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Officer accused of sexual misconduct with minors

By Joe Johnson
jjohnson@HanfordSentinel.com

A Kern County police officer was arrested in his hometown of Bakersfield on Friday for 12 counts of sexual misconduct with minors occurring over a four-year period in Lemoore, according to police officials. Garry Snap Ferguson, 30, was booked into the Kings County Jail on suspicion of lewd acts with a child through the use of force, unlawful sex with a minor under 16 years of age, oral copulation with a child under 16 years of age, forcible rape and a special circumstance of penetration.

Lemoore Police Cmdr. Jeff Laws says that additional charges will be filed against Ferguson in Bakersfield, where a separate police case identified the officer for similar crimes.

"We did some detective work and brought him in on a warrant," Laws said. "Bakersfield was conducting an investigation at the same time and we apparently just beat them to the guy. We both put out warrants for him at about the same time."

When contacted to comment on the story, the Bakersfield Police Department indicated that Ferguson is an officer with the Maricopa City Police Department and referred all questions to them. However, repeated calls for comment to the Maricopa offices this morning were not immediately returned.

Ferguson is being held in lieu of $300,000 bail.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(May 5, 2008)

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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Hanford Sentinel

Ray wrote on May 5, 2008 7:22 PM:

" How can this happen? What does this say for the men in uniform? How can we tell our children to look up to these men who are supposed to protect us and our children, only to find out they are criminals themselves. I know not all police and law enforcement officials are to blame, but how can this happen. "

Kimball wrote on May 5, 2008 8:27 PM:

" Years ago I taught my children to trust the police. As time has gone by and things that I have witnessed I would never encourage a child to trust an officer, granted they are not all bad, but I would bet more are corrupt than good. One incedent our neighbor had his house served with a warrant, they took his firearms, which he had permits for, while watching them I witnessed them putting a paperbag seperate under the seat rather than putting it in the trunk with the other items, guess what the gun in that bag never ever appeared again, and was not recorded as being taken from the residence, as stated this was a neighbor, not friend, and I witnessed this. "

CW wrote on May 6, 2008 8:28 AM:

" This is terrible and horrible and I hope he is put away for a very long time . It's unfortunate but this is going to happen from time to time. You can't always weed out the bad and sick people. They are human and bad ones are going to get into positions where they can take advantage of people. We just have to keep a closer eye and not automatically give people trust. Even when they are supposed to be the ones that protect us. "

backgrounds wrote on May 6, 2008 10:19 AM:

" what happened to background investigations? I know this guy had a previous record of this here in Kings co. "

Simon wrote on May 6, 2008 10:54 AM:

" Don't be ignorant. The Police, like all other jobs,have "bad apples". 99% of Police officers do their job with pride. Just because this piece of crap is a cop does not mean all are corrupt. If ignorance is bliss, Kimball and Ray are happy as hell. Open your eyes. Research the Megans Law website and inform yourself. Or better yet, stay ignorant to the world and be happy. "

papa wrote on May 6, 2008 10:49 PM:

" I know this clown!!! When I first met him I knew he was a weasel!!!! I'm glad he finnaly got caught. he is the father of two of my grankids and has never paid a dime of child support and has made babys all over kings county... he is an a$$ "

ALEJANDRO wrote on May 7, 2008 8:29 PM:

" ..."SNAP " is his middle name? "

Kimball wrote on May 8, 2008 12:05 PM:

" Simon,
Yes there are bad apples in all professions but by what I have witnessed, and read in many reports I would believe that your 99% average is calculated a little on the high side! Actually very much on the high side. Your comment ignorance is bliss, well you stay in your world and believe what you may. I will check out the website, a matter of fact I already have it open, you see I am willing to educate myself, what about you?
"

Watchdog wrote on May 9, 2008 12:10 PM:

" It doesn't stop here it is leaked over into our religous community leaders, police, fire even an assistant d.a. back east was charged with this unspeakable crime. We have become a nation of predatory sex offenders who will stoop to the lowest level to earn our trust and then violate our children. These people should be neutered and sent to an island out in the middle of the ocean and air dropped food and supplies for their existence. They do not belong in our community, the word repeat offender should more than account for their inability to subsist within any society other than a group of their own. Then let them become the hunted rather than the hunter, see how they like it? He is innocent until proven guilty, let me think about it, o.k. the evidence says your guilty. Bye Bye Mr. former police officer, be sure and tell all the other criminals what you did for a living. "

Truly Sad wrote on May 9, 2008 6:51 PM:

" I don't blame people for being angry...This officer is a disgrace to the uniform. I have been a police officer for many years and have worked with a lot of dedicated men and women who truly care about the people and service that they are involved with. Please don't paint us all with the same brush. Most law enforcement officers are hard working and caring people that would give their life for a stranger. The small number of bad apples that slip through are shameful and it embarrasses me. It is however, this small number, which causes the most problems as it is in most professions. It is embarrassing nonetheless... "

Officer trust wrote on May 9, 2008 10:11 PM:

" Applying for a PD is easy, passing a background is not. To say 99% of cops are corrupt is inconsistent and I personally take offense. All of the officers I've worked with in my lifetime are the best of the best. There is a difficult retention rate in Hanford because they only hire the best of the best (who stay due to loving the profession, not the pay and lack of benefits). Too few people challenge themselves to attend an academy to even apply.

So there is one bad apple that has his 15 minutes of fame compared to thousands of officers in California. It's not fair to judge all on the basis of one's actions. "

Plenty of dirty cops wrote on May 11, 2008 9:39 AM:

" A lot more cops have done bad things, but the code of silence prevents the truth coming out. "

Bobb wrote on May 11, 2008 4:41 PM:

" In defense of Simon, I do beleive his blog said,"99% of Police officers do their job with pride." He did not say 99% were corrupt. That is how I read it. "

Kimball wrote on May 12, 2008 12:10 AM:

" For one thing JB, I didn't quote what the statistics on crooked cops were, I stated that saying 99% are good was high. You said "crooked cops dont keep their jobs for long. its only a mater of time before they are found-out, out of the thouands of cops just in california alone, they are only a few who are determined to be criminals,". Where did you get your statistic to base your comment on?. You said they don't last long, what do you determine long, this one was at least 4 years, and to me that is already too long. There are good, I have had an Uncle, cousin and several relatives as well as friends that are/were in law enforcement. I will state again that in today's world I do not trust them or the system. It has come to the point you never know who to trust. "

Well then wrote on May 12, 2008 8:23 PM:

" For those of you out there that don't trust cops or the system. Don't call them, it's that simple "

happy cow wrote on May 12, 2008 10:44 PM:

" 94 % of all child rape victoms under the age of 12 are by a family member or an aquaintance / friend according to the Bureau of Justice Sratistics. We have a very big problem here in Hanford. My very good friend had let me know of a very deep secret about her family. most of the girls have been raped in her family. I asked how could that be? She said that it is normal in her culture to have this happen and to keep it a secret. She got very mad at me when i said she should report what had been done to her and other girls in her family the police. i have ended our friendship do to fact that i cant go to her house and see the people who did this to these girls, "

TO Plenty oyf Dirty Cops wrote on May 13, 2008 10:00 PM:

" Are you serious? Code of Silence? You need to get out from in front of your TV and back into reality. Did you not read the part of the story where this "pedophile" was arrested by the Lemoore Police. He was not a cop. He did not even resemble what a cop is or stands for. Don't lump one piece of trash in with the hard working people in this proffession. Code of Silence. What a joke. "

Code of silence is real wrote on May 14, 2008 3:29 PM:

" The code has been documented in numerous police corruption cases and in Kings County. I agree with "plenty of dirty cops." "

a cops wife wrote on May 15, 2008 9:33 AM:

" Well I'm married to a cop. He isn't dirty and every day I worry whether he will come home or not. I have seen my husbands face fall when some mom tells her young child, "you better behave or that cop will arrest you". It just kills him, he doesn't want children to be afraid of him - he wants to protect them. How sad that we jump to hasty generalizations with out truly knowing the facts. Are there bad cops? yes - Are there bad teachers? yes - Are there bad pastors? yes.... There are bad people in this world and they come in all shapes and sizes. But I guarantee if my husband saw anyone in need, in his or out of his jurisdiction he is the first to lend a hand. So if you hate cops because of the bad ones you are truly IGNORANT. "

Kimball wrote on May 15, 2008 8:13 PM:

" To a cop's wife, I feel for you having to worry about your husband, he probably is one of the good ones, yes there are good ones, but like you said now a days there are bad in all the professions that are suppose to be looking out for our children, that is why it is so hard to teach them to trust them, when now a days I don't trust any of them because of the bad that have made it into these professions and abused the trust that used to be associated with them. Again, I hope your husband stays safe. "

To Code od Silence is Real wrote on May 15, 2008 9:33 PM:

" WOW numerous corruption cases have been documented. I had no idea. Can you tell me where? I would like to read these documented cases. Obviously you can tell me where these are or why else would you mention these NUMEROUS cases. I wait with baited breath for your response. "

Kimball wrote on May 16, 2008 12:12 PM:

" Someone asked for documented cases here is a website I found :http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/519/police_drug_corruption "

To Kimball wrote on May 16, 2008 10:09 PM:

" Thank you for your kind words. He really is an amazing man - before you feel disheartened let me give you a rebuttal to the bad cop story document you provided...
Rochdale observer - woman saved by police hero – drunken father was going to slash her throat with a kitchen knife.
WSVN – TV Retired Florida Policeman saves abandon newborn
New York Times – Policeman saves Dr. Webb from Fire
Goliath Business – Close Call Policeman saves 2 children; gets Carnegie Medal

This was just a simple google search - for every bad cop story I could gladly give you 10 good stories - some from my husband - some may be BIG glory stories others are simple. "

To Kimball cont. wrote on May 16, 2008 10:09 PM:

" Major rescues are nice but often my husband will tell me touching stories. For example, hugging an older woman whose husband decided to take his own life, she just didn’t understand. Returning an older woman who has Alzheimer’s to her daughters home - a daughter who was hysterically worried. Helping to find a runaway before something bad happens to them. Holding the hand of someone who was in a car accident and telling them happy stories so they don’t worry or move before the paramedics got there.
My husband joined the force for the right reasons. He may not get the respect or praise often given to firemen - but he knows in his heart that he is helping. I am blessed to have him in my life, he is a role model for my children and I am sad that people do not know how big his heart is. Think twice before you judge that uniform. That's all I ask. "

Friday Night wrote on May 17, 2008 2:28 PM:

" Bad cops caught on tape discussing the Code of Silence. They stated it is becoming a nation wide epidemic. "

To Kimball wrote on May 17, 2008 7:09 PM:

" Thank you for the link. I was refering to "code of silence" statement that there were documented cases IN Kings County. I know there are corrupt cops out there but I was asking him (or her) for the documented cases in Kings County as it was suggested that there was many. "

to Friday night wrote on May 17, 2008 8:25 PM:

" you are surprised by a code - gee isn't there a code for the military? for attorneys? for doctors? for teachers? for Republicans? for Democrats? for almost any group? People protect their own - have you ever heard that? well welcome to reality it exists - EVERYWHERE - most groups do it for self preservation. It was not intended to protect the guilty but that does happen.
I'm not at all surprised that policemen may want to protect each other - and some of them may think they are doing the right thing. I would venture that good cops are repulsed by the bad ones just as much as you are. "

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