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Only a few bad apples huh?...Bad Cops Thread

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/l...r-old-killed-in-officer-involved-13337248.php

Family of 18-year-old killed in officer-involved shooting sues officer, city of San Antonio

The family of the 18-year-old man inadvertently killed by a San Antonio police officer who was firing at someone else inside a home has filed a federal lawsuit against the officer and the city.

Charles Roundtree Jr.'s family, along with Taylor Singleton who was in the home at the time of the shooting, allege that Officer Steve Casanova failed to properly identify himself and used excessive force. The lawsuit also blamed the city for failing to train and properly discipline him.

City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday, saying they had not yet been served with a copy of it Thursday.

Police said Roundtree was killed when Casanova fired at Davante Snowden, 23, because Snowden was reaching for a gun. After recovering from his wounds in a hospital, Snowden was charged on Thursday with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The lawsuit paints a different picture of what happened on Oct. 17 than previous police reports and statements.

According to the lawsuit, Roundtree, Singleton and Snowden were inside a home in the 200 block of Roberts Street around 1 a.m., "having conversations, surfing the internet and listening to music in the living room."

They weren't committing any crimes when Casanova, "without any warning, permission or a no-knock warrant, opened the door to the Residence and shined a bright light," the lawsuit says.

"Startled and frightened," the three retreated and Casanova opened fire, the suit alleges.

"Contrary to the reports of Chief of Police McManus, Snowden did not reach in his waist for a gun, nor did he make any gestures that would suggest he was attempting to fire a gun at Defendant Casanova or any other person," the lawsuit says. "Roundtree, Singleton and Snowden, at all times, were unarmed."

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus previously said that officers were called to the home after an aggravated assault was reported at the address by a man and his wife. The two were allegedly trying to sell menudo to the people inside the home, according to a police report.

Casanova waited for backup, McManus said, because the house was "well known" to police as a drug home they responded to more than 100 times in the past few years.

A police report said Casanova found the wooden door partially open and two people inside, one of whom opened the door. Snowden's arrest affidavit says the door, which had been ajar, opened when Casanova knocked.

Casanova said Snowden was immediately hostile toward him, asking him "who the f**k are you?" according to his arrest affidavit.

According to police, Snowden reached for a gun in his waistband before Casanova shot him, fearing for his life. A bullet struck Snowden in the buttocks, before going through him and killing Roundtree, who was sitting on a couch behind Snowden.

Police recovered a pistol from the home outside a partially opened window 15 minutes after the shooting believed to have been in Snowden's possession.

"It's a very, very unfortunate, tragic incident that happened," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus the day after the shooting. "Unfortunately, that person who was just sitting there was killed by a bullet fired at someone who was attempting to use deadly force against police."

The family also accused Casanova and city officials for lying to the media and covering up other incidents as well.

"Defendant Casanova is part of a police code of silence wherein other officers and supervisors habitually cover[ed] up the use of excessive force by fabricating accounts to the media and in official reporters and internal affairs investigations," according to the lawsuit.

Though McManus did not comment on the lawsuit, he previously defended Casanova and said he acted professionally and courteous before the shooting occurred.

The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money and court costs "that is within the jurisdictional limits of the court."
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https://www.freep.com/story/news/lo...t-police-officer-drug-trafficking/1772352002/

Detroit police officer indicted for drug trafficking ring

A federal grand jury indicted a Detroit police officer Thursday for trafficking heroin, fentanyl and cocaine for five years as part of a 10-person operation.

According to the indictment, Chris Staton, 51, allegedly conspired to distribute the drugs, as well as passed sensitive law enforcement information to his fellow traffickers and lied about it to authorities. That included details of a co-conspirator's arrest and vehicle registrations.

The ring was in operation since at least early as 2012, the indictment alleges, and continued through 2017.

If convicted, Staton could face a life imprisonment and fines for a drug conspiracy count and up to five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for a false statement count.

“We are disappointed in the actions of Officer Christopher Staton, as they have left a stain on our department,” police chief James Craig said in a statement. “However, the actions of this officer does not reflect the values of our department and the men and women who serve honorably in keeping our communities safe."

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Cares and Mitra Jafary-Hariri will prosecute the case.
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https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/10/mass_police_association_execut.html

Mass. Police Association executive Rick Pedrini relieved of duty after controversial columns

The Arlington police lieutenant who is taking over as head of the Massachusetts Police Association has been relieved of duty and placed on paid administrative leave from his police department after writing columns railing against criminal justice reform and progressive policing practices.

Rick Pedrini was placed on paid leave and relieved of duty Tuesday, according to a statement by Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine and Police Chief Frederick Ryan

"The statements were written by Richard Pedrini in his capacity as a leader in the independent, non-profit Massachusetts Police Association," the statement said.

The town is now conducting an investigation.

The columns written by Mr. Pedrini in the Sentinel newsletter directly contradict the values, morals and mission statement of the Arlington Police Department," Ryan said. "Such remarks risk eroding the public trust that municipal police departments in Massachusetts have worked so hard to build in recent years. I disavow the remarks in the strongest possible terms, and this matter will be dealt with swiftly and certainly."

Chapdelaine found the columns, which were first reported by MassLive, disturbing.

"I am deeply disturbed by the apparent disregard for human life and for the duty of a police officer shown by Richard Pedrini in the Massachusetts Police Association newsletter," he said. "These comments do not represent the mission and values of the Arlington Police Department or the Town of Arlington. The sentiment raised by these comments is disturbing. The town is taking these comments very seriously, and we will thoroughly investigate this matter."

Pedrini, who will soon become the MPA's executive director and has worked for the Arlington Police Department since 1996, wrote three columns railing against criminal justice reform, progressive policing practices, migrants seeking asylum and Colin Kaepernick.

"I am sick and tired of the social justice warriors telling us how to do our jobs. It's time we forget about 'restraint', 'measured responses', 'procedural justice', 'de-escalation', 'stigma-reduction', and other feel-good BS that is getting our officers killed," Pedrini wrote in the 2018 edition of The Sentinel, the official publication of the MPA. "Let's stop lipsynching, please! Let's meet violence with violence and get the job done."

He also wrote about the men accused of killing Yarmouth Sgt. Sean Gannonand Weymouth Sgt. Michael Chesna earlier this year.

Pedrini called the two men "maggots" and "animals" who "can only be 'rehabilitated' when they are put down."

The columns also criticized the criminal reform bill signed into law in April.

The MPA is a law enforcement advocacy organization that provides services for officers and lobbies for legislation to support police.

Carol Rose, the executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, released her own statement about Pedrini's columns.

"Law enforcement is meant to promote public safety and protect the peace," Rose said.

"These disturbing statements made by the Massachusetts Police Association's executive director raise the question: Do his views represent those of the MPA? Do Massachusetts police - as a group represented by the MPA - actually prefer violence to de-escalation," she added. "Such deeply dangerous approaches to law enforcement have been proven time and again to be bad for both public safety and civil liberties. We urge the MPA and all members of law enforcement to reject this approach and to instead embrace community policing efforts that keep us safe and free."
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https://www.wavy.com/news/local-new...uth-officer-involved-shooting-case/1564978165

Prosecutors seeking indictment in Portsmouth officer-involved shooting case

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) -- Almost a year to the day since an officer-involved shooting out of Portsmouth, prosecutors have implied they'll pursue an indictment against the officer who fired shots at a fleeing armed burglary suspect.

In a release sent out Wednesday, Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Brandon T. Wrobleski said an indictment will be sought at Thursday's grand jury.

10 On Your Side has reached out to Wrobleski for more information, but he wouldn't elaborate on the statement and said more details would be released soon.

The officer-involved shooting happened on Oct. 29, 2017, when Portsmouth officers were responding to a burglary at a home on Tatem Avenue. Two suspects were spotted leaving the home and police say one, Deontrace Ward, was armed.

Body camera footage shows police giving chase and Portsmouth Police Officer Jeremy Durocher shooting Ward in the arm as Ward ran away. Durocher can be heard yelling ""He has a gun! He has a gun!" before firing multiple shots.

Police then searched Ward and found a gun inside his pants near his knee, as well as jewelry, according to André Wiggins, a special prosecutor from Suffolk.

Ward eventually pleaded guilty to five felonies in the case back in August and was sentenced to 31 years in prison with 25 suspended.

The Virginia State Police investigation into the incident was just completed two weeks ago.

The grand jury is expected to begin at 10 a.m. Thursday and the indictment will not be sealed, officials tell 10 On Your Side. WAVY will be there.
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http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/77-officer-involved-shootings-investigated-by-the-gbi#/

77 officer-involved shootings investigated by the GBI

ATLANTA
- A troubling trend is developing in Georgia when it comes to officer-involved shootings. More suspects are dying in running gun battles according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is often called in to investigate these type of shootings.

The GBI says there are more officer-involved shootings so far this year than last year.

You’ve heard the term before, the GBI has been called in to investigate an officer-involved shooting, which has kept them busy this year.

“We’re at 77 officer-involved shootings that the GBI has been requested to investigate,” said Nelly Miles, the GBI Public Affairs Director.

She said the 77 officer-involved shootings in Georgia so far this year compared to 74 this time last year.

However, suspect fatalities, people killed in gun battles with police are way up.

So far 41 this year compared to 27 for all last year.

“In most of these cases we are seeing officers encountering incidents where they end up being engaged in a running gun-battles and officers prevail,” said Miles.

GBI investigations have also included cases where officers died.

in Gwinnett County Officer, Antwan Toney was killed in the line of duty, like Chase Maddox in Locust Grove.

Covington Police Officer Matt Cooper is still recovering.

“In general what we are seeing is a trending upward of just the violence in the cases,” said Miles.

Another troubling aspect occurred in Monroe County Monday. An officer-involved shooting resulted in a woman’s death who had a pellet gun.

“We have seen a rash of cases involving replica guns and that is very concerning obviously because these replica guns look like the real thing,” said Miles.

The GBI investigations involve autopsies, forensics, DNA testing, firearms analysis and extra man power.

Miles says the Governor’s office and the legislature have prioritized funding the GBI.

No longer she says are agents being pulled from other units to help in these top priority cases.

“It’s important an agent responds and they get on it quickly to process the scene and all the necessary investigative acts that have to occur,” said Miles.

She said it’s the district attorney’s offices who determine if an officer-involved shooting is justified based on the GBI findings.

Miles says most agencies do use a GBI independent review in officer-involved shootings even though it is not a legal requirement.

She said many smaller agencies don’t have the resources.

Miles said other larger agencies use an independent GBI review because officials realize how important transparency is to the public.
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Radley Balko is a real one. "Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces" should be required reading in black schools
 


https://www.jsonline.com/story/news...m-video-officer-involved-shooting/1847001002/

Milwaukee police release bodycam video of August fatal officer-involved shooting

Holding a gun to his head, Mario Hobson turned toward Milwaukee police officers before being shot multiple times by two of the officers, body camera video released by police Thursday shows.

Hobson, 31, was shot Aug. 13 in the 1900 block of S. 10th St. during a traffic stop after having driven off from a previous stop by police earlier in the day, according to police.

The shooting remains under investigation by the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, in accordance with state law that requires outside investigators to lead probes into fatal police shootings.

The investigation is being led by the Waukesha Police Department, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said at a news conference Thursday.

The 4-minute 54-second video is only a portion of body camera video of the incident that can be released before the investigation's conclusion, Morales said.

Other police departments have released such video only when forced to, said Morales, adding that the partial release is in accordance with his department's effort to promote transparency and build stronger relationships with city residents.

He said during the past eight months he and his command staff have met with community members to discuss ways in which that can be accomplished.

"I am pleased to say that although we have a long way to go, we are making progress," Morales said, denying that the partial release was an attempt by police to control the narrative of the fatal shooting.

However, Morales and other police officials at the news conference could not explain why, until Thursday, Hobson's identity was never officially released, and have still not identified the officers involved in the shooting.

They also could not explain why the death Oct.17 of Alonzo Smith, 31, who was shot and wounded by police Oct. 10, was not confirmed until two days after he died and only after an inquiry by a reporter.

Smith was shot shortly before 6 a.m. Oct. 10 outside an apartment building near North 101st Street and West Mill Road, where officers responded to a report of shots fired.

Witnesses told the officers that shots were being fired at the apartment building before the officers confronted Smith and shot him when he refused to drop his firearm, Morales said at the time.

He also said the officers believed they were being shot at, and police officials have said that the investigation of that shooting was being led by Wauwatosa police

Milwaukee police have set a goal of releasing at least portions of body camera video of officer-involved shootings, including Smith's, within 45 days, Morales said.

Video begins with traffic stop
The video released Thursday begins with a traffic stop near South 27th and West Mitchell streets in which Hobson is a front-seat passenger in a car pulled over by police.

After a man driving the car exits the vehicle, Hobson, who Morales said was wanted on warrants for domestic violence and a probation violation, slides behind the steering wheel and drives off, knocking one officer onto the street.

Officers pursue the car north on 27th Street before losing sight it and terminating the pursuit.

Later that day, about 5 p.m., officers at South 10th and West Burnham streets approach an SUV that is double-parked and in which Hobson is a passenger in the back seat. When one of the officers opens the rear driver's side door, Hobson emerges with a gun to his head and can be heard saying he is going to kill himself.

Officers then retreat from the vehicle, yell at Hobson to drop the gun and shoot him after he turns toward them.

"An individual armed with a firearm is extremely dangerous because he can start shooting at any moment in any direction," Captain Joseph McLin, who heads the Police Department's homicide unit, says in the video.

"The suspect's actions showed disregard for the officers' lawful orders and forced the situation to its conclusion," McLin said.
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https://www.rawstory.com/2018/11/ch...ted-russias-pro-trump-electoral-interference/

Chicago cops post racist memes in Facebook group connected to Russia's pro-Trump electoral interference
A BuzzFeed News investigation revealed not only that former and current Chicago cops were sharing racist memes in a private Facebook group — but that the group’s founder was an unwitting target of Russian electoral interference.

In response to police officer Jason Van Dyke being convicted of murder last month for shooting black teen Laquan McDonald, one member of the Chicago Code Blue group said it was “very sad” that Chicago had “give[n] the keys to the city to the thugs.”

The group boasts more than 53,000 members, the report noted — many of whom appear to be violating CPD’s social media policy that bars them from sharing “content that is disparaging to a person or group based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected class.”

One meme shared in the comments of a post shows the infamous boy peeing illustration with a stream of urine falling on the phrase “Black Lives Matter.” Another shows a red bandana-clad skeleton pointing two pistols while flanked by the words “every thug deserves a slug.”

Chicago Code Blue founder Gary Snow was, according to BuzzFeed, a seemingly-unwitting target of Russian trolls attempting to interfere in the American presidential election in 2016.

“In an indictment unsealed in February, Special Counsel Robert Mueller alleged that Russian trolls tried to use Snow, who was not mentioned by name, to get a flatbed truck that could carry a caged Hillary Clinton stand-in at a 2016 rally for then-Candidate Donald Trump,” the report noted, adding that the group founded didn’t provide the truck and was not charged or accused.

BuzzFeed noted that Russians do not appear to have infiltrated the Chicago Code Blue page itself — but the racist and conspiracy theorist posts made there are the bread and butter of the Kremlin-linked efforts to “sow discord” in the US.

The report also noted that “the most inflammatory comments do not generally come from current officers.”
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PHOENIX — The city of Buckeye has suspended Police Chief Larry Hall for 40 hours, according to ABC15 Arizona.

Hall is expected to return to work the week of Nov. 12.

The suspension came during an investigation into an anonymous letter sent to city officials in September 2017.

The letter, written by multiple anonymous police department employees, alleged misconduct by department leadership.

One of the alleged misdeeds included leadership pressuring others into falsifying crime statistics to lower the crime rate.

The city brought in a private company to investigate the claims last year.

According to a statement from October, the city received a report of the company’s findings and is determining if further investigation is needed.

In September, a home security website ranked Buckeye as the safest city in Arizona based on its violent crime statistics.
 
http://www.wbrz.com/news/fired-brpd-officer-pleads-no-contest-to-simple-battery/

Fired BRPD officer pleads no contest to simple battery
BATON ROUGE - The former Baton Rouge police officer involved in the shooting death of Alton Sterling in 2016 has pleaded no contest to a simple battery charge in a separate incident.

Blane Salamoni made the plea on October 22. His next court date is April 1, 2019.

The simple battery summons came from a June 2016 incident involving an armed suspect. WBRZ previously reported that Salamoni and other officers were responding to a domestic incident involving a suspect identified as "Mr. Brooks." Documents say, Brooks was tased and brought to the ground after he led police on a foot chase.

Video footage from the incident showed Salamoni slapping the handcuffs on the suspect's head. According to police, Salamoni "forcefully pulled Mr. Brooks to the ground and delivered multiple straight closed fist punches to Mr. Brooks' head until the other two officers were able to remove the weapon from his rear pocket."

He also displayed "unprofessional behavior" during other calls around that time.
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https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2018/11/atlantic_city_police_officer_sterling_wheaten_cast.html

Union throwing party to raise cash for N.J. cop recently busted by feds

The Atlantic City police union is holding a fundraising event in November for officer Sterling Wheaten, who federal authorities arrested last month in relation to a K-9 attack that left a Linwood man with 200 stitches.

Inside the police department and Wonder Bar, the popular waterfront bar where the event will be held, there are flyers printed with a "Blue Lives Matter" flag advertising a "Back Our Brother Benefit" on Nov. 12.

The flyers do not mention Wheaten by name, but according to four sources within the police department, who asked to remain anonymous because department policy forbids them from speaking publicly, the event is for Wheaten. The officer has been involved in at least $4.5 million worth of excessive force lawsuit settlements, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Whetean joined the force in 2007 and has an annual salary of $95,416, according to the state pension system.

A police spokesman referred all questions to Matt Rogers, the union's president. Rogers, who was one of five officers involved in the incident, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A message left for Wonder Bar's owners was also not returned.

According to the flyer, which has Atlantic City PBA Local No. 24's emblem on it, tickets cost $40 and checks are to be made out to "811 Legal and Welfare Fund." Wheaten's department badge number is 811, according to department records.

Last month, a federal grand jury indicted Wheaten on one count of violating an individual's civil rights and one count of falsifying a record for allegedly submitting a false police report about the arrest of 20-year-old David Castellani in June 2013 outside the Tropicana casino.

An Atlantic County grand jury had previously cleared the five officers involved in the case of any wrongdoing.

In a video of the arrest, Castellani can be seen approaching a group of officers outside the casino around 3 a.m. According to a federal lawsuit filed by Castellani, which the city eventually settled for $3 million, he was asking officers for help getting to the other side of the hotel.

Castellani can been seen continually mouthing off to officers before he is soon tackled to the ground and was beaten by four officers as they told him to "stop resisting," according to the lawsuit.

After Castellani was subdued and had one hand in handcuffs, Wheaten arrived and emerged from his vehicle with his K-9 partner, Hagan. Wheaten released the dog, and it mauled the back of Castellani's head, his neck and his chest, as officers, including Wheaten, continued to punch and kick Castellani, according to the lawsuit.

According to the indictment, Wheaten submitted "false and fraudulent police reports," including that Castellani was "fighting my K-9 partner" and that he had "violently assaulted uniformed law enforcement officer(s) with hands and fists."

The violation of civil rights count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and the false records count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to the Justice Department.

"Sterling Wheaten is a family man who has served his community with pride and honor his entire career. We support him and are confident the facts will see him cleared of these charges," Patrick Colligan, the president of the New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement shortly after the indictment.

Wheaten made an initial appearance in federal court on Oct. 11. He was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond.
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