Double Standards: Inspector Ray Evers

Infamous Philadelphia Police Inspector Raymond Evers has received disciplinary action for violating 1.11 and 1.12 of the Philadelphia Police Disciplinary Code during the Internal Affairs investigation of a narcotics arrest.  The discipline is allegedly the result of an investigation of the “Pot Party” raid.   Evers isn’t alone to receive 75-18’s.

Also being disciplined is Lieutenant Anthony Burton, currently cooling his heals in the DVIC (the place where crazy, crippled, corrupt or pregnant cops are assigned) for forging a fake doctors note so that he could cheat on a promotional exam.

Captain Laverne Vann and several other officers are being disciplined as well.  Vann and Burton, along with Staff Inspector Debra Frazier has a pending lawsuit against the City and Evers.  The lawsuit alleges a double standard for black cops in the Narcotics Unit.

There may be a modicum of truth because there are a slew of black cops and supervisors who were assigned to Narcotics who have been benched because of theft allegations currently assigned to the DVIC after being yanked from Narcotics.

However; some of these cops are on film.  Therefore; if they are on film stealing, such as allegedly Sergeant Michael Kennedy and Sergeant Wali Shabazz, that isn’t a double standard, its simply thieves getting caught, who happen to be black.

Sergeant Kennedy’s former partner, former Police Sergeant Bryan McGraw, with whom Kennedy was charged with over 1,000 misdemeanors and acquitted.  In that case, Kennedy and McGraw were accused forging an insurance policy in an worker compensation claim.  They were both acquitted at trial.

Ex-Sergeant Bryan McGraw was convicted again, after serving 3 years in state prison, of harassing another police officer in May of this year.  McGraw will serve an additional 2 years and is scheduled to report to prison in October for that conviction.

The double standard is why Ray Evers isn’t also benched with the rest because of his 1.11 and 1.12 allegations.  You see in the Philadelphia Police culture, it is commonly understood that if you are found guilty of 1.11 and 1.12, the common punishment is dismissal.  Dismissal is the natural consequence because you can’t effectively do your job if you lie and provide false information.

Evers has a colorful past, including being accused of rape when “a 22-year-old Evers and several other men had a “gang-bang” with a 19-year-old woman on a pool table at the Temple University Alpha Phi Delta frat house.”  Evers and another frat member, Michael Derita were arrested.   The DA’s office later dropped charged but the DA was quoted as saying the victim didn’t lie.  The victim has reportedly since committed suicide.

Evers was involved in a drunken brawl in Avalon, New Jersey, where cops there claims Evers was looking for preferential treatment after getting his ass whipped after engaging patrons in the bar in a fight.  The bouncer broke the fight up and Evers whined he had injuries.  Not satisfied with the fighters being told to go home, Evers tried to assert the “brotherhood” argument to having the bouncer charged with a felony.  Cops refused.

Patrons asserted Evers was shooting his drunken mouth off and got beat up.  Cops say video surveillance didn’t corroborate Evers version of the events.

Unlike Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna, who received his promotion not based on a civil service test, but on a “meritorious” basis, Evers past transgressions did not prevent him from attending the FBI National Academy as a Police Commander.   The FBI didn’t want old Bologna on the grounds of the FBI and therefore turned him down.  Evers passed the muster even with his notorious background.  Clearly the FBI know more about Bologna than the Police Department does.

Evers seems to have credibility issues.  This is why it will be curious as to what discipline Evers will receive for violation of the disciplinary code, 1.11 and 1.12.  These are violations that are lying in an official police investigation and providing false information.

Lieutenant Anthony Burton, who also have significant credibility issues, including submitting a phony doctors note in an effort to cheat on a Civil Service promotional exam, and have been accused on multiple occasions of being a thief, may not fare much better in his lawsuit or his disciplinary action.

The irony here is that in the lawsuit that Burton, Vann, Frazier, and Police Officer Shamal Bryant and the Guardian Civic League initiated against the City and Evers alleges that there is a double standard for African American cops in the unit “and that white officers in charge have systematically worked to exclude and deny African Americans from achieving upward mobility and rising up the ranks.”  Here is where Evers would be innocent concerning Burton.

Ray Evers did not create a phony doctors note in an effort to cheat on a civil service promotional test, thereby impacting Tony Burton’s upward mobility in the Police Department.  Burton lied, committed the crimes of forgery and fraud and submitted false documents in his official position as a Police Lieutenant.  And Burton (kettle) can’t blame the Evers (pot) for that.  Burton has committed acts which provides compelling evidence that he is a liar, a fraudster and possibly a thief.

The latest disciplinary action that he received along with Ray Evers is simply a long list of infractions that show Burton has little regard for his position as a Philadelphia Police Lieutenant.

In any event, the double standards lies with both Inspector Raymond Evers, in which 1.11 and 1.12 usually results in a dismissal, and Lieutenant Anthony Burton, whose latest disciplinary action on top of his prior list of offenses, should result in dismissal as well.  Neither of them have a shred of credibility between them.

It’s also curious why Evers isn’t a resident at the DVIC which have an unusually high number of previously assigned Narcotics cops and supervisors.  Lieutenant Charles Jackson, the illustrious aforementioned Lieutenant Anthony Burton, Sergeant Michael Kennedy,  District Sergeant for NETS, Wali Shabazz and as of late, Police Officer Maurice Smith, from Narcotics Strike Force, who was scooped up by IMPACT (an arm of Internal Affairs who investigate criminality within the Police Department) recently.

Evers should join his comrades since he is accused of lying during an official investigation and providing false information during an official investigation.  At least Evers has been benched, but not in the DVIC with his co-defendants, or in the other unit  known as Black List row, where Staff Inspector Larry Nodiff is currently assigned, after getting unceremoniously booted from Internal Affairs.  Evers has been assigned to CIB, Command Inspections Bureau or Night Command.

However; being in Night Command still allows Evers free reign over the citizens of Philadelphia.  Night Command is considered punishment for some Commanders, but it isn’t desk duty.

Because of these facts, and because Evers hasn’t been totally benched (off the streets),  we assign Evers the Double Standards mantra.  In that vein, at least that portion of the lawsuit against Evers is correct.  There is a double standard.

 

 

 

Double Standards: Chief Inspector Carl Holmes

Inspector Carl Holmes, in October 2013, was installed as the Chief of School Security for Philadelphia Public Schools and the Police Athletic League.  This assignment was given to Holmes, despite his long history of sexual misconduct allegations.

At the time of the appointment, the Philadelphia Police Department released a statement stating “Chief Holmes is more than qualified to lead this position, and Commissioner Charles Ramsey has the utmost confidence in his ability in working to keep our kids safe. Furthermore, none of those issues involved children in any way, shape, or form,” Lt. John Stanford, a police spokesman, said in an email response to the Philadelphia Tribune.

Needless to say, parents of children in the Philadelphia public school system were not pleased.  Despite the fact of his history of lawsuits and sexual misconduct allegations, then-Commissioner Charles Ramsey defended his decision by stating “I don’t understand what the issue is, or why anybody is concerned about it.”, according to the Philadelphia Magazine.

So fast forward to 2017.  On January 11, 2017, U.S. District Judge Mark A. Kearney excoriated the police department writing that there is a complicity, that people in authority, as high as the police commissioner ignore when it comes to misconduct.

In the complaint of Philadelphia Police Officer Michele Vandegrift vs. City of Philadelphia, Officer Vandegrift alleges that Chief Inspector Carl Holmes sexually assaulted her in 2007.  And this isn’t the first time at the rodeo for Holmes.

Another police officer, Christina Hayburn, alleged that Holmes sexually assaulted her in 2006.  The suit states that in Holmes chased Hayburn as she was trying to leave a bar, pulled her into his vehicle and “began kissing her “really hard” as he touched her breasts and put his hands on the outside of her pants toward her genitals.”  It should be noted that Carl Holmes is a 6-foot-6, 280-pound former offensive tackle for Temple University.  One can easily see how this imposing figure would have no problem overpowering a woman.  Account of Officer Hayburn’s incident here.

The suit further alleges that during this encounter, Holmes “digitally penetrated her vagina, after which he pulled out his penis and placed Officer Hayburn’s hand on top of it”.  Hayburn stated she said “No”, after he attempted to have intercourse and oral sex, but that Holmes “eventually ejaculated”.

As a result of the investigation into this complaint, Holmes city car was impounded and forensic evidence found “seminal stains containing spermatozoa”.  Holmes denied the allegation and claimed he had sexual relations with a female civilian in the city car twice, which is why there was semen in the car.  The investigators did not ask for the name of the civilian employee, or for her description and Holmes did not provide it.

Holmes has denied any wrong-doing involving Vandegrift.  But he did admit to having sex in his tax-payer funded vehicle with a civilian city employee.  Conveniently, there was no further investigation of that civilian.  Therefore; the police department doesn’t know if that civilian was a victim of a crime, or a willing participant because they only had the side of Holmes.

Vandegrift further alleges in the complaint that Holmes “wanted to know how wet she was” and that he inserted his finger into her vagina.  The complaint also alleges that he pulled his hand out, tasted his finger, and remarked “it tasted good”.  This allegedly happened in his office while they were both working.  The complaint then goes on to name 24th District officers and Southwest Detectives, both places where Vandegrift worked, who engaged in highly inappropriate, and in some cases, criminal sexual behavior.

The complaint is a salacious and disgusting account of what became a nightmare for Michele Vandegrift.  Read Complaint Here

Writing in the opinion in response to a summary judgement motion filed by the City of Philadelphia to dismiss the gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit, in denying the request, Judge Kearney wrote   “Mrs. Vandegrift adduces facts necessary to create a genuine issue of material fact as to her claims of gender discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation under Title VII, the PHRA, and the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance.  Ms. Vandegrift also provides sufficient evidence of a well-settled custom of sexual harassment within the Philadelphia Police Department.”

There is clearly a problem.  Holmes even admitted in a deposition that it is difficult for female police officers on the job and they have to listen to comments about sex on the job.

Curiously, also in a deposition regarding the suit, Chief Inspector Christopher Flacco admitted that he authorized disciplinary action against Vandegrift as a result of something she had written on Facebook, because another officer had been  disciplined for a Facebook message because of her complaint.

And Officer Vandegrift named names in her lawsuit.  There was a litany of allegations against numerous 24th District Officers and Southwest Detective personnel of various ranks.  From Inspector Anthony Washington, to Lieutenant Anthony LaSalle to Detective James Priadka and countless other police personnel who made lewd comments and at least one who “slapped her on the backside.”   The details are lascivious.

In a deposition involving former Philadelphia Police Officer Keisha Johnson against the City involving Staff Inspector Jerrold Bates, (or Master Bates as he is now called), Bates admits to having a orgy with Officer Johnson, another Police Captain, Nicholas Brown and a friend of Officer Johnson.

Bates was Officer Johnson‘s boss at the time.  Bates also admits that he saw pictures of Johnson with another employee, Corporal Gail Newsome Middleton, in which he shared with Captain Brown. In her lawsuit, Johnson alleges “Plaintiff  (Johnson) also sent Bates numerous cell phone pictures of herself, at his request, so he could masturbate when he was home. (Id. at 69:12-75:11.) Bates also talked about having Plaintiff go to a hotel with him, which she refused, and he solicited her to have group sex with Corporal Newsome-Middleton and Sergeant Williams, which also did not occur. (Id. at 75:8-77:4.) See deposition here:  bates-deposition-v-city-doc42-5-bates-depo.  Officer Keisha Johnson Lawsuit here: Keisha Johnson vs. Jerrold Bates, ETAL

There are going to be people in Internal Affairs, as some did in depositions, who will claim to remember how Officer  Keisha Johnson and Corporal Newsome-Middleton, dressed like whores.  If this is factual, once again, the supervisors in Internal Affairs who allowed this behavior to exist is part of the problem.  The problem is systemic and persuasive in policing.

If orgies and menage a trois’ can go on involving the then, Staff Inspector Jerrold Bates, who was in charge of the EEO unit, and his Captain buddy with subordinates, while assigned to Internal Affairs, where does it stop?

This goes beyond the old adage of “boys being boys”.  Alot of this behavior is criminal.  When the victims cannot rely on the head of policing agencies to protect them, what can the citizens, whom they are sworn to protect expect?

One shining star in the Vandegrift lawsuit is Lieutenant Ray Saggesse, who according to Vandegrift, expressed his frustration at not being able to properly investigate misconduct as an Internal Affairs Investigator.  He relayed his frustration that he was even unable to get these jobs to the District Attorney’s Office for review.

Despite years of increasingly pointed warnings and mounting legal challenges, sexual harassment in the Philadelphia Police Department remains an entrenched and serious problem.  Victims of sexual misconduct can expect the same treatment that other whistle blowers can expect:  disciplinary charges, being treated like a pariah, termination and/or being charged with a crime.

According to these documents and numerous police officials who say there is a climate of hostility toward women and it isn’t just in Philadelphia, it is in Chicago, the LAPD, Dallas and can be found in even the smallest police departments.  And this unlawful behavior has got to stop.

Until some of these perpetrators are arrested or at least terminated, there will remain a feeling that female police officers are fair game.  Officer Vandegrift is now a Police Detective.

Double Standards: Inspector Ben Naish

A Police Sergeant puts in for a transfer to Southwest Detectives, where then-Captain Benjamin Naish, was the Commanding Officer.  Because the Sergeant, made a typo in his paperwork, Civil Servant Naish, demanded the Sergeant take a spelling test initiated by Naish.

Maybe Naish doesn’t realize that he is a Civil Servant.  Maybe Naish doesn’t realize the Sergeant is a civil servant.  Since when is a Captain allowed to institute a spelling test on someone there for a transfer, but not to others interviewing for the same position?  Is Naish aware they both have the same employer:  The City of Philadelphia.  Does Naish moonlight as a Central Personnel Human Resource employee?  Naish does seem to know alot about the inner-goings on in city government.  Naish is known to be a gossiper.

By the way, the Sergeant did not get the transfer.  Did he fail the test?  Or was that Naishs’ way of “icing” him.  Naish was accused by Detective Matt Maurizio of “icing” the good citizens of the Northeast when he wanted to extort information from them.  Freedom for information, even if they were innocent.

The Penn Record describes icing as:  “the act of holding people in police custody long after the law allows and/or when the law forbids this circumstance. Maurizio alleged this practice was done for purposes of coercing cooperation with investigations and/or confessions, and the financial waste results from payments to officers for both excess overtime and unnecessary police work.”

Detective Matthew Maurizio, a police detective, filed a lawsuit in 2014. In his complaint, Maurizio states he reported to Ben Naish that people were being held in custody without charges or even probable cause, a violation of their civil rights, in order to force them to cooperate with the police or coerce a confession.  We’ll lay odds no one of the Jewish faith was held illegally, since Naish is an outspoken critic of anti-semitism.  Maybe we can check the data on the demographic who were illegally detained.

An honest cop, Maurizio reported the civil rights violations to Ben Naish.  Naish was none too pleased with him.  Naish, who is married to Assistant District Attorney Deborah Naish, according to Maurizio, decided to do things the PPD way:  get him back.  Retaliate.

Maurizio, reported that after he made the report of misconduct, Naish retaliated against him.  There was an out-of-court settlement.  The question becomes, why wasn’t Naish “iced”?

Naish, who worked in the IMPACT unit and a variety of white-glove assignments within the department (many says Naish never worked a hard day in his life), wasn’t disciplined.  Was the Department of Justice notified that Naish was part of a custom and practice of violating the civil rights of its citizens?  Why wasn’t he demoted?

At least one citizen, Kimyatta Robinson, was paid monetary damages for the harm that Naish and his collusion to deprive her of her civil rights.

Why is there a double standard when, in this instance, you have a Commander who has worked in the IMPACT unit, a unit that handled criminality within the department, makes decisions daily on the detention or release of individuals who may be held illegally, still in decision-making assignment?

This is why many officers do not report misconduct or wrong-doing.  Whistleblowers have a hard time in any organization, but especially in policing.  Naish is still in his ivy tower, while this Detective, according to him, is out of $66,000.00 due to the retaliation he suffered at the hands of Naish.

Naish should join Larry Nodiff or at least be hidden away from the public where he won’t have the opportunity to deprive citizen’s of the civil liberties.  Disciplining Naish will also send a message to others who may engage in retaliating against cops who report the wrongdoing of other cops.  This is definitely corruption.  There wasn’t even a hesitation to hiding Inspector Jerrold Bates,  (Or Master Bates as he is commonly known) after the sex scandal in Internal Affairs.

Especially, since one of the Detective’s complaints was that the practice was also used to produce excessive overtime and unnecessary police work.  This at a time, when the Police Department is under an imperative to reduce its overtime.  And if the financial waste the detective reported to Naish was proven, it should have been reported to the Inspector General’s Office, after Naish put an end to it.  Naish should be disciplined.  At the very least, he should have been transferred from the place where he committed the offense.  There must be a consequence when police officers engage in misconduct.

Better yet, how about giving Naish a test:  a civics test.

Larry Nodiff Drop-Kicked from Internal Affairs

Staff Inspector Laurence Nodiff was drop-kicked out of Internal Affairs.  Nodiff has not retired in spite of fact that he can retire today and just for waking up, make $118, 321.00.  There are many questions about his involvement in the handling of an incident that may have resulted in the death of Mark McGovern by 15th District officers and supervisors.  There is an ongoing investigation involving the Medical Examiner’s Office and allegedly Internal Affairs investigators who meddled in the findings.

When you get kicked out of Internal Affairs, it’s a problem.  Even Greg Riley, when he got in trouble, he got demoted and put back in the Internal Affairs Unit, Impact no less.  Still scratching our heads over that one.  But this is a signal to Nodiff.

Nodiff has over 40 years and is eligible, under the old pension plan, to earn 100% of his salary.

Stay tuned.

 

Last name	First name	Salary	Overtime	Department	Job Title
NODIFF	LAURENCE	$118,321	$0.00	POLICE DEPARTMENT	POLICE STAFF INSPECTOR

Internal Affairs – Staff Inspector Nodiff

Amid the turmoil in Internal Affairs(or Inferno Affairs) now, with Captains allegedly requesting transfers.  Amid feuds, allegedly between Joseph McDowell and Christopher Flacco.  Now, rumors of a huge investigation into some of the bigwigs, tasked with keeping the rank and file in check.  Internal Affairs is indeed hot.

There is little wonder why so many people want out of there.  Many of the people who allowed so many corrupt cops run amok for years, according to mainstream media reports, have since retired.  But allegedly, there are folks who still want to serve and protect the bad cops and punish whistle blowers.

Internal Affairs Staff Inspector Larry Nodiff must have clenched butt-cheeks now.  Rumor has it that he is in deep doggy-do.  There is allegedly a formal investigation into Nodiff, who is to have been alleged to change the conclusion of cases in order to get his desired outcome.

Stay tuned.  More information to follow.