Portsmouth Police: No Officers on 'Laurie List'

None of the city's police officers who are currently on the force are among the 20 police officers that are on the so-called "Laurie list" compiled by Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams.

Portsmouth Police Capt. Mike Schwartz said Monday afternoon the city police department may have had some officers on the list in the past, but "we haven't had any on there for quite some time."

Reams' office is reporting that there are Portsmouth Police officers on the list of 20 police officers county-wide on the so-called "Laurie List."

The "Laurie List" is named after a 1993 New Hampshire case involving Carl Laurie, whose first-degree murder conviction was overturned because state prosecutors didn't disclose that a police detective's personnel file showed potential credibility problems that could have comprised his integrity while testifying, according to the Union Leader.

Judges can order officers on the list to disclose the reasons for their supposed credibility problems if they testify at trials.

On Tuesday afternoon, Schwartz said the list is updated every 10 years and if there are any Portsmouth Police officers listed on it now, they no longer work for the police department. To his knowledge, neither Police Chief Stephen DuBois or former Police Chief David "Lou" Ferland ever made any notifications to the county attorney about any police officers who should be on the list.

Portsmouth Deputy Police Chief Corey MacDonald said the only former Portmouth Police officer who was on the list in the past was a part-time auxillary officer who is no longer with the department.

There are 20 police officers in Rockingham County on the list, according to a report by SeacoastOnline.com. Their names are confidential. It is also unclear if the Portsmouth Police Department has one or more officers on the list.

Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams told SeacoastOnline.com that officers are added to the list by their respective police chiefs for violations like lying and fudging time cards.

Schwartz added that the decision to place a police officer on the "Laurie list" is made at the discretion of the police chief. "It will be done by the chief of police's definition of integrity."