Court records reveal efforts to cover up what happened inside a hospital room that included turning off their body cameras.
Now, a Fort Pierce city leader is calling for stricter rules.
On Feb. 20, surveillance video inside the hospital recorded the moments officer Albert Eckrode slapped and punched a patient, who investigators say was intoxicated and using racial slurs toward a black female officer Monica Frederic.
Court records reveal every officer in the room turned off their body cameras.
“So, had it not been for the recording in Lawnwood, we wouldn’t know to this day what happened,” said Fort Pierce Commissioner Reggie Sessions.
Investigators said officer Eckrode was provoking the patient to keep using the n-word. And before throwing punches, records show Eckrode checked that each officer had their camera off.”
Frederic told investigators she “should have known something was going to happen when Officer Eckrode asked if their cameras were activated.”
Frederic is charged for lying in her report about what happened and also showing her summary of events to Officer Eckrode before submitting it.
Investigators said she lied that Eckrode was spit on and kicked by the patient, provoking the beating. They also said that she tried to get another officer to tell the same story.
She also is accused of making a second report, saying that didn’t actually happen.
Eckrode is also accused of telling the same lie in his report.
“When you have those type of officers who just saying, ‘to hell with the rules and the regulations, I’m going to cover it up,’ like what happened here, that needs to be handled,” said Sessions.
Sessions worries too often body cameras aren’t catching criminal activity.”
And this genius, whether just stupid or evil may be pulling you over on a dark highway or questioning you on a sidewalk. This genius may be questioning your 14 r. old child about a burglary in your neighborhood while “Under suspicion. Worst of all, this genius may be trying to teach your grandmother how to make breakfast or keep your neighborhood safe. Blue? Not a hero; Maybe a dumbass, maybe a criminal, most certainly someone who wants to be in power. Sorry Grandma.
“PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP) – Prosecutors in southwest Florida have filed charges against an officer who accidentally shot a woman to death during a citizens academy “shoot/don’t shoot” exercise, as well as the officer’s boss.
State Attorney Stephen Russell announced Wednesday that Punta Gorda Police Officer Lee Coel has been charged with felony manslaughter and faces up to 30 years in prison. Police Chief Tom Lewis has been charged with misdemeanor culpable negligence and faces up to 60 days in jail.
Authorities say 73-year-old Mary Knowlton was taking part in a roleplaying scenario Aug. 9 when she was mistakenly struck with a live round. The retired librarian was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.”
That’s right, they only got six from one department. Just a few bad apples right? Or how about , Just the tip of the iceberg. If they got that many bad cops in one sitting, then how many did they miss? This type of behavior is common place. Cops believe that because of blue privilege they are above the law. Every day nationwide they lie on reports, perjure themselves and abuse those that they are sworn to protect. The only problem these numbnuts encountered was they pissed enough people off who had money for lawyers to bring about their own downfall. Have fun in prison boys where you can now be abused by your fellow co-workers.
From : Northjersey.com
“On Tuesday, a sixth Paterson police officer was arrested at city police headquarters, the latest Paterson cop swept up in a more than two-year federal probe.
The officers are accused of — and some have pleaded guilty to — crimes including beating up a hospital patient and a string of illegal traffic stops in which officers allegedly stole money and drugs.
During his guilty plea in federal court, Bustios said the illegal stops started in 2016 and continued into 2018. At the time of his arrest in April, federal authorities had revealed only crimes that took place in 2018.
In his guilty plea, Bustios also implicated Paterson Police Officer Eudy Ramos and others for participating in the conspiracy with him. Ramos had already been arrested in the case, but authorities had not accused any other cops of making the illegal stops.
McAusland also admitted that in 2017, he pushed, punched and struck a suicidal patient while the victim was in a wheelchair and lying on a bed in a Paterson hospital. He said he then tried to cover it up by filing a false police report.
He pleaded guilty to one drug-dealing offense and conspiracy to violate the hospital patient’s civil rights — crimes that carry a total maximum prison sentence of 50 years and a minimum of five.
Pent was hired by the Paterson department in January 2014. He was in the same police academy class as McAusland and Ramos, two of the other police officers arrested in the probe.
The Paterson Police Department is suspending Pent without pay for 30 days, officials said. After that, he will be placed on paid administrative leave until the charges against him are resolved, officials said.
Pent’s salary is listed as $53,589 on city payroll records.
Eudy Ramos
In April, Ramos was arrested by the FBI. Last week, Ramos was indicted on nine counts of civil rights crimes in the FBI probe.
The indictment alleged illegal traffic stops and shakedowns by Ramos. Additionally, it contained charges that Ramos conspired with four other Paterson police officers— including Bustios and Matthew Torres — to target vehicles for illegal stops and searches and taking occupants’ money.
He was in the same police academy class as Pent and McAusland, two of the other officers arrested in the probe.
Ramos is scheduled to be arraigned on charges Wednesday.
During his guilty plea, McAusland said that Then, his former partner, also participated in the hospital assault and coverup.
Then was accused of making a video recording of the beating, which was allegedly carried out by an unidentified city police officer, according to a federal affidavit establishing probable cause for Then’s arrest.
The officers’ alleged attack injured the victim’s face, and he needed eye surgery as a result of the beating, federal authorities said.
Then has been a member of the Police Department since July 2016.
It was the same incident in which McAusland was also implicated.
Then was the fourth Paterson police officer arrested by the FBI.
Matthew Torres
In December, Torres was arrested in the FBI probe. He was the fifth Paterson cop arrested in the probe.
During this traffic stop, Torres and Ramos, one of the other accused cops, allegedly took $1,000 in cash from a passenger in the vehicle.
In 2017, Torres was suspended for 30 days in connection with allegations of steroid use, according to city law enforcement sources.
Unknown officer
Court records indicate that at least one more Paterson police officer is suspected of participating in the crimes, but authorities have not identified the officer.
Joe Malinconico of Paterson Press contributed to this article.
Deborah Lee Jarrett 