Your report must match the video!!

This is an update to this incident. On March 17, 2011, Sergeant Maniere pleaded "no contest" to the charge of filing a false police report. He stated that he still hopes to obtain another job in law enforcement. The original post follows.

As we approach the 20th anniversary of the so-called Rodney King incident, we will certainly be bombarded with media retrospectives on the significance of the video-taping of King's arrest. Since March of 1991, audio and video recordings of police-citizen encounters have become ubiquitous. As I teach officers, you must assume that everything you do is being recorded. And that defense attorneys, and even Internal Affairs investigators, may pore over your report to see if every detail matches the recording of the incident or encounter.

Today's (February 23, 2011) Detroit News reported on the firing and probable prosecution of a suburban Detroit patrol sergeant. Apparently, on two separate occasions, the sergeant's written report, that detailed the seizure of drugs from motorists, did not match the video recording of the incidents. In fact, in one of the cases, the sergeant was accompanied by a television reporter with a camera. The reporter's camera recorded the finding of drug's in an arrestee's vehicle. I know it's hard to believe, but this sergeant, even though he knew he was being filmed by a reporter, wrote a report that was at odds with what had occurred. According to a television news report, the primary issue in one of the cases was that the recording showed that the drugs were in a closed glove box. The sergeant's report said the drugs were in plain view on the vehicle's front seat. The newspaper report follows this blog entry. Be scrupulously honest in every report. And if your partner writes the report, and puts your name on it, it's your report too.

Discrepancies in arrest reports, video cited in Warren cop's firing
Decorated veteran patrol sergeant may face criminal charges

Christine Ferretti / The Detroit News
Warren — Criminal charges are being evaluated for a decorated road patrol sergeant who was fired over discrepancies between written reports and patrol car footage involving two separate traffic stops that resulted in drug-related arrests.
Warren Deputy Police Commissioner Louis Galasso said Sgt. Tim Maniere was terminated Friday following an internal investigation the department launched in January.

Galasso said internal affairs uncovered two separate cases last year where Maniere's written reports didn't match patrol cruiser video.
Each incident resulted in felony drug arrests.
"The cases had nothing to do with importing or planting any type of narcotic or drug," Galasso said. "However, it did have something to do with the evidentiary steps that would follow a normal search of a vehicle. The steps were improper."
Findings from the department's internal investigation were turned over to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office on Tuesday for review.
A telephone number listed for Maniere was disconnected.
Galasso said the investigation began after Maniere failed to appear for an evidentiary hearing in Macomb County Circuit Court related to one of the arrests in question. A TV Warren journalist was doing a ride-along with Maniere on the July evening when a suspect was arrested on a felony narcotics charge. Galasso said footage from the patrol car and video captured by the television crew was to be viewed at the hearing.
Maniere's absence led to the case's dismissal.
Galasso said Maniere was placed on paid administrative leave several days later while officials looked into the claims the video footage didn't match his written report. Galasso said a second arrest conducted by Maniere in mid-August appeared to have similar circumstances. That case was handled through a plea deal, he said.
Galasso said the incidents have shocked and saddened the department.
Maniere, who'd been a supervisor for about three years, has always been an employee in good standing, earning awards and commendations, Galasso said.
"He was a very hard-working, dedicated officer. It was a very difficult separation that we had," Galasso said of the 15-year veteran. "This guy really was not the type of officer that did anything for personal gain or satisfaction. It was just a certain zeal that he had for law enforcement. Unfortunately, he may have been a little too overzealous."
The Warren Police Command Officers Association hasn't decided whether to challenge Maniere's dismissal.
cferretti@detnews.com
(313) 222-2069