TAMPA - James Vincent Dausch, the off-duty Tampa Police officer who was charged with possessing cocaine at a Channelside nightclub Saturday, worked on the department's anti-drug QUAD squad, authorities said Monday.
Tampa Police spokesman Joe Durkin said Dausch has been with the department for nine years, most recently with the QUAD (Quick Uniformed Attack on Drugs) Squad.
The unit's goal is to "aggressively work toward the reduction of open street drug dealing within the city," according to the department's Web site.
Officials are not concerned about Dausch's access to drugs through the QUAD squad because no confiscated drugs are missing, said police spokeswoman Laura McElroy.
Dausch has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation, McElroy said.
According to a Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit, bouncers at the nightclub Banana Joe's reportedly escorted Dausch outside after observing him with a bag of white powder in a club restroom shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday. Witnesses saw him drop the bag to the ground, reports state.
Sheriff's deputies arrested Dausch, 35, on a felony charge of cocaine possession.
Dausch was released from the Orient Road Jail on Saturday afternoon on $2,000 bail.
In January 2001, State Attorney Mark Ober cleared Dausch in the December 2000 shooting of Tavaris D. Caldwell, 20.
Caldwell backed a stolen Honda into Dausch and another officer. Dausch shot Caldwell from the ground, wounding him.
Police sergeant injured when car hits cruiser
TAMPA - A Tampa Police sergeant received minor injuries Monday when a Sarasota motorist ran a stop sign and slammed into his unmarked cruiser, authorities said.
According to police reports, Sgt. Patrick Hogue, who is the brother of police Chief Steve Hogue, was driving west on W Cleveland Street just as Dominick Medico, 72, was driving his Chevrolet Impala north on S Moody Avenue.
Medico ran a stop sign at that intersection, according to reports, and hit Hogue's cruiser on the driver's side. Hogue was treated at a hospital for minor leg injuries.
Medico, who was not injured in the 11:10 a.m. accident, was issued a traffic citation on a charge of failure to stop at a stop sign.
