phill4paul
04-04-2012, 06:10 PM
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-harvey-report-0404-20120404,0,2525890.story
A three-year federal investigation into alleged police brutality in Harvey found no pattern of illegal behavior but did conclude the department's "grossly deficient" oversight "tacitly endorses heavy-handed uses of force.".....
The department began reviewing documents related to use-of-force incidents — in which people suffered a fractured spine, broken jaw and other head injuries — in 2009 and 2010, according to its report.
That review found that Harvey police weren't properly documenting why and how force was being used, encouraging "an environment in which constitutional violations are more likely, as officers will know they will not be held accountable," the report said. The report noted that in one case a suspect was pepper-sprayed while being fingerprinted at the Harvey police station.
About half of the incidents involved "contempt of cop" situations in which people were charged with minor ordinance violations such as disorderly conduct, said the report signed by Justice Department special litigation section chief Jonathan M. Smith.
"These arrests may be designed to justify use of force or other excessive authority where there may have been no legitimate justification for that exercise of authority," the report found.
And yet the headline reads...
Federal investigation criticizes Harvey police but finds no illegal brutality
A three-year federal investigation into alleged police brutality in Harvey found no pattern of illegal behavior but did conclude the department's "grossly deficient" oversight "tacitly endorses heavy-handed uses of force.".....
The department began reviewing documents related to use-of-force incidents — in which people suffered a fractured spine, broken jaw and other head injuries — in 2009 and 2010, according to its report.
That review found that Harvey police weren't properly documenting why and how force was being used, encouraging "an environment in which constitutional violations are more likely, as officers will know they will not be held accountable," the report said. The report noted that in one case a suspect was pepper-sprayed while being fingerprinted at the Harvey police station.
About half of the incidents involved "contempt of cop" situations in which people were charged with minor ordinance violations such as disorderly conduct, said the report signed by Justice Department special litigation section chief Jonathan M. Smith.
"These arrests may be designed to justify use of force or other excessive authority where there may have been no legitimate justification for that exercise of authority," the report found.
And yet the headline reads...
Federal investigation criticizes Harvey police but finds no illegal brutality