By Davy V.
In April of 2012, Rochester, NY Police Chief James Sheppard announced a billboard campaign, with what he described as a "specific purpose."
The billboards, which were strategically placed mostly in African-American and Latino neighborhoods, featured actual Black and Latino Rochester Police officers with slogans such as "On The Same Team" and "We've Got Your Back."
Shortly after unveiling the RPD's billboard campaign, Chief Sheppard said “We're trying to get the message out to the Rochester community that the RPD, one, has their back. We want people to know that we're here to serve them. It’s our role. We want them to have faith in us. The other message we're trying to send is to youth. To let them know we're on the same team. We don't want them looking at us as the enemy.”
The campaign, which lasted about 2 months, was an obvious sign of the desperation that the Rochester, NY Police department has in gaining the respect and trust of African-Americans and Latinos, after a long history of harassing, racially profiling, abusing and in some cases executing them.
A desperation where the RPD and the City of Rochester is will go as far as to try to buy that respect and trust with billboards.
Ironically, about the same time that the RPD's billboard campaign was ending, Rochester Police Sgt. Aaron Colletti, Sgt. Mike Nicholls, Officer Antonio Gonzalez, Officer Brian Cala, Officer Greg Karnes, Officer Onasis Socol, and Officer Eluid Rodriguez executed Israel "Izzy" Andino, a mentally ill young man on his 20th birthday. (See my blog "7 Rochester Police officers Execute Mentally Ill Man")
And just recently, a Rochester man filed a lawsuit against the City of Rochester, the Rochester Police department and Rochester Police officers Rob Osipovitch and Ryan Hartley after the officers lied in order to effect an illegal stop and search of Jeramie Barideaux's vehicle.
RPD officers Osipovitch and Hartley, lied about Barideaux failing to come to a complete stop at the intersection of Conkey Ave. and Avenue D in order to justify what was an illegal traffic stop.
Rochester Police claimed to have found drugs and a weapon in Barideaux's vehicle.
Monroe County Court Judge Daniel Doyle dismissed all charges against Barideaux after a City of Rochester surveillance camera located high above the intersection, proved that Barideaux in fact did come to a complete stop at the intersection, and that RPD officers Rob Osipovitch and Ryan Hartley lied.
Osipovitch and Hartley not only lied in order to justify illegally stopping Mr. Barideaux, but they also committed perjury by lying when they testified in front of a Monroe County Grand Jury.
As a result of RPD officers Rob Osipovitch and Ryan Hartley lying, and committing perjury, Mr. Barideaux spent 4 months incarcerated, away from his family.
Despite Rochester Police officers Osipovitch and Hartley violating the Constitution of the United States of America and their sworn oaths to "uphold the law", Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard has refused to take any disciplinary action against his officers.
Both Rochester Police officer Rob Osipovitch and Ryan Hartley remain on the force, and patrolling Rochester's streets.
And to think, just a few months ago, in announcing the RPD's billboard campaign, Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard, addressing the Rochester community, wanted them to know that the RPD "has their back."
During that same news conference unveiling the billboards, Sheppard wanted the community to know that "we're here to serve them, we want them to have faith in us, we want them to know we're on the same team, we don't want them looking at us as the enemy."
Let's see...
Two Rochester, NY Police officers conspire to lie, illegally stop and search a vehicle, then committ perjury in front of a Grand Jury, and RPD Chief James Sheppard does nothing about it?
Chief Sheppard, is this how you show the Rochester community that your department has their back?
Yet you want the community to have faith in you and your department?
And you don't want the community looking at you and your department as the enemy?
Contact Rochester, NY Police Chief James Sheppard
(585) 428-7033
Please support my work by clicking on the "Donate" button at the top right of my blog and entering your donation. (All donations are secure and are through PayPal.)
For the past 15 years I have dedicated myself and my passion to exposing police misconduct and corruption. Whether it's exposing injustices such as police executing a mentally ill person, or police coming to someone's home and shooting their innocent family dog, I am always working to put these stories out there, which usually are ignored by mainstream media.
People always ask me how they can help me? Well, as a father of three young children, my income is limited, and the best way to help is with contributions. If you like what I am doing as a writer and activist exposing police misconduct and corruption, then please consider donating.
Whether it's $ 1 dollar or $ 5 dollars - it helps with gas, setting up Rallies and Protests denouncing these injustices, etc. I could also use a better video camera, and a laptop computer to be able to work when I'm not home and be able to post and upload articles, photos and videos when I'm out on the streets, so if you believe in my work, please support me.
Please Support My Work by clicking on the "Donate" button at the top right of my blog and entering your donation. (All donations are secure and are through PayPal.)
Thank you.
Please support my work by clicking on the "Donate" button at the top right of my blog and entering your donation. (All donations are secure and are through PayPal.)
For the past 15 years I have dedicated myself and my passion to exposing police misconduct and corruption. Whether it's exposing injustices such as police executing a mentally ill person, or police coming to someone's home and shooting their innocent family dog, I am always working to put these stories out there, which usually are ignored by mainstream media.
People always ask me how they can help me? Well, as a father of three young children, my income is limited, and the best way to help is with contributions. If you like what I am doing as a writer and activist exposing police misconduct and corruption, then please consider donating.
Whether it's $ 1 dollar or $ 5 dollars - it helps with gas, setting up Rallies and Protests denouncing these injustices, etc. I could also use a better video camera, and a laptop computer to be able to work when I'm not home and be able to post and upload articles, photos and videos when I'm out on the streets, so if you believe in my work, please support me.
Please Support My Work by clicking on the "Donate" button at the top right of my blog and entering your donation. (All donations are secure and are through PayPal.)
Thank you.
