Really bummed out about this (Long)

[Defender77]

Has this ever happened to you and if so how did or how would you handle it?


Couple months ago I got sent to a theft that had just occurred at a local store.


A guy had walked into a store and walked out with a pack of smokes without paying.

I'm the first to arrive on scene and meet with the store manager or complainant.

Meanwhile, my beat partners are checking the surrounding streets because the suspect was seen walking away on foot.

And, wouldn't you know, one of my beat partners finds a suspect nearby and he has fresh cigarettes on him.

The problem here is that the complainant says she only got a brief glimpse of the suspect as he walks out of the store and she says she cannot I.D. him again. She gives me a physical description, etc... and I say ok.

Meanwhile, my beat partner calls me up on my cell phone and tells me "So, what should we do? We cannot hold this guy forever. And he's holding a different brand of cigs than the one the store clerk says was stolen. Should I let him go?"

I trust that my beat partner is doing all he can to try and ID this guy too and so since it seems this isn't the guy I say "Ok, yeah let him go."

Had I gotten any other info, I would have had the Complainant brought over to the suspect's location for a field show-up to try and make positive I.D.

Later, after the case is all said and done I am approached by ANOTHER beat partner who had helped locate and detain the suspect.

What my 2nd beat partner says is that the suspect had admitted stealing the cigarettes from the store!

Why they didn't let me know this at the time and why they let this guy go, I have no idea.



But this isn't what really upsets me.

What upsets me is that later on, when I was back at the squad room, I point blank asked the first beat partner who I spoke to on the phone, whether the suspect had admitted to taking the cigs from the store and my beat partner flat out LIED to my face and said "No." Apparently, this first beat partner who lied didn't know that the 2nd partner had already informed me of the suspect's confession.

So obviously, this first beat partner has no respect for me thinks I am a fool.

*EDITED: I also have to add he is my classmate, we graduated together many years ago

How would this make you feel and what would you do to address it?

[Baysidegal]

I would just try to avoid jobs with that officer or be extra careful when you have jobs with them. As far as the situation there really isn't too much you can do. I would just let it go for now and just be more careful in the future. Either the guy didn't hear him confess or didn't feel like doing extra paperwork, who knows. Live and learn that too many people getting involved on a job F things up.

[PB3021]

He dose'nt necassarily disrespect you, he may just be lazy. It's sad, but I've experienced that. When I 1st started one guy on my shift was a 19 vet. I passed him travelling the opposite direction while en route to back him up on his calls. You may want to talk more to the other partner to find out more about this guy. Without knowing more about your situation, I'd still say the problem is within him.

[Defender77]

I would just try to avoid jobs with that officer or be extra careful when you have jobs with them. As far as the situation there really isn't too much you can do. I would just let it go for now and just be more careful in the future. Either the guy didn't hear him confess or didn't feel like doing extra paperwork, who knows. Live and learn that too many people getting involved on a job F things up.

I do appreciate this advice.

[Defender77]

He dose'nt necassarily disrespect you, he may just be lazy. It's sad, but I've experienced that. When I 1st started one guy on my shift was a 19 vet. I passed him travelling the opposite direction while en route to back him up on his calls. You may want to talk more to the other partner to find out more about this guy. Without knowing more about your situation, I'd still say the problem is within him.

I am sorry to hear you have experienced the same thing. It is not a good feeling.

I added something to my original post, this person who lied to me is my classmate from the academy. We graduated together many years ago.

And I've worked with this guy for a while.

[School Cop]

How do you know he's the liar? Seems like it could just as easily been the other guy. You know, "Sure he confessed!" When he really just thinks it's the right guy.

Either way, you're working with at least one cop you can't trust an inch. Sorry about that - watch your back.

[Defender77]

How do you know he's the liar? Seems like it could just as easily been the other guy. You know, "Sure he confessed!" When he really just thinks it's the right guy.

Either way, you're working with at least one cop you can't trust an inch. Sorry about that - watch your back.

I've worked with both of them for almost the same amount of time and have gotten to know them in the field and while off duty.

It doesn't surprise me one bit that the 1st officer would lie to me.

It would really surprise me if the 2nd one (the one who told me the suspect confessed) did lie to me.

I already know who I can and cannot trust.

I'm just bummed and don't know what to do.

[cajunguy]

In Law Enforcement, an officer who compromises their integrity, doesn't have much going for them.

Lieing to other officers is a big integrity buster. If you can't trust your partners, who can you trust?

If they lie about the small stuff, what else will they lie about?


.

[Taylor1430]

Did he actually hear the confession? I've heard suspects say things that other officers have missed...and I have missed things a suspect has said while other officers have heard it. He may not have been lying to you but didn't hear the statement.

If he went through the extra work of tracking down a suspect for you over a pack of cigarettes, I doubt he would have gone through the trouble to lie about it to cover it up.

[Blatant]

Sorry about your issue. What I want to know, is what agency dispatchs three units to a shoplift ...

[t150vsuptpr]

What my 2nd beat partner says is that the suspect had admitted stealing the cigarettes from the store!

... and ...

What upsets me is that later on, when I was back at the squad room, I point blank asked the first beat partner who I spoke to on the phone, whether the suspect had admitted to taking the cigs from the store and my beat partner flat out LIED to my face and said "No." Apparently, this first beat partner who lied didn't know that the 2nd partner had already informed me of the suspect's confession.

So obviously, this first beat partner has no respect for me thinks I am a fool.

The first one is the one that caught suspect. He denies that a confession was made, and the cigs weren't the same, and you had a pi55poor discription. The second one says he confessed?

I'ld be inclined more to believe officer #1 told the truth and #2 was mistaken and told the truth as he believed at the time. Very easy for people in such a situation to hear slightly different versions. Maybe #2 didn't even hear it, just misunderstood something told by #1. It happens in the heat.

Get more facts before assuming your fellow officers are liars and learn to trust them until you have concrete reason to do otherwise.

[Defender77]

They were both at the scene and I believe they both heard the same thing.

Granted I was not there, but I did talk to Officer #2 later about this because it bugged me so darn much. The 2nd Officer, who told me the suspect confessed, is pretty darn sure Officer 1 also heard the confession. I mean, they both detained the suspect. They were both there.

Officer 2 basically told me to not let this get me down.

His exact words about Officer 1 were:


"Now you know his true colors."

[Defender77]

Did he actually hear the confession? I've heard suspects say things that other officers have missed...and I have missed things a suspect has said while other officers have heard it. He may not have been lying to you but didn't hear the statement.

If he went through the extra work of tracking down a suspect for you over a pack of cigarettes, I doubt he would have gone through the trouble to lie about it to cover it up.

The suspect was caught just before recall.

[Defender77]

Spoke to my other beat partner today, who wasn't there that day....but we all basically work together and cover each other's backs.

He told me not to worry about it, but he says it is important to know who you can and cannot trust.

[t150vsuptpr]

Before I'ld throw #1 under the bus over it, I'ld go ask him about it. I wouldn't just assume he "lied" based on #2's assessment. Talk to the man and use your own judgement.

Don't accuse him of lying, don't say #2 accused him either as it does no good to poison that working relationship.

Seen all kinds in 30 years. Seen guys who made a mistake and would not own up to it for anything, would rather put it on the other guy ... even over a minor insignificant mistake.