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Escambia Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested
December 17, 2011
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been arrested for misusing a law enforcement computer system.
Michael Patrick Bowman, 35, was charged by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on a charge of third degree felony computer-related fraud. Bowman was released from jail on his own recognizance.
Bowman is accused of using a law enforcement computer to view criminal histories and driver’s license information without a legitimate law enforcement cause.
His arrest report has not yet been released by FDLE or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Bowman is due to appear in court on January 5.
Comments
18 Responses to “Escambia Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested”
To LEO
If you are real LEO and with the ECSO then you should already know what this is really all about.
If he were looking up information on someone he knows. He finds they have a warrant for a crime. His action leads to an arrest. A case is salved. Do you arrest him for finding the information or is he a good officer spending his time wisely? I lookup people I know on the internet all the time. If I find someone I know that is a suspect, I’m going to turn them in. If you don’t know the intent of the officer, don’t judge him.
I am with Billy, how about all the situations that me and my fellow brothers put ourselves into on a daily basis that are caused by citizens. No, lets pass judgment on a man that performed an action that DID NOT harm or kill anyone. Yes he misused a law enforcement resource of information, really? How does that make him dirty? I wish him the best of luck and tell him to keep is his up
REGARDING:
“The po po are human; however, they aren’t above the law and should be held to the same standard as the common citizen. ”
Law enforcement officers are worthy of respect or removal, nothing in between. Thus, calling them po po, pigs, fuzz, coppers, Smokey bears or any other demeaning name should be avoided by decent citizens. Those who don’t avoid the name calling do a good job of identifying themselves, though, so go right ahead.
Further, they SHOULD not be held to the same standard as the common citizen. They should be held to a higher standard. Their word should stand up in court. Children should feel safe around them. Drunks should be confident they won’t be rolled by the law enforcement officers. Law breakers should feel they won’t be mistreated or pressed for bribes and that their crimes won’t be ignored due to position in the community or money in the pocket.
They have access to lethal power at all times, to confidential information at all times. They hold our lives in their hands. They MUST be held to a higher standard than Rhe rank and file humanity.
David who couldn’t do it
and wouldn’t try
Very good point….WHERE IS HIS MUG SHOT? I’m actually very surprised this even made the news. They are known for keeping their bad behaviors a secret. The po po are human; however, they aren’t above the law and should be held to the same standard as the common citizen. Sounds like another dirty cop…..
What info he was looking at on the law enforcement system is way different than what is available to the general public. Free or paid.
Maybe I’m missing something here but all that info is public record. I can look up anyone’s record online for free.
I may not know everything, but I do know he has a job he is an adult knowing what is right and wrong he knew.. We as citizen have to pay Cor wrong decision also, but just for his FYI he can pay for home Internet and google anyone free and if u must know pay for more info… Like real citizens.. It’s been said thank you
The deputy is accused of running his driver’s license and people that he knows, including family members. He was never accused of misusing or releasing the information.
People have to understand. Information can be used as power over someone. There are rules in the LEO world as well as the military world. You have the right to access for information when you have a NEED TO KNOW. He must have not had a need to know thus broke this rule, law and they take this very seriously. If he is guilty, then he will pay the piper. I do agree those who’s information he pulled up should be notified.
Billy— I do not know the reason he pulled up the information. But I do know that a Escambia LEO was shot and killed after being set up by an informant he was using. If he checked a name just one time—so be it. We will find out the rest of the story as time goes on. Information is a very important working tool for LEO’s—- it is also of value to the other side. If you were a drug dealer it would be nice to have information about someone you sold to. It would also be good to know if the LEO”s are sitting on a search warrant waiting for your next large shipment. Information has a great deal of value for both sides of the law. For all of LEO’s please be safe and know you have more support than you know.
I don’t know the reasons why he misused his work computers nor do I particularly care but I will say that it is always a sad day in L.E when an officer is arrested because every LEO that goes out every day and does his job right is bunched in with those that make bad decisions. How can we expect the public to trust that we are there for them when we ourselves are not above dishonesty and bad decisions? It seems these days that for every two steps forward we take one step back in regards to community relations because of the actions of one deputy. I say we as in one of the supporters of LE.
Who cares if he look up records? I sure dont. These people are just human. The sheriffs department takes risks for us every day. Most of these comments are by people with no gratitude.
I think the people he looked up with no cause should be notified
of his actions. There is no telling why this LEO looked these
people up, but obviously it was NO GOOD. Now what did he
do with that INFORMATION or WHO DID HE SELL IT TO?
Sounds like an abuse of the power that we pay for him to have.
I hold LEO’S to a higher standard than other people as we give
them so much power with that BADGE, GUN, and INFORMATION
COMPUTER.
The one’s who abuse that power are a disgrace to the one’s
who work so hard and actually lay their lives down for us.
Stuff like this happens. The LEO does a favor for a friend to be sure someone they want to hire is not wanted and to get their arrest record. Some times checking to see if a gun some friend wants to buy is not reported stolen. Is it right or the proper use for NCIC/FCIC, no. He must have been down loading a ton of information as a business. I can only hope he was not doing a “favor” to a drug dealer or someone like that that did not want to be caught in a sting. He had or should have know this would or could come back to bite him in the back side.
bound to be a strong temptation
>>>So why wasn’t his picture posted?
There is not mugshot available. Mugshots and addresses of law enforcement personnel that are arrested are not public record under Florida law.
So why wasn’t his picture posted?