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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

I guess her complaint didn't go over as well as she thought it would....

My agency recently started to field body worn cameras last year and my station was last to get them. The good part of that is they had time to work out most of the bugs, but we still have battery issues. But during training one point was made by the instructor. Before we had a lot of complaints against officers that were looked at by Internal Affairs and found to be "Undetermined." They could not prove or disprove the accusation. With video evidence, more cases are being declared "Exonerated," i.e. the action didn't happen or it did happen and was justified.

I guess this "aggrieved oppressed citizen" didn't realize she was on camera.
Woman who accused Greendale police of profiling has withdrawn her complaint

GREENDALE — A woman who accused Greendale police of profiling her during a traffic stop has withdrawn her complaint. This, after Greendale police completed an investigation into the matter.

Katherine Torres filed a complaint with the police department on Friday, June 2nd. Torres says she was driving back to work from her lunch break on that Wednesday when a Greendale police officer pulled her over. Torres says the officer’s first questions were not the ones she expected.

“The first thing he asked me was, ‘Are you a U.S. citizen?’ Then he asked for my Social Security, then he asked for my license and, finally, he asked for my insurance card,” Torres said in a news conference on June 2nd.

Greendale police say after the complaint against the department, they began an investigation to determine if Torres’ allegations were accurate.

On the date that Torres was pulled over, Greendale police say they had four officers participating in the state “Click It or Ticket” initiative. They say 34 traffic stops were conducted — and 35 citations were issued to motorists with a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

A police sergeant observed a vehicle which did not have a front license plate attached or displayed — a violation of Wisconsin State Statutes. The sergeant stopped the vehicle and identified Torres as the driver. Torres was issued a citation for failure to fasten seat belt and given verbal warnings for two other violations.

The news release issued on Tuesday, June 6th says the Greendale police sergeant asked Torres for her social security number “which is consistent with Greendale policy. Wisconsin law allows collection of social security numbers by law enforcement. The Greendale Municipal Court uses the social security number to assist in the collection of unpaid forfeitures through the State’s Tax Intercept Program.”

Officials says they reviewed the audio and video recording captured on the sergeant’s in-squad video system. The news release says the allegation that the sergeant questioned Torres about her citizenship is false. It says he “asked Ms. Torres for her contact information, insurance information and verified address, consistent with proper procedure. He never questioned her citizenship or immigration status, as alleged by Ms. Torres.”

Again, Torres has withdrawn her complaint...

I wonder why. Could it be that she was shown to be a liar?

A friend who's used these cameras on his department over the last few years said one of the first things he noticed was if someone was being aggressive, refusing to answer simple questions (e.g. name), he would put his camera on and the person would calm down. Knowing they were on camera and their was evidence supporting the officer made them think a bit.

Sergeant, glad that you were exonerated on this matter. Take care.

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