Cape officer fired for violations

Cape Girardeau police confirmed Thursday the termination of a narcotics detective who had been with the department for nearly 10 years.

Capt. Carl Kinnison said patrolman Paul E. Tipler was fired last month for "policy violations." Kinnison would not elaborate on what those violations were or how many.

"As we conducted our internal investigation, we found there was a possibility of criminal wrongdoing," Kinnison said.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is now conducting a criminal investigation on Tipler, Kinnison said.

Cape Girardeau Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said a special prosecutor has been appointed from the Missouri attorney general's office to review the patrol's findings and will make a determination as to whether any criminal charges will be filed.

The allegations of misconduct came initially from one person not in the department, and upon investigation, more people made similar allegations, Kinnison said. He would not comment on the nature of the misconduct.

Tipler was hired by Cape Girardeau in May 1993 and had been a detective since August 2000. He was previously an officer in New Madrid, Mo.

Tipler has an unlisted phone number and could not be reached for comment Thursday.

For police officers, termination for misconduct on the job is often the end of their careers in law enforcement due to the high standards of conduct expected by both the public and employers.

Officers also face possible discipline by the Missouri Department of Public Safety, which issues peace officer certification and sets the standards for officer training requirements. DPS can suspend or revoke an officer's certification, preventing them from working in another Missouri law enforcement agency.

If an officer's certification is not impacted, finding another law enforcement job is still possible, Sgt. Rick Schmidt of the Cape Girardeau police said.

"But it's totally up to the agency they are applying for," he said.

Since employment law prevents previous employers from divulging specific reasons for an employee's termination, a potential new employer has no access to that information.

According to the city's personnel manual, Cape Girardeau public employees have three days after a suspension or termination to file for an appeal hearing, but Tipler has not done so, said city manager Mike Miller.

The last police officer to be terminated from the department was former patrolman Robert G. Ulman II of Cape Girardeau in March last year. He pleaded guilty in May to third-degree domestic assault for slapping his wife on the back of the head, and his certification as a peace officer was revoked by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160