| State Police officials in Charleston have declined to sustain charges brought
against Trooper Tom Yanero and other officers, after issues regarding unprofessional conduct
were made public at a meeting of the Gilmer Commission.
At least two county residents appeared before the Commission asking for
relief.
Some of the professional misconduct charges were reportedly related to Trooper
Yanero pulling a gun on a Deputy Assessor when he attempted to assess the
trooper at his residence on Gluck Run.
Prosecutor Gerry Hough told the Gilmer Commission on October 25 that he
was asking the state's highest officer (Col. Howard Hill) to look into
incidents which have occurred in Gilmer County.
Those complaints have not been sustained by the agency, according to Sgt.
Ingold of the Professional Standards Division, in a report returned to Gilmer
County in December.
Deputy Assessor Dacel Ware reportedly told Gilmer County Assessor Gary
Wolfe about a hostile response he received at Trooper Yanero's house on
September 7, 2001. Multiple other incidents of gun pulling and abusive
behavior have been reported in the county, relating to Yanero and
other officers.
Some of the incidents were linked to traffic stops, threats, fighting and other
abusive behavior toward several citizens, which has created a growing list
of alleged victims, readily repeated by Gilmer county residents.
Prosecutor Hough said "His (State Policeman) actions were provoking a
fight, he used foul language and the Sheriff (Gary Rose) had to step in and
break up the situation," relating to an incident in a local magistrate
court.
Numerous officials and Gilmer residents commented on police problems in
their county, but said they lived in fear of retaliation. "When certain officers
get in that uniform, they have a 'get out of my way' attitude, becoming
arrogant and brutal," said a Gilmer resident, who declined to be
identified.
"I live in fear what might happen to me, and I'm sure other people do. I have
asked the FBI for protection," he said. "As far as I know, their agency hasn't
made them accountable for these problems."
Trooper Yanero is the subject of a million dollar brutality suit in Roane
County, and was temporarily indicted by a Calhoun Grand Jury for battery on
a Calhoun teen going to an FHA judging contest. While the State Police
sustained those charges, the statue of limitations threw the criminal case
out of court. In both high-profile cases, Yanero's cruiser video camera
malfunctioned.
Yanero was selected by the agency as "Trooper of the Year" in 2001.
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