Kathryn Johnston Update 2

Radley Balko | December 1, 2006

Here's an interview with the informant, Alex White. Apparently he's been used in "dozens" of prior investigations-- worth keeping in mind as police continue to try to impugn his reputation (which, admitedly, won't be difficult to do).  Note that one anonymous police source alerted the reporter to an unsanctioned marijuana purchase that led to White's dismissal from the CI program. Of course, they let him right back on.

Meanwhile, the APD's PR department has shifted into high gear. They've released the "exemplary" personnel files of the narcotics officers to the media. Nothing but commendations for these seven cops.

The personnel files on the officers contain a number of documents. They include standardized job appraisal forms, oath of office forms, personnel data sheets, personal weapons requests, commendations, and police academy information.

Nothing in the personnel records for the five officers suggests they would likely be embroiled in such a controversial case.

[...]

The officers' personnel files show their ratings in basic job categories tended toward the superlative. The evaluations look at areas such as punctuality, community policing, use of time, and work quantity and leadership.

But wait a minute. Didn't we just read that one of the officers was reprimanded for traffic violations, and accused in a lawsuit of lying about the accident in question, leading to a $450,000 settlement funded by Atlanta taxpayers?

Yes. We did.

Police officials say they released what they consider complete files. However, a written reprimand Tesler was to receive for a ticket he earned for his involvement in a head-on collision was absent from his file.

The reprimand was mentioned in court papers related to a lawsuit stemming from the 2001 crash with a motorcyclist that resulted in a $450,000 settlement by the city.

Makes you wonder if anything else was accidentally left out of the files before they were released to the media.

Comments

Bagger|12.1.06 @ 1:24PM|#

This is only getting better. Someone please hand me the popcorn.

|12.1.06 @ 1:49PM|#

"Makes you wonder if anything else was accidentally left out of the files before they were released to the media."

Makes me wonder, after so many incriminating pieces of evidence about the informant, cops' records, number of shots fired, not announcing themselves _before_ entering, etc. have been conveniently excluded from the information provided, why anyone with half a brain and any sense of decency would believe anything these assholes say on the subject.

|12.1.06 @ 1:51PM|#

I believe you said it best with "Shit, meet Fan".

|12.1.06 @ 2:06PM|#

In the end, the police are a criminal gang; they are paid with money taken by force, and they use violence to put competitors out of business.

However, most policemen are convinced that they somehow are good and not evil.

It's called cognitive dissonance, and people will go to great lengths to avoid disturbing their beliefs, since it would require abandoning some cherished "truth".

Sam Franklin|12.1.06 @ 2:11PM|#

Sammy has become quite the regular at the old LEO board:

http://www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=623166&perpage=25&pagenumber=2

At first they thought I was a troll there. then, like HnR, they realized I wasn't after all.

Dan T.|12.1.06 @ 2:17PM|#

Sam, I know how you feel. You question the CW around here and you get labeled a troll.

|12.1.06 @ 2:23PM|#

Correction: You do it half-assed in single sentence paragraphs that are either tangential from the topic at hand, or just plain old dismissals of "Certain belief sez X but OMIGAW WAI DIS IS DIFFERENT", you get labeled a troll.

If you're not going to put effort into a discussion, at LEAST put some effort into trolling.

|12.1.06 @ 2:23PM|#

No, Dan, the problem is Yhat you come here with the conventional wisdom.

It is we who are doing the questioning.

|12.1.06 @ 3:09PM|#

There is an elefant in the room here; unions. Most police departments are heavily unionized. It is nearly impossible to fire a bad cop. Basically unless you send the guy to prison, he will probably back on the job no matter how big the screw up.

|12.1.06 @ 3:19PM|#

John,
Much as I'd love to dispute that... I can't. It is one more endemic problem with the police force that is currently waging war on the citizens of this country. When did we stop calling them "Peace Officers" anyway?

R C Dean|12.1.06 @ 3:25PM|#

When did we stop calling them "Peace Officers" anyway?

About the time they starting wearing masks and carrying assault rifles.

|12.1.06 @ 3:42PM|#

Cops are assholes and thats all there is to it.

|12.1.06 @ 6:34PM|#

Ease up on the cop bashing, folks. Let's not dismiss all peace officers as brutes, because there have certainly been moral, impartial, and merciful men and women who didn't shoot first and ask questions later.

Unfortunately they weren't on this raid.

The unionization issue is worth addressing, but the power-hungry warmongering of the War of Drugs is really what leads to these abuses and prevents repercussions.

|12.1.06 @ 6:45PM|#

Ease up on the cop bashing, folks. Let's not dismiss all peace officers as brutes, because there have certainly been moral, impartial, and merciful men and women who didn't shoot first and ask questions later.

Ease up? If the Bloods or Crips kept busting into house's and killing people I would count all Bloods or Crips as gang banging assholes. Those who are good guys will get out of the gang quick. Those that don't are not good guys.

|12.1.06 @ 8:55PM|#

In the end, the police are a criminal gang; they are paid with money taken by force, and they use violence to put competitors out of business.

That answer should be added to The Satirical Political Beliefs Test, e.g.:

Q: What is your opinion of the police force?

CONS: They are good and noble enforcers of law and order.
LIBL: They are a necessary evil which needs to be carefully monitored.
LBRT: (answer as above).
COMM: The secret police are the only thing preventing burgeoise capitalists from enslaving everyone.

|12.1.06 @ 9:54PM|#

CS

How about:

LBRT: They are gang members with badges.

Robert R.|12.1.06 @ 10:27PM|#

It's been said before, but:

A conservative is a liberal who's been mugged.

A libertarian is a conservative who's been arrested.

brian423|12.1.06 @ 11:17PM|#

Fuckin' pigs.

Todd Frye|12.2.06 @ 8:09AM|#

Thanks for keeping us updated on this case, Radley. I hope the MSM gives this more play in future.

|12.11.06 @ 6:36PM|#

Whenever law enforcement officers endanger the lives of ourselves, our family, pets, friends, and property, they deserve to be shot. They must understand that we have the Second Amendment right to defend ourselves and our homes.