It sounds as if Det. Freeman has an anger problem.
Posted on 01/10/2009 4:34:15 PM PST by decimon
OUTRAGEOUS.
I hope the next victim sues the city and all complicit for enough for all their relatives to live fat for decades.
And normally, I hate the thought of anyone suing in such a situation.
For what? Because a 71 year old employee of the establishment from which he acquired merchandise, dared to ask to see his receipt, after an alarm had sounded when they went through the door, and may have attempted to slow his exit?
I didn't mean in that incident but in general. In NYC is used to be, and maybe still is, that a police officer was never off duty. That didn't mean much in practice, other than allowing police officers to carry guns off duty, but that was the rule.
I fully support enforcement of just laws, and would back an officer of the law 100% if questioned about actions in the line of duty required to do so. But, this man does not represent justice, whether he has a badge or not. He should not.
The city nearest me, Greensboro, NC, has a few officers like this. One, Det. James Hinson, seems to get not just protection, but promotion, just like this Det. Freeman in Chattanooga. I’ve not seen a photo of Det. Freeman, but I do wonder if he’s benefitting from the same wrongheaded selective hiring and firing policies that have benefitted Det. Hinson so mightily. Greensboro fired its Chief Of Police, rather than discipline this particular individual.
The next time, the old man will know to step back and bow.
Correction, Lieutenant, not Detective.
It sounds as if Det. Freeman has an anger problem.
This all stems from an incident at the Collegedale Wal-Mart Christmas Eve. According to the reports, Officer Freeman and another off-duty Chattanooga Police officer were walking out of the store, when the alarm sounded.
The greeter reportedly told Freeman to stop and grabbed him on the arm.
The report goes on to state that Freeman was confident the alarm was sounding for a different customer, and not him, so he turned around and told the greeter “don’t be putting your hands on me.” Then, according to the report Freeman pushed the greeter with his left palm.
Lawyer Stuart Brown says as far as he is concerned, the case is resolved and Freeman does not plan to file a complaint against Wal-Mart or the employee.
Brown says his client knows what he did was wrong but calls what the greeter did “an egregious mistake.”
http://www.newschannel9.com/news/officer_974544___article.html/freeman_charged.html
“As a college student who hopes to get in law enforcement when I graduate, I am shocked to once again read that Det. Kenneth Freeman has allegedly assaulted another person - this time a 71-year-old Wal-Mart security guard inside the Wal-Mart store, for just attempting to check his receipt.”
“This is the same police officer who was caught on a courthouse camera assaulting an attorney in 2007 by pushing him.”
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_141955.asp
Thug with a badge. Until he’s held to account, he actually IS above the law.
“The local police chief and the rest of his department should be held responsible for allowing this type of behavior to exist, and new policies should be implemented to make sure this is does not happen again.”
“Our sheriff is already in prison for acting like he was a member of the Soprano’s, a high ranking officer with obvious substance abuse issues was allowed to get away with repeated breaches of public trust (at least), and another off-duty police officer pulls a gun on a tow truck driver that is about to tow his car and all that the public ever gets is “we’re investigating”, while no charges are ever filed and the incidents are swept under the rug.”
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_141955.asp
“Two words: Cover Up, oh, and two more, Police Brutality. Why do some police think they are above the law themselves? If it was Joe Q. Public, we would be in that squad car.”
“After Officer Freeman got in trouble at court, the city of Chattanooga promoted him? Right after they hired Keele in land management, huh? I would get a good lawyer and sue if I was you. This guy is a loose cannon. It is only a matter of time before something really tragic occurs; besides there are a million security cameras to bolster your case. Put this man out of a job; he is undeserving of taxpayer money. I question this authority, all the dirty laundry is not out of this town yet.”
******
“As a lifelong citizen of Chattanooga and Hamilton County I am concerned with the conduct of some Chattanooga police officers. The attack upon a 71-year-old Wal-Mart greeter in Collegedale by a Chattanooga police officer was totally unnecessary. The elderly gentleman was only doing the job for which he was hired to do.”
“Det. Kenneth Freeman shoving another citizen, Mr. Gholom Ghassedi, through a glass door is inexcusable. Any other member of this community who would do such a thing would have forced applied in effecting an arrest upon their body.”
“More troubling than this un-warranted attack upon two citizens is the management of the Chattanooga Police Department and of the city of Chattanooga. When the Public Affairs Department for Chattanooga only says they are investigating it raises a red flag. Investigation is not enough and the good citizens of all our communities need to hear that the chief of police and the mayor of Chattanooga have dressed-down Det. Kenneth Freeman in no uncertain terms, read him the riot act, and put him on notice. In fact I would recommend he be pulled off the streets for a six-month period so he can reacclimatize himself into the environment of civility. It should be apparent the man has a serious problem in controlling himself after this incident and another prior incident where he attacked an officer of the court. Apparently he was rewarded with a promotion for administering that battery upon the lawyer in 2007.”
“Evidently “investigation” means nothing so I do not look for anything to come out of this either from Internal Affairs. The motto of the Chattanooga Police Department is “to serve and protect,” not “to serve and attack.””
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_141955.asp
Actually, the greeter or any agent of the store has the right to detain any party if they have sufficient grounds to believe that the party is involved with a theft. If the officer in question was asked to show a reciept and refused to show one, he may be a theft suspect, and as such can legally be detained.
One of the commenters at reddit said of Tennessee law what I recall of New York law. Store security would have to witness a theft and then wait for the thief to leave the store before they could detain the thief. Until you leave the store, you've not stolen anything.
Collegedale Officer Paul Crosby said when he arrived at the scene he found a large group of people gathered outside the door of the store. He said some “were obviously angry and were pointing fingers and yelling.”
He said one man was “livid” and was pointing his finger at Det. Freeman while saying, “You are a police officer? Shame on you.”
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_141946.asp
The notion that MIGHT MAKES the only RIGHT there is
has taken over the upper levels of the oligarchy—rather—it started out with that assumption.
The fruit of that is still growing in intensity and spreading in breadth.
The results will be quite horrific to the max.
Corruption in high places is one of the worst stenches there is.
I agree with you—I’ve long been a supporter of rule by law and admired and cheered honorable law guardians fiercely all my life.
The last 10 years has seen a sea change in my attitude toward too many of them.
Thanks for your kind and informative comment.
The next time, the old man will know to step back and bow.
. . . . and kiss feet and/or butt.
The Chinese are masters at that . . . to one’s face . . . regardless of later.
Thanks for the added details.
Given his face, demeanor and record . . . I’d sure not want any daughter of mine marrying anywhere close to such a bloke.
I’m surprised that
OThuga hasn’t already invited him to the White House for a banquet as such a model LEO in the grand model OThuga prizes so extensively and so intensely.
/sar . . . welllll . . . slightly sar
Shaming the shameless is not possible.
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