Police Captain

The former city police captain hired recently by the Philadelphia School District as its inspector general was removed from his police command in 1998 after an allegation surfaced that he had had a sexual relationship with a female officer he supervised. The allegation was made after Capt. John F. Downs was found in an unmarked car with the female officer. According to a source, the officer who found the pair believed they were involved in a sex act. An internal police investigation concluded that Downs had not committed any "departmental violations," according to a confidential police memorandum obtained by The Inquirer.

Frankie Heyward, the acting deputy Philadelphia police commissioner whose residency and use of a city car are under investigation, has been stripped of his rank, staff and office, and his salary has been slashed, officials said yesterday. Barbara Grant, spokeswoman for Mayor Street, said Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson had withdrawn his request that Heyward be permanently appointed to the post, the second-highest rank in the department. On June 5, Johnson had named Heyward to serve as the boss of his department's Internal Affairs Division.

At first glance, Police Capt. William Fisher seems to be leading every antiwar march in Philadelphia, striding back and forth across Center City, often to the dismay of motorists cut off by the surprise parades of protesters. But Fisher is not demonstrating against the war in Iraq. As commander of the Civil Affairs Unit, he has the job of keeping the peace at home, balancing the constitutional right of free speech with the demands of public safety. Scream till you're hoarse.

Former Police Capt. James J. Brady, who was cleared of charges that he wrecked his command car while driving drunk and then covered up the accident, applied to get his job back yesterday. Brady, who resigned over the incident, is expect to win quick reinstatement. Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson said yesterday that he did not oppose rehiring Brady, who could be back on the force within a week. Brady would not be returned to the homicide unit he once led, but instead would be assigned to night duty, Johnson said.

Forensic evidence from an investigation into a woman's accusation that she was raped by two on-duty Philadelphia police officers has substantiated part of the woman's claim, officials said yesterday. Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson stopped short of saying whether the evidence proves the woman was raped or whether there was misconduct on the part of the officers. The two officers, who are assigned to the 15th Police District, have not been identified. But they have been removed from street duty and placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of investigations by the Internal Affairs Bureau and the Special Victims Unit, the squad that investigates rape.

CRAWFORD, Texas, bars are stocking up on spirits even more than usual for the big holiday weekend. Barbara and Jenna, a/k/a the Bush girls, are in town and they are ready to par-TAY! Their problems with underage drinking are a thing of the past, folks. President Bush's twin daughters turn 21 today. They're legal. It's just another facet of the president's economic stimulus package. Perp walk this way According to the New York Post, a high-ranking New York City police official is under investigation for allegedly helping Aerosmith front men Steven Tyler and Joe Perry get special handgun "carry permits" to pack concealed heat.

James Reaves had to say something - actor Carl L. Jones, portraying a younger Reaves, kept putting his hand near his gun. "You didn't reach for your gun until you had to use it," says Reaves, now 86. "And none of the actors were using blackjacks. Blackjacks were important to us back then. " Back then was Philadelphia in 1943, when Reaves was part of "the Dick Anderson squad," the city's first all-black police unit. Dick Anderson Squad is now also the name of a film, with singer Angela Bofill, premiering Friday at International House.

Avoiding what could have been a messy, embarrassing civil-rights trial involving top Philadelphia police officials, the city has agreed to pay Capt. Jeanette L. Dooley $380,000 to drop her retaliation lawsuit. Lawyers for the city and Dooley confirmed the settlement yesterday, which was noted Tuesday in a federal court order by U.S. District Judge Lowell A. Reed Jr. Trial was to have begun Tuesday. "The city is very pleased with this settlement," Chief Deputy City Solicitor Pete Winebrake said.

Capt. James J. Brady, a popular and highly regarded former homicide unit commander, ended a 28-year police career yesterday by resigning in anticipation that criminal charges would be filed against him, likely today. The Philadelphia Police Department has recommended charges against Brady, 48, and Capt. Joseph J. DiLacqua, 54, in connection with a 1998 incident in which Brady, after a night of drinking, crashed his unmarked police car and DiLacqua orchestrated a cover-up. District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. today to announce the results of an investigation into the incident.

ONE RECOMMENDATION by the Mayor's Taskforce on Police Discipline made big news this week, but it's a handful of others that actually could make a difference. The headliner from the six-member panel was a suggestion to break up the police union into at least two bargaining units, separating commanding officers from the rank and file. That would avoid a built-in conflict of interest for those who must impose discipline. No surprise that the Fraternal Order of Police called the recommendation "union busting" and dismissed the report.