Unveiling the Light

I recently wrote concerning the tragedy of a woman being shot at the Paradise cemetery. In that writing I expressed support for the officer and considered the tragedy the fault of a society that does not take care of it’s mentally ill. I stand by what I wrote and, indeed, a meeting with the family seemed to indicate that his was exactly the case. However, revelations concerning the officer in question have raised other questions. While we should stand by the findings of the independent investigation, there seems to be evidence that calls for further investigation into the actions of this young officer and another, older officer of the force.

It is revealed in published reports that these officers have been investigated several times for undue force. One Grand Juror revealed evidence of rough handling of a suspect, including the slamming of the suspect’s head against the car while handling him, without informing him he was under arrest; and ripping a phone out of the girlfriend’s hand. In a highly unlikely or at least unprofessional scenario, one of these officers claimed to have stopped to ‘check if a previous injury on a suspect in custody had been re-aggravated,’ and ended up having to leg sweep the handcuffed suspect as he tried to run away. Our town is not so big as to create a need for an officer to stop and handle a suspect before arriving at a nearby hospital or jail. Such activity opens the door to suspicion of prisoner abuse. Did the officer report he was coming to a stop and why? Is there a radio log of this communication? If within the city limits the officer would have been minutes away from help in a public place.

What worries me is that trusted friends have confided in me similar problems with one of these officers. One parishioner saw a minor incident get blown out of proportion and feels grossly manhandled by the officer as well as publicly humiliated and another feared going outside of his house as the officer demanded, for fear he was being set up for a beating. This seems to have been justified as, perhaps at the urging of their partner, the officer relented with a not so subtle warning. Neither of these people would be the type to get in trouble with the law. It may be that these reports to me are the results of the officers receiving publicity lately or misinterpreted actions but if the Chief has received similiar complaints, then when combined with the Grand Jury investigation it certainly calls for further investigation. It may be that our police force needs better training or it may be that the chief should rethink their service to the City of Paradise.

All in all, Paradise is not a violent town. We may have our problems but we do not have gang shootings and physical assault crimes are relatively infrequent. We do not need to begin fearing those who are supposed to protect us. Unfortunately, that is indeed what I have experienced with the two I talked to and information released by the Grand Juror seems to give reason for that fear. Officers of the law need to be professional and courteous at all times. They are here to serve and protect, not harass and intimidate. The officers I have met seem to be gentlemen but that does not seem to be the case for all.

Chief Carrigan is a fine man and I encourage him to look into the history and activity of these two officers and to review the policies of his department. Officers should be trained to handle the public gently, even when insulted. That is what being a professional is about. We could always hire thugs who depend on machismo and constantly react to challenges. We pay the police to be professional and courteous, to avoid conflict when possible and to always use a minimal of force. They always have the right to protect themselves and a duty to protect the public but should not be looking for a reason to show how tough they are. Where possible, handling of suspects out of the public eye should be avoided. Like the rest of us who serve the public, they should not only avoid abuse of power but even the chance to be accused of abuse. Avoiding handling those in custody when alone, regular radio logs and strict adherence to policies are not options. They are necessary to protect the public and to protect the officers from accusations.

It may be that the incident in the cemetery was fully justified but past actions are bringing doubt on these officers and on the entire force. Chief Carrigan should act to ensure that there is no cause for such suspicion in the future. He should publish police policies for handling suspects. A civilian review board would not be out of order. As in most cases, the more public and visible the department is, the more it will avoid problems and be able to serve the people of Paradise with pride and assurance.

Father Steven Foppiano