Dodge City Police Officer a Suspect for Murder!

[NoLongerInRadioGuy]

Myself and LordFoulsBane just got done reading all the posts all the fine Dodge-Boardians have left on this topic. We would like to point out a few things, that might have been posted in error or else without knowing the whole situation...

1. KBI is in charge of the ENTIRE investigation. They were called in immediately after the initial "check welfare" call was found to be much more. This was done as a precaution by administration. The DCPD will hand over any case that could involve a member of this department. Even if a DCPD cop or family member is involved in a minor car accident, an outside agency - FO CO SO or KHP - gets called to work it, so there is no favortism.

2. KBI is in charge of sending out all information and decided what should be sent out for public knowledge. The DCPD has NO control over this. DCPD was used by the KBI in a supporting role - they used our building, our officers for scene security, and our evidence locker to hold things before being sent to their lab.

3. When Tahah was apprehended in Colorado, the warrant had NOT been issued. The LEO's in Colorado were not aware at the time of his arrest that he was wanted for ANYTHING out of Kansas. As a matter of fact, at that time, he was NOT wanted!! No warrant had even been issued at that time for the murder here. However....of course, the police would question him as to why he was running from them...we do not know what happened after that or how he replied to them.

4. Even though Tahah was an LEO, there was NEVER a time that anything was being covered up. As I had posted on a previous thread ( and I think TexKan noted) investigations take time. A quick arrest for a major crime makes everyone feel good, but could quickly go bad if the investigation was not complete or if it was flawed. I know KBI was interviewing people all last week long and also waiting on evidence to be processed by their lab.

On a personal note, people here at the dept. are experiencing many emotions over this - hurt (for those of us who knew Erin), anger (as to how a fellow LEO could possibly do something like this), and embarassment (because of those people that will now compare all of us to the one bad apple). Please do not judge all DCPD officers and admin based on what one person might have done - and, if it was him or someone else, we pray that the due process is followed appropriately and the guilty party is punished to the full extent of the law.

[TexKan]

I hope no one judges based on the actions of one flawed person - if he is guilty. Ya just never know the twists and turns but god knows everyone watches enough TV to understand those that look guilty aren't always the ones that did it.

Thanks for the clarification - it makes sense to me but I'm biased - without a doubt!!

With that in mind...................... Happy Police Week fellas and girls!............ lots of love and respect from a copsmom.

[MissKitty]

I watched a TV news report and they couldn't even get her name right. They kept calling her Erin James. Don't believe everything you read OR hear.

[grlddg]

Originally Posted by midgetlover

I really dont feel like going back and quoting someone but i believe to the best of my knowledge that they mentioned we dont know the state of mind he could be in after commiting a murder but it couldnt have been that bad because he went to HDs to have a good time that sat. night doesnt seem like his mind was affected enough to not be out on the town after alledgedly murdering a person he was stalking sounds like a he is or was a very calculating and manipulitive perosn

Ooh that's creepy....What a scary guy. I'm glad that he is behind bars!
Why would you act like everything is fine and then act guilty as hell and run??? Hello!? Crazy??
You know somebody brought up a very good point to me lately. If he was or is "innocent" then wouldn't you want to do all you can to find your girlfriend's killer? Especially with him being on the force? Wouldn't that drive you to find out what happened instead of driving a stolen car to Colorado? Riddle me that one....

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by NoLongerInRadioGuy

Myself and LordFoulsBane just got done reading all the posts all the fine Dodge-Boardians have left on this topic. We would like to point out a few things, that might have been posted in error or else without knowing the whole situation...

1. KBI is in charge of the ENTIRE investigation. They were called in immediately after the initial "check welfare" call was found to be much more. This was done as a precaution by administration. The DCPD will hand over any case that could involve a member of this department. Even if a DCPD cop or family member is involved in a minor car accident, an outside agency - FO CO SO or KHP - gets called to work it, so there is no favortism.

2. KBI is in charge of sending out all information and decided what should be sent out for public knowledge. The DCPD has NO control over this. DCPD was used by the KBI in a supporting role - they used our building, our officers for scene security, and our evidence locker to hold things before being sent to their lab.

3. When Tahah was apprehended in Colorado, the warrant had NOT been issued. The LEO's in Colorado were not aware at the time of his arrest that he was wanted for ANYTHING out of Kansas. As a matter of fact, at that time, he was NOT wanted!! No warrant had even been issued at that time for the murder here. However....of course, the police would question him as to why he was running from them...we do not know what happened after that or how he replied to them.

4. Even though Tahah was an LEO, there was NEVER a time that anything was being covered up. As I had posted on a previous thread ( and I think TexKan noted) investigations take time. A quick arrest for a major crime makes everyone feel good, but could quickly go bad if the investigation was not complete or if it was flawed. I know KBI was interviewing people all last week long and also waiting on evidence to be processed by their lab.

On a personal note, people here at the dept. are experiencing many emotions over this - hurt (for those of us who knew Erin), anger (as to how a fellow LEO could possibly do something like this), and embarassment (because of those people that will now compare all of us to the one bad apple). Please do not judge all DCPD officers and admin based on what one person might have done - and, if it was him or someone else, we pray that the due process is followed appropriately and the guilty party is punished to the full extent of the law.

I just want to say that you deserve a lot of credit for posting in this manner, and not going for the personal attack of posters like a couple of others have on this thread. I know that I, and I'm pretty sure that the rest of the posters, don't judge ALL DCPD officers over what he has or hasn't done. I personally think that most of the police officers in Dodge City are doing a very good job and I thank them for the job that they do.

As far as releasing information, with the Denver post article quoting the city manager and a city commissioner, it shows that somebody in the city knew some information that should have been released to the public, and the Post would have to get there facts straight before printing a quote from a city official. Back to the quote by the city manager, his quote stated that Tahah was suspended on May 5th and then fired on Thursday. That is the day before he was caught in Colorado on Friday, and a day before the Globe printed an article that there was no new information to report. There had to be a reason for him to be fired on Thursday, didn't there?

[LordFoulsBane]

Back to the quote by the city manager, his quote stated that Tahah was suspended on May 5th and then fired on Thursday. That is the day before he was caught in Colorado on Friday, and a day before the Globe printed an article that there was no new information to report. There had to be a reason for him to be fired on Thursday, didn't there?

Tahah, I believe, was suspended, with pay, pending investigation. This is standard procedure nationwide. None of us officer know the exact reason for termination, but if I would have to guess, by policy, all employees of the department are required to cooperate fully with any investigation. Failure to do so is grounds for termination. If you are not around to cooperate and authorities can not get ahold of you, I would constitute as not giving full cooperation.

As to why the Glode didn't have the imformation to print the next day, no one has ever accused them of being Johnny-on-the-spot...

P158

[Bubba]

Thank you LordFoulsBane. All I can say is keep your head up and continue to do the good job that you do. I'm sure it is a tough situation to be in.

[brownsugar]

I just want to say that I have friends that are with the DCPD, and that I have the up most respect for them and because one person don't make the whole department bad people, just let justice take it course.

[flyer]

Originally Posted by Bubba

I just want to say that you deserve a lot of credit for posting in this manner, and not going for the personal attack of posters like a couple of others have on this thread. I know that I, and I'm pretty sure that the rest of the posters, don't judge ALL DCPD officers over what he has or hasn't done. I personally think that most of the police officers in Dodge City are doing a very good job and I thank them for the job that they do.

As far as releasing information, with the Denver post article quoting the city manager and a city commissioner, it shows that somebody in the city knew some information that should have been released to the public, and the Post would have to get there facts straight before printing a quote from a city official. Back to the quote by the city manager, his quote stated that Tahah was suspended on May 5th and then fired on Thursday. That is the day before he was caught in Colorado on Friday, and a day before the Globe printed an article that there was no new information to report. There had to be a reason for him to be fired on Thursday, didn't there?

"thEIr facts straight" - I understand you are very concerned about correct spelling.

Go ahead and give me neg reps - I won't lose any sleep over it. I don't live and die by this message board.

Have a great evening

[midgetlover]

I dont have a negative opinion of the DCPD just a select few as a matter of fact I have been treated well by the majority and I dont hold the bad ones over the good ones YET by the powers that be and decisions that are made by them their public opinions have become quite low and the select few that have openly given them a bad name have ruined it for the really good ones I can name the good ones IMO like i have named the bad ones Knox, Mooridian(sp) Welchel, just to name a few and by the actions of a few i have allowed clouded judgement to over ride my opinions of them all to a point I have also made a statements that were not correct they have done their jobs but just like our bosses at work in our regular day to day jobs we are just the worker ants controlled by the queens as are they are. I really hate to see the whole PD brought down by individuals and not a by a whole. As faras im concerned he did it and my experiences with other PD members of the wrong side have soured my taste for them yet some have pulled thru and have shown that they are the ones we need here. The mexican officer (cant remmeber his name) who was fired for the incident where he attempted to rape (i believe ) that lady on 14th rodeo grounds deserved what he got and i can go back to the early nineties and bring up a whole group of officers that ruined the reputation of the force to a very bad low Sanchez, Swerring (sp)(sp) DiGeronimo (not his name but thats what he was called) were a horrible group to be around in any enviroment. Ask Vinnie is a good band now their rep and following im sure will be hurt by all of this. Its there word against ours and public opinion sadly is always the deciding factor when reputations and jobs are at stake. I really wouldnt want to see the ones that are standing up for their words as an officer be let down by the ones that have lied in their oath to protect us. Everywhere you go the bad ones exist we aretnt he only ones. We still should have been informed of the potential suspect still notloose regardless protect and serve and this is one case where i believe it is justified in informing the public.