Ex-cop Gets 2 Years' Probation In Pot Case

[Jim Finnel]

A Fort Worth police officer who resigned last year after being arrested for keeping marijuana instead of turning it over as evidence has been sentenced to two years of probation.

In a plea deal, Wesley Lamb pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge and also permanently surrendered his Texas peace officer's license.

Lamb's attorney did not return a call seeking comment.

Police began investigating Lamb after receiving a tip that he was possibly smoking pot while on duty, in uniform and in his patrol car.

An undercover officer posing as a concerned citizen gave Lamb about 3 ounces of marijuana. Lamb said he'd destroy it. Although he was supposed to take it to the police property room, the pot was later found in his home and personal car.


NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
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[shawaa]

FORT WORTH — At an unusual morning news conference, Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead announced the resignation of an officer, who was arrested for possessing marijuana and tampering with evidence, and said he will reorganize the department from the top down to place more sergeants and lieutenants in the field to supervise officers.
The arrest Wednesday morning of officer Wesley D. Lamb is the latest in a string of reports of misconduct involving Fort Worth police officers both on-duty and off.
Halstead said a special investigations unit that he created will continue to ferret out misconduct by officers in addition to auditing the entire department.
“To those very, very select few who think that you can stand against policy, that you can violate the public trust, I will find you and I will fire you,” Halstead said.
Last week, an off-duty officer whose blood-alcohol level was at least twice the legal limit of intoxication, police officials have said, plowed into a house, knocking a couple from their bed.
In December, an off-duty officer who police say was speeding in a city vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 crashed into car, killing a mother of two.
In addition, several traffic officers are under local and federal investigation on allegations that they falsely claimed overtime under the Strategic Traffic Enforcement program.
The department began investigating Lamb on Monday after a resident reported that the uniformed officer had recently been smoking marijuana in his patrol car while on duty.
“As soon as I heard, I was disgusted and I was furious,” Halstead said.
According to the arrest-warrant affidavit, other officers began a covert operation to investigate the report. An undercover officer, posing as a civilian, turned over 86 grams of marijuana to Lamb, saying that he had found it and wanted to turn it over to police.
The undercover officer watched as Lamb put the marijuana in his patrol car, stating he intended to destroy it, the affidavit states.
Officers then watched Lamb drive to his residence, go inside for about 10 minutes and then leave. Soon afterward, the affidavit states, Lamb “cleared the call,” indicating on his call sheet that he would not be making a police report on the incident.
Police continued to watch Lamb through the end of his shift, when he was observed removing items from the police vehicle and placing them inside his personal Chevrolet Tahoe.
Before leaving his sector, Lamb was detained by investigators with the special investigation unit, the affidavit states.
Sgt. Pedro Criado, a police spokesman, said investigators found most of the marijuana inside Lamb’s house after getting a search warrant. Marijuana was also found inside Lamb’s Tahoe, he said.
Halstead said Lamb, who had been employed with the department since 2002, acknowledged smoking marijuana on duty.


Read more: Fort Worth police chief orders top-down shake-up | News | News from Fort Worth, Dallas, ...

 

[Smoke2Js]

Um, wow. There is a time and place for everything. Smoking in his patrol car? Man not to bright. He must have failed his will save vs the weed.
Also why give him a bunch of weed? A better way would have been to test him on duty for it. Not give him a big bag o'weed and see what he does with it. They really wanted to burn this officer.

However those not bright and wise enough should not be cops.
I am not familiar with Texas MMJ laws, but I am sure smoking and driving is right out.

I hope he has brighter days.