Continuing on in my personal quest to help Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck keep his promise to Angelenos as it relates to transparency in our police department, I bring to you harrowing tale of two captains. One male, one female and both accused of similar transgressions but with very different outcomes.
We’ll begin our story with the capers of LAPD Captain Edward Pape. If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because Captain Pape was recently featured in CBS 2 News’ special report on the LAPD’s Internal Affairs Group (IAG) Special Operations Division (SOD), a unit designed to weed out the department’s “bad apples.”
According to the LAPD, the SOD tackles the most serious crimes, such as planted evidence, drugs, thefts and even murder, as in the case of former LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus.
But back to Pape.
Pape, who I believe will have 20 years with the department soon, was recently and quietly downgraded from a Captain III to a Captain II. Pape’s downgrade was so much on the down low that if you weren’t paying attention, you would’ve missed it—at least from what I am told. Thankfully my sources on the inside were able to get me a copy of Transfer Order No. 12 from the Office of the Chief.
Before I get into why Pape was transferred I want to make it clear that while at the department’s SOD, Pape was managing the Ethics Unit—you read right—ethics. Let us not forget the case of the LAPD ethics expert who was allegedly caught having sex at work. That would be Commander Scott Kroeber who from what I am told was asked to resign or else risk embarrassing the department but more importantly the Chief as his alleged sexual trysts with secretary Leticia Mireles from Force Investigation Division (FID) are said to have taken place just a few feet from Beck’s office–literally.
Kroeber was a highly decorated LAPD veteran who by all accounts just disappeared one day and was basically never heard from again. Ms. Leticia was sent to Hollywood Division as the captain’s secretary.
Captain Pape I’m told is a favorite of Deputy Chief Debra McCarthy who is the Commanding Officer of Professional Standards Bureau and that he was personally handpicked by her to oversee the ethics unit after Kroeber’s rather sudden disappearance. McCarthy and her husband, also a member of the command staff, are very close with Chief Beck and his family. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe they are godparents to each other’s children.
Still with me?
According to my sources, and there are many regarding this particular situation, Captain Pape was screwing his subordinate and adjutant Detective Reina Staats.
Just in case you are confused as to why it is highly unethical to have a Captain who manages the ethics unit for the LAPD getting it on with his assistant I have two words for you—unbecoming conduct—and that’s just for starters. But it gets worse.
Allegedly, prior to Detective Staats arrival to internal affairs, she could not manage to promote from a Detective II to a III. In fact, I’m told that she was very frustrated about it. However, shortly after beginning her affair with Captain Pape the department found the wherewithal to promote her to the rank of Detective III. Coincidence? You’re a fool if you think so.
Oh and by the way, Detective Staats is a married woman and her husband is a LAPD sergeant. Ouch!
The gossip around the water cooler is that Sergeant Staats came into possession of quite a few sexting messages that were sent on department issued cellphones between his wife and Captain Pape. That’s just wrong and I don’t even know the guy but I feel for him. Not only is his wife cheating but with someone in the department.
The story is that Sergeant Staats, who I think used to work in internal affairs, confronted Chief McCarthy about the affair—even showed her pictures and text messages that were sent between the two using LAPD issued cell phones. McCarthy allegedly ordered Pape to end the affair but he did not. Sergeant Staats again complained to McCarthy even going down to the Bradbury building and confronting McCarthy about the situation.
So following the example of the Catholic Church and what I like to refer to as the “Vatican Shuffle,” the department quietly “shuffled” Captain II Pape out of the SOD and placed him in the Office of Operations (OO) under Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger, who we’ll get to later. The OO is in charge of creating the deployment of officers and assets for the entire department and is a sort of well-known spot to drop off bad Captains in. From there Pape was assigned to the newly created Special Olympics Committee (633 West 5th Street, Suite 4000, Los Angeles) where he is to assist newly promoted Commander Sean Malinowski. A position that is viewed by many in the department as being coveted and given to Pape because of his relationship with Deputy Chief McCarthy.
And speaking of McCarthy…
I’m told that after the COP meeting took place with all of the department’s staff officers and announcements were made regarding movement and promotions Deputy Chief McCarthy decided to make mention of Pape and his little issue. Because Pape is her friend and she had hand selected him to go to IAG in the first place, she did not initially generate a complaint against him for having inappropriate relations with a subordinate—which she should have done. I’m told she never mentioned anything for months about Pape and Detective Staats’ affair and that she probably would not have done anything to Pape except for the fact that he did not stop the affair when she ordered him to.
His colleagues still do not know if a formal complaint investigation was done.
I was told by a reliable source in the department that Pape used the “Hoopes” defense. If you’re not up on game, Sergeant George Hoopes was also charged with sexing down subordinates but his job was spared because it is alleged he threatened to make public compromising photos of Officer Brandi Scimone-Pearson, who he was also dating. Who is she? Only the chief of police’s daughter. Basically, Hoopes’ board of rights hearing was abruptly terminated and the rest is history. He kept is job, had his ranking restored, and has basically gone on about his business unscathed. It is alleged that Pape told McCarthy that if Hoopes didn’t get in trouble for it and he’s a sergeant then neither should he. It appears that defense might have just worked.
But let us civilians be clear, Captain III Pape should have been brought before a board of rights hearing for termination as anyone else in the department would have been had they a lesser rank and were unsponsored. At the very least Captain III Pape should have been demoted to Police Officer II Pape.
Why? Because as the LAPD handbook states:
INTEGRITY. The public demands that the integrity of its law enforcement officers be above reproach, and the dishonesty of a single officer may impair public confidence and cast suspicion upon the entire Department. Succumbing to even minor temptation can be the genesis of a malignancy which may ultimately destroy an individual’s effectiveness and may contribute to the corruption of countless others. An officer must scrupulously avoid any conduct which might compromise the integrity of himself, his/her fellow officers, or the Department.
CONDUCT UNBECOMING AN OFFICER. A police officer is the most conspicuous representative of government, and to the majority of the people, the officer is a symbol of stability and authority upon whom they can rely. An officer’s conduct is closely scrutinized, and when the officer’s actions are found to be excessive, unwarranted, or unjustified, they are criticized far more severely than comparable conduct of persons in other walks of life. Since the conduct of officers, on- or off-duty, may reflect directly upon the Department, officers must at all times conduct themselves in a manner which does not bring discredit to themselves, the Department, or the City.
Captain Pape should be fired for cheating with a married subordinate and then using the promotional process to promote her while he’s having sexual relations with her. GTFOH. If the City’s Ethics Committee is even entertaining the idea of going after Sergeant Jim Parker for his unfortunate encounter with actress Daniele Watts and her man, then they should be all over Captain Pape. Don’t you think?
But to prove that the fuckedupness of the LAPD has no particular rhyme or reason to it, let me tell you what I heard about Central Traffic Division’s Captain Ann Young.
It’s been said to me that Captain II Young after 32 years of service is scheduled for termination for having inappropriate relations with a subordinate that resulted in alleged sexual harassment claims being made. Ouch. Say it isn’t so Captain Young.
I’ve also been told that Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger has a particular dislike for Captain Young and many wonder if its because she’s Black and female or because of her alleged sexual orientation or identity—or all of the above. From what I understand, Captain Young works her ass off at CTD has been treated like crap and been passed up for commander multiple times. I’m also told that it is Paysinger who is spearheading her termination and that she may not even know it’s coming.
My question assuming the allegations against Captain Young are true, is what makes her different from Captain Pape? Why should Pape keep his job and Young be terminated? Sex with a subordinate is sex with a subordinate. Am I right or am I wrong?
The LAPD handbook refers to relationships between supervisors and subordinates as being problematic (I’ll say) and that if such a liaison develops, “it is the duty of the involved employees to immediately notify their commanding officer.” I don’t believe neither Pape nor Young or their alleged partners ever did that. So if one is going down, all need to go down.
Let us not forget former Chief Michael Berkow and his sexual tryst with Sergeant Andrea Balter. Formerly the head of the department’s internal affairs unit, the married Berkow admitted to three-year affair (2003-2006) with Balter who worked for the internal affairs division as an advocate handling police misconduct cases, including those involving inappropriate sexual relationships. Ironic huh?
In the end, to me all of this is a reflection on our Chief’s leadership.
What the hell is going on in the department? I mean seriously?
But just like with all of the other malfeasance of the command staff I’ve exposed, there continues to be a pattern of a different set of rules that comes into play when it comes to command staff and the sponsored.
To further illustrate that point, I will be posting all of the 2014 “burn sheets” or “wrap sheets” for the LAPD that show exactly who is being disciplined, for what, and how. Stay tuned for that.
As always, if I’m wrong about Pape or Young, please let me know. But if I’m right…
For the Record
Disclaimer…sort of
For the record, this is my personal website. This is not a news website, there are already plenty of those out there. This site reflects my personal and sometimes professional opinions on life, politics, race, and my taste in music. Basically, the stuff I care about.
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