Party hijinks get two officers suspended
by Jason deBruyn
10 months ago | 919 views | 2 2 comments | 16 16 recommendations | email to a friend | print
MARSHVILLE

Two Marshville police officers have been suspended without pay because of a photo council members say shows poor character.

Lt. Matt Tarlton and officer Darryl Gerald were suspended for 30 days Wednesday after Councilwoman Gail Kiker showed the board a photo she was given from a “prominent Marshville business person.”

In the photo, the two officers have whipping cream sprayed on their heads and have a banana with chocolate sauce between their thighs. An unidentified woman is spraying whipping cream on the bananas. Both officers and the woman are fully clothed. The Marshville Police Department is not depicted in the picture, and there is nothing in the picture linking the officers to Marshville.

“I was in total shock,” Kiker said Friday. “I do not uphold what was in that picture.”

Kiker said she heard from people in Marshville who were not happy town police officers would act like that. “They were upset that our town was being portrayed like that,” she said.

Although the picture was taken during the officers’ private time, Kiker said a standard should carry over to officers’ personal time.

Police Chief Mike Gaddy did not comment on the issue saying he was not at the meeting and could not speak for the council.

The council will make a decision on the future employment of the officers after 30 days.

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comments (2)
« alleycatinnc wrote on Wednesday, Oct 28 at 08:20 AM »
I can't believe that Marshville Town Council is reacting so about a picture when there are large issues in the community to be concerned about. why no be concerned as to why a person who is facing felony charges is allowed to still be seating on the Town Council? And why is she allowed to make any decisions regarding the police department when she pretty much snubbed her nose at the law and the legal system? Why is this not being addressed.

Don't get me wrong I am not defending the officers because what they did was ridiculous and they should have NEVER allowed themselves to be photographed. But they did. And yes, even the military has a code of moral behavior for their officers. Marshville Officers need to understand that no matter when or where you are. In or out of uniform you are an example for the community and you should conduct yourself as such. It doesn't mean you can't have fun in life but you need to understand everything you do is looked out under a microscope. I personally think 30 days without pay is punishment enough considering the economic situation we are in. But the Town Council needs to ask for Mrs. Whitley to remove herself from her seat considering her pending legal situation and also for the best of the Town of Marshville. That to me looks worst right now than the officers and their antics... Come On!!!
« lesismore4u89@yahoo.com wrote on Monday, Oct 26 at 10:01 AM »
I cannot believe this article. All of the more serious issues going on in this community and you have to take this one to the extreme? People having fun and its made into something more...please. It's not like they were out in public doing something obscene, they were in private, not working and someone happens to take a picture...if the picture wasnt brought to your attention you would have never known. Sounds like someone did this just to get some kind of revenge.. aren't they 2 yrs. old anyway?

Who ever turned the pictures in should be just as guilty for taking the picture and holding it to try and ruin the reputation of these two officers.