A former Allentown police officer is charged with rape. News headlines tell us that someone can be sentenced to life in prison for certain rapes. A street walker gets into a car voluntarily, discovers the driver is a cop, and then complains that she performed a sex act under duress, is that rape? If an officer coerces someone he pulled over in a traffic stop for a sex act, that is rape. If a cop pulls a young girl into his car, that is rape. I understand that my feminist readers will take offense with this post. Many of my posts offend someone.
Supposedly these indiscretions were alleged before, and the previous DA declined to prosecute. There appears to be new allegations that the charged officer withheld confiscated drug money from the department. The illegality of that charge would be indisputable. Apologies, but I find rape too strong of a word against a prostitute who got into a car to perform a sex act.
Regardless of my outlook on the situation, Mayor Tuerk has a conundrum to straighten out before the upcoming election. He has stood behind police chief Roca since being elected. Will Tuerk continue that support, or will Roca find himself under a Lanta bus?
This mayors hallmark is weak leadership. He will do little to nothing to address the situation in the APD. Any movement will come from the D.A.’s office.
ReplyDeleteThe APD have endorsed Ed Zucal for Mayor. What does that tell you about Tuerk on crime and how he and the police work together. Tuerk keeps pretending he has a good relationship with the police but he doesn’t. They don’t respect him and, in fact, hate him.
ReplyDeleteWhile the APD may have appeared to have endorsed Zucal, it was actually about 15 members of the FOP who voted to endorse him at a meeting that had less than 30 members in attendance. Zucal’s right hand man, the FOP President, set up the vote and didn’t want it to go out to the whole body of over 200 officers to vote. The president of the FOP pushed to give Zucal as much money as possible for his campaign and calls him about every little grievance he has. Why? Because of course the President the FOP doesn’t get along with the Chief and believes that Zucal will somehow “hook him up” if he becomes mayor.
DeleteAnon 6:27,When Zucal crowed on his FB page that he had the endorsement of the FOP, MM graced us on jan 9th with his post. On that page, someone commented that it was a floor vote (just those on attendance at that meeting) and not a vote of their 300person union. I would not conclude that the union endorsed him beyond what the supposedly 15 members in attendance did. Someone asked if Zucal was a member of the FOP, and in that, was he there and did he vote for himself? Wonder how much will be the donation to his campaign?
DeleteIf you recall, the FOP also initiated a no confidence vote in Chief Roca that did not find favor. Tuerk has made multiple comments that the continuity of leadership in the police department is a complement to effective policing. I am pleased Tuerk backs Roca. Zucal, as a council member, has had a dismissive tone towards Roca. Roca appears to have good community standing and losing him as chief would be detrimental. A really really good reason NOT to vote for Zucal for Mayor.
Maybe the Mayor can put together an advisory council on rape to solve the problem. That makes much more sense than actually leading and holding people accountable.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, in a shootout on Saturday night, four people shot and one killed by the lowest crime rate in decades (at least according to the mayor).
Yes, there was only one homicide, but it’s not for lack of trying. Luckily no innocent bystanders were hit during the crossfire.
It just goes to show the idiocy of politicians when they cherry-pick statistics. It makes them think there isn’t a problem when it’s obvious there is.
I agree that crowing about the low homicide rate last year was insulting, when there was no shortage of shootings. Credit great ER work and poor aim.
DeleteTuerk’s support for Roca is rapidly becoming more of a liability for him. His tone deaf statement about the situation in APD being somehow overcome due to the APD officers being some of the highest compensated in the area was confusing. His communications manager needs to stop him from speaking … just stick to the script.
ReplyDeleteThe alleged acts occurred under threat of arrest. That is indeed, without question, rape.
ReplyDeleteCoercion. Not rape. The "victim" got something out of it so maybe even solicitation. She could have refused but chose to engage in the act. Not rape.
DeleteIf true, she was forced to have sex or be arrested. Sex or possibly years in prison. I didn’t hear about a third option to say “no thank you” to both. 100% rape.
DeleteWhen corruption is allowed it seems to leak everywhere until it becomes the norm.
ReplyDeleteThe current culture of corruption in Allentown's government, know and unknown, is Pawlowski's legacy. No corruption existed in Allentown government before his reign, it all started with him. What is more, it's apparent that Allentown's government still suffers from the damage he did and there's a long way to go before the damage he caused will be corrected. Under these circumstances, there's no reason to even consider commuting Pawlowski's sentence while the City continues to fight off his criminal legacy.
ReplyDeleteanon@9:00AM: I would sincerely doubt if Allentown or any city our size was completely corruption free for the last hundred years. T.J. Rooney continues to lobby for Pawlowski with the new administration. I doubt if Trump will consult with either you or me on the matter.
DeleteRooney is a professional lobbyist. As long as he is being compensated for his craft he will continue to practice it. I’d like to see the betting line on the proposition that The Donald will pardon the guy who made The City Without Limits become a criminal reality.
DeleteWhile I am concerned about the recent shooting I read that Promise Neighborhood has people canvassing the area. Allentown can only continue to thrive with outstanding community involvement and a young mayor who continues to rise above all challenges. I believe that any issue in the APD are overblown. The new downtown is vibrant and exciting and the future looks bright.
ReplyDeleteanon@9:42: While I appreciate the satire, reiterations of it will not appear.... least someone take it seriously.
DeleteApd needs new leadership. Period. You have a chief that says he looked into these assaults and then passed the buck. Now he's the chief and this comes around for a 3rd time and he still says there is no merit. Roca never blames himself for anything. Good leaders take the blame when they are wrong. Then there is the theft going on in the vice unit he was in charge of and he still says he didn't know anything about it. Cmon man. No one believes you anymore. It appears ge has lost the department. I'm sorry Chief but you are lousy and the longer you stay there the worse your gonna look.
ReplyDeleteanon@9:48: I provide this forum for people to express their opinion on current events. I myself do not have an informed opinion on Roca as chief. I know that it's a difficult job, and he does seem popular with the public. At any rate he serves at the pleasure of the mayor. I suppose we'll know Tuerk's opinion soon enough.
DeleteI am curious how people who I assume are not attorneys, let alone lawyers on the D.A.s staff, can parse the distinctions between rape, coercion, consent, etc.
ReplyDeletewith such certainty.
Read the crimes code. Do some research , if juries of civilians can understand and convict people of it surely you can comprehend.
DeleteThe District Attorney’s Office and or a Grand Jury decides which charges move on to a judge, jury or plea, not a jury or a layman perusing the Crime Code.
DeleteJuries are required to hear competing, often complex, arguments and often struggle to find consensus.
DeleteTo touch up on the comments about the police supporting Zucal. The FOP always does floor votes to support and endorse its candidates not body votes. Tuerk has done nothing for the police that is why the guys do not like him. He's trying to kick them out of their station!!!! Didn't even fix the damn heat in the building. Tried to ruin the Trump rally and endanger officers with possible riots. Why would they support him??? Roca let the anti Trump people go by the gates at the rally too. I have it on film. City hall has never been this bad before. There are people's rights being violated and the mayor and city council have chosen to not do anything about it. No one will speak to the attorneys they want to hire. Basically trying to shut up the victims so the problem goes away. Similar to the prostitutes issue but we see how that is turning out.
ReplyDeleteMike you don't have to post this, but if an officer does any sexual acts while in the capacity of his duties and the victim feels they cannot leave or feels they will be arrested if they don't, then there is a classification of rape charge because the suspect is a cop. Mayb not the rape we think, but i hope you can see why DA constitutes this as rape
ReplyDeleteAnon. 9:59 you are absolutely correct. The F.O.P. still does today what they did 30 years ago when it comes to candidate endorsements. FLOOR VOTES! O'Connell, Hendricks, Napoli, Affa all the same. I believe according to finance reports Napoli and Affa got almost $10,000.00. I checked with someone at the meeting. Zucal is getting $5000. Quite a difference I would say. Someone said., O'Connell got over $10,000.00 too. So much for the conspiracy theory.
ReplyDeleteLet me see…checks notes…yup, all those you spoke of were unanimous votes…as in no dissenters. When you have a split vote, where you actually have to poll the measly 30 guys there to see if it actually passes…and it barely passes….and others said it should then go to a body vote…you’d think you’d have to send it to a body vote. But good comparison lol
DeleteLet’s think about this logistically. If Roca comments that he entertained a complaint, but previously said he knows of no wrongdoing, then he’s a liar. Roca was in this unit when these things went on yet did absolutely nothing about it. He wasn’t even a supervisor at the time these things went on and nothing about it. How is a supervisor allowed to be so complicit and not do the right thing with the mayor and the city aren’t expecting is gonna be the civil lawsuits for failure to supervise and failure to act on Roca‘s behalf. This also doesn’t address the internal items that have Not been addressed by Roca and covered up because of the fear of bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteRoca was actually a supervisor at the time when things like theft’s were occurring, but yet nothing was done. Things were covered up because of the people that involved in that criminalactivity. He was these guys supervisor, whether in the unit or above as a captain prior to even being assistant, chief, and still now being chief continuing to cover up things for those that were in his own unit. He doesn’t want the Bad publicity because of his aspirations of future political positions after leaving as chief. I think the investigations being done by the district attorney’s office will solidify the end of his career and several more arrests for those that did wrong from his old unit. The mayor should be back any whistleblower that has enough courage to fight all the internal retaliation of that police department and commend them for doing the right thing. Unfortunately he doesn’t do that.
ReplyDeleteRoca and Tuerk are two of a kind. Narcissists. Make everyone else the victim. Chief Roca you and the mayor said there was no credibility to none of this. How can two people be arrested, one guy three times.and I'm sure more to come. Worse yet you said you investigated it. There is only one explanation. You did a very poor investigation at best. There's just to much being revealed now.
ReplyDeleteanon@11:52: It is not my inclination to condemn or defend Roca. But I do know that it is a difficult job, involving both lawful behavior and personnel moral. I will let the DA/court sort it out. My only question is how Roca will fare with Tuerk's political calculations?
DeleteAesthetically it’s not gonna be a good look For the mayor to support a chief who in the media doesn’t appear to be supportive of people who do the right thing knowing it occurred. Both are deflecting, saying crime is down and not addressing the severity of the situation with internal problems professionally and criminally.
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