By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Until last year, Detective William R. Hensley had a nearly spotless history with the police department, according to documents the city released Thursday in response to the Enquirer's public-records request.

Now on a paid leave while he's being investigated on allegations of off-duty misconduct, Detective Hensley, 33, of Liberty Township, appeared to have an exemplary record for much of his nearly nine years on the police force.

Before joining the department in 1994, he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Northern Kentucky University, and served three years in the Navy and a four-month internship with the U.S. Marshals Service, his rÈsumÈ says.

But Jan. 16, Detective Hensley was placed on indefinite leave after Monica Bellissimo, 26, who listed a Hamilton address, obtained a Butler County Common Pleas Court order to prohibit him from contacting her.

Though police say Detective Hensley is married, Ms. Bellissimo wrote on court records that Detective Hensley was her "ex-boyfriend," and she alleges he has been stalking her and made threats of violence.

A hearing on Ms. Bellissimo's allegations is set for next week; a criminal and departmental investigation is under way, though no charges have been filed, police said.

Michael Shanks, an attorney who has previously represented Detective Hensley, returned a reporter's phone call Thursday but did not comment.

Since Detective Hensley took his oath as an officer Feb. 3, 1994, he regularly earned merit pay increases; supervisors described him as energetic, enthusiastic and dedicated. "I feel that he will become one of our top officers," one superior wrote in 1995.

Among the department's force of more than 100, he sometimes ranked in the top five in annual tallies of citations, warnings and arrests.

"Bill handles more than his share of caseload," one evaluation says.

The first documented sign of trouble came in March 1998, when then-Officer Hensley earned a day's suspension for unbecoming conduct. The incident occurred that January involved a woman, but details were not divulged in the suspension order.

More serious problems became apparent in 2002.

Detective Hensley was suspended for 30 workdays plus 30 calendar days, ending July 19, after complaints about his behavior, records show. He also was ordered to undergo psychotherapy.

Though the documents do not specify what behavior led to the suspension, Capt. Joseph Murray said the discipline stemmed from allegations that Detective Hensley pushed a juvenile during an interview. While investigating that complaint, department officials learned about previous incidents in which Detective Hensley might have inappropriately used force, Capt. Murray said.

A 2002 evaluation, which covered the 2001 calendar year, says: "Detective Hensley needs to work to control his emotions when confronted with frustrating situations."

At least two citizens and a Hamilton Municipal Court official complained about his conduct during 2001, the document says.

In a written response to that evaluation, Detective Hensley said one citizen's allegation was "found to be false." He acknowledged he had become "short and frustrated" in municipal court because a case was in danger of being dismissed. Detective Hensley said he was troubled that court personnel had repeatedly failed to subpoena a witness, but he denied he behaved rudely.

However, superiors commended Detective Hensley for the arrest and conviction of a suspect in 11 aggravated robberies and an investigation that led to the arrest of three suspects in a school break-in during 2001.

They also gave him the highest possible ratings - five points out of five - in 11 of 19 evaluated categories. His lowest scores were threes, in "control of conflict" and "customer service."

His overall performance rating was 4.47 , "above satisfactory" - just 0.02 below "outstanding."

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com