Monday, April 13, 2015

There is a history of culture problems in San Bernardino County's Sheriff's Department.

January 25, 2013

Another embarrassing incident for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. (click here)
Another Deputy alleged to have had sex with a inmate. This time at the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center in Devore. The incident follows a similar event made public just a week or so before.
Combine this developing news, with a series of Deputy-Explorer sex scandals from the past two years, and it just doesn’t look too good at this point.
Discipline and organizational attitudes flow from the top down and something has to change.
Newly-appointed Sheriff-Coroner John McMahon has two important tasks he must face if he’s to be successful.
Those tasks being; re-establish discipline in the ranks; and keeping District Attorney Michael Ramos at bay from sinking his claws into him.
I’ve done some checking recently and it looks as if McMahon still has pretty much no significant baggage. He’s a family man without any known predisposition for womanizing, and an essentially good reputation and record....

This is the county where Chris Dorner attempted to hide from authorities.

February 11, 2014
By Rina Palta

The officers involved in the standoff (click here) and shootout that ultimately led to the death of ex-LAPD cop Christopher Dorner acted lawfully by using deadly and non-deadly force against him. The conclusion is included in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office final report on the incident, which was made public on Tuesday. The complete report can be read below. 

On February 12, 2013, Dorner died in a cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains after a lengthy shootout with law enforcement agents. At that point, Dorner had killed three people: two civilians in Irvine and an officer in Riverside, according to authorities. There was a massive manhunt for him, which stretched into Mexico and neighboring states. He later killed a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy during the shootout near Big Bear, according to authorities....

Chris Dorner was armed. He was not only armed, he was lethal. Not everyone in this county is Chris Dorner. The mistreatment by police or sheriff deputies of people that may be facing charges will only work in the favor of the criminal if there is abuse and brutality involved. 

April 15, 2013
By Tami Abdollah

LOS ANGELES — A San Bernardino County (click here) sheriff's deputy killed in a shootout with a man believed to be fugitive former LAPD officer Chris Dorner had gone into the search happy to help his community but wary of the dangers.
San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon identified the deputy Wednesday as Jeremiah MacKay, a man who grew up in the area and followed his father into public service.
MacKay suffered multiple gunshot wounds Tuesday and was transported to Loma Linda Hospital where he died of his injuries. He was 35.
MacKay was a detective who had been with the department for 15 years.... 

The DOJ needs to assess these problems as profound. They are everywhere. It almost doesn't matter the state. There are problems with the police culture in the USA. It may or may not have anything to do with the militarization of the police. But, whatever it is there needs to be a change in the methodology. 

My concerns may be unfounded, but, the police may very well be creating their own problems with violence in law enforcement that kills officers. It may be a self defeating strategy. The more violent the police, the more violent the community in response to the police force. The deadly instances were initiated over the most minor of charges. That methodology has  to change across the country. There are other ways of policing minor incidents than engaging police officers.

Add to that the 'pay to play' stuff in Tulsa and the DOJ is looking at some very ugly situations with unknown reasons for their occurrence. How could a 73 year old man volunteer for a police sting operation? That is just bizarre. I always thought police sting operations were about dangerous crime networks, not a single man with one gun for sale. According to what is being reported, there was more than a good reason to arrest Mr. Harris if he was engaging in illegal activity. So, why the sting operation in the first place? The entire circumstances in this instance is out of line with any form of policing methodology.