Former Benton Harbor police officer Andrew Collins, 26, has been charged with possession with intent to distribute more than five grams of crack cocaine. (Photo provided)
Story Created:
Dec 1, 2008 at 6:59 PM EST
Story Updated:
Dec 6, 2008 at 1:56 PM EST
BENTON HARBOR — The U.S. Attorney's Office has charged a former Benton Harbor narcotics officer with possession with intent to distribute more than five grams of crack cocaine.
Andrew Collins, 26, with the department since 2003, faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted.
Monday, Collins appeared in front of a U.S. District Court judge in Grand Rapids. But Benton Harbor police and FBI officials believe the evidence was enough to suggest Collins abused the trust of his community.
FBI officials unveiled a picture of the marijuana, heroin and crack cocaine seized from Collins' locker in February.
"An officer brought to our attention that Collins was not following the protocol in logging narcotics," said Al Mingo, Benton Harbor Police Chief.
And that incident was not the first to surface.
"This was at least the second or maybe even the third incident that we had in that light," said Mingo.
Those drugs are now evidence against the former officer.
"When they removed him from the narcotics unit, they did an inventory of all his property including his locker and duffel bag," said Brian Delaney, with the U.S. Attorney's Office. "There was no explanation why he would have this in his personal items at the police department."
Collins faces one charge for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
"The indictment charges that he abused his position of trust and his position of power as a police officer," said Delaney.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Collins allegedly:
failed to report and submit narcotics seized while on duty
retained possession of narcotics with intent to distribute
reported false purchases to get search warrants and embezzle money from the department
"The accused by no means represents the standard of practice at the Benton Harbor Police Department," said Charles Mayberry, Special Agent with the FBI.
"He violated that position of trust," said Delaney. "I see no case of higher priority than to investigate cases of wrongdoing by government and public officials, especially law enforcement."
Attorneys are also looking into cases Collins investigated, fearing some judgements will be revisited because Collins may have wrongfully obtained search warrants in those cases.
Monday, Dec 15 at 1:42 PM anonymous wrote ...
A good man... ha. A good man doesn't leave his wife and child to go through life without him because he can't do legal police work. Undercover work is probably stressful and so are a lot of other jobs that we all work everyday. He will get what he deserves and anybody that thinks he deserves less is out of their mind. It goes to show that a police officer that has this much power should have more than a two year education. He is a joke and don't forget we all get judged in the end.