• Font Size    
E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

DNCC Hires Disgraced Former Officer For Security

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

   Print     Share +    Comments
Aug 18, 2008 9:42 pm US/Mountain

DNCC Hires Disgraced Former Officer For Security

Written by Brian Maass

 Section: Democratic National Convention Section
DENVER (CBS4) ― The Democratic National Convention Committee has hired a disgraced former Denver police lieutenant to coordinate security at the Colorado Convention Center during the convention.

But the committee isn't talking about why they hired Gary Lauricella or if they knew about his background when they hired him.

Lauricella was hired as a "security consultant," according to the DNCC. One convention center employee said he has been managing security at the convention center since mid-July. The Democrats are holding numerous convention-related events at the Colorado Convention Center next week.

Several current Denver police officers who spoke on the condition their names not be used expressed surprise that the DNCC would hire Lauricella as a top security consultant, given his spotty background.

In 2003, a CBS4 investigation named Lauricella, a 29-year police veteran, as one of three top commanders in the Denver Police Department's Crimes Against Persons Bureau who were routinely leaving their posts in the middle of the afternoon to work an outside job as a $30 an hour crossing guard for a private school. The revelation triggered a criminal investigation, reforms in DPD off-duty policies and hefty fines and suspensions for the other two commanders. One was suspended for 30 days for his conduct and fined another ten days pay. Denver's Manager of Safety ordered another lieutenant suspended for 20 days and he was fined 13 days pay.

However, Lauricella's case was even more egregious. After he was confronted about working an outside job in the middle of his normal work day, someone immediately doctored Lauricella's time records, changing dozens of days to try to make it appear he had been doing nothing wrong. A special prosecutor appointed to examine the case, ruled no criminal charges should be filed, but said the tampering with Lauricella's time records was "suspicious … inappropriate" and concluded it was "highly unlikely" anyone other than Lauricella had falsified his work records.

Lauricella was suspended for seven months during the investigation but resigned in August 2003 rather than face disciplinary measures, which could have included termination.

At the time, a Rocky Mountain News editorial termed Lauricella's conduct "a scandal and a disgrace."

It's unclear what the DNCC knew about Lauricella when they hired him, or if they vetted him.

"We do not comment on our employee relationships," said Natalie Wyeth, a DNCC spokesperson.

Lauricella did not return calls placed to his phone at DNCC offices.

Additional Resources

• For complete coverage of the planning for the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver, as well as information about how to volunteer and for a list of helpful links, visit the Democratic National Convention section.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Curious & Controversial News

Add Comment

here. here. Need a log in? Register here
  •  * Will not be displayed with comment
  •  * e.g. (http://www.mywebsite.com)
  •  
  • Click here to refresh with new letters

Show Comments (0)

Close Window Login


Close Window Flag Comment


loading...
You need the latest Flash player to view video content.
Click here to download.

Click here to bypass this detection if you already have the latest Flash Player.

Investigates

Top News Stories

© MMIX, CBS Television Stations Inc. All Rights Reserved.