When the Police Officer is the Criminal
Every police department has problems, but, when plagued with criminal behavior among their own, the question must be asked, what are police departments doing regarding criminal activities. Is the hiring and screening process effective? What about officer moral or family violence within the rank and file? It is time to wake up the top brass across the country and implement effective solutions when it pertains to their own. Blue must not longer protect blue!
Another Chicago police officer has been stripped of his powers, according to today's Chicago Tribune, while officials investigate allegations that he was part of a credit card theft ring that preyed on intoxicated victims downtown, police said.
As many as five people allegedly befriended people downtown and took them to bars, where they got them drunk, according to a Chicago Police Department spokesperson.
The suspects allegedly would take the victims to ATMs, where they would watch them remove money and memorize their passwords; and then, pickpocket the victims and use credit cards to get cash and items at stores.
An off-duty tactical police officer, a 7-year department veteran who has not been charged and is the only officer alleged to be involved in the ring, was allegedly sitting in a car outside the store while Clark used the credit card.
Police arrested the officer and questioned him, and then forwarded the case to the state's attorney's office. Prosecutors declined to bring charges against the officer at the time due to "insufficient evidence," Conklin said.
But the police department's internal affairs division continues to investigate, and charges against the officer still could come, Bond said. Police have scheduled an afternoon news conference to talk about the investigation.
