Metro shuffling goes on as new captain takes over detectives

Cathy Scott

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

About three weeks before Capt. Charles Davidaitis is to take over Metro Police's detective bureau, he is shuffling lieutenants out of his future division.

Davidaitis becomes head of the bureau Jan. 4, replacing Capt. Mike Zagorski, who has been promoted to deputy chief.

The most significant transfer was to send Lt. Brad Simpson, who heads the missing-persons detail and sexual-assault unit, to the criminalistics bureau, which collects evidence at crime scenes.

Three sources said Monday that Simpson was moved out of the unit at Davidaitis' request. While the orders are not yet official, those affected were told late last week about the transfers, which take effect Jan. 4. Davidaitis said it "would be premature to comment" on the transfers.

Because lieutenants "work at the will of the upper echelon, they go where they're told to go," an officer said.

Simpson is on vacation until after the holidays, when he will report to his new job. He was unavailable for comment Monday.

High-profile cases dogged the missing-person's detail and sexual-assault unit this year. More than 10,000 fliers were distributed but no arrests were made in the cases of two rapists preying on children. And the body of a missing woman was found in the driveway of a woman with whom she was last seen alive. The body of CeCe Parker lay in the driveway, wrapped in a blanket under a pile of rubbish for eight months.

Simpson said detectives in his unit had done a telephone interview instead of going to 55-year-old Tamara Anderson's Edna Avenue home. The body was discovered by friends of Anderson who were helping her move. Neighbors were told by Anderson that a rotten smell at the house was because a cat had died under her house.

When homicide detective Dave Hatch interviewed Anderson after Parker's body was discovered, "it took 15 minutes" to gather enough incriminating evidence against her to make an arrest," he said.

Also moving out of the detective bureau is Lt. Bob Chinn, who will be transferring to the downtown area command. Lt. Craig Klatt, now at the downtown substation, will take over the missing-persons detail and sexual-assault unit, replacing Simpson.

Sgt. Ralph Hemington, who works in the sexual-assault unit, said he was "disappointed" in Simpson's move.

"We're sorry to lose Brad," Hemington said. "We're pleased with Lt. Klatt coming over here. It's just unfortunate we're losing Brad."

Sgt. Greg McCurdy, Metro's spokesman, said it's not unheard of for a captain to make changes as he's about to take over. The changes coincide with other lieutenant promotions and retirements, he said.