Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Maybe not the greatest judgement in the history of law enforcement.

But I don't see anything criminal here.

Cops and reporters can be at odds often. Sometimes the cops do something that they shouldn't and get caught. Fair enough, every profession has it's problem children. Now of course a reporter will never leave out important facts in a report, take things out of context, tell only one see of a story. Naa, that never happens.

I don't know much about the original story that made this reporter a not liked person at the St Bernard's Sheriff's Office but this was a results.


Calls for punishment in questionable target practice using Lee Zurik's photo

A local crime watchdog says questionable target practice by some St. Bernard Parish deputies calls for punishment.

The head of the Metropolitan Crime Commission says there are still more questions than answers about why police took aim at Lee Zurik.

It dates back to October 2011. When Zurik questioned why people voted in St. Bernard Parish during the local election, even though they have homestead exemptions elsewhere, things got heated.

The allegations of voter fraud involved regular citizens, as well as some sheriff's deputies, who apparently decided to target the messenger.

FOX 8 made the unsettling discovery in the weeks and months that followed the runoff election.
It shows police in St. Bernard Parish used a photo of Lee Zurik's face as a target during firearms training classes.

Outgoing Sheriff Jack Stephens says, "My understanding is that instructors had pictures posted and deputies used all the pictures. Lee was one of 4 or 5 different pictures posted and all the deputies were taking shots."

Stephens apologized, saying it wasn't meant to be a threat, but he didn't reprimand the deputies involved.

"With regards to any punishment, it's hard to use department policy, the law, or ethical violations as the premise for doing that, but it's in bad taste," says Stephens. "So we've admonished the training officers not to use actual photos of anyone anymore."...

...Sheriff Stephens played it off as gallow's humor, a case of dark satire.

I've had a few disagreements with reporters and I could see taking a few shots at a picture of Wayne Dolcefino. But I have a dark sense of humor. Granted this should not be on a police range but otherwise Mr Zurik etc, don't take yourself too serious.

No comments:

Post a Comment