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Request starts investigation

A female police officer asked for a transfer, prompting an internal affairs probe.

TAMPA - A female police officer's sudden request to move out of her specialized street squad "raised a red flag" for Tampa Police Department administrators - prompting them to transfer the female officer and five of the squad's male officers back to regular patrol while they conduct an internal affairs investigation.

Tampa Police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said the department will not release details about the recently launched investigation until it is complete.

Officials would not say whether it involves sexual harassment allegations.

But McElroy said the inquiry was launched late last month after Martha Gearity asked to be moved out of the Street Anti-Crimes squad based in Maj. George McNamara's district, which polices downtown, central and east Tampa.

"She asked to be transferred, and that raised a red flag," McElroy said. "We have a very high standard for our officers, and we want to know whether anything inappropriate was going on with that squad."

Each Tampa Police district has two SAC squads, which are aimed at combating street crimes such as drug sales and prostitution.

Gearity, a 41/2-year department veteran with favorable performance evaluations, could not be reached for comment.

Among the five male officers transferred were the squad's leaders, Sgt. Gene Strickland and Cpl. David Watt.

Watt is already the subject of an internal affairs investigation that was launched in December, after he shot at a 45-year-old man while doing an undercover drug buy with Strickland.

Watt, a 19-year department veteran, told administrators he feared for his safety and Strickland's because the man pointed what looked like a gun at them. Watt has no major disciplinary actions on his personnel record, and it is standard procedure to launch internal affairs investigations when officers are involved in on-duty shootings.

Strickland joined the department in 1981. In 1988, he shot a man who was trying to steal his cruiser in the chest and arm. The State Attorney's Office later concluded the shooting was justified.

In July, Strickland was shot in the ankle by a man suspected in a fatal St. Petersburg shooting.

Also transferred from the SAC squad were officers Ryan Sigler, Greg Cotner and Dave Duncan.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3373 or svansickler@sptimes.com