Thursday, February 04, 1999
Officer refuses counseling, says he'll fight charges
BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — A city police sergeant who has been on paid administrative leave since Dec. 1 for allegedly choking a detective in the police station has chosen to fight disciplinary action rather than undergo counseling.
“They wanted me to get treatment for something I don't have,” Sgt. Joseph Booher said Wednesday, a day after he received notice that he faces three departmental charges.
Three charges
Sgt. Booher, 38, has been charged with unsatisfactory performance, inefficiency of service and conduct unbecoming an officer. He will be permitted to present evidence in his favor at a Feb. 15 pre-disciplinary conference in the chief's office.
Police officials gave Sgt. Booher the option to undergo counseling before facing departmental charges. But Sgt. Booher said that a city-hired psychologist diagnosed him with a personality disorder — and that he hired two psychiatrists who disagree with that diagnosis.
The charges against Sgt. Booher stem from a Nov. 24 incident in which he allegedly “grabbed a subordinate officer with both hands around his neck, with intention to put him to the ground, sit on him and place him under arrest,” a police document says.
The scuffle between Sgt. Booher and Detective James Cifuentes arose after a discussion of Christmas party plans turned into a battle of wits, departmental records say.
Tempers flared after Sgt. Booher tossed a sticky-note pad at Detective Cifuentes, nearly striking him in the head.
Sgt. Booher claims the detective pushed him and threatened him, but Detective Cifuentes and other officers have given differing accounts.
Sgt. Booher was given the option to undergo six months of counseling after a psychological examination, said Capt. Joseph Murray, acting police chief.
"Delay the process'
If Sgt. Booher had chosen the counseling, he would have likely faced departmental charges later anyway, Capt. Murray said, adding, “All (the counseling) would have done was delay the departmental process.”
However, the counseling was intended to help Sgt. Booher “and give him every available recourse,” Capt. Murray said, especially considering that Sgt. Booher has served the Hamilton force about 14 years.
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