A Police Baltimore task force has jeopardized thousands of court cases and falsely imprisoned suspects because officers allegedly planted toy guns on suspects, VICE reports.
The Huffington Post reveals that eight members of the Gun Trace Task Force are under criminal investigation after these officers allegedly carried around toy BB guns, which they planned to plant on suspects as a sure-fire way to frame suspects.
HuffPost expounds that a former detective of the task force, Maurice Ward, announced this criminal information during a witness deposition last week. Nevertheless, planting evidence isn’t the only criminal offense these officers face. Members of the task force are also under investigation for stealing approximately $300,000 and various drugs from suspected criminals, per The Washington Post.
Beyond the fact that these alleged crimes are morally messed up, planting objects that resemble guns can cost innocent victims their lives, as this was the case for Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old child who was murdered by a police officer who mistook his toy gun as the real thing.
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just read an article on how Baltimore Police kept toy guns in their car just in case they needed to plant them on an unarmed person they shot. just think about how much more corruption goes on in this world. absolutely blows my mind.
— chenda (@chendoodles) February 1, 2018
WJZ 13 explains that thousands of cases could be compromised because these police officers planted these unarmed suspects with toy guns. According to The Post, four victims arrested by the task force have been released from prison, and several other cases are being reviewed by the public defender’s office.
As this investigation, and subsequent appeals, continues, new incriminating information is constantly being unearthed by witnesses. On Thursday, a county bail bondsman revealed that Sgt. Wayne Jenkins the supervisor of the Gun Trace Task Force, asked him to resell stolen drugs from suspects and crime scenes, according to The Baltimore Sun.
The Asbury Park Press, an affiliate of USA Today, reports that police misconduct and other illegal activity has compromised US taxpayers millions of dollars in settlements. Granted, dangerous illegal activity (especially from those we entrust to “serve and protect” the law) shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Hopefully, this ongoing investigation of the Baltimore Gun Trace Task Force will also reopen any past police shootings, so potential victims of police brutality can get the justice they deserve.