Oakland to fire 11 cops in search warrant case

[n2doc]

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, January 16, 2009

(01-15) 19:33 PST OAKLAND -- Oakland intends to fire 11 police officers for allegedly lying to obtain search warrants in drug cases, officials said Thursday.

The two sergeants and nine officers face dismissal in a scandal that has thrown into jeopardy the prosecutions of dozens of suspects. At least 12 have already had their cases dismissed because warrants that police used to obtain evidence were obtained on the basis of lies by officers, according to attorneys involved in the cases.

The officers told judges that substances seized from drug suspects had been identified by the Oakland police crime lab as narcotics when, in fact, they had not, authorities said. Those false statements were used to persuade judges to issue warrants that police relied on to gather more evidence.

Some officers also lied to internal affairs investigators looking into the allegations, City Attorney John Russo said.

The officers "knew or should have known that information in their affidavits regarding the testing of drugs was false," Russo said.

"These terminations are difficult for the city, but they show that honesty and integrity are non-negotiable for officers in the Oakland Police Department," Russo said. "The terminations demonstrate that the Oakland Police Department's internal review systems and reform measures are operating soundly and in the interests of justice."

more:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/15/BAVV15BGOJ.DTL&tsp=1

[NOW tense]

1. It looks like Oakland has a police problem.

[nebenaube]

2. These were the cops that were set up in a sting right?

There's a million more where they came from!