Just noticed this from one of Randy Turner's blog postings: "Joplin city officials should follow the wise example set by officials in another community where the people were interested in knowing how police officers who crossed the line were disciplined. If you have been following the controversy, you know that two off-duty Joplin police officers removed a student from an elementary school in handcuffs after an off-campus incident involving the student and the child of one of the officers. City officials will only say that the officers have been disciplined and will not reveal what, if any, type of punishment they received, citing city policies. An out-of-state community had a different approach. In that town, two police officers tried to cover up an incident in which one of them kicked a handcuffed man. One officer received a six-day suspension for kicking the man and not reporting what he had done. The other officer received a one-day suspension for dishonesty and for not reporting a minor injury he had received during the struggle. The man who was kicked did not need medical attention, according to the newspaper that carried the story, the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison. The date on that article is March 22, 2001. The police chief who was totally open with the public and the media about the punishment his officers received for the incident was Kevin Lindsey...who now serves as Joplin's police chief. In Madison, Lindsey was able to let the community know what steps were taken with officers who broke the rules. In Joplin, he is apparently being prevented from doing so by city officials who have a long history of hiding what they do and insisting that they know what is good for the public." Randy does an incredible job of unearthing information. Link to his blog appears under our "News Links."
Updated: 2005-05-24 12:34:34