Waldrop, a police spokesman.

The allegation against Cpl. Gilmore and four other officers surfaced last
year after an apartment complex manager in Pleasant Grove found the drugs
in an apartment used by off-duty officers who worked security on the
grounds. Internal investigators determined that no drugs were missing,
police officials said.

Another senior corporal, Rudy Contreras, was suspended earlier for five days.

Senior Cpl. James Garner, a northeast division patrol officer, was
terminated for violations of the department's general conduct policies,
officials said. He was placed on paid leave in April after officials said
he consumed alcohol before reporting to work, department records show.

When officers could not contact him at his home while he was on leave in
May, a violation of department policy, he reported to the Internal Affairs
Division, officials said. A test showed that he was intoxicated during work
hours, officials said.

"Intoxication on duty is a serious charge, but more than that, it was a
pattern of behavior," Chief Waldrop said. "And he had not fully taken
advantage of the assistance available to him through the department."

Cpl. Garner, 34, referred questions to his labor group, the Dallas Police
Association.

Senior Cpl. Glenn White, the president of the association, said he hoped
the officer would appeal the discipline through civil service channels.

"It is a shame, because at one point he was an outstanding officer," Cpl.
White said. "I think he is redeemable, and if the circumstances play out
correctly, he may come back and continue to do a good job."