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jason wrote:Perhaps the DA didn't prosecute because something was not handled correctly. It sounds like there was a lot of evidence and such to deal with. Was it possible that the ammunition was not returned because ownership couldn't be clearly identified?

Might there have been some confusion with regards to the terminology used by the officer? Perhaps he stated the ammunition couldn't be returned because it was potential evidence in a crime?

All any of us can do is speculate, since we were not there. I find it interesting how many people jumped on the 'bad cop' bandwagon immediately.

As the story was originally told it was reasonable to believe the cop just took it. It wasn't an unreasonable jump in logic. We were told the Cop claimed that hollow points were illegal.
It would be a huge jump in logic to believe that that a Texas Cop actually believed this. Cops have confiscated and kept stuff for their own uses for years. I've personally known cops who had kept guns, booze and drugs. I left a city to move to Texas in the middle of a scandal where the Chief was convicted for stealing cocaine out of the evidence room (Brockton Ma.) It does happen.

While we all understand the vast majority of officers would never do such a thing. The petty type thefts do happen. Assuming that the information that we had was true. The cops either had to be painfully uninformed or crooked. As it turned out it was the information we had that was faulty.

The bad cops of Tulia and Atlanta would never have been exposed if citizens didn't ask questions and put pressure to look a little deeper. The first reactions in Brockton. Tulia and Atlanta was to the circle wagons.

Yeah, it looks we were inadvertantly given some bad information. The police officers did some pretty decent work. and got the guns returned and away from the bad guys.

If an LEO is the recipient of a fishy story I would expect them to ask a few questions. Shouldn't we look at such storys with the same type of suspicion? Is it so wrong to insist that LEOs be held the same level of accountability that most of us are held to?

shootthesheet wrote:Do something about it. They cannot be allowed to continue to take property without cause. There is no difference between the HPs and the backpack or anything else in it. I am not bashing LEOs at all. However, these guys had no cause to take the persons property and that practice must stop. If we do nothing about it then it will continue and possibly get worse. Saying a specific LEO or department isn't capable of theft is as ignorant as claiming that was the reason they kept the ammo. Honestly, there are LEOs that take advantage of their position and steal property every chance they get. Those few make the majority look guilty. It is the same as a person developing opinion of any group from the wrongs of a few. Let those few continue their wrongs and the majority looks bad. That is my opinion.

If allowed to steal bullets What next? things like this are best nipped in the bud. We expect the officers not to tolerate stealing by the citizens. We should not tolorate stealing from those who are supposed to enforce these same laws.

Saulnier wrote:Ask for the paper trail.
Maybe the bad guys emptied the gun before it was recovered.
Bad guys are bad you know.

Saulnier

But why would the cops claim that the hollow points are illegal?

txinvestigator wrote:

seamusTX wrote:

txinvestigator wrote:Its quite a jump to assume he stole them.

I agree. It may be department policy.

But do you agree that, if this account is accurate, a citizen was dispossessed of his property for no legitimate reason?

- Jim

Someone has been reading specific statutes (dispossesed). lol

To answer your question; probably. Since there was nothing illegal about the bullets I can't see why they were not returned. That is why I suggested a visit to the Chief's office. ;)

I would be willing to make a bet that the officers in the suspected department have to buy their own bullets. I would also bet the officers use hollow points (therefore knowing that they are legal) I also would bet the ammo isn't in a property or evidence room.