Idiots at work


Baltimore cop charged with DUI, child endangerment after York County crash

A veteran Baltimore City cop named Shawn Byron Johnson is charged with drunken driving after he crashed the car he was driving, with his two children inside, into a parked car in May.  Johnson is charged with two counts each of DUI and endangering the welfare of a child, according to his charging documents.  At the scene, an officer approached Johnson, who was swaying from side to side and had a strong order of alcohol coming from him, the documents state.

When the officer identified himself, Johnson, who was slurring his speech and had red, glassy eyes, pulled out his wallet and showed his Baltimore City Police identification card, documents state.

The officer told Johnson to walk to the rear of the car for a field sobriety test, but Johnson said, "Just take me in. I'm over." He started one of the tests but refused to continue.

 

Newark cop suspended for Oct. crash

NEWARK — Newark cop Michael Trotter was suspended for 40 hours without pay for multiple violations of policy stemming from an Oct. 2 pursuit.

An internal investigation found four sustained allegations against Trotter: failure to change the data card on the in-car camera; failure to control his vehicle while responding to officers, which resulted in a crash; failing to use his seat belt while driving; and failure to notify dispatchers that he was responding with lights and sirens on to the pursuit. Trotter was severely injured in a crash on Horns Hill Road while responding to a pursuit in an effort to assist other officers.

 

Cop rats

Keith Logan, a Worcester Mass. Cop, claims in an affidavit that vice squad officers would routinely brag about beating up people, and that when these officers used force that led to the injuries of prisoners, those injuries would be explained as “the prisoner violently struggled or resisted.” The affidavit was part of a recently settled police brutality case against the city in which the plaintiff, Anthony Hayes, received $100,000, and it calls into question whether enough is being done to rid the Police Department of rogue officers.

 

City seeks public input on reforming board that reviews claims of police misconduct

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/20/4119730/city-seeks-public-input-on-reforming.html

 

Baltimore police officer convicted of sex offense

Prosecutors had accused Troy Gee, a Baltimore cop of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl while she was visiting his home in December 2011. Last year, the WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team uncovered that this was the third accusation against him of sexually assaulting a minor. Gee is expected to be sentenced in August.

 

Trial date changed for Madison police officer charged with sexual abuse (updated)

MADISON, Alabama -- William Watson, a Madison cop charged with sexual abuse has had his trial date continued.

 

Bay Area Police Owe Protesters $1 Million

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - Alameda County and the city of Oakland agreed to pay more than $1 million to protesters arrested during a Nov. 5, 2010, demonstration that started after a court sentenced a white transit cop to two years in jail for shooting an unarmed black man.

The protesters claimed in a class action filed in 2011 that police from Oakland and Alameda County did not order the crowd to disperse before closing of all means of exit and conducting mass arrests in the vicinity of 6th Avenue and East 17th and 18th streets near downtown Oakland. They allege that protesters, including legal observers, were left handcuffed in the street for an excessive period of time and then held for up to 24 hours in overcrowded holding cells, all of which they contend violated their civil rights.

 
Ex-cop sentenced to federal prison for taking bribes

#ATLANTA — A Stockbridge man who used to work as an Atlanta police officer was sentenced Tuesday to two years in a federal prison for taking bribes. Elton Augustin, 32, was convicted of lying to federal agents after a jury trial Dec. 7. Augustin pleaded guilty Feb. 14 to conspiring to accept bribes, said federal prosecutors.

Former Cherryville Police Chief Charged


 

U.S. Attorney’s Office June 24, 2013                  Western District of North Carolina(704) 344-6222

CHARLOTTE, NC—The former police chief for the city of Cherryville has been charged with one count of program embezzlement, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Woodrow “Woody” Paul Burgess, 60, of Cherryville, North Carolina, has agreed to plead guilty to the charge.

John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Greg McLeod, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation (North Carolina-SBI) join U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement.

According to the criminal bill of information and plea agreement filed today in U.S. District Court, Burgess was the chief of police for the city of Cherryville until his retirement in October 2012. During the relevant time period, Bonny Alexander was Cherryville’s finance director and had authority to process payroll payments to Cherryville employees, direct payments for city expenses, and issue checks on behalf of the city. According to court records and the filed plea agreement, Burgess embezzled and caused Alexander to embezzle approximately $11,048 of the city’s funds. Court records show that beginning in January 2007 through November 2008, Burgess instructed Alexander to issue approximately nine Cherryville city checks payable to The Great Outdoors Inc. for the purchase of firearms for Burgess’ personal use. According to the charging document, Burgess told Alexander that the checks and the expenditure of the city’s funds for personal use had been authorized as a “cash-out” for “compensatory time.” Court records indicate that Alexander issued the checks as requested by Burgess and placed entries in the city’s accounting records that the expenditures were for a certain amount of “sick time” or “comp time” due to “Woody.” According to court documents, Burgess was aware that he was not entitled to cash payments for sick or vacation leave or compensatory time. In addition, Burgess knew that no hours were deducted from his sick or vacation leave balances for the city’s purchase of guns for his personal use.

The bill of information contains a notice of forfeiture, which gives notice that the defendant must forfeit to the United States all property and currency involved in the offense charged in the charging document and all property and currency that are proceeds of such offense, including approximately $8,490 in cash and three firearms seized during the course of the investigation.

“Woody Burgess was sworn to uphold the law but instead thought he was above the law. While prosecuting a law enforcement officer is always difficult, my office will not allow the likes of Woody Burgess to dishonor the uniform proudly worn by all other Cherryville police officers who are dedicated to serving and protecting their community,” said U.S. Attorney Tompkins.

“It is both disappointing and disheartening to learn a senior law enforcement officer took advantage of his trusted position for his own profit. Public corruption is the number one criminal priority of the FBI, and we will continue to work aggressively to hold public officials of all levels accountable, especially those who erode the public’s trust in those who have sworn to protect and serve others,” said Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong, of the FBI in Charlotte.

“Our agents are dedicated to finding the truth and bringing criminals to justice, and this case is an excellent example of the work that they do,” said SBI Director Greg McLeod. “We’ll continue our efforts to solve crime, root out public corruption, and protect the people of North Carolina.”

Burgess has agreed to plead guilty to one count of program embezzlement, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Burgess’ initial appearance and plea hearing have been set for Tuesday, June 25, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. According to the filed plea agreement, Burgess has also agreed to pay full restitution, the amount of which will be determined by the court at sentencing.

In January 2013, Alexander pleaded guilty to five counts of program embezzlement for stealing over $435,000 from the city of Cherryville. She faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count. A sentencing date for Alexander has not been set yet.

The investigation is handled by the FBI and SBI. The prosecution is handled by Michael Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.

Chicago: The City that works.................if you're related to a mob guy


Arrested again and again — but still a Chicago cop

Over the past seven years, Chicago police Officer Richard A. Rizzo has been arrested four times by fellow members of his department. The charges included domestic battery, child endangerment and aggravated assault with a gun. Each time, officers booked Rizzo and took his mugshot. Each time, prosecutors filed criminal charges against him.And each time, prosecutors ended up dropping the charges against the 15-year police veteran.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/20684747-418/the-watchdogs-arrested-again-and-again-but-still-a-chicago-cop.html

 

Fired as Chicago cops — and collecting city pensions

Chicago Police Sgt. Nicholas M. Ortega stood to lose everything — his job, his freedom, his pension. Ortega was in uniform on duty in March 2005 when he met up with a group of cops at a bar and ended up driving the wife of a rookie officer he supervised back to a Northwest Side police station where they had sex in a basement office, police records show. He then drove her back to the bar.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/20585644-761/fired-as-chicago-cops-and-collecting-city-pensions.html

The epidemic of mentally unstable cops in America: Cop charged with attempted murder out on bail

The epidemic of mentally unstable cops in America: Cop charged with attempted murder out on bail: Nathaniel David Juratovac, a Flagler Beach cop is charged with attempted murder earlier this year.     Juratovac is awaiting trial after h...

Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Idiots with guns

Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Idiots with guns: Maine Chief Accidentally Shoots Self with Duty Weapon BANGOR, Maine -- Chief Mark Hathaway, a 25-year veteran officer apparently shot h...