Watson comes clean about academy expulsion

A 12-year-old mistake is weighing heavily on the mind of Sergeant Terry Watson, heir-apparent to retiring Libby Police Chief James Smith. Watson, along with Libby resident and candidate for City Council Brian Zimmerman, was expelled from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in 2003 for academic dishonesty.

“My stomach is just twisted up over this,” Watson said. “If a guy could go back in history and change 10 seconds, this would be the time I would change. I’ve been paying for this mistake for 12 years.”

Watson and Zimmerman were expelled June 23, 2003, after the academy’s assistant attorney general, Deborah Butler, found what she termed “a possible case of plagiarism.” “On June 23, 2003, at approximately 0830 hours, Assistant Attorney General Deborah Butler advised me that she had found a possible case of plagiarism regarding two reports,” Rick Layng, Montana Law Enforcement Academy Program Manager Rick Layng wrote. “With the exception of name changes, the reports were identical. Deputy Terry Watson and Officer [name redacted from official report] had written these reports. These officers had been paired together for the major crime scene investigation.”

Layng’s narrative of the events in question indicate Watson knowingly allowed Zimmerman to copy his report.

“Deputy Watson admitted that he had allowed Officer [name redacted] to copy his report.,” Layng wrote. “This was because Officer [name redacted] had not completed his report and didn’t want to get an incomplete. They also conspired that in the event that the dishonesty was detected, that Officer [name redacted] would take responsibility for the action. Deputy Watson stated that they did not think that the deception would be detected due to the large amount of crime scene packages that had to be reviewed.”

The two were immediately dismissed from the academy.

Watson said he has been upfront about the issue and has worked hard to put it behind him. He was hired by the Libby Police Department in 2009 and readmitted to the academy in 2010. Prior to the academy releasing the documents related to his dismissal, Watson was given the opportunity to object. He instructed academy officials to release the documents without reservation.

“I just want to prove my worth,” he said. “I want to put this behind me.”

The issue, however, is one that may continue to plague him, even after he is promoted to chief.

William Managhan, of the Montana Office of the State Public Defender, said documented issues of previous dishonesty could adversely impact Watson’s future testimony in criminal cases.

“Absolutely, this could be an issue,” Managhan said. “Credibility of the witness, for something like cheating, goes to one’s honesty. Quite frankly, any attorney who wouldn’t question that credibility is doing their client a disservice, bordering on ineffective assistance of counsel.”

The question of Watson’s credibility is one that has drawn the attention of some of Libby’s elected leaders.

Councilman Brent Teske said he has known Watson for years, and he knew of the situation at the academy, but he doesn’t consider it to be a problem.

“It’s ancient history,” Teske said. “I consider any issues at the academy to be history. They were resolved and he’s been a fine officer for years.”

Councilwoman Dejon Raines, who sits on the city’s personnel committee, initially objected to Mayor Doug Roll’s decision to appoint Watson as the new chief. Her objection, she said, had nothing to do with Watson’s history or qualifications, but with the mayor’s disregard of the city charter and Montana law, which require council approval for appointments.

Raines and Councilwoman Barb Desch, who comprise the personnel committee, met with Watson in a closed session Friday. Councilwoman Peggy Williams also attended the meeting. Raines said the council members asked Watson a number of questions related to his background and qualifications for the promotion. They also wanted to evaluate his ability to communicate with the council and his commitment to keeping the city’s police force modern.

The committee didn’t vote to take any formal action or make a specific recommendation to the council. Raines said she was still performing some checks into Watson’s background and record as a police officer, as a matter of due diligence, but she was satisfied with Watson’s answers.

“I felt that, after the meeting, I was satisfied with Terry’s answers,” she said. “I was very satisfied. He was very professional and qualified. He was open and honest with us and I am comfortable with him.”

Councilman Allen Olsen said he met with Watson last week and was also satisfied with his account of the situation at the academy.

Watson said he wants to put the issue out in the open and get it behind him, once and for all.

“I don’t want to make excuses,” he said. “I made a mistake and it cost me 10 years at the Sheriff’s Office. I just want to continue to work for the people of Libby.”