Denver PD Caught Stealing People’s Assets, Using Them to Pay for Massive Propaganda Campaign

According to this story, the Denver Police Department has been increasing their spending the last few years on a massive public relations campaign.

Apparently they have had some major problems with "excessive force" complaints.

Spending on PR has increased dramatically since 2011.

But the kicker is, it's possible they are "funding" this effort with the dreaded "civil asset forfeiture" trick.

Does anybody know any inside details about this? Or know about similar campaigns in other big cities?


Denver PD Caught Stealing People’s Assets, Using Them to Pay for Massive Propaganda Campaign

A couple of years ago, the Denver Police Department (DPD) was under fire for a spate of excessive force complaints. They wanted to change their image, so they began a massive public relations campaign, ramping up spending from $599 in 2011 to $136,783 in 2013.

The “media affairs unit” is made up of very well-paid employees who push their message in social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Last year the DPD spent $450,000 on six employees in the media team, which is far more than six cops on the beat would make.

However, an investigation by Denver7 ABC found that the DPD has been using funds derived from civil asset forfeiture to pay for much of this propaganda campaign. This may constitute a violation of policy, as those funds are only supposed to be used for equipment and training.

W H A T ??

a reply to: xuenchen

Can't blame them really......

I mean our Federal government tries to solve problems the same way. Forget what's causing it, let's figure out how to tax people more and just throw more money at it? /end sarcasm

I dunno - is it worse to pay a Twitter team out of CAF, or to buy margarita machines for the SWAT team?

They really, really need to take that away from cops altogether.

This is little surprise, i wonder if a few of these well paid individuals have memberships and are active on this site

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
This is little surprise, i wonder if a few of these well paid individuals have memberships and are active on this site

Given that there's six of them and they exist to be Denver PD boosters, I wouldn't think so.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
This is little surprise, i wonder if a few of these well paid individuals have memberships and are active on this site

Given that there's six of them and they exist to be Denver PD boosters, I wouldn't think so.

They are just the ones we now know of, you really think it ends there ?

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
This is little surprise, i wonder if a few of these well paid individuals have memberships and are active on this site

Given that there's six of them and they exist to be Denver PD boosters, I wouldn't think so.

They are just the ones we now know of, you really think it ends there ?

Given that this particular bunch is the topic of conversation, if you say "I wonder if they're HERE", I'd say 'no'.

At the Federal level, didn't congress just pass a bill that made Civil Asset Forfeiture more difficult to employ?

And that Federal government law enforcement agencies had to return seized assets if no charges were filed or the defendants were acquitted?

-dex

originally posted by: xuenchen
According to this story, the Denver Police Department has been increasing their spending the last few years on a massive public relations campaign.

Apparently they have had some major problems with "excessive force" complaints.

Spending on PR has increased dramatically since 2011.

But the kicker is, it's possible they are "funding" this effort with the dreaded "civil asset forfeiture" trick.

Does anybody know any inside details about this? Or know about similar campaigns in other big cities?


Denver PD Caught Stealing People’s Assets, Using Them to Pay for Massive Propaganda Campaign

A couple of years ago, the Denver Police Department (DPD) was under fire for a spate of excessive force complaints. They wanted to change their image, so they began a massive public relations campaign, ramping up spending from $599 in 2011 to $136,783 in 2013.

The “media affairs unit” is made up of very well-paid employees who push their message in social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Last year the DPD spent $450,000 on six employees in the media team, which is far more than six cops on the beat would make.

However, an investigation by Denver7 ABC found that the DPD has been using funds derived from civil asset forfeiture to pay for much of this propaganda campaign. This may constitute a violation of policy, as those funds are only supposed to be used for equipment and training.

W H A T ??

This needs to be seen for exactly what it is. ....... looting of the population nothing more, nothing less.

This more evidence the US is sliding into tyranny.

When a country is sliding into tyranny, it does not matter one dob of goat crap if its a left wing, middle wing or right wing black hole of tyranny.

It certainly goes without saying that the 'rule of the people by the people is a long, long, way away.'

"Civil Asset Forfeiture" = "We are armed, and will kill you if you don't give us your stuff"

The idea is supposed to be that "criminals" aren't going to be allowed to profit from their crime. So you take the drug dealers car and house.

My thing is: why should it profit the municipality, too?

"That's a nice car there...it'd be a shame if anything happens to it"

originally posted by: xuenchen
Does anybody know any inside details about this? Or know about similar campaigns in other big cities?

No inside details but I do have a picture of the excessive force people are complaining about.

This is what happens when a shoplifter decides to hide in your house while fleeing the police. Granted he did take a few shots at the officers but not sure that justifies that kind of destruction.