Fort Lauderdale police arrested one of their own on Thursday, May 13, accusing him of illegally buying drugs in his marked patrol car while on duty.
Officer Justin Krashefski, 27, was suspended without pay on Wednesday, May 12, and was arrested the next day on drug-related charges.
“It’s disappointing,” Police Chief Frank Adderley said during a news conference on Thursday, May 13, following the arrest. “This is not representative of law enforcement officers, particularly Fort Lauderdale police. When we find indications of crimes being committed, we investigate.”
Claiming that he was conducting a police investigation, Krashefski in April allegedly requested drugs, then paid a man for them while he was on duty and in his patrol car. That man happened to be an undercover police informant who tipped off authorities.
Police set up a sting operation in which the informant met with Krashefski on May 2, police said, and agreed to pay $100 for an undisclosed amount of the highly addictive Oxycodone pain pills. Detectives recorded the meeting.
When Krashefski and the informant met again on May 10, police said, detectives gave the informant five Oxycodone pills taken from police evidence. Police videotaped the drug transaction from the air.
Police said the surveillance captured Krashefski paying the man $20 for five pills.
Krashefski worked the second shift of the Patrol Division. When he reported to work on Wednesday, May 12, he was placed on paid suspension immediately after his shift’s roll-call meeting.
He was told to turn in his equipment and any outstanding reports, and not to return to police headquarters without authorization. Officers from the Narcotics Unit then conducted a search of his patrol car, where they found three Oxycodone pills, along with a razor blade and a straw inside a sunglass case.
A straw is used to snort the pills in a crushed form, and a razor blade is used to cut up the pills, according to the police report.
Krashefski was booked into the Broward Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale, and was charged with one count of solicitation to commit a felony, one count of possession of Oxycodone, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, all felonies.
The investigation included assistance from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
Oxycodone oral medications are generally prescribed for the relief of moderate to severe pain. The substance is regularly combined with other non-prescription pain killers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, for greater effectiveness.
Oxycodone is addictive. In recent years, the drug has become increasingly more popular with addicts and party-goers.
Asked if Krashefski might have been using the drugs on duty, Adderley said, “That appears to be the case.”
Krashefski has been with the department for four years. His recent request to be transferred to the Narcotics Unit was under consideration.
He is currently on paid suspension, but his status could be changed to unpaid suspension in the coming weeks, authorities said.
Prosecutors have not said what, if any, impact the charges filed against Krashefski could have on any pending cases he was investigating, or on arrests he has made.
EJones@SFLTimes.com
Photo: Justin Krashefski
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