Torrance Police Department case update-the cover-up continues

2011-11-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

Chief John J. Neu

Last week, Police Abuse.com received a telephone call from the Torrance Police Department. Sgt. Underwood told us that it was against the law for the victim of a sexual assault by a police officer to have a copy of her statement to the police. The sergeant told us that it would violate the accused officers rights for the victim to have a copy of her own recorded statement.

After agreeing to meet with our client and explain his position, Sgt.Underwood did not show up for yet another phone call he arranged. When I called his office on the following Monday with my client the officer did not answer the phone nor did he return our phone calls.

You can hear my reaction to the officers (officers rights) claims below. Torrance Police Department is making it up as they go. I don't believe a word of it.

The Full Story

Dickson Police Department Oklahoma

2011-10-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

In 1984 I was a DUI officer working for the Hawthorne Police Department. Earlier that year I demanded a reassignment. I reported my partner Jim White to our Lieut. and supervisor. I told my Lieut. that I could no longer work with officer White because he was falsely arresting citizens on trumped up DUI charges.

Successful DUI prosecutions require that the officers observe a pattern of driving that can be reported to the court in their testimony. No single driving offense or infraction is sufficient to prove DUI. Speeding or even a traffic collision is not by itself indicative of drunk driving. For this reason officers are required to support the conclusions they reach with field sobriety tests.

My partner, Jim White, rarely relied on DUI sobriety tests to determine if a motorist should be arrested. White often observed a single traffic offense and immediately concluded that the driver was drunk. He would approach the car and criticize the driver with a tirade of admonishments. If the driver questioned White's authority they were presumed drunk. What officer White was doing is what police officers call an "attitude arrest." White was eventually fired for other misconduct.

Police officers sometimes use the threat of a criminal violation like a DUI to punish citizens or to extort favors. Yesterday, a woman contacted PoliceAbuse.com reporting that she was propositioned during a traffic stop by a police officer in Dickson Oklahoma. The officer John Ruiz, told her that she could "blow" to thank him for not writing her additional violations. After telling her to "blow," officer Ruiz unzipped his pants. Below her report and our phone call to the police chief.

Torrance Police Department Possible Cover-Up

2011-08-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

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Update we received a telephone call from the Torrance Police Department requesting an interview with our client Ana Espinoza. We explained to the officer that Ana has been in fear of her safety since she reported her complaint to the Torrance Police Department. We equipped Ana with recording devices. She took this photograph of Torrance Police Department officers visiting her apartment unannounced. Below she photographed and videotaped a man who had been following her as she was shopping at Walmart with a companion. When she pointed the man out he approached her. He was not an employee of Walmart. We have asked the Torrance Police Department to determine if any of their officers are involved in harassing Ana after her complaint.

Torrance police officers coming to Ana's home without invitation

Man seen following Ana.

Case update: October 27, 2011

Torrance Police Department

Kamau- My previous case with TPD a use of force gone wrong by a Karate Blackbelt Officer James Lynch

Three weeks ago Policeabuse.com received a report from a young woman who said she had been sexually assaulted by a Torrance, California police officer. The victim, Ana Espinoza is not ashamed. She has agreed to allow her face to be shown in this newsletter. Ana believes that unless she speaks out other women will be subjected to similar treatment. This is her story:

Ana

On 06/12/2011 05:20 PM Ana Espinoza was arrested on a shoplifting charge at the Torrance Mall. Within minutes after her arrest she was taken to a security room and told that a police officer was on the way. According to Ana, Torrance Officer Force badge# 18689, arrived and met her in a holding room. He closed the door behind him. Ana was in handcuffs. Moments after entering the room, Ana reports that the officer began asking her sexually explicit questions that had nothing to do with the crime she was accused of committing. She reported that she was groped repeatedly and the officer inserted his hand inside of her pants.

The details of the assault are disturbing. Ana told us that immediately after the assault she went to the police department to report what happened. She completed a complaint form and waited for someone to contact her. She wrote a letter to the chief. No one contacted her and the officer is still on duty. After waiting three weeks she became concerned. She contacted Policeabuse.com.

We called the Torrance Police Department and requested an investigation. We agreed to make Ana available for any meetings with the police as long as a rape crisis counselor could be present to provide Ana with emotional support. We also agreed to allow Ana to participate in an internal affairs interview by telephone.

Initially, the Torrance Police Department agreed to investigate and a meeting was scheduled. Our staff waited with Ana for over an hour but the police did not call or contact our office during the time we had scheduled the meeting. Later, the police claimed that we had missed the meeting. The police have implied that Ana has not been cooperative. We were told last week that the case had been forwarded to the District Attorney's Office and that they would investigate. Friday we were told by IA investigator Sgt. Carr that the District Attorney's Office had concluded its investigation. We believe this is the first step in a police cover-up.

Sexual assault is one of the most serious crimes committed. Each case deserves a thorough investigation. I have conducted sexual assault investigations before. In 1983, as a young police officer I received a commendation for solving a gang rape of a young woman in a public park. I will never forget the emotional harm done to the victim. The victim supplied me with valuable leads that I checked rigorously. We were fortunate. Within hours of the assault, I located or identified all of the suspects. Ana is not receiving the benefit of this level of investigation. The Torrance Police Department has been lethargic and disinterested in her complaint investigation.

We are alarmed by the fact that the District Attorney's Office could conduct an investigation of a crime this serious in less than one week. The most obvious evidence that this matter is being mishandled and may be a cover-up is the fact that they never talked to Ana, the victim. How can anyone claim that they have conducted a complete and thorough sexual assault investigation without talking to the victim? The District Attorney's Office of Los Angeles County should be ashamed. We have learned from Torrance police officials that the DA's office relied solely on the statements of Mall security guards and Officer Force. Their statements were supplied in a report by Torrance police officials. In short, the police have cleared themselves using their own testimony and flawed investigation to do so.

This is not unusual in Torrance. We have a bit of history with this agency. Though we are most well known for our racial profiling tests, in 1994 Policeabuse.com conducted its first test of police complaint intake. Our first test site was the Torrance Police Department lobby. In three consecutive tests Torrance police officers provided inaccurate information about complaint procedures, became abusive and threatening during the interaction, and, in one exchange locked our tester in the jail section before agreeing to provide a complaint form. Two of our reports on Torrance PD aired as CBS news reports.

Several Torrance police officers have recently commented about our assistance to Ana. Officer Force himself may have commented. We believe we caught his IP address. (71.105.210.105). Many officers have been hostile and dismissive concerning Ana's complaint. To those officers who question our motives and credentials, you may visit our qualifications page. Four Emmy awards speak for themselves. And, for anyone who questions Ana's integrity or the legitimacy of her complaint, I suggest that they consider this. What if this was your daughter, your wife or your mother or your sister? Would you want them to get the benefit of a real police investigation?

Questions:

Why did Officer Force close the door to the security room leaving him alone with Ana? Did the police review store video tape to confirm details in the complaint? Why did the TPD internal affairs unit wait until we called them to make contact with Ana? What does the Torrance Police Department policy say about requirements for a female officer during the search of female suspects? What research has been done into other arrests of female criminal suspects by Officer Force? Where is the chief, MIA? Ana sent him a letter after the assault? There are many unanswered questions.

Ana has shown tremendous courage. We believe every word of her story. We will protect her and ensure that her case receives an investigation. We will report Ana's complaint to the FBI next week.

Officer Anonymous Stand Behind Your Words

If there are any Torrance officers willing to use their true names, we will allow them to comment. We will not post anonymous comments by angry police officers. As for what Ana has paid us to conduct this investigation, we are working the case pro bono. It's the right thing to do.

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