Four Hollywood, Florida, police officers and a crime scene technician are suspended with pay -- and probably contemplating career changes -- after being recorded by a police dashboard camera conspiring to frame a civilian driver for a crash. Alexandra Torrensvilas was arrested for driving under the influence only after a police officer rear-ended her at a traffic light, and that officer and his colleagues openly discussed, within range of the camera's audio pickup, doctoring their stories and the evidence to blame the woman for the collision.
One of the officers can be heard saying, "I don't want to make things up ever, because it's wrong, but if I need to bend it a little bit to protect a cop, I'm gonna."
Also recorded was, "We'll do a little Walt Disney to protect the cop because it wouldn't have mattered because she is drunk anyway."
Suspended in the incident are Officers Joel Francisco and Dewey Pressley, Sgt. Andrew Diaz, community service Officer Karim Thomas and crime scene technician Andrea Tomassi.
Besides blowing the DUI case against Torrensvilas out of the water (charges were dropped,) the officers have compromised every case on which they worked. Since they're on record falsifying testimony, past and present cases in which they testified or were scheduled to testify will have to be reviewed. Some convictions may be overturned and pending charges will likely be dropped.
Broward County Chief Public Defender Howard Finkelstein has also called on state investigators and the FBI to get involved.
Up for discussion: The potential benefit to be had by making sure that all police conversations are recorded.
Dash cams were supposed to be for protecting the cops but they seem to be used more for protecting the public.
"If, from the more wretched parts of the old world, we look at those which are in an advanced stage of improvement, we still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping the spoil of the multitude. Invention is continually exercised, to furnish new pretenses for revenues and taxation. It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without tribute." --Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1791
Build a fire for a politician/bankster/pig and he will be warm for a day. Set a politician/bankster/pig on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
What I want to know is: What does it take to get a pig fired?
Exactly. That's what the blue wall is, job security.
"If, from the more wretched parts of the old world, we look at those which are in an advanced stage of improvement, we still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping the spoil of the multitude. Invention is continually exercised, to furnish new pretenses for revenues and taxation. It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without tribute." --Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1791