http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... ws-broward

Officer accused of stealing from drivers


By Brian Haas
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

August 16, 2006


A Coconut Creek police officer pulled over four immigrant day-laborers and stole cash from their wallets, authorities said Tuesday.

Michael E. Dunsavage, 26, was arrested by his own colleagues on a single count of grand theft Monday for the mid-July, on-the-job spree, authorities said.

Dunsavage stole $770 from four men during traffic stops, according to police reports. Previously, he had been suspended twice and reprimanded once for violating the department's pursuit policies, said police spokesman Tony Avello. Avello said it was unclear whether Dunsavage specifically targeted laborers who didn't speak English.

"I do not know what his motivation was, who he was targeting," Avello said. "All we know is he was engaged in criminal behavior and we charged him."

Dunsavage, a six-year veteran who resigned Friday, could not be reached. His attorney, Barbara Duffy, said she had no comment Tuesday.

The officer made the stops on July 15 in the 5100 block of Johnson Road, police said.

One man, a 23-year-old from Coral Springs, had $390 in his wallet that morning after getting paid for the week, according to police reports. His cousin, from Lake Worth, had $200. The two were pulled over and frisked. Then, police say, Dunsavage took their wallets and returned them, minus the cash. They called police.

Police said Dunsavage tried to erase evidence from his city-issued laptop computer, but records kept elsewhere turned up two more victims: a 20-year-old man from Coconut Creek and another from Miami. The Coconut Creek laborer was planning on sending $100 back to his family in Guatemala. The report said he didn't call police because he was happy to get off without being deported or ticketed.

Beatriz Illescas, consul-general for the Guatemalan consulate in Miami, said Monday's arrest could make undocumented immigrants, already afraid of being deported, more fearful of police.

"We always ask them to trust the police officers because they are trying to help," Illescas said. "Suddenly, this kind of thing happens and it throws away the confidence that you have been trying to build."

Assistant State Attorney John F. Hanlon Jr., with Broward County's special prosecutions unit, said Dunsavage's arrest will hurt any cases the ex-officer was supposed to testify about.

"That's a real problem. The fact that he's charged is the type of thing that must be brought up to defense attorneys," Hanlon said. "Those charges could be used to impeach him."

Dunsavage is free on $1,000 bond and will be arraigned Aug. 23 on the third-degree felony. Hanlon said he faces up to five years in jail.

Avello said Dunsavage gave up his state law enforcement certification. "Officers are angered, upset, shocked, outraged that someone that they worked with would do something like this," Avello said.

Staff Writer Tal Abbady contributed to this report.



Brian Haas can be reached at bhaas@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4597.