When someone is granted a position because of connections rather than because he or she has the best credentials and experience, the service that person renders to the public may be inferior. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Please follow him on Twitter @BrianEllis10. In conducting this investigation, the OIG's principal purposes were (1) to determine whether DOJ employees had committed acts that might warrant sanction by their components and (2) to determine whether existing standards of conduct provide adequate guidance as they relate to off-duty conduct or whether any changes in administrative policy or practice should be made. We have reported these not for their shock value but instead to give an accurate picture of what the Roundup was like. Basically favoritism is just what it sounds like; it's favoring a person not because he or she is doing the best job but rather because of some extraneous feature-membership in a favored group, personal likes and dislikes, etc. Nonetheless, OIG expended considerable time, energy, and resources to determine as best we could what happened at the Roundup. We want an investigation to stop the good ole boy law system in McKean County as well as the tyranny. Several women in law enforcement who attended the Roundup reported feeling uncomfortable due to the vulgarity and demeanor of the male attendees. Finally, public nudity was commonplace at various Roundups. On this, you do have to appreciate the amount of time someone has put into establishing it. The day before the Roundup opened a small sign that read, "no niggers," was observed posted on a stake alongside the road into the campground. In the public sphere, favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism also undermine the common good. by Bob Adelmann June 23, 2014. If true and if committed by DOJ law enforcement officers, we would be confronted with very serious questions about the officers' fitness to serve, their ability to discharge their law enforcement duties, and their right to wear a federal badge. An important part of the climate was established by the availability of unlimited amounts of alcohol. Over the sixteen years of the Roundup, only three percent of the total estimated number of attendees were DOJ employees. OIG identified forty-four past or present DOJ employees who attended at least one Roundup. We were unable to establish how long this conduct lasted or how many people may have been involved in it. Lieutenant Ellis has worked in a number of specialized assignments including with the Problem Oriented Policing Unit, Parole Intervention and Career Criminal Apprehension Teams, Narcotics and Robbery/Burglary divisions. You want to make sure that you have a diverse leadership, the former FBI agent said. Every good leader should be looking for means to positively improve the unit, no matter how minor the change. Realistically, they probably got the same recognition, despite the difference in effort. In 1992, two different signs were displayed at the campground. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. . OIG investigated these allegations and concluded that none of the claims that a woman was raped at a Roundup were supported by the evidence. When LMPD Chief Erica Shields started in January 2021, Chief Chavous was reassigned and replaced by Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel. Blaming these people for the sins of others would have been unfair. This group of participants affiliated with DOJ constitutes approximately three percent of the estimated total number of attendees at the sixteen Roundups. How can this not be a 'Good Ole Boy' system issue along with Judges being appointed by these same legislators. Over the sixteen years of the Roundup, only three percent of the total estimated number of attendees were DOJ employees. In addition to charges of racism, allegations of criminal or other misconduct were also raised. But by failing to eject or punish any of the people known to have engaged in the misconduct, the Roundup organizers failed to deliver a strong, unequivocal message that racist conduct would not be tolerated. Some witnesses we found to be extremely credible; others to be wholly incredible. I, personally, served under them and would gladly fall on a sword if they asked even all these years later. It has come to past that as things change that some things never change. The Report documented widespread federal, state, and local law enforcement abuse of black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other civil rights activists who protested in the 1950s, 60s and 70s for equal rights, fair justice, and voting rights in America. When the conduct was brought to the attention of Roundup organizers it was criticized and terminated. In the lawsuit, he says he applied for multiple positions within the department, but believes he was scored unfairly and was denied access to his interview files so he could review the decision. Maintain a fair and consistent workplace; employees who feel that they are treated fairly and respectfully are less likely to complain or sue. . Furthermore, because of their duty to fairly investigate and prosecute violations of the law, DOJ law enforcement officers are held to even stricter application of these standards of conduct. When the rules are not universal in a police organization, it becomes very difficult to keep everyone playing by them. It builds espirt de corps. The "good ol' boys club" mentality pretty much turns our place of work into high school. Despite reports that prostitutes were present during various Roundups, we found no evidence that anyone was solicited for prostitution or that sex was exchanged for money. He described the doll as a seed and told the audience that one must "kill the seed when it is young," and proceeded to beat the doll. Reasonable people will differ about the appointment of friends and family in high-level positions, but public officials should be aware that such choices can give the appearance of unfairness. "A 'good ole' boy' network refers to an informal system where white men of a similar background use their influence for their mutual benefit (and often to the detriment of those who are not part of the 'good ole' boy' network)." . We have the same advice for "good old boys" that we have for all employers - but we emphasize it more. RELATED: A councilwoman's 'road map' to equity in Louisville. A third local resident made a vague and contradictory claim that marijuana was used in the campground during one unspecified Roundup. In addition to Hayward, two other witnesses had vague and indeterminate recollections of some type of racist sign being posted in the campground for a short time in 1989. When he filed a complaint, the lawsuit alleges LMPD command "directed and authorized efforts to intimidate, harrass and surveil" him. Although OIG was able to interview the local residents and the current and former ATF agents who made allegations, the militia members did not cooperate. These allegations also threatened to taint the public reputation of the agencies that employed these agents. Hayward had previously attended several Roundups as a registered attendee, until he was banned for his own racially offensive conduct. At least 10 percent of the attendees had federal law enforcement affiliations. Above all, be vigilant that the good old boys do not inhabit your workplace. 04-06-2006, 02:56 PM. Simply put: If someone does something wrong, their ass is grass. Under applicable precedents, DOJ employees could be punished if they were found to have directly engaged in racist acts even while off duty. In 1992, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, police officer competing in the Redneck of the Year contest performed a skit where he claimed to have found a watermelon which had fallen off the back of a passing truck, struck it until it broke open, and then pulled out a doll he had painted black. Immediately after the skit, Rightmyer publicly criticized its participants but took no other action, such as ejecting them from the Roundup. "You know, you're the person that plays golf with the commander of the unit, so when you go apply you're going to get that spot.". When there is a more formal approach to succession planning, departments usually build more buy-in and elicit better work outputs from people. Many of the central figures involved in staging the Roundup over the years were also interviewed. Year-to-date through October 23, 2020, the numbers were already at 632 calls. Verifying the allegations, therefore, required assessing the accuracy and reliability of testimony given by witnesses. We chase off and scare off new officers before they can grasp even the basics of our profession. h) Other Incidents Nor, as the initial news accounts suggested, was the Roundup dominated by federal law enforcement personnel. He contended that racist signs and an effigy of a black person were displayed at the registration desk for the entire Roundup. As favoritism is the broadest of these related terms, we'll start with its definition. A future Roundup president and Hayward can be readily identified. The person who observed the sign reported that it was gone within half an hour. Ultimately, the purported eyewitness recanted his claim. Other isolated but nevertheless significant evidence of racially offensive or insensitive conduct occurred in a number of years. Extremely demeaning language and inappropriate sexual touching occurred. We also found substantial credible evidence of racially insensitive conduct in 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1993. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications. While these practices are intended to strengthen us as a whole and weed out the untrustworthy, it actually does the opposite. agent and to the applicable Department of Treasury component for one of its employees who used to be employed by DOJ. The group is given inside information and preferential treatment, ultimately leading to a pyramid scheme of corruption and incompetence. When a small group is privy to whats really going on, the majority of the organization is in the dark and cannot be expected to have the ability to do its best work. The banner was thrown in the trash. If we were able to do away with the "club" morale and job satisfaction would greatly increase. Sometime after the confrontation some unidentified persons painted the words "niggers go home" and "whites only" on toilets in the campground. A future Roundup president and Richard Hayward can be readily identified in the photo. I find it amazing that our job mandate is firm, fair, and consistent, yet when it comes to other staff we don't even come close to that standard. Brian Ellis is a 20-year veteran of the Sacramento Police Department. The Uniform Code of Military Justice is very clear. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Unfortunately, not asking clarifying questions is a significant issue facing many police organizations complicating opportunities for the management team to do its best work. But by failing to eject or punish any of the people known to have engaged in the misconduct, the Roundup organizers failed to deliver a strong, unequivocal message that racist conduct would not be tolerated. There are several standard U.S. Air Force uniforms, just like other DoD branches. We conclude that specific disciplinary action is not warranted for the vast majority of DOJ employees who attended the Roundup in one or more years. When there are divisions within a single unit because someone doesnt like that guy for something personal, the unit has a serious problem. We discuss the problem of one of our State Legislators practicing Law privately and representing a subject in a high profile, double murder trial and how it raises questions for citizens, Law Enforcement and Circuit Solicitors Offices. Overall, OIG interviewed large numbers of people who attended the Roundup, particularly in those years for which there were extremely serious allegations of racist and other misconduct. Without these examples, the texture of the event could not be adequately communicated. Decisions that need to be made get kicked down the road and unpopular people no matter their competence have no voice. Although we heard conflicting views as to whether this conduct was intended to send a benign message of "Southern heritage" or a message of racism and intolerance, especially towards African Americans, we conclude that such displays had the effect, whether intended or not, of adding to a racially charged and hostile environment. According to Fatal Encounters, George Floyd was one of 819 individuals killed during interactions with police so far in 2020. We also found that an atmosphere hostile to minorities -- and to women -- developed over time because inadequate action was taken by the Roundup's organizers to appropriately deal with instances of racial or other kinds of misconduct. Thus, DOJ participation in the Roundup was relatively insignificant both numerically and organizationally. The OIG report contains a summary of our findings with respect to these and all other DOJ employees who attended. We were unable to establish how long this conduct lasted or how many people may have been involved in it. Hayward and his attorney terminated the interview shortly after the questioning turned to Hayward's own white supremacist views and activities. The signs were removed and destroyed. For 1995, Randall contended that "nigger hunting licenses" were openly available on the Roundup campground. In addition to the persons who brought allegations of racism to light, OIG sought to interview persons who were identified as having committed racially offensive acts. The emperors new clothes.Retrieved from http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html. What are favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism? For 1989, we received numerous allegations of racist conduct, most of which were made by Richard Hayward. In the early years a contest called the Beer Enduro took place, requiring participants to drink a specified quantity of beer at regular intervals. Every president and governor names close associates to key cabinet positions. The good ole boy system doesn't payoff for law enforcement and now will be blamed, for some shitty decisions made in the first 24. Who let's your friends clean up?? We also coordinated with a number of other law enforcement agencies that were conducting investigations into participation by their own personnel in the Roundup, most notably the Department of Treasury Office of the Inspector General (Treasury OIG). Our report describes many of the crude and disgusting incidents that were related to us during our interviews. 4) provide further training on the role of federal law enforcement officers in our society and the reasons why it is critical for law enforcement personnel to be held to extremely exacting standards of conduct to earn and maintain the full confidence of all citizens. Finally in October he relinquished the videotape for analysis by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and agreed to an on-the-record interview. In the early years a contest called the Beer Enduro took place, requiring participants to drink a specified quantity of beer at regular intervals. No DOJ employee ever served on the "REX" (Roundup Executive Committee), the group responsible for setting Roundup policies. Racists Vandalized LeBrons Los Angeles Home. Friends and family can usually be counted on for loyalty, and officeholders are in a good position to know their strengths. Through these efforts, OIG identified nearly 1400 persons who attended the Roundup between 1980 and 1995. The largest number of DOJ employees in attendance in any given year was eleven, a level reached twice, once out of approximately 400 attendees in 1986 and then again out of 520 attendees in 1994. We found evidence of the unofficial sale of T-shirts during several Roundups that some persons found to be racially insensitive. Racist skits were performed in 1990 and 1992. In addition to charges of racism, allegations of criminal or other misconduct were also raised. GEORGIA- Stacey Abrams, the Invisalign and NutriSystem poster child who still thinks she's the governor of Georgia has a pretty funny way of reaching out to law enforcement officers. "Obviously LMPD fights any type of discrimination but I don't know about the case and if I did I couldn't comment about it," Fischer said. If someone is accused of wrongdoing, its up to a jury of their peers to determine their fate. What ethical dilemmas do favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism present? Extremely gratifying reveal of the "good ole boy " system coming to light in this cold, calculating, criminal murder #Murdaugh trial. The initial allegations brought in their wake a blanket condemnation of all federal law enforcement personnel who attended the event. In 1993, Hayward arrived at the campground with his car plastered with racially offensive and political materials. Logan of the University of Kentucky, the lead researcher, noted that the rural women were from the Appalachian area, which has received media attention because of drug use. Rules are paramount to maintaining order and uniformity in the military. One of the most basic themes in ethics is fairness, stated this way by Artistotle: "Equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally." Collaborative environments are incubators for good ideas to occur. Businesses with higher Q12 scores experience higher productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction, and less liability (Buckingham, 2011). f) T-shirts The last person to be able to consume the required amount without a break was the winner. In any event, no one was punished for posting them. Instead, most troops will eventually break down and take the easy route of prioritizing the buttering up of their superiors. We hope that our effort to deal fully and carefully with disturbing allegations against officers responsible for enforcing our federal criminal laws will promote the fair administration of justice and the public's confidence in the ability of the Department of Justice to police itself. Satterthwaite is asking for reinstatement to his position, a trial by jury and that the department covers his attorney fees. Unsubstantiated Allegations Our investigative and interviewing strategy was designed to get beyond potentially self-serving accounts. News stories reported that the Roundup was a "whites-only" gathering of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and other federal law enforcement officers that resembled a "Klan rally" and at which these agents discriminated against blacks by posting racist signs, wearing racist T-shirts, performing racist skits, and playing racist music. Twenty-three of the forty-four DOJ employees attended only one Roundup; eight more went only twice. The preponderance of the evidence suggested that local police officers from Florence and Boone County, Kentucky, were responsible for posting these signs. Poor decisions are made, costing the organization credibility and destroying public confidence. One of the most common threads among troops wanting to leave a unit (or the military in general) is toxic leadership. The good ole boy system. T.K. Even male attendees told us that would not have wanted any female family member or friend to attend the Roundup because of how women were treated. Copyrighted and Published on January 29, 2020. OIG also reviewed the testimony of hundreds of witnesses provided during interviews conducted by other agencies. His component, however, must assess this conduct in light of the employee's history. 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