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Palm Beach police officer fired for failing to report suspicion of child abuse, violating sick leave policy

Palm Beach Post - 10/22/2021

PALM BEACH — The Town of Palm Beach fired a 25-year police officer in September after an internal investigation determined that he violated department policy and state law by failing to report the suspected sexual abuse of a child, according to documents provided to The Palm Beach Post.

Officer Kevin Morine also violated department policy by requesting sick time while he was on vacation in Georgia, the department said in documents announcing his firing. Town documents show he was assigned to road patrol.

Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association President John Kazanjian said in a prepared statement Wednesday that the officer has retained legal counsel. He did not comment further.

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According to a department memorandum, the department's Professional Standards Division began an investigation in early July after Police Chief Nicholas Caristo requested a review of Morine's response to evidence of suspected child sexual abuse.

While in Georgia, Morine reportedly called an on-duty Palm Beach watch commander and told the commander that he found on a tablet inappropriate videos of two children familiar to him. The videos never were posted to the internet, according to the department's report.

The report does not identify either of the children or their relationship to Morine, but indicates that one was under his care while in Georgia. The report also indicates that the child was in another person's custody at the time of the suspected abuse.

Morine reportedly told a supervisor that he also received text messages from a neighbor indicating that the child had made sexually explicit comments to other children at a Fourth of July party in Palm Beach County days earlier.

He also said that when he brought the matter to another person's attention and told the person he would contact DCF, that person threatened to file a complaint against him and jeopardize his career as a Palm Beach police officer. The report does not identify that person. Morine told the supervisor the person was likely on the way to the department to file a complaint.

The supervisor directed Morine to notify the Florida Department of Children and Families immediately about the suspected abuse, as well as authorities in Georgia. Under Florida law, law-enforcement officers are required to report suspicions of child sexual abuse to the DCF abuse hotline.

The captain told investigators he reported the matter to DCF, but learned through a conversation with Morine that day that he had not done the same. Morine reportedly told the captain he wanted him to report it because he did not want to deal with any further threats.

Morine returned to South Florida on July 11, and DCF and the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department began parallel investigations into the incident. The report indicates that one of the videos found on the tablet may have been filmed in Palm Beach Gardens.

A Palm Beach Gardens investigator said the video appeared to be two children acting inappropriately and did not appear to be a criminal matter. A DCF investigator said there was insufficient evidence of sexual abuse.

According to the memorandum, Morine contacted another supervisor July 10 and told him that a child was sick and he would be unable to work his assigned shift July 11. Morine did not disclose that he was still in Georgia. The department requires that the chief approve out-of-state travel while an officer is on sick leave.

jwhigham@pbpost.com

@JuliusWhigham

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