Police officers arrested in car impound scheme

[villager]

Source: AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Police officers in a Central California town took part in a scheme in which cars belonging to poor Hispanic people were impounded, towed and later sold or given away for free to some officers when the car owners couldn't pay the fees, authorities said Tuesday.

Four officers — including the recently retired police chief and the acting chief in King City — have been arrested, and two others were also arrested Tuesday on unrelated charges, Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo said.

"There has been a significant breakdown in the internal leadership of the King City Police Department," Flippo said. "It also appears to me that some officers have dishonored their badge."

The six officers account for more than a third of the 17-member force in the agricultural town of 13,000 people about 150 miles southeast of San Francisco.

Early Tuesday morning, teams from the Monterey County sheriff's office, the FBI, the Salinas Police Department and the district attorney's bureau of investigation arrested the officers after a months-long investigation. It began as a response to complaints by residents of corruption and criminal acts within the department dating back at least 3 1/2 years, Flippo said.

The probe revealed that more than 200 vehicles had been impounded and that 87 percent had been taken in by the same towing company.

In some cases, authorities said, officers simply kept the cars for their own use.

<snip>


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/police-officers-arrested-car-impound-scheme

[valerief]

1. Wonder how quickly they'll be found innocent. nt

[villager]

2. Well, it's not like they were merely beating a homeless man to death. This involves property!

so who knows? They may have to do 30 days or something.

[valerief]

3. They'd never go for that. Maybe a $50 fine. nt

[olddad56]

4. It would not surprise me to learn that this problem is more widespread than one town

It seems to me that retired cops often go into business in the towing and impounding business. Just an observation.

[Renew Deal]

5. And the brother of the police chief ran the towing company

Last edited Wed Feb 26, 2014, 03:23 PM - Edit history (1)

They made money on both ends.

[packman]

6. Been done before in many places

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-texas-profiling_wittmar10,0,6051682.story

and

http://www.prisonplanet.com/illinois-state-police-seize-and-keep-desirable-cars-for-personal-use.html

That is why I drive my old, beat up Gremlin, nobody wants it.

[Historic NY]

7. Humm where have I seen this before....

[Name Unpronounceable]

8. I hope

I hope the slap on the wrist catches an infection.

[jsr]

13. And for that they'll be given a fat disability pension

[Enrique]

9. quote of the day

Husband Hector Vasquez said there's frequent talk in the U.S. of how corrupt Mexican law enforcement agents are.

"So that's a little awkward," he said.

[Rod Beauvex]

10. This is standard procedure.

This happened everywhere. I wrecked my 85 Grand Marquis two times. It was towed away without my consent both times, and the second time I didn't get it back because I was broke.

[DeSwiss]

11. They do this shit all over the country.

Policing For Profit

Policing For Profit * Update*



K&R

[JoeyT]

12. What a bunch of dumbasses.

They should've claimed they suspected the cars were bought with drug proceeds and used asset forfeiture to seize them like all the other corrupt cops. Then instead of getting in trouble for stealing cars, they'd be hailed as heroes.

[damnedifIknow]

14. We need police to police the police

Or something very soon. I'm thinking twice about walking out of my house anymore and I'm white.

[villager]

15. Watching the Watchmen, indeed...

Hurm.

[Javaman]

16. Sounds like an episode of Weeds. nt