Deputy, Tate High School Resource Officer Arrested

July 7, 2012

The school resource officer at Tate High School was arrested Friday on a third degree felony charge.

Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputy Lavada Michelle Rivkin, 31, was arrested for eavesdropping –  illegal interception of communication.

The State Attorney’s Office began an investigation into Rivkin after being contacted by the Sheriff’s Office, according to Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille.  He said Rivkin is accused of secretly recording another deputy during a telephone discussion about a complaint. The call was allegedly recorded without Rivkin asking permission.

Marcille would not comment on whether or not the incident involved Rivkin’s official duties as a school resource officer.

Rivkin turned herself in about 2:35 Friday afternoon on a State Attorney’s Office warrant and was released on her own recognizance.

According to the Sheriffs’ Office, Rivkin is on paid administrative leave pending review by the department.

Comments

36 Responses to “Deputy, Tate High School Resource Officer Arrested”

  1. Hotcop on July 10th, 2012 12:31 am

    Morgan going after another female employee, in the past 6 months, for filing or threatening to file Sexual Harassment complaint. The other was attacked by Morgan’s internal affairs and force to resign, be fired or arrested in protection of Chief Deputy Aiken.

  2. Richard on July 9th, 2012 6:12 pm

    Maybe everyone should wait and see exactly what happened and all of the facts, good or bad. There seems to be a lot of jumping to conclusions here.

  3. C Hendrey on July 9th, 2012 11:59 am

    Mrs Rivkin the children seem to like you and trust you that is great. When this gets worst remember there or other jobs that are way better and you can still help people. But untill you make your choice I pray for you also I hope you stand up to them. It has to stop but will not the “good ol boy “system is deeper and stronger than it looks I hope what you recorded is strong enough for the reguler people to stand by you cause if not then well anyone who has ever fought them understands sometimes its not worth it.

  4. Kassie Sandusky on July 8th, 2012 7:46 pm

    Mrs. Rivkin is the type of woman and person to do what she can to get her job done correctly. Everyone makes a few mistakes and sometimes you have to do the wrong thing to get the right information. I believe that she was doing what was best and that she should not be charged for anything. I am not one to get into trouble, but when I did she was there to figure out what happened, find a solution, and fix the problem. She is a really good person and Tate High School resource officer. I really wish everyone would quit jumping to conclusions about people they do not even know. Especially the police men and women that try to make this town safer for us. Jeez…I’m only 16 years old, but I sound so much more mature than some of you.

  5. Jennie on July 8th, 2012 6:40 pm

    I’m afraid J gone might be right! We will see. Lavada doesn’t work to make friends, she works to make a difference. Come on ECSO, do what’s right. Escambia county has done their time with the crooked, good ol’ boy system. If this ends up, just being swept under the rug, Sheriff Morgan, the voters will remember!

  6. J Gone on July 8th, 2012 5:34 pm

    I saw a case just like this before….It is not good I wonder how fast they will try to make it go away good luck Mrs.Rifkin you will need it be strong for yourself and your family. Also know that your friends will turn on you instead of helping you because they will be scared for their job.

  7. Bobby on July 8th, 2012 1:49 pm

    Once again, I DID NOT say this happened. I don’t know this woman at all. She may be a fine person. But I am not going to assume that because a blogger says she filed a sexual harassment claim on someone that she didn’t do anything wrong. There are a million and one things that “could have” happened. “off duty deputy” gave you one theory and I gave you another. BUT, I made it clear that I WAS NOT accusing her of doing this. My point was to get people to stop jumping to conclusions when they don’t have a clue what is really going on.

  8. 429SCJ on July 8th, 2012 6:52 am

    It definitely requires a unique individual, to choose a career in law enforcement.

    A lot of headaches and interesting personalities to deal with, to be sure. Many opportunities to excel.

  9. Careful with your accusations on July 7th, 2012 11:35 pm

    Bobby,
    You don’t know Mrs. Rivkin, yet you insult her and accuse her of being unfaithful. You have no clue about the facts of this case.
    You are wrong about your assumptions of her and obviously don’t know her.
    Her life is focused around her students at Tate and her family; that is her priority.
    Mrs. Rivkin loves her husband and your accusations against her are demeaning.
    You need to reread this article; she recorded a phone call about a complaint against her, not the sexual harassment.
    Being able to read is not as important as being able to comprehend what you are reading.
    My prayers for the people that want to believe lies about someone whose life is her husband. To a faithful wife your comments insinuating unfaithfulness and deceit on Mrs. Rivkin’s part are more devastating than this arrest.
    Bobby next time have the courage to put your full name, so when this deputy gets her job back, you can meet her face to face.

  10. Softballer on July 7th, 2012 11:32 pm

    Bobby… It is terribly naive to think that all the facts of the case are going to be present in the press release by any government entity. Ask any member of the press… I’m actually laughing in my head

  11. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 11:10 pm

    *golf with them too?

  12. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 11:05 pm

    Alrighty Bobby, I happen to know this victim, Lavada of course, surely you werent calling this “brother” the victim. And yes there are two sides to every story, but, having had the pleasure of getting to know this “victim”, so I can say with all certainty that the direction of another thought you brilliantly thought you would share with all of us, is simply ridiculous. But good grasping, and not to mention, how you did some pretty mean jumping to conclusions yourself! The truth will come out. So grandpa, you golf with them too?

  13. Tate c/o 2012 on July 7th, 2012 9:27 pm

    Lavada was an outstanding resource officer at Tate last year. If she did anything, it was for the sole purpose to help another person. She was always interested in the safety and well-being of the young adults she was looking after. I, personally, could come talk to her about anything because I knew she was always there to help me, regardless of the situation.

  14. Kelley Underwood on July 7th, 2012 8:58 pm

    She should take down everyone with her..I am sorry but she will loose no matter what.

  15. UUUGH on July 7th, 2012 8:55 pm

    Its funny how sometimes people do wrong things to proove that they are telling the truth. I hope she has not given the recording to anyone unless she is ready for a hard ride. I will make my voting choice on how this is handled. Now we will find out if Morgan is really a good ol boy player…..I hope not

  16. Jerry A on July 7th, 2012 8:31 pm

    Twelve states forbid the recording of private conversations without the consent of all parties. Those states are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington

    http://www.rcfp.org/handbook/c03p01.html

  17. Jerry A on July 7th, 2012 8:28 pm

    @Softballer, it has always been illegal to record a persons conversation without their consent. This is nothing new.

  18. Stacy on July 7th, 2012 7:53 pm

    Ive seen this done first hand by DOC I know how hard this is I just hope this officer doesnt loose her job maybe she will not now that it is public.

  19. jdm on July 7th, 2012 7:23 pm

    Since when is it a crime to record a conversation that you are a participent in? I’m asking because as for as I know it is not illegal to do so as long as you are one of the participents, both sides are on record.

  20. Bobby on July 7th, 2012 7:18 pm

    I am married and I have four daughters and I AM NOT so naive as to think that a woman wouldn’t do that. I am also not one of these parents that would blind myself to the truth if my child were the one doing it.
    Now, I did NOT accuse this woman of doing this. I simply encouraged some open mindedness to take place by stimulating thought in the same way that “off duty deputy” did. If you will notice, a person named “off duty deputy” mentioned that she had filed a sexual harassment complaint and everyone assumed that it was true. You have NOT been provided any information to substantiate this information and simply chose to believe it like you are chosing to believe that this “off duty deputy” is actually a deputy. They may be a deputy but that is not he point. I actually wrote “I am not saying that this is the case” so that people would know just that. No where did I say that all women were out to make bogus sexual harassment claims.
    Simply put 1. A female deputy who is a school resource officer was arrested for a crime that is rarely prosecuted (probably because recorded phone calls almost always revolve around criminals and criminal activity and are nearly impossible to prove) 2. A blogger mentioned that she filed a sexual harassment complaint. 3. You and some other’s believed the blog and chose the truth of the blogger over the press release with absolutely NOTHING to base it on. 4. If you think that a she doesn’t have the ability to call a man (not recorded) for a few weeks and make him think she likes him and then start recording him…you are pretty simple. 5. Last, this man was alarmed by her behavior in some way for some reason. If he was harassing her and has any brains at all, he would NEVER accuse her of recording their conversations and draw attention to himself because he doesn’t know if she has any evidence against him. SHE had suspicious behavior, SHE broke the law and SHE was arrested. Until there is a media release on anyone else for doing any wrong doing, don’t jump to conclusions about a man who, until proven otherwise, is a VICTIM.

  21. Joecop on July 7th, 2012 6:52 pm

    I wish William and other members of the media would dig into this case a little more.

  22. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 6:00 pm

    Wow Bobby, are you married? Do you have a daughter or granddaughter? Would you, or would you appreciate someone accusing them of encouraging unwanted sexual advances for money? Softballer was right! Both of them would be recorded, and did you think about the other side to this story? Why would she record herself if she were doing anything wrong? Why report sexual harassment, being a deputy, and knowing that too would prompt an investigation? The wrong people seem to have the most rights. If this deputy reported sexual harassment, why not go public with that? It’s a brotherhood, where, in this case, only the “brothers” are being protected! What’s wrong ECSO?? Afraid of the boys getting bruised?

  23. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 5:49 pm

    Wow Richard, I mean Bobby, are you married? Do you have a daughter or granddaughter? Would you accuse them of encouraging unwanted sexual advances for money? Softballer was right! Both of them would be recorded, and did you think about the other side to this story? Why would she record herself if she were doing anything wrong? Why report sexual harassment, being a deputy, and knowing that too would prompt an investigation? The wrong people seem to have the most rights. If this deputy reported sexual harassment, why not go public with that? It’s a brotherhood, where, in this case, only the “brothers” are being protected! What’s wrong ECSO?? Afraid of the boys getting bruised?

  24. Frank on July 7th, 2012 5:28 pm

    It is amazing how people asume so much, The law is the law…period!

  25. Softballer on July 7th, 2012 5:13 pm

    If my daughter was being sexually harassed at school or work.. I would tell her to try and record it… I guess that would be bad advise because apparently its against the law and she would be arrested. Obviously Bobby both sides of the conversation would be recorded… I don’t think all females are out to get money for bogus sexual harassment .. It seems like she protected herself the best way she knew how. I would do the same…. And another thing…. I’ve never in my 40 years of living have ever heard of someone being arrested for this. This law must be in the very back of the book.

  26. Bobby on July 7th, 2012 4:52 pm

    From another point of view….If she was actually recording sexual harrassment she wouldn’t be prosecuted because the recording would be evidence that no one in their right mind would use in a case against her. Now a more likely story would be that she, like many have done before, may have been soliciting “sexual harassment” or “intimate comments” from a co-worker in an attempt to construct a sexual harassment case for the same reason others have done this…MONEY!!!
    Now, I am not saying this is the case but it makes a lot more sense than what has been said. Also, the recorded deputy must have known that something funny was going on because he obviously prompted the investigation. Why would he ask for an investigation if he was doing something wrong. People are too quick to jump to conclusions.

  27. Softballer on July 7th, 2012 4:18 pm

    My daughter went to Tate. Deputy Rivkin was an outstanding resource officer. She cared about the kids and didn’t take any crap from the deviants that went there. A good resource officer can make a difference.

    IF she made the recording to protect herself against sexual harrasmment and gets in trouble for that we really live in a messed up world. I wonder why else a deputy would record another deputy?? Something doesn’t smell right with this investigation.

  28. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 4:03 pm

    Ha @ BRATT! How true that is!

  29. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 4:00 pm

    Off duty deputy, it doesn’t surprise me in the least that wasn’t mentioned! What’s up with that Sheriff David Morgan? Golfing buddy maybe?

  30. bratt on July 7th, 2012 2:51 pm

    Nah, Jennie, they would rather set up speed traps and catch the working man doing 42mph in a 35mph zone. And give someone a ticket who can actually pay it. But your are right its much easier for them to do the easy jobs, instead of taking real criminals off the street.

  31. off duty deputy exercising free speech on July 7th, 2012 2:42 pm

    This is another example of a deputy being frivolously prosecuted. When you become a target at the sheriff’s office, they’ll dig til they find something. Amazing they didn’t mention anything about the sexual harassment complaint she made. Then again I guess that would ruin the appearance of the case. Fortunately the SAO is not known successful at prosecuting cases. Read back in a few months when the case is dismissed.

  32. Jennie on July 7th, 2012 12:08 pm

    Wow! The sheriffs dept. should be ashamed of themselves! Arrested??? Why were the depities who took the taxpayers money to spend the time to investigate this “crime”, not out serving the public, like, I don’t know, busting a meth lab, catching thieves, something productive. It is definitely a double standard when it comes to them recording us, and their own being recorded. As I was just told, it’ll all come out in the wash. There is definitely more to this story! Keep us posted William!

  33. unlikely on July 7th, 2012 7:47 am

    Wow. Yes, I agree she probably pee’d someone off. Vada, keep your head up. Everything comes out in the wash.

  34. citizenmike on July 7th, 2012 7:36 am

    Another case of double standards in our police state. They can listen to or record ours but you cannot listen to or record theirs. Restore the Constitution!!!!

  35. Tinag on July 7th, 2012 7:22 am

    Was it really the fact she made the recording at all. Or was it who and what she recorded. Everything happens for a reason & sounds like she pee’d someone off, eavsdropping….maybe repromand not arrest. There is definatly more to this story, hope they do a follow up. .

  36. SMaxson on July 7th, 2012 6:15 am

    Really? Must be an election year!