MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG investigators dug deeper into the background of a Memphis police officer who is facing federal charges of intimidation, kidnapping and torture.
Officer Sam Blue remains off the force as police investigate.
Blue spent more than 20 years with the Memphis Police Department racking up accolades and commendations.
But WREG also found there were a few complaints about his demeanor when dealing with the public.
Going back to 1998, a woman stopped for running a red light at South Parkway and Latham says other officers used unneccessary force and Blue, who was also on the scene, told her to shut up.
Blue denied that, saying an investigation found insufficient evidence to prove it.
In 2006, a man who called police after a carjacking at a car wash on Highland said Blue, who showed up to assist at the scene, displayed discourteous behavior and was unprofessional and unbecoming an officer.
Blue’s police file did not detail exactly what was said during the incident, but the complaint apparently never went further than the investigation.
Investigators did say Blue was questioned and found to be experiencing some personal issues that were affecting his work performance.
He was directed on how to handle cases in the future and said he would make sure it didn’t happen again.
A subsequent report said he had lived up to his word to be a more effective CSI officer.
But what came to light this month, after a federal case, puts all that to question.
Blue and and a co-conspirator are accused of kidnapping, torturing and robbing people believed to be drug dealers.
Blue is said to have given his co-conspirators information and police equipment to pull off the job.
Now attorneys and the D.A. are looking at their cases to see if Blue may have testified in any of them and if that testimony could now be tarnished.
Another case WREG found in Blue’s file involved a 2004 complaint filed by the mother of a 13 year old student. That mom says Blue was unprofessional in dealing with her son about a school fight.