by Max Chantha
WASHINGTON – The case of Officer Sandra Delafuente has been widely reported, and for good reason, even by some MSM sources: during a Martin Luther King, Jr. march early this year, Delafuente unnecessarily and indiscriminately deployed her pepperspray on high school teacher and education activist Jesse Hagopian, as well as another female passerby.
Neither of the two victims presented any threat to the officers – on the contrary, anyone would be hard pressed to find a reason why Delafuente’s actions are unworthy of strict punishment, let alone excusable.
One would think that a woman as unstable as Delafuente, who feels that an elderly woman and a teacher strolling by on his phone are deserving of a fountain of pepperspray to the face, would lose their job immediately.
This also begs the question so often asked of how someone like this was hired in the first place, considering her reckless disregard for public safety clearly violates her mandate to “protect and serve” the people of Seattle.
But typical of the insulated police power structure, Delafuente’s misconduct charge was reversed based on the highest police authority, Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole, despite an assessment from the internal oversight board and the recommendations of various top-ranking city officials, including the Maypr.
Instead of the recommended – and frankly generous – punishment of a short suspension, the Chief saw fit to award Delafuente with an ‘oral reprimand,’ perhaps the lightest slap on the wrist possible.
This leapfrogging of the democratic system of checks and balances shows that police have no issue disrespecting and ignoring those who might rein in their rampant abuse and terror tactics.
The tired joke of “We have investigated ourselves and cleared ourselves of any wrongdoing” has once again proved its timelessness.
Until police certain leadership, nationwide, can recognize that disciplining brazen abuse of authority by their subordinates is far better for their cause than covering up, ignoring, or dismissing wrongdoing on behalf of their officers, the divide of trust between police and the public will continue to grow – and for good reason.
Watch the video below: