Fairfax County Police Watch: 11/22/11

Finally, good government at work

Cordova IL disbands their police department, calling it an unmanageable mess after cop arrested & suit filed [0] bit.ly/v2l2GX

Murder

5 BART CA cops, including the officer who was convicted for killing Oscar Grant, are facing a civil suit due to start soon in an excessive force case that allegedly happened just weeks prior to that infamous shooting incident. [3] bit.ly/sEtZuv

Spokane Co WA deputy sued by family of 74yr-old pastor fatally shot when he investigated unmarked car on property [3] bit.ly/uaE3u6

Aurora CO pays $150k to settle claims to the family of a man who died and $240k to a man left partially paralyzed when both were shot during a chase. [0] bit.ly/rDSLTd

North Chicago IL police refuse to say how man in custody died as state police take over the investigation into the man’s death [3] bit.ly/uBnR05

Attempted murder

Lincoln RI police are being investigated after an alleged struggle at the police station landed a man in the hospital on life support in a coma from a severe head injury [3] bit.ly/stQ4US

Birmingham AL cop is accused of shooting a motorist from behind as he swerved to avoid the the officer when he allegedly jumped in front of his car after he drove around the airport parking lot as ordered while he waited for the people he was supposed to pick up. The man wasn’t charged. [1] http://bit.ly/vsnWTm

Lubbock TX is being sued by a 90yr-old man who was shot in the neck by a cop after he alleges he grabbed his shotgun when cops broke his window responding to robbery call next door. The police reports apparently contradicted themselves, at one point claiming police only opened fire after they were shot at but the charges against the man didn’t hold up. {3} bit.ly/s3iZLp

Hartwell GA police lost a lawsuit for $45k in a civil judgment to a man who lost an eye when a cop hit him with a metal baton during an arrest. [0] bit.ly/rsh2ru

Assaulting unarmed citizens and then hiding behind the law

San Francisco CA settles suit for $71k to man who suffered broken knee & wrist when cop beat him with a baton after he allegedly surrendered during a shoplifting arrest. [0] http://t.co/Y91hmHES

Champaign IL police under investigation for use of pepperspray during questionable traffic stop that was caught on unreleased video [2] bit.ly/vJ8y0Z

UC Davis CA cop is caught on video taunting a crowd of protesters by showing off a pepperspray canister before slowly dousing protesters sitting on ground with it. The police chief justified it by claiming the officers were afraid of the crowd but the video appears to really contradict that claim. [0] bit.ly/utFfVr

2 UC Davis CA police officers have been placed on paid leave while they are being investigated for pepperspaying seated students at a protest in an incident that has now garnered wide-spread media coverage. (UPDATE: news reports coming in now indicate the police chief has also been suspended pending investigation over the incident as well) [0] bit.ly/vNBJFl

Minneapolis MN settles a lawsuit for $77k to a man who was strip searched by cops in public. This came after a judge ruled that the search was unconstitutional. [0] bit.ly/rX5QzM

New York NY cop accused of shoving judge acting as legal observer at #OWS against wall & threatening to arrest her [3] bit.ly/t4AJ2i

Portland OR cop has been indicted on 3rd & 4th degree assault charges for seriously injuring a man by shooting him with a shotgun slug that he accidentally loaded in a modified shotgun meant for beanbag rounds. [0] bit.ly/tIQKHA

4 Bartlesville OK cops are currently under investigation over excessive force allegations in an incident where they allegedly beat and choked a man in the hospital according to a witness. [3] bit.ly/vsWpCD

Perry IA police are accused of excessive force against a family and an elderly relative then needlessly shooting their dogs to death duing a fruitless raid for drugs and a stolen x-box… None of the family were charged with any crimes. [4] bit.ly/tywrBT

Portland OR police accused of excessive force in a number of incidents during #OccupyPortland #N17 protest. While associated videos are a bit inconclusive they do seem to verify claims that protesters were on the sidewalks as ordered when riot police began a push and other claims appear to be bolstered by third-party witnesses. [3] bit.ly/vub2Ps

Sam Houston State University TX cop was shown on dashcam, above, beating a student then bragging about it. While the student still faces drug possession charges he was cleared of assault on an officer charge which would indicate the video contradicted the cop’s report. [4] bit.ly/vZWvMq

Dickson TN cop faces a state investigation & lawsuit over 2 alleged excessive force incidents in the last year. [0] tnne.ws/uxynZs

2 Virginia State troopers are accused of excessive force & using racial slurs against a Hispanic woman who refused to sign a ticket. [3] bit.ly/tyZp1w

2 Albuquerque NM cops were fired after a video showed them beating and kicking a man while holding him down, then apparently celebrating with a chest bump afterward. [0] bit.ly/vgjhms

Coats NC police chief & 4 officers are being sued by 3 people over a series of alleged excessive force false arrests. One officer in particular is accused of being notorious for racially motivated beatings. [4] bit.ly/tX4EC8

2 DeKalb Co GA cops charged w/felonies for driving suspect behind garage & beating him until stopped by other cop [0] bit.ly/uiPypW

Tuscaloosa County AL sheriff’s sergeant pleaded guilty to multiple charges for using his taser to punish 3 detainees, injuring one of them. [0] bit.ly/vQpUQz

Elk Grove CA cops accused of excessive response by holding mom & kids at gunpoint mistaking them for car thieves due to a paperwork mistake by another department. [0] cbsloc.al/s1NySB

Maricopa Co AZ report indicates 3 former top aides to sheriff Arpaio ignored misconduct by deputies [0] bit.ly/uudbFU

Idiot of the week award

New York NY cop subject of NYCLU suit for arresting 2 for “unlawful photography” for taking photographs in subway [3] bit.ly/trcBL1

Just a common thief

Webb County TX deputy constable arrested for allegedly stealing firearm from evidence room & pawning it [0] bit.ly/uIdCLv

Troy NY police investigate allegations of overtime & leave abuse by unspecified number of officers [1] bit.ly/sJr1X4

Philadelphia PA sheriff now subject of federal probe for personally buying homes that were slated for sheriff’s auction then selling them for personal profit. [0] bit.ly/uhpG9Q

Monterey Co CA sheriff’s sgt charged w/theft & felony false claims on time sheet falsification allegations [0] bit.ly/uIBirF

Creepy cop behavior

Bainbridge WA cop who heads the police union was suspended 2 weeks for tailing a councilwoman and harassing her. [0] ow.ly/1AtFyR

Bristol VA deputy sentenced to probation after found guilty of making harassing phone calls to businessman [0] bit.ly/sJIr3Y

Drunk/drugs

Opa-locka FL police capt arrested by feds for allegedly protecting drug dealers & an accused murder [0] sunsent.nl/rvFKQR

Hastings NE police capt gets probation in reduced DUI charge after unsecured trailer caused his vehicle to flip [0] bit.ly/tvqtc7

RCMP officer in Richmond BC arrested on drunk driving charge and for failing to stop at an accident [0] bit.ly/tP0Cur
Cook Co GA deputy charged w/violating oath & furnishing alcohol to minors at a motel party [0] bit.ly/sbGKh9

Cleveland OH cop on desk duty after testing positive for drug use following 8mo suspension for excessive force [0] bit.ly/tCn42l

Morrow GA police chief arrested for DUI & 8 open containers after falling asleep at a green light in his cruiser [0] bit.ly/uZQ06c

New Jersey state trooper charged w/assault by auto & drunk driving after crash that left one person injured [0] bit.ly/u4zoXX

Lake Co FL deputy arrested on drug charges after found at house where drug deal allegedly took place [0] thesent.nl/vqe2Iw

Hopkinsville KY cop suspended while subject of internal investigation after being arrested on drunk driving charges [0] bit.ly/w14NzI

Missoula MT police accused of dropping aggressive drunks off at #OccupyMissoula in order to harass protesters [3] bit.ly/vPRLKv

Orlando FL cop was arrested on felony official misconduct & possession charges after drug buy bust following tip off [0] bit.ly/rtdSMz

Harahan LA cop who resigned in Aug while investigated for theft & drug use is arrested for having stolen excavator [0] bit.ly/ts8bgx

Billings MT cop gets suspended sentence & fine in plea to .101 BAC DUI charge, the first trial against her resulted in a hung jury based on the defense that her BAC was elevated due to the altitude. [0] bit.ly/rZHEmv

Slappin the ole wife around

Laredo TX cops accused of assaulting & threatening woman who reported deputy for domestic violence [3] bit.ly/vStLig

Thurston Co WA narc detective arrested for unlawful imprisonment domestic violence in alleged dispute with wife [0] bit.ly/rAqgSO

Webb County TX deputy arrested on family violence assault charge in alleged domestic incident [0] bit.ly/ru403F

Slocomb AL cop suspended after arrested on menacing charge for threatening cop responding to domestic dispute call [0] bit.ly/sS38wI

Scottsboro AL cop suspended while under investigation on allegations of steroid use and domestic violence [1] bit.ly/t0ISE5

Yakima WA tribal police officer sentenced to 19mo prison for threatening to kill man he caught w/his estranged wife [0] bit.ly/sNIF3c

Rape, sexual assault, that sort of creepy cop behavior

York Regional ON police officer on paid leave after arrested on 2 counts of sexual assault & firearms charges [1] bit.ly/sXyFzi

San Diego CA cop convicted on 8 felonies & 4 misdemeanors for coercing 7 women for sexual favors at traffic stops [0] bit.ly/t8VF93

Calhoun Co FL deputy sentenced to probation for coercing sex from woman is now being sued by 3 other women for on similar allegations. [0] bit.ly/tDrkxu

Portland OR police chief apologizes for misleading claim that #OccupyPortland prevented response to rape call [0] bit.ly/tz1EHy

Gallatin MO police officer suspended after summons issued on allegations of unspecified sexual misconduct [2] bit.ly/ugjTxv

Albuquerque NM cop fired after caught w/prostitute now charged w/promoting prostitution involving other allegations [0] bit.ly/tdwtoa

Lee County FL deputy suspended one week for sexually harassing female co-worker [0] bit.ly/rDpa0h

San Jose CA police forced by arbitrator to rehire cop fired for mishandling dozens of sex crime cases [0] bit.ly/umhmME

False arrest

Richmond Co GA deputy forced to resign after admitting to falsified DUI arrests, the admission may impact hundreds of DUI cases [0] bit.ly/t6sLTk

Westmont Village IL woman wins a lawsuit for over $500k on allegations that a cop violated her rights with false arrests in retaliation against her because she was speaking out against that department. [3] bit.ly/tmUsmB

Long Beach MS police are being sued by the ACLU of Mississippi on behalf of a woman who was arrested while protesting against BP over an oil spill, she alleges she had a permit and was legally protesting on a public sidewalk. [3] bit.ly/tSbUWE

Extortion

2 Baltimore MD cops plead guilty to extortion & conspiracy to commit extortion in car repair scam [0] bit.ly/sASNJ2

Yeah, figures

2 Chicago IL cops were arrested by feds on allegations they used their positions as cops to help a gang rob people. [0] bit.ly/sBXiQE

Good, fire the rat bastard and the other cops too.

McFarland CA police sued by a cop claiming he was falsely arrested at gunpoint for blowing the whistle on that department’s police chief & several officers he claims should not have qualified to serve due to their histories of being fired from other departments for misconduct. [5] bit.ly/uOqp8n

….if Walmart would just hire these people we wouldn’t have these problems
Phillipsburg NJ police detective faces weapons charge for discharging a firearm in a cemetery while off duty [0] bit.ly/ujiwXZ

Morrogh finds cop he doesn’t love. In other news, hell freezes.

Probe of fatal police shooting goes to federal authorities

By Justin Jouvenal/Post

The Fairfax County prosecutor has turned over the investigation of a fatal police shooting of an unarmed Springfield man to federal authorities, citing complications with the five-month-old case.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Morrogh said the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia has agreed to continue the probe into the death of 46-year-old John Geer, who was shot during a standoff with Fairfax County police in August. No one has been charged in the incident.

“There is a conflict of interest that has arisen in the case,” Morrogh said Thursday. “And there is a second potential conflict of interest that has arisen out of my office. . . . This is the prudent thing to do.”

Morrogh declined to describe the nature of the conflicts because the investigation is ongoing. The U.S. attorney’s office said Thursday that it could not confirm or deny any investigation or comment on pending investigations.

Police went to Geer’s Pebble Brook Court home on Aug. 29 because of a report of a domestic disturbance. Geer’s father, Don Geer, said his son was upset because his girlfriend, the mother of his two children, had decided to leave him.

John Geer had thrown his girlfriend’s belongings in the front yard. She called police and told them that Geer had a firearm. Police said they tried for about 50 minutes to persuade Geer to leave the home, but he refused.

Don Geer said he watched the climax of the encounter. He said that he could not hear what officers were saying to his son but that he saw him standing with empty hands resting on top of a screen door at the home’s entrance.

At some point, John Geer began to slowly lower his hands and an officer opened fire, hitting Geer in the chest, his father said. Geer retreated inside and closed the door. A SWAT team eventually entered the home and found Geer dead.

Don Geer said detectives later told him that his son did not have a gun on him at the time of the shooting but that there was a holstered handgun a couple of steps from the front door.

Don Geer said it appeared to him that the shooting was unjustified, but he was unsure what to make of the probe being turned over to federal authorities.

“I don’t know whether that’s good or bad — if I had a better idea of why they are doing it, I could form an opinion,” he said.

Geer and friends of his son have been critical of how long the investigation has taken, but Morrogh said police and prosecutors were working to explore all the evidence. He did not think federal prosecutors would have to start from scratch.

“No one wants these things to linger on,” Morrogh said.

Our ink will outlast his career

Under the reign of former Chief of Police Rhorer the Fairfax County Police arrested a man for not wearing clothes in his house while he made coffee, set up an eye doctor on a gambling charge and then used the SWAT team to kill him. An investigation into the charge that the Doctor’s primary clients were cops has never been investigated. The police gunned down an emotionally unstable man because cop who shot him wrongly assumed the man was trying to escape. He wasn’t. The cops also shot dead four other citizens under highly questionable circumstances. The department under Rhorer was sued multiple times by citizens. So did they fire Rhorer? Naw they promoted him. According to news reports Rhorer draws a salary of $191,168 per year as Deputy Fairfax County Executive as well as a concurrent pension from the Fairfax County police of $173000 per year.

Occupation by force

According to the most recent U.S. Census figures, nearly one in five Fairfax residents (17.5 percent) is of Asian descent while Hispanics make up nearly 16 percent of Fairfax’s overall population. Those numbers drop considerably when applied to the Fairfax County Police Department, where only 4.3 percent of officers are Asian and 4.1 percent Hispanic. White officers make up 84 percent of Fairfax County’s 1,360-member police department, significantly higher than the county’s general population (54 percent white). Almost 90% of the force lives outside the county.