Occupy Oakland Police Controversy: Judge Rules Against Cops In Badge Case

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A federal judge in California has ruled that an Oakland police officer who covered his nameplate during a November Occupy protest seriously violated court-approved conduct standards for the city's police department.

U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson issued the ruling against officer John Hargraves and Oakland police Lt. Clifford Wong. Wong was accused of failing to report Hargraves' actions to the department's internal affairs unit.

Hargraves has said he concealed his nameplate to protect himself and his family after an Occupy protester posted the name and address of another officer and called for burning down his home.

Hargraves and Wong's lawyer, John Verber, declined to comment.

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Comments

[Phalanxman]

11:32 AM on 02/01/2012

You want to be a cop? Who supports an ever-increasingly unpopular government against the growing numbers who find themselves in, or see themselves as belonging to oppressed masses? History moves like a tsunami -- you can't really stop it, once the forces that shape it set it into motion. Sooner or later, there will be organized and armed resistance to police forces in America. Probably sooner, I'd say, judging by the way things are going. It's inevitable. American police have historically used their coercive tactics to support the wrong side. Anybody remember Bull Connor? Chicago, 1968? Oakland, 2011?

[Catothemuchyounger]

01:21 PM on 02/05/2012

Your paranoid fantasies bear little relation to reality. In the real world, the great majority of people in the U.S. may be unhappy with how the government is running the country, but that does not mean they view themselves as oppressed, or think that normal channels for handling grievances do not work. "Organized and armed resistance" to the police will draw miniscule support from the citizenry, and those who engage in it will get no sympathy from the rest of us when they suffer the consequences of their arrogant and illegal behavior.

[Phalanxman]

02:31 PM on 02/05/2012

Then we will live in a police state.

[professor]

12:40 AM on 02/01/2012

As always. Working from the silliest stereotypes they blame the victims for police riots. The deluded are always with us.

[Phalanxman]

11:33 AM on 02/01/2012

All governments blame their opponents for the violence in their societies. The Soviets did it. The Nazis did it. The Syrians are doing it now. And so are Americans. it doesn't really bode well for our future, does it?

[professor]

12:36 AM on 02/01/2012

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/01/eugene_verdict_clarifies_law_p.html

The police actively suppress taking videos. FYI.

[rakvimk]

07:45 PM on 01/31/2012

If you've done nothing wrong, you've nothing to hide, right?

[1BadBob]

07:36 PM on 01/31/2012

Total BS, the officer is trying to cover up his actions. Citizens deserve to see who is assaulting them and bring justice, as hard as it is to do with a police state.

[addisonsteele]

07:36 PM on 01/31/2012

Both should be held in contempt for violating the court order and fined accordingly.

[Sh00Fly]

07:32 PM on 01/31/2012

Thank you Judge Thelton Henderson.

[campcranston]

07:16 PM on 01/31/2012

Man, what a dicey situation to be faced with. Allow people who want to threaten your family and make your home address public to have that information, or face repercussions with my employment. I honestly can't say what the right answer is in this case, rock and a hard place.

[planetjeffy]

07:39 PM on 01/31/2012

how about treating the protesters with respect - stop the gassing and beating

[campcranston]

10:09 AM on 02/01/2012

You don't know that this singular officer did either of those things.

[Catothemuchyounger]

01:23 PM on 02/05/2012

How about the protesters staying within the law?

[1BadBob]

08:20 PM on 01/31/2012

The police have been the ones that are doing the crimes against out Constitution and our rights. Does the US need to repeat Germany from way back? Doesn't work!
OCCUPY !!!

[campcranston]

10:10 AM on 02/01/2012

You don't know what, if any of that, this officer was directly involved in. He had to make a decision to protect his family or protect his job.

[Tony McDay]

06:58 PM on 01/31/2012

makes sense officer should not cover his name tag. however,I'm not sure why one would post the name and address of law enforcement officer for any reason other to try and intimidate them.

[Michael Langford]

08:10 PM on 01/31/2012

Because they were bad cops. Cops who abuse their authority.

[snookasnoo]

11:21 PM on 01/31/2012

Because that never happened. The cop only said it did.

[jamiller85]

12:25 AM on 02/02/2012

A quick google search will come up with dozens of articles from late december talking about anonymous posting police officers personal info to include phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses. Yes law enforcement may be a dangerous job but that is just plain despicable what if that officer has children or a wife now you just put all there info out there as well.