The longer version video shows several more officers present. What happened to them for not reporting and colluding in a cover-up? We can never know how widespread covered-up police brutality has been in our City through the years.
Wayne (The Fuse) Benitez was with PAPD for a very long time under several Chiefs, surely in a training role as a Sargeant. This must have taken a terrible toll on our systemic police culture.
It is a shame that Benitez could resign before being fired, enabling him to walk away with his fat pension. The PAPD allowing officer resignation before an internal investigation only frustrates accountability and should be changed.
Not mentioned here was how DeStefano had yanked a high school student having an epileptic seizure, out of a car, badly injuring him. City taxpayers paid about $225,000 to settle the subsequent lawsuit. This was before DeStefano lied to police about his drunken hit-and-run car accident. His and Wayne Benetiz's misconduct over decades cost us a lot of money.
His lawyer says of DeStefano, “He did not…suddenly and inexplicably go from an outstanding officer and person to a disgrace to law enforcement and his good name.” Correct - he was a disgrace all along. If he was given good performance evaluations as stated, it indicates a systemic breakdown within PAPD and should be addressed.
Thank you former and current Chiefs Jonson and Binder for your integrity and perseverance in winning binding arbitration - a barrier to reasonable accountability that should be abolished as it has in some cities.
