good ole boy system in law enforcement

First, the allegations of racist conduct contained in the initial media accounts and Congressional testimony were truly shocking. He left the Roundup a few hours later. If we were able to do away with the "club" morale and job satisfaction would greatly increase. In 1993, Hayward arrived at the campground with his car plastered with racially offensive and political materials. Second, although our primary task was to assess the allegations of racism as they reflected on DOJ employees, we learned that the Roundup in fact had been marred by a number of serious and disturbing incidents of racial and other kinds of misconduct. Solely on our findings, an appropriate sanction would be a reprimand, either written or oral. In other words, many of the law enforcement-affiliated Roundup participants who were interviewed provided investigators with less than full, candid, and truthful information. And in many cases, DOJ employees acted as one would hope they would -- they saw an event marked by excessive alcohol consumption and puerile behavior and never returned. Why Violence Is Increasing. In addition, we found that because the central activity during most Roundups was the consumption of large quantities of Roundup-supplied alcohol, the organizers knowingly sacrificed the ability to control the conduct of participants. The women dancers were strippers. Police organizations in particular are always on an uphill march and need every person to be on the winning team for the progress that needs to take place. Regardless of their source, if true, these allegations threatened to seriously undermine the ability of these agents to perform their critical missions, particularly enforcing federal criminal law, upholding civil rights laws, and providing equal protection under the law. And everyone can point to instances where cronyism or nepotism is an accepted fact of life in political sphere, as well. The banner was thrown in the trash. Although our investigation established that the Roundup was nothing like a "Klan rally," the fact that specific acts of racist misconduct occurred in three different years made more difficult our assessment of the general charge that the Roundup had a "whites-only" attendance policy. Such conduct included playing music with racist lyrics at campsites; wearing, trading, and selling T-shirts with racially insensitive messages; telling racially offensive jokes during official competitions; and, in the context of particular facts found, displaying Confederate flags. He was going for another term, his fifth, and as the . The "good ol' boy" system is when a leader unabashedly chooses favorites among their subordinates. Every president and governor names close associates to key cabinet positions. More information about these Birmingham-area law enforcement Skinheads will be detailed in my upcoming book, "Inmate 36223-001: The Story of a Political Prisoner. When someone is granted a position because of connections rather than because he or she has the best credentials and experience, the service that person renders to the public may be inferior. If true and if committed by DOJ law enforcement officers, we would be confronted with very serious questions about the officers' fitness to serve, their ability to discharge their law enforcement duties, and their right to wear a federal badge. In 1995, T-shirts with a crude drawing of the figure used in the children's game, "Hangman," and the initials "O" and "J" beneath the figure were sold by two officers from Fort Lauderdale. Another Ocoee area resident claimed he had requested and been handed some cocaine powder while in the campground during a Roundup in the late 1980s. The person who observed the sign reported that it was gone within half an hour. At least 10 percent of the attendees had federal law enforcement affiliations. (Government Executive Magazine, "Playing Favorites," by Brian Friel, October 2004). New York, NY: Random House. I look around from time to time and never cease to be amazed at how little social progress we have actually made. In addition, two local women provided affidavits to the Senate Judiciary Committee alleging, among other things, that a woman had been gang-raped at a Roundup, a "drug enforcement officer" had offered one of them drugs during a Roundup, and a goat had been purchased for bestiality purposes. In 1990 officers from Florence and Boone County, Kentucky, and a civilian from Ohio performed a skit as part of the Redneck of the Year contest in which a dog was traded for a man in blackface who then pretended to perform oral sex on a person in mock Ku Klux Klan garments. He is currently the SWAT commander and oversees the Metro Divisions Special Operations section. He eventually parked his car off to the side, removed the offensive clothing, and was permitted to enter. We have been on the . 1. Based on our interviews of each of these witnesses, our conclusions regarding their credibility, and all the testimony of a number of credible witnesses, we concluded that none of these allegations were supported by substantial credible evidence. Finally, public nudity was commonplace at various Roundups. ", 4. The OIG Investigation 4 opportunities to get the organization out of the club: Applicability to policing. Other than one inappropriate comment by one FBI agent, we found no evidence that any DOJ employee engaged in racist or other misconduct while at the Roundup. They also bring this up in the report, the club the good old boys club. The official activities of the Roundup were centered on athletic events, drinking, and what were intended to be humorous performances by participants vying for such titles as Redneck of the Year. The good ole boy system. Collaborative environments are incubators for good ideas to occur. The next day Rightmyer told the offenders that blacks were welcome at the Roundup and if they did not like it, they should leave. Before an officer has the chance to learn the job and learn to employ all their training and experiences we basically tell that officer we don't trust you and, until we do, you are on your own. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. In addition, allegations of criminal conduct, including narcotics distribution and rape, were raised at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing held within ten days of the original news stories. We not only had to deal with weak recollections due to the passage of time but also faulty or incomplete memories because so many participants had consumed so much alcohol during the Roundup. When several months later OIG requested that he submit to an interview on a range of topics including his supposed discovery of a "nigger hunting license" at the 1995 Roundup or the militia plan "Operation Achilles Heel," whose stated goal was to discredit ATF, Randall refused and renewed these threats in more graphic terms. Seek out advice, if your world becomes too insular, it limits your creativity. ~ Georgina Chapman, Brian Ellis, Anthony H. Normore, & Mitch Javidi National Command and Staff College. And no DOJ employee was ever elected to be president or vice-president of the Roundup. After the transition, Satterthwaite alleges that he was directed to change his focus from making cultural changes within the department to recruiting more Black officers from the community. h) Other Incidents Indeed, we recognized that the persons who attended the Roundup may have had a motive to conceal or minimize the instances of racial or other kinds of misconduct in order to make their attendance at a Roundup appear more benign than it might have been. Mired in tradition, the 'good ol' boys club' mentality keeps us moving backward and prevents us from being respected for the job we do Dec 30, 2014 We are rapidly heading into 2015. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Colonel Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor nearly 60 years after he earned it in Vietnam, The Military Has A Toxic Leadership Problem, Odierno: Army Not a 'Good Ol' Boy Network' | Military.com, Competition VS Good Old Boy Club | RallyPoint. Importantly as well, there were not many options given the initial objective of finding a site for an overnight camping and whitewater rafting trip near Rightmyer's duty office in Knoxville. Verifying the allegations, therefore, required assessing the accuracy and reliability of testimony given by witnesses. It begins when friend promotes friend. Vari Hall, Santa Clara University500 El Camino RealSanta Clara, CA 95053408-554-5319, Ethical Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccination, Hackworth Fellowships Project Showcase 2021, The Ethics of Going Back to School in a Pandemic, Systemic Racism, Police Brutality, and the Killing of George Floyd, COVID-19: Ethics, Health and Moving Forward, The Ethical Implications of Mass Shootings, Political Speech in the Age of Social Media, Point/Counterpoint: Democratic Legitimacy, Brett Kavanaugh and the Ethics of the Supreme Court Confirmation Process. Hayward also brought a large David Duke for President banner to hang in the campground, but it was up only briefly before Roundup organizers ordered that it be taken down. They hire people from Africa, who barley speak or understand English. However, we found no evidence linking DOJ employees to acts of public drunkenness, public lewdness, or any of the other sordid aspects of the Roundup in any specific or persistent way. In 1992, two different signs were displayed at the campground. We relate this to the idea of making a copy of a copy. The term originally referred to social and business connections among former pupils of male-only elite . We chase off and scare off new officers before they can grasp even the basics of our profession. It has become the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for correctional professionals nationwide. We determined, however, that because the Roundup campground was not isolated or well-secured, it was ill-suited for secretive racist gatherings. These signs included, "Nigger checkpoint," "Any niggers in that car?," "no niggers," and "17 cents lb." When several months later OIG requested that he submit to an interview on a range of topics including his supposed discovery of a "nigger hunting license" at the 1995 Roundup or the militia plan "Operation Achilles Heel," whose stated goal was to discredit ATF, Randall refused and renewed these threats in more graphic terms. An exhaustive investigation and a full report of the Good O' Boy Roundup was important for several reasons. Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, Council members, mayors, and legislators must make special efforts to ensure that they hear all sides of an issue rather than just relying on the views of the people they know. Understanding the basic needs of people, appreciating the contributions of others, and helping them achieve their potential are building blocks of successful organizations (Stallard, 2007). In Hayward's case, for example, the important kernels of truth contained in his 1990 videotape and in his allegation regarding a particularly egregious racist skit in 1990 were combined with other allegations that were embellishments of actual events and in many cases distortions and outright fabrications. Now you are bringing niggers to the Roundup." Although not raised initially as allegations, OIG found substantial credible evidence of rampant alcohol abuse and extreme cases of juvenile and shocking behavior. C. Findings Regarding General Allegations of Racist Reasonable people will differ about the appointment of friends and family in high-level positions, but public officials should be aware that such choices can give the appearance of unfairness. (1999). Furthermore, because of their duty to fairly investigate and prosecute violations of the law, DOJ law enforcement officers are held to even stricter application of these standards of conduct. In 1992, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, police officer competing in the Redneck of the Year contest performed a skit where he claimed to have found a watermelon which had fallen off the back of a passing truck, struck it until it broke open, and then pulled out a doll he had painted black. Nonetheless, OIG expended considerable time, energy, and resources to determine as best we could what happened at the Roundup. And although we were able to identify more who had been invited to attend, most chose not to -- some merely because the name and location suggested to them that they would not be welcome there. When there are divisions within a single unit because someone doesnt like that guy for something personal, the unit has a serious problem. Although Hayward alleged that the tape also contained a racist "comedy" routine and was for sale at the campground, we found no corroboration for these additional claims. These materials were prepared for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics by former Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and former Communications Director Miriam Schulman. "The days of the 'good ole boy' system are over where we now need to . We discovered, however, a huge gap between these policies, on the one hand, and actual attendance at and perceptions about the event, on the other. You want to make sure that you have a diverse leadership, the former FBI agent said. In media interviews, Randall and Hayward stated that they went to the site of the 1995 Roundup with the intention of finding racist conduct to report. agent and to the applicable Department of Treasury component for one of its employees who used to be employed by DOJ. These good ole boys clubs have a range of consequences in the business world . We discuss the problem of one of our State Legislators practicing Law privately and representing a subject in a high profile, double murder trial and how it raises questions for citizens, Law Enforcement and Circuit Solicitors Offices. Findings Regarding Specific Racist Misconduct. Many DOJ employees believe that what they do off duty is their business and not a proper concern of their employer. On this, you do have to appreciate the amount of time someone has put into establishing it. According to the lawsuit, Satterthwaite says he was not given any explanation as to why he was being surveyed. Scratch my back, Ill scratch yours The day before the Roundup opened a small sign that read, "no niggers," was observed posted on a stake alongside the road into the campground. Surveys were sent to many agencies across Texas. Moreover, we found Randall's claim to have found the "license" in a Roundup bathroom not to be credible. Through these efforts, OIG identified nearly 1400 persons who attended the Roundup between 1980 and 1995. 8. "We are proud of the support we have from Democrat and Republican sheriffs. For 1995, Randall contended that "nigger hunting licenses" were openly available on the Roundup campground. B. In 1995, T-shirts with a crude drawing of the figure used in the children's game, "Hangman," and the initials "O" and "J" beneath the figure were sold by two officers from Fort Lauderdale. I, personally, served under them and would gladly fall on a sword if they asked even all these years later. Maintaining a healthy skepticism of your own thoughts and ideas leads to a growth mindset. In 1992 the same persons who ordered the sign taken down pulled the responsible person away from the car and told him to stop what he was doing. Other substantiated allegations, such as the playing of games for monetary stakes and the consumption in isolated instances of moonshine, are addressed fully in the report. What do favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism have to do with ethics? ", 5. Although not raised initially as allegations, OIG found substantial credible evidence of rampant alcohol abuse and extreme cases of juvenile and shocking behavior. In a number of years, but certainly in 1990 and 1992, Confederate flags were displayed at various locations in and around the Roundup campground. You would have everyone on equal footing, we would be treated fairly. His component, however, must assess this conduct in light of the employee's history. After conducting a comprehensive investigation of the Roundup from In 1990 and 1992, the same years as these signs appeared, and near where they were posted, persons whom we could not identify were checking to determine if any blacks were in any of the cars driving through the campground. Furthermore, the failure of the Roundup organizers to take any action regarding conduct that was less blatant, but still offensive to many, created a racially hostile environment such that blacks who attended would not have felt welcome. Racists Vandalized LeBrons Los Angeles Home. Hayward also brought some bumper stickers and hats to sell, without much success. 01-08-2001, 07:43 PM. Exploring the nature of the old boys network in the United States: Using electronic networks of practice to understand gendered issues in HRD. Will Leflore and Metro Council President David James worked with LMPD for 20 years. Moreover, OIG interviewed residents in the area near where the Roundup was held to learn what relevant evidence they might possess. On July 11, 1995, the Washington Times blew the whistle on this annual racist Roundup of law enforcement agents and their invited guests. Ultimately, the purported eyewitness recanted his claim. Some minority agents also expressed a reluctance to attend because the Roundup was held in the woods of an all-white county in Eastern Tennessee. Racist skits were performed in 1990 and 1992. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/07/cultural-change-that-sticks, Lee, A. Indeed, by 1990, law enforcement officers -- federal, state, and local -- were outnumbered by participants who had no such affiliation. We want to draw attention to good models of law enforcement that have improved the effectiveness of policing and interactions with minority communities. In response to this activity and an article Hayward published about the Roundup the following month in the NAAWP Newsletter, in which he claimed that numerous David Duke supporters attended the Roundup, the event's organizers instituted new policies for 1993 prohibiting political and racist activity. It also makes us highly skeptical of anyone new coming in. Hayward was told he could not enter the campground unless all of these materials were removed. This is why. Over the sixteen years of the Roundup, only three percent of the total estimated number of attendees were DOJ employees. Although we heard conflicting views as to whether this conduct was intended to send a benign message of "Southern heritage" or a message of racism and intolerance, especially towards African Americans, we conclude that such displays had the effect, whether intended or not, of adding to a racially charged and hostile environment. In the early years a contest called the Beer Enduro took place, requiring participants to drink a specified quantity of beer at regular intervals. Thirty-six were DOJ employees when they attended; eight went prior to becoming DOJ employees. He has written articles for several publications, including Law Enforcement Today, Peace Officers Research Association of California, Police One, The Oxford University Press, The Journal of California Law Enforcement; and has contributed to chapters in IGI Global Publishing textbooks. In their affidavits to the Senate, the two Ocoee women claimed to have heard that a woman was gang-raped by a large number of Roundup participants. We are not aware of any effort that was made to establish who posted the signs. Share. Our initial task was to identify DOJ employees who attended any of the Roundups. I, personally, served under them and would gladly fall on a sword if they asked even all these years later. In addition, allegations of criminal conduct, including narcotics distribution and rape, were raised at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing held within ten days of the original news stories. One of the most common threads among troops wanting to leave a unit (or the military in general) is toxic leadership. Inmates who seem to threaten law suits and or . Fired up or burned out: How to reignite your teams passion, creativity, and productivity. When the persons in the registration area observed the sign, it was removed. The emperors new clothes.Retrieved from http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html. Each of these persons identified the same woman as the alleged rape victim. A. DOJ Participation Furthermore, because of their duty to fairly investigate and prosecute violations of the law, DOJ law enforcement officers are held to even stricter application of these standards of conduct. Hayward also brought a large David Duke for President banner to hang in the campground, but it was up only briefly before Roundup organizers ordered that it be taken down. Although in earlier years we found efforts by Rightmyer to ensure that women were treated appropriately and these women reported no problems, we found little evidence of concern in the later years when the objectionable conduct became pervasive. Intent and a "Whites-only" Policy. Racist signs were posted in at least two years: 1990 and 1992. Nevertheless, we found that, regardless of intent, some minority agents perceived a message that they would not be welcome or considered a "good o' boy," and that indeed they might face racial intolerance and hostility if they attended. Substantiated Allegations "Clearly, LMPDs current solution to diversity issues is increasing the number of Black Officers, rather than giving them and all Officers an equal opportunity of advancement," a summary of the lawsuit says. In practice, these should give an accurate and fair assessment of a unit. Johnson, C. (2012). OIG subpoenaed computer and bank records relating to the Roundup from Gene Rightmyer, the former ATF agent who had organized and led the Roundup from 1980 through 1995. We are disturbed that an event characterized by rampant public drunkenness, widespread public lewdness, and in later years episodes of racist conduct drew participants from DOJ and other law enforcement organizations. Unfortunately, not asking clarifying questions is a significant issue facing many police organizations complicating opportunities for the management team to do its best work. On two occasions the Redneck of the Year contest contained blatantly racist material. Standout: The groundbreaking new strengths assessment from the leader of the strengths revolution. b) Checking Cars Although one other witness believed he saw a T-shirt similar to the one described by Randall worn by one person at the 1995 Roundup, OIG found insufficient credible evidence that such shirts were for sale at the Roundup. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 state legislatures have found the practice of nepotism troubling enough to enact laws against it. PHOTO: An example of the racist paraphernalia sold at this event. He eventually evened out at FCC, a level 3/4 facility. When asked for a comment, LMPD spokesperson Beth Ruoff said the department "does not comment on pending litigation.". One particular display in 1992, captured in a photograph we obtained during the investigation, included a group surrounding the flag whose members are shown making obscene gestures and raising their fists. That same day several of the Fort Lauderdale officers left the Roundup. When the rules are not universal in a police organization, it becomes very difficult to keep everyone playing by them. Taunting the ATF agent about the presence of the two blacks, one of the Fort Lauderdale officers stated, "ATF fucks up everything they touch. This interviewing strategy was designed to ferret out as much information from as many different sources as possible to minimize the chances that racial or other kinds of misconduct might be concealed from us. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/bellis.NTCOFSP/Downloads/0679.pdf, Rand, S. (n.d.). Development opportunities go to the in crowd. The racist attitudes and conduct that permeated the Roundups from 1980 to 1995 are fairly prevalent inside the FBI, DEA, ATF, and DOJ, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies today. When the conduct was brought to the attention of Roundup organizers it was criticized and terminated. OIG found no evidence that any DOJ employee -- or federal employees from other agencies -- participated in such conduct. According to the lawsuit, LMPD eliminated Satterthwaite's position as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer without explanation. When a small group is privy to whats really going on, the majority of the organization is in the dark and cannot be expected to have the ability to do its best work. For example, one T-shirt for sale depicted three police officers around a police car and two black persons being held face down on the hood of the car. Insular environments are also the breeding ground of fear-based cultures. These invitations were distributed to law enforcement agencies in the Southeast, where they were posted on bulletin boards, announced generally, or handed out to those who were interested. Because of the historical connections between similar sites and racist activities, these agents attributed racist intentions to the Roundup due simply to its location. Based on our interviews of each of these witnesses, our conclusions regarding their credibility, and all the testimony of a number of credible witnesses, we concluded that none of these allegations were supported by substantial credible evidence. They are a master at what they do and have not just helped others with problems, theyve taught others how to fix those problems for next time. Finally, public nudity was commonplace at various Roundups. Although OIG was able to interview the local residents and the current and former ATF agents who made allegations, the militia members did not cooperate. This is primarily due to the lack of trust of the group and the limits those within the group put on their ability to be vulnerable for the sake of understanding. In addition to Hayward, two other witnesses had vague and indeterminate recollections of some type of racist sign being posted in the campground for a short time in 1989. Extremely demeaning language and inappropriate sexual touching occurred. Racist signs were posted in at least two years: 1990 and 1992. . In their affidavits to the Senate, the two Ocoee women claimed to have heard that a woman was gang-raped by a large number of Roundup participants. We also coordinated with a number of other law enforcement agencies that were conducting investigations into participation by their own personnel in the Roundup, most notably the Department of Treasury Office of the Inspector General (Treasury OIG). An investigation by the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) ensued. Why this hurts us Another T-shirt had a crude drawing of the figure used in the children's game, "Hangman," and the initials "O" and "J" beneath the figure. The Orange County Sheriffs Office has problems like everywhere else, but at least Sheriff Kevin Beary supports his troops. Introduction It is the 21st century. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations prohibit federal employees from engaging in "criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously disgraceful conduct prejudicial to the government." It is the 21st century. Although the Roundup was plainly not the type of event that brings credit to its participants, we developed no evidence that any significant role was played in the Roundup by any DOJ personnel past or present. This is an opportunity for troops to vent legitimate problems. Although one other witness believed he saw a T-shirt similar to the one described by Randall worn by one person at the 1995 Roundup, OIG found insufficient credible evidence that such shirts were for sale at the Roundup. It begs the question of how important relationships are in the advancement of people within an organization, and how do great organizations find the balance of personal relationships? We were unable to establish how long this conduct lasted or how many people may have been involved in it. When he believed that OIG intended to seek court enforcement of the subpoena he publicly threatened bloodshed. In addition to charges of racism, allegations of criminal or other misconduct were also raised. I. It builds espirt de corps. CAIRO, Ga. It was Election Day in Grady County, and Sheriff Harry Young, 76, had hardly slept three hours the night before. Being a federal law enforcement officer within the Department of Justice is a privilege not a right; it can appropriately be conditioned on maintaining a proper level of behavior at all times. For cabinet level positions, an executive will probably be drawn to experienced, qualified candidates, but historically, the lower down the ladder, the more likely for someone's brother-in-law to be slipped into a job for which he is not qualified.