Dredging Up the Past on Police Union President Mike Mazzeo
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Police union president Mike Mazzeo is no stranger to police corruption, the violation of citizens' civil rights, or media attention. Back in the late 80s and early 90s Mazzeo was a vice squad officer with the Highway Interdiction Team—a squad that used to rough up and bust up alleged low-level drug dealers. For all of his trouble, he and five other officers—including the police chief—were federally indicted on 19 counts alleging police brutality, conspiracy to violate the civil rights of suspects, embezzlement, falsification of government documents, falsification of employee time cards and other corruption. While he and his four colleagues were acquitted, officer after officer—in both high and low places in the RPD—admitted to the same abuse of power that Mazzeo was charged with. In today's world, when one sees our bold police union president rattling off his rendition of events and forcefully grasping his podium at the Locust Club, it just makes good sense to hear everything he says "with a grain of salt."
Additional Information: Rochester Police Arrest Citizen for Taping Traffic Stop | Police Union Responds to Good Case with Inaccuracies; Bars Indymedia Access | Breaking: Public Safety Chair says "The City of Rochester has lost control of its police force."
Other Investigations into Police Misconduct and Conspiracy: Historic conviction of cop torturer only partial justice, say activists | "Kicking The Pigeon"—a 17-part series on police corruption and brutality in Chicago | Q&A: Feds Investigating Portland Police Department | New Orleans police face trial in post-Katrina killings | Feds launch investigation of Newark police dept. | San Francisco District Attorney’s Office turns police investigation over to feds | Feds launch civil rights investigation of Seattle Police