Updated: Thursday, 10 Jun 2010, 8:08 AM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 09 Jun 2010, 6:09 PM EDT
GOWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A former police officer, who's already admitted he took a pizza bribe to make a traffic ticket go away, is also coming clean about a bizarre shooting case.
A husband and father of three, Jason Miller didn't tell the truth about what happened in 2008 when he was a Gowanda Police officer.
Detective Jen Alessi of the Gowanda Police said, "He claimed to have been hit by a suspect on East Hill Street."
The truth is that it was Miller who fired a .22 caliber round into his bullet-proof vest. Miller says he hung his bullet-proof vest on a tree branch and fired into it, then hit himself in the chest with a piece of wood to simulate the bruises.
"It's disheartening, disappointing, disgraceful to this profession. To this community. To this village police department," said Alessi.
The reported incident sparked a massive multi-police agency investigation. But the man sworn to uphold the law wasn't in a hurry for justice.
Alessi said, "He was uncooperative with all law enforcement agencies, especially New York State Police."
Then last June, Miller, who worked full-time as investigator for the Cattaraugus District Attorney, arrested a female driver. A legitimate arrest.
"Processed the paperwork, but never filed it in return for three pizzas," explained Alessi.
Within three months of that arrest, he had been placed on administrative leave, and resigned from the force.
Alessi said, "Once he was no longer around, people started coming forward."
Forward with information and allegations of wrongdoing.
"Had it not been for the arrest over the pizzas, we would still be wondering," stated Alessi.
Miller was a part-time police officer here in Gowanda, but authorities want him to do the maximum time when he's sentenced. If a judge agrees, Miller could spend up to a year behind bars. Miller pleaded guilty to official misconduct. That's a misdemeanor. Investigating one of their own was not easy.
Alessi wondered, "How could he ever explain something so deceitful? Only he knows."
"Like any other big investigation, there were many man hours, many agencies. The New York State Police, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department, the DEC, forest rangers, local police. We always had theories. Like any other crime, you look at everything," added Alessi.
Miller was scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, however that has been postponed. We're working to learn the new date. As for why he lied about being shot, authorities say he hasn't revealed his motive.
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/crime/Offi ... proof-vest
Guess he wanted a medical leave...
