A lawsuit was filed in federal court this past week alleging that Naperville female police essentially have been using area citizens as props for their self-aggrandizing appearances on the "Female Forces" reality cop show.
The show which airs in the Bio cable channel, showcases Naperville female cops by following them around in the course of their police work.
According to the court filings, a Woodridge woman, Eran Best, was driving down the street a few doors from her house when she was stopped by the, interestingly-named, male Naperville officer, Timothy Boogerd. (Would you trust a firearm and badge to someone who had to go thru grammer school with a name like that? You know how cruel kids can be, he could be psychically scarred for life.)
Boogerd noticed that Ms. Best had an expired decal on her license plate -- a chicken shit offense at best which was later thrown out of court -- and forced Ms. Best to wait in the cold for 30 minutes as he awaited backup from one officer, Stacy Malec. It seems that Malec was being followed around by the "Female Forces" camera crew that night.
So, Best's lawsuit alleges, Boogerd and Malec played it up for the cameras. They made her stand outside in the February cold while they searched her car. They made her perform a field sobriety test (despite the fact that she had not been stopped for a moving violation.) They then handcuffed her, hauled her off to the station
where, still under the glare of TV cameras, they removed parts of her clothing to search for identifying tatoos.
At the station, Ms Best was approached by an unidentified man who asked her to sign a waiver consenting to use her image for broadcast. Resembling the kind of guy that David Letterman refers to as "Hollywood weasels," he urged her to sign saying it would get out her side of the story. She wisely refused.
So you can imagine her shock some months later when she received calls from family and friends telling her that she was featured in an episode of "Female Forces."
To add insult to egregious Naperville police misconduct, the Naperville female cop, the ever catty, Stacy Malec is shown on camera mocking Ms. Best's blonde hair, Jaguar car and Coach handbag.
"I don't feel sorry for her at all," said devoted Naperville public servant Malec, "Pretty little blonde girl, driving a Jaguar at 25 -- Yea, that's Naperville for you," Malec said.
MEOWWW!!
One wonders if devoted public servant, Ms. Malec is the kind of woman whose taste in off-duty clothing runs to flannel shirts and work boots.
And why are Naperville taxpayers funding people, who essentially, hate them?
So a lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court on the 14th, naming as defendents, Malec, Boogerd, the city of Naperville, the A&E network and the show's production company.
It asserts Civil Rights violations, Publicity Act Violations, intentionial infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, violation of Drivers Privacy Protection act (her drivers license info was shown on camera) and consumer fraud.
The city of Naperville, of course is keeping mum on the whole embarrasing episode.
Except city spokesman, Nadja Lalvani said that the city's involvement was limited to TV crews following their female officers around and it had no involvement in the production.
That may not be true.
Naperville's involvement in this whole unseemly mess was prompted by Naperville Police Sgt., Betsy Bratner Smith. Now hauling down a hefty taxpayer supported pension at the ripe old age of 50, the ever self-promoting Bratner wrote in 2007 that she had contacted friends in Hollywood about involving her Naperville Police department's women in the project.
Bratner Smith, a Western Illinois University dropout, starred in several of the shows herself and said the TV exercise would "show our compassion and dedication."
She wrote in 2007 that Naperville Police Chief David Dial's support of the TV project was "immediate."
The Naperville City Council voted to allow the "Female Forces" production firm to use the Naperville city logo and the NPD insignia.
Naperville mayor George Pradel, himself a former cop, said of the show, "I think it's going to be wonderful. I think it should exemplify what they do in law enforcement."
If what they do in Naperville law enforcement is arrest the people who pay their salaries and bloated pensions, for chicken shit offenses, so that they can then bully and humiliate those very citizens and use them as pawns for their own amusement and self-aggrandizement, you hit the nail right on the head, Mayor Pradel.
But your little outer-Chicago enclave is now becoming a national laughing-stock.
Well -- you wanted publicity -- you're getting it.
Amazing how your blog does nothing more then echo the allegations contained within the Plaintiff's complaint. Did you also know that Ms. Bast had drug paraphenalia, cannabis and a suspended drivers license? Now tell me, do you consider those "chicken shit" offenses?
ReplyDeleteSince you asked, like any real American with the same anti-government, libertarian instincts as the Founding Fathers, I would. Odd that you seem to be the only person alleging that Ms. Best had those items -- it seems to have escaped the reporters of the Chicago Tribune and Naperville Sun -- but even if true -- so what? A few cigarette papers and a bit of pot? And how would this justify making a Hollywood production out of simple police activities in Naperville. If the city wants to get out its side of the story -- here's what they should do: stop saying "no comment" to reporters.
ReplyDeleteThe reason those items were not mentioned was because the media takes the same blaise attitude toward gathering information as this moron. Why investigate when you can get all your facts from the Plaintiff? Its not like the Plaintiff has any interest in sckewing the facts into her favor! By the way do you also consider driving impared and with a suspended license as unimportant?
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a journalist you might consider the fact that the City may have commented on the story but the reporter did not use those comments in the story.
ReplyDeleteIt seems the anonymous writer has a big scoop that seems to have been overlooked by the Naperville Sun and Chgo. Trib, to wit that the complainant in the federal action was also arrested for dui. Funny that no one else has alleged this. But this sidesteps the fact that Naperville's government signed on to allow a Hollywood film crew to interfere with normal municipal business. It is now being sued by not just the citizen mentioned here, but by another as well whose pajama pants fell down as she was being handcuffed (and filmed.) It also sidesteps the fact that a Naperville woman cop is seen on on tape, national TV, ridiculing the arrestee and the people of Naperville in general.
ReplyDeleteThe question becomes, just how was Naperville made a safer community and better place by inviting these sensationalistic TV producers in to take part in municipal activities?
Well, I am surprised to hear that there is a right of privacy associated with being arrested. If you had chosen to actually research the issue through the use of FOIA you would know exactly what both Plaintiff's were arrested for. However, you didn't choose to do that because it would have required effort on your part. Why expend effort when you can parrot someone elses work?
ReplyDeleteAs to why Naperville would allow such a program, the answer is why not? It showcases the fine work that Naperville's female officers do on a daily basis.
It does not matter what the circumstances of the arrest were...the bottom line is that her personal information was on camera. If you have even watched the episode, which I suggest you do before making any more ignorant comments, you would see that her driver's license number, phone number, and address was given. That is an invasion of her privacy...in otherwords AGAINST THE LAW! Whst she was pulled over for and anything after that is irrelevant. Oh and by the way all charges were dropped before the airing of this episode! Get you facts strait!
ReplyDeleteAs a former Reagan libertarian, who worked in an official government capacity in Washington during the Reagan revolution, I find the responses of these silly little current DuPage County entities to be disturbing -- to say the least.
ReplyDeleteThey are ostensibly Republican and this is scary.
Has the DuPage GOP become a Birkett-Jim Ryan Police State outfit?
This whole anti-American Naperville mess is going national -- I will guarantee it.
And maybe it will get some of these rogue Naperville cops fired and their political apologists thrown out of office.
Let's see.
I am so sick of people not realizing that cops pay taxes too! They do not live in luxury using the citizens money, as you clearly think. You are a narrow minded idiot! I saw that very episode featuring Off. Malec-and I saw NOTHING wrong with it. She did not mock the woman that got arrested. SHE WAS drunk while driving. That did end up bring a DUI arrest! Get your facts right. Oh, and it's spelled Brantner, not BRATner. You are a moron!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to know an awful lot more about the facts of this case than the Naperville Sun and Chicago Tribune reporters who covered it and upon whose reportage this post was based. Maybe you should apply for the job as PR spokesman for the City of Naperville, because their current spokesperson stonewalled the press when asked for the City's defense. Suburban police departments are notorious for refusing to comment on their activities and then they come sobbing that they are so badly abused by the media. I see that you did not deny that the matter was thrown out of court nor that the woman's personal ID was shown on camera nor that the woman was required to wait out in the cold for the TV dog and pony show to arrive.
ReplyDeleteIf there are any narrow minded idiots involved in this, it is those who think that it's just fine for citizens to be used as props for reality TV productions that glorify police activities.
Hey Pat,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Female Forces was not a good idea, but I think that you aren't a Libertarian in the true sense of fighting for your liberty...You seem to be more of a "chicken shit" Progressive in that you stand on the side lines and just hurl your rage at the police, despite the overall positive effect they have on our society. If you really feel that you live in such a police state, push away from the computer and physically take on the forces that perpetually suppress your freedom. Look- one cop's attitude or behavior does not make all cops oppressive scumbags. Journalism, even lampooning, editorial journalism, should be about facts (chicken-shit or not), not emotions. Even though they are often ignored, facts are important to our liberty and freedom. And spare us the bloated pension stuff....Because cops are the least of the problem with this state's pension problems....And like it or not, they are one of the basic tenants of our very, very free society. I think most prudent people would agree (after examining the breakdown of their taxes) that we live in a much greater welfare state than police state. And what we all have to pay in welfare is what really restricts our true liberty more than any "chicken-shit" police force.
I agree with many of your points, but a critique of a totally bonehead police endeavor like this one, is a hardly a blanket indictment of all police.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the facts of this case, it would be nice for once if these suburban police departments and municipal spokesmen, wouldn't just start stonewalling the media when something like this happens and then come crying that their side is not getting out in the media.
As for retiring at 50 -- where else in private life can you see that happening? I have an old grammar school friend who retired from a suburban police force at 53, began drawing his pension, and then went to work for the State Police, to draw another government paycheck and work toward boosting his pension even higher.
Social Security officially became insolvent this past month and you know how screwed up Illinois' finances are. Something's got to give sooner or later with this State gravy train.
We agree on the bonehead part. It was a bad idea, with the wrong players, in the wrong town and at the worst part of the year. Most of the stuff seemed staged and actually quite uneventful.
ReplyDeleteWe are not the triers of "facts". Judges and juries are. Why waste energy in trying to find out something that will not be admitted in court anyway? Don't do-gooding journalists only get Pulitzers for the types of stories that are sympathetic to the down-trodden urban youth that play violins and avoid the gang life, anyway? If the suburban DUI enforcing cop is a "rouge," she'll get found out soon enough. I still think that the woman complaining about this incident is no put-upon daisy. She is probably guilty and obviously quite litigious when made to look bad.
Regarding the pensions, comparing the private sector benefits to public safety pensions is not viable. The business world no longer breeds loyalty- that's why so many workers go from company to company. When was the last time you met a mid-level employee that said they were with the same company for 20 years?
Cops do it all the time- and we all want them to.
The pension system is what keeps cops in place. It's not the hours or the base pay or the heaps of thanks form the people they serve. It is difficult for cops to switch departments without taking a huge financial hit to their pension. And contrary to popular belief, most ordinary cops just walk away from severing an ungrateful public when their time is done. Very few double-dip.
If we start saying we're going to treat this profession with the benefits packages like that of any other, we are all going to see the negative consequences very quickly.
Lets start pension reform with the politicians and bureaucrats- not the protectors and teachers. Have you heard or read of any welfare programs getting this kind of attention? Last time I checked, I haven't seen many poor politicians (serving or retired) and we all know what is happening with our welfare recipients.
The gravy train is full of passengers that only take and never give back. At least the cops pay some of their way. We should all be willing to pay up a little for our safety and lot less for our liberal, white guilt.
You seem like a good guy. I like the discussions. Thanks and I'll keep checking this out. See ya.
Welcome to Naperville where we will find a way to arrest you. In the morning hours Police will pull you over on Washington if you look young and are driving a car. The excuse is ilegal lane usage. They than say I smell pot and can I search your car. I know of this happening twice at 5:45AM and 7:30AM. They want to know where you are coming from and where you are going. One kid was going to school the other to work. When NOTHING was found no tickets were issued.
ReplyDeleteNaperville Police on a fishing expedition!!!
This was a great show and the people suing are just looking for money. They are bid cry babies, So what if someone made fun of your Coach handbag. Yeah that's a lawsuit. I want to slap you for being a baby.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Naperville and have no sympathy for that Police State. I've had the same experience in Schaumburg many years ago pulling into a night club. The typical I smell pot and before you know it your car is getting ripped apart and searched. After being harassed and nothing found your left to go on your way. I believe our founding fathers would be turning over in there graves if they could see the police state we live in.
ReplyDeleteJust last week a federal district court upheld warrantless searches of cars in Pennsylvania. Seems the Constitution means nothing anymore. The cops who plow ahead and do these things should be ashamed of themselves and their families ashamed of them.
DeleteThe Naperville PD runs rampant in cowards pretending their men so their women pretending to be the same isn't much of a news story. These idiots let the people who robbed the Apple store that was blocks away from the police department get robbed 3 times LOL.
ReplyDelete