"Once the scandal went public, it became a high-priced embarrassment. Gascón ordered the drug-testing unit closed in March. Hundreds of drug dealers have remained on the streets as the District Attorney’s Office was forced to dismiss pending cases. Drug samples are being taken to private labs by on-duty police officers, at a high cost. The City has budgeted $11.2 million to clean up all the long-festering operational problems at the lab, which also tests DNA and bullets.
Despite the five-month delay, some accountability has finally arrived at the SFPD for what seems like inexcusable failures to address the lack of control over drug-testing security at the crime lab. If there are other police personnel — at any rank — who have been culpable in the downfall of the lab, we are hopeful they also will be held accountable."
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER;
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"San Francisco police Chief George Gascón used angry phrases like “acts of negligence” and “we are going to hold people accountable” in his Friday news conference about the department’s lengthy “inability to see the signs” of a drug-testing scandal at its crime laboratory," the San Francisco Examiner editorial published on August 26, 2010 begins, under the heading, "Accountability arrives for SFPD lab scandal."
"The chief invoked personnel confidentiality regulations to avoid naming names. But, it’s widely understood around the Hall of Justice that the sudden “voluntary” demotions of two high-ranking officers and perhaps also the retirement of a third are connected to failure to take action in response to early red flags," the editorial continues.
"Assistant Chief Kevin Cashman and Cmdr. John Loftus were demoted to captains and assistant Chief Morris Tabak abruptly announced he will retire this fall. All three veteran command staff members were involved with oversight of the crime lab at various times. While firing San Francisco police officers is a process that routinely drags on for years, demotions are a much simpler way to impose at least some level of disciplinary punishment — and they can take place without any embarrassing detailed public revelations.
Last year, suspicions began that 29-year criminalist Deborah Madden might be endangering cases by taking cocaine evidence for her personal use. In mid-December, her sister tipped off the crime lab that she had found an official cocaine vial at Madden’s home. Yet, no action was taken was taken until late February, when Gascón said he first learned about the mess.
Madden reportedly admitted to taking drugs from the lab. By then, she had retired and was collecting a generous pension from The City. To overcome any conflict-of-interest suspicions, the district attorney turned Madden’s case over to state prosecutors, who have yet to file any charges against her in the alleged drug-lab thefts.
Once the scandal went public, it became a high-priced embarrassment. Gascón ordered the drug-testing unit closed in March. Hundreds of drug dealers have remained on the streets as the District Attorney’s Office was forced to dismiss pending cases. Drug samples are being taken to private labs by on-duty police officers, at a high cost. The City has budgeted $11.2 million to clean up all the long-festering operational problems at the lab, which also tests DNA and bullets.
Despite the five-month delay, some accountability has finally arrived at the SFPD for what seems like inexcusable failures to address the lack of control over drug-testing security at the crime lab. If there are other police personnel — at any rank — who have been culpable in the downfall of the lab, we are hopeful they also will be held accountable."
The editorial can be found at:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/Examiner-Editorial-Accountability-arrives-for-SFPD-lab-scandal-101517164.html
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be accessed at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=120008354894645705&postID=8369513443994476774
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
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