HOLLYWOOD - Police Chief Chad Wagner asked for the public's patience Friday as his agency investigates four officers under suspicion of falsifying a crash report and said a crime scene technician is also being scrutinized for his role in the incident.
Wagner said he asked the Broward State Attorney's Office to aid in the investigation, but Broward Chief Public Defender Howard Finkelstein continued to call for an outside agency, such as the FBI, to take over.
Though the crash at the root of the controversy happened more than five months ago when a patrol officer rear-ended a woman's car. Wagner said he first learned of the alleged cover-up that it spawned only this week.
On Tuesday, he ordered the four officers and crime scene technician suspended with pay and launched an internal investigation.
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"I realize and understand those that feel a sense of betrayal over this incident," Wagner told a news conference. "And I ask each and every one of you to allow this investigative process to run its course, and to have confidence that this matter will be investigated accurately and professionally."
Finkelstein, whose office is reviewing pending and past cases in which the officers and crime scene technician were involved, remained wary.
"One has to wonder, why did it take so long?" he said of the internal investigation. It was ordered only after a police dashboard camera video surfaced, in which one can hear police officers and the crime scene technician discussing how they will falsify their report to pin blame for the crash on a drunken driving suspect, instead of the officer who ran into her from behind.
Finkelstein said Friday that he was the one who leaked the video, because he felt the public, defense attorneys in particular, should know about the incident.
"I really do believe their intent was to keep it quiet," Finkelstein said of Hollywood police.
After its debut on a local legal affairs blog, the video swiftly appeared on South Florida news Web sites, TV stations and, ultimately, on national broadcasts including NBC-TV's Today Show.
The controversy, the latest in a long line of scandals to rock Hollywood's police force, has spurred public pressure for the officers to be fired or punished.
Wagner, however, said that by law, the officers must first undergo an internal investigation conducted by their peers.
Besides blowing the DUI case against Torrensvilas out of the water (charges were dropped,) the officers have compromised every case on which they worked. Since they’re on record falsifying testimony, past and present cases in which they testified or were scheduled to testify will have to be reviewed. Some convictions may be overturned and pending charges will likely be dropped.
Broward County Chief Public Defender Howard Finkelstein has also called on state investigators and the FBI to get involved.
Up for discussion: The potential benefit to be had by making sure that all police conversations are recorded.
