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Rochester, NY Police officer Violates Code of Ethics, and his Sworn Oath to Serve and Protect

Davy V. 3675 Views , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Davy V.

There is a section of the Rochester, NY Police department’s Code of Ethics which reads: “I WILL never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions.”

On Monday, April 29th, I promised my two sons, ages 9 and 11, and my niece, 12, to take them to the first day of filming for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, on the first day of filming in downtown Rochester.

We woke up at 4 a.m., showered, and grabbed breakfast, making it to downtown by 5:30 am, in anticipation of big crowds, a Spider-Man would surely attract.

As we walked down West Main Street, after parking at the Sister Cities garage, near City Hall, I wanted to make sure we got a good spot from which to watch from, away from traffic, and the stunt scenes which would be filmed, as my main concern was my children’s safety.

About halfway down the block, we found a spot we liked, and stopped.

At that point, a man told me to ask and make sure it was ok to stand there.

Seeing no one else around, except a Rochester, NY Police officer who was about 100 feet away, I decided to ask the officer where it was ok to watch from.

“Good morning”, I said as I approached the officer who was standing near his W-46 cruiser.

The officer took one look at me, and asked me “What’s your name?”, as he looked at my press pass for Minority Reporter Media Group, the publisher for two local publications I write for, and then said “I’m not talking to you!”, and walked away

It was here where, I turned on my iPad, which I had been holding, and proceeded to ask the officer, whom I have never met, or seen before in my life, for his name, which as you can see in the video below, he refused to give me.

Clearly, this Rochester, NY Police officer doesn’t like me.

He doesn’t have to like me.

However, to allow his personal feelings, prejudices, or animosities that he has towards me as a result of my work exposing police misconduct, and corruption on the part of the Rochester, NY Police department, is not only a clear violation of the RPD’s Code of Ethics, but a violation of his sworn oath to serve and protect.

This Rochester, NY Police officer’s outright refusal to help me find a safe location for my children and myself to stand, is more than deplorable, frankly it’s disgusting.

For this officer to potentially put young children’s safety at risk by refusing to assist us, all because of an obvious animosity he has towards me, is something that the Rochester, NY Police department, especially Chief James Sheppard, should NOT condone.

After all, on the Rochester, NY Police department’s new website, it states: “Embracing a philosophy of Policing in the Spirit of Service represents the Rochester Police Department’s commitment to consistently provide excellent police services to all of the Rochester community. This commitment requires every employee to strive for excellence, while demonstrating courtesy, professionalism and ethics. It is important to acknowledge that every interaction with the community has an impact not only on each individual employee’s reputation, but on the reputation of the entire Rochester Police Department as well.”

Yep Chief Sheppard,

By your officer allowing his personal feelings to get in the way of him doing his job, it certainly does have an impact on your entire department.

Chief Sheppard, officers like this are the reason the community does not trust, or respect your department.

 

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Davy V.

Davy V. is a Cuban-American Filmmaker, Video Producer, Photographer and Freelance Writer, best known for using the power of video and film to expose Police Brutality, Corruption and Misconduct. The son of the late Mario Vara, a community activist who for years fought against Police Brutality and Misconduct in Rochester, New York, Davy V. got his start in Television and Video by tagging along and working camera for his father's cable access television show, "La Voz Del Pueblo" (The Voice of The People). Davy V. later went on to produce and host "KEEP IT ON THE REEL", a cable access TV show with a mix of Hip Hop as well as issues affecting African-Americans and Latinos in Rochester, NY, such as Police Brutality and Misconduct. Some guests on the show included Treach, KayGee and Vinnie of Naughty by Nature, Method Man, Funkdoobiest, Da Youngstas, and the Rottin' Razkals. Davy V. won the U.S. ACM Video Festival Award for his Documentary, "R.P.D. EXPOSED!" about the Rochester, New York Police Department and their long history of misconduct, corruption and unnecessary killings of unarmed innocent citizens. "R.P.D. EXPOSED!" and Davy V.'s follow up, "R.P.D.: Badges of DISHONOR, CORRUPTION and MURDER!" were both screened at the National Hip Hop Political Convention at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. Davy V.'s work has been featured in publications such as THE SOURCE Hip Hop Magazine, URBAN AMERICA Magazine, The Ave. Magazine, Insider Magazine, La Voz Newspaper, Minority Reporter Newspaper, CNY LATINO Newspaper, DOWN Magazine, as well as on television news stations, and programs such as CNN and Inside Edition. In addition to his freelance writing, Davy V. also writes a monthly Op/Ed Column for LA VOZ Magazine and Minority Reporter Newspaper. In June 2012, Davy V. joined Cop Block as a regular contributor.