Richmond County sergeant disciplined

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Posted: 6:45 PM Sep 15, 2008
Last Updated: 6:48 PM Sep 15, 2008
Reporter: Lynnsey Gardner
Email Address: lynnsey.gardner@wrdw.com

15 comments

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News 12 at 6 o'clock, September 15, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga -- A top violent crimes investigative Sergeant at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office is demoted today after a disciplinary hearing at the law enforcement center this morning.

Richard Roundtree is more than just a supervisor and investigator at the Sheriff's Office, he's also a well known community leader; the face of Taking Back The Streets and Dads In Action.

Today, (Monday September 15) he went before the review board facing allegations of negligence.

Sergeant Richard Roundtree is a Sergeant no more, demoted to investigator following a disciplinary hearing at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

Major Ken Autry oversees about a hundred investigators in the criminal investigation division, including Roundtree. "This is a stumbling block but he's an intelligent person so he can bounce back very easily."

A recent stumble that began in July when someone cleaning up his empty Augusta apartment found seven case files belonging to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office which is against department policy, but not against the law.

"It's never crossed my mind there was anything criminal about it, it's just negligence on his part." adds Major Ken Autry.

Those files included two closed cases, including the Margaret King case. She was the grandmother and convienence store clerk shot to death at the Pump n Shop on Central Avenue during a robbery in 2003.

There were also five cold cases as well as misplaced swat gear.

"As far as I can tell right now, nothing's been compromised." says Autry. But the sheriff's office took the allegations of negligence seriously and investigated. They presented their findings to the review board and then the sheriff weighed in.

Their decision is a demotion, five day suspension and 12 months probation. Investigator Roundtree will also be moved out of violent crimes and transferred to another department.

Autry, "In my opinion, it's fair. There were some not unheard of, but serious accusations."

And during his 15 year career at the sheriff's office he's went above the call of duty mentoring families, teens, children and dads with his programs of Taking Back The Streets and most recently, Dads In Action. Also, hundreds of cases solved thanks to his work. Major Autry says his efforts were noted. "I think that's why the punishment wasn't anymore severe, because he's been an excellent employee."

Now this is Investigator Roundtree's fifth suspension in his 15 years at the sheriff's office. His first back in 1996 for issues with co-workers.
The other three stemming from misplaced evidence and two failures to appear in court, those appearance violations were almost a decade apart.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: D'Janae Location: Augusta, Ga on Jan 16, 2009 at 11:22 AM
I feel that Investigator Roundtree's punishment was just and fair. The facts are, that he was out of town on business, which he had no control over. He stated that he was in the process of moving at the time. He still had a key to that residence. Yes, he was wrong for having those files at his residence, but, do we not take books home from the library or school to read? You cannot possibly try to solve crimes without having some form of documentation in front of you to view. He is responsible for solving numerous crimes in the csra and surrounding areas. He is very intelligent, hard working, and unlike most people in the world, he loves what he does. He solved crimes to provide closure to families, heal a mothers broken heart, bring lost children home, and to get some of these predators off the streets,etc. Not for a pay check.He was not getting paid for the extra hours he put in to solve the closed cases. He was and is still very dedicated in every aspect of his job. Thanx

Posted by: Terry Location: home on Oct 29, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Is fan of Roundtree, actually Roundtree?

Posted by: nicole on Oct 6, 2008 at 08:23 AM
i want to know was my brother case one of those found wondering minds would like to know

Posted by: hello Location: augusta on Sep 17, 2008 at 09:34 AM
I can hear Renita Crawford crying as I type this. LEAVE ROUNDTREE ALONE!!! LEAVE ROUNDTREE ALONE!!!!!

Posted by: me Location: here on Sep 17, 2008 at 09:31 AM
To all you Roundtree sympothizers, Stop calling him Sgt. Roundtree...Its Investigator Roundtree now. Thats what happens when you do bone head stuff like lose case files in your house and blame it on other investigators, then stand by as they get suspended. I hope they did a "quick peek" of his new rental to make sure he didn't carry something home that can ruin another murder case. If you feel the need to look important, carry a magnifying glass around or something. Leave the "all important" case files in CID where the county manual says they belong. At least in burglary, the steaks aren't so high when he loses stuff. Thank you.

Posted by: bluline Location: R.C on Sep 17, 2008 at 09:18 AM
Rountree, an Excellent Investigator??? I guess you base this on his steller performaces on the 6 o'clock news Huh? Roundtree is all "sizzle" and no steak. I have to laugh when he shows up on crime scenes wearing those "Zoot Suits" and felt Fedora hats accompanied with a matching cane. If you want the scoop on Roundtree or any other cop......ask a cop. A lost case file in itself is bad, but the implications can be grave. You conspirocey theroy folks ask yourself this question: If you got caught DUI and someone in the D.A.'s office said they could "lose" the ticket for you for $1000, would you do it? Now apply this to a murder case. A "lost" case file is no different than a lost ticket, at best it it tains the integrity of the case. Roundtree should hug the sheriff and go back through the Police academy, not the FBI academy. Somebody get this guy a file Cabinet.

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 16, 2008 at 10:15 PM
what about the investigator that was suspended for one of Roundtrees missing files? Did he get justice for being falslely suspended

Posted by: topcop Location: auguista on Sep 16, 2008 at 05:06 PM
They should have canned Roundtree for this. The reason he is always on t.v. is because he like to be on t.v. Most investigators try to keep a low profile. Being on t.v. all the time does not make you a great Investigator. Lets not forget, he sent a fellow investigator to the review board to be suspended for losing the very case files HE HAD IN HIS OWN RENTED HOUSE! I'm just glad he got a little reality check from the Department. Its long overdue, but way to police your own R.C.S.O.!!

Posted by: Harry Location: Augusta on Sep 16, 2008 at 03:19 PM
A letter to our powers that be. Is the augusta community supposed to believe that these detectives do not take home case files on a regular basis and that this is a one time situation? Our officers should be commended for their efforts to solve cases even when they are not "on the clock" so to speak? How many of us this day and age do extra work at home and not expect to be paid extra? 15 years of dealing with the level of murderers and rapists and molesters and drug addicts and we demote him for trying to solve cold cases? (Why else would he have taken the files home?) Lets face it if this had not hit the media nothing would have ever been said! But now the powers that be feel they need to take action to save face and make a clear statement that if you dont follow policy you will be disgraced and demoted. So many concerns about those 5 cold cases what about the 500 or more that this very gifted detective will no longer have a chance to solve? Concerned Augusta Native!

Posted by: fan of roundtree Location: augusta on Sep 16, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Mr. Roundtree is a EXCELLENT investigator, and seems to be getting a bad rap for lose ends. He solved my mother's murder and I have no DOUBT he went far and above to solve the crime, if he cant solve the crime it isnt because he didnt do his VERY VERY BEST!!!! I am glad he didnt lose his job. KEEP GOING MR. ROUNDTREE, WE NEED YOU!!!

Posted by: sHARON Location: gROVETOWN on Sep 16, 2008 at 09:45 AM
wHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY GAS IS SO MUCH HIGHER HERE THAN IN TEXAS OR JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE UNITED STATES. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME! PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY GAS IS SO MUCH HIGHER THAN WHERE IKE ACTUALLY HIT!

Posted by: KeKe Location: Aiken, S.C on Sep 15, 2008 at 10:28 PM
I think that the punishment was a bit severe. By far, the good that Sgt. Roundtree has done far outweighs the bad. I hope that he continues to be an advocate for the community and not let this be discouraging. Our community and law enforcement agency needs good people like him. Best of luck to your SGT.!!

Posted by: felicia on Sep 15, 2008 at 07:47 PM
MR.roundtree was the lead detetive in my lil brother case back in 2003 he promise us as in my family the he would have the shooter before my brothers funeral then the phone calls went unanwered and he would always tell to leave a number were we could be reached we even asked him if he could put in for a larger REWARD he stated to us that it would take two years to request reward money from the goverment as waiting this appears that makes me think that he has or know more information about LARRY DRAYTON case in 2003 the fifthteen year old that was gunned done while sitting on the stair way in providece place.

Posted by: Injustice Location: csra on Sep 15, 2008 at 07:33 PM
It sadens me that things in Augusta will never change. Here's an intellegent, hard working, dedicated young man who obviously cares about the community and as soon as he makes a mistake they try to destroy him. Who has not made a mistake and before you answer, and also puts thier lives on the line everyday. Thank you Sgt. Roundtree for all you have done.

Posted by: Terry Location: home on Sep 15, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Were there copies of these cases still on file at the records department while they were "missing" at Roundtree's apartment? While he had the "missing" files was anyone else able to work on these cases? Seems to me if no one was able to access the files to work on the cold cases, that compromises the cases. What was the other closed case and what were the 5 cold cases? Were they other murders? Were any of these cold cases the murders of Dorsey, Yang Han, Isais Selman, or the young unidentified black male found dead behind Golden Harvest Food Bank? There was a fifth cold case murder that I heard of in that radius, but the name escapes me at the moment. I'd like to see some progress on those cases. It might be illuminating if any one or more of these four cases were among the missing cold cases. I'd hate to think no work was being done on these cases because the files were "missing".