MIAMI, Okla. (AP) _ A Miami police officer has been suspended without pay after he was charged with indecent exposure. <br/><br/>Miami Police Chief Gary Anderson said police Lt. James Lloyd Gambill Jr.
Wednesday, July 25th 2007, 2:31 pm
By: News On 6
MIAMI, Okla. (AP) _ A Miami police officer has been suspended without pay after he was charged with indecent exposure.
Miami Police Chief Gary Anderson said police Lt. James Lloyd Gambill Jr. would be placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
``This type of conduct is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,'' Anderson said. ``I have dismissed officers of their duties for a lot less than this.''
Gambill, a 15-year veteran of the Miami Police Department, was charged Tuesday with one felony count of indecent exposure, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Anderson said the allegations would be a violation of the police department's personnel policy prohibiting conduct unbecoming to the officer or the department.
A convenience store clerk told investigators that Gambill, 48, called her to his patrol car, then exposed himself and masturbated. Gambill reportedly returned to the store the following day to apologize.
The clerk told investigators she had initially asked Gambill if he would like to have dinner with her, but backed off after finding out Gambill was married.
Anderson said he initially heard of the allegations several weeks ago through an officer who received the complaint, and he contacted the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The OSBI's investigation took six weeks.
``This is not something I felt my department should handle,'' Anderson said.
The police chief said there had been no previous incidents involving Gambill.
``Everyone in the department is in shock,'' Anderson said. ``This is completely out of character for the officer and, once it sets in, it is like a kick in the stomach.''
Anderson said he has not spoken to Gambill, who was out of town on vacation.