Based on comments that some entries in this column were so outrageous that they must be ancient, or from some agency that wouldn't cause us to say, "That could be us," we are including cities, dates and a few more agency references than have been in previous columns.  We will continue to use ***** to replace names in many instances.

As a reminder, we do not mention agencies to further embarrass them.  It is our hope that each edition of this column will renew our "call to action" to review our policies and practices.  We need to do whatever we can to reduce the chances of such incidents in the agencies we represent, and in the headlines of our papers.  "There, but for the grace of God, Go I."
 

The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, CA 7/9/97
Drugs swiped from office of state narcotics enforcers

In an unusual burglary, drugs were stolen from the state Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement in Riverside over the Independence Day weekend, authorities reported Tuesday. The break-in was discovered Monday when the Bureau's staff returned to work. ... BNE officials spent Tuesday taking inventory in their evidence locker to determine exactly what was taken during the burglary - a task that will take at least two days.

One BNE official called the theft of the drugs "unfortunate". The official would not discuss specific security measures but said a burglar would have to defeat layers of security including locks, alarms and codes in order to gain access to the building. He said security in the building "exceeded industry standards".
 

The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, CA 7/10/97
Cocaine theft was big haul: Inside job?

A few hundred kilograms of cocaine were stolen from the state BNE in Riverside, authorities confirmed Wednesday, and officials are investigating the "horrifying possibility" that the burglary was an inside job. ... ***** said the loss of the cocaine will not interfere with any of the Bureau's investigations. The cocaine already had been used as evidence in court cases and authorities were about to destroy it.
 

The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, CA 7/12/97
Cocaine loss put at nearly half a ton

Nearly a half a ton of cocaine, 415 kilograms, was stolen from the BNE in Riverside, police continued Friday. More than 8 million, average-size powdery lines that could "cop a buzz" for even a hard-core user. And that's before the stolen booty would certainly be "stepped on" - mixed with additives - easily doubling the amount of the haul, according to police. ... "Several layers of security were breached, indicating it was a very organized, professional job," said Lieutenant *****. "They obviously used a vehicle capable of transporting over 900 pounds."
 

Associated Press, Phil West, Nashville 7/3/97
Trooper faces firing over missing kilo of cocaine

A state trooper who once led the Tennessee Highway Patrol in felony arrests faces firing over a missing kilo of cocaine confiscated from a Georgia man's car. An internal affairs investigation concluded Trooper ***** checked out the $25,000 worth of cocaine from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Knoxville crime lab, where it had been tested, on October 6, 1994. When (another Trooper) went to the TBI lab to pick up the cocaine two years later for a grand jury appearance, he was shown the receipt where ***** had picked up the drugs. The kilo of cocaine has never turned up. ... * * * * * said he had returned the cocaine to the highway patrol's property room at the Knoxville district office, but the drugs were never found. State Department officials said the Knox County District Attorney General had asked for results of the internal affairs investigation to decide if ***** should face criminal charges.
 

New Haven Register, Milford, CN 7/9/97
Show me the money! $23,000 missing from police evidence room

About $23,000 in cash and bonds seized in a gambling investigation last month is missing from the Police Department's evidence room and the police chief has ordered a probe of the money's whereabouts. But police sources said Tuesday the money was likely misplaced in the property and evidence room at police headquarters, a room sources said is disorganized and plagued by mismanagement.

A recent audit of the Police Department's finances raises concerns about the upkeep of a safe in the evidence room and recommends officials conduct "a complete and thorough inventory of the safe immediately," according to records. ... The audit highlighted concerns about the safe in the property room and included recommendations that the Police Department change both the key and combination to the safe "at regular periodic intervals." The audit also suggested regular examinations of "evidence envelopes stored in the safe." "Cash stored in the safe dates in excess of 10 years in some cases," the audit says.
 

Journal Now Local News, Associated Press, Winston-Salem/Forsyth, NC 5/18/97
Sheriff replaced missing money

On a Sunday evening in May, 1995, Sheriff ***** called three of his top aides to the department's evidence vault. There was a problem, ***** said. Two thousand dollars was missing from the vault. The money's owners wanted it back. ... None of the officers had direct responsibility for the security of the vault. (The top narcotics officer) said in a court deposition that ***** asked him to personally replace the money. He said he didn't know why ***** made the request, but he declined and urged ***** to tell the public about the theft. (*****'s top administrative aide) said he advised ***** to inform the county's top finance officer, and (the assistant sheriff) said he advised ***** to order an investigation. The sheriff had another plan. He took $2,000 from his pocket and placed the money on a shelf among other envelopes containing money, guns and other evidence. The next day, ***** ordered evidence officers to search the vault again. The money was "found."

***** confirmed that he used his money to replace the missing money. (His) actions violated county policy and put his department's insurance bonds at risk of cancellation. And state law makes it a felony to tamper with evidence. ... ***** said he took a different approach because he was not initially sure that the $2,000 was stolen and hoped that the money would turn up when the sheriff's department moved into its new headquarters. Then he determined that it was a theft and personally investigated it because he did not want word to get out. He was afraid that the thief would cover his tracks. ***** said he replaced the money with his own because he believed that he would end up paying the $2,000 anyway. ... (The top narcotics officer) said in his deposition that he believed that an embezzlement had been "covered up."
 

Sun-Sentinel, South Florida, 6/6/97
No Title

An attorney for a man arrested in the largest mob bust in recent South Florida history on Thursday said he would ask a federal judge to throw out the case against his client because the FBI cannot find $129,324 that was evidence in the case. ...***** is on administrative leave and has been charged with making false statements in connection with the missing money. He is not charged with the theft. *****, the FBI spokeswoman, said she did not know the origin of the missing money. ..."How the FBI, with a straight face, can say they don't know where this money came from is beyond me," he (Defense Attorney) said. "It's clear this agent was a thief, but now it looks like the whole agency is stupid. Maybe they need to hire an investigator to help them out." ...The seized cash was kept in a safe at FBI headquarters in North Miami and only ***** has the combination, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Miami. Other agents became suspicious after ***** repeatedly denied them access to the safe.