NEWS > 16 July 2006

Article sourced from

The Register-Guard - Eugene,Or
16 July 2006

This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.

Commission finds chief violate

TOLEDO - Police Chief Don Denison faces fines of $20,000 or more, after the Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission found that he violated state laws barring public officials from using their position for personal gain.

The commission ruled earlier this month, in response to complaints filed by two residents, that the Toledo chief ran afoul of ethics laws. Among the findings:

� Denison used a city-owned backhoe to bury his daughter's horse.

� He took laptop computers from the police department for his children to use.

� He created an agreement between the city and his parents for use of their rural acreage in exchange for improvements to the property, failing to notify his superiors in writing of the conflict of interest.

� He opened a personal checking account, deposited public money into it and wrote checks to relatives without disclosing a conflict. One transaction resulted in an interest-free loan for Denison of nearly $500 for six months.

� He failed to inform Toledo's city manager in writing of a conflict of interest when he paid himself as a "subcontractor" with funds from a Federal Emergency Management Agency planning grant that he applied for through the city.

The commission found that Denison violated state ethics laws 20 times. The chief could be fined up to $1,000 for each violation, plus he may be forced to forfeit twice the amount that he or his family gained financially, executive director Pat Hearn said.

The state is now seeking to settle Denison's case through his Portland attorney, Steven Houze. If unsuccessful, the chief may appeal the case by asking for a hearing in front of an administrative law judge or demanding that the commission file a lawsuit against him in Marion County Circuit Court.

Denison couldn't be reached for comment. He's in Iraq on vacation from his job with the city, training the country's police officers for a private firm, Houze said.

"I don't take any joy in this," said Mary Johnson, one of the people who filed complaints against the chief. "I'm glad the commission voted the way they did, but I don't take any pride in it. I'm sorry for what he's done to the community. I'd like to see him admit what he did and apologize."

What remains unclear is Denison's future in Toledo. City Manager Pete Wall said he will wait until the chief's appeals are exhausted before taking any action.

EiP Comments:

* We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper or periodical. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and we will remove the article. The articles republished on this site are provided for the purposes of research , private study, criticism , review, and the reporting of current events' We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper , periodical or other works. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and where necessary we will remove the work concerned.

Other related articles:

Article sourced from

The Register-Guard - Eugene,Or16 July 2006

Commission finds chief violate

EiP Comments:

The Register-Guard - Eugene,Or
16 July 2006