This is What Happens to “Good Cops” Who Expose Corruption in their Departments

[damnedifIknow]

Detective Joe Crystal became a target of intimidation for his entire department after testifying against other officers in a misconduct case. Following his testimony, he received threats from other officers, and even found a dead rat on his car one day.

“He saw a wrong and decided he couldn’t live with himself and did the right thing and was punished, I think that’s just unbelievable,” Nicholas Panteleakis, Crystal’s lawyer said.

“They don’t care about anything but saving their money and saving their hide. It’s absolutely ridiculous with what this man has gone through. One, it lets the Baltimore City police know they were wrong, know that they’ve done numerous things against him that were wrong,” Panteleakis added"

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[BlueCaliDem]

1. Unbelievable. Just ... unbelievable.

Nothing has changed since Frank Serpico's days. And the fact that they can call in Internal Affairs to make your life a living hell if you dare go against your colleagues when they're corrupt, tells me that it's only gotten worse. That "us against them" ("them", in this instance being us, of course) is the wrong attitude to have when they're supposed to be "protecting and serving". Now the question becomes who are they actually protecting and serving?

[damnedifIknow]

4. It's crazy

[BlueCaliDem]

9. This is terrifying.

And it makes Detective Joe Crystal and Lieutenant Byers courageous heroes for coming out and exposing the corruption inherent within police departments across the country. They've done this despite repercussions against them and their families.

It's high time police departments are held accountable for their criminal acts against the very citizens they've sworn to protect and serve.

At this point, I don't know how to view our police officers anymore. Once upon a time, I viewed them as the good guys. Now, I view them as a sort of Mafia with a badge, using our tax dollars to harm rather than help us, and who get rich off of us through tickets, fees, and drug raids. The corruption is systemic. It's high time for a thorough overhaul of all police departments because it's blatantly clear that absent that, they're never going to change their tyrannical, mob-like ways.

[delete_bush]

2. And kudos to the

Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Lodge #3.

FOP Lodge #3 is the Union that represents the close to five thousand (5,000) active and retired police officers of the Baltimore Police Department.

[2naSalit]

3. Apparently

the term "Public Servant" is entirely lost on them.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. That's how a clique works. Protecting their own at all costs. From sea to shining sea. Glad this man

stood up for what he feels is right.

[Live and Learn]

6. Sounds more like a gang to me.

And the laws in many states prohibit gang members from associating with each other.

What in the heck happened to our whistle blower protection laws?

[Live and Learn]

7. Internal Affairs should be forced to look into every officer

and see if they have ever given a civilian a ride. I am pretty sure they would come up with close to a 100% rate on that. If it is against policy to give rides, then I can assure the public isn't aware of that. Are the officers?

And why is it okay to lie to the public, tazer people (including children) for little or no reason, tear gas people for little or no reason and shoot unarmed people for little (or made up reasons) but not give someone a ride?

What a friggen joke.

[Cha]

8. Thanks damnedifIknow

[Manifestor_of_Light]

10. I remember Frank Serpico.

The book and the movie starring Al Pacino.

Same old, same old.