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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #603)
Drug War Issues

Cops busted for testilying, a deputy arrested for demanding a bribe from a pot grower, a jail guard arrested for smuggling pot into the prison, and a Michigan town still doesn't know who stole drug buy money from the police department. Let's get to it:

If we can't keep drugs out of the prisons, how can we keep them out of the country?
In Los Angeles, three LAPD officers were charged Wednesday with lying under oath in a drug possession case that was dismissed last year after a videotape contradicted their testimony. Officers Richard Amio and Even Samuel testified that they chased a man into an apartment building and saw him throw away a black object. They testified that Samuel picked it up and found $260 worth of powder and crack cocaine in it. But videotape from the apartment building showed the officers searching for more than 20 minutes before producing their "evidence." A third officer, Manuel Ortiz, also testified about the case at a preliminary hearing. The judge in the drug possession case dropped the charges against the defendant at prosecutors' request. The three officers all face perjury and conspiracy charges.

In Lebanon, Ohio, a Lebanon Correctional Institution guard was arrested last Friday on charges he was trying to bring drugs into the prison. Guard Dennis O'Rourke, 25, was arrested by state troopers as he met his contact to pick up marijuana. He is charged with attempting to convey drugs onto the grounds of a detention facility, a third-degree felony, and child endangerment, a first-degree misdemeanor, because he had his two-year-old daughter with him during the drug transaction.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a Broward County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Friday for accepting money from a marijuana grower not to arrest him. Deputy Manuel Silva, a nine-year department veteran, allegedly showed up at the grow house last week in plain clothes, but carrying a badge and a gun. He was arrested after picking up an unspecified amount of cash. Silva went down after the grower told someone else about the incident, who in turn went to the authorities. He is now charged with burglary, armed extortion, and drug possession -- he happened to be carrying some oxycodone not prescribed to him when he was arrested. No word on what happened to the grower.

In Troy, Michigan, Troy police still can't find $40,000 that went missing from a police safe in January. The money was earmarked for narcotics investigations. The Oakland County Sheriff's Department has not closed its investigation, but admits it is at a standstill. The Troy police say they have changed policies and procedures regarding funds and restricted the amount of cash on hand for special investigations.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Dr. Lou Jellyfinger (not verified)

Just more seedy side effects of prohibition. It makes me smile and at the same time feel bad for these guy's. That they have to go through the disgraceful stigma that is the war on drugs. It always greed or ego that causes them to go bad.

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 2:47am Permalink
JohnnyLaw (not verified)

In reply to by Dr. Lou Jellyfinger (not verified)

shut up dont talk bad about the war on drugs were keeping them off the streets and saving children and adults lives from the dangers of drugs u sicko

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 5:26pm Permalink
who's ignorant (not verified)

In reply to by JohnnyLaw (not verified)

Put down the evidence you stole I dont know what streets you are talking about but if you think your making a difference you really need help the drugs are worse now than when Nixon started this boondoggle

Sat, 10/10/2009 - 6:26pm Permalink
Randall (not verified)

In reply to by JohnnyLaw (not verified)

Your hate for your fellow citizens is reprehensible. I truly hope you are not in "law enforcement". Our children, yours and MINE, are at threat because of prohibition and those, like you, who have been irreparably warped by the lies and perjuries that led to prohibition. I call on all that's holy to show you the error of your ways. Professional help? I think you're past it but, give it a try. Find out why you hate so much!

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 1:45pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

Now Mr. Silva will get a taste of the ridiculous drug laws he's been enforcing. Poetic justice is served! Have fun in jail, hope you rot in there with all the poor souls you've locked up for petty drug offenses. Better yet, maybe they can let one of them out to make room for you?

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:26am Permalink
Russ D (not verified)

These are just the ones we know of because they were caught!

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 12:04pm Permalink
ChiefSittingBull69 (not verified)

it seam to me that Cops are just as BAD as the crooks them selfs...
stolen money---and drugs

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 12:06pm Permalink
Rwolf (not verified)

In the U.S., increasing numbers of Private Contractors work on asset forfeitures to make commissions that are split with law enforcement agencies. Private Contractors work so closely with law enforcement to forfeit Citizens' property-providing and sharing intelligence, they appear to merge with police: that close working relationship lends itself to corruption. A dishonest Asset Forfeiture Bounty Hunter may too easily kick back part of his or her forfeiture commission to corrupt police and informants to ensure their testimony damages or frames a defendant to cause asset forfeiture.

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 12:20pm Permalink
johnnylawthesecond (not verified)

ur all just a bunch of druggies who wanna legalize to get high all the time look drugs have been illegal since day one so shut up and go get real lives and stop being a burden on socity

Sat, 10/10/2009 - 4:04am Permalink
Rwolf (not verified)

In reply to by johnnylawthesecond (not verified)

Since your allegation appears to include everyone who made a comment displayed above yours, I will extend my statement that concerned the problem of "Cop Perjury" causing asset forfeiture of Citizens' property: Copy perjury in any police investigation or prosecution is a serious concern for all Americans: Cop perjury threatens the legitimacy of our Justice System: For Your Information: There are more than 200 crimes and violations mentioned in the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 and the Patriot Act (That Have Nothing To Do With illegal Drugs) that can subject property to civil asset forfeiture.” Under federal civil forfeiture laws, a person or business need not be charged with a crime for government to forfeit their property. The government's standard of evidence to forfeit property is only a "preponderance of evidence", little more than hearsay. So it is important that Cops Don't Lie" when they seek search warrants and testify in court.

Sat, 10/10/2009 - 12:29pm Permalink
Randall (not verified)

In reply to by johnnylawthesecond (not verified)

You said "drugs have been illegal since day one". The Harrison Act was not day one. For reference, try the Bible if you are Christian. The Harrison Act (1907,I believe) was a piece of crap legislation meant to protect commercial interests and corrupt our legal system. Oh yeah and, to produce mindless twits like you.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 2:03pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

This nation's current failed drug policy has corrupted law enforcement to its very core. Virtually all of law enforcement is in it one way or another, grabbing that overtime to fight the "war on drugs" or participating directly in criminal activity. I personally know of two sheriffs in south eastern Arizona who made long time sport of searching for young girls using marijuana in deserted areas. They would let them off, keeping the drugs to sell later, in exchange for oral sex and the promise to keep the incident quiet. Even when caught, which is extremely rare, law enforcement criminals almost always get off with a slap on the wrist, followed with a nod and a wink.

Sun, 10/11/2009 - 11:57am Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

Isn,t it more like her cell ph# and and pack of zigzags? hahah
I know how not funny the whole damned thing is we must start voteing out of the 2 party system until we smarten up and get these sob's out of office there will never be any change that will help this country grow to the greatest country on earth , we are already very close , but some how they jacked the constitution and started to nul and void it .

Tue, 10/13/2009 - 2:38am Permalink

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