A Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputy pleaded guilty Tuesday to one misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment for firing his service weapon twice at a fleeing vehicle following an altercation last spring.
Deputy First Class Christopher Michael Behles, an eight-year veteran of the agency at the time of the April 8, 2013 incident, agreed to a five-year suspended sentence, two years of probation, a $2,000 fine, $625 in court costs, mandated anger management counseling, and 500 hours of community service. He initially faced felony counts of first and second degree assault.
The version of events outlined in a statement of facts, submitted as part of the plea deal, differed from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office’s initial claim that Behles was caught up in the fleeing vehicle’s movements and fired in fear for his life. In the court document, prosecutors state that Behles was not in any danger at the time he fired his weapon, and “did not fire in self-defense.”
Agency spokesman Edward Hopkins declined comment on the case or Behles’ employment status Tuesday.
According to the statement of facts, Behles was in plain clothes and off duty at approximately 4:55 p.m. on April 8, 2013 and was traveling westbound on Norrisville Road near Whitehall Road in an unmarked patrol vehicle. Behles slowed his vehicle to allow a car in front of him to make a turn, and was struck from behind by a black Toyota 4Runner driven by William Redding Harvey V of Jarrettsville.
Two witnesses were present in the two cars behind Harvey’s vehicle; one of them was Harvey’s wife, who along with their child was following Behles home and was positioned directly behind Harvey’s car. The witnesses told prosecutors that Behles approached Harvey and identified himself as a Sheriff’s Office deputy. According to the statement of facts, the witnesses said Behles began arguing with Harvey and told him he was under arrest, before opening the driver’s side door and ordering him out of the car.
When Harvey refused, witnesses said Behles attempted to physically remove Harvey from his car, but could not. According to the statement of facts, Harvey began to drive around Behles’ patrol vehicle as the deputy continued to attempt to remove him from the car. The witnesses stated that Behles disengaged from Harvey’s vehicle and fired twice as it fled the scene; one witness estimated that Harvey’s vehicle was 15 to 20 yards away from Behles and accelerating when the deputy fired.
At the time of the incident, the Sheriff’s Office said only that Behles “became caught up in the vehicle’s movements” as Harvey continued to pull away and, in fear of being seriously injured or killed, “fired his service weapon in an attempt to stop the threat.”
Behles then pursued Harvey’s vehicle west on Norrisville Road and west on Route 439. Entering Baltimore County, Harvey attempted to make a turn on a side street, but lost control and rolled his vehicle. Harvey escaped the wreck and continued to flee on foot, but was apprehended by Behles as backup units arrived. Both men were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries.
Harvey was arrested and charged with second degree assault, resisting arrest, obstruction and hindering and failure to obey a lawful order of a police officer; he also faces additional traffic charges, and was released on $3,000 bail.
Behles was initially charged in Harford County District Court with a single misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment. Following a brief hearing in July, Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly brought the case before a grand jury, which indicted Behles on the two felony counts in addition to the misdemeanor charge.
Behles was suspended with pay from his duties with the Sheriff’s Office when he was first charged due to the charge against him being a misdemeanor, according to Hopkins. Hopkins said that deputies who are charged with a felony can be, but are not required to be, suspended without pay. It is unclear whether Behles remained on paid leave following the July indictment; Hopkins declined comment on the matter Tuesday.
The plea hearing before Judge Stephen Waldron came ahead of a scheduled April 10 jury trial in the case.
What really happened here and will this guy retain his job as a deputy or will he be fired or resign? Still a lot of unanswered questions???? Oh and it hurts when my Boy David hits me with a bat, acting like a baby after he strikes out.
I’m losing count how many deputy’s have been charged with a crime in the last 4 years and how many have plead guilty. This is a public service message brought to you by Lionel Jesse Bane, Aka – I don’t want to be a chicken, I don’t want to be a duck, so I shake my butt- clap, clap, clap, clap.
Another Gahler supporter.
Monster and you are just another liberal dirtbag
k. I. SIMPLE,
I am not a liberal. Don’t call me dirty names like that.
Anyone having a problem understanding Jese Bane’s running of the Sheriffs Dept remember this: There are no law enforcement problems for Bane only political issues. Even the most basic issue…crime.It may be his most important political concern.His approach to how he addresses it; where he concentrates his efforts; and where he allows it to grow. He’s got a monster budget and an army of troops so he needs crime to validate that politically.With average road officers making over $100K a year (how do you teachers with low pay and high school loans like them apples?) Bane keeps the hounds well fed to keep the Union off his ass. With regard to this thread and whether or not Bane fires this hot head pistolaro; it will be political.
Average road officers making over $100k? That’s a joke, right? There are very few who can come close to that and even they have to work a ton of overtime…most of which is either on security details at businesses/apartment complexes (where the owners pay the sheriff’s office for those hours), grant funded details to combat a specific problem (like DUI’s), or shift shortfall because patrol is ridiculously understaffed. Of those, only the shift shortfall OT actually comes out of the sheriff’s budget. I doubt there are more than a half dozen or so DFC’s who manage to work enough OT to hit $100k.
As far as Behles goes…I don’t really see how he’ll be able to keep his job if he has a 5 year suspended sentence and 2 years of probation.
Respectfully Hank, you are wrong. I sat on the county budget review committee for several years and those figures are in that budget. I’m not a supporter of one person or another. I’m just making an observation of what the ofice of Sheriff has become.
@Al J Thong – Your figures are wrong, the folks who did make over $100,000 entered the drop program and retired or just plain retired. There are a few left but the starting salary of a deputy is $ 45,000 and after 2 years it goes to $ 50,000. Sure Sgt’s and above with time on get close to $ 100,000, but the tadpole’s get half that. The Sheriff makes $ 112,000, the Colonel makes $ 134,000, Major’s up to $ 126,000 and Captain’s up to $ 117,000. The part that someone should question is the fact that the following positions make up to $ 123,000- Budget Manager, PIO, Human Resources Manager and Computer Manager. These manager pay scales were created in the last 5 years. Waste!
Some of the salaries of the civilians are unbelievable. Not the ones working in the trenches, but the ones in the ivory tower. How many crime analysts does one agency need at the rate of $70K per employee? The agency has 5. There are so many background investigators, I have lost count, most of which had jobs “created” for them by Bane. These people work bankers hours, Monday-Friday 9-5 and get CEO pay. If you go to the Harford County home page, under County Council, under bills, it has all the positions of the agency and the salaries. You will be shocked. The deputies, correctional officers and most civilians are getting royally screwed. No sweetheart hours, no weekends or holidays off, no perks that the chosen ones are given. And how about the new warden? Is anyone ever going to comment on how the Detention Center has a new warden but nobody knows about it?
Most of the DFC’s who were consistently topping $100k have retired. With the embarrassing lack of step increases, anyone hired since 2006 is still sitting on their 1st step making about $50k. Good pay for a rookie, but it’s pretty shitty for 7 or 8 year vets who are making the same as a new guy who’s still trying to figure out the job and the roads in their sectors…especially when David Craig decided to fund big pay raises for the guys at the top of the DFC payscale (something that was part of a comprehensive pay plan proposal that Craig decided on his own to single out so he could say “See, I gave you guys something you asked for.”)
Hank your Union allowed it to happen. The only thing that has changed is Kevin is gone and Tim is now President. Most of the board is still intact, Craig handpicked the VP of your union to be on a elite fire department board, so you know that he’s in Craig’s pocket. Joppa Farm DUI patrol and his cronies have a way of getting everything they want and telling us bottom feeders that it’s impossible to get this or that. The last three presidents have allowed this to happen. I’m sure a few of them crapped there panties when Tim got elected.
WOW…When did the deputies start making 100,000? Because my husband has on 19yrs and doesnt even come close to that. Not to mention they havent had a raise in over 4 years. That is bad info u got there. They hardly get OT they make them take comp time to save money. Pls inform me who makes that much and where you get your facts as I would love to see why we are shorted 40,000 a year.
Well if it is true that your husband makes $60k after 19 years on the force he must not have recieved any promotions or rank advancements.Local municipal cops make that much after 20 years.
@Al J Thong- You don’t receive a promotion or advancement you compete for it. Some decide to stay a deputy and good for them that’s a decision that they can make. You obviously slept through your budget review meetings.
I like the name Bend Over. Who gave that handle to you?
@gbmcr
I suggest you have a talk with your husband regarding his 60K salary/income after 19 years in the HCSO. The median salary for an LE DFC over ten years is $65,957, and this is the income without having worked any overtime. This salary is for a DFC in step 8 of the pay plan out of a total of 17 steps. The top salary for a DFC over ten years is $$86,070. While a DFC who is making $65,957 would have to work lots of overtime to achieve $100,000, you can see that the Deputies who are in or close to step 17 would have no problem achieving $100,000 in annual compensation. When you are making $62.07 per hour on overtime the money adds up fast. Corporals and Sergeants in similar steps would be making even more.
Ralph- A Law enforcement DFC(Master Deputy) with 10 years on actually makes $ 58,594. I know because I have that exact amount of time on. If I promoted to corporal it would be about $ 61,880. Your numbers reflect 8 steps but we are only at step 4 due to no step increases in 5 years.
@15 to go for 25
We are not talking about someone who has 10 years in the HCSO. The poster said her husband had 19 years with HCSO. That’s almost twice the time you have with HCSO.
I would not agree that the “average” Deputy is making over $100,000 per year, however, to be fair, lets admit that there are several Deputies who make over $100,000 when overtime is included in their annual earnings along with receiving a shift differential of 5% or 7%. We are talking about Deputies in the grades of DFC through Sgt.
I certainly don’t begrudge the Deputies being paid for the time that they work. But lets be up front and fair when we speak to this issue. Pretending that it doesn’t happen is just not true.
Remember, the compensation records of public employees is not a private issue.
Holy he#$!! Where do all these figures come from?? I lateralled to the county and have 11 yrs in law enforcement….and I make barely 50k base salary…I have to work any overtime I can get just to get to 60k…..if I had stayed where I was, id be making 20k more at this point of my career. But when hired here…we were shown a step increase and believed our pay would increase as stated….never
thought we would go 7 yrs with no increase…and if anyone is making even close to 100k..it would have to be supervisors with time on….
Amusing!- You may want to check with HR, because you are a lateral and are special you got all your steps up to ten years(10 steps), so you should be at $ 69,971. Which is crazy because I went through HCSO academy and have the same time on but make $ 11,000 less. That’s a crock of #hit and borderline illegal.
the problem was that I lateralled here with just under 4yrs of service from other dept….HR wouldn’t bump me to 4 yrs to give me the increase in step. Soo, I started with the same salary as someone out of the academy/on probationary status! and here I am several years later making same pay as someone just out of academy!! and there are many, many others in the same boat!! that’s why the comment about deputies making 100k is funny…..cause the way this dept. is going, most of the guys with 10yrs or less wont even see 65k(with ot and differential) for years to come!! AND…..we cant strike or walkout like other occupations because it is illegal!!
Time for a new Sheriff. The one you have now is just not getting the job done for his employees.
When a cop writes a ticket and must appear in court is the court appearance during his shift? and for sake of argument, lets say his shift is during the day. The answer is NO, does the cop get paid OT for court appearances? I’d be writing a sht load of tickets, easy money, win or lose easy money. Mo tickets = mo money, they can rack up a sht load of OT if they want to write some tickets, money in the bank.
Hedley Lamarr- Your comment makes no sense, lay off of the medical marijuana it’s killing what little brain cells you still have left.
For those that think the HCSO is so wasteful, Hedley actually brings up a great example of how we save a ton of money. Unlike the city where the courtroom is packed with officers all getting paid, the overwhelming majority of our officers are placed on standby and only called in by the corporal at the courthouse if needed and are not compensated at all for this standby status. While it is true that some of us make 80,90, even 100k per year, it’s because rather than working a regular 2080 hour year like a typical employee, some work as much as 3120 hours (40 regular + 20 overtime x 52 weeks).
Some Deputies do work lots of overtime and then there are the others who just take advantage of the system and accumulate overtime hours just hanging around and putting in an overtime slip while doing no real work during the time they are in their office. In fact, one Lieutenant is currently under investigation for outright fraud for submitting overtime slips claiming overtime that was never worked.
I’m right once again, the responses I received tells me that I hit a sore spot. I love being right. I’m not going to any snowball stands this summer, it could be dangerous for me.
Good. Stay home. One less dirt bag on the streets.
Sad to see how the simple minded 9-5 folks assume they know how it works. These people fail to realize, understand and accept that this career is a 24/7/365. And that officers like to enjoy time off also, thus the need to back fill for coverage. Seems to me that the 9-5 view O/T as a bad thing and therefore no concept of the job and that they themselves are by no means over achiever’s nor go that extra step/mile. BUT (!), should ‘they” dial 911 needing “help” and the HCSO is short handed, they will be the FIRST to cry foul and complain that an officer did not respond.
So I guess the dirt bag that ran into the police car to begin with is going to get a nice check from the county.
Cash and a voter registration card to vote democrat.
Overtime is the issue you all are worked up about? The numbers are wrong because some of the overtime worked is from grants and other funds provided by the State and the Feds. They tried having a court officer once and it was a disaster. Maybe they should have night court instead. Chris you and the other Cops in Harford County are in my prayers. Monday morning quarter backing is going to get some of you killed. Joe Cassilly, what happened to you?
Marc is right, I just hope that Deputy’s don’t second guess themselves.
Here we go know it all DFC Marc Eaton who hasn’t been a cop in over 10 years sticking his nose in things. Marc maybe you should have moved to Harford County and ran for Sheriff. Get a life Marc
If I was Sheriff this would have never happened fart bubbles. A lot of other things would not have happened either. Maybe I will move back and run in the next election. Thanks for the support.
What would have never happened Marc? Behles entered a plea of guilty, are you saying that he is innocent? Marc please enlighten me what exactly are the other things that you speak of that would have never happened if you were Sheriff? I will stop eating my bubbles if you reply with anything intelligent, until then I intend on continuing to push, fart, sniff and eat- In that order. The best one’s are the ones that come out green or brown when I push, they taste really good.
I would be like the Sheriff’s I had and the good supervisors I had. No matter what you have you’re peoples back. Good or bad. Punish who needs to be punished for wrong doing and move on. Fire who needs to be fired. No special treatment and everyone knows where they stand on right and wrong and ethics and character. When the screw up and tell you the truth you give the proper punishment and life goes on. When the lie, cheat or do something unethical their career is over. I would not take one complaint on any member of the department without the person signing an affidavit that they are telling the truth and not making up a lie because they are pissed off. If the did this and they were found to be lying they would be charged. You want the county cleaned up and gangs gone, put people out there let them do their jobs without having to constantly look over their should for a way too political Sheriff and his henchmen to screw them in order to make political points with the voters. One of the biggest problems now is too many Chiefs and not enough Indians.
And after the cluster flop of Bane’s leadership it is not like the bar has been set really high.
DFC Marc A. Eaton- Citizens would be afraid to come forward if they had to sign an affidavit on every complaint. If you have nothing to hide then you are not worried about a complaint. Marc where there gangs in Harford County when you were a DFC? Oh wait yes there was a posse on Main Street in Whiteford.
Marc please do not ever say “if I were Sheriff….”, you will make me have nightmares tonight. Bubble Eater didn’t your momma tell you to not eat or drink your bath water. Shame Shame Shame.
What does not being a Cop for ten years have to do with it?
DFC Marc A. Eaton- I think what they are trying to say is that you have a personal Vendetta against Bane and have yet to give factual data as to why. You make your posts convoluted by telling people about how it is to be a cop even though you have not been a cop in over 10 years. Times have changed Marc, computers are in cars, we have mobile radios, the dare program is gone.
Ok enough of who makes what, save that for another thread. If he wasn’t guilty why would he plead guilty. He could have shot and killed people driving by or seriously injured someone when he was driving into Baltimore county like a scene out of dukes of “hazard”. If Behles was a citizen he would have gotten jail time. The charge fits the crime extremely RECKLESS
This story has been updated above with additional details.
I can only assume this convicted criminal is still on the payroll, otherwise, it wouldn’t be a personell issue, correct? Maybe they can promote him to door gunner for the Vietnam War era helicopter!
As usual , a bitching session about nothing to article, typical republicans.
@ Word on the Strizzats- How is your comment helping or any better then the others. Who cares it’s a place where a debate can be had. Typical Freeloader
Is it true that a new Warden was hired? If so who is it? The Wardens salary is $172,702 per the HCSO website, that is crazy.
Yes, a new warden was hired. Yes, that is his salary. He has no corrections experience. Strictly a political move in an election year. Bane is at it again, trying to buy his way into another term.
A new Warden who has no name. Yeah right. You’re funny.
Is it true that the new warden is Chuck Moore, if so wasn’t he a Gahler supporter?
That is the rumor running through the office. If so, what a terrible and purely political move by Bane who has neglected the detention center for the past 8 years and now is thinking of putting someone there with no corrections experience. Once more strike for Bane. Well past his three strikes and he is about to be thrown out of the game.
More lies from the Gahler camp. Sheriff Bane would not appoint a trooper to be the warden. Major Jackson has served the Sheriff well and she would never stand for such a move. Better luck next time guys.
This group of multi-posters are devious. They will write their own spin on any article that has anything remotely about Bane. I just hope the general public sees through their pathetic effort to get their candidate elected. They should be saying positive things about their candidate, but don’t. Typical of the history of the HCSO at election time.
I am positive Gahler will do the right thing and terminate whoever Bane puts in as Warden. How would you like that job offer? Want to be the Warden for six months and then get fired?
I am not aware of anyone being recently appointed as the Warden, but to think that Sheriff Bane would not appoint someone who has no correctional experience is wishful thinking. He would appoint someone if he thought it would help him politically even if that person had zero experience in corrections. Jesse Bane detests the officers and employees at the Detention Center.
I heard John Ryan is the new detention center cook and Marc Eaton is his helper…
Hmmm. Word on the street is that Howard Walter may be the new warden.
DFC Marc A. Eaton- From reading your posts it seems like you think Behles is innocent and should not have been charged, Is that correct? Also is there any truth that you have been promised a spot in John Ryan’s command staff if he makes it? Gahler has to be disappointed in you for switching camps.
Do me a favor go to blue tube or youtube and look at similar incidents and watch how fast it happens. This should have been handled internally and not in the courts. If Chris was a civilian charged the job would not be an issue. So easy for all of you who have never done the job to and have months to look over what he did. I am talking about some of the command staff who have spent their careers studying for promotion tests and never doing any police work. This happened quickly. This is not like using you’re computer to give tag information out where you had time to think about it. So yes I think Chris is innocent. As for the Union comments, the last President seemed to be more worried about his job and position to get involved in anything that would help someone getting hung up by Bane and Major IA 28. I don’t think the new President will be so willing to do this. As for you’re other comment, Bane has promised me a position not John or Jeff. I am going to be Major IA 28″s new driver.
Marc,
You couldn’t deal with the people or politicians of Harford County. Despite your desire to be Marshall Dillon, there are more skills than you have to be Sheriff or in any command position.
What skills would I need? Kissing other politicians butts? Never would happen. I am not PC and I speak my mind, no one wants that in this day and age. I know of plenty of people who never were promoted who could serve as a supervisor or on a command staff. I had many good supervisors, Rick Williams, T. Walter, Gary Vernon, Joe VanSeeters, John Bowman, and many others. You do not need bars or stripes to be a leader. Bane has shown this to be true.
DFC Marc A. Eaton- If you made sense then it would be ok when you spoke your mind. The problem is you start grinding your axe against Bane and have nothing to substantiate your comments. It’s your clear attempt to character assassinate Jesse Bane.
Jeff and John and Bob have promised everyone who posts positive comments on here jobs. The Sheriff’s Office budget will go up about 500 % after the next election. You people talk about me like I don’t matter but you are all worried that I am so important that these candidates want to give me a job. I think they have more qualified people to hire then an old broken down guy like me. I like my retirement job just fine.
I agee. Do you really think that your are important?
Monster yes he does and he is doing this for something. The DFC Marc A. Eaton I worked with always had a vendetta. Rumor is he switched from Gahler to Ryan, I wonder why. If DFC Marc A. Eaton knew Peck was going to win he would switch to him in hopes of a job. Marc is just mad because he isn’t a cop anymore. He want’s to be a Paul Blair the mall cop but they wont even hire him there.
Thanks for the info. I have noticed that he hasn’t had much to say about Gahler lately. This is the history of the HCSO at election time. Sad.
Paul Blair is a deceased Baltimore Oriole, moron
Who did I have a vendetta with? Yes I do miss being a cop, but I do not miss the stress. Yes I did have to come to terms with not being a cop, but I did do it. As far as support both Jeff and John are my friends. I have given no money and attended no fund raisers. So I could not jump camps. Typical libaturd tactics, distract and misdirection. Proud to be a libaturd, you never worked with me if you did you know how I did my job. Good try.
DFC Marc A. Eaton- You have a vendetta against Bane. You do anything you can to axe grind his name. People see through your BS, oh and what exactly did Jesse do to you? I’ve been waiting for an answer for months
Vendetta against Bane… that applies to 75% of the current employees, and about 100% of the employees who have retired within the past seven years. Nothing new here.
Ralph- My exact point, neither of the two things you mention apply to DFC Marc A. Eaton. I suspect the problem with DFC Marc A. Eaton is that he likes to be in a position of control and ridicule others, but he has yet to give me a reason why HE has a vendetta against Bane.
Thank you, Marc. Someone finally admitted how it works in the HCSO at election time. You want to defend this deputy? You just explained the kind of sheriff you want.
Once the deputy pleaded guilty he should have been fired.Who knows why Jesse keeps him around but I don’t think it is for the good of Harford Co. citizens. Me thinks we need a change @ the sheriffs dept.
You would think Bane would do the right thing for the citizens with it being an election year. I do not want officer behles pulling me over on a traffic stop if he pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and has to go to anger management counseling. Seems as if he is a loose canon. I also do not think that someone who was found guilty of a crime should be allowed to be a police officer. What ever happened to being an example?
Bane’s actions are typical and not surprising, as he has shown a propensity for maintaining criminals on the payroll. I know there are a great many dedicated officers on the force but there are always a few bad apples in every bunch and the apples never seem to get thrown out until their rotted core is evident to everyone. Sad.
As a main stream Republican, so are the teabaggers that post on here.
since when does the dagger delete posts?
Back to the story, why did the shit bag run? Outstanding warrant? My bad. After reviewing the LONG LIST on public domain, this asshole was another fine and upstanding citizen of the community…..NOT!
The guy plead GUILTY. ‘Plead’ Sir, how do you plea? GUILTY.
Looking back these comments makes me laugh. If he was innocent of the “trumped up charges” then why did he plead guilty?
Stopping the threat while the threat is driving away and you are not in danger anymore? Yeah, that articulation and collection of evidence didn’t side up with Maryland case law. I
This former Deputy only rised to the occasion, he did NOT fall back on his training.