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SSCC #411 – Seattle

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That’s right folks, the Seattle PD had decided to return to the land of the criminal count.  This one is juicy…

In a complaint filed in Seattle Municipal Court, Donnie R. Lowe, 45, was accused of knowingly violating a no-contact order issued after his arrest in June for allegedly assaulting his wife.

Lowe’s wife was believed to be a passenger in a car when Seattle police stopped him Aug. 14 for allegedly talking on his cellphone while driving, according to sources familiar with the case. But Lowe was not immediately arrested because police were not able to verify the court order as a result of a computer problem, the sources said.

Now initially it doesn’t sound that bad, especially since the judge issued the no-contact order without a request to do so from the wife.  So a judge did something against the will of both the defendant and plaintiff and they possibly violated it, but here’s the real reason this sucker is juicy.

The new charge further clouded Lowe’s career in the Police Department, in which his bachelor’s degree in business and master’s in public administration helped him land a position on the police-reform effort but whose troubling history of bad judgment and misconduct raised questions about his selection.

That’s right folks, the Seattle Police departments first choice to aid  in their reform behaves like this.  It is worth noting that he has since been removed as the team leader and the situation has changed due to this incident.

Since then, the city and Justice Department reached a comprehensive settlement agreement in July in which a court-appointed monitor will oversee broad reforms in police practices.

The most entertaining part though is this isn’t the first time he has behaved in a questionable nature.

He previously was disciplined after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in 2008. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of reckless driving, later dismissed when he met court conditions. The department then suspended him for four days without pay after an internal investigation.

…

Lowe also received internal reprimands for inappropriate physical treatment of his handcuffed son while he was in police custody in a holding cell in 2006, and over an improper effort to retrieve from a man nude photographs of a female acquaintance in 2002.

Have no fear though, I’m sure he’s on paid administrative leave, pulling down his $148,000 salary.  Seriously you can’t make this stuff up!

State Sponsored Criminal #411: Donnie R. Lowe

Because what better man to help aid the department in reform than a man who is obviously in need of some reform himself.

 

SSCC #375–Update

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Via Lance I got the following regarding SSCC #375:

Due to a technicality, a drunken driving charge was dismissed against the Gladstone State Police Post commander on Wednesday in Chippewa County District Court.

The exact issue at hand:

Dispatch directed police to obtain the search warrant from a former Chippewa County court employee who was no longer serving as magistrate at the time, said Vizina. The former magistrate had been relieved of her duties five weeks prior due to mental health issues, he said.

"Dispatch sent the officers to the wrong place to sign a warrant," said Vizina.

Because the former court employee was not legally authorized to sign and execute the search warrant, any information police obtained under the document during the investigation could not be considered as evidence, Vizina said.

"Blood test results were not admissible and could not be used in court," he noted.

How convenient.  That’s not to say the judge wasn’t right in this case, but it’s interesting that they would screw the pooch so hard when one of their own screwed up so bad.  Don’t worry though, it couldn’t possibly be intentional since they bothered to put him on paid leave.  Heaven forbid he’s held accountable.

State Sponsored Criminal: William Smith

Because when your buddy does a DUI, just make sure it’s not a current judge that signs the warrant.

SSCC Honorable Mention–Chalfont

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A Chalfont police officer was not shot by a group of assailants as he claimed, but instead staged the shooting himself, according to authorities.

Jon Cousin, 30, of New Britain Township was lying when he said he was shot in the chest while investigating a suspicious vehicle at a swim club about 3:16 a.m. Monday morning, they said.

This is certainly better than many of the other attempts by officers to “be a hero”.  Thankfully he has been arrested and charged though he is currently only on administrative leave.

SSCC HM: Jon Cousin

Because sometimes you want to go out looking like a hero. 

via Lone Wanderer (drop your blog in the comments if you have one)

SSCC #409 – Arlington

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Arlington is seeking to block an independent arbitrator’s decision to reinstate — with back pay — a former police officer who was fired last year following his arrest on sexual assault charges. 

I applaud the city to continue fighting against reinstatement.  Especially given the following:

Before the sexual assault charges that lead to his dismissal, Kovacs had been placed on administrative leave following allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman he had encountered during a traffic stop in October 2010, records show.

The man obviously has a history and has no business being in law enforcement.  Further he got away with it the first time and did it again.  Later that year though there’s more:

Then, in December 2010, a warrant was issued for his arrest on domestic violence charges after he was accused of putting a pillow over his girlfriend’s head while she slept. Less than a month later, in January 2011, his girlfriend told Cedar Hill police that Kovacs sexually assaulted her and that he had threatened violence against the Arlington and Cedar Hill officers who were investigating the allegations against him.

Who in their right mind thinks that someone with that kind of history and behavior should work as a law enforcement officer?

State Sponsored Criminal #409: Tibor Kovacs ??? See this update and decide for yourself ???

Because as a cop you should get as many free passes as you want.  It’s not like prior criminal actions should matter right?

via Bob S.

SSCC #408: Miami-Dade

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A Miami-Dade police officer routinely stopped women drivers for no reason so he could have “sexually suggestive conversations” — including asking to see the scars on a Miami Beach bartender’s surgically enhanced breasts — and then let the women go without issuing any citations, federal authorities say.

We’re not talking just conversations though:

Dwivedi asked the driver to exit her car and sit in the back seat of his marked cruiser, then “instructed A.R. to lower the zipper on the front of her dress down past her breasts to her mid-stomach,” the complaint says. “A.R. stated that, by following Dwivedi’s instructions, she somewhat exposed her breasts.”

She was detained for one hour and twenty minutes before the officer left without issuing a citation. According to Miami-Dade police, Dwivedi did not list the traffic stop on his daily activity report, nor did he advise a dispatcher of the stop. He also did not conduct a driver’s license check of A.R. or her two passengers.

Thankfully this officer hadn’t become more aggressive in his predatory habits, yet.

State Sponsored Criminal #408: Prabhainjana Dwivedi

Because being a cop means you can deprive women of their rights and intimidate them into compliance for your own gratification.

 

SSCC #405-#407: Woodbury

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When the gunman who had been tormenting the group told Henderson to go to the window to see if any police were outside, Henderson took his chance and made a beeline for the door. The kidnapper opened fire at him in response but missed. As Henderson bolted out the door toward them, Woodbury police opened fire and cut him down.

That’s right, the victim was shot and ultimately killed by the police for trying to escape his captor.  Supposedly he wasn’t listening to commands, probably because there was a man with a gun behind him trying to shoot him.  The police assumed he was armed and killed the hostage.

No worries for the cops though:

The three Woodbury police officers who fired their weapons are on standard paid administrative leave. They are officer Anthony Ofstead, an 11-year veteran; officer Stacey Krech, who’s been with the department for five years, and officer Natalie Martin, who’s been with the department for two years.

It is interesting that we constantly hear about how great less lethal options are and in the middle of a standoff no one seemed to think that might be a good idea for when a hostage escapes.  Evidently a hostage is supposed to just obey their captor and hope the aggressor decides to let them live.

The lesson from this, the cops will not save you, they will shoot you.  If you want to survive someone holding you hostage, kill them yourself.

State Sponsored Criminals #405: Anthony Ofstead

#406: Stacey Krech

#407: Natalie Martin

Because a hostage trying to escape is totally a viable target. Because you know a man trying to engage you with a firearm will be running as fast as he can while trying to shield himself.  Good hostages know to obey the police so they can be shot by the aggressor.*

While some may say I am “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” it doesn’t matter.  Law abiding citizens, even more than that, victims of crime have the right to be able to go home at the end of the day.  That right exists more so than those who serve in law enforcement.  If those officers dislike it, they can find a new profession.  They killed an innocent man and will suffer no consequence for doing so.  The victim had no weapon on him and received a treatment of lead from his “saviors” while trying to escape his captors.

At minimum it’s manslaughter, you can even claim involuntary if you want, but they hold the responsibility.

SSCC #402 – Montgomery

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Jessie Alan Fuller, 25, of Pensacola, Fla., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins to 37 months in prison and two years supervised release, the Justice Department announced.   Fuller pleaded guilty on April 26, 2012, to one count of conspiracy against rights, a felony, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a misdemeanor.   These charges stemmed from Fuller’s stealing money and property from motorists on Interstate 65 in central Alabama while he was a police officer with the Fort Deposit Police Department.

The punishment of 3 years in prison I consider nothing more than a start. Total he made off with about $520 bucks and a GPS.  What disturbs me about this though is what if a citizen had actually stood up to him.  Legally the citizen had every right to and could have legally used force against the officer.  In doing so he could have very likely been killed.

What happened here was the state gave this man a badge, a gun, and qualified immunity to protect him from his victims. His mistake was getting caught, even then he only get 3 years in prison.  Accountable would have been 10 years, full restitution, and a financial penalty so severe he could never fully pay his debt.

State Sponsored Criminal #402: Jessie Alan Fuller

Because deprivation of rights under color of law isn’t that big of a deal right?  What’s the worst that could have happened because of his actions?

SSCC #400 – LAPD

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What else can I say?  These two officers felt they could get away with this because they weren’t being recorded.  Even now though I doubt they will be fired, at most they will receive “sensitivity training”.

The officers, whose names were not given, were placed on desk duty while the department investigated the alleged beatdown.

State Sponsored Criminal #400: Officer John Doe #1 and #2

Because a cell phone violation totally means you should be the living hell out of a woman and then fist bump afterwards, happy that you were able to do so.