http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-canton-police-officer-fired,0,337121.story

 

CANTON, Ohio—

The Canton Police officer who delivered two profanity-laden outbursts caught on tape by his on-board dash camera has been let go from the force.

 

Canton Police Chief Dean McKimm tells Fox 8 News that officer Daniel Harless is no longer employed with the city's police force.

 

 

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According to Chief McKimm the decision to fire Harless came from the city's safety director, Thomas Ream, who issued a ruling on Harless' employment on Tuesday. The ruling came following an internal affairs investigation and disciplinary hearing. The hearing was held on December 15, 2011.

 

Ream stated in the ruling, "Drawing from my own background in law enforcement, I find that Ptl. Harless' actions were not a one-time breakdown of professionalism and training standards."

 

He went on to say, "It is quite clear that his actions represent a pattern of behavior where inappropriate verbal abuse and threat of death and great bodily harm of the various complainants occurred. This escalating pattern of potentially dangerous behavior cannot be justified or excused and clearly illustrated the seriousness of the departmental infractions."

 

Harless had come under fire for an arrest in June of 2011 where William Bartlett of Brewster, Ohio, was pulled over by Harless.

 

Bartlett, 52, was driving near the intersection of Tuscarawas and Newton Streets at 1:30 a.m. when he was stopped by officers.

 

An on-board dash camera recording of the incident captured Bartlett trying to tell Harless that he had a concealed carry weapon, but Harless interrupted Bartlett demanding he tell officers why he was in the area.

 

After being asked out of his vehicle by officers, Bartlett told Harless he was legally carrying a gun. What happened next was at the center of the safety director's investigation.

 

Harless was recorded launching into an immediate, angry, profanity-filled outburst, during which Bartlett was called a "stupid idiot" and "a dummy."

 

In November of last year, charges filed against Bartlett related to the incident where dismissed by Canton Municipal Judge Stephen Belden.

 

A second dash camera recording of a confrontation in July of 2011 involving Harless was provided to Fox 8 News after the first video surfaced.

 

In the July incident, the video shows Harless pulling over a pickup truck about 2:30 a.m. that was driven by James Adkins, 29, of Massillon.

 

Harless immediately suspects Adkins of drinking and asks him to step out of the truck, where there are two passengers.

 

Minutes later, the officer is searching the cab of the truck when he spots a gun on the floor by the back seat.

 

Harless instantly erupts into a profanity-laced outburst.

 

"Don't [expletive] move, let me see your [expletive] hands, I'll kill every one of you mother [expletive] , there's a [expletive] gun in this car. You [expletive] move, I'll shoot you in the head," the officer ranted in the video.

 

Harless is seen escorting a passenger around the front of the pickup. When they move out of sight of the camera, the our burst continues:

 

"I'll send you both to the grave. Now you...do not [expletive] move a muscle or I'll put you in the grave. Do you understand me? That gun is by you, now I'm telling you what mother [expletive] , I'll shoot you in the face and I'll sleep tonight."

 

Harless was found to be in violation of several Canton Police Department rules, including cooperation with the public and treatment of a person in custody.

 

Harless has the opportunity to appeal the decision.

Imagine that, the union turned him from an aggressive ahole into a victim pretty quickly.

 

Good riddence. If he has PTSD he shouldn't be a cop. If mental issues are enough to stop me from owning a gun, this guy shouldn't be carrying one with a badge. That said, I find it hard to believe he's got PTSD from someone biting his finger. I suspect this diagnosis was simply a way to garner sympathy and to get him permanently paid on disability.

Did I miss a post? Where i sthe reference to his union, being bitten and PTSD?

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x638339306/Daniel-Harless-fired-from-Canton-police-force

 

The union had asked for an extension for the disciplinary hearing due to Harless being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

“Obviously, it’s an unfortunate set of circumstances that transpired,” Adams said. “We feel that due to the fact that (Harless) has PTSD, that nobody realized it for eight-plus years, for it to come to light the way it did ... this is not a way we wanted this to play out. PTSD is obviously a disease.”

 

Adams said that the incident that sparked the disease occurred in 2003 when a suspect nearly bit off Harless’ finger while trying to get the officer’s gun.

Wow! As you said "convenient"!

People who watch people turn into multiple pieces get PTSD, not somebody who had a crackhead try to bite off a finger.

 

Seriously, I would love to introduce this guy to someone who has legitimate cause for PTSD.

That PTSD thing is such BS. He's just trying to weasel his way into some money after acting like a total dickhead.

Should have been fired a LOT sooner. They should look into why the judge dismissed the earlier charges.