3 Billings police officers on leave as county attorney launches review of their cases

[@ToddMichaelPost]

Turning off or muting body or dashboard cameras should be considered destruction of evidence and prosecuted.

[@kpdvw]

impedingan Investigation,withholding Evidence.....

[@Rick-np9vz]

Evidence tampering is a crime!

[@dangeary2134]

Brady v Maryland…

[@Sondan1988]

Good luck getting your legislature to pass legislation holding Government official accountable !!! -- Qualified Immunity -- Sovereign Immunity -- Judicial Immunity -- Prosecutorial Immunity -- Presidential Immunity ...do you see a pattern ? Where is citizens' immunity ? (It doesn't exist.)

Their TAX PAYER PURCHASED BWC SHOULD not be able to manipulate the camera. No on or off button, no mute button.

[@kevinvilmont6061]

Oh that's Rich. The police union crying that their officers have been pre-judged. Everyone they arrest suffers that.

[@406walleyeslayer]

@kevinvilmont6061 yep another city full of JBTP'S.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

Everyone the pull over because of "suspicions".

[@OldProphet61]

Public sector unions should be abolished. Conflict of interest. Extortion of the taxpayer. Screen for corruption.

[@crinklecut3790]

Put them all on the Brady list and fire them. They were dishonest and now can’t testify on other cases.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Brady list is worthless because there aren't even consequences of being on there. We need cultural police reform on a Revolutionary level that involves every single citizen in this country understanding that we are now at the mercy of a government run and protected domestic terrorist organization.

[@AbNomal621]

Not nearly enough. Send them to jail for tampering and manufacturing evidence. Send the chief to jail for accessory after the fact.

[@Vazzini42]

Where are the tampering with evidence charges!?

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

The thin blue line and criminal prosecutors will not punish themselves for their crimes.

[@ianbattles7290]

Show me *any other occupation* where the workers are allowed to disable their job's security cameras at their own discretion...

[@Dee-c1e]

This should be a felony😡🤷

[@APackOfHungryGhosts]

There isn't. I worked security for 14 years, both public and private, at many sites for many security companies and many clients. If anyone disabled the cameras at any time for any reason; Immediately fired.

[@ianbattles7290]

@@APackOfHungryGhosts and these cameras are meant to protect cops from false accusations of misconduct! So *why on Earth would the police purposely disable their own legal protection????*

[@SeekingAlfalfa]

They will continue to turn off their body cams as long as the consequences for turning off their body cams is less than whatever it was they did that caused them to turn them off. Just as with the police dog case in Laurel, or the water billing issues in Billings, the lack of accountability within government is astounding. In this case the consequences of turning off their body cams is paid leave.

[@MingTheMerciless-xs5kb]

Typical grossly entitled conservative russian-republican jim crow welfare state policing which is a threat to real Americans everywhere. republicans get what they vote for.

[@burningsporkdeath]

People typically are removed from the job but continue to be paid during an investigation in most industries in the USA. It is very typical HR policy.

[@MingTheMerciless-xs5kb]

@@burningsporkdeath Healthcare Workers would be fired on the spot for disabling a camera, no investigation necessary! What you said is a lie.

[@MingTheMerciless-xs5kb]

@@burningsporkdeath This is completely incorrect. Tampering with or disabling security cameras is an immediate termination in every industry everywhere other than jim crow republican government and policing.

[@APackOfHungryGhosts]

@@burningsporkdeath I worked security for 14 years, both public and private, at many sites for many security companies and many clients. If anyone disabled the cameras at any time for any reason; Immediately fired. No investigation, no suspension. Pink slip immediately.

[@Danielthornton61]

No officer should ever be put on paid leave during an investigation. They should become janitors during the investigations, at least get something for the money that they're getting paid instead of paid vacations. Let them clean floors, scrub toilets and stock bathrooms as well as keep the outside of the police building spotless.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Well now you're just talking crazy! Certainly you don't think that a domestic terrorist organization funded by unlimited taxpayer resources is going to act with any level of ethics!!

[@ryankueter8396]

Yeah crazy talk 😅

[@SonyaTheSidePieceCrumbSnatcher]

Janitors are skilled laborers who have to keep people safe by properly mixing chemicals and posting signs for dangerous conditions, such as wet floors. The police do not keep people safe, so no - they should not be trusted to do janitorial work.

[@but_but629]

A dirty chief protecting dirty cops.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

System working, as designed. 😊

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

As always!! Certainly wouldn't expect anything less! After all the police in the United States are one of the few organizations in the country to openly flaunt and be proud of their domestic terrorist flag and they've gone so far as to brainwash millions of fake patriots to put that domestic terrorist thin blue line flag on the window of their pick up trucks And these are the same people that vote for Republicans who were supposedly the ones that stand for the constitution and the Bill of Rights and the rule of law 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️. Don't get me wrong I vote Republican because I'm not a fascist traitor but I pinched my nose while I do so because most of these Republicans are the ones calling the domestic terrorists "public servants "and even worse "heroes" 🤦‍♂️

[@julieclark32]

We got those too. Denison chief ignored our misconduct, use of force etc complaint for 8 months

[@jeffreygoss8109]

Imagine a job where you screw up royally and are rewarded with a paid vacation. Most working stiffs don’t get any paid vacation and fired for screwing up.

[@JamesBond-fo6ow]

No need to imagine... the job is a cop.

[@generalohu7782]

Don’t forget they also get promotions too!!

[@ThatOpalGuy]

Or, get re-elected president.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

That is how domestic terrorist organizations operate.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

@@ThatOpalGuy yes OK you're smarter than the other 85% of the country who doesn't sit around and eat soy all day 😂😂

[@dalequezada5554]

How nice a paid vacation for at least a year and of course since they investigate them selfs and will find no fault

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Thankfully social media has come a long way and from the comments it seems most people in this country can no longer keep their head in the sand and have to admit based on the facts and evidence that the police are the largest and most corrupt criminal gang in America.

[@dennis22255]

The chief comment is typical cop BS.

[@406walleyeslayer]

Bet they investigate themselves and find no wrong.

[@lowlifetrent959]

Billings police are 1000x more honest than Yellowstone sheriff deputies

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

@@406walleyeslayer you don't get promoted to chief in a domestic terrorist organization unless you truly hate the people and the constitution!

[@coolbreeze1674]

End qualified immunity and these tyrants will stop doing this. Europeans are calling these kind of cops "America's Gestapo"

[@Esther-lm6pm]

It's the UNIONS that are behind all of this. GET RID OF THE UNION.

[@sketch6995]

Didn't stop them in colorado. They got rid of qualified immunity almost 4 years ago.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

@@sketch6995 they did not get rid of qualified immunity in Colorado they passed a bill that allows you to attempt removing qualified immunity in state court which is a big step because doing it in federal court is nearly impossible and there's also a $25,000 limit on the officer liability and if you follow the first amendment audit movement it did have a slight impact and things are moving in the right direction very slowly.

[@sketch6995]

@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST yes we did get rid of qualified immunity that's exactly what it said on the ballot, the rest of what you said is semi accurate, but you forgot about the officer being responsible for only 5% of the judgement. Nothing changed in this state, nor in new mexico

[@DaMeng3000]

Europeans aren’t calling them that, stop lying.

[@cynthiarowley719]

Leave = paid vacation

[@Beaver108]

We`ve investigated ourselves and found we`ve done nothing wrong....

[@broadside1944]

We ran the name Adolf Hitler thru the system at the same time and he came out clean as a whistle too!

[@ricladouceur6202]

No one is surprised by this! Happens all the time!

[@bkk7705]

More lieing crooked cops say it ain't so 😂😂😂😂

[@kevindenning7209]

Why did it take 1 1/2 years to uncover this?

[@TheEzzieboy]

Want to know how this ends? "We investigated ourselves and found no officer wrongdoing." The officers involved returned to active street duty and 2 of the three have received commendations and pay raises. This is how these things are handled ALL OVER AMERICA.

[@FrankParady]

The video belongs to the public, the people..... let us see it and decide

[@ronwade2206]

Why is it even possible!?

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Because the police are not police they are a domestic terrorist organization that only care about getting paid triple the salary of the average worker and getting a big fat pension with pay and benefits for the rest of their lives after only 20 years of service and protecting themselves from all of the crimes and acts of terrorism they commit against law abiding citizens.

[@mikiesmoto-ventures3341]

REMOVE ALL IMMUNITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

[@georgecraytin9838]

Jeez wonder why they would ever do that. One might think they did something that needed to be hidden.

[@CCarmon-o7t]

Please tell me this station is NOT shocked that cops lie Tell me it’s no so

[@georgedunkelberg5004]

THE PURCHASE OF SCOTUS ENABLED THE TYRANNIES OF THE OLIGARCHY.

[@MichaelBoyer-lm8bw]

An organization needs to investigate the DA's office for allowing all these illegal activities by the officers to continue for as long as it did and then the judge is also need to be investigated to they all need to be held accountable and we the people demand it

[@StrykerGSP]

prosecutors have absolute immunity as do the corrupt judges. So poLIcE (cant spell police without the LIE) prosecutors and judges all have immunity. Know who doesnt have immunity? You dont have immunity from the disease call corruption.

[@pappete9988]

Its so hard on the blue line soldiers when they are forced to have paid time off while they are being absolved of any wrongdoing.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Damn dude that was poetic but unfortunately 100% accurate

[@georgedunkelberg5004]

@@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST A TORRENT OF THIN BLUE TEARS AND FEARS SHED IN SUBSERVIANCES TO LEO ACADEMIC-INDOCTRINATED VIOLENCES .

[@richallen8742]

PAID LEAVE?????????????? WHY ???????

[@tomd7995]

we will investigate ourselves, and we will find, we do nothing wrong.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

They will get promotions and an employee appreciation day dedicated to each one of them with taxpayer funded catered food.

[@georgedunkelberg5004]

@@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST NO ONE CAN FIX STUPID CITIZEN COMPLIANT VOTERS OF SHEEPLED GOVERNMENT SKOOLINGS!

[@ledwallet1944]

Oh it's just a few bad apples...

[@brad71797575]

Apparently a few bad apples are turning into bushels

[@georgedunkelberg5004]

SYSTEMICALL ENHANCED BY SCOTUS "BARRELS OF ASSIFERS"

[@sammienochez8497]

Inside Thin Blue Line Gang Members

[@Sondan1988]

-- Qualified Immunity -- Sovereign Immunity -- Judicial Immunity -- Prosecutorial Immunity -- Presidential Immunity ...do you see a pattern ? Who thinks these law enforcement officers will be prosecuted for this ? (But have no fear ! They are investigating themselves.)

[@Mike-gc9ih]

This is why I would NEVER vote for a conviction on the testimony of a police officer. Social media has exposed them throughout this country on how corrupt, dishonest and incompetent they are!!!!😢

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Things have come along way but there are still tens of millions of people who have their heads in the sand because it's just too much cognitive dissonance for them to believe that the police that they were raised to think are the good guys and that their leaders and media tell them are "heroes"Are really the country's largest domestic terrorist organization.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Social media has come along way and things are moving in the right direction but we can clearly see by all of these thin blue line domestic terrorism videos there are still tens of millions of people that have their heads in the sand because it's too much cognitive dissonance for them to believe despite all of the evidence that The police that the government schools taught them to worship and that the media and politicians call heroes are in fact the biggest criminal and the greatest threat to every law abiding citizen.

[@toddbatstra645]

What valid reason would any officer have any justification to mute or turn off the body cam there is nothing that cannot be redacted

[@georgedunkelberg5004]

THE BUILDINGS OF AVALANCHES OF HISTORICS OF PUBLIC COMPREHENSIONS OF THE TYRANNIES OF SYSTEMATICS OF EXPUNGEMNETS OF CITIZENS FREEDOMS, CONSTITUTIONALLY guaranteed??? HA!

[@kerryedavis]

They shouldn't be considered or called "officers" unless they show they earned it.

[@exdoode]

"responding to a traffic stop" what does that even mean?

[@ldwankenobi5618]

pedestals are only magnets for the worst.

[@krp3594]

Every day, every cop in America liars.....

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Not everyone of them. It's only 96.5% !!!

[@phaedrussmith1949]

Criminal defense attorneys are the true heroes in America.

[@TheEzzieboy]

Except the attorneys take the lion's share in the event of a settlement.

[@phaedrussmith1949]

@@TheEzzieboy Well, that's not quite correct. Those are attorney who have taken on civil cases. My point here is about criminal cases, but your general observation about how money plays out in the justice system is valid. Poor people can't afford to pay attorneys very much money and so the prosecutor always has the advantage. Rich people can afford to hold the prosecutors to their burden of proof. Poor people can't, hell, even middle-class people can't without going deeply into debt.

[@mirandaconlin9231]

Funny how nobody is above the law. Especially when cops bodycams catch them violating rights and committing crimes.

[@XenOLith-h3c]

Ever notice that police misconduct increased as soon as qualified immunity was enacted?

[@MissingLink-hb9ov]

shocking cops lie and scheming to violate rights, shocking

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Just relax only 96.5% of police are criminals that means 3 1/2% honor their oath!

[@consentofthegoverned5145]

Never, ever give consent to a search.

[@skintite9892]

Turning off body cams or failure to turn on a body cam should be a minimum mandatory 30 dsys suspension with NO pay and a letter of reprimand in the cops file.

[@steveladner4346]

Obviously a video they can't control exist because they would have never admitted wrong doing.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

Again, it's always the same police departments.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Yes the same ones. From New Jersey to California!

[@alphabravo8703]

I bet it would be difficult to reach them for a comment. They're all on Cancun enjoying a paid vacation.

[@fireblast6733]

misconduct gee im not surprised anymore

[@Useless22]

Again, they get a paid vacation while the Chief decides how big of a slap on the worst they'll get, and which hand it will be dealt upon.

[@MrButchersTube]

Poor cops, they might have to move to shephard or Bridger to continue being cops if they get screwed by a bunch of accountability.

[@TheEzzieboy]

It'll be a trade. Probably with Bozeman, Missoula, etc. Billings will transfer these rotten cops to one of those other cities, and take THEIR rotten cops in exchange.

[@Thomas-p4e]

Oh, no, you announced something without the police union's approval! Don't you know you must wait for their pronouncement first?

[@yodo6414]

Paid leave, yet again, rewarded for being a criminal..

[@mariannallan2204]

Thank you for reporting on this not hiding the officers names.

[@DadCanFixAnything]

Crimes by all government employees needs to stop. However, as long as there's no real accountability, criminals will always seek government positions and the crimes will continue.

[@CMarshallD]

“We investigated ourselves and found no wrong doing”

[@duanemansel5704]

What? Bad cops, who would have guessed? 😒

[@4TheMotorist]

You beat me to it 😉

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Chill out. Social media has proven unequivocally over the last decade that only 98.7% of police in this country are criminals.

[@jourdenne]

Once again, we are reminded that barber school is twice as long as the police academy.

[@notthepolice1705]

❌So, out of an abundance of caution, the Chief is going to put them on PAID LEAVE?? Who else, other than GOVERNMENT can be under investigation, and not only do they keep said jobs, but their jobs keep paying them while they go through the Courts? End Qualified Immunity, make these tyrants buy bonds, and pay into them with every paycheck. Then when they FAFO, people can go after the bonds, and anything that secures it, like their cars, homes, boats…etc…etc…etc… (lawsuits can’t be more than the bonds Par Value). Then maybe things might change. Until then, they have no accountability, because they have no skin in the game, so they don’t care.

[@rudedogal1420]

Dirty cops are a dime a dozen

[@gbear1005]

The cops should sue for being forced to wear defective equipme t that stops working random and in tandem

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Seriously! I just can't believe how many times these body cams malfunction at such critical points and time when evidence is planted!

[@angusmackaskill3035]

Paid leave?

[@jdotsalter910]

Thin blue line of tyranny.

[@danrennells2200]

Sounds like they committed treason. That's a afalnoy charge them and not late them investagate themselves.

[@williamgage4825]

👍👏 great reporting guys 👏

[@williezar2231]

Oh no! They're on "paid leave"? That's rough! A paid vacation will teach them not to do dirt!

[@notozknows]

Rich St, John knew all about it and did nothing.

[@johnvandoren9092]

Nice reporting! Thank you

[@hammertime7834]

james freeman youtube channel

[@joeforya]

It’s the whole department. Officers actions are a reflection of leadership and lack of accountability

[@24juan68]

Policing for profit is a very lucrative business…

[@jimchoate6912]

We live in a police state; we are here only as the cops ATM. Otherwise we are useless to them.

[@GoToPhx]

well, they do use a certain number of us every year for target practice.

[@russellgtyler8288]

Dirty cops. What are the odds? The crooks just resign and move to the next department down the road. Never any serious penalties.

[@MandatoryReporter2015]

Self-investigation equals cover-up.

[@sparky6200]

Get a better lawyer baby

[@stephenhoran7597]

No accountability

[@christopherwhite1648]

Government employees, including cops, should not have Unions.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

A corrupt cop? THAT never happens!

[@ghidorah8624]

Same story, new town. Back the blue till it happens to you.

[@CITIZENSDOGE]

It makes me feel terrified to just drive into town to get groceries knowing that there are officers who swore an oath to protect and serve, but instead was indoctrinated into the thin blue line a.k.a. the United States Gestapo .

[@fixedguitar47]

Nothing will come of this. The Brotherhood will protect them.

[@brendanyoung6792]

Paid leave? They should start calling it what it is, A paid vacation.

[@rickdaniels1789]

I feel very strongly that if police knowingly wrongfully arrest an innocent citizen and lock them in a cage, they should be arrested and charged with kidnapping. If there are multiple cases having been committed by officers, then it should be classed as treason. 20 years in federal pen.

[@Rick-np9vz]

Yup paid vacation for misconduct!

[@donaldchapman5466]

WHY paid leave ? It's akin to giving these Cops an EXTRA HOLIDAY !!!

[@Wayne-yt1ti]

Brady list!

[@Hoycelolland]

It seems this officer is a repeat offender, and allowed to terrorize new unknowing communities . Yet policing nationwide wonder how they lost public trust, respect and support??? Really? Clearly it’s self inflicted defunding.

[@floridashawn7317]

They are investigating themselves? Oh good, I know I feel better. I got a letter from the IRS. I called them and after I investigated myself turns out I did nothing wrong.

[@rhargee4014]

Oh no there going to investigate themselves

[@TC-gv3qh]

Corrupt police? What a shock😂

[@burtcale6055]

Ruse and deceit are not illegal, nor a violation of policy.

[@peacetoall3641]

Turning off the body cams destroying someone else's life for a bonus. Cops protected serve themselves not the public

[@zt5547]

So they got a paid vacation ...

[@brianhand7859]

Anytime a cop turns cams off no honesty is coming from his mouth

[@Georgina602]

Never believe a cop if you are ever called to be a juror.

[@darrenporsch]

When are people going to wake up and realize this is how police normally operate It's just the last decade or so with body camera and dash camera that we see how it really is

[@I_AM_BAYTOR]

What about the time the two or three drunk Billings cops were kicking cars in the parking lot? One got himself shot.

[@KaiHouston-m6j]

Turning off a body cam should be considered as proof of misconduct.

[@howardcruse5141]

don't you just love it when a cop breaks the law they get a paid vacation instead of fired like any other profession

[@jimsavsav9132]

In all cases, they ever worked on need to be dismissed. Put these liars on the stand. And your case will be dismissed

[@jeffreyc6508]

IMHO this happens all day, every day, across this country!!

[@scvcando]

Body cameras should not have switches to be able to turn off the video or the audio.

[@renomont]

There seems to be an ever growing lack of respect for the Police Chief by Billings Police Officers. The remedy is simple.