Quincy officer appeals protective order

EPHRATA - An attorney representing a Quincy police sergeant accused of threatening a records clerk said his client is appealing the decision to grant a permanent protective order to the alleged victim.

Brian Chase said that his client, Dan Dopps, "deserves his day in court," referring to a judge's decision in March to not delay the protective order hearing even though Dopps was out of the country.

Quincy police records clerk Diana Gonzalez filed for a protective order after she said Dopps displayed a knife and told her that "snitches get stitches," when she complained to the police chief about a different police officer.

Chase said that he disagreed with the judge's decision to not allow Dopps to defend himself before granting the "most watered down restraining order I've ever seen."

According to court documents, visiting Lincoln County District Court Judge Joshua Grant ruled that because neither Dopps nor Chase asked for a continuance before the hearing, and because Chase did not present any information that only Dopps would know, he granted the order without Dopps being present.

The permanent protective order prohibits Dopps from contacting or keeping Gonzalez under surveillance.

"My client never made any attempt to keep (Gonzalez) under surveillance," Chase said. He added that Dopps does not have any history of contact with Gonzalez.

Chase said Dopps is still on paid administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation.

Neither Gonzalez or Quincy Police Chief Bob Heimbach were immediately available for comment.