Bad Apple? Entire Police Department Nearly Wiped Out After Most Officers Criminally Indicted
Two-thirds of an entire department has been criminally indicted blowing the bad apple theory out of the water.
By Matt Agorist
TheFreeThoughtProject.com
August 29, 2018
LLANO, TX – All too often those who continuously apologize for crimes committed by police officers are able to justify some of the most egregious instances of outright murder by claiming the officer was a bad apple. Almost as often, however, as TFTP has shown numerous times, the bad apple theory is exactly that—a theory—with no evidence to support it.
Illustrating the nature of the bad apple theory is the fact that grand jury indictments against officers in Llano Police Department, including their Police Chief Kevin Ratliff, have nearly wiped out the entire department.
There are eight law enforcement officers employed by the Llano Police Department, according to the LPD’s website, and now, as of August 13, two thirds of the entire police force has been indicted.
Does that seem like “one bad apple,” or a potentially much greater problem?
The indictments stem from a massive civil rights violation of a single person but have led to investigators uncovering a cesspool of bad cops.
As KXAN reports, on Aug. 13, a grand jury indicted Llano Police Officer Mark Burke and Llano County Deputy Duncan Roberts each on three counts of official oppression after trying to pick a lock at a home, then kicking the door in and arresting a man inside.
The documents allege Hardin made a false police report to justify the arrest of the unnamed victim on May 2. On top of Harden’s charges, Llano Police Chief Kevin Ratliff, Sergeant Jared Latta and Officer Aimee Shannon were indicted for official oppression in connection with the same arrest.
As KVUE reports, according to a source close to the investigation, the officers claimed they arrested the man for public intoxication. One officer stated in his report they arrested the alleged victim outside of his home. However, the officers reportedly entered the man’s home without probable cause or a warrant and arrested him, overstepping their authority. The public intoxication charge was later dismissed.
As TFTP reported at the time the DA’s Office said that Chief Kevin Ratliff suspended himself with pay upon becoming aware of the investigation and that he will remain on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. Must be nice to be able to give yourself a paid vacation just after potentially committing a crime while on the job—a luxury afforded only to police officers.
The DA’s office said that the Texas Rangers are assisting with conducting the investigation.
The Llano County Sheriff’s Office will provide assistance to the city while half the police force is on suspension, as LCSO has a mutual assistance agreement to back them up on calls when necessary.
The Rest…HERE
