CHANGE MY LOCATION
Officer in charge of evidence accused of theft
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: SAN FRANCISCO
)
After she was involved in a shooting, Officer Michelle Alvis documented evidence in her role as manager of the Taraval Station.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - A San Francisco police officer assigned to handle evidence will be arraigned today for allegedly stealing from the department and doctoring reports to hide the crime.
Officer Michelle Alvis, a five-year veteran of the Police Department, was assigned as the Taraval Station manager — a job that involved documenting evidence being sent to police headquarters — after her involvement in a fatal 2006 officer-involved shooting. She was arrested Friday and released on bail after a grand jury indictment of grand theft involving an incident on Oct. 31, 2006.
Although a grand jury indictment that details the charges is sealed, a brief police incident report accuses Alvis of grand theft, filing a false report, preparing false documentary evidence and two counts of willful loss or destruction of records by officer entrusted.
A conviction of grand theft alone could result in a sentence of three years in prison, depending on the value of the goods stolen.
While the Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the specifics of the indictment, the president of San Francisco’s police union, Gary Delagnes, expressed doubt that an officer in her position would steal from the department when all fingers would point back in her direction.
“This is a question of on-duty conduct and she’s one of our members, so we’ll stand by her as this thing plays out,” Delagnes said. “I guess the grand jury must have seen something.”
This is not the first time Alvis has been the center of controversy. Six months before the alleged theft, on June 6, 2006, Alvis shot and killed 25-year-old Asa Sullivan in the attic of a Villas Parkmerced apartment.
At the time of the shooting, Alvis was accompanied by Officer John Keesor, who had fired the first shot because he said Sullivan was holding a “cylindrical item” that later was determined to be an eyeglass case, according to police.
The bullet ricocheted and hit Alvis’ ear and she fired, according to the police account. Sullivan was shot 16 times, according to the medical examiner’s report. Police have yet to release incident reports related to the officer-involved shooting. Sullivan’s family is suing the department in federal court for $10 million.
Alvis’ attorney, Lydia Stiglich, did not return calls late Monday afternoon for comment.
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:21 PM MST on Tue., May. 20, 2008 re: "Officer in charge of evidence accused of theft"
Report as inappropriate
1:45 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 16, 2008
re: "Officer in charge of evidence accused of theft"
Report as inappropriate
9:12 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 15, 2008
re: "Officer in charge of evidence accused of theft"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
She is a liar and a murderer! Asa should be alive today. When will it stop?! What is wrong with our society when police take a life or beat someone for there own satisfaction or in the name of the law, we accept it. Is that justified? What if it happened to your family? Would they deserve it becuase the officer was just doing their job? Makes me think if they are so afraid of the dark then why do they become officers. When they get caught breaking the law, they lie to get a slap on the wrist. They are not the law and should be held accountable for their wrong doing and go to prison. She did it and will lie to save herself, by God and under oath. The truth is why they look at us as the criminals and act to treat us as so. Excuse after lie, with no honor or integrity. They should have survallience cameras in their place of work as well as on their person to rule out the real truth. Who do they work for: themselves, the public or true justice. The world needs to know. Peace.
1 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Things like this do happen, and some Police Officers do things they shouldn't. The wagons are being circled by the Police Union, the criminal case will proceed, and the ultimate outcome will be determined by a jury! Is it drug related? Is it financial hardship related (even though paid well)? Does she have Department known questionable traits? Did she fool the Dept.'s Lie Detector test when a Candidate for hiring? Is there some past family history that will give light to what she's about (like bad check writing, anger problems, relationship problems, etc., that were NOT explored when considered)? Was she possibly "high" when she helped kill Asa? Was she tested afterwards? These are subjects that the Press and Grand Jury, as well as the D.A.'s OIffice should get answers to. A bad Cop is as bad as a good criminal! Trust? Of course, she's "innocent" until proven otherwise! America, what a Country!
3 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
There has to be a joke in here somewhere, much like the one about the SFPD cop that was so dumb that the others actually noticed. "Did you hear about the SFPD cop that was so corrupt, the others were appalled?"
4 agree | 0 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree