In Nashville, Tennessee, an audit of West Tennessee’s 24th Judicial Drug Task Force has found abuses, including thefts by the group’s administrative assistant and jail trustees partying with seized crack cocaine. The investigation conducted by the state Comptroller’s Division of County Audit, which also found that District Attorney General Hansel McCadams and Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew liked to drive around in a seized BMW Z-3 on personal business. Auditors found that items seized from drug defendants were stolen or misused, with the administrative assistant and her ex-husband admitting to taking drugs, utility trailers, and a flat-screen television from the task force. Auditors also found that jail trustees had access to seized items and were not adequately supervised. Some trustees gained access to drug case files, smoked pot and crack while at the task force headquarters, and stole cash, coins, and other items. Prosecutor McCadams was cited for using a variety of seized vehicles including a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a golf cart, a go cart, a four-wheeler and a trailer for his personal use. He flew on task force airplanes and a helicopter on non-official business, according to the report. No word yet on whether anyone is going to face criminal charges.

In San Francisco, the former commander of an East Bay drug task force was indicted Monday on a slew of federal corruption charges along with a friend who is a private investigator. Norman Wielsch, the former commander of the Contra Costa County Central Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), and private eye Chris Butler face numerous counts in an ongoing scandal that has already enveloped other members of the squad. They allegedly ripped-off marijuana and methamphetamine from the evidence room and resold it, provided protection to a bordello, and committed armed robberies of prostitutes, among other corrupt activities made possible by Wielsch’s command position with the task force. They are charged with narcotics conspiracy, two counts of methamphetamine distribution, five counts of marijuana distribution, four counts of theft from programs receiving federal funds, three counts of civil rights conspiracy, and two counts of extortion. They were being held pending a bail hearing at last report.

In Greenville, Missouri, the former Carter County sheriff was ordered last Friday to stand trial on three drug-related felonies, including distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. Tommy Adams, 31, appeared at a preliminary hearing after which Associate Circuit Judge Randy Schuller found probable cause to believe he had committed those crimes. During the hearing, criminal investigators testified that Adams had consented to searches in April that led to the discovery of a small amount of cocaine in an evidence bag in his department-issued vehicle and that an evidence bag containing cocaine was missing from the evidence room. Investigators also found five bags of methamphetamine hidden under the vehicle’s gas pedal. The searches came after an informant wearing a wire bought meth from Adams. After being arrested in May, Adams tested positive for methamphetamine. Adams resigned after his May arrest. He now awaits trial.

This Week’s Corrupt Cops Stories is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

In San Francisco, the city public defender is accusing undercover narcotics officers of stealing from suspects. For the second time in a week, Public Defender Jeff Adachi has released surveillance video footage that shows two officers walking into a residential hotel empty handed and leaving with bags that were not booked into evidence. One of the men whose rooms were searched, Jesus Reyes, said he recognized a backpack that was his being carried off. It contained a laptop computer and Sony digital camera. The officers with the bag were identified as Richard Guerrero and Reynaldo Vargas. Guerrero faces similar allegations in another case. Reyes was charged with meth possession, but those charges were dropped when Guerrero did not show up for court after being subpoenaed. SFPD officials said five officers seen on the video had been removed from plainclothes duty. The other three are Jacob Fegan, Christopher Servat, and Adam Kujath. This marks the second time in the past week Adachi has used video footage to allege police conducted illegal searches or stole from suspects. The revelations have prompted the dismissal of nearly a hundred cases and led the FBI to open an investigation. Stay tuned. 

In London, Kentucky, the former Whitley County sheriff pleaded guilty last Thursday to extortion, drug, and conspiracy charges for a pattern of conduct that extended throughout his stay in office. In pleading guilty, Lawrence Hodges acknowledged that he had been popping pain pills, ripping off cash from the office, and extorting drug dealers by busting them and then funneling them to a local attorney. Hodges got $50,000 in kickbacks, the sheriff’s office got $50,000 in “donations,” and the dealers got more lenient treatment. He admitted stealing $64,897 from the sheriff’s office, part of which went to buy pain pills. He also admitted looking the other way on drug sales by his favored dealers. Prosecutors are recommending 15-years in prison when he is sentenced in August. Hodges also faces a state court prosecution in which he is charged with stealing $350,000 from his office. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge. He was jailed pending sentencing.

In Eureka, California, a former Eureka police officer was charged April 14 on a raft of counts suggesting he was a rogue officer. Daniel Kalis had been under investigation since January by the Humboldt County district attorney’s office, and the Eureka Police initiated their own investigation in March. On March 7, Kalis was placed on leave. He resigned early in April. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance (heroin), unauthorized communication with a prisoner, possession of more than an ounce of marijuana, false imprisonment, possession of controlled substances without a prescription, unauthorized disclosure of motor vehicle records, unauthorized access to a computer network, petty theft, and vandalism. More charges could be pending.

In Muscatine, Iowa, a former Muscatine police officer pleaded guilty last Friday to drug and theft charges. Scott Burk, 48, was arrested last August after an investigation by state and local police. Authorities found cocaine in his vehicle and home, along with missing funds from the Muscatine County Drug Task Force. He pleaded guilty to cocaine possession, a drug tax stamp violation, and second-degree theft charges. He faces a year for the possession charge, and five years each for the other two. He will be sentenced in July. His attorney said Burke is currently in drug treatment and will seek probation.

This Week’s Corrupt Cops Stories is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

This is as good of an example as you can get of asserting your rights.   Pete is no stranger to filming police and this is the second video of his used by Cop Block.  The first was confronting Arlington police officers about parking their cruiser illegally, which Cop Block is still waiting to hear the outcome of that investigation.  Pete’s decisions to go to his girlfriends aid, film the police, open carry a firearm, refuse to produce ID and to walk away from the police, without satisfying their request, were all perfectly legal acts.

Though you don’t ever have to talk to the police, Pete has a background in Law Enforcement along with a great knowledge of open carry laws.  Therefore, while he still talked to the police and provided them with information, above and beyond what’s legally required, he did so with caution.  Stating things like, “yes, I have an ID but am I legally required to show you?”  When told he was legally required to (a lie) Pete would ask if the officers could show him that statue which states such?  Pete does this because the police are legally allowed to lie to you, which they did several times in this video, but Pete counters that by asking questions to the officers which would force them to back up their lies.  As you can see they were unable to do that. After talking with them for a few minutes  Pete stated he was going to leave and why, then slowly backed away.

They didn’t follow him after that and he never had to produce his government issued ID.  There really was no wrong doings by the police officers in this video (other than the harassment and lying) as they seemed to be stumped by Pete’s actions.  Though they have typical cop syndrome of ‘if you have nothing to hide why don’t you just give us what we ask for and/or do what we say.’  You’d think that with all the police training and on the job experiences they would of quickly came to the conclusion that felons don’t walk up to cops openly displaying not only a firearm but a camera too.  Do these cops think that Pete is going to film his last five minutes of freedom, if he were a felon?  I highly doubt it and I’m speaking from the perspective of a felon (as I’m a victim of the drug war).

So what can be learned from this video? A lot, but the two biggest things to me are how Pete always keeps his cool and doesn’t get in a shouting match with the officers.  He doesn’t try to impress them with a bunch of legal rambling that would make him seem like ‘a know it all.’  He lets the officers speak and then replies giving as little information as possible in a calm cool collected manner.  The second is how Pete counters questions with questions.  In most cases, unless driving or suspected of criminal activity, you’re not required legally to produce ID when asked to by an officer.  Cops phrase it as a request, may I see your ID?  Which isn’t them telling you to produced it but merely a request to.  Sometimes when asked if you legally have to show them they lie and say yes because they can lie. Therefore instead of just  handing it over ask them, ‘Am I legally required to do so?”  If they say yes then ask to see the law.  If you start to feel uncomfortable remember at any point you can simply stop talking to them.  State that unless you’re under arrest you’re just going to go on your way, like Pete does here.  Leaving the cops dumbfounded.

Cop Block is hoping to get more videos like this.  So the next time you see a cop stopping somebody outside your home or down the street grab your camera.  Film them, even if there seems to be nothing going on.  Most likely the cop will ask you why you were filming the stop?  I tell the police that I’m filming to hold everyone (including myself) accountable.  We need to make this the norm as it’s a crucial method to holding officers accountable for their actions.

If you can’t film the police sharing Cop Block’s website and social networks is just as helpful.

Standing Your Ground Against Police is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights