Detroit Police Officers Charged With Stealing, Selling Drugs

[neversickanymore]

Detroit Police Officers Charged With Stealing, Selling Drugs
BY DANIELLA SILVA
4/10/2015

Two Detroit police officers were charged with robbing drug dealers and stealing drugs obtained in police searches to sell the narcotics themselves and split the profits, a U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Lieutenant David Hansberry, 34, and Officer Bryan Watson, 46, were indicted Wednesday on a series of charges ranging from extortion of drug dealers and taking drugs and money obtained in police searches to carrying out fake arrests, the United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Michigan said Thursday.

Hansberry and Watson are accused of arranging drug transactions between June 2010 and October 2014 and then robbing the unknowing participants of controlled substances, money and personal property, according to the indictment against the two Detroit Police Department officers.

The duo also allegedly carried out fake traffic stops and arrests in uniform and in police vehicles to carry out their robberies. Hansberry and Watson would identify themselves to their victims as police officers, according to the indictment, "in order to coerce their victims to flee" and leave behind narcotics and property.

Instead of entering the property into evidence, the two would divide the stolen goods among themselves and sell the controlled substances, according to the indictment. The officers are also charged with stealing cash and drugs seized during searches of homes.

The pair had been previously assigned to a now-disbanded narcotics section of the Detroit Police Department and have been suspended since October.

Hansberry, who according to the indictment was also known by the names "Sarge" and "Hater," was promoted to the role of Lieutenant in 2013. Watson, who was also known as "Bullet," was a police officer in the narcotics section of the department. Hansberry was a 16-year veteran of the force, while Watson had served for 22 years, according to NBC affiliate WDIV.

"The vast majority of the men and women of the Detroit Police Department are honest and hard-working, but these defendants betrayed their oath and their fellow officers," Detroit Police Chief James Craig said in a statement. "We are committed to the highest standards of integrity, and we will remove any officers who do not live up to those high standards."

"Officers who violate the law cannot be tolerated because effective law enforcement requires public trust," U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. "We applaud Chief Craig's commitment to root out any officers who tarnish the badge."

continued here http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/detroit-police-officers-charged-stealing-selling-drugs-n338931

 

['medicine cabinet']

And that is in no way surprising...

 

[ro4eva]

"The vast majority of the men and women of the Detroit Police Department are honest and hard-working, but these defendants betrayed their oath and their fellow officers," Detroit Police Chief James Craig said in a statement. "We are committed to the highest standards of integrity, and we will remove any officers who do not live up to those high standards."

"Officers who violate the law cannot be tolerated because effective law enforcement requires public trust," U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. "We applaud Chief Craig's commitment to root out any officers who tarnish the badge."

If the public only knew how crooked the Chief might be...

You'd think most people would realize the war on drugs is seriously wrong when it not only hasn't worked, but also when cops start dealing throughout the country.

 

[slimvictor]

Police who violate the law should be subjected to much more severe punishment than normal citizens.
Because they had extra responsibility and power, and abused it, they deserve a solid decade in prison if a typical person would serve 2-3 years.
Because, think of the children. Do you want them living in a world with crooked cops stealing and re-selling people's drugs?

 

[ro4eva]

Police who violate the law should be subjected to much more severe punishment than normal citizens.
Because they had extra responsibility and power, and abused it, they deserve a solid decade in prison if a typical person would serve 2-3 years.
Because, think of the children. Do you want them living in a world with crooked cops stealing and re-selling people's drugs?

Yeah, I happen to share that sentiment - they should be punished more severely for sure, and not less (as is typical, it seems).

 

['medicine cabinet']

I think that's a given...they take an oath to protect and serve, are given a gun and badge and almost unlimited power over citizens BC they enforce the "law", they should most definitely be held to a higher degree, esp when they really do something bad...which happens all the the time, but they usually are not...and thiss has been going on forever, but since everyone has a smartphone with HD video a click away, cops are getting caught red handed and they don't like it, it was way easier to get your cop buddies to say the same.e lie to cover your ass but video doesn't lie...

it was always in my mind the police are just a huge gang, individually they are pussies but once they call back up then it all changes and its OK for 5 of them to arrest one guy as violently as possible.

And the one place every single cops is beyond terrified of going is jail...and since they should be held to a higher standard, they should be sent to jail, and with lnger sentences.