QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES
Means "Who Polices the Police?"

From the Houston Chronicle:

Deputy resigns after incident at Harris County jail site

In a release issued about 5 p.m., officials said 38-year-old deputy Duane Peterson resigned today.

Video of the alleged assault against an inmate was submitted to the Inspector General of the Sheriff's Department on Aug. 12 and Peterson was immediately removed from inmate contact status, authorities said.

More here.

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Another NOPD officer fired over incident at Treme community center

The high-profile misconduct case had already resulted in the firing of Officer Ashley Terry, who police say violated multiple department standards by exhibiting her firearm and screaming profanities at a woman in the carpool line at the center. Terry was off-duty and picking up her 7-year-old nephew from the center.

Following an administrative hearing Friday morning, Superintendent Warren Riley fired Officer David Ellis, a five-year veteran who went to the community center to investigate the 911 call stemming from Terry's outburst, according to a NOPD news release. He spoke only with Terry before finding the complaints about her conduct "unfounded."

The internal investigation into Ellis' conduct found he violated several departmental regulations, including those related to courtesy, truthfulness, neglect of duty and failing to maintain standards.

More here.

From Democracy Now:

Maryland State Police Spied on Peace, Anti-Death Penalty Groups

The American Civil Liberties Union released documents Thursday showing that undercover officers from the Maryland State Police spied on peace groups and anti-death penalty protesters for over a year in 2005 and 2006. The police summaries and intelligence logs reveal that covert agents infiltrated groups like the antiwar Baltimore Pledge of Resistance, the Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty, and the Committee to Save Vernon Evans, a death row prisoner. We speak with antiwar activist Max Obuszewski and with journalist Dave Zirin. Both were the target of surveillance.

More here.

Again from the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

N.O. officer to face sex count

Prosecutors plan to file a sexual assault charge against a New Orleans police officer next week after the officer declined a plea deal, said Robert White, chief of the New Orleans district attorney's public corruption unit.

The officer, Carlos Peralta, reneged during a July 11 Criminal District Court hearing on an agreement to plead guilty to a lesser crime, second-degree battery, White said Friday.

More here.

From WKYC TV in Cleveland:

Oakwood police officer indicted for felonious assault of a driver

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office announced that Oakwood police officer Craig Ali was indicted today on one count of felonious assault during a May 23 incident on Interstate 271 in Oakwood.

On May 23, Ali was working off-duty for a construction site on I-271 near the Broadway Avenue exit ramp in Oakwood.

More here.

From the New York Times:

Officer Indicted for Injuring Yonkers Woman

A YONKERS police officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating the civil rights of a 44-year-old woman by slamming her to the ground during an arrest last year when she tried to check on the condition of her niece after a bar fight. The woman suffered a broken jaw, a concussion and deep bruises across her face.

The incident and its aftermath received wide attention because the Westchester County district attorney’s office, despite a vivid videotape of the arrest, initially prosecuted the woman, Irma Marquez, not the police officer, Wayne Simoes. Ms. Marquez was acquitted by a state jury in May, and, based on the videotape and testimony from other police officers, the federal authorities filed a criminal complaint charging Officer Simoes with using unreasonable force. Janet DiFiore, the Westchester County district attorney, demoted the Yonkers bureau chief in her office who handled the state prosecution, saying in an interview that “he made a call on that case that was wrong and unacceptable.”

More here.

From the San Lorenzo Press Banner in California:

San Jose police officer jailed for two years

Judge Heather Morse considered sentencing Williams to four years in a state lockup, but a deal was brokered between the two sides in which Williams forfeited his right to appeal and accepted two years in prison without parole. He is required to register as a sex offender after serving his time.

"Especially for my family, we felt like it was the proper way to end it," the victim’s father said.

Williams’ sentencing on Monday, Aug. 18, came after he was convicted Aug. 6 on four felony counts of soliciting pornographic photos from a 16-year-old Scotts Valley High basketball player and two misdemeanor counts for having the images and destroying evidence.

Williams was taken from the courtroom Monday wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs. He had a mild white scruff on his face.

"I do apologize for all the pain I’ve caused the (victim’s) family," said Williams, his only admission during the sentencing.

The victim’s father spoke from a prepared statement about how Williams had been a family friend and a fellow Christian whom he trusted.

"Kenny Williams was a wolf in sheep’s clothing," said the father. "Not one or two times, but five."

More here.

From KPHO TV in Phoenix:

Ex-Officer Faces Sentencing In Beating

A police investigation revealed Benjamin Scarborough, 26, an off-duty Phoenix police officer, had punched and kicked the victim several times causing the man to lose consciousness, detectives said.

Several independent witnesses reported that Scarborough continued to hit Lake after he stopped defending himself, detectives said.

More here.

From the Indianapolis Star:

Cop hit with rape charge

An incident that led to an Indianapolis police officer being charged with rape Thursday began, prosecutors say, with a proposition.

"I'm going to give you an option," officer Anthony S. Smith reportedly told a woman with an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. "I can lock you up, but I really don't want to . . . or you can ride with me for an hour."

Marion County prosecutors filed charges of rape, criminal deviate conduct and other crimes, saying Smith later forced the 19-year-old woman to have sex with him or go to jail.

More here.

From WFMZ TV in Pennsylvania:

Bethlehem Cop Questioned in Alleged Police Brutality

An Allentown family is accusing a Bethlehem police officer of using excessive force against its son. Police records show Officer Joseph Ocasio arrested 21-year old Juan Carlos Martinez at Musikfest on August 6th.. for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Martinez's mother says Ocasio beat her son and injured him.

More here.

From the Dayton Daily News:

Dayton to pay $20,000 to victim of excessive force by police officer

Use of unjustified force against a women by a Dayton police officer during a 2006 traffic stop will cost the city $20,000. The Dayton City Commission this week agreed to settle the claim with Dayton resident Sheileda Anthony.

"The incident was investigated. The officer was disciplined as a result of it. He no longer works for the department," Police Chief Richard Biehl said Friday, Aug. 15.

Former Dayton Police Officer Roger Kielbaso, who retired on a medical disability May 19, was suspended 20 days for using excessive force against Anthony. The officer also received an oral reprimand for using "indecent, profane or harsh language" during the stop.

Click here for the rest.

So I've been insisting for a while now that police misconduct happens always, all the time, everywhere, and I'm pretty sure it does. Okay, to be fair, I haven't looked too hard to find any real studies looking at actual numbers - actually, I don't know whether any academics or think tanks are even compiling data in this area - but basing my assertion on the sheer number and frequency of headlines, I think I've got a good argument. Again, to be fair, news coverage itself might be creating an appearance of cops-gone-wild, in a way similar to how the "if it bleeds, it leads" philosophy for local television news has tended to create an illusion that street crime is far worse than it actually is. But my gut instinct here is that whether this is news hysteria or not, each of these stories is real, and they're published every fucking day, which means that there is a fucking shitload of evil cops out there.

I mean, these eleven stories are all recent, within the last two weeks, discovered either during my casual news reading or from a couple of Google searches I did last night. Cops really are going wild. Everywhere. All the time. Always.

Why isn't this a story in itself?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$