Cape Coral officer fired after internal investigation of August drug incident
A Cape Coral police officer who was arrested in Key West with his wife on drug charges has been terminated from his job with the Cape Coral Police Department following an internal investigation, officials said Tuesday.
Kurt Suskevich, who had been an officer with the department for approximately nine years, was arrested in August with his wife after she allegedly fired a gun in the couple’s Key West vacation home, and responding police found marijuana Suskevich’s wife said was hers.
Criminal charges against Suskevich were dropped, however an internal investigation within the Cape Coral Police Department led to his termination, according to city spokesperson Connie Barron.
Police Chief Rob Petrovich called Suskevich’s arrest “unbecoming of a police officer” in a prepared statement released Tuesday.
“After reviewing all of the information gathered during the investigation, I concluded that Officer Suskevich’s employment with the Cape Coral Police Department should be terminated,” he said. “This investigation took a little longer than anticipated because I wanted to be very thorough and deliberate as I made my decision regarding Officer Suskevich and his future as a law enforcement officer.”
Petrovich said he did not concur with the charge of possession of a controlled substance placed against Suskevich by Key West police due to “the circumstances and facts regarding the possession allegations,” which to him raised questions.
“However,” he said, “the statements Officer Suskevich made to Key West Police clearly indicated that he was aware of his wife’s marijuana use and took no affirmative action to address the illegal activity. This is unacceptable behavior for a police officer.”
Suskevich may appeal his termination as part of the Police Collective Bargaining Agreement, Barron said.
He was hired by the department in March 1999 and made an annual salary of $59,945.