They shot him dead for stealing sunglasses while they were in a wooded
area, out of public sight AND THEY GOT AWAY WITH IT
-
Two FCPD leaders dropped from wrongful death lawsuit over fatal police
shooting
August 11, 2025
Two Fairfax County Police Department commander...
Mount Vernon’s acting police chief suspended
Mount Vernon’s acting police chief was suspended this week,
making him the third police department employee — and second police chief — to
be suspended this summer.
Acting Chief George Hartz was suspended for three days
without pay starting at 12:01 a.m. yesterday for conduct unbecoming an officer,
said David Glass, Mount Vernon’s safety-services director. Hartz can return to
work on Thursday.
Glass would not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding
Hartz’s suspension, other than to say his actions involved another person who
was not employed by the Mount Vernon Police Department.
Hartz, a 19-year veteran of the department, has been filling
in for Police Chief Mike Merrilees.
Merrilees and police Sgt. Kit Morgan were suspended with pay
on July 12 because of an internal investigation into their actions involving a
former officer who has filed a federal lawsuit over his dismissal.
The officer, Mark Perkins, was fired from the department in
April. Perkins’ suit claims that Merrilees and Morgan discriminated against him
because he had served in the Marines and was a member of the National Guard.
Perkins’ suit alleges that Merrilees passed him over for promotions and made
his work life difficult by refusing to approve time off for National Guard
activities.
Disciplinary hearings begin for Cleveland officers involved in November's chase, deadly shooting
CLEVELAND - Disciplinary hearings began soon for 20 Cleveland
patrol officers facing charges related to the Nov. 29 police chase and
shooting. The officers will not face termination, but could be suspended for up
to 30 days. A total of 75 patrol officers face charges related to the chase.
Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath has yet to schedule disciplinary
hearings for the remaining 55 officers. Twelve supervisors have already been
disciplined. One was terminated, two were demoted and nine were suspended for
their actions.
The chase started when a Cleveland police officer thought he
heard gunfire coming from a car driving near the Cuyahoga County Justice
Center. Timothy Russell, 43, the driver, then led police on a 22-minute
high-speed chase.
The chase ended in the parking lot of Heritage Middle School
in East Cleveland. Russell and his passenger, Malissa Williams, 30, were killed
when officers fired 137 shots at their car. Several officers reported seeing a
gun during the chase. No weapon was ever found.
Cops and the women they abuse: Police Officer Charged With Assault after Finding ...
Cops and the women they abuse: Police Officer Charged With Assault after Finding ...: Timothy John ‘TJ’ Brewer walked in on his wife having sex in his son’s room with his own father — fire chief Wesley ‘Corky’ Brewer. TJ ...
Cops and the women they abuse: Officer Charged with Domestic Violence
Cops and the women they abuse: Officer Charged with Domestic Violence: MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – The Madison County Sheriff’s officer, Jacob Askins, was arrested on August 11 and charged with misdemeanor...
South Bend officer suspended for 120 Days
6 Dallas police officers fired
Seven Dallas police officers have been fired or placed on
leave as the result of internal investigations.Dallas Police One officer is
accused of rearranging a body at a crime scene and giving false statements to
police.
Dallas police chief David Brown fired six officers on
Tuesday and suspended one more in a sweeping act of department discipline. All
of the terminated officers allegedly engaged in unethical behavior and many
stand accused of committing crimes themselves.
The most serious case involves officers Bryan Burgess and
Michael Puckett. In April, the officers were following a suspicious person on
bicycle in the 1600 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard. Puckett got out of
the squad car to pursue the man on foot while Burgess continued driving.
How the bicyclist died is a matter of dispute. Burgess
originally said the rider cut in front of his vehicle, but a recording from the
scene of the crime paints a different picture. Burgess is accused of running
over the bicyclist, repositioning his body and moving his squad car before
investigators arrived. Both officers were fired, and Burgess faces charges of
negligent homicide. Officer Bryan Burgess is accused of moving a body at a crime
scene and lying about it.
Medford officer indicted for alleged cover-up
A Medford police officer has been suspended without pay
after he was indicted on charges related to a July 3 double shooting in
Stoneham. Officer Miguel Lopez, 53, of Stoneham was indicted on two counts of
witness intimidation on Thursday, Aug. 15.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said Lopez
allegedly lied to police and removed evidence from his 6 Micha’s Pond Way home
in Stoneham to cover up a reported drug deal, which authorities say led to the
double shooting. Lopez, who has served as a Medford police officer for 26
years, worked as a uniformed patrolman on the dayshift.
The epidemic of mentally unstable cops in America: Morris Tabak, Former San Francisco Assistant Polic...
The epidemic of mentally unstable cops in America: Morris Tabak, Former San Francisco Assistant Polic...: San Francisco Assistant Police Chief Morris Tabak killed himself last night outside a Sonoma County sheriff's substation. Tabak reti...
Bond reduced for former Birmingham police officer charged with robbery
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - A Jefferson County judge today reduced
the $1 million bond set for a former Birmingham police officer accused of
robbing the same man twice in one week.
T'Derek Trimayne Luster, 27, was jailed July 25 after he was
charged with two counts each of robbery and ethics violations.
The robberies happened in the pre-dawn hours while Luster
was off-duty. The first took place on July 13 at 1:30 a.m. on 51st between
Terrace M and Court M. The second happened July 17 at 3:30 a.m. in the 5100
block of Terrace M.
The chief said the male victim was robbed of cash, but
authorities declined to say how much. The officer and the victim appear to be
acquainted in some way.
Coatesville detective charged with theft, forgery from fellow officers
A Coatesville detective was charged with a myriad of theft
and forgery offenses Tamid accusations that he repeatedly stole from his fellow
officers over a several year period.
Gerald Pawling, who retired from the police force in 2012
after 17 years on duty, was arraigned on criminal charges at Magisterial
District Judge Jeffery J. Valocchi’s court in Thorndale. The former detective
was charged with eight felony counts of forgery and 51 counts of theft by unlawful
taking.
Pawling is accused of stealing over $46,000 from the
Coatesville Police Benevolent Association, or the CPBA, the collective
bargaining union made up of his fellow officers. The alleged thefts took place
from 2009 to 2012, investigators said.
Officer charged in murder fired by McComb police
BROOKHAVEN — McComb Police Chief Greg Martin says a Brookhaven
police officer, who was arrested in connection with a slaying in Pike County,
had been fired by his department prior to his hiring in Brookhaven.
Brookhaven Police Chief Bobby Bell said the arrest of the officer
Jasper Cortez Pittman came as a shock to him. Pittman was arrested by Pike
County authorities in the death of 53-year-old Kenneth Thompson.
Officials say Pittman was charged with accessory after the
fact to murder. Other charges against him include arson, conspiracy to commit
arson and sexual battery.
Thompson's body was found in a shallow grave on Pittman's
property. An affidavit filed by Pike County Sheriff's Department investigators
reveals that Pittman had a sexual relationship with Thompson's 14-year-old son.
The boy and two others — 17-year-old LeJerrious A. Perkins
and 26-year-old Greg Antonio Fortenberry — are charged with murder, conspiracy
to commit murder, arson and conspiracy to commit arson.
Pittman had previously served nearly a year as a McComb
police officer but was terminated following a disciplinary hearing concerning
the reckless pursuit of a suspect.
Thompson's body was found late Sunday or early Monday near
the officer's home near McComb, a town of about 12,700 people in south
Mississippi.
Thompson had been stabbed in the neck, according to
affidavits filed in Pike County Justice Court.
The arson charges are related to the suspects burning
Thompson's truck to destroy evidence, according to the affidavits. The truck
was found in the woods near a home of one of Pittman's relatives, the affidavits
said.
District Attorney Dee Bates has said both teens are charged
as adults, which is customary under Mississippi law for juveniles charged with
crimes that carry the possibility of a life sentence.
Milwaukee Police detective being investigated for misconduct
MILWAUKEE (WITI) — A Milwaukee Police detective is being
investigated for misconduct. Milwaukee Police have confirmed Internal Affairs
is looking into Detective Rodolfo Gomez Jr. His police powers have been
suspended, and he has been placed on administrative duty. Gomez Jr. made
headlines in June of 2012 when he was arrested while off-duty. The District
Attorney’s Office did not file charges.
The Battle for Police Oversight: Neighbors demand police accountability
The Battle for Police Oversight: Neighbors demand police accountability: Syracuse – Dozens of complaints about police have been filed with the Syracuse Citizen Review Board for the past two years. Members of ...
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Family of teen slain by police awarded $8.5M
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Family of teen slain by police awarded $8.5M: A jury awarded Annie Johnson $8.5 million for the wrongful death of her son, Aaron Harrison, who was shot and killed by a Chicago police ...
Mpls. police facing 61 lawsuits alleging brutality
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Police department is facing 61
lawsuits alleging officers used excessive force that led to injuries, a figure
that's more than triple the 19 misconduct lawsuits pending against St. Paul
police.
Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal said the number of
misconduct suits in Minneapolis wasn't extraordinary. She said the city is the
largest city in the state, so the actions of its police force naturally draw
extra scrutiny.
Critics say the numbers are excessive. Some say a subset
of officers acts with impunity, while others believe race plays a factor.
In addition to the pending lawsuits, 110 misconduct suits
have been resolved since January 2011. Of those, 51 were resolved in favor of
the city or dismissed by the court, said Peter Ginder, Minneapolis deputy city
attorney. The city made payouts in the other 59 cases.
The litigation is costly for Minneapolis taxpayers. Between
2006 and 2012, the city paid out about $14 million in police misconduct cases,
according to an earlier Star Tribune report. And in May, it agreed to pay out
$3 million for the 2010 death of a homeless man who was forcefully restrained
by police.
Robert Bennett, whose law firm represents Gill, said some
police officers are competent and professional. But others "act with
impunity" under the impression they can get away with abusive behavior, he
said.
Others think race is a factor. Teresa Nelson, the legal
director of the Minnesota affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, said
many minorities think there's an ingrained police culture to violate rights and
dehumanize minorities.
Waupun officer charged with attempted burglary resigns
The Waupun police lieutenant charged with attempted burglary
of three Green Lake businesses has handed in his resignation, the Beaver Dam
Daily Citizen reports.
Lt. Brad Young went on the run after officials say he
burglarized a restaurant and stole a pickup truck. He was arrested Aug. 6.
Deputy Police Chief Scott Louden aid the next step is for
the Police and Fire Commission to accept the resignation, which would be at
their Aug. 29 meeting.
Denver cop who arrested man in police headquarters appeals suspension
A Denver police officer who received a 10-day, unpaid
suspension for arresting a man who refused to pass through a security
checkpoint at police headquarters has appealed that discipline.
Manager of Safety Alex Martinez said Officer Ryan Burke, a
14-year veteran, "exercised extremely poor judgment" on April 8 when
he arrested Faithon Lucas, who had come to the building on Cherokee Street to
arrange for off-duty security with a detective. When Lucas repeatedly refused
to pass through a metal detector, Burke approached him and told him to leave,
according to Martinez's discipline order, signed Aug. 12.
Instead, Lucas began to empty his pockets into boxes in
order to pass through the checkpoint. But Burke insisted he leave. When Lucas
again refused, Burke grabbed him to put him in handcuffs, he resisted and
"a struggle ensued," Martinez wrote. Several people in the lobby
watched as Burke eventually handcuffed Lucas and took him into custody.
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: 1 Rape Charge Dropped Against Dunedin Man, Former ...
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: 1 Rape Charge Dropped Against Dunedin Man, Former ...: Prosecutors have decided not to pursue a rape allegation that dates back to 2002 against former Tarpon Springs Police Officer Larry Kobie...
The Battle for Police Oversight: New York City Council passes police oversight meas...
The Battle for Police Oversight: New York City Council passes police oversight meas...: To cheers from the audience, the New York City Council voted to institute tough new rules regulating the city’s police department. “The...
The Battle for Police Oversight: Detroit police oversight board functions curtailed...
The Battle for Police Oversight: Detroit police oversight board functions curtailed...: Detroit— The Board of Police Commissioners, the citizen oversight board that rules on Detroit police policy and personnel matters, is in ...
More drunk and drugged up cops
officer charged with stealing drugs from dead man gets hearing
West Valley City police has been charged with stealing morphine pills from a deceased cancer patient. Officer Ryan M. Humphrey was charged in 3rd District Court with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, as well as theft, a class B misdemeanor. If convicted, Humphrey would face up to five years in prison for the drug charge and up to six months in jail for the misdemeanor.
Humphrey, 34, who is accused of stealing 22 morphine pills, has no prior sustained disciplinary history with the West Valley City Police Department, according to Deputy Chief Mike Powell in response to a Salt Lake Tribune public records request.
Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo said Humphrey responded about 7 p.m. on June 5 to the death of a terminally cancer patient in West Valley City when a colleague, backing him up, allegedly saw Humphrey place 22 morphine pills that belonged to the patient in his pocket.
The backup officer called a supervisor, who arrived and confronted Humphrey.
"He admitted doing it and was remorseful," said Russo, whose department was asked to investigate.
Police
Officer Charged with DUI After Car Accident
(CHARLESTON, S.C.) --
South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers arrested a North Charleston officer
accused of driving under the influence. The 27-year-old officer, identified as
Stanley Tucker, was off duty. Officials responded to an incident in which
Tucker's pickup truck struck another man's vehicle at around 1 a.m.
Tucker was making a right turn onto Highway 78 and collided
with a driver attempting
Former
police officer charged with faking DUI reports, collecting overtime pay
SALT LAKE CITY — A former Unified police officer has been
charged after allegedly faking DUI reports and illegally collecting thousands
of dollars in overtime.
Stephen F. Hall, 43, was charged Tuesday with theft by
deception, a second-degree felony; and three counts of falsifying a government
record, all class B misdemeanors.
In 2012, Hall reported to his supervisors that he had made
27 DUI arrests, issued 398 citations and impounded 27 vehicles while working
shifts funded by the state as part of a DUI grant. The grant allowed officers
to work overtime hours to conduct DUI patrol, and the state would later
reimburse the department for those hours.
Earlier this year, Unified Police Department supervisors
discovered that their own records did not match Hall's grant sheets. According
to department records, Hall made just one DUI arrest in 2012 and issued only
four citations, according to charging documents. He also fabricated as many as
50 cases, the charges stated.
"None of the manufactured cases involved a real person
but contained fictitious information," according to the charges.
Further investigation and comparison of various timecards
showed that, dating back to January 2010, Hall reported he was working his
regular Unified police shift or at his part-time job doing security at a local
hospital or state liquor store, at the same time he claimed to be working a DUI
shift, the charges state. In some cases, he was "clocked-in" at three
jobs at once, according to prosecutors.
Because of that, prosecutors say from 2010 to 2013, he was
"double paid" approximately $14,000 for overlapping shifts."
Hall was placed on administrative leave in January. The
20-year veteran eventually retired in May during the investigation.
sheriff
fires officer over DUI, theft charges
KNOXVILLE — Knox County Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones fired a
veteran officer charged over the weekend with drunken driving and theft at a
West Knox nightclub.
Jones fired Jason Hugh Williams, 40, who is accused of
swiping a bag with two cellphones and car keys belonging to a couple while they
were on the dance floor at Cotton Eyed Joe’s, 11220 Outlet Drive, on Friday
night, according to arrest warrants.
Williams then allegedly used the car keys to gain access to
the victims’ Lexus and drive off in it
Utah officer charged with time-card fraud
A Unified Police Department officer is accused of filing
paperwork falsely claiming to be working as many as three jobs or shifts at
once, collecting more pay than he deserved.
Court records show 43-year-old Stephen F. Hall was charged
Tuesday with three counts of falsifying government records and one of theft by
deception.
Prosecutors say Hall worked regular UHP shifts at the same
time he put in for overtime pay for DUI patrols. He mixed it up by sometimes
also working as a security guard for a hospital or a state liquor store while
on the state payroll.
The charges say Hall collected about $14,000 in unearned pay
since 2010.
State commission: Braintree cop tried to intervene in drug arrests
While Braintree’s former police chief says it is “not
unusual” for police to ask fellow officers to use their discretion when issuing
traffic tickets to friends or family, the state Civil Service Commission ruled
this week that one Braintree officer took the practice too far.
In a decision issued Thursday, the commission upheld the
termination last year of officer Paul Venuto over two incidents in which he was
accused of trying to intervene on behalf of friends facing arrest for drug
offenses. Commissioners wrote that Venuto “twice demonstrated a willingness to
place the well-being of a friend before the law, his fellow officers, and the
public.”
Venuto’s termination was based on two incidents in 2008 and
2009 in which officials say Venuto called other officers who had made an
arrest, or were about to make an arrest, in order to intervene on behalf of a
friend. The incidents were brought to the attention of former Chief Paul
Frazier in 2011 after officials began an internal investigation into unrelated
allegations about domestic violence between Venuto and his girlfriend.
According to the Civil Service decision, released Thursday,
a Braintree detective testified that in April 2008 he and another officer were
conducting undercover surveillance in Weymouth Landing when they asked
dispatchers to run the license plate of a red Pontiac and determine whether the
owner had a criminal record. Venuto, who started with the department around
2006, testified that he had been listening to the dispatchers and called the
detective on his cellphone after recognizing the vehicle’s owner as a friend.
After talking the call, the detective said he told Venuto
that he was “watching a five-pound largemouth,” a term used in the department
to indicate drug surveillance. Venuto told the detective that he knew the owner
of the car and that it appeared his friend “was about to do something dumb,”
according to the decision.
Later, after the officers watched what they thought was a
drug deal between the driver of the Pontiac and someone in another car, the
detective approached the Pontiac and found that the driver was speaking with
someone on his phone. Asked who he was talking to, the driver said he had been
talking to his friend Paul Venuto.
SAPD officer suspended for ignoring calls for back-up
SAN ANTONIO -- Earlier this summer, the San Antonio Police
Department suspended one of its officers who has history of disobeying
superiors.
In documents just released, the officer was suspended after
a four-month internal investigation concluded he ignored calls to back-up other
officers and then screamed at one of his supervisors.
Officer Ruben Saldaña was suspended 15 days in June for his
actions during the early morning hours of December 27, 2012.
According to internal affairs documents, Saldaña and two
other officers responded around 2:10 a.m. to 911 calls for shots fired in the
3400 block of Oakdale.
After searching there and the Babcock and Callaghan area for
possible suspects, Saldaña testified he drove to a nearby parking lot to work
on paperwork.
A supervisor testified that Saldaña's Global Positioning
tracker was then turned off.
Around 2:25 a.m., police dispatch called for all available
officers to respond to Loop 1604 and Braun Road for a car accident with
life-threatening injuries.
The scene was approximately ten miles from Saldaña's
location.
The accident seriously injured two people, including the
driver of a Chevy Camaro who was later arrested for intoxication assault.
Officers on scene requested additional support to help clear
a spot for an AirLIFE helicopter, then made a second request for support after
spotting a wrong way driver near the scene of the accident.
Saldaña testified he did not "hear the dispatcher call
us in."
A sergeant confronted Saldaña and a second officer when they
returned to the Northwest Substation to end their shifts around 3 a.m.
The internal investigation indicates the second officer
filled out paperwork explaining where he was between 2:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.
The documents do not indicate if he was reprimanded.
When Saldaña was asked to fill out similar paperwork, a form
called a 200-OR, several officers testified he "became irate" and
screamed at a sergeant in front of other officers.
The internal affairs investigation revealed Saldaña was also
suspended three days in February 2012 for insubordination.
Prior to the December incident, Saldaña was also placed in
SAPD's "Officer Concern Program".
According to the department, the program "identifies
unacceptable behavioral traits in officers before those behavioral traits
develop into disciplinary problems for the officer and the Department."
Saldaña is eligible to have eight days of pay reimbursed if
he avoids any further violations during the next year.
Richmond police officer suspended as investigation into websites continues
RICHMOND — A Richmond police officer who once worked as a
school resource officer at Chariho High School has been arrested by the Rhode
Island State Police on charges of setting up a system whereby people who tried
to find the town’s police chief on the Internet were rerouted to a website
featuring gay sex.
Maj. Todd E. Catlow, detective commander of the state
police, said the arrest of Steven Gravier, 41, a seven-year veteran of the
department, came Thursday at the end of a seven-month joint investigation by
the state police Computer Crimes Unit, the U.S. Attorney, and the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service.
The probe began in Janunary when Richmond police Chief
Elwood M. Johnson reported he had received a warning from an anonymous tipster
the month before that Gravier had purchased two Internet domain names that were
variations of Johnson’s name — www.elwoodjohnson.com and
www.elwoodjohnsonjr.com — which, when accessed, would redirect the user to a
website filled with images and links to sexually explicit videos showing men
having sex.
Johnson told investigators he was so shocked at what he saw
that he made a video with his iPhone of what happened when users tried navigate
to his name. He gave the video to the state police.
However, when investigators started their probe they found
something different from when the chief recorded his video. Instead of being
rerouted to sexually explicit material, users trying to find the chief on the
Internet were instead directed to a non-explicit website for a M.A. Excavation
Inc. a firm specializing in cellars, drains and land clearing and other construction
projects.
Nonetheless, Catlow said, the investigation showed that the
domain names elwoodjohnson.com, elwoodjohnsonjr.com and ma-excavation.com all
had been purchased by Gravier, the first two from GoDaddy.com, and that using
misleading domain names was a federal crime.
After Gravier’s arrest at 9 a.m Thursday on a federal
warrant, he was taken to state police barracks at Lincoln Woods and then to
federal District Court in Providence, where he was released by U.S. Magistrate
Lincoln Almond on $10,000 unsecured bond. The charge, of using misleading
domain names on the Internet, carries a federal penalty of up to two years in
prison, a monetary fine, or both.
Johnson said Friday that because of the Law Enforcement
Officer’s Bill of Rights he would refrain from further comment about Gravier’s
case, but said his alleged actions were an isolated incident that should not
reflect on other members of the department. He said Gravier has been suspended
without pay and benefits.
School officials for the Chariho School District could not
be reached Friday about Gravier’s earlier work as at the high school as a
school resource officer.
Judge won't dismiss Hackensack police corruption case against former captain
HACKENSACK — A federal judge won't dismiss a police
corruption complaint against former Hackensack Police Capt. Tomas Padilla, the
Record reported. Police officers Thomas Aiellos, Vincent Riotto, Donald Pierce
and Scott Sybel had valid complaints that their First Amendment, freedom of
association and due process rights were violated.
The officers claim they faced retaliation when they refused
to contribute to the political campaigns of Padilla and former Police Chief Ken
Zisa. Padilla asked Martini to dismiss the case, saying the officers didn't
have evidence to back up their claims.
Padilla received a $150,000 payment for unused sick and
vacation time when he retired Feb. 1. He receives an annual pension of
$118,858.
Padilla retired as interim chief, a position he took up
after Zisa was convicted on official misconduct and insurance fraud charges.
Zisa was found guilty of removing his former girlfriend from the scene of a
2008 accident and filing a false insurance claim.
Cops and the women they abuse: Smack'n the old woman around
Cops and the women they abuse: Smack'n the old woman around: Texas Cop sentenced to 10 years after stabbing wife with animal-euthanizing drugs using a syringe A fired Northeast Texas police officer ...
Chicago cop accused of plotting murder of witness from behind bars
Former Chicago cop Steven Mandell tried to arrange the
murder of a federal witness from behind the bars of the Metropolitan
Correctional Center, prosecutors alleged.
The onetime Death Row resident, 61, is awaiting trial for a
pair of grisly murder plots, including one in which he allegedly planned to
abduct, torture, extort, murder and dismember an unidentified businessman with
a butcher’s knife in a custom-built killing chamber.
Held in isolation at the MCC after he allegedly asked his
wife to clear up evidence against him following his Oct. 25 arrest, he was
recently released back into the jail’s general population on a judge’s orders
after he complained his health was suffering.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Amar Bhachu told Judge Amy St.
Eve on Thursday that Mandell was returned to the jail’s Segregated Housing Unit
after he spent his time in the general population “soliciting the murder of a
federal witness.”
A furious Mandell — wearing shackles and an orange jail jump
suit — angrily denied the allegation.
He alleged members of the Latin Kings street gang acted as
snitches to help the government set him up.
“What I tell inmates
at the MCC is utter nonsense — what I say here is the truth,” Mandell said,
urging St. Eve to take the allegations with “a pinch of salt.”
“I’m not on oath when talking to the Latin Kings,” he added,
insisting he was looking forward to his trial.
Though prosecutors did not identify the informant they say
Mandell targeted, Mandell himself named North Shore businessman George Michael
as the alleged informant.
Recordings secretly made by the informant are at the heart
of the case against Mandell. They capture the former cop revelling in the gory
and sadistic details of his kidnap plot, the feds say.
Mandell, of Buffalo Grove, has a long history of battling
federal law enforcement.
In addition to the Oct. 25 murder plot, he’s also accused of
plotting a second murder on Oct. 5 — in return for income from an “adult
entertainment club.”
A Chicago cop for a decade until 1983, he’s a convicted
fraudster and jewel thief who has been in and out of court for much of his
adult life.
Convicted of a 1984 kidnap plot that bore striking
similarities to his most recent arrest, and sentenced to death for a 1990
murder, he was later freed on appeal on both cases and awarded $6.5 million by
a civil jury for wrongful conviction, only to see that verdict also overturned.
Unanswered questions remain around the murder of his father,
and the disappearances of several of his associates, while his alleged
accomplice in the October plots, Gary Engel, committed suicide in prison last
year.
Sentencing of former Meriden cop delayed until next month
MERIDEN — The sentencing of former police officer Evan
Cossette, son of Police Chief Jeffry Cossette convicted in federal court of
using excessive force and falsifying a police report, has been moved to Sept.
23. Cossette was convicted June 3 for pushing prisoner Pedro Temich in a
holding cell that resulted in a head injury. He was also accused of lying about
it in an internal affairs report. He has since resigned.
Fake letters supporting ex-Gary cop sent to judge, prosecutors claim
A former Gary police officer sent fake letters of support to
help convince a federal judge to give him a lenient sentence, federal attorneys
claim. A new sentencing memorandum does
not say how many of the letters supporting David Finley were faked or how they
were faked. Finley pleaded guilty in February without a plea agreement to
selling a gun to a known felon last summer, and then to selling marijuana to
that same person later that day.
Ex-police chief pleads guilty again in fraud plot
A former suburban Chicago police chief is pleading guilty
again in a fraud scheme related to a $1.25 million state grant in 2009. Regina Evans of Country Club Hills where she was chief of
pleadedguilty in U.S. District Court to obstruction of justice, conspiracy and
witness tampering. She conspired with an unnamed person to create a false story
about job-search training conducted with the state grant through a
not-for-profit organization. She owned the group with her husband, Ronald
Evans. Regina Evans pleaded guilty to fraud in June and is scheduled to be
sentenced Oct. 15 and faces a maximum of more than 50 years in prison.
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Man slain, son/ police officer charged
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Man slain, son/ police officer charged: A 14-year-old Mississippi boy has been charged with murder in the slaying of his father, and a police officer charged as an accessory ...
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Teen, 16, alleges excessive force, false arrest in...
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Teen, 16, alleges excessive force, false arrest in...: A lawsuit filed against a former Hanceville police officer alleging he used excessive force against a 15-year-old girl and caused her t...
Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Idiots at work
Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Idiots at work: Gun-safety instructor who shot student also shot girl in 1977 An Ohio firearms instructor who accidentally shot one of his students thi...
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Officer Paul Bradley Rogers’ Record Cleared Six Ye...
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Officer Paul Bradley Rogers’ Record Cleared Six Ye...: A Noble, Okla., police officer, who shot and killed a child while trying to shoot a snake, has had his record cleared. Six years ago, ...
Prosecutors
still investigating Detroit cops accused of vigilante justice
Detroit— Nearly three weeks after two police sergeants were
arrested for allegedly using their guns and badges to enact vigilante justice,
no charges have been filed.The sergeants — one a Detroit cop, the other from
St. Clair Shores —were arrested July 27, but released two days later.
On July 21, the two men allegedly wore their badges around
their necks and drew their department-issued pistols when they approached two
men at an eastside Citgo gas station on French Road. According to police, the
sergeants took a cellphone and $500 cash. One of the officers also allegedly
struck a victim in the head with the butt of his gun, although the man
reportedly was not seriously hurt.
Police sources told The Detroit News it wasn’t a random
robbery; rather, the victims were targeted because earlier they had stolen the
phone and money from the suburban officer’s daughter.
Man found not guilty in case, files suit against Englewood Cliffs and police
A New York City resident who was found not guilty of
indecent exposure, lewdness, and child endangerment charges in July 2012, is
suing Englewood Cliffs police in federal court.
On July 19, Michael Telzer, 56, who is representing himself,
filed a lawsuit alleging false arrest, wrongful imprisonment, malicious
prosecution, witness and evidence tampering, withholding of exculpatory
evidence and violation of due process.
The borough, Police Chief Michael Cioffi, Lt. William
Laraia, Sgt. Daniel Morrisey, and officers Gerald McDermott, David Hill and
Ronald Waldt are all named as defendants.
On July 14, 2011, Telzer was charged with lewdness and
endangering the welfare of a child after, police said, a mother called 911 to
report a man allegedly exposing himself on the Witte Field walking path on
Johnson Avenue.
According to The Record, Cioffi issued a press release the
following day describing an alleged incident in which a woman claimed Telzer
exposed himself to her 6- and 9-year-old daughters.
According to Telzer's lawsuit, the initial charges brought
up against him stated that his "zipper was down and pants were
unbuckled."
According to the court filing, police collected a paper
towel found in a waste basket at the park for testing — which came back
negative for Telzer's DNA.
The lawsuit also states the officer who testified at the
Telzer trial said he never saw him expose himself.
Telzer alleges evidence was withheld via recording from a
police car camera that allegedly provided exculpatory evidence — evidence that
would be in Telzer's favor — but it was never given to prosecutors. The video
allegedly includes portions of the woman's initial statements.
Furthermore, according to the lawsuit, Cioffi allegedly
ordered Deputy Chief Michael McMorrow to change the report he filed of Telzer's
2011 arrest — a report that, the lawsuit claims, concluded "Telzer did not
engage in any suspicious activity and had merely been jogging."
A Leadwood police officer charged with felony stealing has waived his right to a jury trial in favor of a court trial.
Police K-9 handler Eric Smith, 29, of Perryville, is charged
with two counts of theft/stealing over $500. According to court reports, Smith
took orders and deposits for mounting animal heads in his taxidermy business a
year ago but didn't perform the services.
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Ardmore school resource officer issued warrant for...
KIDS AND COPS: GEE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?: Ardmore school resource officer issued warrant for...: ARDMORE, OK - Court documents show that an Ardmore police officer who serves as the resource officer for Ardmore schools had an arrest ...
man’s claim of police brutality now an issue in democratic primary for Syracuse mayor
A disabled man’s claim of police brutality for refusing to
sit down on a Centro bus has emerged as a significant issue in the upcoming
democratic primary for Syracuse mayor.
Speaking at a news conference on equal rights, Syracuse City
Councilor and candidate for mayor, Pat Hogan told reporters, "I am
appalled at what I saw."
Hogan was referring to surveillance video of a May 3rd
incident in which Brad Hulett, a severely disabled passenger, was tased and
dragged off a Centro bus by two Syracuse police officers, allegedly breaking
his hip in the process. Hulett was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly
conduct.
The incident has sparked outrage among disabled and civil
right advocates, as well as a lawsuit against the City.
"If I was mayor, the police chief and officers would be
in my office the next day," says Hogan.
He accused the mayor and the police chief of being silent on
the issue.
Former Eutawville police chief indicted on misconduct charge in Bernard Bailey killing
A grand jury has indicted former Eutawville Police Chief
Richard Combs in the fatal shooting of a retired correctional officer. Combs’
indictment for misconduct in office alleges that he used excessive force
against 54-year-old Bernard Bailey, who was shot three times during a
confrontation on May 2, 2011
Bailey’s friends have said the shooting apparently stemmed
from a dispute over a traffic ticket issued to one of Bailey’s daughters.
Friends have said Bailey was shot in his truck outside the
municipal building after exchanging words with Combs that morning. An autopsy
showed that Bailey was shot twice in the chest and once in the shoulder.
His friends described Bailey as a gentle, kind-hearted and
law-abiding man who, at the time of his death, was working as an assistant
manager at a Walmart in Summerville.
Combs, then 35, was originally placed on leave but was later
terminated.
The lack of official information in the case led to deep,
mounting frustration in Eutawville.
Chief Responds To Allegation
The Davenport police
chief is defending his officers involved in the beating of a suspect.
Video came out earlier this week of a February incident
showing the officers confronting a woman allegedly caught shoplifting.
“I’m not making
excuses for the officer that deviates from policy I’m a realist it’s going to
happen from time to time and then we’ll deal with it accordingly, she was hit,
policies were violated,” Chief of Police Frank Donchez told affiliate WQAD.
Officials say there was disciplinary action taken against
one of the officers. However since it’s a personnel issue, the details aren’t
being released
UC Davis cop fired over pepper spray expected to get comp benefits
The University of California, Davis expects to provide
workers compensation benefits for a former police officer who drew national
attention for pepper-spraying seated demonstrators, a university spokeswoman
confirmed Friday.
John Pike, who was dismissed from his position as UC Davis
police lieutenant, is seeking work comp benefits from his former employer for a
nervous system or psychiatric injury that occurred on Nov. 18, 2011, California
Department of Industrial Relations records show.
Video and photographs taken that day showed him spraying
students who blocked a sidewalk in protest of tuition hikes and other issues.
As a result of the video, Mr. Pike received death threats against himself and
his family, while he was widely criticized across the Internet.
“Although (an)
agreement has not been completed, the university expects that, in accordance
with the board rating, John Pike will receive financial compensation,” the
university said in a statement.
Cop Dog Killers: Dog Shot by Police Serving Warrant at Wrong Addres...
Cop Dog Killers: Dog Shot by Police Serving Warrant at Wrong Addres...: The City of Leander, Texas, has announced that it will not pay the veterinary bill for a dog who was shot by a Leander Police officer aft...
Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...
Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...: BALTIMORE, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Baltimore police officer on charges of operating a prostitution business,...
The Battle for Police Oversight: ACLU, Albuquerque reach settlement in police overs...
The Battle for Police Oversight: ACLU, Albuquerque reach settlement in police overs...: ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and the city of Albuquerque reached a settlement Wednesday in ...
Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...
Cops and the women they abuse: Baltimore police officer allegedly ran prostitutio...: BALTIMORE, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Baltimore police officer on charges of operating a prostitution business,...
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: Judge orders house arrest for Vegas officer in fel...
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: Judge orders house arrest for Vegas officer in fel...: A Las Vegas judge set bail at $16,000 and placed a suspended police officer on house arrest pending a Jan. 14 preliminary hearing on alle...
Photograph the Police: Philly cop caught on camera slapping Chester woman...
Photograph the Police: Philly cop caught on camera slapping Chester woman...: Philadelphia Police public affairs confirms that Lt. Jonathan Josey got his job back after being fired by the Philadelphia Police Departm...
drunk and drugged up cops
State
police arrest SFPD cop
Officer Joseph Baca has been charged with negligent use of a
deadly weapon for shooting a gun while drunk.
According to a probable cause statement filed by New Mexico
State Police, last Saturday a little after 11 p.m. a patrol officer was called
out to State Road 512, in an area several miles south of Chama, to investigate
reports of shots being fired.
When he got there, the officer says he heard more shots and
went into the woods to investigate. About 20 to 30 minutes later the officer
spotted Baca and his wife, SFPD Sgt. Andrea Dobyns.
According to a probable cause statement, the two told the officer
the same story, claiming they had been drinking but hadn't heard any gunfire
recently and hadn't fired any weapons. The couple had magazines with ammunition
and three guns with them including a Glock .40 caliber handgun, the same type
SFPD issues to its officers.
Investigators say they found a number of shell casings with
ammunition that matched the caliber of the weapons Baca and Dobyns had with
them as well as a soda can with several bullet holes in it on the ground.
Stillwater officer waives drug-charge hearing
Miami-Dade
Officer Suspended For Alleged Drunk Driving Accident
A Miami-Dade Police officer has been suspended as being
investigated for allegedly driving drunk and fleeing the scene of an accident. Larry
Laverde was off-duty on August 11th driving northbound on Southwest 127 Avenue
in a marked police cruiser, when he ran a flashing red light. While crossing
the intersection, Laverde reportedly hit a Mazda driving eastbound on Miller
Drive. “This is something crazy, completely 100 percent irresponsible,” said
Fernando Monch, the driver of the Mazda. “Could have killed me, I’m supposed to
be protected by police not police do that to me then disappear.”According to
the arrest affidavit, Laverde fled the scene of the accident and drove home.
Ludlow
police officer charged with stealing cocaine from evidence locker
LUDLOW, Massachusetts — A high-ranking Ludlow police officer
has been charged with stealing drugs from the department's evidence locker. Lt.
Thomas Foye, according to court documents, was captured on video surveillance entering
the locked narcotics locker at the police station, where he appears to handle
and open evidence bags.
Off-duty
cop charged with DWI in wrong-way crashes
MALVERNE, N.Y. (AP) — An off-duty New York Police Department
officer is facing drunken driving charges after crashing into other cars while
going the wrong way on a Long Island roadway. Ronald Holmes, 48, of Elmont, was
driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway around
1:45 a.m. Saturday.
Authorities say he hit several cars, sending one person to
the hospital. Along with being charged with driving while intoxicated, he also
faces reckless endangerment charges.
Cop
fired after showing up to work drunk appeals the firing, believe it or not,
loses appeal
LAKE CITY - The Utah Court of Appeals today upheld the
firing of Stewart Becker, a Sunset police officer who showed up to work drunk.
Becker's attorneys challenged the validity of the portable
blood test result that was used to justify the officer's dismissal. But the
court ruled that the state law citing a policy of testing urine to establish
blood alcohol content does not apply to government enties, so Sunset could use
the PBT results.
On April 1, 2007,
Becker finished a shift at 6 a.m. and was scheduled to report back for a second
shift at 2 p.m. that afternoon. When Becker arrived for work at 2, he discussed
the shift change with his supervisor, Sgt. Bruce Arbogast, who noticed a strong
odor of alcohol coming from Becker. Becker admitted he had consumed
approximately five shots of liquor before going to bed at 8 or 9 that morning.
Arbogast requested that Becker blow into a PBT. Becker blew
into the PBT, which registered a breath alcohol content of 0.045.
Officer
charged with off-duty DUI pleads guilty to lesser charge
A Seattle police officer originally charged with misdemeanor
driving under the influence was sentenced Friday to two days in jail, with 362
days suspended, after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving,
according to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office.
The officer, Marie Gochnour, and a second officer, Sean
Moore, were off duty Dec. 17 when they were arrested after a 911 caller
reported a car had hit a pole near First Avenue South and South Lander Street
in Sodo.
According to a police statement, Gochnour allegedly stopped
the Nissan Altima in the middle of the street and switched places with Moore,
who was sitting in the passenger seat.
Both officers were found in Gochnour’s car.
Gochnour registered a breath-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.234
percent and 0.247 percent, according to the City Attorney’s Office. Moore’s
breath tests measured at 0.161 and 0.149 percent. The state’s legal limit is
0.08 percent.
During BAC testing, Gochnour cursed at the arresting
officer, acted in an aggressive manner and gave him the middle finger,
according to a police report.
Gochnour and Moore were charged in March with misdemeanor
driving under the influence, according to the City Attorney’s Office.
The city would not normally offer a reduced charge for this
type of case, according to Kimberly Mills, spokeswoman for the City Attorney’s
Office. However, the city had significant proof problems, including not being
able to locate the 911 caller for trial.
Moore is scheduled for trial on Sept. 3, Mills said.
A department internal investigation has been on hold while
the criminal case was progressing.
Paige Cornwell: 206-464-2517 or
pcornwell@seattletimes.comInformation from Seattle Times archives is included
in this report.
Waupun Officer Facing Six Felony Charges
A Waupun officer who was subject of police manhunt last week
has been charged with six felonies in Green Lake County. Bradley Young is
facing counts of burglary, criminal damage to property and stealing a vehicle. Young
is accused of burglarizing a restaurant in Green Lake, stealing two vehicles
and leading authorities on a high speed chase in Western Wisconsin last Monday.
Officer Dewey Pressley is heard discussing falsifying a police crash report
A former Hollywood Police officer ended his appeal and
surrendered at the Broward County Jail on Friday to begin serving a 90-day
sentence for falsifying records following a crash four years ago, court records
showed.
On Feb. 16, 2009, Dewey Pressley, 46, was the DUI
investigator when Officer Joel Francisco's patrol car rear-ended a car driven
by Alexandra Torrens-Vilas. The video camera mounted on the dashboard of
Pressley's patrol car recorded Pressley discussing the collision report and
saying he was willing to bend the truth to protect a fellow officer because
Torrens-Vilas had failed a roadside sobriety test. Prosecutors dismissed
drunken driving charges against Torrens-Vilas after they released the recording
to the public. Pressley and Francisco were fired and charged.
Fairfax County Police Watch: Newark police officer has been sentenced to three ...
Fairfax County Police Watch: Newark police officer has been sentenced to three ...: NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A former Newark police officer has been sentenced to three months in prison for conspiring with another person to fra...
Newark police officer has been sentenced to three months
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A former Newark police officer has been
sentenced to three months in prison for conspiring with another person to
fraudulently obtain more than $60,000 in payments from a federal public housing
assistance program.
Suliaman Kamara of Newark will also have to serve two years
of supervised release once he's freed from prison.
Staten Island cop Michael Daragjati, already in federal prison, agrees to pay $7,500 to false arrest victim
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An imprisoned ex-cop has agreed to
pay $7,500 out of his own pocket to a black man he falsely arrested in
Stapleton two years ago, according to the man's attorneys.
According to authorities, Michael Daragjati, 34, of
Tottenville, who is white, arrested Kenrick Gray on April 15, 2011 because Gray
had complained about being stopped and "roughly" frisked on Targee
Street and Laurel Avenue. The next day, he boasted to a friend in an intercepted
phone call that he had "fried another n - - -," said court documents.
Gray filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, which came to a
close after Daragjati agreed to a $7,500 settlement with Gray, while the city
has agreed to pay out $125,000, said Jason Leventhal, Gray's attorney.
Cops and the women they abuse: U.S. Marshals arrest Danville cop at airport
Cops and the women they abuse: U.S. Marshals arrest Danville cop at airport: A Danville police officer is behind bars, arrested as he arrived at the Indianapolis International Airport. Officer Chris Gill is now i...
Cop Dog Killers: Proof that we have too many cops without enough to...
Cop Dog Killers: Proof that we have too many cops without enough to...: For this needless gathering the Fairfax county police sent six cops for the dedication of a K9 statue. Why six? Why not one? In fact, w...
Cop Dog Killers: SC Officer Suspended After Police Dog Dies
Cop Dog Killers: SC Officer Suspended After Police Dog Dies: BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (AP) _ A Bennettsville police officer has been suspended without pay for two months after his police dog died in a...
Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Lost in traffic, cuts an illegal uturn, sends two ...
Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Lost in traffic, cuts an illegal uturn, sends two ...: Md. cop charged traffic accident ANNAPOLIS —Howard County police officer has been charged with reckless and negligent driving in a Jun...
The epidemic of mentally unstable cops in America: Wisconsin cop under investigation killed himself w...
The epidemic of mentally unstable cops in America: Wisconsin cop under investigation killed himself w...: WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. -- An autopsy finds a former Wisconsin Rapids police lieutenant suspected of child enticement killed himself with ...
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Monroe cop facing child rape charges
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Monroe cop facing child rape charges: A local police officer charged with having sexual relationship with a girl for nearly a decade will be in court Tuesday. Investigators ...
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Westmoreland police officer charged with statutory...
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Westmoreland police officer charged with statutory...: John Puckett, 49, of Westmoreland, is accused of having sex with the girl on at least two occasions, at various locations around town i...
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Suspended New Orleans police officer indicted in 3...
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Suspended New Orleans police officer indicted in 3...: NEW ORLEANS — A grand jury Thursday indicted a New Orleans police officer, who has been suspended without pay since April, in three sepa...
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Greeneville officer facing child porn charges
This Week's Charge of Child Molestation by your Local Police: Greeneville officer facing child porn charges: GREENEVILLE (AP) - Federal authorities have charged a Greenville police officer with possessing and receiving child pornography. Herbert...
Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Police Officer Recovering After Accidentally Shoot...
Fairfax County Police. You just don't find this kind of stupid just anywhere: Police Officer Recovering After Accidentally Shoot...: A New York City police officer is recovering after accidentally shooting himself in the leg in Brooklyn Saturday night. Officials say he...
Same old Culture of Contempt, different name.
Gerry Hyland Jr.
How do we solve the police corruption problem in Fairfax County?
Easy.
We bring in fresh blood. We hire
someone who will adjust the attitude of arrogance and entitlement that permeates
the department, an outsider who will change the culture of contempt and
brutality that is the Fairfax County police.
With an honest police chief, meaning someone who wasn’t bred in the
Fairfax County Police department, we won’t need to discuss a citizen oversight
panel to investigate entrapment and murders by the cops-from –another-county on
the local citizenry.
With an ethical man or woman at
the top of the Neanderthal chain, the cops reckless spending could be roped in
and the several thousand yearly misconduct complaints against the police would
actually be investigated and the results of those investigations would be made
public, since, after all, the public pays for them.
And no, the Fairfax County Police ARE NOT investigating complaints
against them. Snap out of it. This isn’t a fairy tale. This is a police
force out of control and to prove that, not one incident report on the killing
of eight unarmed citizens in the past decade has been released to the public in
all probability because they were never investigated in the first place.
Anyway, back to an honest police chief.
The board of supervisors would fire an honest chief who tried to drag
the Fairfax County police force into the light of day. They’d fire him and they
would do it within a year. And they would do that because it’s really
a matter of values which is why Sharon Bulova and her cronies will never bring
in an outside person to manage the police.
What the board wants is someone who has no values, someone who won’t
question the practice of sweeping complaints about the cops under the carpet.
And most importently they want someone who will make damn sure the right
political contributions arrive into the right hands.
To prove the point, instead of hiring an outsider who will change
things, Bulova and her friends promoted whatever the hell is name is as chief
of police….it doesn’t matter what his name because he doesn’t matter. He won’t
rock the boat. He won’t change anything. That’s what matters to those people. To
prove the point, when asked what his plans for the department are, Chief
whats-it responded that he intended to hire more cops under the guise of
diversity. We don’t need more cops, of any color or creed. More cops will just
add to the problem. Fix the cops we have and then hire new ones.
It doesn’t matter, really. None of this matters because it will never
change. This guy, chief what’s his face,
will put in his time and retire with a pension that would make him a
millionaire in most 3rd world countries.
And when he goes, the next irrelevant person chosen from the inside the
department will take his place and nothing will change and Fairfax County, a
21st century place, will go on with its 19th century police force.
And no, correcting the corrupt and often
criminal Fairfax County Police Department won’t be solved by police oversight
because oversight can’t fix the core of the problem within the Fairfax County
Police Department which is contempt by the cops for the citizens who pay them (and
pay them much too much, way above the national average)
Oversight in Fairfax County will solve nothing except to give a bunch of
angry and bored retired guys something to do while adding even more bureaucracy
to a county government already saturated in red tape, overhead and redundancy.
Want an example of costly overhead and redundant positions? Former
police chief Rhorer’s six figure salaried job as “extra special police chief” or
Head Dwarf in charge or whatever the hell he is this month, can’t be justified any
more than the board of supervisors can explain the 20,000 foot, multimillion
dollar addition to the McLean police palace or the several hundred unused cars
the police department purchased and doesn’t use or the small fortune of public
money the cops are secretly pouring into drones.
Aside from not doing anything to change the cop’s culture of contempt
the claim that a citizen’s review board
would protect the public from continued
unlawful actions by the Fairfax County Police is unfounded . The fact is that is
no evidence can be found anywhere in the United States to justify that claim.
Citizen’s review boards do not curtail violence and other felonious activities
by the police upon the citizenry because virtually every citizen’s review board
in the nation is a dismal failure. Most are powerless to enforce their will and
are manipulated into subservience by local politicians, people like Bulova and
Hyland and that’s exactly what will happen in Fairfax County if we get
oversight.
It’s also not true that a citizen’s review board would protect the
police department from unjustified criticism by the public. Snap out of it….the cops in this county don’t give
damn what the public thinks. That’s mean
you. They could care less what you think. You have no value to them and in so
long as the board of supervisors continues to reward the cop’s culture of
contempt the police will continue not to give a damn about what the public
thinks of them or anything else.
Bulova and Hyland handed us an “independent
auditor” to investigate the hundreds and hundreds of complaints about abusive
behavior by the occupying force of outsiders that is the Fairfax County Police.
And to their credit they did with a straight face and doing anything straight
must have been a real chore for Hyland but anyway……the reason the board of
supervisors dreamt up the “independent auditor” wasn’t to derail calls for
police oversight. They did it because they can fire anyone in the position who
either audits the police or acts independently.
Elected officials, generally, are
all about power and live in the cult of self adoration. They don’t want or give a damn about what’s
good for you. They want what’s good for them and controlling the “independent
auditor” is what’s good for them. Citizens controlling a police review board
does not benefit members of the board of supervisors in any way, shape, manner
or form. In fact, police oversight would draw attention away from people like Sharon
“Show me the money” Bulova and Gerry Dearie Hyland and it would sap their
control over the county.
Besides, the fact that the board of supervisors funds almost 100
advisory boards but can’t bring itself to create a citizens advisory board
should tell the citizens advisory board advocates that a citizens review panel
ain’t gonna happen.……..so snap out of the piss trance and revert to plan B and
make a real difference, here and now, through political action and pulic awareness
because police oversight until pigs fly….pun intended.
If you want change don’t expect the local government to bring about that
change. The only way to rein the police in is to fire the people who hire the
cops and you will only be able to do that if you have grass roots support. Form
a political action. Work the polling precinct with handouts on the issue of
police corruption. That should be easy
since Virginia seems to have elections every three weeks.
Build blogs and websites aimed at informing
the people of Fairfax County about how corrupt, contemptuous and bloated the
Fairfax County Police are. Send speakers
to community groups and churches to bring the issue to light. People will listen if you give them something
to listen too and if you include them in the process.
Police oversight isn’t the silver bullet that will end the systematic corruption
and contempt that is the Fairfax County Police ebcuase the answer to fixing the
Fairfax County Police isn’t one thing it’s many things.
Not running the police department like a secret hillbilly cult is also
part of the answer.
Firing Sharon Bulova and keeping
her out of public office forever is a very large part of the answer.
Holding Gerry…that’s Gerry with G dearies…..Hyland accountable for his
“spend whatever the cops want” actions over the past few years is part of the
answer as well.
Putting a stop to the cops costly an unneeded publicity campaign is part
of the answer.
Forcing the cops to live in the county that pays them (and again, pays
them better than the national average) is part of the answer.
Cutting the police budget by at least 20% and placing that cash where
it’s needed (Schools, highways, more roads) is part of the answer.
Explaining to the cops that using lethal force when unnecessary is a bad
thing. So is setting up school teachers and eye doctors for false arrest. The
cops don’t understand that those are morally wrong things to do and their
actions support the claim.
As to the suggestion of bringing in the FBI to investigate possible
civil rights violation by the Fairfax County Police. Forget it, that ain’t
gonna happen in a Democratic stronghold while we have a Democratic
administration in the White House.
Besides investigating civil rights violations isn’t what we need to
investigate. What we need to investigate is the reason that our elected
officials are so hell bent on making the cops happy. To find that out, don’t
send in the FBI send in the IRS to investigate the hundreds of nickel and dime
political contributions that come into the Board of Supervisors campaign offers.
Have the auditors pay special attention to those contributions that come in
from Louden and Prince William Counties….you know…those two places where 80% of
the Fairfax County police force lives.
And the investigators should ask “Are these low ball contributions,
intended to fly in under the radar, coming from the sons, daughters, in-laws
and other relatives of the Fairfax County Police at the urging of the cops
union and if so, what are the cops getting in return at our expense? A lot, actually.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
