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http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100512/NEWS02/5120360/1003/NEWS02 # # # # Officer's teenage son faces weapons charges • Rutland Herald • By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: May 12, 2010 • SPRINGFIELD — The son of a local police officer will face charges he brought a weapon to school. • Chester Police have charged Robert Simmons Jr., 18, with possessing a deadly weapon on school property and disorderly conduct by electronic device. • On April 9, Springfield Police received complaints from several parents about violence against their children the day before at Springfield High School and the River Valley Technical Center. Among the complaints was one indicating a male student at the technical center had allegedly threatened a female student with a knife. • That investigation was referred to Chester Police because the subject — Simmons Jr. — is the son of Springfield Police Sgt. Robert Simmons. • "We talked with the state's attorney at the beginning of this (investigation) and he recommended using an outside agency," said Springfield Police Chief Douglas S. Johnston. "It avoided any conflict of interest for us, so it didn't appear we were picking on him or cutting him any breaks." • Chester Police Sgt. Mark Phelps, who handled the investigation, said he believed Simmons Jr. brought the knife to school accidentally. • "It's the sort of knife someone could have in their pocket and forget about," said Phelps, who described the weapon as a 3-inch folding knife with a locking blade. "It wasn't a switch blade or anything like that." • Phelps said a student saw Simmons Jr. with the knife early in the school day, and later he took out the knife and opened the blade in front of several students. Phelps did not find any evidence Simmons Jr. threatened anyone with the weapon. • "We had one witness who said they were threatened, but nobody else heard it or saw it," Phelps said. "We can't show where he made any threatening gestures with the weapon and I don't feel there was enough to charge him with that." • Simmons Jr. is also facing a disorderly conduct charge for sending an obscenity-laced text message to one of the witnesses, Phelps said. • The incident was one of three at the school during the week of April 5. In another instance, a male student allegedly threw a sharp object at a female student and cut her. Also, a male student allegedly assaulted another male student and left him with cracked ribs. Both of these alleged incidents happened at the high school, not the technical center, and remain under investigation by Springfield Police. • In all three incidents, school officials did not contact the police • Sgt. Simmons could not be reached for comment. A message was left on his voice mail at the police department Tuesday, but he wasn't on duty, according to Johnston, who agreed to call Simmons at home and relay the Herald's request for comment. Simmons does not have a listed telephone number. •
It's a shame that this reporter has to use "sensationalism" at the expense of this officer and his family in order to sell newspapers, because it looks like this officer tried to do the right thing when he initially requested that the case be transferred to another agency. Unfortunately for this family and many others, having integrity just doesn't sell newspapers.
ReplyDeleteReading the way this article was written is bad enough, but when people judge this child and this father, it is unfortunate and sad. It is unfortunate to think that reporters have such control over how the world sees an unfortunate situation and/or individual. I believe the child brought the knife to school by mistake and is being punished for it, so there is no mercy. But, the fact remains that he didn't harm any students with it. However, two students physically attacked two other classmates and we do not see the fathers' names in big bold letters in their article and we don't even know the names of the children. The focus is not on the students who hurt other students, it's on the boy who brought a knife to school and did nothing with it. He's a scapegoat for this unkind discussion and all because his father is a police officer. Why is this child being "hung out" including his dad.....to sell newspapers at their expense. His father being a police officer should be a reflection of who that officer is. Commenting visciously towards the officer as a parent and the child who may be having some problems is true lack of human compassion for what that family must be going through. It appears that the officer worked with the Chief to get the case transferred immediately to another agency. Friends of mine, from the Springfield area, have heard that this Sgt. Simmonds is a very kind and respectful officer....with much integrity. He gets hateful comments in return....that's pretty sad. Unfortunately for this family, integrity doesn't sell newspapers.
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