Former Dover Police Officer Charged With Taking Seized Drugs

According to a report from Foster's, a Strafford County Grand Jury has indicted a former Dover police officer,  Ronald "RJ" Letendre of Rollinsford on allegedly taking a portion of drugs seized before they were taken in as evidence.  If convicted, Letendre could face a maximum penalty of 3 1/2 - 7 years in prison.

The report quotes Strafford County Attorney, Thomas Velardi as saying:

Unfortunately, it’s not the first time this office, myself in particular, have charged officers or former officers with misdemeanor or felony crimes

This investigation started this Summer after Sarah Letendre, RJ's estranged wife, was arrested for a domestic violence incident between the two of them.  She said that he was the aggressor in the fight.  RJ was a former MMA fighter.  She ended up with several fractured ribs.  Sarah Letendre was then arrested.  The charges against her have been dropped, but he has not been charged for his part in the fight.

I personally know many police officers who hate these kinds of stories more than any one of us.  The ones that I know joined the force to help people, not to add to the violence that's out there.  One friend of mine told me that these stories only add fuel to the fire for the state of things in our Country right now and it infuriates him.  Every time he goes out on a call, he risks his life and to be met with people who don't appreciate what he's doing is making him re-think his life choices and lemme tell ya, this guy is the one you want watching your back.  It's a shame that there are cops who make really bad decisions giving the good cops a bad look, to say the very least.