FITSNews Exclusive – Black Patrol Captain Set Controversial Punishment
TROOP LEADER INTERCEDED ON BEHALF OF OFFICER WHO USED RACIAL SLUR
FITSNews – March 6, 2008 - The bizarre story surrounding last week’s resignation of South Carolina’s top two public safety officials took another strange turn today.
Sources have confirmed to FITSNews that the controversial punishment handed down to a white officer who used a racial slur and threatened to kill a black suspect was actually set by an African-American Troop Captain. Additionally, Troop II Captain June R. Jones, who set the punishment, personally interceded on behalf of the offending officer, saving him from losing his job at the hands of Patrol Colonel Russell Roark, who according to our source was “ready to rip him a new asshole.”
“Captain Jones told the Colonel this was a good kid who made a terrible mistake,” the source said. “The Captain said he had prescribed the punishment of suspension and anger management and that he was going to take the kid under his wing and make sure nothing like this ever happened again.”Â
Both Colonel Roark and his boss, Department of Public Safety Director Jim Schweitzer, submitted their resignations to Gov. Mark Sanford last Friday when a videotape of the traffic stop was provided to the Governor’s Office the preceding day by members of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus. The videotape clearly shows the white officer, who has yet to be publicly identified, yelling at the fleeing black suspect, saying “You better run, (n-word) because I’m fixin’ to kill you.”
Rumors have been swirling in law enforcement circles ever since news of the videotape – and Roark and Schweitzer’s abrupt resignations – was first made public six days ago.
According to our source, the Black Caucus obtained a copy of the tape from an African-American Highway Patrol Captain, and told the governor they were going to make it public in an effort to block Schweitzer’s reappointment as Public Safety Chief.
Our source declined to speculate as to which Patrol Captain leaked the tape to the Black Caucus, but of the seven active Captains (or “Troop Leaders”) currently responsible for patrolling South Carolina’s roads, four are African-American.
Comments
By Crooner on March 6th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Can you explain why it would matter that an African-American was involved in disciplining this trooper? Does it mean that the Black Caucus has condoned the response of the SCHP? Hardly.
By Shamus O'Toole on March 6th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Since when does a Captain tell a Colonel what to do? I don’t care if June Jones was black, green or purple. If I had been Roark, I wouldn’t care if Mark Sanford told me to go easy on the kid. I would have fired his ass on the spot!
By William on March 6th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Will,
Allowing trained officers that actually are familiar with the case and the people involved to make decisions is classic leadership.
Allowng politicians to make the decision is a classic cluster fu*k.
But the latter is the way to score political capital with the voters…which the Guv did wonderfully.
By Judge Roy Bean on March 6th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Keep in mind that the SCHP is a paramilitary organization. The Colonel was correct in allowing the dicipline to be reccomended by Captian Jones. He is the line supervisor. I see Col. Roark as backing up his Captian. I am not condoning what the trooper did and may would have fired him if I was the Colonel. Nevertheless, Capt. Jones should have come forward last week and tell the Caucus he reccomended the punishment and stands behind what he did. I doubt that the Caucus would have asked for his resignation.
By old bike dude on March 6th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
You run one time, you got yourself a set of chains. You run twice you got yourself two sets. You ain’t gonna need no third set, ’cause you gonna get your mind right.
What we have here is….failure to communicate.
Sounds to me like the SCHP needs to get a couple cases of beer and sit down and watch Cool Hand Luke, for their next in-service training.
By NeverForget on March 7th, 2008 at 9:46 am
A Capt on the Highway Patrol carry’s a lot of weight when it comes to discipling his men. Also OPR which has lawyers to advise. It is never left up to the Colonel by himslef unless the rule is spelled out in Black and White. Unfortunately the grievence procedure has a great say. Rules are like laws and there is no such thing as a concrete law,if that were the case we would not need lawyers.There is more here than meets the eye and I can tell you right now who the next Colonel will be and he will be black. There has always been a power struggle in the Highway Patrol since Colonel P.F. Thompson left and this will not stop it. I depolre the way this young officer acted but it happens from all races.I for one know how giving one man enough power to act as God can destroy a reputation and career. I also know how the SC Supreme Court can protect and cover up for power.
By David O on March 7th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Sad, in today’s world, it is what you say, not what you do that matters. It is “OK†if you murder, rape, and rob; however, use the N word and you deserve hel (unless you are African American, then it’s your culture). If a black man kills a white police officer, the ACLU and every liberal movie star will be standing outside the jail singing folk songs and demanding that the murderer be freed.
Don’t our brave black, white, brown, yellow and red officers have enough stress without being worried that they will be sent up the creek for bad language? Sorry, but I don’t want a pansy protecting me and my family. I obey the law, so I do not have to worry about big, mean, police officers hurting my feelings with nasty words. They scream all they want, whatever they want when they are in the process of apprehending criminals. Moreover, this man was clearly a criminal or he would not have run from the patrol officer.
First time I have been dissappointed in Mark Sanford. I guess he is wants to look good for his VP run.
By Rob W. on March 7th, 2008 at 9:57 am
So… any actual sources or documents you can provide to back this up?
By fitsnews on March 7th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Rob,
This one’s just getting started, boy-O.
-FITSNews
By anonymous on March 7th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Highway patrol interfered with narcs, senator says
Lawmaker shows newspaper a tape of state officers harassing county narcotics team
Months before the South Carolina Senate confirmed Jim Schweitzer in 2004 as the new director of the Department of Public Safety, Sen. Jake Knotts of Lexington said he showed him a videotape of Highway Patrol troopers harassing local narcotics agents on a stakeout because the troopers were upset the local officers were in their territory.
The troopers, in an unmarked SUV, parked near the local agents and then did what they could to discourage the agents from staying, Knotts said, including shining their lights on the highway, shouting and singing over their vehicle’s loudspeaker and turning on their blue lights. And when the agents finally pulled out onto the highway in pursuit of the car they were waiting on, the troopers blocked them, Knotts said.
http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080306/NEWS01/803060323/1004/NEWS01
By Shamus O'Toole on March 7th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Why is anyone making excuses for this trooper who obviously does not need to be wearing a badge. I am a graduate of the SC Criminal Justice Academy and I assure you that using racial slurs is not something we were taught. The SCHP has always thought that they were the “elite” in law enforcement. They have always thought that they could do anything they wanted with no consequences and if you will remember, this is not the first time something like this has happened. They have crossed the “thin blue line” and I applaud the Guv. If the heads of DPS and the patrol didn’t want to lose their jobs, they should have fired the trooper to show that this kind of horrible behavior will not be tolerated. No wonder the whole country thinks we are a bunch of racist rednecks.
By NeverForget on March 7th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Shamus,Shame on you! (The SCHP has always thought that they were the “elite†in law enforcement.) Of course I can not speak for everyone but I gave this state 30 years as a Trooper and I never felt like that nor do I know any who did. I will say it here and will say it to your face,name the day and time, You are a liar and the truth is not in you. I can carry you to 8 counties that I worked in and will face any man,take a polygraph or whatever and rebut you. Seems to me you are jealous for no reason or have an axe to grind. I would hate to think as a Highway Patrolman that I did not have the support of my fellow officers in a county. We all depended on each other for back up and when we needed encouragment. The way the Highway Patrol is structured today they cannot make it without the help of local officers Once again I call you a Liar!
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on March 8th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Beldar of Remulak will be the first black Colonel of the SC Highway Patrol. Jakie Knutts sounds like a Midlands official with a big “Strom problem.” And The Boys From Charlotte are getting rich on willie.
By old bike dude on March 8th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
OK, my issue is this. I could give a rats butt about who resigned or who gets fires, who gets mad, or who gets glad. What I want to know is this. If we expect the leaders of government agencies to disregard the informative input, suggestions, and discernments of subordinate OFFICERS then why have a rank structure. Might as well make all subordinates Privates. Give them no rank. Expect nothing from them and offer them nothing in return. The Black Caucus and the Goveneloper are unconscionable spineless yapping dogs chasing straw rabbits for allowing this unfortunate incident to be leveraged into a quasi pseudo civil rights bugaboo.
At a minimum the Captain who suggested the white officer not be fired, should be fired for a total lack of judgement. The Captain who leaked the tape to the morons in the Black Caucus should be fired for insubordination. All other employees of the SCHP should be immediately reduced to the lowest rank just for being employees of the SCHP.
And the next time a crook runs, shoot ‘em….many times..or be fired.
Maybe it’s time for Dictatorial rule at the SCHP, and I’m just the Dick for the job.
By Shamus O'Toole on March 10th, 2008 at 11:50 am
NeverForget,
I am most certainly not jealous and I have no axe to grind. Ever heard the ole’ saying, “A hit dog barks the loudest.”?
I must say you go a long way in proving my point. The SCHP never thinks it does anything wrong. As for your 30 years as a Trooper, you should be outraged that someone has marred the good name of the majority of Troopers who do not participate in this kind of garbage. As I said, you prove my point about SCHP thinking they can do whatever they want to with no consequences. Shame on you for leaping to the defense of the men who disgrace the uniform they wear and disgrace the state they represent.