Cops Get Caught Playing Gotcha!

By Jeralyn, Section Misconduct
Posted on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 09:55:20 PM EST
Tags: war on drugs (all tags)

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Radley Balko at Reason has a story you won't want to miss.

KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.

[More...]

The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster’s attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster’s secret mobile office nearby.

The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster’s attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster’s secret mobile office nearby.

Here's the raw footage of the video.

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Cops Get Caught Playing Gotcha! | 15 comments (15 topical)

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If I were independently wealthy (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 07:59:04 AM EST

it would be fun and fulfilling to be a KopBuster :) Don't get me wrong, for the most part I like cops but not all cops are created equal and like everyone else they can use a little equalizing.

: There are lazy, arrogant jerks (none / 0) (#5)
by Fabian on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 08:23:13 AM EST

in all professions. The more authority they have, the more their actions adversely affect others.
It's just amazing how sloppy and lazy police are sometimes. If no one calls them on it, they'll just keep on doing it. I'm a fan of good police work, with evidence and all that good stuff.

99% cpinva? (5.00 / 2) (#11)
by Che's Lounge on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 11:52:02 AM EST

You are too kind. I think many demonstrators in this country would take issue with your estimate.

Cops are nice as long as you show them respect and a healthy dose of fear. IMHO what the cops in this video did (lie on the warrant) was SOP once they got a tip.

"Step outta line, the man come
and take you away."

: My data (5.00 / 3) (#12)
by Ben Masel on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 01:11:07 PM EST

based on interactions with hundreds of officers from a couple dozen departments, has 30% good cops, 30% timeservers, 30% crooks, 30% fascists.
Yes, the total's over 100%, that's the overlap between crooks and facists.

saw this on rawstory (none / 0) (#1)
by cpinva on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 10:11:00 PM EST

a couple of days ago. any bets that nothing will come of it?

: No bet... (none / 0) (#6)
by kdog on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 08:24:13 AM EST

though I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up trumping up some charges against the Kopbuster dude, for exposing the Odessa law enforcement apparatus as the two-bit tyrants they are.

: Ever seen the Midland/Odessa area? (none / 0) (#8)
by easilydistracted on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 08:37:07 AM EST

Residing there would require considerable marijahoona.

Sweeeet (none / 0) (#2)
by easilydistracted on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 07:11:59 AM EST

Am I the only one. . . (none / 0) (#4)
by LarryInNYC on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 08:21:27 AM EST

who takes this report a little less seriously simply because the reporter insists on using the spelling "Kops" when he or she means "police"?

I'm exactly the kind of person who could possibly become outraged over this kind of thing, yet the reporter seems determined to signal to me that they don't want me to take them seriously.

It shows that the reporter (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Fabian on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 08:25:37 AM EST

treated it as a fluff story. Plus the Kops with a "K" spelling comes from the Keystone Kops (or Cops) who were the ineffectual, bumbling officers in silent films.

I'm not going to disagree with that characterization.


: Criminal Fraud (none / 0) (#14)
by NMvoiceofreason on Tue Dec 09, 2008 at 01:03:42 PM EST

If you were set up to take the fall for a murder charge, they would just be bumbling kops, right? If you went to prison for the marijuana charge, and died in prison from being shanked, no blood no foul, right?
These "officers" committed a criminal fraud, designed to defeat the legal process. They had no intention of upholding their sworn oaths. They should be prosecuted, and the prosecutors who knew and approved of these tactics should be dis-barred and charged as well. Or are criminal conspiracies OK, as long as it is the government doing it?

if you read the story, (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by cpinva on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 09:18:50 AM EST

you'd know the reporter took the spelling from the name of the organization that set up the sting: Kopbusters

in defense of the Keystone Kops, they never hurt anyone but themselves.

the really irritating thing about this is that probably 99% of law enforcement personnel do their jobs the right way. these bozos make all the rest look bad.


Another problem we have... (none / 0) (#10)
by kdog on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 09:22:24 AM EST

is that doing the job the right way is still wrong in a moral sense.


: C'mon... (none / 0) (#13)
by scarshapedstar on Tue Dec 09, 2008 at 11:58:29 AM EST

...when has "just following orders" ever resulted in anything immoral?

: Must Agree (none / 0) (#15)
by NMvoiceofreason on Tue Dec 09, 2008 at 01:09:25 PM EST

If you say that the person is damaging themselves by using drugs, then putting them in prison, giving them a felony record, and destroying their life doesn't? If you say that it is for the greater good, does destroying someone's life make them more or less likely to contribute to society? What about the families, marriages destroyed by the system? Is there any rational that can pass a rational basis test in comparison with treatment? Is there any hope for our society as long as we are willing to victimize others in the "name of the people"?
The rise of the police state is the end of all of our lives.