Wednesday, August 19, 2015

WBTV "CMPD Officers Say Morale Is Low and Distrust Is High

You think?

For months Cedar Posts has been telling WBTV yappers and talking heads like Sharon Smith that they should be asking hard questions of Rodney Monroe. Instead they have Brigetta Mack interview Chief Monroe in what turns out to be a "love fest". Apparently now that Chief Monroe is gone some are asking the boots on the street.

From WBTV:        

From the moment Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Officer Randall Kerrick was charged in the death of Jonathan Ferrell, some police officers expressed concerns that the department moved too quickly to file criminal charges. 

Now, 23 months after the shooting - and with the jury deliberating - some officers say morale is low and distrust is high. WBTV talked with some officers who say there's a strong feeling that the department sacrificed an officer when they charged Kerrick, and some are angry with the command staff for taking action before all the facts were known.  

"That can be said of anything that's going on - whether it's an internal investigation or criminal investigation - you're always going to have a group of officers that are going to question command, always going to question their supervisors," said Todd Walther of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). "You're going to have some that are going to question it. Some are still positive that we have the right people in the right places."

CMPD declined WBTV's request for an interview.

Some officers, who don't want to be identified because they're afraid supervisors will retaliate, believe there was an abuse of authority and a rush to judgment when Kerrick was charged hours after the shooting in 2013. Some say they now don't trust their supervisors. 

Walther, of the FOP, said, "We know that is a strong community and whether it's divided by a few outsiders, we'll still come together."

During the trial, several officers took the stand. Some testified for the defense, others for the state. 

The jury will resume deliberations Wednesday morning. Officers are watching closely.
"I can speak for the FOP, our membership," Walther said. "Everybody is on pins and needles - anxious. We're still confident. We still are here to support the Kerrick family and Wes Kerrick."

On the streets, some officers are wondering whether they have the support of the command staff.

They're concerned that if they do their jobs and residents complain - will the department support them or abandon them? 

Police sources say officers are hoping Chief Kerr Putney will address their concerns. But they say they're watching to see how the command staff reacts if there's a verdict that leads to backlash and protests.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, Todd Walther's ass must really be hurting from sitting on top of that fence for so long. I wish the FOP spokesperson would actually stand up for the officers, including Officer Kerrick, and say what MOST officers are saying...Kerrick got railroaded, Chief Monroe was woefully disliked, not to mention corrupt, and NO, we don't have most of the right people in the right places in command staff. How about saying that Todd, you worthless bobble head.

Anonymous said...

I don't work for CMPD, but damn their job is hard enough without society getting to a point where it is allowing the distrust and total disrespect of police officers as a whole. That's really darn sad considering what those men and women do and have to put up with day in and day out. They don't get paid beans for what they do. I am certain the very large majority of police officers DO NOT wish to be an officer just to kill people, and especially target a certain race. They do it because they want to help people and "catch the bad guy" period. When it's 3 o'clock in the morning, and it's dark, and you're responding at a heightened awareness based on information you receive, that is not the time to be a 1st grade teacher and say "Little Jimmy, that's not nice behavior, now you settle down and apologize right this minute!!". Give me a break!! When police tell you to stop, YOU STOP!!! What's so dang hard about that??!!

Anonymous said...

Anon: August 19 @ 1:32 pm. I could not have said it any better myself about Todd and ROMO. Don't believe the BS about having any backup within the department. There is none anywhere to be found x especially the command staff. Putney sold his soul and nothing is going to change. I would either retire now or look for another department to work for.

Anonymous said...

Baltimore and New York City cops did it right. Let the Wolves feed on the Sheep for a little while. Better then shooting the Sheep Dog for doing its job.

Anonymous said...

Walther is a tool and Michalic is a douche. Unless you guys get some real leadership you'll be lost. Todd just uses it for his own personal bar to go meet his girlfriend.

Anonymous said...

I guess the only thing to do now is wait...Can Kerrick sue the city?

Cedar, Do you know why this wasn't covered by the MSM? or did I miss it?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkrauss/2015/08/18/transportation-secretary-anthony-foxx-fails-the-rosa-parks-test/

Anonymous said...

Walther is a spineless worm. How the hell can you have a member of the command staff as the voice of the rank and file? What else would you expect from him?

Anonymous said...

Best way to deal with low officer morale and distrust...Call those concerned outsiders. Got it.

Anonymous said...

Most unbelievable statement above: Walther has a girlfriend?

Anonymous said...

Nothing is going to change with Pitney in charge. He just allowed Maroo Haggie (sp) to come back and work in recruiting. She just got through with her FTO phase. Oh yeah, she was also on a "Do not hire list". Putney wanted to make sure his girlfriend was taken care of.

Anonymous said...

8:19, those concerned outsiders are a resource for you to use. If you can clean house on your own, you are better off without us. But I don't see officers lining up to do that. Too many car notes, senses of identity, marriages and pensions on the line.

If you keep your head down until the story breaks, you are potentially lumped in with the worst of your organization....not the criminal. But the complacent.

Command, the media and certain parts of the population have begun to wage an active, multi-faceted war against the officer.

You may have no interest in war, but war has an interest in you.

BTW, us concerned outsiders are not armchair activists or cop groupies (or as I call them, "badgers") Instead many of us are well educated, connected. resourceful, and not accountable to command.

There are ways for us to find things out. Don't mistskenly think you work for the CIA or a similar organization. Concerned outsiders can be your ally, or can simply find damning information on their own. It is simply easier when we work towards a common goal together.

Anonymous said...

How can anyone honestly justify putting someone in a specialized (non-enforcement) assignment straight out of their FTO phase?????

Anonymous said...

9:48 I totally agree. Nothing will change with Putney. He is very intelligent and has a great command presence, and is an absolute master at playing people against each other to get what he wants. But if you actually look at what he has DONE over his career, it is very little. Ever notice he only picks the battles he knows he can win, never takes a stand on anything controversial, (remember he was notably absent when Romo and Smathers addressed the troops at the academy about the Kerrick shooting)and abuses his position to intimidate those below him. One of the first things he did as Chief was call in all command staff and yell at them because too few showed up at his promotion ceremony. What an arrogant, self-righteous cock.

If he was a REAL leader, like some think him to be, he would make the hard choices. He would take a page from the Ben Carsons and many other leaders in the black community and publickly address the real issues that plague the black community. As we wait for a verdict on Kerrick, another black person shot and killed one of their own in Charlotte. And that will continue at taxpayers expense. And they will continue to blame everyone but themselves as long as their leadership allows it.

Mark my words, Putney is a fraud, and he will be a HUGE disappointment.

000 said...

Do NOT forget that Putney was THERE and part of the Mini Investigation and the roadrunner flattening of Officer Kerrick. Now that ROMO flew the coop, DON'T go feeling sorry for his successor as if he was innocently handed this bag of crap. Putney helped fill it! And here he sits in silence.

As for "officers don't know whether or not to trust their command staff" .... As much as you may want to, DON'T. It has been a very,very long time since they've supported you, had your back or even cared about what happens to you! Stand by and protect each other. It's all you've got.

Anonymous said...

Todd only speaks for Lieutenants and Captains. Ask any officer and/or sergeant what they think. What a crock of shit to be spewing on TV. Does anyone in the FOP know what 'conflict of interest' means? The FOP will down itself if we don't make some changes.

Anonymous said...

FOP cares more about their raffle dinners and how much they have to pay for security than Officer issues. The only benefit is the legal representation, but that can come from another source. Perhaps a PBA chapter needs to be reopened.

Anonymous said...

The era of proactive policing is over. To do so, you proceed at your own risk. This police department does not have your back and our command staff will throw you under the bus if it furthers their agenda and/or career.

Anonymous said...

Campagna sux.

Anonymous said...

Wait for the next "COMPANY MEETING". Wait awhile. Wait...

Anonymous said...

https://www.sspba.org/do/home;jsessionid=8DFC671A74DB2E6C8AAAA14A033C5D43
Southern States PBA

Anonymous said...

Anyone wants to bring the PBA back let me know. I'm retired now, but was on the board here years ago. I'll run it for you. I got no love for no brass and don't owe any of them anything. As they say... lets burn this bitch down!

I'll probably be indicted for inciting a riot now. I think I'll go lay on some street somewhere.