Denver deputy fired for excessive force; another punished for flashing badge at restaurant

By NOELLE PHILLIPS | nphillips@denverpost.com | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: February 6, 2017 at 12:01 am | UPDATED: February 6, 2017 at 10:35 am

A Denver Sheriff Department veteran was fired in January for using excessive force against an inmate after provoking the inmate to fight by cursing at him and shoving him.

Deputy Darrin Turner, a 15-year department veteran, was fired on Jan. 4 for failing to follow the department’s use-of-force rules and lying about his actions during an internal investigation, according to his disciplinary letter.

“Deputy Turner’s own conduct created a use-of-force situation where absolutely no use of force was required,” the letter said.

Three other Denver sheriff’s deputies also were disciplined in January. A sergeant was suspended for 30 days after flashing his badge in a Castle Rock restaurant to intimidate employees into providing faster service. And two deputies were suspended two days each after their mistakes led to two inmates being incarcerated longer than necessary.

The conflict between Turner and an inmate, who was identified only by the initials “DR” in the letter, started when deputies who were preparing to transfer inmates to Arapahoe County discovered DR trying to steal a blanket.

Turner argued with the inmate over the blanket, but the argument continued after the blanket was confiscated, the letter said.

Turner and the inmate kept it up as they walked through hallways and holding areas. As they walked through one corridor, Turner shoved his left elbow into the inmate’s back, the letter said.

The inmate always had his hands at his side or tucked into the waistband of his pants, the letter said.

Eventually, Turner took off his glasses and, without breaking stride, handed them to another deputy and walked into a room that did not have cameras, the letter said.

Other deputies and inmates in the area heard the two men yelling, the letter said, and eventually the inmate took a swing at Turner. The deputy twice slammed the inmate against the ledge of a window, once holding him by the throat, which is not an approved fighting technique, the letter said.

Turner failed to report that he had removed his glasses, a sign that he was preparing to fight, the letter said.

“If Deputy Turner had the time and presence of mind to remove his glasses and ensure their safety, he also had time and circumstances that permitted him to consider other options than entering an enclosed area of the facility with a provoked inmate for no legitimate reason,” the letter said.

The internal investigation determined that Turner’s behavior was egregious. He did not accept responsibility for his behavior and was deceptive about his reasons for using force, the letter said.

Sgt. David Shelley was in line at a Mexican restaurant in Castle Rock in August when he grew agitated over slow service. After employees seated a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputy and brought him water and a menu, Shelley pulled his badge and loudly confronted the staff, his Jan. 9 letter said.

The Douglas County deputy wrote a letter to the Denver Sheriff Department to report Shelley, saying “I made sure to explain to the waiter that he was NOT associated with Douglas County as I did not want him straining our relationship with our citizens.”

Shelley was penalized for using his position for personal gain, and his punishment was increased because he is a sergeant who trains new sergeants how to do their jobs.

“As such, he should have known better than to behave in such a manner,” the letter said. “It is appropriate for the Department to have higher expectations for supervisors than subordinate deputies, especially supervisors that train others.”

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/02/06/denver-sheriff-department-excessive-force-problems/