Prosecutors: Officer left jurisdiction to drive by ex’s home

BENTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A police officer in southwest Michigan has pleaded guilty to misdemeanour neglect of duty for leaving his jurisdiction to drive by an ex-girlfriend’s home to see who she was dating.

The Berrien County prosecutor’s office said Friday that 30-year-old Robert Fuller has been sentenced to a $575 fine.

Fuller is a Benton Township police officer. Prosecutors say a reported use of the Law Enforcement Information Network led investigators to discover that Fuller left his patrol jurisdiction several times in 2016 for personal reasons.

Police officers are only permitted to leave their jurisdictions for limited legitimate reasons.

Administrative hearings regarding Fuller’s employment status are underway with the police department. Benton Township is southwest of Grand Rapids.