CACashRefund Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Read the news story first then watch the videos. I think this is REALLY blown out of proportion. Watch them and judge for yourself. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The police officer who has been suspended for producing what officials called an offensive video is scheduled to meet with Police Chief Heather Fong next week. Officer Andrew Cohen acknowledges he was suspended for posting what has been described as "inappropriate and unauthorized pictures and other information about the department on the Internet." Cohen says he made the video as a spoof for his unit's Christmas party. He is scheduled to meet with the police chief on December 17. Cohen will also have a hearing before the city's Police Commission. There is no word on the fate of up to 20 other officers who faced discipline after making videos parodying life on the force that officials said used racist, sexist and homophobic stereotypes. Sources tell KRON 4 News that a number of police officers were suspended Wednesday for violating departmental regulations. Cohen operated a website that hosted videos of police officers acting in what has been described as parodies of police work that some may have found offensive. At a news conference at City Hall Wednesday evening, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom described the videos as "a series of vignettes, skits, that are some of the most egregious skits I've seen." About 20 police officers who were in the videos also face suspension during an internal affairs investigation, including a police captain. Police Chief Heather Fong said the officers were shown in a series of skits that featured uniformed officers making fun of Asians, blacks, women and members of the gay and transgender communities. "The content ranges from immature and vulgar to sexist, racist and homophobic," the two said in a joint statement. Fong added, "This is a dark day in the history of the San Francisco Police Department." Cohen pulled the videos from the website and posted a statement Wednesday, which reads in part, "...as many of you may know by now, I was asked to take down most of this website." When Fong learned about these videos on Tuesday from someone within the police department, she immediately ordered Cohen to remove them, sources tell KRON 4 News. In the online statement, Cohen says that he's devoted much of his time making videos to increase positive public opinion of officers. But, he also wrote, "I think that this is where the road ends." Fong informed Newsom of the video on Wednesday. At the news conference, Newsom said a special task force, the city's Human Rights Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women would investigate the officers, most of whom were stationed at the Bayview police station. Attorney Daniel Horowitz, who is representing Cohen, disputes allegations of racism and is considering slander lawsuits. "Instead of Chief Fong saying, 'I screwed up. I've done nothing for that community,' she's saying, 'Andrew Cohen is a racist,' " Horowitz said. Horowitz says that the videos were intended to be funny while also containing elements of social commentary. "What it says is there is a problem in Hunters Point," Horowitz said. "The community feels that a bunch of white people are policing them, and don't care. The police feel that nobody is saying, 'you're doing a great job.' Andrew put that out there in the form of comedy." Malaika Parker of Bay Area PoliceWatch called the videos "the tip of the iceberg" and said it was "disgusting and appalling" that people in the Bayview were dying while local police were making videos. Videos can be found here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abracadabra Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 have sex with poultry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumy Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 oh man..this is getting watched as soon as I get home.. moral of the story: don't put stuff on the internet your boss won't approve of.. they were stupid thinking they could get away with making a video lampooning minorities when there boss is one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumy Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 oh yeah FIDUCK COPS! except CaCash..he's one of the "good ones" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1988 Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 There is no good ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_gooch Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 i love cops, they get away with murder.............literally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guerillaeye Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Sources tell KRON 4 News it said "KRON" ... huhhu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CACashRefund Posted December 9, 2005 Author Share Posted December 9, 2005 im not following Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Miller Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 sfpd never fails to make me laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunm Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 SFPD....ah, nice to see that the good ol' boy network is still alive and kicking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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