Police officer fired after internal probe
Posted on Saturday, July 19, 2008
A Fayetteville police officer was terminated from his job Friday morning following the completion of an internal investigation.
"His termination was effective as of 10 a.m. today," Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor said Friday.
Findings of the internal investigation reportedly found that Officer Jared Cypert, 26, of Fayetteville violated three department policies and three civil service rules on the morning of July 9, when the off-duty officer was arrested for public intoxication.
Police were dispatched to The Cliffs apartments, 78 Aqua Crossing, at 7: 30 a.m. for a reported burglary in progress. The suspect, described as a white man wearing swimming trunks and no shirt, was later identified as Cypert. He was issued an arrest summons for public intoxication but was not booked into the Washington County Detention Center.
According to a 911 dispatch report, the victim reported entering his apartment and discovering an intoxicated man, later identified as Cypert, inside his residence. The victim stated that the suspect, whom he had never seen before, attacked him, prompting him to flee his own residence. The victim locked himself inside a neighbor's apartment and called 911.
The report stated that Cypert followed the victim and began knocking on the neighbor's door. He then walked to the parking lot of the apartment complex, where he began trying to open car doors. According to a witnesses, Cypert entered a red Honda but exited the vehicle moments later.
When officers arrived, they identified the suspect as an off-duty police officer and placed him in the back of a patrol unit. Shift supervisors were called to the scene and arrested Cypert on a charge of public intoxication.
"We get a large number of these kind of cases where people are drunk and end up in someone else's house," said Fayetteville Prosecuting Attorney Casey Jones. "There could be felony charges, depending on his intent."
Tabor said officers must witness a misdemeanor offense to make an arrest. The officer at the scene determined that the actions committed by Cypert prior officers'arrival were misdemeanors, he said.
Cypert was placed on administrative leave during the internal investigation.
Cases may result in one of four dispositions: unfounded, exonerated, not sustained or sustained. If a case is unfounded, the investigation proved that the allegation did not occur. Exonerated investigations prove that the allegation did occur but was justifiable. Dispositions that are not sustained indicate the investigation couldn't prove whether the allegations occurred. A sustained disposition proves that the allegation did occur and constitutes misconduct.
Findings of Cypert's internal investigation determined that the former police officer violated the department's policy regarding private life by "behaving in a manor that brings discredit to others or themselves. "The investigation further accused the former police officer of "demonstrating unbecoming conduct. "Cypert additionally violated the following three civil service rules: "engaging in conduct that is detrimental to the efficiency or morale of the department, " "use of any physical force against a citizen except in cases where it is necessary for an officer on-duty"and "violation of any federal, state or local law."
Cypert was subsequently terminated from the police department.
The investigation has been sent to the Fayetteville prosecutor's office for final review.
"We'll talk to the victim and see if he wants to pursue additional charges," Jones said. "Depending on the facts, it is possible that more charges could be filed."
According to Civil Service regulations, city employees may request a trial in front of the Civil Service Commission on the charges alleged, in which case, the commission must set a date within 15 days. After the commission makes a final decision, a person may request an appeal within 30 days.
Cypert was hired by the Fayetteville Police Department in 2006 as a firsttime officer.
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