Cops Face Sex Offenses
An article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week outlines several cases in which local police officers were accused of sexual misconduct and faced little in the way of consequences, with most of them returning to patrol. One has even been promoted since being accused and even “disciplined” by the department.
The officer who received a promotion to sergeant was originally suspended for 60 days for the accusations against him. According to the victim, who had been drinking at bars before driving home, the officer followed her and told her he intended on arresting her for drunk driving. He followed her into her home and raped her while she states she “may have blacked out”.
The officer maintained any sexual contact was consensual and that the alleged victim was not unconscious at all. Though no criminal charges were filed, there’s no explanation as to why in the internal affairs report. For failing “to conform and bide by the criminal laws” and for “loafing while on duty” the officer received his suspension.
Another officer was accused of sexual assault by two different women within two years and also avoided criminal charges and firing. One of the alleged victims had been dating the officer and they had a sexual encounter once before. But on the date of the alleged assault she attempted to stop him.
The other incident involved a woman filing a domestic violence complaint. After filing the complaint on a boyfriend, the officer in question followed her home, returning to see her three hours later and then calling her to check on her. Later the second night he came over in the middle of the night, returning four more times. He repeated this pattern until he was said to force her into performing sexual acts.
No criminal charges were filed in this case either. The officer in question in these two allegations remains with the department.
JSonline.com revisits a few additional cases of police officers and allegations of sexual misconduct, all a little disturbing to say the least. While the cases may not have had enough evidence to warrant criminal charges, it does seem odd that there would be enough evidence for internal discipline but not firing.
The people need to trust law enforcement and a power move like rape is a clear indication that an officer seeks to use his position of power to do wrong by the community. Though painting all cops with such a broad brush isn’t just, this is precisely why so many fear police and have little respect for them.
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