OFF THE WIRE
Injustice Everywhere.com
The National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project........
Here are the 8 days… I mean 8 reports of police misconduct tracked in our National Police Misconduct News Feed for this Christmas Eve Friday, December 24, 2010:
New York NY police officials are doggedly insisting that a man who was arrested by an officer with a history of misconduct that has cost the city $500,000 in civil litigation to date is still guilty even though he had video proving his alibi that he was in a different city when the crime he was accused of committing had occurred. Bah Humbug indeed. [5]
Kenton OH police claim that a man who is now on life support had injured himself when he fell while in custody for being drunk and disorderly. However, surveillance video from a holding area appears to show an officer kick his legs out from underneath him while he was handcuffed and the family is claiming this was excessive. (hat tip to the folks at CopBlock for catching this one we missed.) [4]
A New Castle PA police officer was arrested on multiple charges on allegations he hit his wife in the back of her head with a pistol while she was driving then held that gun to her face. She managed to flee the car and flag down another off-duty officer who was following them as her husband drove off. He was stopped down the road and arrested for DUI and simple assault. [0]
A Jackson Twp PA police officer was arrested on domestic violence related aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and other charges over allegations that he hit his girlfriend so hard she vomited blood but she didn’t call police because he threatened her and her family, holding a gun to her head at one point. A friend called police on her behalf though. [0]
A Cocoa FL police officer has been charged with drunk driving after witnesses called police to report that the off-duty officer was pointing his gun out of his window while he drove down the street. Witnesses called again reporting that the man had flipped his car and crashed, at which time he was arrested. [0]
A Berks County PA deputy who died in fiery single-car accident allegedly had blood alcohol content of over three times the legal limit. [0]
A Montesano WA police chief has been charged with theft and misappropriation of funds for allegedly embezzling over $10,000 of the town’s money over an 18 month period to buy personal items and for using the town’s gas card to fuel his personal vehicles. [0]
And finally, in a strange bit of synchronicity a new study was released indicating that police officers returning from duty in war zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq are having difficulty adjusting to their jobs as police officers, resulting in elevated risks of harm to the public. Just a day or two before, Radley Balko brought everyone’s attention to an article proudly discussing how police officers are now being trained to have a war mentality and to view everyone as potential enemies at all times. So, I guess returning veterans are being retrained to stop thinking like they are at war, new recruits are being trained to act like they are.
Have a safe and happy holiday everyone.
