Inside the lobby of the Manchester Police Department, you'll find dozens of mementos from the police explorer's finest moments. News of the program supervisor’s arrest isn’t one of them.
Former police sergeant Michelle Wagner was arrested again Friday for stealing money from well-known program. Chris Inkle of Manchester said the news is disappointing. "You put a lot of trust in the police and when they do something like that you wonder who you can trust and who you can’t," said Inkle.
Wagner was charged with theft back in October, but is now facing more serious charges for the crime. The ten-year police veteran was a community relations officer before a recent promotion to sergeant.
The Manchester police chief said, "As chief of police, I am deeply distressed that these allegations were made against a sworn police officer particularly in light of the fact that the victims were children who placed the police in high regard."
Wagner resigned from the department last month just before a disciplinary hearing that could have resulted in her termination. Parents who knew her through the police explorer’s program said she’s an excellent teacher, but many in the community said she set the wrong example.
