Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Press release:
On Saturday April 23rd, concerned members of the Asheville community will rally at the Vance Monument at 1pm. This comes in response to the latest scandal involving the Asheville Police Department.
The State Bureau of Investigation is currently auditing the contents of the Asheville Police Department’s evidence room after a random audit found at least 160 pieces of evidence were unaccounted for. The District Attorney’s office has suspended all jury trials pending the conclusion of the audit. Nearly 2,200 open cases have been effected with no known time frame in which they could be concluded.
According to the Asheville Police Department’s website“honesty, compassion, trust, and accountability” are an integral part of their guiding principles. The recent mishandling of evidence shows a blatant disregard for these principles and has sown doubt among the Asheville community about the integrity of its police force.
The mishandled evidence is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding law enforcement in the area, including the recent settlement made by a former APD “Officer of the Year” over a sexual harassment lawsuit from a female officer, as well as a 15 year prison sentence for former Asheville Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford over corruption charges. The conduct of Police Chief Bill Hogan, and all officers involved in this evidence scandal do not represent “bad apples”, but systemic corruption within the police force.
As news of this and other police misconducts spread, distrust towards law enforcement is becoming a common sentiment locally. The Asheville community is coming together this Saturday to give that distrust voice. On that day it will stand together and call for a more accessible and effective civilian review of the police department, as well as to begin the conversation about the possibility of other ways in which we can keep ourselves and communities safe that do not rely on a corrupt police force.
Looks like they had about 10-15 people in attendance. They could have stopped by Pritchard Park and picked up more bums than that. Gives me hope though. I guess the majority of folks in Asheville realize that as a whole, APD does a great job in the "Protect and Serve" area. A couple bad apples doesn't equate to systemic corruption.
And yes Murphy, Hogan keeps his pension, which is a State pension, not a City pension. He keeps it because of 36 years of dedicated and honorable service to the communities in which he has served as an officer and a chief.
Yeah Murphy, he keeps his STATE pension after 36 years of honorable service. Ever managed 100's of employees and had a couple go awry? Probably not. Hogan took responsibility for the actions of one or two, and took the fall (as he should have). Perhaps he should commit suicide by cop?? Thought you were smarter than that.
A Press Release without an author. Real journalism here!
By "falling on his sword" as you say, he manages to keep his pension from the City and all other benefits that are a result of retirement.
If you simple minded idiots would spend as much time looking for a job as you do protesting, the world would be a much better place, and the economy would be much stronger. One horny cop, a dirty ex-sheriff, and one or two people with access to the APD evidence room doesn't constitute systemic corruption. Damn near every evidence room in this country experiences "pilferage". Hogan's not corrupt, and most thinking people in this town know it. He was just man enough to fall on the sword.