In 2008, the Phoenix Police Department claimed that it had 358 kidnappings, making it the kidnapping capital of the United States. It asked for help from the federal government, in the form of grants. The problem was is that the PD was classifying everything as a kidnapping in its database to arrive at that number. All in an effort to obtain millions of dollars in federal funds.
Sergeant Phil Roberts knew that the information was incorrect. He was a supervisor in the department’s kidnapping unit. So in 2009, he began to write memos stating that the information was incorrect. And in August of 2011, the Chief of Police, Jack Harris, had enough. He ordered an internal affairs investigation into Roberts activities. This resulted in the termination of Roberts.
Roberts claimed that he was being retaliated against for being a whistleblower. The city said that he was not, and had violated numerous policies. They fired Roberts. So in 2011, Roberts filed suit in U.S. District Court alleging wrongful termination and retaliation. On July 25, 2013, in court ordered mediation, the city offered Roberts his job back. It is unclear if he will receive back pay.
How many actual kidnappings were there? According to the log kept by a PD lieutenant over the kidnapping unit, 49. A federal immigration officer determined there were 48. A review by a local TV station of the records showed that charitably there might have been as many as 82. The other 300 (+ or -, dependent on which number you use) were other offenses, kidnappings from other jurisdictions (like Houston), vehicle impounds, and cases where there was no offense at all.
After this came to light, Chief Jack Harris was relieved of duty the next day and forced out. The IA lieutenant over the investigation resigned suddenly, after it became apparent that she provided false information to federal investigators. The department finally admitted that the data might not be correct.
Note that the entire power of the police department and the city came down on Sgt. Roberts. It took almost 3 years for him to clear his name and win his job back. How many officers are willing to do the same? They have bills, wives or husbands, families, and need to have a job. They aren’t willing to take that kind of risk.
Mr. Bright.
Aug 06, 2013 @ 17:19:21
Your personal statistics and experience don’t take into account that bright people(drug users) don’t get caught.
ExCop-LawStudent
Aug 06, 2013 @ 17:43:36
And exactly what does that have to do with Roberts or Phoenix?
steveinclearwater
Aug 06, 2013 @ 22:08:01
Well yeah – an understandable motivation for not breaking said WOS is the protection of one’s employment though it of course presumes a defacto endorsement of whatever fraud or malfeasance is going unreported.
Of more interest to me is your best guess of how the Personnel at lharge receive Roberts upon his return from what has clearly been a foul experience following his Doing the Rigt Thing
ExCop-LawStudent
Aug 07, 2013 @ 12:57:06
Steve, I doubt that he will have a problem with the rank and file. His issue was with the administration, which most of the rank and file actively dislike anyway.
He will have to watch himself though. The administration will watch him like a hawk and will crucify him at the first screwup.
Tim Taylor
Aug 07, 2013 @ 02:48:42
OK here’s the problem I have with this and the number should be in the high 300’s. MOST of these numbers come drop houses.
Let’s say you have 3 smugglers holding 20 illegals in the house and discovered by the Police. You have 3 suspects that have each committed 20 counts of kidnapping. I believe the City counted each drop house as 1 incident of kidnapping, which is wrong when you have multiple victims. Drop houses were and still are rampant in the City we are a main transport hub to the East. If you look at just the find of 3 to 4 drop houses would match or surpass both the City’s and Fed numbers. I will also put in this context I hope Roberts gets back pay, I truly don’t know if I could go back.
ExCop-LawStudent
Aug 07, 2013 @ 12:58:41
In this case Phoenix was counting impounded cars as kidnappings along with anything else they thought they could get away with.
AlgerHiss
Aug 07, 2013 @ 06:49:06
“help from the federal government, in the form of grants”
“Grant money” has evolved into one of the most hideous methods of government malfeasance and ways of ignoring constitutional limits ever.
It occurs quietly, behind the scenes. There are folks that have careers in doing nothing but writing grant requests.
bj
Aug 07, 2013 @ 16:31:03
Roberts is an example to others.
Yando
Aug 08, 2013 @ 10:36:46
49, 258.
Big deal. Why split hairs when you have a gullible public to frighten?
Besides, cops get to use all those frivolous arrests they make as “Kidnaps.”
Burgers Allday
Aug 18, 2013 @ 11:07:27
I am not sure, but it looks like the union was not backing him. If they really weren’t, then there is the real problem.
ExCop-LawStudent
Aug 19, 2013 @ 00:23:23
The union did back him. There was plenty of press coverage of union leaders supporting his position.
Burgers Allday
Aug 19, 2013 @ 17:27:19
ok, thanx for setting me straight on that.
ExCop-LawStudent
Aug 20, 2013 @ 21:03:39
NP