Bad Cops & Prosecutors

Phoenix Police Investigating Own Crime Lab for Committing Errors that Botched Investigations ? Gee?Ya Think?

PHOENIX -- CBS 5 News obtained sworn affidavits by Phoenix police crime lab technicians accusing their co-workers of committing errors that could botch investigations, including leaving evidence behind at scenes and disposing of fingerprint evidence.The statements were made in attempts to prove that lab employees are treated differently, depending on whether or not they're union members or not." Some non-union employees have done things that could botch investigations, but nothing happens to them. Yet union members are criticized for relatively minor things," said AFSCME Union spokesperson Frank Piccioli.  Piccioli believes the internal disputes are tearing the lab apart and wasting public resources. "Of all times for something like this to be happening, city employees are going to be losing their jobs and yet you have people taking 3-hour lunches to talk about not wanting to be a part of the union," said Piccioli.  A Phoenix Police Department spokesperson confirmed that they have launched an internal investigation to look into the allegations, but would not comment further until the investigation is complete.

Full post as published by Bad Phoenix Cops on January 10, 2010 (boomark / email).