The new Police Commissioner

[Lawman 27]

From the article... "Police suspend officer amid sex misconduct investigation"

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...,3381041.story

Several things about this article bother me:

Batts said the officer is alleged to have been on-duty and that the complaint involves an 18-year-old girl.

Can't we have any more to go on? Not to be crude, but what happened to this ADULT and what is the allegation?

"When we make mistakes - or alleged mistakes - we will address them, [and] we will be open and transparent as an organization"

Translation into English: "We have no idea what happened either, but you can bet we are going to GET that Officer."

Simon is a 14-year veteran and has been suspended without pay.

Suspension without pay is a rather serious matter. As I remember it is only used in FELONY MATTERS. Why doesn't the article say more about what happened?

[Lawman 27]

I bring this up because it raises three issues I think need attention...

1) I remember when the Department went after a Police Agent (9 years ago) WITH A VENGENCE. The Agent was totally innocent but that didn't stop the Department from doing everything they could do to shaft her.

2) Officer Simon is a high speed, low drag Officer who is quick to back up other Officers. His integrity is beyond reproach. (Which may be why the Department is trying to shaft him...You just can't have quality Officers in the BPD, now can you)?*

3) It sounds to me that the new Commissioner is just trying to shaft an Officer to endear himself to a Mayor and City Council that aren't too Police friendly anyway.


*Please forgive the heavy sarcasm.

[Lawman 27]

This needs some attention...

There is an Officer, a HIGH SPEED, DEDICATED, POLICE OFFICER who is without a paycheck while the BPD's IAD takes its time trying to find out what happened.

As noted, I do not know the whole story myself, but I do know that any citizen under these circumstances would have the right to a speedy trial to clear himself of the charges.

I remember when Officer J/V was charged with breaking a female suspect's arm during an arrest. IAD did all they could to pursue the charges but (1) there were no witnesses that saw the injury occur; (2) the video system in the area DID NOT record anything unusual; (3) the female never complained to central booking about any injury and [4] OH YES--->THERE WAS NO BREAK ACCORDING TO THE X-RAY!!!

Just so everyone knows, despite all the above evidence against the suspect and for the Officer, the City still paid out $10,000 to the suspect to shut her up.

So justice (at least for the Officers) does not seem to exist in the City, now does it?

[StraightShooter]

Lawman,

Yes, suspension without pay is (supposedly) reserved for police accused / charged with committing a felony. But don't expect any discourse on here. It is a cop who is being discriminated against, and cops have no rights or protections in Baltimore City. If this were any other person, the outrage would be freeflowing. What is truly sad is that this new Commissioner has suspended an officer for doing no more than he himself was widely reported as having done on his previous jobs (numerous times, to numerous women). Actually less, because I do not know of any alleged violence on the part of the suspended officer, unlike the new Commissioner...

Welcome to Kevin Clark round two, where police are nothing but tools for the City while real police work continues to swirl down the drain, trumped by stats and spreadsheets. The sole focus of cops today in Baltimore City is get enough numbers to stay out of trouble. Period. Nothing more, plenty less.

[Lawman 27]

Lawman,

Yes, suspension without pay is (supposedly) reserved for police accused / charged with committing a felony. But don't expect any discourse on here. It is a cop who is being discriminated against, and cops have no rights or protections in Baltimore City. If this were any other person, the outrage would be freeflowing. What is truly sad is that this new Commissioner has suspended an officer for doing no more than he himself was widely reported as having done on his previous jobs (numerous times, to numerous women). Actually less, because I do not know of any alleged violence on the part of the suspended officer, unlike the new Commissioner...

Welcome to Kevin Clark round two, where police are nothing but tools for the City while real police work continues to swirl down the drain, trumped by stats and spreadsheets. The sole focus of cops today in Baltimore City is get enough numbers to stay out of trouble. Period. Nothing more, plenty less.

I'm hearing rumors that the actual incident is not what was reported (big surprise there, huh).

Wouldn't it be nice if the local media would stop groveling over the Mayor long enough to investigate to see:

If the charges have any basis in reality.

and, if so...

Why the charges warranted suspension without pay.

______________

I mean, you are talking about an Officer with a family who is out of a paycheck and no one seems worried about it (or in a hurry to solve the issue).