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Tag Archives: Abuse of Power

SSCC #388–Seattle

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We all know how hard the Seattle Police department works to get their employees eligible for the count.  Today we get a rare behind the scenes look at how they grow the outstanding police officers that are a shining example that others should inspire themselves to.  (If you didn’t have a clue, that whole last sentence was sarcastic!)

A Seattle police officer caught on video kicking a handcuffed suspect in the head has been suspended for 10-days, but he won’t have to serve the suspension as long as he stays out of trouble.

Some how he escaped the wrath of the legal system, though an internal investigation did reveal the use of excessive force.  His punishment a 10 day suspension with this note:

…Seattle police chief John Diaz ruled that Haynes will not be required to serve the unpaid suspension as long as he stays out of trouble for two years.

How nice.  So that’s out they have groomed so many fine upstanding officers.

State Sponsored Criminal #388: Garth Haynes

Because you know that you only need the threaten punishment when it comes to officers of the law.  Following through does absolutely nothing to drive home the point that what they did is wrong.  Heaven forbid you use the misfit to set an example of.

SSCC #387 – Lincoln

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Krawetz was in the middle of a hearing in to determine whether he should be fired.

Interesting, maybe he isn’t one that should be destined for the count.  There was obviously a reason for his resignation.

Kraewitz was found guilty in January of felony assault on a handcuffed woman outside the Twin River slot parlor.

It took a hearing and he was possibly going to retain his job after being convicted of felony assault?  Well at least he was convicted though I do find the following interesting:

Krawetz has been suspended without pay but still receives health benefits and “other benefits” according to Ragosta.

Not to mention:

He was convicted of felony battery by Judge Edward Clifton who decided against jail time. Krawetz was ordered to undergo counseling and given a 10-year suspended sentence.

The anointed are special compared to you and I and it’s best to be remembered.  I didn’t see anything about his law enforcement certificate being revoked so it is possible he can seek employment at a different department.

What boggles my mind is that he received no punishment and that he wasn’t fired immediately upon his conviction.  Instead they continued to pay him while he actually didn’t perform any duty to earn his pay check.

In this case, there may be a conviction but the system still stinks to high heaven.

State Sponsored Criminal #387: Edward Krawetz

Because when someone is handcuffed and sitting on the curb it is acceptable to kick them in the head.  Never mind that honestly that can be considered lethal force as it was to the head and not the body or limbs.

SSCC #386 – Opa-locka

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A suspended Florida police officer—who’s been fired six times over the years for alleged misconduct, only to be reinstated—says he’s the victim of a “witch hunt” and wants to go back to work, even though he’s being paid $60,000 a year to stay home.

At least they have sent his ass home, but $60k a year still?  Not to mention that under the statement, “once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three or more times is enemy action,” what is six incidents?

Who knows maybe they were incidents that in the grand scheme aren’t actually that bad…

Bosque—who has been accused of “cracking the head of a handcuffed suspect, beating juveniles, hiding drugs in his police car, stealing from suspects, defying direct orders and lying and falsifying police reports”—was suspended with pay in May after he allowed a newspaper reporter to ride along in his patrol car without permission. (During the ride-along, Bosque told the reporter, “I’m an excellent police officer, but I break the rules.”)

He admits to breaking the rules, yet he continues to be paid for nothing and wants his job back.  This is why many people are loosing their faith in law enforcement professionals.  While not all are like this individual, their willingness to not expel him from their ranks taints them all.

State Sponsored Criminal #386: German Bosque

Because rules are for the little guy.  Why? Because if you want to make an omelette you’re gonna need to break a few eggs.

SSCC #385–St. Paul

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A St. Paul, Minnesota family claims in a lawsuit that police officers who conducted a wrong-door raid on their home shot their dog, and then forced their three handcuffed children to sit near the dead pet while officers ransacked the home.

Words fail to express my rage.  I shall do as Weer’d said and let it speak for itself.

State Sponsored Criminal #385: The St. Paul Minnesota SWAT Team

Because you need to teach little Timmy and Tiffany to obey their perverted Uncle Sam at an early age, and if you plug their dog and make them lay next to it, the next time Pedo-bear TSA agent molest them they’ll ignore it because they don’t want their new Sparky to take a bullet.

h/t Popehat

SSCC #384–Phoenix

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It’s been a while since we’ve seen one like this.

A Phoenix police officer has been arrested and could face several felony charges of sexual misconduct with two teenage boys.

…

Garcia said the alleged victims were 14 and 17-year-old Phoenix boys who knowingly entered into a relationship with Wilson. He said Wilson met them through his job as a community outreach officer.

This is one I’m just going to let stand on it’s own.

State Sponsored Criminal #384: Christopher J. Wilson

Because the best way to find underage boys is to work as a cop, you can be trusted then right?

via David N.

SSCC #383–IMPD

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Here’s another from RobertaX.

Also during the past five months, Ratcliff has continued to stalk and harass a woman who has been the object of his obsession for years, according to Marion County prosecutors who charged him Thursday. He faces three felony counts of stalking, one misdemeanor count of battery and 26 misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy.

Here’s a question, why was he still employed as a police officer during that time if he was harassing and stalking a woman?  I guess the IMPD believes in giving predators every advantage.

State Sponsored Criminal #383: Craig Ratcliff

Because an officer of the law stalking a someone is perfectly acceptable and while we disarm the general public we should leave them with their badge and gun to use against their victim.*

*Note, I don’t like how many of the DV laws work for this reason amongst others.  It is too easy to use against someone who is actually innocent and is often used as a tactic to harass someone through the legal system, but the futility is obvious when some how when a cop does it he’s special.

SSCC #382–Los Angeles

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“I felt 300 pounds on my neck,” Brooks told reporters at NBC Los Angeles. Brooks, a volunteer employee at THC Downtown Collective, a Long Beach, CA medical marijuana dispensary, was arrested June 19 during a police raid of the pot shop. Footage from the dispensary’s security camera reveals a brutal bust, including cops walking on Brooks’ back and standing on his neck, while officers prepare to handcuff the suspect. “I just felt violated and disrespected,” said the 28-year-old volunteer, one of five arrested in the raid. “We got beat up and arrested for a citation that’s equivalent to someone jaywalking.”

Even less surprising is the fact that the officers also destroyed the surveillance equipment.  Tell me, why would an officer do that?  My immediate guess is to steal pot without evidence against him for own personal use.  There’s only one reason cops destroy surveillance equipment and that is to make sure they’re not recorded when they’re breaking the law.

Overall this is nothing more than state level cronyism when you see the following:

Although police admit the dispensary was compliant with California state law, Long Beach PD said the raid was ordered because the store was operating without a city permit. The attorney for Dorian Brooks, however, argued that the city of Long Beach denied owners a permit, and makes it increasingly difficult for dispensaries like THC Downtown Collective to get one.

State Sponsored Criminal #381:

Because honest up right cops just don’t like being recorded right?  I mean they’re honest so they don’t need to be recorded, they’re just doing their job right?

h/t Uncle

How Fear, Not Fact, Informs the Gun Rights Debate

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Wonderful video from Reason TV the truth behind the gun rights debate.

I find this a great addition to go along with this video I’ve used numerous times previously:

Then again, most of these people who fall into the irrational panic state don’t seem to understand the benefit of discussion occurring while you’re calm and rational.  Their coping mechanism for tragedy is to “Do Something,” even if that something actually causes more people to die they feel better because the did something.

I did see a video this weekend and I think I’m going to have to get together with some friends and script out a response.