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Judge denies injunction against troubled Orlando copNov 30, 2012 (Orlando Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- An Orange County judge denied a domestic violence injunction against an Orlando police officer who was recently released from jail. Officer Danny Sidders has been jailed twice this year on allegations that he abused his long time girlfriend. On Wednesday a relative of that woman filed a petition against Sidders asking a judge to keep the troubled officer away from the man and his family. Orange Circuit Judge Roger McDonald denied the petition because it showed no evidence of repeat violence. The man, who identified himself as the ex-brother-in-law of Sidders' girlfriend, said he was concerned about his children's safety because they lived part-with their mother and her sister and were frequently around Sidders. Court records show. The petition, which was filed Wednesday, was denied Thursday. Sidders has been with the Orlando Police Department since 2005. He has been stripped of his police powers and is currently on paid leave. Sidders was arrested earlier this year after his girlfriend told police he yanked her out of bed and pushed her. He spent a few days in jail and then left the area to go to a rehabilitation center for treatment for an alcohol dependency, court records show. Shortly after he returned to Orlando, Sidders' ex-wife filed a domestic violence petition asking a judge to keep him away from her because he threatened her and her mother, records show. The judge ruled Sidders was only allowed to be armed while working as an officer at Orlando International Airport and had to turn over all of his personal weapons. Sidders was then arrested earlier this month on new allegations of abusing his girlfriend for a second time this year. An Orange County judge granted him bond in the case and ordered home confinement. Sidders called a friend from the jail and asked him to remove a handgun from inside his home so that the home confinement officials would not find it. Police were listening in when Sidders made the request and charged him with violating the conditions of the injunction and tampering with evidence. Sidders is now out of jail and being monitored by a GPS device. He is not allowed to have any contact with his girlfriend, whom he allegedly beat earlier this month. Sidders was ordered to stay out of the zip code where the woman lives and stay at least a half-mile from her at all times. Orlando police are conducting an internal investigation into the allegations against Sidders, but the report has not been completed. [email protected] or 407-420-5620. ___ (c)2012 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |