Extra effort was made to take the report beyond simply a conclusion that, "It wasn't one of ours." Cronyism occurs within a network of insiders-the "good ol' boys," who confer favors on one another. 3. When several months later OIG requested that he submit to an interview on a range of topics including his supposed discovery of a "nigger hunting license" at the 1995 Roundup or the militia plan "Operation Achilles Heel," whose stated goal was to discredit ATF, Randall refused and renewed these threats in more graphic terms. We cling to old traditions and practices. Immediately after the skit, Rightmyer publicly criticized its participants but took no other action, such as ejecting them from the Roundup. Furthermore, because of their duty to fairly investigate and prosecute violations of the law, DOJ law enforcement officers are held to even stricter application of these standards of conduct. People that are bringing people up in rank based on personal relationship, Gritz told Hill. . The official activities of the Roundup were centered on athletic events, drinking, and what were intended to be humorous performances by participants vying for such titles as Redneck of the Year. Thus, we had a responsibility to gather as much evidence as possible on the experiences of the DOJ personnel who attended the Roundup so we could absolve the innocent as well as blame the guilty. We also found that an atmosphere hostile to minorities -- and to women -- developed over time because inadequate action was taken by the Roundup's organizers to appropriately deal with instances of racial or other kinds of misconduct. The signs were removed and destroyed. You want to make sure that you have a diverse leadership, the former FBI agent said. Hayward also brought some bumper stickers and hats to sell, without much success. Even though our assessment is that an inadequate evidentiary basis exists to recommend discipline for any of the other DOJ employees whose conduct we considered, we are extremely troubled by many of the excesses committed by non-DOJ attendees at the Roundup that developed during the mid-1980s and grew far worse during the years 1990-95. Both of these individuals are affectionately coddled and protected by at least one magistrate and two sitting U.S. District Court judges on the federal bench for the Northern District of Alabama. We found no information to identify who was responsible for this sign. Who knows if they will have our back when the time comes? Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/crsj Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons, Human Rights Law Commons, and the Law Enforcement and Corrections Commons Recommended Citation Kami Chavis Simmons, Beginning to End Racial Profiling: Definitive Solutions to an Elusive Problem, 18 Many of the central figures involved in staging the Roundup over the years were also interviewed. Many of the central figures involved in staging the Roundup over the years were also interviewed. Despite evidence that the Roundup organizers officially discouraged such performances, their efforts to exercise control were half-hearted at best. Decertification means Handley is forbidden from working in law enforcement anywhere in the state . All told, our investigation took into account the statements of nearly 900 witnesses, including 560 who attended a Roundup. Greater punishment could be warranted, therefore, if the behavior evidenced in this investigation is part of a pattern of documented racial insensitivity. An important part of the climate was established by the availability of unlimited amounts of alcohol. In part this lack of understanding is the result of very general provisions that govern off-duty conduct. Harvard professor Barbara Kellerman has identified seven types of bad leaders, and by ignoring bad leadership people undermine good leadership (Johnson, 2012). 4thEdition. Connections and concessions are made at power lunches, at the sports bar, at the country club, or on the golf course. Collaborative environments are incubators for good ideas to occur. The assessment center for promotion of police officers: can it be improved? Those who are not within the in-group will sooner or later find themselves burnt out, as issues they raise get discarded. Randall also alleged that a T-shirt with a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a target superimposed over his face, was offered for sale. When groupthink is present, big ideas get pushed down, shunned, or worst never shared with the group in the first place. If a toxic leader surrounds him or herself with only people that nod, agree, and kiss their ass, theyll see no need for improvement. Both nepotism and cronyism are often at work when political parties recruit candidates for public office. In 1985, an unidentified local deputy sheriff pulled a statue of a black figure, referred to as a "lawn jockey," out of his camper and tied his dog to it before being told to put it back in his camper. Thirty-six were DOJ employees when they attended; eight went prior to becoming DOJ employees. We found no evidence that any racial restrictions, either explicit or implicit, were placed on the distribution of these invitations. He left the Roundup a few hours later. We had a responsibility to set the record straight as to what actually occurred at the Roundup during a sixteen-year period. In addition, a former ATF agent in an interview subsequent to his Senate hearing testimony alleged for the first time that in 1987 he heard from another ATF agent that a woman had been raped by an ATF agent at the Roundup. We should have flying cars, human-like AI's, teleporters and more. Although we found that in certain years egregious acts of racism occurred, in most cases we concluded that the DOJ employees in attendance those years were either unaware of such conduct or had learned that the organizers had taken action to terminate it. In the public sphere, favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism also undermine the common good. Extremely gratifying reveal of the "good ole boy " system coming to light in this cold, calculating, criminal murder #Murdaugh trial. We found evidence of the unofficial sale of T-shirts during several Roundups that some persons found to be racially insensitive. The Report documented widespread federal, state, and local law enforcement abuse of black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other civil rights activists who protested in the 1950s, 60s and 70s for equal rights, fair justice, and voting rights in America. Near these signs, and also visible in the video, was a drawing of a likeness of an African American with a circle around it and a red slash across the circle. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). This interviewing strategy was designed to ferret out as much information from as many different sources as possible to minimize the chances that racial or other kinds of misconduct might be concealed from us. However, the respective components may wish to consider counseling for some of their employee participants based on our findings. Unsubstantiated Allegations They are the power in-group where promotability is based upon who you know rather than what you know. Avoidance of critical thinking during planning efforts: People dont criticize plans that are rolled out by power players, thereby not really putting our best foot forward. The banner was thrown in the trash. f) T-shirts 3) educate and train its law enforcement officers concerning how participation in events that are characterized by racist misconduct in particular can interfere with their ability to effectively do their jobs, such as opening up lines of inquiry relating to racial prejudice when law enforcement officers serve as witnesses in criminal cases; and Thus, we had a responsibility to gather as much evidence as possible on the experiences of the DOJ personnel who attended the Roundup so we could absolve the innocent as well as blame the guilty. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Accordingly, we recommend that the Department of Justice do the following: 1) explicitly advise its employees that off-duty conduct is subject to regulation and review and that sanctions can be imposed for off-duty misconduct; 2) examine the existing standards of conduct that apply to the off-duty behavior of DOJ law enforcement components, and provide further guidance for what constitutes conduct that brings the Department or one of its agencies into disrepute; 3) educate and train its law enforcement officers concerning how participation in events that are characterized by racist misconduct in particular can interfere with their ability to effectively do their jobs, such as opening up lines of inquiry relating to racial prejudice when law enforcement officers serve as witnesses in criminal cases; and. Standout: The groundbreaking new strengths assessment from the leader of the strengths revolution. http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html, https://hbr.org/2012/07/cultural-change-that-sticks, https://qz.com/196273/how-to-break-up-the-old-boys-club-in-your-office/. Racist skits were performed in 1990 and 1992. In 1990 and 1992, "persons whom [OIG] could not identify were checking to determine if any blacks were in any of the cars driving through the campground. We further believe that such regulation is wholly appropriate. a) Racist signs As favoritism is the broadest of these related terms, we'll start with its definition. We found substantial evidence that strippers performed at the campground year after year beginning around 1988. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. No DOJ employee ever won Redneck of the Year, Ugliest Good O' Boy, Liar's Contest, or Beer Enduro competitions. Greater punishment could be warranted, therefore, if the behavior evidenced in this investigation is part of a pattern of documented racial insensitivity. Others witnessed or heard enough that they showed poor judgment in not taking appropriate steps to satisfy themselves that the objectionable conduct would not recur. He eventually evened out at FCC, a level 3/4 facility. Although Rightmyer again criticized the officer who performed this skit, he took no other action. T-shirts were sold at the Roundup that were found to be racially insensitive. The law is clear and yet, somehow, different troops arent held to the same standard for the same crimes. Blaming these people for the sins of others would have been unfair. Information Many DOJ employees believe that what they do off duty is their business and not a proper concern of their employer. Mayors put those they know and trust on citizens committees and commissions. That same day several of the Fort Lauderdale officers left the Roundup. They hire people from Africa, who barley speak or understand English. Our investigative and interviewing strategy was designed to get beyond potentially self-serving accounts. 2. In the early years a contest called the Beer Enduro took place, requiring participants to drink a specified quantity of beer at regular intervals. Enter https://www.corrections1.com/ and click OK. If we were able to do away with the "club" morale and job satisfaction would greatly increase. Our report describes many of the crude and disgusting incidents that were related to us during our interviews. Although not identified as such, Randall and Hayward proved to be members of a militia group based in Alabama that sought to discredit the ATF. There is a popular old tale by Hans Christian Andersen (n.d.) of the emperors new clothes, where an emperor pays a significant amount of money for some magic clothes, which can only be seen by those who are wise. Immediately after the skit, Rightmyer publicly criticized its participants but took no other action, such as ejecting them from the Roundup. The caption read, "Boyz on the Hood." Hayward was told he could not enter the campground unless all of these materials were removed. In the public sphere, favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism also undermine the common good. III. Every president and governor names close associates to key cabinet positions. Randall was served with an OIG administrative subpoena for photographs of the Roundup and the original videotape, which Hayward had turned over to him. Although high ranking officers and senior enlisted have always tried to pluck toxicity out of the system because it goes against every military value, it still rears its head, typically in the form of the good ol boy system. Finally, public nudity was commonplace at various Roundups. Accordingly, we recommend that the Department of Justice do the following: He refused to comply with any aspect of this subpoena. The official activities of the Roundup were centered on athletic events, drinking, and what were intended to be humorous performances by participants vying for such titles as Redneck of the Year. In any event, no one was punished for posting them. The Interview: Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez - The Texas Observer However, the respective components may wish to consider counseling for some of their employee participants based on our findings. For example, in Birmingham, Alabama, two closeted individuals closely associated with the Skinhead movement are firmly entrenched in the U.S. Attorney's Office. Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. [W]e found evidence that cassette tapes of music by a performer named David Allen Coe were played during various years, including the song, "My Wife Ran Off With a Nigger.". Continue reading. In addition to the persons who brought allegations of racism to light, OIG sought to interview persons who were identified as having committed racially offensive acts. However, in an investigation that examined events occurring over a sixteen-year period and involving well in excess of 1,000 participants, we cannot be sure that we have uncovered every objectionable incident. Many police organizations have faced this lopsided leadership option (McMillin, 1999). The "good ol' boy" system is when a leader unabashedly chooses favorites among their subordinates. -- a particular responsibility of the Department of Justice. As we have noted, we are forwarding information to the Director of the FBI for consideration of discipline against an FBI #3. Frank Booth. No DOJ employee ever won Redneck of the Year, Ugliest Good O' Boy, Liar's Contest, or Beer Enduro competitions. Instead, they share the group's racial beliefs system. Insular is a road to not knowing what you should already know, and as a result not allowing your organization to fulfill its highest potential. Indeed, we recognized that the persons who attended the Roundup may have had a motive to conceal or minimize the instances of racial or other kinds of misconduct in order to make their attendance at a Roundup appear more benign than it might have been. Although we found credible evidence that Rightmyer gave speeches exhorting participants to stop such behavior, his efforts were sporadic at best and essentially went unheeded. Nor, as the initial news accounts suggested, was the Roundup dominated by federal law enforcement personnel. Realistically, they probably got the same recognition, despite the difference in effort. None of the allegations of criminal conduct were substantiated, although activity inappropriate for a gathering with a substantial number of law enforcement officers took place. In 1995, T-shirts with a crude drawing of the figure used in the children's game, "Hangman," and the initials "O" and "J" beneath the figure were sold by two officers from Fort Lauderdale. Other attendees intervened and broke up the confrontation. In our view, this employee demonstrated poor judgment that falls below applicable standards because he attended the Roundup after knowing of racist incidents at the event and his other actions evinced a toleration for, and encouragement of, such racist behavior. Good Ol boys club - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums Racists with Badges: The Good Ol' Boys Roundup - donaldwatkins Letting friends or inner-circles have a lack of accountability does not help mobilize the workforce in our heaviest lift yet- sustaining an above-average service during every contact we make. Instead, it is working for those in power, which crushes ongoing momentum efforts. Every good leader should be looking for means to positively improve the unit, no matter how minor the change. Being a federal law enforcement officer within the Department of Justice is a privilege not a right; it can appropriately be conditioned on maintaining a proper level of behavior at all times. A related idea is patronage, giving public service jobs to those who may have helped elect the person who has the power of appointment. Also, because favoritism is often covert (few elected officials are foolish enough to show open partiality to friends, and family), this practice undercuts the transparency that should be part of governmental hiring and contracting processes. For most of the allegations, no physical or documentary evidence was available. With respect to a second individual, formerly employed by INS but now an employee of Treasury, we are transmitting information to the applicable Department of Treasury component by which he is now employed for consideration of possible discipline. In addition to the persons who brought allegations of racism to light, OIG sought to interview persons who were identified as having committed racially offensive acts. Trying to play by the rules under that leader is impossible. In numerous years, Confederate flags were displayed in various locations in and around the Roundup campground. In 1990, the investigation determined that racist signs, including the sign shown in the Hayward video, were posted on a tree in the campground for parts of one day. The two primary accusers were Jeffrey Randall and a person identified only as a "former Alabama police official," whom we later determined to be Richard Hayward. READ MORE: YOU LOST YOUR BEST EMPLOYEE, NOW WHAT? All rights reserved. Although Hayward alleged that the tape also contained a racist "comedy" routine and was for sale at the campground, we found no corroboration for these additional claims. This is evident in circumstances where internal gossip runs rampant and everyone plays by a different set of rules; where peers are unwilling to share information and politics control all decisions, ultimately leading to a lack of internal transparency. The "good ole boy" system plagues T.D.C.J, and is part of the reason they have a hard time keeping employees. You would have everyone on equal footing, we would be treated fairly. II. In 1991, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. brought to the Roundup shirts that depicted three police officers around a police car and two persons being held face down on the hood of the car. In 1995, one current and three retired Fort Lauderdale police officers confronted a white ATF agent who had come to the Roundup with two black law enforcement officers. The next day Rightmyer told the offenders that blacks were welcome at the Roundup and if they did not like it, they should leave. One particular display in 1992, captured in a photograph we obtained during the investigation, included a group surrounding the flag whose members are shown making obscene gestures and raising their fists. Those who are insular limit the abilities of work engagement and limiting an organizations true potential. His component, however, must assess this conduct in light of the employee's history. B. Open Meetings, Open Records, and Transparency in Government, Relationships between Elected Officials and Staff. 01-08-2001, 07:43 PM. A third local resident made a vague and contradictory claim that marijuana was used in the campground during one unspecified Roundup. To assist the Director of the FBI in his determination of punishment in this case, we are also forwarding additional information from our investigative files and will provide further information as requested. And in many cases, DOJ employees acted as one would hope they would -- they saw an event marked by excessive alcohol consumption and puerile behavior and never returned. Hayward also brought some bumper stickers and hats to sell, without much success. The initial allegations brought in their wake a blanket condemnation of all federal law enforcement personnel who attended the event. Racial Inequities in Law Enforcement - Our Scientists' Work | RTI Buckingham, M. (2011). His component, however, must assess this conduct in light of the employee's history. The term originally referred to social and business connections among former pupils of male-only elite . In 1990 officers from Florence and Boone County, Kentucky, and a civilian from Ohio performed a skit as part of the Redneck of the Year contest in which a dog was traded for a man in blackface who then pretended to perform oral sex on a person in mock Ku Klux Klan garments. In the lawsuit, Officer Philip Satterthwaite claims that LMPD officials promoted friends and family members over better-qualified candidates. Introduction We found no evidence that any federal law enforcement personnel appears in the photograph. We also found substantial credible evidence of racially insensitive conduct in 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1993. In 1995, a white ATF agent who came to the Roundup with two black officers was taunted about the presence of the black agents. Gritz also highlighted that the report said 43 percent of female criminal investigators experienced a form of gender discrimination of the past four years. Unlimited access to beer twenty-four hours a day led to extreme drunkenness. Here's what I am working up to: it's been mentioned in many articles. Such conduct included playing music with racist lyrics at campsites; wearing, trading, and selling T-shirts with racially insensitive messages; telling racially offensive jokes during official competitions; and, in the context of particular facts found, displaying Confederate flags. They are not operating in any undercover capacity to infiltrate this racist organization. Beshear confirms 3 dead after severe weather makes its way through Kentuckiana, LG&E: 'Significant' power outages with no restoration time given, A councilwoman's 'road map' to equity in Louisville, 'We have another study that tells us what we already know' | Black Louisvillians react to LMPD review, 'Breonna's home state continues to fail her' | Louisville groups raise concerns over changes to bill that would limit no-knock warrants, 'To lose my son in the same community I grew up in, it's tough.' You're skipping over experienced and educated applicants for a buddy. 1980-95, we conclude that the Roundup was not, as it was portrayed in the media stories, a "Klan rally," an intentionally "whites-only" racist gathering, or a haven for criminal conduct. Favoritism has always been a complaint in government service. 04-06-2006, 02:56 PM. 2. Despite evidence that the Roundup organizers officially discouraged such performances, their efforts to exercise control were half-hearted at best. An investigation by the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) ensued. These signs read, "Nigger check point," "Any niggers in that car?," and "17 lb." Maintaining a healthy skepticism of your own thoughts and ideas leads to a growth mindset. This fact contributed substantially to the degeneration of the Roundup over the years from an innocuous open-air camping and recreational gathering into a playground for large numbers of the drunk, tasteless, and immature. We found no evidence that anyone complained about such displays or that any action was taken to remove them. 4) provide further training on the role of federal law enforcement officers in our society and the reasons why it is critical for law enforcement personnel to be held to extremely exacting standards of conduct to earn and maintain the full confidence of all citizens. We believe that such off-duty responsibilities are not well-understood by many DOJ employees. Satterthwaite claims that leaders within the department will use loopholes in the system if they don't like the candidate that receives the highest ranking. Nonetheless, OIG expended considerable time, energy, and resources to determine as best we could what happened at the Roundup. 1. Rightmyer was interviewed by OIG twice, including an all day on-the-record interview in the latter stages of the investigation. It seems, in my experience, the higher the custody level of the institution, the stronger the system. Police organizations in particular are always on an uphill march and need every person to be on the winning team for the progress that needs to take place. e) Hayward's White Supremacist Literature Some minority agents also expressed a reluctance to attend because the Roundup was held in the woods of an all-white county in Eastern Tennessee. A second sign, this one reading, "nigger checkpoint," was reported to have been posted across from the registration area early on the morning the Roundup began. Despite reports that prostitutes were present during various Roundups, we found no evidence that anyone was solicited for prostitution or that sex was exchanged for money. OIG also reviewed the testimony of hundreds of witnesses provided during interviews conducted by other agencies. Based on our interviews of each of these witnesses, our conclusions regarding their credibility, and all the testimony of a number of credible witnesses, we concluded that none of these allegations were supported by substantial credible evidence. 7. Most agencies that employ such tactics ultimately end up with a sub-par employee energy level, providing little more to the public they serve than the status quo. In 1992, T-shirts with a pocket drawn on the upper left of the shirt, a drawing of the head of the character Buckwheat from the old television show "Little Rascals," and the words "Good Ole Boys '92" written on the pocket were offered for sale by some unidentified person or persons. Moreover, OIG interviewed residents in the area near where the Roundup was held to learn what relevant evidence they might possess. OIG found no evidence that any DOJ employee -- or federal employees from other agencies -- participated in such conduct. Some witnesses we found to be extremely credible; others to be wholly incredible. The first issue is competence. Insular environments are also the breeding ground of fear-based cultures. They were welcomed at the Roundup in multiple years. C. Findings Regarding General Allegations of Racist Women and the Good Ole Boys Club | Psychology Today OIG investigated these allegations and concluded that none of the claims that a woman was raped at a Roundup were supported by the evidence. Without these examples, the texture of the event could not be adequately communicated. John F. Kennedy, for example, appointed his brother Robert as attorney general. One witness also recalled that Hayward was wearing a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. mask with a bullet hole in the forehead. The initial allegations of racist conduct were made in an article in the Washington Times on July 11. Insular leaders draw a clear boundary between those in the group and those seen as outsiders (Johnson, 2012). b) Checking Cars The good ole boy system doesn't payoff for law enforcement and now will be blamed, for some shitty decisions made in the first 24. Who let's your friends clean up?? In 1990 officers from Florence and Boone County, Kentucky, and a civilian from Ohio performed a skit as part of the Redneck of the Year contest in which a dog was traded for a man in blackface who then pretended to perform oral sex on a person in mock Ku Klux Klan garments. When he believed that OIG intended to seek court enforcement of the subpoena he publicly threatened bloodshed. As we have noted, we are forwarding information to the Director of the FBI for consideration of discipline against an FBI Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, Copyright 2023 In part this lack of understanding is the result of very general provisions that govern off-duty conduct.
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