Writer says public should be concerned about police misconduct
Dear Editor:
In June, 2010 I personally went to the F.B.I. offices and submitted a written complaint concerning a number of reported police misconduct and suspected criminal activities by CNET’s Commander Norman Wielsch, Agent Louis Lombardi, private investigator Chris Butler used as their drug expert, and some Antioch Police detectives and officers. The complained of events included questioned search warrants raid (and some without search warrants), armed robberies, unaccounted for and stolen personal properties, false imprisonments of victims, violations of civil and constitutional rights, and many other reported and suspected civil and criminal violations by those identified law enforcement officers.
I also had complained about a March, 2008 suspected wrongful shooting death in Antioch due to the ‘Keystone Cops’ style of police raid upon the unarmed and obviously cooperative victim within his residence. CNET’s Commander Norman Wielsch and Agent Louis Lombardi were present in that case also, along with other involved area police officers.
In the spring of 2011, I also personally and in writing complained to the C.C.C. District Attorney, and his two assigned Inspectors/Investigators, providing them (and the F.B.I. as well) thereafter with additional documented questioned incidents, and the victims’ contact information for their assumed investigation purposes.
As part of my written and verbal complaints I also documented my alarm and fear that some future potential taking of innocent lives by some of these unrestrained rogue cops could occur, writing “These suspected rogue Cops must be stopped quickly before any more Victims are added to their suspected ……. scoreboard, and especially before death(s) of innocent civilians enter into their activities!“
Lo and behold, in March, 2012 two of those complained of (Antioch detectives/officers) shot and killed an unarmed civilian during their questioned attempted contact of the Victim.
As a result a Federal lawsuit has been filed by the victim’s parents in April, 2013 (Katherine Harvey and Richard Lopez, Sr., vs. Matthew Koch, Joshua Vincelet, City of Antioch, et al, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District, court cases #2:11-cv-01820-LKK-KJN and #C13-1610DMR-ADR) wherein, among other things, millions of dollars are sought from them and the City of Antioch. Under the law’s discovery rules the defendant officers complained of can be identified in these and other unrelated court cases (civil and criminal) via a legal demand from the D.A.’s and F.B.I.’s Offices (whom I had warned and complained to in writing).
From one of those armed home invasion robberies, where over $50,000 in jewelry and cash was reported stolen from the tied up victims (one a pregnant female), one of the stolen expensive watches was later recovered from one of the identified and involved Officer’s home in 2011. No other stolen or unaccounted for property is known to have been recovered since then. And, none of the other reported and identified Officers are known to have been criminally pursued or charged to this day! Why not?
In another of those complained of cases an Antioch business, the owners and employees, were raided by some of these rogue Antioch Police detectives/officers without a search warrant (which was coincidentally later questionably obtained hours later). The owners were arrested, surveillance camera(s) and computer(s) were turned around or off, employees were reported to be falsely imprisoned, and various reported civil and criminal violations occurred (most was captured on the store’s surveillance tapes).
No criminal complaint was ever filed against the victim owners or their business. In the spring of 2011 the victimized owners and other victims filed a Federal lawsuit, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District, against the City of Antioch and the rogue Officers involved (case #CV 11-01502 EMC). That matter is still pending in the legal arena. This is but another example of Taxpayers’ liability as a result of the reported and documented wrongdoing by the out of control rogue Antioch Police Detectives/Officers. To date there are no known criminal charges filed against any of the involved Officers! Why not?
In April, 2011 some victims reported that in August, 2010 some police officers (CNET’s Commander Norman Wielsch was identified as one of them) conducted an armed home invasion robbery of their Antioch residence. One of the most outrageous acts of that raid was making a female resident to completely strip off her clothes, to her bare skin, by an overly aggressive female officer, all in front of an observing male Officer, obviously just to further humiliate and victimize the helpless female resident. The Victims report that not one law enforcement type of contact, inquiry, or investigation has been made, even though this case also was reported to the D.A.’s and F.B.I.’s offices. Why not? Who or what is really being protected? And for what reason?
There are many fine and honest police officers working in our state, county and cities. But, there are some few officers who take it upon themselves to go rogue, with what appears to be no unaccountability to anyone and with some form of blanket insulation and immunity from investigation, arrest, and prosecution. Why? Instead the public should be protected from them! Any other non-Police person who would have done these types of things would have been shortly arrested and criminally charged. But, obviously, not the Police involved in similar questioned and/or criminal acts! What gives? Equal justice and application of the laws? Why not? Where can the public get these latent ‘keep out of jail’ for free immunity from?
CNET’s Commander Norman Wielsch, Agent Louis Lombardi, and private investigator Chris Butler were the only ones arrested and charged in certain limited cases. This is supposed to apparently satisfy the public, making them the obvious scapegoats for what other officers were also present and/or involved in. That is not good enough. Many of these other rogue officers are still out there working as your police officers, with full access to you, the public.
We plan to submit in the future more published details of complained of events, and other very serious matters, that are of great public concern. Are you, the public then just going to take it and allow it to continue? Well, we are not and neither should you.
Ralph A. Hernandez, P.I., Antioch
Aardvark Investigations & Consulting
National Institute of Justice: ~ Five Things Law Enforcement Executives Can Do To Make A Difference. http://nij.gov/five-things
DoD study on random polygraphs for personnel. http://t.co/Tr7uafTd
“the polygraph is the single most effective tool for finding information people were trying to hide.” – DoD, NSA.
Make policy that polygraphs for all new hires expire every 2-5yrs. http://shar.es/epfm2
Top Baltimore jail executives to be polygraphed following gang indictment. http://shar.es/lmevh
California laws strengthened wall of silence among officers. http://shar.es/lITUZ
The California Peace Officers Bill of Rights needs to be reviewed and revised. Especially section 3007.
The honest, brave officers with integrity deserve better.
And so does the public.
Wherever you are in the World, in your own jurisdictions, in your own capacity, you can do something, one thing, anything. And make a difference.
Let’s get this done folks. And never give up. For the good of the collective whole.
RANDOM. ROUTINE.
Break the code. Break the culture.
And Walk the Talk.