For the second time in a week, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi accused police of stealing from drug suspects after releasing video footage Tuesday that shows two officers walk into a residential hotel empty-handed and leave with bags that were not booked into evidence.
This is the same city (and possibly the same hotel) where cops have been caught on video entering without permission and then claiming to have been given permission to search, leading to the dismissal of nearly 100 cases.
What makes the cop’s story even fishier in this case is that the cops supposedly found meth in the apartment, yet the charges were dropped when the cop who was caught on video with the bag didn’t show up in court despite a subpoena.
The resident says there was a laptop and video camera missing.
The police union has it all figured out, however.
The latest accusation brought an angry response from the head of the police officers’ union, who said there was probably an innocent explanation and called Adachi a “media whore” who is staining the careers of good cops for political gain. […]
The union president, former narcotics inspector Gary Delagnes, said he had supervised or worked alongside Guerrero and other officers facing accusations. Guerrero, he said, was “my best undercover (officer) out there for 10 years. … There’s never been a single allegation that he has taken a dime.”
Delagnes said he had spoken to Guerrero and that the officer didn’t recall the backpack. However, Delagnes said, narcotics officers sometimes collect evidence in bags found at a scene and then throw away the bags.
“I’m guilty of it myself,” he said. “Rather than book the $1 backpack, we throw it away.”
He continued, “Why would you steal a $50 camera when you’re probably seeing $100,000 a month in cash? These are top-level cops, and they’re trying to allege they went over the wall for coffee, tequila and an iPod? It’s ludicrous.”
Hmmm… Is it really a good idea to point out that the cop could be stealing a whole lot more than a laptop and camera?
Bad cop. No donut.
How could some of the best undercover narcs in the police department look you in the eyes and lie to your face?? I just find that hard to believe.
“Why would you steal a $50 camera when you’re probably seeing $100,000 a month in cash?”
Ummmm, because nobodies going to ask any questions about a couple grand in electronics or a few bottles of liquor after the “bad guys” are in the clink. Douche cop.
Well, let’s all rest easy knowing that no cop will ever face any punishment for gross criminal conduct in this country.
…“Why would you steal a $50 camera when you’re probably seeing $100,000 a month in cash? 
The question being asked should be: If you can’t be trusted with this petty stuff how can you be trusted around $100,000 a month in cash?
Rediculous. How is it no one could believe Adachi could possibly be taking a stance to further his career? I guess throwing a career away for a bottle of Tequilla makes sense. Believe the media people. They never lie.
Your post suggests you believe the cops (btw, it is spelled ridiculous, with an “i” not an “e”). There are numerous studies which suggest the mind of cop is exactly like the mind of a criminal (a real criminal as opposed to a drug user/manufacturer/seller), the only difference is on which side of the law they hang out. I have no difficulty at all in believing those cops did steal stuff from those “suspects”, it’s happened many times before (check out “This Weeks Corrupt Cops” a weekly column over at Stop the Drug War for many cases of cops doing exactly that).
AND you are stupid sf idiot girl.
Skimming drugs, looting cash hauls, and absconding with other valuable items is the glue that holds drug enforcement together. Without the pillaging, the job would hardly be worth it. Each day is likely filled with high hopes of coming across a big suitcase containing bound stacks of hundred-dollar bills that can insure a cushy, early retirement in Bermuda.
As with any theft by police occurring during a drug raid, there is no acceptable proof short of an actual video depicting a cop pocketing an item that can get an officer indicted. Otherwise, it’s the theft victim’s word against the word of the cops. The courts will side with the police, because according to many judges, the state can do no wrong. Knowing this, cops are able to steal with impunity, and some do.
Maybe the solution to the drug war is for all drug users to become cops.
Then they’ll all be immune to prosecution regardless of how heinous the crime is.
This is simply just one of the perks that keeps the drug war alive.
If society starts cracking down on cops who steal, and makes it very difficult for cops to abuse their power, then there isn’t a whole lot left for the drug war to keep going.
These same police have been stealing from the same “type” of people,the same way forever.Remember the drug lab that NOBODY was ever held to account?Hundreds of cases (one Murder)have been thrown out.Does anybody think about that?The Broad who started the whole thing (Deborah Madden) has yet to be charged with ANYTHING after STEALING DOPE!These CO CO County Cops who then went and SOLD the dope through a Private Investigator”friend” also running a whore house in a strip mall in TOWN,next to a FAMILY PRACTICE DOCTOR OFFICE,all of this off the top of my head and my memory is a little well you know.But FUCK MAN?