'False narrative': Trooper violates WSP ethics, conduct code by citing innocent truck driver
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- čas přidán 1. 04. 2024
- A veteran Washington State Patrol (WSP) sergeant committed three serious violations when he issued a citation against an innocent truck driver following an accident in 2022, a year-long internal investigation has found.
Two other WSP officers were cited for minor violations.
A soon-to-be released Office of Professional Standards (OPS) report found Sgt. TJ Johnson violated both WSP conduct and ethics codes, and was insubordinate after a KING 5 investigation brought the case to light in April of 2023.
“(He) was saying things about his command staff and the command of the Washington State Patrol in a way that was not following the authority that he was sworn to,” said WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis, who confirmed details of the OPS report.
The August 2022 accident on Interstate 5 just north of Seattle injured rookie trooper Phirawat Apisit and commercial truck driver Shawn Foutch of Snohomish.
READ MORE: www.king5.com/article/news/in...
Why wasn't this trooper prosecuted for perjury? Anybody else would have been.
Also filing a false report, conspiracy. We would’ve been doing jail time.
And then gaslighting the truck driver.
Oops, we're sorry we made a mistake. We won't let you catch us at this again.
It's because of that thin blue line,the badge,uniform ,
gun.for some reason that overrides the law.
Because the prosecutor is on the Take.
The truck driver should sue him in civil court
He'll have to. He surely lost his job, if not he will be un hireable for years at his previous pay handing to work for pennies a mile. Remove qualified immunity so the citizens don't have to pay for the corruption. How many other family's has this officer destroyed?
Yep,and the veteran officer is rich $$$ Tap into his pension
@@johnsheffler9699 🤣 it doesn't come from the pension fund! It comes from the pockets of the taxpayers of that town, city, state, etc.! So, if you live there, YOU'LL be paying it or an insurance policy that you bought.
This cop most likely will end up in another department.
@@adcolt54 He retired W/full benefits.
So he committed a crime but got it keep his pension etc etc etc. Please, tell us again how there’s no two-tiered justice system. 🙄
Accountability is only for us peasants. Serve and protect, but only fellow officers. Pretty ugly look.
That "police" "men" are held to significantly lower standards of conduct than taxpayers
It isn’t a two-tier justice system!
There’s more than just two tiers… more like five or six.
Thick blue circle
A company cannot keep you from your pension even if fired from that company for committing a crime against that company.
A lying unethical cop? Say it ain't so.
God would never allow such wickedness in His United States! Where are my pearls?!
@@p12423073lol wtf are you defending and or attacking here?
HE's allowing the Citizens to see, smell, and taste the cesspool which we call our government. And when we've had our fill of the filth, maybe we'll clean what we've so long disregarded.
Pearls before swine good one
Imagine that a cop not telling the truth!
YES, FRAMED!!! Why is the trooper not in prison for perjury?
Professional courtesy, the nearly universal form of police corruption.
Both of them should have been, likely supported by the cop union and the rank and file.
Although perjury is one of the most common crimes, prosecutions are rare.
@@haroldbridges515 If you're a cop.
They don’t do that to their own.
A rookie makes a mistake and this criminal blames an innocent truck driver to cover it up...yep, i would say that is how it goes...shameless.
Disgusting
It was actually the rookies sargent who set him up
I'm a 39 year veteran truck driver. Technically it was partially the truck driver's fault. It has been awhile since I drove I-5 in Washington State, but I am pretty darn sure that trucks are limited to the 2 right lanes. Plus that driver had plenty of room to react and move right to avoid the collision.
Even if he was allowed to be in the 3 right lanes, he should not have been cruising in that lane. Though charging him with a criminal driving offense would still be way out of line.
The outcome is NOT THE SAME!! Our tax dollars paying for his retirement doesn't equate with him being unemployed and dependent on his ability to support his family and himself!
EXACTLY!!
The driver should be able to sue the WSP parties for slander/libel and defamation of character as to loss of employment and incidents now on his record due to the bad acts by a state employee.
Exactly. How the hell would anyone allow him to get away with saying the end is the same??!
Typical blue-line scum logic: The outcome WAS the same - either way, their guy escaped punishment.
If the public at large could coordinate and fund a firm go after any one of theses types of cases and set a precedent in Supreme Court it would set a precedent to actually hold these traitors accountable.
Notice that they always find “policy violations” rather than illegality or constitutional violations - both of which are apparent in this case. Because if they find that a citizen’s rights were violated they have to open the checkbook.
When the fox is investigated by fellow foxes, the henhouse raid happened just like it should have. I cant even see any humor in it anymore.
My thoughts exactly. The elected leadership is to blame!
Facts💯💯💯
He was willing to falsely accuse a man and take away his livelihood to protect one of their own? I suspect this isn’t the first time he’s done this.
Of course not. Nor is it even the 10,000th time WSP has done so over the years.
Most cops are accessories after the fact on many, many felonies.
That's just how it's done,they are above everyone ,they will readily throw you under the bus to save either they're a$$ or another cops a$$.
The government you voted for gave the police the power to violate our rights when the government gave the police qualified immunity so Americans have only themselves to blame
I would check every single one of the cases this officer's has ever done.
Never, ever trust a cop to do the right thing. Disgraceful and dishonorable.
Cops that has both arms tattooed from tip to bottom is nothing but art to them because it has no meaning especially the ones with the American flag tattooed on their bodies,it's a true disgrace
And then they get pissed because no one trusts or respects them anymore.
You should stopped that sentence after cop.
That's a pretty broad brush you paint with.
@@j.p.8276 That's the safest option.
Police Cartel, how many times has this happened before?
Nonstop
The largest most well organized gang with unlimited resources in the world.
Even after confirmation of tyranny this tyrant makes off like a bandit into the sunset.
And they put gangs like the hells angles in jail but they're just as guilty. They think this is germany 1933 where they are the final say
@@libertyinalienablerights403he is a bandit laughing at us all the way to the bank
Rules for thee, but not for me...... and then they wonder why people have distain for cops.......
Utter hatred, yes.
My dad was a Houston police officer for 25 years. He told me there is a criminal element in each police law enforcement departments throughout the United States. He said if you have the foresight to record any action during your interaction with any law enforcement officer. This would be not only wise, but prudent to your defense! He said, when he first graduated from school. They were taught to be peace officers. This is no more. Now it is about law enforcement. And they will use any means to get a conviction. Even lie, hide evidence, and change the narrative! Install dash cameras to front and rear of your vehicle. Record everything!
And police wonder why more criminals are disrespectful towards police and violent against officers
It's called fishing not law enforcement. If they can get ppl to make deals and be on probation they get cash and the department reflects a stellar arrest and conviction rate. It's for $. Not safety, not law and order but greed and ego.
This is exactly why there's no such thing as a "good" cop. If there is a criminal element at every department, and the supposedly "good" officers do absolutely nothing about it, then they're just as bad if not worse....the fact that cops never do anything about bad cops means that they're all bad.
... Not more criminals being disrespectful -- more CITIZENS being Distrustful and Rightly Disrespectful, after being terrorized by thug cops, and abused by criminal DAs and colluding judges, WHO WE PAY FOR.
It's not a swamp, -- it's a cesspool.
@@johnsheffler9699 I understand but it's not just criminals now, with the exposure of the criminality of cops on the internet it is obvious to anyone who looks that the cops are a criminal organization reflecting the criminal machinations of the state itself.
"framed" is not a phrase, it's word. And yes, that's exactly what that now former officer did. And his pension should be for that of a base office, not a sergeant.
Criminals forfeit any retirement plans. -- Apply it toward running the Federal Prison System, and not expensed against the Citizens.
Funny how the officer was going to take away this man's ability to support himself yet is given early retirement
Before dash cams, lots of people were falsely accused or abused. Goes to show you who's word has more influence on the narrative. Wonder how many innocent people were victims?
Millions or more
Even with dash cams and cell phones, abuse is common. So, especially for minorities, it was ubiquitous before.
Millions
Why wasn't the officer charged for false reporting, or for abuse under color of law?
oh, right...
'we inverstigated ourselves and found no wrongdoing'
He shouldn't get his pension and should have been fired Who pays that pension the Union or the taxpayers
It's awful 😮
To protect and serve cheeseburgers, fries and a large diet drink
Wrong.
Read the report, the Sargent has been fired by WSP.
@@user-qj4nq6ky9cTo serve and protect the best interests of the overlords of the revenue collection agents.
I want so badly to be able to trust our law enforcement but this kind of protecting their brothers in arms at the expense of innocent citizens does an intense amount of damage to the reputation and integrity not just of the WSP, but of all law enforcement. The culture is the same throughout - don't mess with one of the brotherhood.
@@Ms.Nomad3744I would believe the word of a sewer rat before I’d believe anything out of a 👮 mouth.
Good cops will ALWAYS cover up for bad cops - until they can't.
When courts have given cops carte blanche to lie to citizens, it’s no surprise at all that cops lie everywhere, about everything, and all the time.
Truly “good” people don’t want to work with the people employed as cops today. The whole barrel is rotten.
@@jalan02 I’m sorry, what? Read what you just said. A good cop can’t cover up for bad cops. You can’t be a good cop and cover up for bad cops. That’s just a bad cop
Covering up for bad cops
@@jamesbizs- Which is why there are virtually no good cops.
That stupid Oath they take is theater when they're granted QUALIFIED IMMUNITY !!! 😡😡😡
QI is a doctrine that protects government officials from frivolous lawsuits. It is not a real defense, and would not apply here anyway. QI has results in plaintiffs lawyers fabricating arguments to evade it, and I generally oppose pleading it as a result. The real problem is that the WSP is and has been for decades a low integrity agency, with crap training and oversight.
I remember in the 80's and 90's the courts automatically believed whatever the cop said, scary.
"FRAMED" fits the narrative perfectly.
At least they finally got it right but the outcome did not reflect justice by a long shot. The cover up and lack of disciplinary measures beyond a written reprimand, was worse than the original offense of negligence by the trooper who pulled out in front of the semi.
On the force 30 years how many other innocent people did frame or put in Jail?
The very reason that the entire criminal justice system willfully thwart the Constitution. Fear. They are ALL complicit.
Show me a cop I’ll show you a criminal .
Why aren’t the rookie trooper who caused this mess and the sergeant and lieutenant who covered it up doing the interview and giving their apology to the public? Complete lack of accountability!
I give no schitts about apologies. I want justice.
Sorry they couldn't sweep it under the rug, kind of sorry.
Exactly
Lol didn’t they tho? No one paid any price at all, except the victim
Blue thin line means they protect each other
The largest most organized gang in the world with unlimited resources
Thin blue line *
@@jamesbizs Who gives a flying F what the saying is. A man’s way of life was almost ruined by the Civilian cops.
"We were wrong and we're sorry".....That we got caught.
They're sorry
They're WRONG
No one has received any discipline.....
Seattle is soo lucky to have these fine journalists....
One more reason qualified immunity should not exist so that this individual can be held accountable for his actions.
Qualified immunity should be conditional. The rookie made a mistake, the sargeant did not.
@@septembersurprise5178 Initially the rookie made a careless driving mistake. Subsequently, he’s as guilty as his superior in allowing an intentional false narrative and charge to stand which saved his own butt and had the potential of ruining an innocent man’s livelihood. He did not take responsibility for his mistake.
@@AK34_39 I agree. The rookies initial mistake was just that, a mistake. His subsequent actions were not mistakes, they were intentional actions, and should not fall under the purview of qualified immunity.
"Golden Rule: Made of hard metal so it could stand severe wear, it not being known at that time that butter would answer."
- Mark Twain
How were the sergeant’s actions not criminal? Why was the trooper not cited for improper driving which is easily recognized as having caused an accident that resulted in private property damage as well as the loss of a state vehicle? Clearly the department knew the young trooper was at fault because he was ordered to do 10 hours of retraining. I also am concerned that the sergeant only faced demotion and not termination for his malicious prosecution of the victim despite the camera footage which showed the trooper make a wildly unsafe maneuver in complete disregard for the safety of the public. I would like to see the timeline of events (notifications, when evidence was reviewed and by whom, when the story became public, hours spent working on or reviewing the case and all decisions made at all levels with explanations for any delays) from the date of the collision to today, including reasons for all delays. Why has it been a year? Why wasn’t this dealt with prior to the sergeant’s insubordination? Why hasn’t the sergeant been prosecuted? Is the department pursuing the revocation of his law enforcement certification? It’s as if the department was willing to tolerate the sergeant’s lies but not his disrespect to his superiors. You’re a corrupt organization for allowing your corrupt sergeant to retire with full pension and no charges for his misconduct. You act like someone was held accountable but the reality is he got away scot free. All the starch, polish, ridiculous hats and marching cannot remove the stench of corruption that is so obviously a core value of your organization.
Well said!
The trooper should be charged, arrested, convicted and sent to prison for 10 years, and his law enforcement certification revoked permanently in all 50 states...
Cops and politicians have a lot in common.
Cops are politicians muscle man.
They are fellow gang members.
... Serve And Protect -- EACH OTHER.
~95% Criminals.
These are criminal acts which this trooper should have to answer for. These really are crimes and NOT just procedural errors. These liars ALWAYS seek to give themselves a pass while hammering everyone else.
It took a year to understand that they couldn't wiggle out of this.
the smile, the bow tie. The ridiculous hat. ugh.
You oughta see New Jersey State cops !!
They want to look like Wannabe Military Drill Sargents, to look tough. Yawn 🥱…!!!
Officer's facing charges should not be allowed to resign or retire.
Fired him hell, should be in jail if not prison.
"Under the color of law" makes their crimes Felonies.
This type of crap happens because the cops think they are above the LAW.
They don’t think that, they know that. Just like the rest of us know that.
but they are and it's mostly covered up. When it's their word against ours in court, guess who wins every time.
@@cheesehead4670I was going to correct that statement myself. But you're beat me to it. That is exactly the case.
Great investigation! Thank you!!
Just imagine how corrupt the cops were before we had all these cameras?
HD video from BOTH vehicles involved, and it STILL required a year long investigation? And the trooper was STILL pushing for charges? How? What happened to the right to a speedy trial?
That's what makes this so ridiculous. Anybody looking at those videos knows what happened. There's not even a question
Thanks, king 5 News!
Where is the civil lawsuit?
Disgusting. How many lives have they ruined.
I'll bet NONE of those officers taking that oath knows what they are taking an oath to!!!!!
He gets to retire with full benefits when he should have been fired and arrested for perjury. I hope the driver can pursue civil cases against both the former sergeant and the state.
Rules for me...not for thee
Well that was almost a believable apology.
My sister was blinded by the sun and pulled in front of a Semi. That poor truck driver was so very shaken and he did so much to avoid rolling over is. I'll never forget his kindness and my sister freely admitted it was our fault. God bless him.
Why wasn't the cop charged? Is perjury now legal?
The state needs to look into all pruor charges levied by this officer in the past, everything he has ever accused any citizen of is now suspect.
sickening
Great job KING 5. And thank goodness for the dashcam footage. That WSP supervisor saying they’re sorry didn’t say the whole statement. They’re only sorry they got caught.
Another lying road pirate, imagine that.
There needs to be a civilian board that makes decisions on cases like these. Not former cops who did the same thing. Disgusting that he got to keep all of his benefits.
This kind of thing happens all the time it's just hidden from the public
Typical.
Prosecutors and judges have near total immunity, is it time for a change?
Criminal liability for cops who break the law. Anything less makes two sets of rules, and two classes of people. How long will people continue to do nothing in the face of these offenses to our society?
To remind them that their oath to serve is More Than Just Words….
But… we’re Sorry. ❓❓❓
The rookie got 10 hr of extra training? But that’d be Paid time. So no real punishment. The Lt still has a job with no real consequences. And the Sgt has full retirement benefits!
So the resolution is JUST WORDS!
Keeping in mind, imagine this crash if the man had been driving his personal vehicle instead of a big rig!
He could have been killed. Then there wouldn’t have been anyone to question this, so there wouldn’t even be an ‘we’re sorry’ !
Just another example of badges give more rights than that of us peon regular citizens.
*BTW- it’s the citizens that pay for the damages. Paying for the ruined patrol unit, the damage to truck, the cops retraining, the Lts wage, the Sgts retirement, AND the cost to get the false charges sorted out.
But they’re sorry?
Allowing that sgt to retire with full benefits doesn't hold him or the rest of the department to the highest standards of public service. His retirement should have been reduced or taken away altogether which could've been applied toward any damages or loss time from work suffered by the truck driver.
That was a criminal act by the sgt. I hope such conduct is not reflective of WSP. He should have done the right and legal thing and held the trooper responsible for the accident rather than try to orchestrate a cover-up.
Agreed, -- but that's not how they "roll".
We got rid of the Red Coats, and now the Blue Coats.
The protection cops get is insane and shameful
They should of been fired and charged not get a cushy retirement. This is not what accountability looks like! 😡
TJ looks like a goober trooper. Car ram rod. If you see him ordering a liter of cola, thank him for his service. Derp. Thank goodness he's retired. It unfortunate that he receives six figure annual benefits.
So here's the good news, the taxpayers foot the bill for all of this.
Framed is the RIGHT WORD. He violated this drivers rights.
ah thats why, he knew he could just retire and face no repercussions
They framed and lied
End qualified immunity now! It helps no one but the crimminals. Unfortunately, we actually have crimminals in our nation's law enforcement today.
And they still won't own it.
I was an Over The Road Truck Driver for over 22 years. You would not believe how COMMON this type of thing is across the United States. Always blame the truck driver first and start handing them tickets.
Isn’t there a in-house WSP investigation team that is a third party group. No direct supervision of parties involved? Aren’t they the charging authority? Good old Chris Loftis doing his thing. At least he had a suit on and was in an office instead of his kitchen at home. The question that wasn’t answered was what was the motive to lie? Was he protecting the cadet? Goodluck on your retirement. Nice job on the story K5.
His pension should have been revoked for his criminal (Felony) acts.
HA HA HA, finally!!
Is there a single WSP trooper who Isn’t a felon ?
Whoa that stormtrooper display is intense. Cult.
With so many cases involving citizens against law enforcement that are settled out of court; thereby, leaving the states to use taxpayer money to fund the settlements, you'd think that a sincere apology by law enforcement for clear accidents would be more financially easier for them... accidents happen, and citizens are often likely to accept an apology and compensation to covers actual costs; whereas, it'd be, far less damaging to tax payers and establish far more credibility & trust toward law enforcement, But when they try desperately to cover any wrong doing, it just simply causes far more in financial hardship on tax payers and to the state, and incurs far more lack of credibility & trust to the officer's from their wrongdoing. Officers are not infallible; they cause problems too, both accidentally and worse. However, it is about time they admit it and do the right thing, as we are all supposed to do.
It's long past "about-time" to admit their Felony (-- under the color of law --) actions.
There was no ambiguity, the truck driver was Falsely Accused by a Criminal we pay for.
BS
Wow that is so scary..
Sue the crap out of them.
False narrative vs. framed. A distinction without a difference.
Resigned with full pension and not terminated and charged
I would like to say that this is an isolated incident, but all Law Enforcement Officers believe that BADGES GRANT EXTRA RIGHTS.
Framed is an accurately defined and knew they were in the wrong !
If that doesn't fit the definition of framing someone what does
Isn't it amazing that only when caught red handed the are "SORRY". SMH
That is just the norm today for cops and the average citizen alike. While I understand the anger over this case, it isn't as if many who are complaining about the cop would really act any better or any differently.
In honesty, the Sgt. didn't act a bit differently than many of you would act if you had the ability to do so. Be honest about it.
He disregarded facts, tried to help a buddy, lied, and had no care for the harm he was doing the innocent. Tell me how any of this differs from how so many of you act?
If they’re “sorry” then revoke the credentials of the pos cop.
Even his lawyer, couldn’t say that either confidence!
The truck driver should sue under 18 usc 242
Thats a sgt who already had a long career..how many other people did he do this to? 🤔
The corrupt officer should be prosecuted.
The fish stinks from the head down.
hope a civil lawsuit is filed so the victim can get some of that troopers pension money.
"Pushed a false narrative" is the method he used to FRAME the truck driver. When a civilian does that to a cop, it's labeled a sa FRAME.
Wait. The Sgt. filed KNOWINGLY false reports (sworn affidavits). That is by definition, PERJURY! Where are the criminal charges? Also, by doing so, he acted outside his authority as an officer and as such is NOT eligible for qualified immunity.
Among us truckers, CA and WA is widely known as very corrupt against us. They go out of their way to burn you. Prime example, a driver was at a shop. AT A SHOP NOW. With a blow out. The CA troper cited him for unsafe equipment.
And police wonder why people call them pigs
No surprise here. They do not punish guilty employees for their crimes.
"PUSHED A FALSE NARRATIVE ". that's how dishonest people say the trooper framed the truck driver.
The Sgt that instigated the whole thing gets to retire laughing all the way to the bank.