Oakland PD under Civilian Control after scandals; Cops accused of raping sex traffic victim

I mean, wow. Not that this is surprising coming from Oakland, but this is disturbing. I encourage you to read the entirely of the articles.

LATIMES
ThinkProgres

And it's some very serious stuff with some very serious and disgusting accusations:

The Oakland Police Department is now under civilian control after a series of incidents of misconduct recently came to light. Multiple police chiefs stepped down after allegations that officers raped an underage sex trafficking victim, covered up crimes, and sent racist text messages.

Oakland has gone through three police chiefs in the past nine days.

Three police chiefs in nine days. The most recent one involves racist text message, but is only one is a more serious list of accusations, including rape (and trafficking) of an underage trafficking victim, planting evidence, and suspicion in one of the officer's wife's "suicide."

High on the list of the serious investigations facing the department: a number of officers may have raped an underage sex trafficking victim. The woman, now 18-years-old, said the sex trafficking involved 14 officers from the Oakland Police Department as well as officers from other police departments in the area.

The discovery of the officers’ alleged rape of an underage trafficking victim happened after an Oakland police officer, Brendan O’Brien, died by suicide and left a note mentioning details of a sex trafficking scandal . . .

She was trafficked among O’Brien’s fellow officers for half a year.

This is reprehensible.

Question is, how common is this in city police departments? I'm sure we can presume corruption is fairly common, I wonder the extent in other precincts and departments. It's unlikely this is an "isolated incident," and we have seen the amount of corruption in other departments across the country.

As attorney John Burris says

“It appears to be a cesspool here,” he said. “But you gotta keep working at it to drain the swamps.”

Sounds like another big government failure.

It's common because they can get away with it without prosecution because of the unions.

One set of laws for us, one set of laws for them? Yeah ... we've seen how well that works out.

So some top cops didn't get to keep their coveted position? Where in the Hell is the lynch mob? That's what this calls for.

ETA:

As the mayor of Oakland I am here to run a Police Department, not a frat house.
— Mayor Libby Schaaf

Maybe she's the one who really needs to go. It's always the mayor's fault that she hired them and kept them on the force. Who gives a crap if a bunch of unionized cops walk off the job. Fire every single one of them ... and you'll be able to start with a fresh mindset.

Question is, how common is this in city police departments? I'm sure we can presume corruption is fairly common, I wonder the extent in other precincts and departments.

What precinct doesn't have its tales of graft and corruption.

The larger the city, the more potential.

People think that the days of Capone , where whole governments, cops judges and politicians were bribed, paid off and blackmailed happened only in the past.

When you hear about it, its usually just the tip of the iceberg.

Firing squad needed I think.
Horrible, horrible specimens.

LEO agencies attract degenerates who count on the fraternity to shield them from the consequences of committing reprehensible acts.

It's like pedophiles being drawn to the Catholic priesthood.

Or sociopaths going into teaching.

If you know someone contemplating going into law enforcement, look out.

a reply to: NthOther

It does attract a lot of weirdos not all but a lot. I know a few police officers who are pretty cool and good people however I also have encountered the other brand as well.

I would never become a police officer because I have a short fuse when it comes to dealing with political games with others. I have a tendency to be confrontational and cut right through the bs and I'm afraid that wouldn't go over well in that setting and I would find myself in a hairy situation fast.

There has always been corruption in police departments. Policemen are human, and most humans are corruptable. That's why transparency is so important. A policeman holds superior authority over civilians by virtue of necessity. With authority comes responsibility, and it is the absolute responsibility of any police department to hold its policemen to a high standard.

We have lately seen a continuing decline in the desire/ability of police departments to do this. That's why the ability of civilians to video policemen during the performance of their duties is so important, but for quite some time this was frowned upon if not literally outlawed. It's why accusations of wrongdoing must be completely open and transparent, yet we have seen increasing accusations of secrecy, questionable investigation results, and now outright accusations of heinous crimes that threaten to cripple the effectiveness of the department.

It's not just Oakland. This is happening all across the nation. Oakland just appears (hopefully) to be one of the worst, and one of the first to fall. The question is: what's next? What happens if this 'civilian control' doesn't work? Will the police department be disbanded? If so, what will happen to the crime rate? I think we all know the answer to that.

What we need are real police. Real heroes who try every day to do the right thing and take their responsibility seriously. Real heroes who can handle dangerous situations without making them worse. What we have, mostly, are what I call 'quarter-cops'... they need four to do the job of one good cop. They fear everything and everyone, and use that fear to justify panic mistakes or outright ludicrous actions against the innocent. We have vigilantes with badges who see themselves as the final word on right/wrong, legal/illegal, guilty/innocent. We have uninformed, uncaring, uncompassionate people with badges who look only to their own power, finances, and ego, with no thought to those who they deal with.

I know; I have met them. I have also met some officers who I respect and admire: the heroes I mentioned earlier. It's just that they are rapidly being outnumbered by the others. No one with integrity wants to work among corruption.

The solution? I'm not sure there is one at this point. If there is one, I know it must begin with the police admitting the problems with themselves, and that simply isn't something I consider likely.

TheRedneck

originally posted by: Snarl
One set of laws for us, one set of laws for them? Yeah ... we've seen how well that works out.

So some top cops didn't get to keep their coveted position? Where in the Hell is the lynch mob? That's what this calls for.

ETA:

As the mayor of Oakland I am here to run a Police Department, not a frat house.
— Mayor Libby Schaaf

Maybe she's the one who really needs to go. It's always the mayor's fault that she hired them and kept them on the force. Who gives a crap if a bunch of unionized cops walk off the job. Fire every single one of them ... and you'll be able to start with a fresh mindset.

She just got elected last year lol. If anything, she's trying to clean up the crap from previous administrations.

Sounds like the people of Oakland need the National guard to protect them from the police , Those guys earned the title PIGS and disgraced the uniform ,sack & sue

a reply to: intrptr

I'm sure if we saw the extent of corruption in a lot of these places we would see how deep it runs, and people would start to demand accountability. Human nature is human nature, and people, being selfish, will do what they can for themselves; people in position of power seem to be able to hide it even more, as well, and certain positions seem to attract those either already corrupt or easily prone to corruption. We also have the blue line.

As I said, we do know corruption exists, and is likely fairly common, but the degree of corruption is the question. Planting of evidence seems to be pretty common, and I'd bet covering up of murders, extortion, etc aren't necessarily isolated events.

Bu that in this case we have alleged rape of, and the cops themselves trafficking, an underage girl. That is inexcusable.

And I agree with pretty much everything a reply to: TheRedneck said. He pretty much nailed it.

The question is: what's next? What happens if this 'civilian control' doesn't work? Will the police department be disbanded? If so, what will happen to the crime rate? I think we all know the answer to that.

If they PD is disbanded, I imagine there will simple be a new hiring process, the "new employees" (cops) will move in, who will likely be less corrupt, and things will start all over again. I see little way to completely sanitize departments of corruption any time soon, especially when those who have come forward become the object of ire and revenge for "betrayal."

But it's all cyclic. Until there is real accountability, we can expect little true change.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
The question is: what's next? What happens if this 'civilian control' doesn't work? Will the police department be disbanded? If so, what will happen to the crime rate? I think we all know the answer to that.

I think crime rates will drop. If there are no police, it would be unreasonable to expect people to not defend themselves (and others) and criminals would be more wary of their intended victim taking action than they clearly are of the well-known joke that is the criminal justice system.

Those 14 pigs that were involved in the multi/gang rape of a vulnerable young girl should either be prosecuted and thrown in jail or face summary justice on the streets they are paid to serve.

a reply to: Liquesence

Also, I do not understand the term 'civilian control'? Are Oakland police military?

a reply to: Liquesence

Just in time for a federal police force!

a reply to: Liquesence

The state of the world, low and sinking fast.

a reply to: teapot

Also, I do not understand the term 'civilian control'? Are Oakland police military?

No, they aren't military. As I understand it, essentially, since there is no longer a chief of police (a sworn officer who heads the department under the color of law) who heads the police force, the force comes under control of the Mayor or City Manager (in this case it's actually the city administrator, Sabrina Landreth), who aren't sworn in (therefore civilian) but to whom the command center (officers) now report and are disciplined.

The solution here is simple. Gather the guilty officers, and march them one by one into a backroom. Have a cutting board and a meat cleaver ready. Make them place their testicles on the cutting board. The rest doesn't need to said

Update:

It seems the mayor has promoted the deputy chief to acting chief.

And, a few more details regarding the (underage) girl who allegedly was engaging in sex with officer, and their possible trafficking of her:

At least 14 Oakland officers are under investigation for having sex with an 18-year-old sex worker—three of them allegedly had sex with her when she was 17. The woman, who goes by the name Celeste Guap and is the daughter of police dispatchers

Guap alleges that she also had sex with three Richmond police officers, four Alameda County sheriff's deputies, officers with the Livermore and Stockton police departments and the Contra Costa County sheriff's department, and a federal officer for a total 28 officers. She met the first officer, Brendan O'Brien, when she ran to his car for help as she was chased down the street by a pimp in early 2015. They began "dating" and having sex—Guap was 17 at the time, according to the local weekly East Bay Express, which has reported extensively on the scandal. O'Brien allegedly introduced her to two other officers, and she met other police through social media and referrals from cops she'd slept with.

And more.

Well, here's an update:

Oakland police to fire 4 officers, suspend 7 others, in sexual misconduct scandal

The officers, some of whom may have already resigned, were found guilty of administrative charges of attempted sexual assault, engaging in lewd conduct, assisting in the crime of prostitution and accessing law enforcement databases for personal gain, among other offenses, according to Schaaf.

Seven others were suspended without pay for failing to report the ongoing sexual misconduct, and other crimes.

And, about the woman at the center of it all:

But even with news of the discipline, questions remained about the treatment of the woman at the center of the scandal. The East Bay Express, which broke many of the early details of the scandal, reported that the Richmond Police Department obtained funding to send the woman to rehabilitation in Florida.

The woman has since been charged with attacking a security guard at the rehab facility, the Express reported, and the news raised questions about why a police agency would send a key witness in a major police misconduct investigation out of state with possible charges looming.

where is rudy "the mouth piece" gulliani at eh? he will tell you that not blindly supporting these officers is unamerican, racist, and make both george washington and mlk cry.