NCJ Number
134401
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 69 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1992) Pages: 23,26-28
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
In 1989, after some evidence came to light indicating that members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department may have engaged in activities suggestive of corruption, the Operation Big Spender Task Force initiated a sting operation involving Majors II (one of the department's narcotics enforcement crews). In October 1990, seven former members of the department went on trial for stealing large sums of money in connection with currency seizures from narcotics traffickers and money launderers.
Abstract
Evidence presented at the trial resulted in 25 felony convictions. These seven former deputies may signal a disturbing trend -- the willingness of officers to abandon traditional ethnical values in pursuit of material gain. The cause of this type of corruption lies in ignoring sound departmental policy governing difficult police operations such as those involving narcotics. This type of corruption is impacting on departments across the nation and, as a result, on many narcotics-related investigations. In response to corruption problems within the Philadelphia Police Department, the agency issued a white paper on integrity. The paper listed some of the corruption problems faced by law enforcement officers: acceptance of gratuities; association with known criminals; disclosure of confidential information; falsification of affidavits and warrants; and sexual or ethnic harassment. The Majors II case illustrates the prime importance of police leadership is avoiding incidents of this nature. 2 notes