November 5th, 2009
The Ft. Worth police department has now announced the punishment that will given to officers who stormed a gay bar on the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, harassed the patrons, and left Chad Gibson in the hospital with bleeding on the brain. They also announced the reasons for the punishment. (cbs11tv)
Thursday morning FWPD Chief Jeff Halstead held a press conference in front of the Rainbow Lounge to announce the disciplinary action. There the chief confirmed that two police officers, Officer K.Q. Gober and Sgt. R.M. Morris, will be suspended for one day and Officer J.M. Back received a three-day suspension.
The officers were suspended for a violation of police procedures during the inspection of the bar.
The officer that was suspended for three days, J.M. Back, was cited for handcuffing a person without probable cause, for releasing that person without issuing a citation, bringing unfavorable criticism to the police department and for failing to complete offense reports the night of the arrest.
Sgt. Morris was suspended for using “poor judgment in his tactics” to conduct the bar check.
Officer Gober was suspended for making a conscious decision not to complete the required offense report before the end of his shift and did not complete the offense report until his return to work the following night. Gober was also reprimanded for the negative media attention that “could have been adverted had Officer Gober completed the required offense report with the true and accurate details of events that occurred during the Rainbow Lounge bar check.”
Yes, you read that correctly. They are being punished for “negative media attention” and, get this, for letting Chad Gibson go to the hospital without being issued a citation.
So far, the version of “true and accurate details of events” that the police seem to be believing is far from the version of “true and accurate details of events” that the eyewitnesses reported. These who witnessed didn’t see any groping, but they did see Gibson slammed against the floor.
I wasn’t there, so I don’t know for certain who is telling the truth. But I know that I find a random person in a bar to be a far more credible source of truth today than a sworn officer of the law.
And I do know that these officers who stormed into a gay bar with a show of force and left people hurt and afraid will collectively spend less time on “suspension” than Chad Gibson spent in the hospital.
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Christopher Waldrop
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I find the statement that negative media attention “could have been adverted had Officer Gober completed the required offense report with the true and accurate details of events that occurred during the Rainbow Lounge bar check” quite telling. This is one part of the report, at least, that I agree with, although I think it misses the real point, which is that “negative media attention” could have been averted if (1) officers had behaved in a responsible, professional manner and (2) they weren’t continuing to try and justify up their irresponsible, unprofessional behavior by blaming the victims.
Lindoro Almaviva
November 5th, 2009
we we said before, we are hardly surprised because we knew they were going to do this all along.
Bring in the ACLU to teach those bastards how it is supposed to be done.
David C.
November 5th, 2009
Um, there was another agency involved, what became of their internal investigation?
Timothy Kincaid
November 6th, 2009
David C.
They took responsibility and fired three people.
Tina-cious.com
November 6th, 2009
Of course they are.
Fu**ing disgusting.
Then, our government reinforces that we are less than human, so this kind of stuff is to be expected.
Richard W. Fitch
November 6th, 2009
The report on “Use of Force” from TABC was supposed to be published yesterday. I haven’t seen any info yet. You might want to scan the “Dallas Voice” for updates.
Dennis
November 6th, 2009
Read the Ft. Worth Star Telegram article and then the comments. The venom against our community is very clear. It has always been there but it really stings to see it in print. Will the hate crimes law now on the books really matter? Does anyone think the Justice Department review of this case will change anything. How long did it take to reform the LAPD Rampart Division? Expect more of the same.
Lee
February 6th, 2010
Has Mr. Gibson shown any interest in a lawsuit? And/or is this possible…a civil suit against the Ft. Worth Police Department?
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