Updating big San Bernardino police union announcement
Click below to scope a rough draft of what's cooking for tomorrow ...
Keep in mind that some key sources are not yet included.
But what's crucial here is fleshing out what we announced before: That the police union is alleging that the police administration and "City Hall" stymied detectives' efforts to investigate aspects of the Operation Phoenix debacle ...
Click below for the full ....
By Robert Rogers and Andrew Edwards
Staff Writers
SAN BERNARDINO -- After weeks of rumors that politics trumped police work in a high-profile investigation, the police union on Wednesday declared that detectives had "their hands tied."
Police Officer's Association President Rich Lawhead said the move was motivated in part to clear police rank-and-file from blame for a slow-moving investigation into Mayor Pat Morris' Operation Phoenix program.
"We refuse to stand by and allow the community's faith in our ability to solve crimes to be diminished and allow the reputation of our fine detectives to be sullied by political maneuvering at City Hall and within the department itself," Lawhead said in a prepared statement.
The union's statement draws a sharp contrast with previous public pronouncements by department leadership, which responded to news reports that a participant in the nude photo shoot was not interviewed for more than five weeks with strong denials that politics slowed the pace.
Lt. Scott Paterson said in mid-August that any suggestion that political calculations have hindered the investigation is "absolutely balderdash."
But the union's statement could trigger a new push for subpoena powers and independent probes into Operation Phoenix and the way in which it has been investigated.
Councilwoman Esther Estrada, who lost an earlier bid to grant the council subpoena powers to question city officials, said she will try again to gain the council's support on Sept. 1.
"I have every reason to believe that a supboeana is necessary in order to fully disclose what has happened here," Estrada said. "We need to ensure our children can safely attend these centers."
Rumors had swirled for weeks that political concerns - namely staunching the flow of bad press unleashed by Phoenix Center manager Mike Miller's arrest on 20-plus counts of alleged child molestation - had been at play in the investigation.
Those concerns were heightened when The Sun interviewed Michael Allen, a former Parks and Recreation Department employee fired for being present while Miller snapped photos of an unidentified young nude woman at the Rudy G. Hernandez Center.
Allen said on Aug. 14 that he was not contacted or interviewed by police until the week prior, at which time he said he provided proof that the woman in the photographs was over-18.
Police have not offered an explanation for why it took more than five weeks to interview Allen.
City Attorney James F. Penman said Wednesday the fresh allegations were "troubling," particularly since they came from rank-and-file officers.
Penman noted that he and Councilman Neil Derry took similar concerns about whether political considerations might hinder investigation of the photos to District Attorney Michael Ramos in late July.
"Allegations of this are part of the reason why Derry and I went to the DA," Penman said.
Councilwoman Wendy McCammack, the only councilmember to vote in favor of Estrada's previous move to subpoena witnesses, said the allegations may speak to the need for subpoenas to draw out honest answers from subordinates fearful of their superiors.
"Under oath via subpoena, someone would be able to say this is what we were directed to do, just following orders, if in fact what the POA says is true," McCammack said.
Estrada said the latest news has her as concerned as ever.
"Something is clearly happening within the infrastructure of the city," Estrada said. "I wonder if we've just scratched the tip of the iceburg."
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
I want to go on the record defending the competent work of our detectives and the dedication they display to our community and the victims of these terrible crimes. Speaking as a 25 year veteran of the San Bernardino Police Department, I am proud to work shoulder to shoulder with these men and women and I respect all their efforts. The public needs to know that these investigators are dedicated to this community and the truth.
I also want to applaud Councilwoman Esther Estrada for digging into this important issue. The public deserves nothing less from their elected officials. Councilwoman McCammack hit the nail on the head when she said, the allegations may speak to the need for subpoenas to draw out honest answers from subordinates fearful of their superiors. Thank you for pointing out what Sergeant Lowes and I have been saying for the past 2 1/2 years. Retaliation does exist in the San Bernardino Police Department. Why would a subordinate be fearful of their superiors? Enough is enough. The hard working men and women of this organization deserve better than fear of retaliation from management just for doing the right thing.
Councilwoman Estrada is correct when she says, " I wonder if we've just scratched the tip of the iceburg". Keep digging, the truth will stand alone.
Good for you Desrochers and the Union President Lawhead for speaking up.
It is time that rank and file cops quit getting harrassed for simply doing their jobs.
It's time Police Administrators quit throwing their employees under the bus to protect their political buddies.
I hope you all file a civil rights suit against these responsible for retaliation and then we can all attend the trial and really find out what happened to you all..
Retaliation is alive and well in this County..
You administrators are no better than the very officers you accuse of misconduct in order to divert attention away for your political agenda.
You all can rot in hell for what you do to the good cops.
Sergeant Michael Desrochers,
It is refreshing to read your posts. Thank You
It seems that residents and citizens have been complaining and voicing their concerns for a long time, To NO avail.
You are a courageous soul and officer!
Maybe there is hope for the SB police Dept after all.
Respectfully,
Anonymous
Ummm...Wasn't this your story? http://www.insidesocal.com/news247/2008/08/san-bernardino-police-say-cont.html
This is yet more reasons to have the OP investigation and the P/D involvement with it investigated by a neutral investigating agency. Perhaps some agency that is not nor ever has been associated with Judge Pat Morris. Not saying there is or has been improprieties ongoing but looking at the facts as they have been made public, and the questions that now surround the P/D and it’s leadership and the fact that the P/D Chief is accountable only to Mayor Pat Morris, it would remove the cloud of questionable decision making that is starting to surface. Perhaps the Riverside Sheriff’s office should be asked to assume the investigation of OP and how the SDPD is handling this case and its investigation is now called for to ensure the truth is known, documented and published. Their finding should also be forwarded to the States Attorney General to ensure there is no nepotism with the SB County DA’s office as they worked closely with Judge Morris. All conflict of interest concerns should be removed to allow for an unbiased investigation.
BeenWatching2 has some comments [in brackets] to the following post:
AntiCorruptionUnit said:
Good for you Desrochers and the Union President Lawhead for speaking up. [I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY! DESROCHERS AND LAWHEAD ARE NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND ARE NOT GOING TO LET TOP MANAGEMENT TELL THEM WHAT TO DO!]
It is time that rank and file cops quit getting harrassed for simply doing their jobs.[IT'S TIME FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES TO STOP GETTING HARRASSED FOR DOING THEIR JOB!]
It's time Police Administrators quit throwing their employees under the bus to protect their political buddies. [AGAIN, THIS IS FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES!]
I hope you all file a civil rights suit against these responsible for retaliation and then we can all attend the trial and really find out what happened to you all..[YES, FILE THOSE CLAIMS, NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO FEAR RETALIATION IN THE WORKPLACE!]
Retaliation is alive and well in this County.. [AND IN THE GOOD OLE' SB CITY HALL, TOO!]
You administrators are no better than the very officers you accuse of misconduct in order to divert attention away for your political agenda.[SURE YOU'RE RIGHT! AND THAT'S AN AWFUL THING, UGH!]
You all can rot in hell for what you do to the good cops [WELL, I THINK I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE GREAT JUDGE ABOVE, HE'LL MAKE THINGS RIGHT IN THE END!] BW2