The partner of police officer Seneca Darden, who was killed by another officer last May, will be fired. The officer, Jason Canfield, was still in his probationary period with the police force. Such officers can be terminated without any grievance procedure. The decision on this comes from city manager Regina Williams.
Overwhelmingly (70% to 25% as of this writing), those who have participated in the online poll about this are against the firing of the officer. I have to agree. It is obvious to me that mistakes were made all around that day and it cost a man his life. Firing Canfield won’t change any of that.
Michael McKenna, president of the local chapter of International Brotherhood of Police Officers, also questioned the city’s logic in firing Canfield.
“If I hear a policeman is being shot, or if I’m a block away and some citizen is being shot, I’m going to go over there,” McKenna said. “I take an oath of office to protect people.”
Listen to the people on this one, Regina. We’ve lost enough officers from the Norfolk police force over the last year or so that we cannot afford to lose another one. The guy made a mistake by leaving his post. He has been on administrative leave. I think he has been punished enough. Let him continue to serve.
UPDATE: It seems there is more to this story. From the article today, Williams says that Officer Canfield was not completely truthful in his statements to the police immediately after the shooting.
Although Williams was not specific, she told the council that Canfield wasn’t truthful in certain aspects of his statement to police, sources said. Only later, during questioning by State Police, did Canfield acknowledge the truth, she told the City Council. Canfield’s attorney, Michael F. Imprevento, denied that his client misled anyone.
All the more reason for the report to be released.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 