SHOCKING CLAIM.. Sheriff Dart ordering Internal Affairs to dig through year old cases to increase the firings of his officers after the Laquan McDonald Shooting.. Internal Affairs Investigator Tia Parks was hired a year after alleged beating incident where she recommended termination of three officers. The Sheriff's office not surprisingly has the highest suicide rate of any Police Agency in the Country. Internal Affairs Investigator, Tia Parks who sought the termination of jail guards in the officer Luis Zuniga (phantom kick case) was hired a year after the alleged incident. Numerous sources in the Sheriff's office say Tom Dart is ordering investigators to dig through old cases/videos to increase the firings of employees. They claim the Sheriff has significantly increased the recommended terminations in his officers since the Laquan Mcdonald shooting. Source claims Dart is running for Mayor and using the firings of his officers as a stepping stone. Investigator Tia Parks recommended termination in the officer Zuniga case occurred a year before she was hired. Parks was hired 14-Jan-13. The alleged incident occurred 4-Jan-12.... Parks testified she had to review the video at least 20 times before she concluded a kick of the inmate took place. Despite an incredible weak case the Merit Board voted to terminate a good officer with no disciplinary record.
Facts of case..
The entire incident began when inmate Jamal Smith spit on and struck officer Zuniga in the face after complaining his cuffs were too tight. Sheriff alleges officer Zuniga kicked inmate Smith in the face after the altercation was over. However, OPR investigator Tia Parks testified she watched the video over 20 times (years after the incident) before she determined a kick by the officer took place. The Cook County merit board mostly relied on the testimony of a inexperienced investigator and career criminal who has a extensive history of attacking police officers.
History..May 2010. Sound familiar to the above case..
Bond was set today at $350,000 for a Chicago man who assaulted Cook County Sheriff’s Deputies while in the Bridgeview courthouse, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday.Jamal Smith, 28, is charged with two counts of felony resisting arrest and one count of felony aggravated battery to a peace officer.
Smith has been in the Cook County Jail since his October arrest on weapons charges. Monday, he was transported from the jail to the Bridgeview courthouse for a scheduled appearance. At the courthouse Smith was handcuffed and taken from a downstairs holding area up to the courtroom holding cell. While en route, Smith, apparently upset about the handcuffs, became combative and started a verbal altercation with deputies.
Once inside the holding cell, Smith continued to be combative and began yelling threats, telling one deputy that “he wouldn’t go home today”. For everyone’s safety deputies decided to remove him from the cell however when they told him to come out to be handcuffed he refused, issuing more threats. All other detainees were then removed and the three deputies entered the cell to handcuff Smith at which time he became physical. Three sheriff’s deputies were able to control and handcuff him but they were injured during that process.
All three were taken to area hospitals for treatment. One was treated and released after being bitten, while a second suffered a ruptured thumb ligament and will need surgery. A third is believed to have suffered a rotator cuff injury.
Smith has a lengthy criminal record, having been arrested six times on weapons charges and robbery, among others.
CASE LINK Cook County Sheriff - Merit Board Decisions MB 1810
