Accountability needed in law enforcement
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I would like to start off by making an apology to the people for what they are seeing in law enforcement in Montana. It breaks my heart because I have worked so hard to be the best that I can be for the people. I am proud to serve them and I am proud of what I have accomplished, but yet I feel like I have failed because in the positions I have held, I have not been able to make a difference in holding cops accountable for their misdeeds and mistakes.
You see we all make mistakes, but in Montana law enforcement they are often overlooked because the people at the top do not want to make waves, get the troops mad at them or risk a lawsuit and embarrassment. So they sweep it under the rug, but all this does is teach the cop that he can get away with stuff as long as they keep the guy at the top happy.
I have spoken to officers from Butte firsthand and the sense of entitlement that they once felt led officers to commit burglary and other crimes while on-duty there. They feel that they have finally broken that cycle, but there are many around the state who have not. This is not isolated either. As reported recently by the Billings Gazette, the Colstrip police chief was caught in criminal acts while on duty as a Billings Police lieutenant and instead of holding him accountable, they let him retire to become the Colstrip Police Chief and continue his bad ways. Now we have many issues here in our area. Again it is easier to sweep things under the rug or blame those who are not afraid to step up and call foul than to hold people accountable.
I think another reason for this is a lack of understanding of integrity by everyone. Many cops think it is wrong to take a free cup of coffee from a restaurant that offers it to them, yet they will do other illegal acts. What is wrong with that picture? I don’t see anything wrong with taking a free cup of coffee when it is offered, but you better not commit a criminal act around me. Maybe that is why I am considered a trouble-maker by some. I won’t play by their rules, but I know that I am not alone in this fight. The Montana POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) director Wayne Ternes and his investigator Clay Coker also understand and are working to make a difference for you as well.
It is time that the people of Montana get what they deserve from their cops: honesty, integrity and professionalism. It is time that we demand this from our cops and hold them accountable.
I have only hit on the tip of the iceberg here because there is much more that the people don’t know about. Some of it, I can’t talk about because it is related to personnel issues at my department. I even had a small threat given to me recently by someone who thought I was releasing information about his history that would be damaging to him, but I will not lie for anyone and when the investigators from the POST council come to speak to me they will hear the truth. I may not be able to make big changes on my own, but I owe it to the public to state the truth and that’s exactly what I will do. Thank you for your time and God bless.
