The Evolution Needs More Midgets

[Jim Johnson]

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Cop quits after strip club visit with 'Bridget the Midget'

Dave Wedge By Dave Wedge
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - Updated 3 minutes ago

Boston Herald Chief Enterprise Reporter
Wedge is the Herald's Chief Enterprise Reporter and writes Sunday's "Pols & Politics" column. He also covers music for "The Edge" entertainment section.

A Stoughton cop has resigned after hitting a strip joint on duty to try and meet "the world's smallest porn star," putting an unapproved laser scope on his gun and lying to investigators, the town's police chief told the Herald today.

Officer Richard P. Bennett, 28, has stepped down after five officers reported he left his patrol to go to Alex's gentleman's club to meet "Bridget the Midget," a 3-foot, 9-inch tall porn star, Stoughton Police Chief Paul Shastany said.

Bennett, who was honored by the department in June for his work in helping catch an accused killer, also installed a laser sight on his department-issued handgun and then lied to investigators, the chief said.

"He modified his weapon without permission," Shastany said. "And when he was interviewed, was untruthful. If an officer is untruthful, you do not have a place in this organization."

Of the strip club visit, Shastany said: "He went there and left his beat and wanted to meet this person."

"This person" was Bridget Powers, a 29-year-old adult film star who performed at Alex's in June. Powers, known as Bridget the Midget, has been a guest on The Howard Stern Show and has appeared in several pornographic films, as well as some mainstream movies, including "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" and "8 mm." Shastany said Bennett "resigned because he knew he would be terminated." A valid phone number for Bennett could not be found this morning.

The chief lauded officers who reported the alleged violations. The suburban department has been wracked by a widespread corruption scandal that led to the downfall of the previous chief.

"Officers in the department have been beat up and maligned by the actions of a few," Shastany said. "Officers, no less than five, reported this. It's an embarassment and an affront to their efforts to rebuild this department. I applaud them and this is an example where officers are working hard to hold themselves accountable and are not going to tolerate any wrongdoing."