SPPD: Officer fired for excessive force, attempted cover-up

[dmcowen674]

8-8-2014

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/...-fired-for-excessive-force-attempted-cover-up

SPPD: Officer fired for excessive force, attempted cover-up


A St. Petersburg police officer was fired this week after a review board said he used excessive force during a DUI arrest.
Officer Kenneth Pienik also tried to hide dashcam video of the arrest, according to a report released by the St. Petersburg Police Department.


The arrest took place on January 31. According to the report, officers found a man sleeping in a running car in the North Shore Park parking lot.



They woke him up, suspected he was intoxicated, and called the DUI unit, which Officer Pienik worked with.


Pienik arrived and positioned his car so the dashcam would record his investigation.

The report goes on to detail a meeting with Pienik and an assistant state attorney. The report says Pienik told the attorney the dashcam video was “of no evidentiary value and it would 'disappear.'”

The state attorney reported the comment to a supervisor, and the office issued a request for it. The report said Pienik then provided video of the suspect being transported, but not of the arrest.


A St. Petersburg police DUI supervisor found the video, turned it over, and initiated an Internal Affairs investigation, according to the report.
Thursday, a department review board said Pienik used unnecessary force, exhibited conduct unbecoming an employee, and didn't follow proper procedures. They terminated his employment.


“There were other options and resources available at the time to effect the arrest without the level of force that was used by Officer Pienik,” the report said. It also said Pienik was “well aware” of the requirements for placing dashcam video into evidence.

 

[dmcowen674]

This cop got fired but he should be jailed for assault.

 

[Oldgamer]

Yea this is just the one cop who got caught though. I wonder how many other vid's disappeared or were altered, and cops telling someone that the "video would disappear"?

I am glad he got fired, but fear that the police union and arbitrators may put someone like this back on the force.

 

[PokerGuy]

Yea this is just the one cop who got caught though. I wonder how many other vid's disappeared or were altered, and cops telling someone that the "video would disappear"?

Video/audio recordings should be completely untouchable by the officers. Having them be able to erase or otherwise tamper with evidence completely defeats the purpose of having the dashcams etc. The only time you know for sure the video or audio will be available is if it bolsters the case by the police. Otherwise, it might mysteriously vanish.

 

[ivwshane]

Video/audio recordings should be completely untouchable by the officers. Having them be able to erase or otherwise tamper with evidence completely defeats the purpose of having the dashcams etc. The only time you know for sure the video or audio will be available is if it bolsters the case by the police. Otherwise, it might mysteriously vanish.

Yeah, I thought that part of the story was crazy! Why in the world would video that is meant to protect the officer and the citizen be controlled by the officer in the first place? That's a total conflict of interest.

 

[z1ggy]

Well, at least one bad cop went down. Countless others to go...