Pubdate: Sun, 1 Dec 2007
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Column: No Quarter
Copyright: 2007 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/submit.asp
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Daniel Bice
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?246 (Policing - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

NO DISCIPLINE FOR COPS WHO GOT MERCEDES

Another internal police probe, another bunch of cleared officers.

But this wasn't just any case.

Milwaukee cops came under fire early this year after being accused of 
reaching an agreement under which a drug-addicted local businessman, 
Jordan Beck, escaped prosecution for cocaine possession by agreeing 
to turn over his Mercedes to the department.

Beck later died from an overdose.

Then-District Attorney E. Michael McCann was so upset by the case 
that he wrote a lengthy letter last year to the police chief, 
decrying the deal. "I'm sure you reject such a program, and I reject 
it, and it clearly is loaded with the invidious perception that a 
rich person driving a fine car would escape prosecution," wrote 
McCann, long an ally of police, in one of his last acts as district 
attorney. He urged the chief to return the car.

But the case quickly faded from the headlines.

Milwaukee police opened an internal investigation in January. Months 
followed without Beck's family hearing anything. In the meantime, the 
Mercedes-Benz SL55, valued at about $100,000, was sold in summer to 
someone in Illinois.

Then, not long ago, the Beck family's attorney received notice of the 
results of the internal probe.

"Careful examination and evaluation of the information obtained 
pursuant to this investigation neither proves nor disproves the 
allegation," said the letter written by then-Chief Nannette Hegerty 
and Deputy Inspector Mary Hoerig, then the head of internal affairs. 
"However, if new information is brought to light, an additional 
investigation may be conducted.

"You may be assured that we desire to provide the best possible 
police service and are appreciative when citizens bring matters of 
this nature to our attention."

To translate: Unless you can tell us something new, case closed - 
with no disciplinary action.

Same old, same old.

Not surprisingly, Beck's family is angry.

Jordan Beck's sister, Joanne, who now runs her brother's scrap metal 
business, Mill Valley Recycling, said she believes he would be alive 
today had he been charged just like anybody else. She said the police 
brass is trying to sweep an unpleasant incident under the rug.

"I wasn't actually surprised," Joanne Beck said of the MPD letter. 
"Not at all."

Her lawyer, Michael Maistelman, said he might call for someone like 
the district attorney or U.S. attorney to look into the case.

"With a new police chief, this is the right time to ask for an 
independent investigation," Maistelman said. "The only entity that 
has done anything about this has been the DA's office."

Beck was arrested in June 2005 on suspicion of possessing cocaine. 
According to McCann's detailed account of the matter, Beck was a drug 
user who agreed to cooperate with police by testifying against his 
dealer. The department seized Beck's Mercedes under what McCann 
called a "creative interpretation" of the law - a reading of the 
statute that he said "cannot stand up" in court.

Beck and his criminal defense lawyer cut a deal with the cops, who 
are not identified, to allow the department to keep the car if he was 
not charged and his wife's attorney wasn't informed of Beck's drug 
involvement, according to McCann's letter. The 42-year-old 
businessman and his wife were divorcing at the time.

Records show Beck was arrested by Officer Bodo Gajevic. Lt. Robert 
Stetler received the July 2005 letter from Beck's lawyer that 
summarized the bargain on the Mercedes.

McCann could not be reached for comment Friday.

But Hoerig dismissed the charge that the matter was being swept away.

"That is not the case," said Hoerig, who was recently moved from the 
professional performance division to another top post. "Everything 
that comes through PPD is investigated. I know that's hard for people 
to believe, but it is investigated. And that, obviously, was high 
profile. That definitely was investigated."

She said she didn't recall the exact wording of the letter to Beck's 
family lawyer, but when it was read to her, she said the department 
concluded that the allegations were "not sustained." That means, she 
said, there was no concrete evidence to say that something improper occurred.

Pressed for details on the Beck probe, Hoerig declined to comment further.

"I really shouldn't comment on internal cases," she said. "That's 
always been my philosophy because, otherwise, I don't think that's 
fair to the department nor to the community if I talk about it."

And by keeping her lips zipped on this case, the department sends a 
clear signal to everyone:

You've simply got to trust that Milwaukee cops are doing a good job 
policing their own. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake