Chief Turner: 'No Decision To Disband Red Dog Unit'

Chief Turner: 'No Decision To Disband Red Dog Unit'

www.wsbtv.com

One of the men said members of the Red Dog unit pulled over his vehicle and forced him to pull down his pants on the side of the road in broad daylight, as officers conducted a search for drugs. No drugs were ever found, passenger Brian Kidd said.

Kidd told Philips that his roommate, Shawn Venegas, was also subjected to a body cavity search that left him feeling uncomfortable.

"One of the officers actually stuck his hand down into Shawn Venegas' pants," said attorney Mark Bullman.

(visit the link for the full news article)




Mod Edit: Review This Link: Instructions for the Breaking News Forums: Copy The Exact Headline

Well, just as one starts to hand the award over for most vile, disgusting, molestation-like behavior to the folks in the TSA, along comes a story like this one, and we can can crown a new champion---One of Atlanta PD's finest (or not so finest).

Not only did they publically strip search these two individuals WHO WERE INNOCENT in public view and broad daylight, but yes, you read correctly, one of the officers alledgedly conducted a CAVITY SEARCH on one of these INNOCENT individuals.

Let's see if we can count in just HOW MANY WAYS these citizens rights were violated...

I feel like a broken record lately with the "Just when I think I've seen and heard it all" captions on many of these stories, but herein lies another one that simply boggles the mind and sickens the stomach.

Hopefully not only are these guys fired, but hopefully charges and suits are brought against them as well. This is just absolutely disgusting beyond words...

www.wsbtv.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by DimensionalDetective

Hopefully not only are these guys fired, but hopefully charges and suits are brought against them as well. This is just absolutely disgusting beyond words...

Probably get a wrist slap and a desk job while the tax payer gets to foot the legal fees and pay the fines via the PD...
It's time criminal officials were charged as individuals..
Until that happens, nothing will change...

s&f and it's getting worse.....

Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
Hopefully not only are these guys fired, but hopefully charges and suits are brought against them as well. This is just absolutely disgusting beyond words...

Of course, you meant to say "if and when the evidence concludes they are guilty"

reply to post by WTFover


Haha, yes. I'm trying to get better about that brother. I remembered to put the 'alledgedly' in my upper comments, but needed to put IF they are indeed found guilty of said activity.

It does appear that these officers are no stranger to controversy and probs though, as per the article:

Two of the three officers involved in the stop were also named in the infamous Atlanta Eagle bar raid that the city recently settled. Co-counsel on the traffic stop case, Dan Grossman, was the lead attorney in the Atlanta Eagle case.

“I’ve heard many stories from citizens who were stripped in public by Red Dog,” Grossman said.

And it seems that even their superiors are in agreement they were guilty of misconduct, at the very least:

On Thursday, Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos e-mailed a statement to Channel 2 in response to the accusations.

"The Atlanta Police Department is in the process of concluding the internal investigation into this matter. There is evidence to suggest that some of the officers' actions during this traffic stop were inappropriate,” Campos said. “As a result, Chief Turner intends to move swiftly to discipline some of the officers with actions - up to, and including, dismissal.”

I do think that >IF< they are found guilty of publically strip searching these guys and CAVITY searching one of them, then "dismissals" should be merely the tip of the ice-berg.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


I'm with you. It sure sounds like some of them have a checkered past. I've never understood the retention of officers who have been proven guilty of excessive force or even violated use of force policies. In most cases, there is little doubt the force was excessive.

However, "simple" (as in non-force violations) search infringements, without malice, I believe may be forgivable and justify only re-training. [as I quickly don my flame retardant suit]

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


You cannot compare comissioned law enforcement to the TSA. Completely different authority involved.

The article does not explain the reason for the traffic stop, so that is the first red flag of potential wrong doing. It does not discuss a valid reason for the alleged search, which is different from a patdown / frisk.

Absent any credible information that has not yet been released, the article info is painting a picture that concerns me. We cannot just pull a person over when we feel like it. We have to have reasonable suspicion to make a stop. Depending on the stop itself, its permissable, depending on circumstance, to request the driver to step out to pat down / frisk, and even then there better be a reason for doing it (prrior dealings with the suspect that invovled weapons etc).

The most common misconception people have is a frisk / patdown and a search. If Officers perform a patdown / frisk, we feel the body looking for signs of hidden contraband. If something suspicious if found, I usually ask what it is and continue on, with the exception being if I feel something and can identify it based on my experience and training I can act off that.

A body cavity search is a no no. Its invasive and does not fall under a frisk or patdown. To my knowledge the only way it can be done is by corrections / jail personnel, warrant, or some type of exigent circumstance, and even then it gets goofy.

Based on the info in the article (and absence of info from the PD, I would say this appears to be a fishing expedition and nothing more. Whether or not the people who filed the complaints are convicted felons or not is irrelevant, the accusations should be investigated. If wrong doing is present, then its possible this is not the first time.

I understand the need for specialized units to focus on certain areas.. What good are they though when they violate the very laws we are sworn to uphold.

I will reserve harsher judgment until more info / facts come out. As always, we might only be getting one side of the story.