Waselkow verdict (update)

By Sara Castellanos and Brandon Johannson
The Aurora Sentinel
AURORA | The Civil Service Commission has decided to reinstate Aurora police Officer James Waselkow, who was fired by Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates last year for allegedly kicking an arrested woman in the face.
The commission also modified the six discipline charges that Waselkow originally received.
The charges against him for failure to report the woman's injuries, failure to perform responsibilities for prelminary investigation and unsatisfactory performance were sustained, according to the commission's report.
For those charges, Waselkow's punishment is suspension for 160 hours without pay, mandatory completion of the "Verbal Judo" training course and additional training on report writing and a Koga method of police tactics refresher course.
However, the commission decided that termination was not the appropriate punishment.
"The commission concludes termination is disproportionate to the discipline of others ... (and) the termination should be reversed," read the report.
City Attorney Charlie Richardson said he and the attorneys that defended the city in the Civil Service Commission hearing were disappointed with the commission's decision.
"We felt that we had presented enough evidence to support the Chief's decision," Richardson said.
He had no further comment.
Aurora police Officer James Waselkow requested an open Civil Service Commission hearing that began Jan. 10 to try to get reinstated after he was fired by the city in June 2010.
Waselkow was terminated by the Aurora Police Department for policy violations including allegedly kicking arrestee Carla Meza in the face in February 2009 and for not including her injuries in his police report.
Her injuries included the orbital fracture of her right eye socket for which she underwent surgery.

Waselkow verdict

By Sara Castellanos and Brandon Johannson
The Aurora Sentinel
AURORA | The Civil Service Commission has decided to reinstate Aurora police Officer James Waselkow, who was fired by Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates last year for allegedly kicking an arrested woman in the face.
City officials confirmed the commission's decision Wednesday.
The commission also modified the discipline charges that Waselkow received.
City Attorney Charlie Richardson said he and the attorneys that defended the city in the Civil Service Commission hearing were disappointed with the decision.
"We felt that we had presented enough evidence to support the Chief's decision," Richardson said.
He had no further comment.
Aurora police Officer James Waselkow requested an open Civil Service Commission hearing that began Jan. 10 to try to get reinstated after he was fired by the city in June 2010.
Waselkow was terminated by the Aurora Police Department for policy violations including allegedly kicking arrestee Carla Meza in the face in February 2009 and for not including her injuries in his police report.
Her injuries included the orbital fracture of her right eye socket for which she underwent surgery.

Reaction to Congresswoman Giffords shooting

Earlier this morning, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Tuscon, was shot at a meet-and-greet event in front of a Safeway in Arizona. Six people were killed in the shooting including a federal judge and a 9-year-old child, and 12 others were wounded. Several members of Congress including President Obama have released statements on the shooting.


Here's U.S. Sen. Mark Udall's reaction to the grave incident.

"This is a sad day for our country.  My thoughts and prayers go out to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of today's senseless shootings. Congresswoman Giffords is a brilliant and dedicated public servant who works tirelessly for the people of her district.  I'm privileged to serve with her in the U.S. Congress and I'm honored to call her my friend.  Today's shootings, during a meeting between Rep. Giffords and her neighbors, were a cowardly attack on our democracy."

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden, has not come out with an official statement, although his communications director, Leslie Oliver, said this:

"Ed is pretty shaken. He's in shock, numb and angry that someone shot his friend."

Perlmutter is known for his "Goverment in the Grocery" meetings here the 7th Congressional District. 
Oliver said meet-and-greet events like those are a public service that are provided for constituents and the community. "It's about being accessible and available to your community," Perlmutter told Oliver. "It's unconscionable that someone would do this sort of thing."

Read CNN's coverage of the event here:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/08/arizona.shooting/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1