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| Police brutality in Modesto CA (693220) | |||
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Police brutality in Modesto CA |
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Posted by Dand124 on Thu Nov 11 11:29:03 2010 http://www.kcra.com/r/25751692/detail.htmlOfficials with the Modesto Police Department said they're seeking an independent investigator to look into police brutality allegations against the department's officers. The move came on Wednesday, after KCRA 3 obtained an e-mail and letter alleging Modesto officers were beating people while they were off-duty. Modesto Police Chief Mike Harden said he wants to find out if police brutality is common in his department. To do that, he's calling for an independent investigator to take over the investigation. "I want this to be an open, transparent police department that can withstand any level of scrutiny," Harden said. The call for an independent investigation came a week after an e-mail from a retired police sergeant came to light. In the e-mail, Craig Plante talked about what he calls "the good old days." "I remember beating anyone who ran from us," Plante wrote in the e-mail. "The unwritten rule was B and R, or beat and release. If we chased, you were pummeled, taken to scenic hospital, patched and booked." On Wednesday, Plante did not wish to talk on camera, but he said the e-mail was not meant to be taken literally. Plante said he was only describing the attitude and feel of the department several years ago. He also said he does not support brutality by police. Plante's e-mail wasn't the only item raising questions about the Modesto Police Department. A second letter surfaced last week from someone claiming to be an insider within the department. The letter named several officers who allegedly used excessive force and said the department did nothing to stop the beatings from happening. An internal report by the Modesto Police Department told a different story. Seventeen complaints accusing officers of using excessive force were filed in 2009. Department officials said Modesto officers use force only in a small percentage of cases. Modesto police said they made 14,500 arrests last year and used force 256 times. Harden said he hopes to have an independent agency take over the investigation as early as next week. |
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