How far will cop unions go to halt reform?

[JonLP24]

The arrest this week of two ex-cop private investigators — charged with felonies related to their alleged attempt to frame a Costa Mesa city councilman for a false DUI — is about more than the disturbing tactics of two hired guns. It offers insight into the way some police unions across California intimidate political opponents into silence.

This ugly story starts in 2012. Councilmen Jim Righeimer, Stephen Mensinger and Gary Monahan were loathed by the city’s police union because of their efforts to reduce pension liabilities and outsource services. Costa Mesa had become Ground Zero in our state’s battle over reform, drawing protests reminiscent of the fracas between Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and unions at the capitol in Madison.

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The criminal prosecutions — felony counts for illegal use of a tracking device, false imprisonment by deceit, conspiracy to commit a crime and falsely reporting a crime — reinforce what the council members have been saying. But, again, this is not just about two PIs with checkered pasts. It’s about the dirtiest form of politics.

Prosecutors say Lanzillo and Impola were in contact with the law firm’s managing partner the night of the incident. That firm closed following the scandal and allegations of billing misconduct, but had long bragged about its “playbook” of bare-knuckled tactics on behalf of police.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/12/police-unions-alleged-intimidation-arrest-reformer/

The article is 2 pages full of sources. Here a couple from the above article

Law Firm's 'Playbook' Shows How Police Play Hardball at Bargaining Table, Paper Says

Among the tips and strategies:

• Because “the public could care less about your pay, medical coverage and pension plan” the primer notes that messages “should always be public safety first. You do not want wage increases for yourselves, but simply to attract better qualified candidates and to keep more experienced officers from leaving.”

• “Storm City Council - While an association is at impasse, no city council or governing board meeting should take place where members of your association and the public aren’t present publicly chastising them for their lack of concern for public safety.”

• “Work Slowdown - This involves informing your members to comply closely with Department policy and obey all speed limits. It also involves having members do thorough investigations, such as canvassing the entire neighborhood when taking a 459 report and asking for a back-up unit on most calls. Of course, exercising officer discretion in not issuing citations and making arrests is also encouraged.”

• “Blue Flu - This one is very rarely used and only in dire circumstances. As with all of these, please consult your association’s attorney before even discussing this issue with your members.”

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firms_playbook_shows_how_police_play_hardball_at_bargaining_table/

City Council Members Allege Police Union Bullying



Members of a handful of Orange County city councils Tuesday told stories of attempts by police unions to bully them into voting for generous labor contracts and said a flood of similar revelations is yet to come.

In a news conference led by Costa Mesa Councilman Jim Righeimer outside Costa Mesa City Hall, two council members from Buena Park and one from Fullerton recalled how their cities’ police associations had a councilman followed, blogged that officers should target cars belonging to council members’ children and bullied women employees at a local coffee shop that posted campaign signs supporting a councilman.

The allegations come just days after Righeimer accused unions of orchestrating a botched attempt to have him arrested for drunk driving.

The common thread, the council members said, was controversial law firm Lackie, Dammeier & McGill, which does labor contract negotiations consulting work for police unions. The law firm had posted on its website a slew of bullying strategies to secure lucrative labor contracts, the Orange County Register reported earlier this month.

Shortly thereafter, the Costa Mesa Police Officers' Association fired the law firm.

http://www.voiceofoc.org/oc_coast/article_a5185e5c-f16c-11e1-a44f-0019bb2963f4.html

TWO PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS WORKING FOR POLICE UNION LAW FIRM ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST COSTA MESA COUNCILMEN AND AN ATTORNEY

SANTA ANA – Two private investigators working for a law firm retained by the Costa Mesa Police Officers’ Association (CMPOA) were arrested on charges of committing crimes against two Costa Mesa council members and a competitor attorney. Christopher Joseph Lanzillo, 45, Lake Arrowhead, and Scott Alan Impola, 46, Canyon Lake, are each charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit a crime of unlawful use of electronic tracking device, one felony count of false imprisonment by deceit, and one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime of falsely reporting crime to agency. If convicted, Lanzillo and Impola face a maximum sentence of four years and four months in jail, as well as revocation of their private investigators’ licenses. They are each being held on $25,000 bail and are scheduled to be arraigned at a later date.

Background Information

At the time of the crimes, Lanzillo and Impola are accused of working as private investigators for the former Upland-based law firm of Lackie, Dammeier, McGill, and Ethir (LDME). CMPOA retained LDME to conduct “candidate research,” including surveillance on Costa Mesa city council members, in the months leading up to the November 2012 election.

On June 19, 2012, Lanzillo is accused of purchasing a GPS monitoring device using the alias of Robert Teller with Teller Investigations.

Victims

Councilman Stephen Mensinger

Between July 25, 2012, and Aug. 22, 2012, Lanzillo and Impola are accused of conspiring together to place a GPS tracking device on the vehicle of Costa Mesa City Councilman Stephen Mensinger without his knowledge or permission. Lanzillo and Impola are accused of using the GPS device to illegally track the location of Councilman Mensinger.

http://orangecountyda.org/civica/press/display.asp?layout=2&Entry=4141

[Downwinder]

1. 1992 NYPD Riot

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/17/nyregion/officers-rally-and-dinkins-is-their-target.html

[JonLP24]

2. Found another

The FBI has launched an investigation into allegations of corruption within the police department of Calexico, a small border town east of San Diego.

On Wednesday, the newly-appointed police chief publicly accused his predecessor, some members of his own department and city officials of illegally trying to undermine a criminal investigation, comparing their actions to those of the New York mafia.

“The councilmembers in conjunction with the police officers association and members of that association have used city funds and city resources to run what I would call an extortion racket,” Calexico Police Chief Mike Bostic said.

“I’ve literally had it,” Bostic said. Then, when he talked about calling in the FBI just two weeks into his term, he was moved to tears.

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He claims some of the elected officials and POA members were using thousands of dollars in surveillance equipment recently purchased with department funds to follow other members of the city government.

“Exactly like the Mafioso in New York. That’s exactly how they are operating,” the chief said.

After he was on the job for three or four days, Bostic discovered the investigations unit was not working any active cases. The same was true with the narcotics and internal affairs units.

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He said detectives were using professional tools often used to break into cars. No officer should be carrying them, Bostic said.

“There’s a thing called search warrants in the state of California,” he said. “These were clearly tools for violating people’s rights and we’re trying to get to the bottom of that.”

Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Calexico-Police-FBI-Corruption-Extortion-California-Bostic-283264551.html#ixzz3NFjxpsD3
Follow us: @nbcsandiego on Twitter | NBCSanDiego on Facebook

[Downwinder]

3. Calexico Chief: Thugs Think They Can Hide Behind Badge

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4. ,

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[bemildred]

5. Anything they think they can get away with. Anything at all. nt