The Tallahassee Police at Work

By TChris, Section Misconduct
Posted on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 08:19:19 PM EST
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The Tallahassee Democrat, mentioned in this post, has two interesting stories about the Tallahassee Police Department. Five TPD officers were placed on leave yesterday after a "botched drug sting" ended in the death of Rachel Hoffman.

Hoffman, 23, was working for police as a confidential informant when she was killed May 7, after the plan for her to buy drugs and a gun went awry. Police lost track of her, and her body was found 36 hours later in Taylor County. ...
In its presentment last week that cited police negligence in Hoffman's death, a Leon County grand jury reported the vice lieutenant — [Lt. Taltha] White — signed off on the flawed buy-bust plan but didn't actually read it. Grand jurors also said she was in charge of monitoring radio transmissions during the deal but was conducting a computer audit at the same and was distracted.

Drug police are famous for coercing those they arrest into working to set up busts of dealers. They too rarely mention the dangers involved in that effort. It's better to take the jail time than to end up dead. [more ...]

In the other story, police used a Taser on a man who ran after dropping a pill bottle containing powder cocaine and crack. It must have been easier to tase him than to chase him.

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The Tallahassee Police at Work | 4 comments (4 topical)

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"she was in charge (none / 0) (#1)
by weltec2 on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 08:33:34 PM EST

in chargeof monitoring radio transmissions during the deal but was conducting a computer audit at the same [time] and was distracted."

This goes beyond simply being unprofessional to criminal negligence, doesn't it? The callousness of such behavior... is just mind boggling.

"...signed off on the flawed buy-bust plan... (none / 0) (#2)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 09:15:37 PM EST

...but didn't actually read it." Seem to be a lot of that going around lately. Too bad someone else had to pay with their life for her negligence.

"In the other story, police used a Taser on a man who ran after dropping a pill bottle containing powder cocaine and crack. It must have been easier to tase him than to chase him."

Chief Wiggum?

: This girl's body was (none / 0) (#3)
by Amiss on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 12:20:39 AM EST

found days later in Taylor County, several counties away from Leon County where Tallahassee is located. To me that makes it even worse, she was over 50 miles from where they were supposed to be monitoring her.

the incompetence displayed (none / 0) (#4)
by cpinva on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 01:33:46 AM EST

by most local police depts. is sometimes stunning. of course, given the average education and training most of them receive, and the financial incentives provided by various federal statutes, to engage in this kind of activity, the real surprise is that this doesn't happen more often. at least, i hope it doesn't.

the illegal drug industry is a fiscal gold mine for every law enforcement entity in existence. it provides jobs, supports police unions, and enables local yokels to buy all kinds of nifty tech equipment, that they mostly have no clue how to use.