SmarterthanYou
rebel
Before we get into today’s reports, there was an interesting story out of California worth talking about. Maywood California has all but completely disbanded by laying off a majority of city workers, including disbanding the police department, and shutting down all city services after finding that they could no longer afford insurance due, in large part, to the number of police misconduct related lawsuits that they’ve had to deal with.
One of the hardest things I deal with is convincing people that police misconduct can affect everyone and those effects expand well beyond the victims of misconduct themselves. Do I think that a story like this might change a few minds? No, I think it’ll take a lot more towns and cities going under for it to sink in for a majority of people who feel that there’s nothing wrong with “a few bad apples”.
But, if federal legislation like House Bill 413, Senate Bill 3194/1611, or House Bill 1972 ever make it through, then a lot more cities will probably go the way of Maywood for exactly the same reasons.
Speaking of “a few bad apples”, in no particular order, here are the 24 reports of police misconduct recorded just today in our National Police Misconduct News Feed for Tuesday, June 22, 2010:
* Two Sulphur Springs Texas police officers and a Hopkins County Texas deputy have been named in a lawsuit alleging that they falsely arrested and jailed a man on drug charges over a drug buy that was recorded on video… A video that didn’t show the man they arrested because he was over a thousand miles away in Washington state at the time of the sting operation. Instead of actually looking at the video before the arrest, the cops relied on an informant with a history of lying.
* A Marana Arizona police officer has taken a plea deal for illegally accessing confidential police databases to get personal information about people and, in some cases, using that information for trafficking in stolen identities.
* About 12 Louisville Kentucky police officers are the subject of an investigation on allegations that they used excessive force on a 19-year-old man who appeared to be suffering from some sort of mental breakdown after fasting for 24 hours. Police were called to help take him in for evaluation after he stripped naked and became unresponsive to his friends after playing a late-night game of basketball. He ended up hospitalized for more than just a psychological evaluation.
* The Los Angeles County California deputy’s union is fighting a proposed policy that would prohibit deputies there from carrying firearms while they are under the influence, saying it would be a violation of their rights as police officers. (note police have more rights than we do). All this while news emerges that alcohol-related misconduct among deputies has climbed since last year, including on-duty alcohol-related incidents.what extra constitutional rights do police officers have above that of everyday americans?
* A Somerville Tennessee police officer has been indicted on an official misconduct charge for an alleged series of abuses of his authority while he was a Hardeman County deputy, prompting residents there to wonder how he was hired in their town and why he’s still on active duty there.how does a federally indicted police officer remain on active duty and able to carry a deadly weapon with authority over the populace?
* A Baltimore Maryland school police officer was found guilty of 2nd degree assault and sexual abuse of a minor for forcibly groping a 16-year-old female high school student that he invited into his office to watch movies and then tried to talk her into having sex.
* A New Orleans Louisiana police captain who heads the traffic division has been arrested by the FBI on allegations of wire fraud after a federal investigation into unspecified allegations.
* The police chief of Brunswick Florida has admitted to misleading officials about a police officer who was facing discipline for having sex with a prostitute when he didn’t tell them that the officer was caught lying about the incident via polygraph before the officials decided on less disciplinary action that would have occurred otherwise. The chief says the investigation wasn’t complete when that information was omitted.
* The police chief of Matawan New Jersey has been placed on paid leave after the council voted to proceed with unspecified disciplinary charges against him.
* A North Las Vegas Nevada police officer who resigned after it was discovered that he lied about a shootout where his badge stopped a bullet has been arrested on false reporting and firearm charges for that incident.
* A US Immigration and Customs Agent in Washington state has pled guilty to charges that he illegally imported anabolic steroids from China.
* A Newport Beach California police officer was caught lying about his justification for stopping a woman who was eventually charged with driving under the influence when video showed that her license plate light was working when the officer’s report stated that the reason he pulled her over was a malfunctioning license light. The charges were dropped.malfunctioning license plate light is a common excuse used to pull people over who have not done anything wrong other than pique an over zealous officers interest.
* The New York NY police department is being sued by 4 people, two men and two minors, who claim they were unlawfully arrested for… having a water balloon fight on a 90 degree day. First they came for the snowballs in DC, then the water balloons in NY… what’s next?
* Corpus Christi Texas has settled a lawsuit for $150,000 to a police commander who alleges that he was retaliated against for reporting misconduct after two officers who were fired for improperly buying and selling impounded cars were rehired after the DOJ declined to pursue the case.Normally, the regular citizen finds employment very hard to come by when you've been arrested or investigated by the feds, that is unless you're an 'only one'.
* An Indiana State trooper was suspended for one day after he forgot his loaded service weapon in a home improvement store’s public restroom.
* A Richmond City Virginia deputy sheriff was arrested on DUI charges after he was allegedly stopped for blowing through a red light.
* A Fort Worth Texas police supervisor was suspended for one day after he was caught spending at least two hours viewing 300 “mature” web sites on a police department computer.try doing that at a non government job, see if you get just a one day suspension
* An Oklahoma City Oklahoma police officer was arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly punching her husband in the face.
* A Chesterfield County South Carolina deputy was given a three day suspension for breaking a teenage detainee’s nose over a sexual remark he made about the deputy’s daughter.
* A Billings Montana police officer received a suspended sentence and a $685 fine for a DUI rollover accident that occurred after a party for a fellow officer. Friends don’t let friends drive drunk, unless they’re cops I guess.
* The San Francisco California police department and prosecutors are accused of failing to divulging to defense attorneys that a police officer slated to testify in an upcoming drug case was previously suspended for stabbing a suspect in the face with a broken glass crack pipe. Officials say they didn’t feel something as minor as that had anything to do with his trustworthiness under oath.
* The sheriff of Bandera County Texas was indicted on a charge of abusing his official capacity after being accused of taking the county-owned boat on fishing trips. I’d imagine he’ll say it was official business and he was busting drug dealing trout.
* A Macon Georgia police officer was arrested on simple battery and cruelty to children charges for hitting his wife in front of their grandchildren.
* And finally, in a strange case, the Maricopa Arizona police department is accused of firing a police officer who refused to tell investigators anything about another police officer who allegedly complained to officials about how police handled a DUI stop that didn’t result in charges against another officer. In police departments, squeaky wheels don’t get grease, they get called rats and get the boot.
One of the hardest things I deal with is convincing people that police misconduct can affect everyone and those effects expand well beyond the victims of misconduct themselves. Do I think that a story like this might change a few minds? No, I think it’ll take a lot more towns and cities going under for it to sink in for a majority of people who feel that there’s nothing wrong with “a few bad apples”.
But, if federal legislation like House Bill 413, Senate Bill 3194/1611, or House Bill 1972 ever make it through, then a lot more cities will probably go the way of Maywood for exactly the same reasons.
Speaking of “a few bad apples”, in no particular order, here are the 24 reports of police misconduct recorded just today in our National Police Misconduct News Feed for Tuesday, June 22, 2010:
* Two Sulphur Springs Texas police officers and a Hopkins County Texas deputy have been named in a lawsuit alleging that they falsely arrested and jailed a man on drug charges over a drug buy that was recorded on video… A video that didn’t show the man they arrested because he was over a thousand miles away in Washington state at the time of the sting operation. Instead of actually looking at the video before the arrest, the cops relied on an informant with a history of lying.
* A Marana Arizona police officer has taken a plea deal for illegally accessing confidential police databases to get personal information about people and, in some cases, using that information for trafficking in stolen identities.
* About 12 Louisville Kentucky police officers are the subject of an investigation on allegations that they used excessive force on a 19-year-old man who appeared to be suffering from some sort of mental breakdown after fasting for 24 hours. Police were called to help take him in for evaluation after he stripped naked and became unresponsive to his friends after playing a late-night game of basketball. He ended up hospitalized for more than just a psychological evaluation.
* The Los Angeles County California deputy’s union is fighting a proposed policy that would prohibit deputies there from carrying firearms while they are under the influence, saying it would be a violation of their rights as police officers. (note police have more rights than we do). All this while news emerges that alcohol-related misconduct among deputies has climbed since last year, including on-duty alcohol-related incidents.what extra constitutional rights do police officers have above that of everyday americans?
* A Somerville Tennessee police officer has been indicted on an official misconduct charge for an alleged series of abuses of his authority while he was a Hardeman County deputy, prompting residents there to wonder how he was hired in their town and why he’s still on active duty there.how does a federally indicted police officer remain on active duty and able to carry a deadly weapon with authority over the populace?
* A Baltimore Maryland school police officer was found guilty of 2nd degree assault and sexual abuse of a minor for forcibly groping a 16-year-old female high school student that he invited into his office to watch movies and then tried to talk her into having sex.
* A New Orleans Louisiana police captain who heads the traffic division has been arrested by the FBI on allegations of wire fraud after a federal investigation into unspecified allegations.
* The police chief of Brunswick Florida has admitted to misleading officials about a police officer who was facing discipline for having sex with a prostitute when he didn’t tell them that the officer was caught lying about the incident via polygraph before the officials decided on less disciplinary action that would have occurred otherwise. The chief says the investigation wasn’t complete when that information was omitted.
* The police chief of Matawan New Jersey has been placed on paid leave after the council voted to proceed with unspecified disciplinary charges against him.
* A North Las Vegas Nevada police officer who resigned after it was discovered that he lied about a shootout where his badge stopped a bullet has been arrested on false reporting and firearm charges for that incident.
* A US Immigration and Customs Agent in Washington state has pled guilty to charges that he illegally imported anabolic steroids from China.
* A Newport Beach California police officer was caught lying about his justification for stopping a woman who was eventually charged with driving under the influence when video showed that her license plate light was working when the officer’s report stated that the reason he pulled her over was a malfunctioning license light. The charges were dropped.malfunctioning license plate light is a common excuse used to pull people over who have not done anything wrong other than pique an over zealous officers interest.
* The New York NY police department is being sued by 4 people, two men and two minors, who claim they were unlawfully arrested for… having a water balloon fight on a 90 degree day. First they came for the snowballs in DC, then the water balloons in NY… what’s next?
* Corpus Christi Texas has settled a lawsuit for $150,000 to a police commander who alleges that he was retaliated against for reporting misconduct after two officers who were fired for improperly buying and selling impounded cars were rehired after the DOJ declined to pursue the case.Normally, the regular citizen finds employment very hard to come by when you've been arrested or investigated by the feds, that is unless you're an 'only one'.
* An Indiana State trooper was suspended for one day after he forgot his loaded service weapon in a home improvement store’s public restroom.
* A Richmond City Virginia deputy sheriff was arrested on DUI charges after he was allegedly stopped for blowing through a red light.
* A Fort Worth Texas police supervisor was suspended for one day after he was caught spending at least two hours viewing 300 “mature” web sites on a police department computer.try doing that at a non government job, see if you get just a one day suspension
* An Oklahoma City Oklahoma police officer was arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly punching her husband in the face.
* A Chesterfield County South Carolina deputy was given a three day suspension for breaking a teenage detainee’s nose over a sexual remark he made about the deputy’s daughter.
* A Billings Montana police officer received a suspended sentence and a $685 fine for a DUI rollover accident that occurred after a party for a fellow officer. Friends don’t let friends drive drunk, unless they’re cops I guess.
* The San Francisco California police department and prosecutors are accused of failing to divulging to defense attorneys that a police officer slated to testify in an upcoming drug case was previously suspended for stabbing a suspect in the face with a broken glass crack pipe. Officials say they didn’t feel something as minor as that had anything to do with his trustworthiness under oath.
* The sheriff of Bandera County Texas was indicted on a charge of abusing his official capacity after being accused of taking the county-owned boat on fishing trips. I’d imagine he’ll say it was official business and he was busting drug dealing trout.
* A Macon Georgia police officer was arrested on simple battery and cruelty to children charges for hitting his wife in front of their grandchildren.
* And finally, in a strange case, the Maricopa Arizona police department is accused of firing a police officer who refused to tell investigators anything about another police officer who allegedly complained to officials about how police handled a DUI stop that didn’t result in charges against another officer. In police departments, squeaky wheels don’t get grease, they get called rats and get the boot.
