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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #535)
Drug War Issues

Belated justice comes for two crooked cops, one in Dallas and one in Long Beach. Let's get to it:

In Los Angeles, a former Long Beach police officer was sentenced Monday to eight years and one month in federal prison for participating in a series of home invasion robberies staged to look like legitimate drug raids. Joseph Ferguson, 33, was convicted of three counts in January, including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Ferguson was part of a ring of Los Angeles and Long Beach police officers who committed more than 30 home invasion robberies, using stolen LAPD vehicles to rob homes where they thought drugs or cash were stored. Of the 19 members of the ring, 15 have pleaded guilty, two are fugitives, and two, Ferguson and his brother, another Long Beach cop, were found guilty at trial.

In Dallas, the former Dallas narcotics detective at the center of the "sheet-rock" scandal has begun serving a five-year prison sentence. Former Dallas police officer Mark Delapaz was found guilty of lying to a judge to obtain a search warrant in the scandal, which saw dozens of innocent immigrants sent to prison after being arrested by Delapaz and his partners and charged with cocaine possession. But the "cocaine" turned out to be gypsum, similar to the stuff sheet rock is made of. Delapaz was sentenced for tampering with evidence and aggravated perjury. The scandal has cost the city $4 million in payouts to victims and led to changes in departmental policy. Another officer involved, Jeffrey Harwood, was sentenced to two years probation after a jury found him guilty of lying on a police report, and cases are still pending for two other officers, Eddie Herrera and David Larsen.

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Comments

Anonymous (not verified)

Many people would say crime is a sign of the times, i.e. personal money troubles, marital problems, girlfriend, boyfriend problems. Police today are under a-lot of pressure and stress, and this is the first time they have been in trouble. Ladies and Gentlmen this is nothing new under the sun.
These are the types of excuses offered-up by law enforcement officials that are caught breaking the law. What is meant to be written and said, is;
"This is the first time they have been caught". And the many other times civilians complained about the police officers conduct. Well, we just ignored those complaints.

If anyone in the "Civilian World" speaks-out and complains against civil liberties violations. Civilians are made uncomfortable and are intimidated.

Prior the corrupt and convicted police officers demise. Civil Liberties violations suffered by a civilian at the hands of one of these types of police officers are tolerated and un-challenged and un-investigated. This is done in many cities and small towns across the U.S.

It is my opinion, that most readers today have had a run-in with a verbally aggressive and physically intimidating police officer at one time or another. I would be willing to bet that there are police officials that are aquainted with a fellow official that violates civil liberties and matters of law, all the time. No sweat, right? He or she is a good police officer and makes many arrests. Yes, but at what price?

The civilian is ignored and or harrassed by the very people that swore an oath to protect and to serve them. What a shame. One must wait until the victims and crimes created by the corrupt police oficials. Become to numerous to ignore any longer.

The police officer that does not understand the very basics of law enforcement and matters of law, has no business dispensing the law. It is we, the citizen, that suffers.

Do no Evil, Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil, Also Known As, "The Blue Line."

A.K.A. : "Monkey See and Monkey Do."

Fri, 05/09/2008 - 12:54pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

lock him up throw away the key 5 years for a normal citizen this would be 50 years. of course the world takes care of tjeir own

Fri, 05/09/2008 - 7:33pm Permalink

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