Pubdate: Mon, 27 Nov 2006
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)
Copyright: 2006 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/340
Author: Sam Wood and Dwight Ott

ARREST OF 'SAINT' SHOCKS CAMDEN

Good cop and bad cop? Thought to be a shining example, a born-again 
Camden officer is accused of allegedly helping the bad guys.

On the day Cpl. Michael Hearne was appointed to lead the faith-based 
efforts of the Camden Police Department, he drove to a seedy 
supermarket to meet an old friend.

The friend had a proposition: Lend me a gun to rob drug dealers, and 
I'll give you half the cash.

Hearne agreed, according to state police.

That was Monday, Nov. 6.

The 42-year-old had just gotten a raise with his new job, organizing 
church leaders to help fight crime in Camden. But he was still broke. 
There was a six-figure tax lien against his Woodbury suburban 
rancher. And he was moonlighting as a security guard.

Investigators caught his entire conversation on tape. Later that 
week, Hearne was arrested as he thought he was about to meet with the 
friend to divvy up the loot.

City leaders were thunderstruck at the news of the arrest. No one 
believed that the born-again Christian and 18-year police veteran 
might be living a double life.

"He was a saint and did the work of 50 persons," said Camden Mayor 
Gwendolyn Faison. "I don't see how anyone could do so many good 
things and be accused of this."

Hearne was charged with official misconduct, conspiracy to commit 
robbery, money laundering, and possession of a weapon for unlawful 
purposes. Police are investigating three robberies in connection with the case.

But this wasn't the first time Hearne had been linked to questionable 
circumstances. An FBI investigation in 1997 caught Hearne on tape 
advising drug kingpin Jose "J.R." Rivera on how to handle narcotics 
investigators.

"Hearne was clearly a confidant of J.R.'s," Kevin Smith, the 
assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Rivera, said last week. "The 
only reason J.R. was able to thrive so long was because he had 
insiders working with him. Hearne was a perfect example."

There wasn't enough evidence to prosecute Hearne, but he was quietly 
suspended from the police force in 2000 for six months without pay. 
Police executive Arturo Venegas said last week that he had been aware 
of Hearne's conversation with Rivera before naming Hearne chaplain, 
but did not believe it had crossed the threshold into criminal conduct.

Rivera, accused of running the biggest drug gang in Camden's history, 
was later found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Tainted by the link to Rivera, Hearne was never promoted to sergeant. 
His title of corporal is only an honorary one, said senior officers 
in the department.

Hearne could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Jeffrey 
Zucker, would not comment on details of the case Friday, but said 
Hearne was awaiting an arraignment date and had been released from 
the Mercer County jail on $175,000 bail.

Hearne's history with the department wasn't always blemished. He was 
president of the Brotherhood for Unity and Progress, a minority 
officers' watchdog organization, and a director on the board of the 
city's Fraternal Order of Police, Venegas said. He led the annual 
Mischief Night marches against crime through Camden.

At 6 feet and 300 pounds, he looked like a superhero. Children were 
awed by his size. Fellow patrolmen sought him out as a partner, 
senior officers said.

Hearne, who once considered a career as a professional football 
player, could press 480 pounds. In September 1991, he beat all 
competitors at the state's Police Bench Press Championships. He was 
declared the "Strongest Policeman in the State."

It was at an East Camden gym that Hearne first met Rivera.

When he testified at Rivera's trial in 2000, Hearne said he knew 
Rivera only as a businessman. He told reporters that as a born-again 
Christian, he would never do anything to tarnish the reputation of 
police department.

It's unclear what spurred the recent investigation into his alleged 
criminal activities. State officials began to target Hearne in 
mid-October, according to court papers. Investigators would say only 
that a confidential informant had tipped them off. In early November, 
when Hearne's friend asked for a weapon to hold up the drug dealers, 
Hearne offered a shotgun. He didn't realize the friend was wearing a wire.

After a bit of wrangling, Hearne gave him one of his personal 
revolvers, a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson registered in his own name, 
according to court papers.

Detectives said that on Friday, Nov. 10, Hearne drove to the Super 8 
Motel in Bellmawr believing he was going to split the proceeds of at 
least three robberies. Hearne was expecting well over $30,000, said 
Sgt. Stephen Jones, spokesman for the state police.

It was 5 p.m. Hearne was still in uniform as he circled the motel 
slowly in his black van. He pulled into a parking spot in the back of 
the motel and waited. State troopers were well hidden. They let 
Hearne stew for 10 minutes. Then they pounced.

Suddenly, Hearne's van was surrounded. Weapons drawn, eight SWAT team 
officers shouted at Hearne to keep his hands in the air and get out of the van.

Hearne, shocked, gave up without offering any resistance. He was 
ordered held on $2 million bail. The following Monday, a week after 
he had been named administrative chaplain, his bail was reduced and 
he was released.

Later in the day, Hearne was stripped of his new job and suspended without pay.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman