By Jon Vitale
Elm Staff Writer
The police department of Walnut Creek, California sparked controversy with its decision not to permanently dismiss Officer Curtis Borman, who, amongst other offences, was found to have made misleading or false statements in 31 police reports.
The Mercury News reports that Borman, who was once awarded the department’s “Top Cop” award, lost or misfiled evidence in no less than 35 criminal cases, and lied about these failures on more than one occasion. After an internal investigation revealed Borman’s actions, the Officers Union fought in court against releasing the records to the public, but lost due to California’s new police transparency law.
Despite pressure to dismiss Borman, Walnut Creek Police Chief Thomas Chaplin opted to suspend him for a month without pay, and to place him into a “last chance” program, through which he will be able to save his job. Chaplin’s decision has become the subject of controversy, with critics arguing that an officer so corrupt and incompetent has no place in the criminal justice system.
The public outrage about the failure of Chaplin to permanently dismiss Borman is completely understandable. Borman has more than proven himself to be beyond incompetent and unfit to serve the justice system.
The fact that he was able to win the department’s cop of the year award is stunning. It seems that his popularity within the department has prevented him from facing the proper ramifications for his mistakes.
Borman keeping his job is not only ridiculous, but representative of a greater problem within the justice system.
It is paramount that we hold officers of the law to a very high standard. Police are people; they make mistakes like the rest of us, and the inclination to want to stick up for a friend at work is understandable. However, police officers are more than just regular employees. They are important servicemen, entrusted with the role of enforcing the law and protecting the people. They must always put justice first.
Borman was protected from losing his job not because he is good at it, but because he is well-liked by his coworkers. His falsifying police reports undermines the justice system’s entire mission, and for him to do so more than 30 times shows this is far more than an isolated incident. This is a man who has failed the criminal justice system and has not been made to pay for it in the proper way.
If the justice system does not have integrity, it is not a justice system at all. It is important that those who undermine the efforts of police to keep us safe and protect our rights are properly punished for doing so. Most Americans are thankful for the many police officers who put their lives on the line to serve and protect the citizens, but in this case, sadly, the Walnut Creek Police Department opted instead to protect themselves. Such mishaps must not continue if the American people are expected to have confidence in a justice system that truly protects them.