Corrupt Police Officers in South Texas
In December of 2014, the FBI took on a major project: cleaning up the corruption in Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Recent articles have highlighted the task force which focused on the public officials who abuse their powers and used their positions to gain personal financial power and money. According to one good-cop-turned-bad, who now sits in prison, it was something out of a mafia movie. The officers would take cash and drugs they found during drug busts, sell drugs themselves, and celebrate at up scale steak houses and strip clubs.
A Few Bad Police Officers Ruin it for Everyone
The vast majority of police officers are well-trained, trustworthy, honest and good people. They do their job to protect public safety everyday and put their lives on the line. But stories like this, the ones that make the headlines about one or two corrupt cops, unfortunately give police a bad name.
An Officer’s Reputation Could Lead to a Case Dismissal
On rare occasions, the outcome of a case can be affected by the behavior of the arresting police officer. Being in the pubic sector and with such an important job, police are expected to follow protocol and standard operating procedures. This is to ensure fair treatment of individuals, to limit liability, and to increase the chance of prosecution. If there are any deviations from protocol or what they were trained, this can adversely affect the prosecution’s case. An experienced criminal defense attorney will ensure the arrest was conducted to the proper standards and that the officer acted fairly and per protocol. Although police behavior very rarely comes into play, you should feel comfortable with an attorney on your side who knows the in-and-outs of making a legal arrest and filing charges so that you can get the best possible results.
Author Bio
Matthew L. Lopez
Matthew L. Lopez is the Managing Attorney and founder of Matthew Lopez Law, a criminal defense and DUI firm serving clients throughout Arizona. His track record of case dismissals and charge reductions has earned him honors, including a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 nomination, a “Superb” 10/10 Avvo rating, and a Rising Star designation by Super Lawyers.
Matthew is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds active memberships with the Arizona Association for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Association for Justice. His firm handles criminal defense, DUI, drug charges, and traffic offenses, offering free consultations and affordable payment plans to make quality defense accessible to all Arizonans.
