Today is June 18, 2020. I started this petition two years ago. Det. Serpico was white and Det. Suiter was black which doesn't matter to me at all because they were both cops trying to do the right thing. One almost died for it and the other was killed the day before he was scheduled to testify about alleged police corruption. In light of recent events, I felt compelled to try to renew interest in my petition after hearing again and again, "Why don't the good cops turn in the bad cops?" I'm moved to ask, "Who cares enough about the "good" cops to offer them support as they do the best they can to protect and serve a public who all too often is quick to stereotype them. I've been retired for a while now. I'm not asking that anyone listen to me, but I implore everyone to help provide an environment wherein the voices of "good" cops still in the struggle may have a chance to be heard. Thank you.
To: The New Jersey State House, The New Jersey State Senate, Governor Phil Murphy, The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Donald Trump
Protect lamp lighter police officers
Promote the safety and well being of police officers giving evidence against other officers who are subject to criminal investigation or agency charges that could lead to serious punishment.
Why is this important?
Wikipedia indicates plainclothes New York police officer Frank Serpico reported evidence of systemic police corruption in 1967. He contributed to a New York Times front-page story on corruption in the NYPD, which drew national attention to the problem in 1970. Mayor John Lindsay appointed an investigative panel that became the Knapp Commission. Serpico was shot in the face in 1971 under questionable circumstances while attempting a drug arrest. His backup was nowhere to be seen and his colleagues refused to make a "10-13" dispatch to police headquarters declaring an officer had been shot. An elderly man who lived in the next apartment called emergency services to report a man had been shot. Other officers arrived and transported Serpico to the hospital. He survived and retired in 1972. He continues to speak out about police brutality, civil liberties, and police corruption. He prefers the term "lamp lighter" to "whistle blower" as one who alerts the public to danger.
News reports state Baltimore, Md. police Det. Sean Suiter was killed on November 15, 2017, the day before he was scheduled to appear before a federal grand jury pursuant to his knowledge of facts regarding a 2010 crime and 2017 indictment as part of a police corruption investigation of which he was never a target. Reportedly, on the evening he was killed Suiter approached a "suspicious" man during an unrelated investigation. Shots were fired and Suiter's partner was later seen on a surveillance video taking cover across the street. Police Commissioner Kevin Davis indicates there is no information connecting Suiter's murder to the corruption case but requested the FBI to take over the investigation. That request has been refused. Suiter, survived by a wife and 5 children, was shot with his own gun. Although his clothes were said to show evidence of a struggle, there is a possibility that survivor benefits may be curtailed or denied if Suiter's death is ruled a suicide since he was shot with his own gun. The homicide remains under investigation.
As a retired police officer, I know most cops are honest, dedicated, and hardworking. But as with every profession, there are some "bad apples". People often ask, "Why don't the good cops turn in the bad cops?" Sometimes the "good" ones are silenced by peer pressure or threats. All the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Det. Suiter may never be known, but sometimes the "good" cops are silenced by violence. Police officers courageous enough to be "lamp lighters" need to have protective measures available to them. This could take the form of an assignment change, a leave of absence, or other measures depending on the circumstances. Further, matters of assignment, discipline, and promotion should be monitored to lessen the specter of reprisal. This should be mandated by law and strictly enforced. The net effect should discourage malfeasance among the ranks and bolster much needed public trust in the police
News reports state Baltimore, Md. police Det. Sean Suiter was killed on November 15, 2017, the day before he was scheduled to appear before a federal grand jury pursuant to his knowledge of facts regarding a 2010 crime and 2017 indictment as part of a police corruption investigation of which he was never a target. Reportedly, on the evening he was killed Suiter approached a "suspicious" man during an unrelated investigation. Shots were fired and Suiter's partner was later seen on a surveillance video taking cover across the street. Police Commissioner Kevin Davis indicates there is no information connecting Suiter's murder to the corruption case but requested the FBI to take over the investigation. That request has been refused. Suiter, survived by a wife and 5 children, was shot with his own gun. Although his clothes were said to show evidence of a struggle, there is a possibility that survivor benefits may be curtailed or denied if Suiter's death is ruled a suicide since he was shot with his own gun. The homicide remains under investigation.
As a retired police officer, I know most cops are honest, dedicated, and hardworking. But as with every profession, there are some "bad apples". People often ask, "Why don't the good cops turn in the bad cops?" Sometimes the "good" ones are silenced by peer pressure or threats. All the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Det. Suiter may never be known, but sometimes the "good" cops are silenced by violence. Police officers courageous enough to be "lamp lighters" need to have protective measures available to them. This could take the form of an assignment change, a leave of absence, or other measures depending on the circumstances. Further, matters of assignment, discipline, and promotion should be monitored to lessen the specter of reprisal. This should be mandated by law and strictly enforced. The net effect should discourage malfeasance among the ranks and bolster much needed public trust in the police