Police Officer Arrested on Drug Charges
New Port Richey Police Officer John Nohejl was arrested in Hernando County Friday. He was already on administrative leave from the city agency.
A longtime New Port Richey Police officer has been arrested on felony charges and is now under investigation.
John Nohejl, a 13-year veteran of the department, was off-duty when he was arrested by Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies Friday, according to New Port Richey Police Chief James Steffens. Nohejl was charged with trafficking in drugs, tampering with physical evidence, fleeing to elude police, possession of cocaine and two charges of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Nohejl has been on paid administrative leave since April 18, when Steffens ordered the first of two internal affairs investigations into Nohejl concerning allegations related to on-duty incidents.
Nohejl's last post at the department was master patrol officer.
Steffens said Nohejl was found asleep in his patrol car while at North Bay hospital. He also was again found asleep the morning after.
That investigation concluded on Nov. 9, and a few allegations against Nohejl were sustained. These were: sleeping on duty; unacceptable neglect in performing assigned duties; and engaging in any conduct on or off-duty which adversely affects the morale and efficiency of the department or which has a tendency to destroy public respect or confidence in the department or himself, according to a media release.
Nohejl was put on on 20-day suspension without pay.
Steffens ordered another internal affairs investigation Nov. 19, and that one is still active.
“Nohejl's arrest will result in the appropriate administrative actions being
take,” Steffens said in a media release. “He remains on Administrative Leave at this time and that status is subject to change at any time."
Steffens said his agency is working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Hernando County on the continued investigation into Nohejl's actions.
Nohejl was hired long before Steffens was. Nohejl has a long history of disciplinary action, according to the Tampa Bay Times. He was working as a school resource officer in 2008 when he was investigated after a MySpace page "he had set up to connect with students was linked to sexually oriented websites," according to the Tampa Bay Times. He was also accused of sexual battery on a female acquaintance at that job, but prosecutors didn't file charges.
He was accused that same year of sexual battery on a woman in his custody, and he was investigated, but the FDLE found the allegation to be unfounded.
When asked at a press conference whether Nohejl would wind up back on patrol again, Steffens responded, "That's not going to happen."
He said the department has a responsibility to its citizens.
"It's disgusting that I have to stand before you right now and speak about one of our officers committing felonies," he said.
Alex
1:56 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
Let me see if I have this right. John Noheji has a slew of crimminal charges against him with a history of poor conduct and he is rewarded with close to 1 year of PAID VACATION. Crazy world we live in is all I can say.
Debbie Fahlman
6:51 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
It is sad when we can't trust outr sworn law enforcement officer to unhold the sworn oath they took when hired. It is time to part ways with this individual!
Roger Burns
5:42 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I don't condone what this officer did but the problem is that we expect these guys to be squeaky clean their entire lives and that just isn't feasible. They're human and sometimes they get to the point where they just want to feel human and not be perfect. The problem is that these agencies always look for guys who have never done anything at all and I understand that to a point but sometimes these guys are the ones that end up going off the deep end because they've had to be perfect their whole lives and nobody is perfect. Just my opinion but maybe giving guys a chance that have had a past and are honest about it are a better choice because they've lived their lives and had some fun but realize that's not what they want as opposed to someone whose never tried anything has that curiosity in the back of their mind.
koochee konapolis
10:08 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
thats typical behavior in that dept...its not only him believe me and im a retired deputy sheriff
Lacota
2:50 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
Koochee, your comment, "its not only him believe me." if you knew of these corruptions and whom they are, why did you not come forward to help our communities?????? This is the HUGE issue;if nobody talks, it keeps going round and round like a top!
Brian
6:51 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
To think he took my friend's stuff after a routine stop and sold it for $$$$. What a.profit..
michael mirra
7:03 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
That's what cops do. What do you think it's all about when they cofiscate drugs, but let the perpertrator walk with a stern warning? Some sell it & others use it themselves.
Carla Gibson
11:43 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
In order to be a police officer, a cop must have either a criminal mind and "think" like a criminal .. OR be an actual crook.
I'm sure there are a few dedicated cops out there, but many are sleezy and arrogant. I'm a law abiding citizen and wouldn't trust a cop if my life depended on it. I've had cop friends in the past and have one in the family right now .. and the stories they've told about police corruption would curl your toes.
Chess Boardman
7:32 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
Just remember the infamous words of the late Jim Morrison, on the album "The Doors - Absolutely Live" ........ Oh, I get it, everyone's intimidated by all the security precautions - Well just remember, their job is to protect and serve "
steve nellis
11:54 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
A year paid leave. Our tax dollars wasted. Time to disband this corrupt boys club. Bring in the sheriffs Dept.
Lacota
1:38 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
We will always have corruption within our Law Enforcement Agencies and need too weed out the corrupties. Law abiding citizens are afraid to come forth with information to help their neighborhoods because, we do not know who to trust!
Community Policing would be a valuable asset to all concerned and if one Officer is assigned to a particular neighborhoods and the confidentiality was broken, at least we would know which Officer to terminate from his employment.
Michelle Fretz
3:15 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
Yes, there are some bad cops out there... I would still call 911 in an emergency, and even though I know as an adult the problems with Law Enforcement, I still teach my grandson that they are there to help.
angeleyes
7:15 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
I know that there are some corrupt police officers but I don't think it sets the standard for all police officers and for those who don't trust the police will still be the ones who would have no problem calling 911 in case of an emergency. He may have been the bad seed of the New Port Richey Police Dept but I think that the Police men and women of New Port Richey do a great job and I respect the fact that they protect us knowing that they may not go home at night to their families because they put their life on the line everytime they put that uniform on.
shug
8:11 am on Saturday, January 26, 2013
If anyone who knows this man knows he has gotten away with alot before getting caught. This is not his first round of trouble. So as I always say, You knew right from wrong. He had a yr pd time off and still was doing wrong. So he needs to pay like everyone else would. He has had to many free passes. Still did wrong. He was not someone whom I would want to protect me, because he could not be trusted. My question is Who are you John Nohejl?