Police Chief Mum On Discipline Of Officer

Wife charged with illegally accessing voice mail, harassing caller
By Joe Wojtas
Published on 9/20/2006 in Fire & Police » Court & Police Reports

On Friday, Elisa M. Johnson, 25, of Pawcatuck was charged with unauthorized use of a computer and disorderly conduct after she turned herself in to police. She was released on a promise to appear in court Sept. 27.

In March, police received a complaint from a Pawcatuck woman who had left a message on Eric Johnson's department voice mail about an accident involving her daughter. Three hours later, Johnson's wife called the woman and said, “He doesn't know you, he doesn't like you, and don't (expletive) call him again,” according to an arrest-warrant affidavit.

The woman's cell phone records showed that she had called Johnson at the department, received a call from Johnson's home and then called police. The message from the woman had been deleted from Eric Johnson's voice mail and he told police he had never received it.

The affidavit also indicated that Eric Johnson's ex-wife said she suspected that Elisa Johnson was accessing his voice mail as much as a year earlier because he said he never received voice messages left for him by his ex-wife and their children.

The affidavit said Elisa Johnson denied entering her husband's voice mail or harassing anyone. Eric Johnson declined to comment.

Remote access to the department's voice-mail system is only possible with a password/pass code. The police department voice-mail policy prohibits employees from revealing their password to others or allowing others to use their account.

“This includes family and other household members when work is being done at home,” the policy says. Under the policy, it is the responsibility of employees to ensure that non-employees do not gain access to sensitive town information.

Erskine declined to say Tuesday whether his department was investigating Eric Johnson for such possible criminal charges as conspiracy.

Earlier this summer, Eric Johnson asked to be returned to the rank of patrol officer. That transfer took effect Aug. 27. Johnson had been a sergeant for six years.

In his letter to Erskine requesting the change, Johnson said that because of personal reasons he could no longer continue as sergeant. He said he looked forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Stonington. Johnson has been a member of the department for 20 years.

Erskine said the transfer had nothing to do with the case against Johnson's wife.

Erskine said nine people have applied to fill the vacant sergeant's position. Testing will take place on the next two Thursdays with interviews scheduled for Oct. 12.

Erskine said he does not think the incident has affected the public's expectation of confidentiality when they call an officer.

“This was an isolated incident,” he said. “I don't think any problems were caused by it.”