A few years back, Sandy, Oregon police officers Willard and Bergin found Fouad Kaady by the side of the road. Kaady was badly burned and injured from a car accident. He was naked, as all his clothes had burned off. From the officer's own descriptions, his skin was peeling back and he was badly burned from head to toe. He was severely, severely injured and in need of medical attention. This haunting video, at 16:40 is a narration by the police of how they found Fouad Kaady and what they did to him (the rest of the video is equally compelling, as it documents various instances of egregious humans rights violations, murders and brutality by police.)
Apparently Willard and Bergin found Kaady's profuse bleeding and burning skin disgusting, and feared for their safety. They asked him to lie down (on his burns). When he refused, they tasered him. When Kaady became angry and yelled at them, Willard and Bergin shot him 7 times until he was dead (read article here).
Bergin remained employed as a police officer after this incident.
In 2007 Bergin showed up to an ex-girlfriend's house drunk. He was eventually arrested for a DUI after refusing a breath test and lying to other police officers (read article here). He asked the police to take him to Detox, and reported that he had "pulled over plenty of drunken cops, and [had[ given them a ride home." Apparently, he not only was a murderer, but was corrupt and believed police should be above the law.
Bergin remained employed as a police officer after this incident.
In July of 2008, when investigations indicated Bergin was in trouble, he was given paid administrative leave (do you know any other job that gives you a paid vacation when you are a suspected criminal?)
Within the course of three years, Bergin was placed on administrative leave three times (including for shooting Kaady). However, he remained employed as a police officer.
In October of 2008, Bergin was not fired for murder and criminal activity, but quit on his own accord to pursue a different career path. Police Chief Harold Skelton said of Bergin, "he was a good officer."
In November of 2008, Bergin was indicted by a grand jury for felony identity theft, first-degree official misconduct and use of an invalid driver's license.
Bergin was a murderer, a felon besides the murder, a thief, and was mentally unstable. Not only was he not fired, he was considered to be a "good officer" by his superior and was allowed to serve until he voluntarily decided to quit.
It should be noted that many present-day street gangs that are notoriously violent and corrupt originally started out as self-defense forces devoted to defending their neighborhoods from racist or otherwise criminal attacks. These initially justified self-defense forces gradually grew stronger; when they did, they demanded unreasonable protection fees, and began to sell drugs, or harass and brutalize those they originally promised to protect.
Police are moving in a frightening direction. They have moved beyond protection, and on to harassing citizens with unjust laws and fines. They have moved on to brutalizing those they originally promised to protect.
They are no better than a criminal street gang. Except fortunately for them, their funding is guaranteed because taxes are mandatory.
Comments
You are posting some really great material. Good for you! I have made you a favorite and subscribed:
Shawn Hamilton
Shootings in Oregon are always ruled as proper procedure by police review boards because that's the proper procedure in Oregon - shoot often and for any reason. And rural Oregon cops are notoriously brutal - Portland cops bus them in to break heads at protests because they'll be harder to find when the attorneys start looking for them.
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for reading and the encouragement.
Jennifer, I like your column a lot, so I took the liberty of linking to it on my page. You're listed under "Recommended Examiners."
This seems to be the only way I can communicate with you, so I hope you will forgive my intrusion here. I was looking at the "Angry Asian Man" link you posted and became quite interested in the proposed charter school. I had Hmong students as a writing teacher in Visalia, covered Hmong rallies as a reporter for KPFA RAdio, and would really like to teach at a Hmong charter school (I have the teaching credentials). Do you know about this issue and who I might contact? I really can get behind this idea! (lesseroftwoevils AT rocketmail DOT com)
HEPPENING TO ME for years.i pis.ed off the captain and sheriff(ALAMANCE CTY NC)theY wouldn't do anything about my continually stolen mail(2004,AND A WHOLE BOX OF CHECKS) i was told "we will do what the he.l we want,WE ARE THE LAW,GET YOUR A.S OUT OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND DON'T COME BACK, OR YOU WILL BE CHARGED WITH SOMETHING"!I called postal inspectors,FBI,SBI,CONGRESSMAN COBLE,ATTORNEY GENERAL ETC..NOT ONLY DID I GET ABSOLUTELY NO INVESTIGATION INTO MY PROBLEM,THE THREAT,ETC.,BUT TWO WEEKS LATER,FIVE MADE UP CHARGES SHOWED UP AT MY HOUSE,ALONE WITH A SWORN STATEMENT FROM SOME LADY I DID NOT EVEN KNOW ,AND IS OBVIOUS THAT SHE IS FRIENDS WITH OR KIN TO, SOMEONE IN THE SHERIFF MAFIA!!!I BEING NAIVE(33 YEARS OLD,NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE,HAVE PHONE RECORDS,WITNESSES ETC,THIS WILL BE EASY TO PROVE) FOUND OUT,THE THE JUDGE WAS PRETTY TIGHT WITH THE DEPARTMENT!!!ON 10-23-09 I WAS ATTACKED BY A COP,TASED,3 OTHERS JOINED AND ALL TASED ME(FACE,ALL OVER)TOLD UNDER ARREST AFTER ATTACK(HAVE VCE RECORDIN
YOU HAVE NOT SEEN CORRUPTION,UNTIL YOU SEE THESE CLOWNS IN ALAMANCE COUNTY N.C.!! I AM NOT THE LONE RANGER,JUST THE ONLY ONE, IT SEEMS, BRAVE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE AND SPEEK MY MIND,TELL THEM THEY ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW,BLOG AND PUT THE WORD OUT ABOUT THESE CRIMINAL BASTA>DS, HOPEFULLY AND EVENTUALLY,SOME ACTUAL ARM OF THE GOVERNMENT,WILL INVESTIGATE WHAT I HAVE,AND IF NOT,AT LEAST A DESCENT NEWS TEAM WILL CHECK OUT MY RECORDINGS,DOCUMENTATION,WITNESSES,ETC...I HAVE BEEN HARASSED,FALSELY ARRESTED,ETC FOR YEARS NOW!!!!! (I AM DIABLED FROM FALL IN 2006,AND ACTUALLY CALLED D.O.J. WITH NO RESULTS) AFTER THIS TOTAL ATTACK AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL! MY CRIME...WANTED TO GET BACK WITH MY COULD-BE DYING MOTHER......... THE HOSPITAL HAS A RECORD OF JACKING HER OXYGEN UP TOO MUCH(CAUSING HER TO BE ON VENTILATOR TWICE)SHE IS A BAD C.O.P.D. PATIENT,AND HER OXYGEN WILL NOT GET ABOVE 88-90 PERCENT SATURATION,AS THEY TRY ALL THEY CAN, TO BRING HER TO 100,THEY CAUSE HER TO RETAIN CARBON DIOXIDE!
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