It’s OK when we do it
In Massachusetts, a corrupt police officer stayed out of prison by arguing everybody did it but he was unlucky to get caught. In California, another officer complained about lack of professional courtesy when he was caught transporting illegal immigrants. Heath McAuliffe was one of many in Massachusetts State Police Troop E who lied about making […]
More of the iceberg revealed
As the Massachusetts State Police corruption scandal arrest count grows, the Boston Globe reports on why we don’t hear more about police corruption. Few people in state government have a problem with it. This year’s roundup is led by federal prosecutors. When police are accused of theft in state court magistrates make the charges disappear […]
They didn’t care who she was
A routine coverup blew up into big news in Massachusetts recently. State Police arrested a woman for driving drunk and under the influence of the heroin she had in the car. She said she traded sex for drugs. The officers put that confession in their report. She also said daddy would be furious. Daddy is […]
A one night vacation
Nine police officers in Lakeland, Florida lost one or two shifts as punishment for dangerous driving and tampering with evidence. The only reason they’re in any trouble at all is they blew past an employee of the state Attorney General’s office. Nobody was supposed to know. The Lakeland officers inserted full memory cards in their […]
Your immunity has just been revoked
The biggest fringe benefit of a police job is immunity from prosecution. Drunk and reckless driving, no problem. Perjury, that’s “testilying” and everybody does it. Beat up your girlfriend, go outside and cool off. There are limits. If an innocent bystander dies, investigators may take the death halfway seriously. That happened in Connecticut recently. Off-duty […]
Sober as a cop
Colorado state trooper Brian Pettit got community service for a drunk-driving wreck that would put any of us civilians in jail. Sadly, this is totally ordinary. Drunk guy runs a stop sign and gets nailed. Happens every day. Police find a fellow officer drunk behind the wheel and don’t arrest him. Happens every day. You’ve […]
Tipping the balance
John Basler was going double the speed limit at more than double the BAC limit when he hit another car head on. Both women in the other car died. Why isn’t he serving five years for manslaughter? Because officers from the Massachusetts State Police crash unit said he was sober and the other driver was […]
Fixing Tickets in Philadelphia
By James J. Baxter Following a federal investigation, two Philadelphia judges pleaded guilty to “fixing tickets.” This isn’t an earth shattering revelation, fixing traffic tickets is a national sport. Cops do it, D.A.s do it, and, as just noted, judges do it. So, is this rampant circumvention of the law a sign of pervasive corruption […]
Fixing Tickets in Philadelphia
By James J. Baxter Following a federal investigation, two Philadelphia judges pleaded guilty to “fixing tickets.” This isn’t an earth shattering revelation, fixing traffic tickets is a national sport. Cops do it, D.A.s do it, and, as just noted, judges do it. So, is this rampant circumvention of the law a sign of pervasive corruption […]
Lying Black Boxes And The Truths They Tell
By John Carr, NMA Massachusetts Activist Last November, Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray was out surveying storm damage when his car hit black ice on I-190 and slid off the road. It was just an accident. He was sober and obeying the speed limit and police agreed there was nothing he could have done. Some […]