Five Philly Narcotics Cops Being Investigated for Allegedly Burglarizing Home, Stealing Teen's Police Explorer Uniform
Part of a string of narcotics officers accused of crimes
Five cops from a Philadelphia police narcotics unit are reportedly on desk duty while being investigated (by Internal Affairs, not a criminal division) for allegedly burglarizing a home. There's sure to be more to the story, which comes via NBC Philadelphia:
Police sources tell NBC10's Harry Hairston the officers allegedly broke into India Torres' home along the 2900 block of Hurley Street in the Kensington section of the city on Wednesday night.
Witnesses say they watched officers push their way through a window to get into the home.
Once inside, officers then swiped several belongings including a uniform for the Philadelphia Police Explorers program, according to sources. Torres says her 15-year-old daughter is part of the program.
The narcotics officers did not have a warrant and the woman was not home at the time of the incident, sources also say.
The department would not identify the officers under investigation, or even confirm that Torres initiated the complaint. In June, two other Philly cops were arrested and charged for allegedly stealing narcotics from drug dealers while on-duty. In May, another Philly narcotics officer was caught in an FBI sting allegedly planting drugs on suspects and stealing their money. At least six narcotics officers came under FBI investigation last year, resulting in more than 250 cases they were involved in being thrown out by the district attorney.
Earlier this year, the police chief in Philadelphia asked the Justice Department to review his agency's policies on the use of force after Philly.com revealed cops shot at 52 people in 2012, killing 11, up from 35 police shootings in 2011. Last year, the Philly FOP president accused the police advisory commission, an agency meant to bring accountability to the police force, of being a "threat to public safety."