A St. Louis police sergeant who was president of an organization that represents black officers has admitted he stole $80,934 from the group. Darren Randal Wilson, 42, used money from the Ethical Society of Police on his side business of promoting local comedy shows “featuring nationally known comedians,” prosecutors said. The current president, Sgt. Heather Taylor, said Wilson looted the building fund and money meant for community service and legal representation, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. She said the group was forced by Wilson’s theft to downsize. (Wilson is not related to the Darren Wilson who as a Ferguson police officer in 2014 killed Michael Brown.)
Taylor said that Wilson was a former professional clown, and said that he behaved as a “clown.” Wilson began his police career in 1997. He was suspended without pay last year after “financial irregularities” were discovered by the society in 2014. The Ethical Society of Police says it was founded in 1972 to “monitor and rectify the racial and ethical challenges that confront the Metropolitan Police Department.” Many members also are represented by the separate, predominantly white St. Louis Police Officers’ Association.