Unbelievable: Cop who wrongly killed teen had history of blunders, was fired from last job as cop

[happyg]

Robby Soave

The Euharlee, Georgia police officer who shot and killed a teenager because she wrongly thought he was holding a gun had made a similar mistake in the past, and was fired from her previous job as a police officer as part of long history of blunders and poor job performance.

When 17-year-old Christopher Roupe answered the door at his home on the night of February 17, officer Beth Gatny opened fire on him. Gatny, who was there to serve a warrant on Roupe’s father, had thought the teenager was holding a gun. Lawyers for the Roupe family say the kid did not have a gun, and was likely holding a video game controller for the Nintendo Wii.

Roupe died as a result of the shooting.

New evidence has surfaced suggesting that Gatny had a history of making this mistake and should never have been employed by the Euharlee police department. In 2008, she fired her gun at a suspect who was trying to open his backpack because she thought he was armed. The suspect was not armed, and her partner said there was no reason to think otherwise. An investigation disagreed with the partner and found Gatny innocent.

Worse, Gatny was fired from her job as a police officer in Acworth, Georgia before joining the Euharlee force nine months ago. Gatny was fired for failing to show up for work, according to NBC News.

Gatny sought disability compensation and was rejected because her claim was “not medically supported,” according to personnel records.

She was reprimanded for failure to follow orders and for leaving her weapon with a civilian while her picture was taken. She was also involved in four car accidents.

Euharlee police did not immediately respond to a request for comment as to whether they were aware of these facts when she was hired.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/06/unbelievable-cop-who-wrongly-killed-teen-had-history-of-blunders-was-fired-from-last-job-as-cop/#ixzz2vF1Jp02c

[Rapunzel]

they were aware of these facts when she was hired.

 

[240B]

My neighbor in Chicago was a cop. We were good friends. I rode with him quite a bit and saw the unionism of it. In fact on night, I overheard on the radio a conversation,  [good grief, I just made myself laugh outloud, because we really were actually parked outside of a Dunkin Donuts at the time getting free pastries and coffee] anyway, the conversation between him and another office was similar to this. It had to do with another officer from another district who had been, well, fired in our language. In police language he had been RIF'ed, (reduction in force) or other terms.
 
They were talking about wether or not to bring him on, and it looked likely. In fact, my friend was trying to recruit me. I may have gone reserve, but moved before anything went forward.
 
Anyway, I can see how this could happen. If they need cops and they have one ready they don't have to train, and who already has some experience, they are likely to give them the benfit of the doubt.