Legal Commentary

Oakland's Chief of Police Resigns

By TChris

Good riddance to Wayne Tucker, who until this morning was the chief of police in Oakland. Tucker resigned before the city council had a chance to hold a planned no-confidence vote. Just yesterday, Tucker said he wouldn't resign.

Tucker's four year reign as police chief has been a disaster. Tucker promoted Edward Poulson to head the department's internal affairs division, despite Poulson's interference with an internal affairs investigation in 2000. [more ...]

Investigators found Poulson ordered subordinate officers to lie about the beating of a drug suspect, Jerry Amaro, who later died of complications of broken ribs. The FBI began an investigation of the case last week and Poulson was suspended without pay.

Other scandals on Tucker's watch include police officers who lied to obtain search warrants and allegations that the murderer of journalist Chauncey Bailey was protected by the lead detective assigned to the murder investigation.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 28, 2009 (boomark / email).