Latest news with #AmherstPoliceDepartment
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Tire chirping ‘cop hater' sees police stalking complaint tossed
A 'cop hater' ticketed for chirping his tires in a noisy truck has lost his appeal to the Nova Scotia Police Review Board where he claimed the officer who pulled him over in July 2023 had been stalking him due to his involvement the year before in a protest at the province's border with New Brunswick. Thomas Everett asked the three-member panel to review a decision made last spring by the chief of the Amherst Police Department dismissing his complaints against Cpl. Derek Hebert. The officer, a 16-year veteran on that force, testified he was called in as back-up on July 24, 2023, to help with a traffic stop. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'During the short time he was at the scene, Mr. Everett drove by, travelling in the opposite direction. According to Cpl. Hebert, Mr. Everett slowed his vehicle as he proceeded by, then sped up, loudly revving his engine (with a loud, after market muffler, designed for noise) and 'chirped' his tires as he continued on his way,' said the recent decision. The high-pitched squeaking caused by stomping on the gas caught the attention of a couple walking by, according to the officer. 'Cpl. Hebert also testified that the acceleration posed risk to a vehicle ahead of Mr. Everett,' said the decision. 'Mr. Everett denies that he 'chirped' his tires, although he agrees that he slowed, then sped up, and that his truck is equipped with a loud, after market muffler.' Everett argued that Hebert had already 'characterized him as a 'cop hater,' arising out of Everett's possible involvement in some sort of citizen protest at the Nova Scotia/New Brunswick border in 2022.' The decision doesn't delve into the nature of the protest and the officer's lawyer said Monday that wasn't at the heart of the case. 'Hebert was aware of (the protest), and at some point, heard the expression 'cop hater' describing Mr. Everett. He testified that he had never met him before, but knew where he lived, and what he looked like,' said the review board decision. After the tire chirping incident, Hebert followed Everett's truck and pulled him over. 'Portions of the traffic stop were recorded on the dashcam in the police vehicle,' said the decision. 'As well, Mr. Everett's wife recorded the interaction on a phone, which was intentionally live streaming the events to some Facebook group.' When the officer asked for Everett's licence, insurance, and registration, the driver handed over a plastic envelope containing the paperwork, said the decision, dated Aug. 8. The officer asked him to remove the documents from the envelope, but Everett 'declined to do so, several times, and so Cpl. Hebert, remaining by Everett's truck, removed the documents one at a time, and then tossed them back into Mr. Everett's lap.' Hebert then handed Everett a ticket. 'There was no overt aggressive, or angry, behaviour visible by either Cpl. Hebert or Mr. Everett.' Tossing the documents back into Everett's lap, 'which may have been born out of frustration, does not amount to conduct that could be considered a disciplinary violation,' said the decision. 'We also have to bear in mind that Mr. Everett was live streaming the interaction, making this something of a performance piece, intended for an audience in a Facebook world.' Everett testified Hebert was 'stalking' him on June 14, 2023. 'He relates this to the idea that Cpl. Hebert saw him as a 'cop hater.'' For his part, Hebert said he was patrolling Amherst's Mission Street that day, when he thought he heard someone call out to him from a social gathering beside Everett's duplex. 'He reversed, and video evidence shows a woman quickly coming from the Everett side of the building, shouting at him,' said the decision. 'She was angry about a traffic ticket that he had issued to her, saying that he had reported the ticket matter to her social worker. There was little interaction between Cpl. Hebert and the woman, and none with Mr. Everett who was apparently part of the social gathering.' While the two men didn't interact that day, Everett argued that 'the mere presence of Cpl. Hebert was improper, and was part of the 'stalking,'' said the panel's decision. 'While Mr. Everett sees his minor (if any) involvement in a citizen protest in 2022 as making him a target, and subject to surveillance by APD, we disagree. There is no evidence that Mr. Everett had any prior involvement with the criminal justice system, or otherwise with APD. It seems very highly unlikely that Cpl. Hebert, or the APD, would have any interest in the activities of Thomas Everett. He hardly seems to be a crime figure, or even a 'serial protester,' if a protester at all.' The review board rejected 'any possibility of Cpl. Hebert targeting Thomas Everett.' Hebert 'had a valid reason to be on Mission Street,' said the decision, which notes he was looking for someone wanted by police. The panel also found 'there was no misconduct' relating to the chirping incident. 'We reject any suggestion that there was any targeting of Mr. Everett underlying that event. It was within Cpl. Hebert's discretion to respond to the actions of Mr. Everett on that occasion by issuing a ticket.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prank call prompts police response at Amherst Regional High School
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – A prank phone call received Thursday morning by Amherst Regional High School prompted an immediate safety response and a police presence on campus. In a letter issued by the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District, Superintendent Dr. Xi informed the school community that the Amherst Police Department is on site 'out of an abundance of caution' to support safety protocols. 'This morning, Amherst Regional High School received a prank phone call that prompted an immediate safety response,' the letter states. 'Out of an abundance of caution, the Amherst Police Department is present on site to support school safety protocols.' While the nature of the prank was not disclosed, school officials emphasized that there is no active threat to students of staff. 'Please know that all students and staff are safe. We are working closely with law enforcement to ensure the continued security of the building, and we are following all established procedures,' the superintendent wrote. No disruptions to the school day were mentioned in the notice, and officials indicated that more information would be shared if necessary. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Amherst Police: Don't send checks for free documents
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – The Amherst Police Department is alerting residents that the Assessors' Office has a new warning. Police warn of woman found in Chicopee Canal social post The police department states that people in town are getting letters telling them to send a check to a UPS office in Cambridge to get copies of important documents, like the deed to their home. Those who fall victim to the scheme risk giving out private information, such as banking details. Those documents are free, and you can get them at the registry of deeds for free or at the registry of deeds website. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former cop sues police chief and town of Amherst
A former Amherst, N.S., police officer is suing the town and the chief of police for defamation. Mark Rushton, who filed his suit in Nova Scotia Supreme Court earlier this month, alleges accusations last year that he misrepresented his qualifications for his job have ruined his reputation and career and caused personal hardships. Rushton resigned on June 6, 2024, just 10 days after being told a complaint had been made against him under the Nova Scotia Police Act. He worked for the Amherst Police Department for about a year as a constable and says in his lawsuit that his resignation was not related to the complaint, but rather was the result of a decision to move to the Annapolis Valley to be closer to his family. According to his lawsuit, Rushton was served with the complaint on May 27, 2024, and it accused him of acting "in a disorderly manner" and having "willfully [made] a false or misleading statement in an official record." When Amherst police announced the following month that they were conducting an internal investigation of one of their own officers, police Chief Dwayne Pike never identified Rushton by name in his public statements when he said they were investigating questions about an officer's credentials and qualifications. But the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service and court documents did identify him. The prosecution service launched a review of all cases Rushton handled during his time on the Amherst force, resulting in nine charges against seven people being dropped. In his lawsuit, Rushton contends Pike's comments "tend to lower the reputation of the Plaintiff by right thinking members of society" and were "libellous and defamatory." In an email, Laura Neilan, the lawyer who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Rushton, said she "looked forward to vindicating his reputation during the litigation process." "We have not seen a shred of evidence to suggest that Mr. Rushton was dishonest during the interview process, or that he lacks the necessary qualifications to work as a police officer in Amherst," the email said. Rushton worked as a military police officer in 2017 and served as a special constable with a town in Alberta before taking the job in Amherst. Reputation, career 'have been destroyed' Rushton said the Amherst department had his resumé and a full record of his training, which includes graduation from the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy and Dalhousie University's police leadership program. His suit says there's nothing in the Police Act to suggest his military police training was inadequate and asserts that "his reputation and career have been destroyed as a result of Chief Pike's libellous statements." Rushton says he's been unable to get a job with a municipal police force because any background check invariably leads to stories about his problems with the Amherst force. He says he tried to resume work as a military police officer, but the force wouldn't accept him until after it conducted its own investigation into his credentials. He was able to land a short-term contract with them that expires this month. Rushton says in the suit that he has lost custody of his children and been forced into bankruptcy because of his lack of steady employment. "Chief Pike's statements were made with a reckless disregard for the consequences to the Plaintiff's reputation and livelihood and as such, they amount to bad faith, warranting both aggravated and punitive damages," the lawsuit says. While no specific monetary amount is referenced in the suit, Rushton's lawyer said in its preamble that the case falls within a rule that limits damages to under $150,000. None of the allegations in the lawsuit have been tested in court and none of the participants accepted CBC's invitation to comment on the case. MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
31-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Former cop sues police chief and town of Amherst
A former Amherst, N.S., police officer is suing the town and the chief of police for defamation. Mark Rushton, who filed his suit in Nova Scotia Supreme Court earlier this month, alleges accusations last year that he misrepresented his qualifications for his job have ruined his reputation and career and caused personal hardships. Rushton resigned on June 6, 2024, just 10 days after being told a complaint had been made against him under the Nova Scotia Police Act. He worked for the Amherst Police Department for about a year as a constable and says in his lawsuit that his resignation was not related to the complaint, but rather was the result of a decision to move to the Annapolis Valley to be closer to his family. According to his lawsuit, Rushton was served with the complaint on May 27, 2024, and it accused him of acting "in a disorderly manner" and having "willfully [made] a false or misleading statement in an official record." When Amherst police announced the following month that they were conducting an internal investigation of one of their own officers, police Chief Dwayne Pike never identified Rushton by name in his public statements when he said they were investigating questions about an officer's credentials and qualifications. But the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service and court documents did identify him. The prosecution service launched a review of all cases Rushton handled during his time on the Amherst force, resulting in nine charges against seven people being dropped. In his lawsuit, Rushton contends Pike's comments "tend to lower the reputation of the Plaintiff by right thinking members of society" and were "libellous and defamatory." In an email, Laura Neilan, the lawyer who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Rushton, said she "looked forward to vindicating his reputation during the litigation process." "We have not seen a shred of evidence to suggest that Mr. Rushton was dishonest during the interview process, or that he lacks the necessary qualifications to work as a police officer in Amherst," the email said. Rushton worked as a military police officer in 2017 and served as a special constable with a town in Alberta before taking the job in Amherst. Reputation, career 'have been destroyed' Rushton said the Amherst department had his resumé and a full record of his training, which includes graduation from the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy and Dalhousie University's police leadership program. His suit says there's nothing in the Police Act to suggest his military police training was inadequate and asserts that "his reputation and career have been destroyed as a result of Chief Pike's libellous statements." Rushton says he's been unable to get a job with a municipal police force because any background check invariably leads to stories about his problems with the Amherst force. He says he tried to resume work as a military police officer, but the force wouldn't accept him until after it conducted its own investigation into his credentials. He was able to land a short-term contract with them that expires this month. Rushton says in the suit that he has lost custody of his children and been forced into bankruptcy because of his lack of steady employment. "Chief Pike's statements were made with a reckless disregard for the consequences to the Plaintiff's reputation and livelihood and as such, they amount to bad faith, warranting both aggravated and punitive damages," the lawsuit says. While no specific monetary amount is referenced in the suit, Rushton's lawyer said in its preamble that the case falls within a rule that limits damages to under $150,000.
