"Crime blogger says she was threatened with arrest when she tried to take a photo of police"
And this great photo:
Photo Credit: Todd Sumlin "Local Paper"
"Her encounter with police drew the attention of the chief, the city manager and even the American Civil Liberties Union. It has become grist for bloggers across the country who see it as the latest test of First Amendment rights in the digital age."
The full story is here.
The Cedar Posts story "CMPD Independence Officer Goes Postal Over Blogger With A Camera" that ran a week ago is here.
28 comments:
Good story by Jim Morrell and really a "couple of levels above" the normal Sunday yawn.
Yes, it is....I am glad between the two of you that this did make the news! Both of you deserve kudo's for all you do, on your own, to keep us informed!
However, there are those like 4Vision that ruin it for the rest with their disrespect of the law and their foul language. Just goes to prove some people have no biz in the biz!
I'd say that story intentionally left out some pertinent information, such as the officer lying about his name, and CiC losing her press credential for a couple of days.
A lot of times in here you here how the chief needs to go. Believe me, I agree 110%, but when he is gone we will still be left with what he has created. "Supervisors" that have no business being Police Officers, much less in chagre of anything. Most that have been promoted while he has been here couldn't lead you out of a wet paper bag. Only gotten the promotion for the same reason that officers have gotten transfers, the color of their skin or there sex. According to some in the know all transfers still go through the chief and he looks at the sex and race of each person submitted. But from what I have heard recently some of the best is yet to come. Wait until you see one of the next majors that I have heard will be promoted. Metro Division is probably planning the party as you read this. We will be stuck with him as a major when the chief is gone and that will hurt for a long time!!.
Anon 1:03
Yep, the person you are referring to is the chief's golfing buddy, probably goes to his church, too! And of course, he is African American!
And he is about as qualified as my cat....really.
It would be interesting to see the sex/race of all that have been chosen to go to the FBI Academy by 'ole rodney since he has been here.
CMPD is going to be so very screwed up and top heavy with totally unqualified people that were promoted to fulfill rodney's personal agenda of "diversification"
at ANY cost.
Rodney has done more to single handedly cause a schism between races at CMPD than anything or anyone else ever could have dreamed of.
African Americans promoted simply because they are African Americans, and it is blatantly obvious to EVERYONE, THIS REVERSE DISCRIMINATION, yet people are so afraid of calling him out on it.
He is an unqualified Chief, that has promoted and continues to promote unqualified personnel...period.
Nice work Cedar, I noticed all the comments on the Observer site that linked to your blog and Crime In Charlotte were removed overnight and the story moved off the front page late yesterday afternoon. I'd guess RoMo's goons got to the Observer's spinless staff.
WTF?
to Anon 1:04
I know it was a typo, but think it was also a Freudian slip...
The problem is that they are spineless, and they unfortunately are not spinless. The local paper marches to orders from local business/City Council and Mayor (all one in the same). The editorial they ran a couple of days ago claiming they were "skeptical" of the Mayor's statements regarding the Murder and riot, gang-related and other violence that took place on Memorial Day weekend were followed by a statement of concern that there might be a "perception" of danger...
The so-called journalists on the editorial staff have not shown an iota of skepticism in any coverage. Shame on them.
Congratulations to Jim Morrill and Todd Sumlin for printing what they did, even if it only lasted half a day. Please fight for the rest of the story.
Standards were lowered to hire Rodney.
He, in turn, lowered standards at the academy.
And he CONTINUES to lower standards at cmpd by promoting people unqualified for the job to achieve some sort of "diversity" pie in the sky. Instead of actively recruiting qualified African Americans that met the standards, he just lowered the standards!
So Charlotte ends up with a sub standard police department that all started because Curt Walton did not do his due diligence on background when he hired rodney. And when he was confronted on having hired a chief of police that had lied on his resume to get the job, he did NOTHING. And in fact has enabled the lying and covering up to continue.....that will be HIS legacy.
Any type of documentation photo/video of officers could be seen as a threat to that officers safety. The bad guys are playing for keeps, Officers know this.
The bad guys are not afraid to do intel work on their targets. If citizens want to document Officers preforming their dutys they should realize this and use common sence.
If you act like an idiot then guess what? you will probably get treated like one.
"He, in turn, lowered standards at the academy"
Same shit happened when Willy Willams came to L.A.P.D.
Same shits happening on the hill and in the house now.
Anon 2:53
Do no make this about his race....it's about his incompentency.
There are incompetent people and ineffectual people across the races.
To Anon 2:25
Well stated. And it will be the legacy of Mayor Foxx and the entire City Council. They are the ones who approve the hiring, and are responsible for hiring and firing City Manager Curt Walton as well.
And if under-qualified recruits are being allowed in, that should be explored and documented. If under-qualified or unqualified personnel are being promoted over qualified personnel, that needs to be investigated as well. If that holds true, as it has been expressed over and over again in comments, that would be both potential violation of EEOC laws and even more urgently: it would be putting lives in danger, both our officers and our citizens. Why no comment from Rodney Monroe or Curt Walton about how promotions and hiring are handled? That would be a step toward clearing it up. The deafening silence seems to be the answer.
Anon 2:53
Make no mistake, Rodney has his White Boy hanger on butt kissers, too! Deputy Chiefs, Majors and Captains.....
I have heard it is just painful being around Rodney and these ass smoochers and watching the interactions which are so obvious! (DC H.M., Major P.Z., Captain JW in SD, and on and on...just doing whatever they can to promote themselves.) And the thing is, the honest, ethical members of CS all recognize these losers, as do the Officers.
The culture rodney has created is abhorrent,.....
Sorry, Roz Harrington gets a big FAIL as a spokesperson for cmpd.
With all the people in the PR Dept. at cmpd and all of the time and money spent,couldn't they have a Professional spokesperson to give press conferences, make comments, etc?
And they do not have to be black, do they? Or is that a requirement? Seems so.
Just have someone that speaks english, enunciates and can put a sentence together that makes sense!
Are there minimum admission standards for CMPD? Have they been followed (after the Rodney Monroe hire...)? Are there written standards for evaluating promotions? Have they been followed? Are there situations where a more-qualified person, of whatever race or sex, has been passed over for promotion by someone who is less-qualified or not qualified because Monroe just decided that's what he wanted? Are there more cases of disciplinary problems coverered up on behalf of any officers?
"Are there minimum admission standards for CMPD? Have they been followed (after the Rodney Monroe hire...)? Are there written standards for evaluating promotions? Have they been followed? Are there situations where a more-qualified person, of whatever race or sex, has been passed over for promotion by someone who is less-qualified or not qualified because Monroe just decided that's what he wanted? Are there more cases of disciplinary problems coverered up on behalf of any officers?"
To answer from what I have diserned:
There Were "standards" for admission before rodney.
Those standards were, shall we say, loosened.
There were standards for evaluating promotions......it is an unspoken or unwritten rule now that the chief wants African Americans first on any list for consideration, over more qualified "others". And bottom line , he has changed rules to get what he wanted, and basically just does whatever he wants.
And who knows what disciplinary actions have been covered up? Or not brought at all because of favoritism by rodney?
Take just one example: Vicki Foster was seen on FILM saying that she probably wouldn't help someone in her job as a police officer who did not share her "christian" beliefs. And just the fact she was actually filming and hawking a reality show while a Major at cmpd should at least been conduct UNBECOMING.....but she was never investigated or disciplined.
Trust this, if a white male Major had done the same thing, he would probably no longer be at cmpd.
This is just one example of things of this nature I have heard over and over and over again.
What reality show was she hawking? Was it for her security company? Was it her company that was involved with the Wacka Flocka Flame rapper shooting that happened in broad daylight with tons of witnesses and probably security footage, but CMPD never released information or ‘solved’ who shot Antonio Stukes that day???
Wacka Flocka Flame
Who shot Antonio Stukes? http://charlotte.johnlocke.org/blog/?p=12133
Can Charlotte Afford Rodney Monroe?
She was making the show with her "boyfriend"' Melvin Key.
"A Day in the life" kind of stupid show. Tacky and no class.
Melvin Key is the front man for the security company that he and Vicki own and operate.....very shady things there...read about it on Cedar's front page under Vicki Foster "stuff".
Read to catch up: http://cedarposts.blogspot.com/2010/08/cmpds-vicki-fosters-youtube-video.html
Chief suddenly created a position of "Executive Officer" with promotion for Foster, then got TV show to follow CMPD Homicide (footage from that show then became subj. of yet another lawsuit) for a reality TV show, "FIRST 48" at the same time Foster & Key were trying to promote their show. Hmmm... wonder if the events are related.
The local paper got the story out but CMPD is continuing to REFUSE to accept responsibility for this Officer's terrible behavior. CMPD still continues to defend Officers who are clearly making false statements and/or pretending to not remember things.
UPDATE:
-IA investigation closed.
-No complaint will be filed against Officer M. Thompson.
Well,under PRE rodney IA, an interview and statement from the victim would have been REQUIRED.
But Rodney controls IA now, don't think he doesn't! It can be denied all day long, but he lets it be known what outcome he wants, and it happens!
CiC:
Crimes in Charlotte and Cedar,
You don't have to go to IA, you can go straight to City of Charlotte Community Relations Committee,
Police Complaint Review Program 704 336 2382.
Don't hold your breath... apparently Rodney or his bosses are in charge of Butch Simmons (City of Charlotte Community Relations Committee), too. He refused to take a complaint in the past and told me to sue the City. Too many of the employees of this City who hold positions of power, up through the Mayor, won't address the problems so clearly stated in this blog in numerous articles and the comments that go with them. Shameful. I guess it's the shine job they're hoping will continue through the DNC Convention and beyond.
Aren't there written directives on how to conduct an Internal Affairs review? Is interviewing two officers together and not interviewing the complaintant acceptable? Did anyone interview Rosalyn Harrington about her behavior and statements concerning the First Amendment and other rules? Why was she suspended before? Do either of these other two officers have any other reports/discipline? Would it have any meaning at all if CMPD reported the answer as "no" ??
I spoke with Mr. Simmons (City of Charlotte Community Relations Committee)yesterday.
Mr. Simmons advised that I should continue to leave messages for the Sgt I originally spoke with in IA.
In fairness, Mr. Simmons did advise me that the Sgt in IA I was dealing with was on vacation last week (which he assumed was why my phone calls were not being returned)
Mr. Simmons also told me that he himself was going on vacation for a week starting Wednesday so it would be in my best interest to go through IA for time saving purposes.
Shortly after our conversation, I heard back from the Sgt in internal affairs advising he "talked to" Officer Thompson and that was all he could do...
CMPD & Chief Rodney Monroe made a decision on this case based on 1) 8 min brief phone call with victim (me) & 2) brief interview with two Officers who told different stories.
The Charlotte city attorney and ALL city council members reviewed this information and apparently ignored it and moved along...
Well, and there you have it.
It truly is like the Mafia, with everyine closing ranks AND ignorong the obvious.
Seems like rodney has got a grasp on all.
Doesn't look like there is anywhere you can have a fair, impartial, transparent hearing, and that includes all Of CMPD.
Coverups run DEEP!
This was handled totally unprofessionally, by all!
Corruption fosters corruption.......like old Chicago!
City feels they have unilimited legal resources to beat you down with and the unlimited ablility to deny whatever they want and hang up or ignore phone calls and letters for as long as they want... until there's a subpoeona. I guess that's what they are begging for from everyone in Charlotte who has been abused by the CMPD. That includes officers. You don't get to say "no" to the Court--and stay out of jail.
Rodney just does not seem to like caucasians much.
It is painful to realize this and to say it.
But his many, many actions speak loud and clear!
Ms Harrington is African American, the two Officers are African American, Marcus Jackson is African American, Vicki Foster is African American...etc. etc....all protected.
Over and over again African American members of Cmpd are given passes on infractions that white Members would be disciplined for...it is a fact, I'm told.
He changed the rules to promote Sherrie Pearsall to Major after she had been a Captain only a short time.....she is African American.
He "rehired" Ricky Robbins in a bogus job after he retired..he is African American.
There are many more examples.......all of his "posse" at cmpd is African American.
And just wait and see what the next round of promotions brings......
But, like the people he doesn't discipline, he gets away with it all and continues to rule with impunity.
When are promotions coming? I haven't seen anything at Council about approving promotions... Seems like all of the information uncovered here ought to be reviewed, and the Charlotte public given an explanation from Curt Walton before ANYONE gets a promotion. Write to Council, Foxx, Walton and demand it! They ALL read ALL of this information and sit silent, hoping it will go away, with full compliance from "local media." Sure got a response (even if it’s not satisfactory yet) from them after the last story made it to Huffington Post Crime Reporter @radleybalko, who sent out his story via Twitter. They really, really don't want to talk about this stuff before #DNC2012. Twitter questions might get a quicker response if you're in to that…
Used to be there were TIMELY announcements of promotions.
No so under rodney.
He thrives on keeping people guessing, he seems to love the power in that. To keep people jumping through hoops and climbing over one another to curry his favor.
There are "promotions" that should have been made months ago....Yet he keeps dangling the carrot.
While I am told it is amusing to watch members of the brass soil themselves jockeying for positions, it is not fair or decent to drag this out and hold up promotions of Sergeants.
Like everything with rodney, it's all about rodney....
If he promotes those it is currently being circulated, he will definitely havecsome explaining to do.
Could be his achilles heel moment......letting his arrogance once again override any semblence of fairness and what is right.
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