Coast cop accused of stalking, threatening psychologist who works with South MS police
A Gautier police officer is on administrative leave with pay following his arrest in Biloxi, Gautier Police Chief Danny Selover confirmed.
Biloxi police arrested Sgt. Friedrich “Fred” Carl Paetow, 53, on Feb. 4 on misdemeanor charges of stalking and transmitting obscene and threatening electronic communications.
The Sun Herald reached out to Paetow for comment, but he did not respond.
A stalking offense is punishable by up to one year in the county jail and up to a $1,000 fine, or both. The punishment for transmitting obscene and electronic communications is up to six months in the county jail, a $5000 fine or both.
Paetow was released from custody shortly after he surrendered in Biloxi on Feb. 4. His bond information is not included in records the Sun Herald obtained.
The charging documents provide little details other than to say the alleged offenses occurred at a doctor’s office, a drug store or a hospital.
But the Sun Herald learned more about the case after the alleged victim, clinical and forensic psychologist Julie Teater, reached out to share on the record what she went through to ensure charges were filed in the case. The Sun Herald also reached out to Biloxi police for confirmation on the allegations.
In addition to having her own practice, Teater handles court-appointed forensic evaluations for involuntary commitments for mental health issues in Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties.
She also spent 20 years doing threat assessments and other evaluations to determine if someone is a good fit for law enforcement or whether an existing officer, for example, should continue to carry a gun and serve in that capacity.
Teater said she last had contact with Paetow in 2009 but would not elaborate on the specifics due to HIPAA laws regarding privacy.
However, she said, Paetow’s right to privacy in this case ended when he allegedly committed crimes against her in Biloxi.
According to HIPAA laws, disclosures by a health care provider about a former client can be made if the subject of the alleged threat is the provider or if the provider who allegedly received the threats believes the accused could be a threat to the safety of the public.
Paetow’s arrest came after he allegedly threatened Teater in two voicemails and stalked her at her office, authorities said.
‘I was afraid’
The Sun Herald received copies of the two profanity-laced recordings Teater received at her office, one on Jan. 29 and the second on Feb. 2.
In both messages, the caller makes obscene and derogatory comments about Teater and issues warnings.
“Julie Teater, .... I hadn’t forgot about you at all... I’ll be seeing you,” the caller said in the first recorded message.
In the second message, the caller tells Teater he stopped by her office and “observed your operation” before ending the call by saying, “Just a reminder, I hadn’t forgotten about that,” and adding additional obscene remarks.
“I was afraid,” she said of the alleged threats. “I was afraid for my staff and for me. I was the one who figured out who it was. He had come and surveilled my office, and he knew when people came and went from my building. I knew he had access to all of my information because he had a computer in his police car with that access.”
Teater didn’t recognize the voice at first but was able to get the caller’s phone number and track it down to its owner, identified as Paetow. After that, she went to the Biloxi Police Department to sign charges.
Police investigation & the law
When Teater first went to the Biloxi Police Department to report the incident, she said an officer there told her he could write up a report on the allegations, but they could not investigate it.
Teater said the police officer gave her a copy of state law regarding investigations involving alleged criminal acts by police officers and teachers in the line of duty.
But there had been some miscommunication.
The state law referenced by the Biloxi police officer didn’t apply in Paetow’s case.
That state law applies to alleged criminal acts committed by teachers and law enforcement officers while acting in their official capacities.
In those cases, state law requires that a hearing be held before a Circuit judge to determine if probable cause exists to issue arrest warrants in cases involving alleged crimes while law enforcement and teachers are on the job.
Paetow was off duty when the alleged crimes occurred, authorities confirmed.
Trying to get a protection order
Teater ended up going to the District Attorney’s Office and talked to a prosecutor about the allegations and what needed to be done to try to ensure her safety.
She said the prosecutor then walked her next door to the clerk’s office and asked about how she would get a protection order that is not domestic-related.
She was provided the information she requested.
She learned that she could file for a protection order for the standard filing fee of $166 and go through the process necessary to obtain one.
In most cases, attorneys file the paperwork for a protection order, which can cost clients money they may not have.
The District Attorney’s Office confirmed Teater’s visit there.
A call to the Biloxi chief
After the visit to the prosecutor’s office, a frustrated Teater called Biloxi Police Chief John Miller about what was going on and he agreed to check into the matter.
Miller didn’t wish to comment on Teater’s version of events.
But, the police chief did confirm he checked on the matter, and another officer, Biloxi police Investigator Steven Kelly got in touch with Teater to let her know the status of the investigation.
Teater commended Kelly for his quick action in the case.
It wasn’t long after that Paetow learned of the allegations and surrendered at the Biloxi Police Department on Feb. 4 , records and additional information from authorities confirmed.
Since his arrest, Coast law enforcement officials have continued increased patrols around Teater’s office and home.
In addition, Teater said she bought a new handgun and had security cameras installed at her office.
Falling through the cracks
Teater is concerned that other people’s allegations of wrongdoing against an officer while they are not on duty, or otherwise, will fall through the cracks because of any similar experience.
“What happens when something like this happens to someone who doesn’t have the resources I do?” she said. “You know, I have a car. I can drive to the DA’s office. Some people don’t.
“The only reason I knew to pursue this is because of what I do for a living.
Teater would like to see the state law changed regarding allegations of wrongdoing against law enforcement officers for alleged crimes they commit in the line of duty.
“People shouldn’t have to wait for a hearing in Circuit Court before anything happens in these cases,” she said. “A lot could happen in the interim.”
A request to Gautier police, city manager
After Paetow’s arrest, Teater reached out to Gautier police to see if she could obtain a picture of Paetow so she would know what he looked like now.
“He doesn’t look like he did 13 years ago,” she said. “I should be able to get that information, and I did get it from Biloxi. Gautier wouldn’t give me a picture.”
But she didn’t get the picture right away.
“I spent the weekend before the arrest not knowing what the guy looked like that was threatening me,” she said.
“That is a safety issue.”
Teater is still trying to find out if Paetow will remain on the job in Gautier.
“Do you think I want to drive through Jackson County again if he is a cop there?” she said. “The answer is no.”
Teater plans to follow the case against Paetow through the justice system.
She wants to ensure that any judge, in that case, doesn’t offer him a non-adjudicated sentence, so the charges are included in his criminal record in the future.
“This needs to be documented,” she said. “It needs to be on their criminal record. I don’t want someone to get hurt.”
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Non-adjudicated sentences are prevalent
Teater has concerns about whether Paetow will have a record for the pending charges because of what has transpired in other cases involving Coast officers convicted of crimes.
After a recent domestic violence conviction against former Hancock County sheriff’s Deputy Colin Freeman, the Sun Herald learned he had been previously convicted of the same offense years earlier while he was already working in law enforcement.
Freeman had first been convicted of domestic violence in Waveland, and that happened after he had already been serving as a sheriff’s deputy for three years in Hancock County.
In both of the cases, Coast judges gave Freeman non-adjudicated sentences. When a sentence is non-adjudicated, the suspect doesn’t have a criminal record for the offense.
In his second domestic violence conviction in Hancock County, another judge gave Freeman a non-adjudicated sentence that will mean his records will remain clean once he completes the terms of his sentence.
Editor’s note: Gautier police officer Friedrich “Fred” Carl Paetow is not affiliated with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. An earlier version of this story contained incorrect information provided to the Sun Herald by law enforcement.
This story was originally published February 14, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
