TTAG’s been publishing material critical of police on a regular basis—when they deserve it. Which, it must be said, they often do. To substantiate that claim, Ralph has been directing readers to the CATO Institute’s National Police Misconduct Recap for some time. So I contacted CATO (note: not the Green Hornet’s majordomo) and asked for permission to republish that information. Granted. The thing of it is . . .
the majority of the recap is not firearms-related per se. For example, the list includes a link to a story about Tempe, AZ officer Jessica Dever-Jakuz [above] who resigned after facing a charge of hindering prosecution. As I said, nothing gun related save the fact that she’s a police officer who carries a gun. In a state with Constitutional Carry, no less.
Despite the lack of gun-branding—we’re The Truth About Guns not The Truth About People Who Carry Guns—I’m considering publishing the list to make an important point: there’s no justification for giving cops the “right” to carry firearms, magazines and bullets denied to their fellow non-LEO civilians. Not to mention their free-pass on carry in every one of these United States and within areas defined by the Gun Free School Zones Act. As well as other carve-outs.
I’d intro the post like NYT anti-gun agitator Joe Nocera’s odious Gun Report, making that point, or something similar. What do you think? Here’s a sample of CATO’s list . . .
Here are the 9 reports of police misconduct tracked for Thursday, October 31, 2013:
- Update: Skokie, Illinois (First reported 10-10-13): A police officer has been charged after he was captured on video shoving a detainee into a cell with such force she hit her head on a concrete bench. He was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct. http://ow.ly/qmoOc
- St. Paul, Minnesota: A man claims two city police officers used unnecessary force when they arrested him because he wouldn’t turn down music playing in his apartment. The officers dispute all of his claims. http://ow.ly/qmEAE
- Update: Tampa, Florida (First reported 06-05-13): An officer who was fired after he spent hours drinking at a topless bar while on duty with his partner has been reinstated. Police attorneys said the officer thought his partner had logged them as off-duty. http://ow.ly/qmF19
- Los Angeles County, California: A jury has convicted a sheriff’s deputy of repeatedly assaulting and threatening his girlfriend after she discovered he was having an affair. He faces up to eight years in state prison when he is sentenced. ow.ly/qmHnn
- Update: Jupiter, Florida (First reported 09-12-13): An attorney for the officer charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon said videotape released by the state attorney’s office showed the charge against the veteran law enforcement officer wasn’t warranted. ow.ly/qmrM3
- La Crosse, Wisconsin: The state justice department has charged a former police lieutenant with trying to steal pain pills. The officer resigned after he was arrested. http://ow.ly/qmFKy
- Whitley County, Kentucky: The now-former sheriff was sentenced to 17 years and ordered to pay $335,188 in restitution. The indictment charges him with 12 counts of abuse of public trust exceeding $10,000 but less than $100,000, 6 counts of abuse of public trust less than $10,000 and 3 counts of tampering with physical evidence. http://ow.ly/qoXd9
- Tempe, Arizona: A police officer has resigned and faces the possibility of criminal charges. Police have confirmed there is an investigation involving hindering prosecution happening within the department.http://ow.ly/qmmWS
- Macedon, New York: A police officer is accused of removing an item of evidence from the police department for his personal benefit. He is also accused of stealing approximately $2,200 from the Macedon Association of Police Officers. ow.ly/qnmxW