Police
Colorado police departments failing to test rape kits
“A six-month investigation by KMGH-Denver found police departments across Colorado were failing to test hundreds of rape kits, critical evidence taken from a victim’s body after a sexual assault.” “While most departments said kits are rarely tested when the victim knows the suspect, one police department said these rape kits were prohibited from being tested…
Read MoreUtah Highway Patrol discipline problems go beyond Lisa Steed
“While the case of Cpl. Lisa Steed, the one-time Trooper of the Year who is suspected of falsifying arrest reports and lying on the witness stand, has grabbed headlines, an investigation by The Salt Lake Tribune revealed wider problems in how UHP investigates and adjudicates accusations of misconduct among its 425 troopers — a number…
Read MoreBurglaries misclassified as thefts in Milwaukee despite evidence
A new Journal Sentinel investigation found more than 900 cases that should have been classified as burglaries but were marked as thefts by Milwaukee police since 2006, showing Milwaukee’s crime data problems extend to property crimes. Reporters Ben Poston and John Diedrich found had the cases been properly coded, the tally of burglaries would have been 2.4% higher than reported…
Read MoreKCRA finds California parolees cutting off GPS monitors
A KCRA Investigation following missing parolees found a serious flaw in the state’s prison realignment plan. Sexual predators are supposed to be monitored by GPS under California’s Megan’s Law. But KCRA has obtained a wanted list of parolees who either cut off or never showed up to wear their GPS monitor. More than a thousand are…
Read MoreAtlanta police wanted helicopter replaced in 2001
“The Atlanta police helicopter that crashed Saturday night, killing two officers, was a Vietnam War-era chopper that city officials 11 years ago said had outlived its useful life.” This investigation by Mike Morris of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the council approved funds for a new helicopter, but the helicopter in question was still being used.
Read MoreThousands of CA parolees may be let off the hook
“A KCRA investigation found that the California Department of Corrections quietly began a “review process” that could effectively let nearly 10,000 people who ran away from parole off the hook.” “Using sourced internal memos and lists of parolees KCRA was able to determine that the 3-phase program would review everyone from minor offenders to those…
Read MoreExtra Extra Monday: Weekend enterprise outside of election coverage
Welcome to IRE’s roundup of the weekend’s many enterprise stories from around the country. We’ll highlight the document digging, field work and data analysis that made their way into centerpieces in print, broadcast and online from coast to coast. Coverage this week was dominated by the election, but there was some watchdog coverage to be found…
Read MoreParking ticket abuse rampant by Rochester Police
“A month-long investigation by the Democrat and Chronicle revealed that the Police Department routinely violated its own policies by fixing tickets for officers and their friends and relatives for flimsy excuses or none at all.” Through an open-records request, the Democrat and Chronicle found that between August 2009 and July 2012, a total of $7,800 parking tickets…
Read MoreTexas police spend millions on drones
“While the nation disputes if, when and where the government should use drones over U.S. soil, Texas state police are taking their surveillance efforts to the next level. In a little-noticed July purchase, officials at the Texas Department of Public Safety inked a $7.4 million contract with the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. for a…
Read MoreNJ state police rely heavily on opinion, rather than exams, for promotions
“The New Jersey State Police are one of only two statewide law enforcement agencies in the country to rely almost entirely on the opinion of supervisors for promotions, a practice most discarded years ago in favor of more objective written and verbal exams.” “A Star-Ledger survey found that the Rhode Island State Police, with a…
Read More