On Jan. 16, The Washington Post reported that at least 13 off-duty law enforcement officers are suspected of joining the mob that infiltrated the Capitol Building on Jan. 6. Two of those, from Virginia, have already been arrested by the FBI.
And in some cases, it was fellow officers who turned them in.
As chilling as it is to know that more than a dozen cops may have participated in a riot that injured 50 officers and killed one Capitol policeman, there’s also a sort of relief in knowing that the blue wall of silence is finally breaking down.
One of the major things the Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests over the summer wanted was for law enforcement to be held accountable when they cross the line. And it seems we are finally starting to see that happen.
The Washington Post cited Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo: “Acevedo, president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, said the behavior is so egregious that it is often fellow officers who are alerting police chiefs and others to their colleagues’ participation in the mob attack on the Capitol.”
This. This is a big part of what America asked for when thousands of people marched in hundreds of cities. Granted, an even larger part was an end to systemic racism and police brutality, but this is a start.
Law enforcement officers swear to serve and protect, but for too long it has felt like police serve and protect themselves, first and foremost, at the expense of the general public. Watching precincts across the country make a concerted effort to throw out the “bad apples” gives us hope that law enforcement can become a trusted institution for all Americans.
We started to feel optimistic this fall when Westover police called out one of their own in a letter, accusing the officer of “violating civil rights, lying on official paperwork, destroying evidence, threatening to kill other officers, using racial profanity, targeting and harassing citizens, disregarding direct orders and more,” as we reported back then.
A civil rights lawsuit filed on behalf of Andre Howton states the letter refers to Aaron Dalton. Dalton, along with Zachary Fecsko, beat up Howton on New Year’s Day 2019 after being called to Howton’s residence to remove someone else from the property. Dalton is now on administrative leave, and Fecsko still works for the police department, but former police chief Rick Panico, who is also named in the lawsuit, resigned last fall.
We have mixed feelings watching officers — nationwide and in our own backyard — begin to hold each other accountable for unlawful actions. On the one hand, there’s a kind of excitement and relief because it’s finally happening. On the other, there’s an undeniable exasperation — annoyance even — not only because it took so long, but because it took off-duty police fighting and injuring other cops, then desecrating a hallowed hall of democracy, in order for it to happen.
But it is still progress. And we are proud of the officers and police chiefs who are done letting “a few bad apples” spoil the bunch.
