Originally published February 15 2013
Abusive St. Louis police gang shut down
by Lance Johnson
(NaturalNews) The Uplands Park Police Department in St. Louis, Missouri has been a hub of corruption. From raping escorts in their police station, to hiring unlicensed officers, to setting up false arrests, this gang of police has been quite the abusive force. That is until recently.
On December 16, 2012, the Uplands Park Police Department was shut down. The police force of eight, including veteran Sgt. Janet Riley, was terminated. They were forced to hand over their badges, and their squad cars have been towed away.
Unlicensed officers posing as law enforcement
The police department was home to convicted felons Lamont Aikens and Kenneth Minner. Both officers were investigated after an incident in 2009, in which Aikens chased a speeding car into another, killing a mother of four. Upon investigation, both officers were convicted because they didn't possess licenses to work as police officers.
Officer guilty of raping escorts
Leon Pullen, former Upland Park officer, contacted women online and arranged to pay them for sexual acts. Once he arrived in uniform at the escort's home, he would take the woman's money and drive her to the police station where he sexually assaulted her. In the end, evidence surmounted and Pullen was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Officers mail people tickets because it's easier
The Uplands Police Department was investigated for strapping a camera to their Ford Escape and taking photos of people's vehicles so they could mail speeding tickets to drivers passing on Natural Bridge Road.
Former Police Chief Antwan Easterwood said the camera has been deployed to improve safety.
Former Village Chairman Iwenofu states, "technology makes it easy. Instead of having the vehicle chase you, we just mail (the ticket) to you."
St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch says financially strapped communities use the Redflex Traffic Systems solely to make money. "Have you ever noticed how the more revenue-deprived a community is, the more interested in highway safety they are?" he said. "If Uplands Park didn't have a revenue problem, they wouldn't have a speed camera."
Young married couple stands together
In the testimony of a young married couple, they reported how they were abused by Sgt. Janet Riley and her gang of Uplands Police. One night in 2011, Janet Riley pulled the young couple over. What seemed to be a routine traffic stop turned into a nightmare for the young couple.
After writing a speeding ticket, Riley forced a false arrest. She demanded the driver's keys, took the keys, and arrested the driver's wife, pulling her from the passenger side. As more squad cars pulled up and blocked the driver in, he was ordered to get out as he and his vehicle were searched and stolen from. Demanding to have his wife back, his car was towed away. Sgt. Riley planted paraphernalia and used it as fake evidence.
Once at the police station, Sgt. Riley tried coercing the driver into taking blame for the false paraphernalia. The driver refused and demanded he have his wife back. The officers yelled at him, "If you don't shut up, we will take your wife where you'll never see her again." Desperate, the driver called his family and they paid a ransom to release his wife. That night, the couple was reunited and hired an attorney to take care of the false charges.
An end to an era of abuse
After having everything stripped from them that night, the young couple laughs about the situation. He and his wife are united in love and thriving now. They laugh about Janet Riley and her gang, knowing now, two years later, their squad cars are towed, their badges taken, and their police station shut down.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.kmov.com
http://business.highbeam.com
http://www.stltoday.com
http://www.stltoday.com
http://www.stltoday.com
About the author:
Passionate about holistic wellness, Lance Johnson and his wife invite you to www.allnaturalfreespirit.com, where you can buy clean, chemical-free body care products.
Passionate about holistic wellness, Lance Johnson and his wife invite you to www.allnaturalfreespirit.com, where you can buy clean, chemical-free body care products.
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