Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown has fired or disciplined 27 officers and employees in the last year. And every time he brings down the hammer, he announces it on Facebook and Twitter, specifying exactly who the men and women are and what they did. On Dec. 30, it was five officers and a 911 call operator.

@DPDCHIEF
I have terminated 911 Call Taker Moises Limon today for driving while under the influence and not reporting his arrest to his supervisor.


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DEC 30, 2013 17:45 UTC@DPDCHIEF
I have terminated SC Frank Della for public intoxication, damaging a person's property, and making offensive contact with a person.


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DEC 30, 2013 17:48 UTC@DPDCHIEF
I have terminated SC William Wesley for his involvement in a domestic disturbance which resulted in a police response.


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DEC 30, 2013 17:54 UTC@DPDCHIEF
I have terminated Sgt. Rafael Rodriguez for his involvement in a domestic disturbance which resulted in a police response.


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DEC 30, 2013 18:12 UTC@DPDCHIEF
I have demoted SC Reynolds for failing to aid a fellow officer who was nearby requesting help with a combative prisoner.


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DEC 30, 2013 18:48 UTC@DPDCHIEF
I have terminated SC Amy Wilburn today for firing her weapon upon an unarmed person without fear or justification.

Back in September of 2011, a dash cam video captured what Precinct 4 Harris County Deputy Constable Jimmy Drummond would have never wanted the public to see. During a traffic stop, Drummond can be seen beating a man, as well as the man’s family who attempted to intervene. Following the scuffle, the man’s ribs were broken, his father's face was bruised and his mother was dragged.

...

This week, a grand jury has indicted Jimmy Drummond on one count of official oppression, which could result in one year in jail and a $4,000 fine if convicted.

Eighty retired New York City police officers and firefighters were charged on Tuesday in one of the largest Social Security disability frauds ever, a sprawling decades-long scheme in which false mental disability claims by as many as 1,000 people cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, according to court papers.

Baca's decision comes a month after federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against 18 current and former sheriff's deputies accused of beating jail inmates and visitors, trying to obstruct the FBI and other crimes following an investigation of corruption inside the nation's largest jail system.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Police in Fort Pierce are now armed with a U.S. military surplus battle wagon: a six wheel, 30-ton armored vehicle worth $700,000 — that the agency got for $2,000.

“If you see my SWAT team roll up in this, it’s over, so just give up,” said Police Chief Sam Baldwin.

Broward County sheriff’s deputy Paul Pletcher was off-duty when he got into road rage altercation with another woman, so he pulled her over, stormed up to her truck and began berating her.

Her passenger pulled out a cell phone and began video recording, clearly capturing him saying, “give me the phone,” three times before reaching into the vehicle and snatching the phone.

Pletcher then drove off, smashing the phone in a nearby parking lot, where it was later retrieved by Plantation police officer, whom were responding to the woman’s call.

Pletcher was eventually arrested and charged with several felonies where he is facing 11 years in prison.

His trial began this week.

His defense: He thought the phone was a concealed weapon, which caused him to fear for his life.

That fear is evident from the recovered video, which captured the following exchange:

“Give me the phone!” he repeated, reaching into the car and toward the camera lens.

“No talking to me like that.”

“Give me the phone, Now!”

“Don’t touch me.”

“Give me the phone!”

“Wait! Wait!”

Despite the visual and audio evidence against him that he was committing strong-armed robbery, his attorney is still able to look the jury in the eye and state the following:

“”Paul Pletcher saw somebody who was driving erratically … Paul Pletcher took the position that when that cell phone was out and being used it could have been a concealed weapon.”

SEABROOK — Two police officers have been put on paid administrative leave after a video showing an officer slamming a suspect against the wall at the police station in 2009 was posted on YouTube.

The YouTube video titled “police brutality in Seabrook Police station” was posted Monday night by person using a screenname of Mike Berg.

St. Clair Shores police Sgt. Michael Notoriano and Detroit police Sgt. David Pomeroy face armed robbery and other charges.

Take a look at the photograph above. It shows a former police officer in an orange jumpsuit making a court appearance to face a felony charge of evidence tampering, as well as misdemeanor obstruction and theft. I hope that police around the nation will see this image (which comes from here) and realize that this is what can happen when they try to seize and destroy photographs or video taken by others.

The charges arise from an incident—now subject of a lawsuit by the ACLU of Nebraska—that started when a man, Octavius Johnson, questioned why his family’s cars were being towed, and ended up with excessive force, a warrantless search and seizure, and the charges mentioned above. Although two of Johnson’s brothers filmed the incident, it may well have never come to light had not a third person, filming from an upper window in a house across the street, also recorded the incident (YouTube video here).

Photographs for News, Advertising or Commercial Purposes

§102-74.420—What is the policy concerning photographs for news, advertising or commercial purposes?

Except where security regulations, rules, orders, or directives apply or a Federal court order or rule prohibits it, persons entering in or on Federal property may take photographs of—

(a) Space occupied by a tenant agency for non-commercial purposes only with the permission of the occupying agency concerned;

(b) Space occupied by a tenant agency for commercial purposes only with written permission of an authorized official of the occupying agency concerned; and

(c) Building entrances, lobbies, foyers, corridors, or auditoriums for news purposes.