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Carmel IN Police Department Protects Cop Accused of Stalking; Investigates Victim
The following post was submitted anonymously, via the CopBlock.org submissions page. The person submitting it states:
You may post this because the Carmel PD will not return my calls or emails. They had their opportunity to do the right thing, but put protecting one of their own above the protection of a citizen. They showed that they have no integrity!
Date of Incident: November 5, 2015
Officers Involved: Sgt. Nancy Zellers, Officer Weigman
Department Involved: Carmel (IN) Police Department
Department Phone Number: (317) 571-2500
Department Address: Three Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
This letter is being submitted in regards to filing a formal complaint against Carmel Police Department Sgt. Nancy Zellers with the Criminal Investigations Division. My complaint is based around the fact that Sgt. Zellers failed to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation in reference to a complaint of stalking/harassing. Sgt. Zellers’ conduct was discriminatory in that she allowed her own personal opinions and bias to determine the outcome of this investigation. There was nothing fair or impartial about it and she turned someone who came to your department for help into a suspect of a crime. This is nothing more than malicious prosecution to help protect one of your own.
In May of 2015, I requested, via telephone, for an officer to meet me at my home in order for a report of harassment to be submitted. Officer Weigman responded to my home to where I then provided him with a statement pertaining to the stalking/harassment. I provided this officer with information needed for the investigation and offered videos and recordings as evidence for the case. Officer Weigman was advised that I did in fact want a report submitted in order to begin a “paper trail” if you will against the subjects directly involved in my case. Officer Weigman provided me with a card with his name signed to the back and a case number for the incident.
In the months that followed, I heard nothing from the Carmel Police Department and the acts of harassment and stalking had only escalated. The subjects identified as suspects in my case were continuing to harass and stalk me on a daily basis. I had accumulated recordings of what had now become a daily occurrence. The suspects in my case had established a very clear and obvious pattern of harassment and stalking. Yet still, there was no follow up, nor was an investigation initiated by your department. Simply put, you failed to protect a victim and allowed for the crimes against her to worsen and become even more dangerous.
On October 5th, 2015, Sgt. Zellers with the Carmel PD Criminal Investigations Unit came to my home to interview me in reference to what I thought was my original complaint. As it turned out, I had become the person that was being investigated. The suspects in my case became aware that I had gone to the Carmel PD. The suspect involved in my case, who is an active officer with the Indiana State Police, also became aware of the fact that I had intentions of filing a formal complaint and reference misconduct against her. The Carmel Police Department failed to investigate and offered no protection to a victim of a domestic violence crime. The department’s and Sgt. Zellers’ sheer negligence allowed for there to be an opportunity for the suspect to retaliate against me. As an attempt to discredit my complaint, both criminal and professional, the suspect filed her own complaint of harassment against me. Unlike my complaint, the suspects allegations were investigated by the Carmel Police Department, more specifically, Sergeant Zellers. The suspect had the opportunity to provide the sergeant with witness information and statements. I was never given that opportunity. I truly feel that I was discriminated against in this case because of the fact that I am not an active police officer and the suspect in this case is one. The manner in which this investigation was conducted was completely biased and extremely unprofessional. Sergeant Zellers showed extreme favoritism towards the corrupt ISP trooper simply because of the fact that she is an active law enforcement officer.
As Sgt. Zellars began to question me in reference the suspects claims, it became painfully clear that her opinions in regards to this case weren’t unbiased and that she had already passed judgment upon me prior to even speaking with me. Sgt. Zellers conducted what can be deemed as only a witch hunt in regards to her investigation. She kept things very one sided and showed no interest in obtaining witness names, addresses or accounts on my behalf. She showed no care or concern for the fact that I feared for my own safety because of what I had been put through. During the course of her interview, I even offered Sergeant Zellers the name of critical witnesses in my case and she expressed no interest in accepting this information.
I attempted to provide Sergeant Zellers with evidence related to my case. This included magazine subscriptions that the suspect had sent to my home, as well as false HOA complaints. Sgt. Zellers had no interest in accepting or collecting these items either. Sgt. Zellers was also made aware of the fact that I did have video surveillance of the stalking and harassment. She viewed many of these while at my home, but did not request copies.
Sgt. Zellers also ignored the fact that I had ties and established relationships in this neighborhood for years, even before the suspect accepted a transfer to Indianapolis. And rather than moving to an area where she could be close to her friends or things she was familiar with, the suspect chose to move to the place that I called home. Sgt. Zellers opinion in this case was nothing more than biased. She refused and failed to look into details that could confirm my relationship to this particular neighborhood and some of the people in it.
Sgt. Zellers also made it known that she had contacted my former employer and made inquiries to former coworkers during her investigation. Know that I had retired for nearly 2 ½ years. She stated that she spoke with my “friends”, but refused to tell me who they were. I explained to her that no one at my former place of employment was deemed as a friend, nor did they have intimate or personal details of my past relationships or personal life. Sgt. Zellers made it a point during her witch hunt to accuse me of a crime to my former peers and also exposed my sexual orientation and lifestyle to persons who never should have been given such privileged information. These were persons that had no knowledge of my lifestyle and we most certainly didn’t have the type of relationship that would allow for them to have access to such sensitive and personal details. Sgt. Zellers slandered and defamed my good name to members of the IMPD and she humiliated me in front of my former co-workers and peers.
Sgt. Zellers, after viewing several videos and just prior to leaving my home stated that this was all “high school” and that she wasn’t going to mess with it. She stated that they had “real crimes” to work on and that she would be in touch. Sgt. Zellers failed to see the seriousness of this incident and refused to acknowledge that I did in fact live in constant fear of what the suspect would do to me. Even in one of the videos, Sgt. Zellers could see that the suspect had come close to striking me with her police car. This was far from high school and the Sgt’s actions, or lack thereof were completely inappropriate and unprofessional. She made someone that came to your department for help never want to call the police for aid ever again.
As part of her investigation, while at my residence, Sgt. Zellers also commented on a Facebook page that was in fact active at the time. She ordered me to take down the page even though there was nothing posted on it that was illegal or deemed as threatening. The suspects involved in my case had been monitoring this page and using it as a means to cyber stalk not only me, but my friends and loved ones as well. Also note that the suspects had been using their personal Facebook pages to post inappropriate comments about me, but were never ordered to remove theirs. Sergeant Zellers failed to realize that making such an order was in fact a violation of my first amendment rights. Yet under duress and the fear that I would be arrested had I not complied, I deactivated the page.
On October 6th, 2015, I provided the Sgt. with copies of the videos that I was unable to show her the day prior to. I personally delivered these articles to the Carmel Police Department, so that the sergeant could retain them as evidence. I made it known once again that I was fearful for my safety, yet this was never made a priority. In fact, it was completely ignored. Upon receipt of these items, Sergeant Zellers didn’t even show the courtesy to acknowledge the fact that they had been received.
Over the following weeks, the incidents involving myself and my stalker again began to escalate. There were daily, nightly drive by’s on my home that were in fact recorded. There was no reason for her to drive by my home, but because the Carmel PD failed to provide any sort of mediation or take action, therefore, it was allowed to continue.
Fearing for my personal safety and realizing that the Carmel Police Department was not going to provide any assistance, I chose to contact Prevail to obtain further options. I spoke with one of the advocates via telephone and made an appointment to put together a safety plan. On Friday November 20th, 2015, I utilized the services provided by Prevail and while I was there, I provided them with copies of the same videos that I had given to Sergeant Zellers. I wanted for someone who was a neutral party in this investigation to have these videos in the case that any harm should come to me. I had no other options in that your department provided absolutely no assistance or protection from someone that I knew had the capability and means to cause serious injury and harm to me.
That following Tuesday, November 24, as things continued to escalate, I chose to file for a protective order against my stalker. The order was granted by the Superior Court Judge that same afternoon. It was obvious to the judge that I was in need of protection, but sadly, your department refused to provide that much needed support and aid.
On this day, I also contacted Sgt. Zellers via telephone and requested for her to file charges against my stalker Jennifer Holt and she refused. She stated that she had conducted her investigation and that they chose to charge me with the crime of harassment, but chose not to charge the other parties involved. There was more than sufficient evidence and probable cause with the videos alone to file charges for these crimes. Adding to that, your detective, Sergeant Nancy Zellers, failed to take statements and refused to obtain information on witnesses who were willing to testify on my behalf.
I went to the Carmel PD for help prior to that and they failed to offer any assistance at all. A fair, impartial investigation was not conducted and no one in my life, none of my witnesses, were even asked for a statement. There are so many people involved in this, witnesses and people who have been exposed to what my stalker is doing. Yet, the corrupt Carmel investigator felt it was more important to protect a rogue police officer rather than protect the true victim in this crime that came to you months prior for help. I offered her the most recent videos from October 5th 2015, to current as proof and as evidence reference my case, but she refused
It became quite obvious that Sgt. Zellers was not interested in conducting a fair or impartial investigation. She made it clear that she was more interested in protecting “one of her own.” She disregarded my claims and refused to take or accept evidence pertaining to my case. She very clearly neglected to conduct a fair, impartial and unbiased investigation. Her negligence left me in harm’s way and allowed for the stalking and harassment to continue and for retaliation/escalation to occur.
Sgt. Zellers was assisted by another detective during the interview that took place within my home. Even as Sergeant Zellers violated my first amendment rights, to freedom of speech, he failed to speak up and informed her that this was in fact a violation of my constitutional rights. Sergeant Zellers partner in this case neglected his duty to protect individuals from constitutional violations by fellow officers. Note that per Section 1983, an officer who witnesses a fellow officer violating an individual’s constitutional rights may be liable to the victim for failing to intervene.
Adding to that, Sgt. Zellers neglect of duty and failure to properly investigate allowed for this rogue police officer to continue with her unlawful behavior and illegal acts against me. As a result of your department’s negligence I will make it known that specific injuries were sustained. More specifically; psychological duress, financial burden and emotional distress occurred. Sgt. Zellers slanderous and defaming comments made to former coworkers and peers also damaged my reputation. I retired from my department honorably and left with a good name. Sgt. Zellers provided very personal and intimate details of my life and sexual orientation that should not have been exposed to persons who did not have knowledge of my lifestyle or of my intimate relationships or break up. She embarrassed and humiliated me in front of a group of people that had no right to this information.
The Carmel Police department has failed to act and has failed to protect a victim of a domestic related crime, you have put my safety in grave danger. The suspect in this crime is an armed police officer, who is currently being investigated by her own department for a pattern of serious misconduct. She has a history of known violence and anger issues, as well. I have been on the receiving end of the suspect’s angry outbursts and violent behavior. And because your department will not protect me, I live each and every day in constant fear. I have had no other choice other than to retreat into my home to ensure my safety. Also, I have not been able to perform my physician ordered therapy. Know that without this physical therapy, I live a life that is filled with chronic and constant pain.
Like I’ve stated, this was clearly a very one sided investigation that was not conducted in a fair or impartial manner. Sgt. Zellers is a liability and she failed to provide me with even some of my most basic civil rights. Her investigation was nothing more than a witch hunt and she very clearly had no intentions of conducting a proper or thorough investigation. She was more concerned with protecting the rights of a corrupt police officer and ensuring that the reputation of the one holding the badge came to no harm.
I feel that it’s important for the citizens of Carmel and Indianapolis to see how a victim of the domestic violence has been treated. They deserve to see how a victim was made to feel and disregarded by an agency that has been sworn to protect and serve. This type of negative media exposure will also serve as a warning to other victims of such crimes that the Carmel police Department simply does not care and will not help them if the other person involved just happens to be a police officer.
And as you read this, know that the harassment and stalking continues. Even with a protective order in place, my safety is still not guaranteed. My stalker continues to drive by my home every night in her police vehicle and find ways to interject herself into my daily life. What the Carmel Police department has done is shameful and is what makes victims not want to come to the police for help.
Know that this trooper, even with a protective order in place has been permitted to retain her weapon and her police vehicle. She continues to use it as a means to stalk, harass and intimidate me. She continues to drive by my home and vehicle, all while recording my actions. She has used her spotlight to shine into my vehicle for no other reason other than to frighten me. ISP has done nothing to protect me from her.
The Carmel PD had their opportunity to do the right thing, but put protecting one of their own above the protection of a citizen. They showed that they have no integrity!
Carmel IN Police Department Protects Cop Accused of Stalking; Investigates Victim is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights
Source: http://www.copblock.org/151939/carmel-police-department-protects-cop-stalking-investigates-victim/
