Tempe cop Sgt. Chuck Schoville tells us why cops are always right on a Tempe government propaganda TV channel Tempe StreetBeat - “You know why you say I’m right? Because I’ve got a gun and a badge. I’m always right.”
Finally the cops admit something most of us know! That the Bill of Rights, along with the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions are null and void when you got a gun and a badge!
Do you know that Tempe cops allowed blacks to get out of tickets by performing raps?? Read on!
Video of the Tempe Police stop
Apologies flow freely for racial police video
By Nick Martin, Tribune
November 30, 2006
Six times a week during November, a television show produced by Tempe police aired on the city’s cable channel showing a white police officer telling two black men they could get out of a ticket if they performed a rap.
On Thursday, Tempe’s mayor and police chief apologized for the show, suspended its future production and the chief launched an investigation after black community leaders voiced outrage and disappointment over it.
“On behalf of our city organization, I apologize to the entire community for this clear misjudgment and I will expect that we will perform at a much higher level,” Mayor Hugh Hallman said late Thursday. “This video is unacceptable.”
Both the mayor and Chief Tom Ryff were responding to ire from leaders of two minority-rights organizations: Rev. Jarrett Maupin, president of Arizona’s chapter of the National Action Network, and Rev. Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Both leaders were made aware of the video Wednesday by the Tribune. The chief and mayor both said they had not seen the show before Thursday.
The segment at issue of “Tempe StreetBeat,” which followed several police on patrol, showed host Sgt. Chuck Schoville pulling over two men in August in the parking lot of the Arizona Mills mall. He first asks for a name and ID from the driver.
“You know how much the fine is for littering?” Schoville asks the men, who have stepped out of their car. “About 500 or so. Criminal arrest and all that other stuff.”
The scene then cuts to Schoville’s proposition: “No littering ticket if the two of you just do a little rap about — what do you want to do a rap about? Littering? About the dangers of littering. OK.”
The two agree and each perform a short rap, laughing afterward. Schoville tells them to have a good day.
Before they go, Schoville says, “Raiders in the Super Bowl this year.”
“You’re right,” the driver of the car said among other muffled words.
“You know I’m right. You know why you say I’m right?” Schoville jokes. “Because I’ve got a gun and a badge. I’m always right.”
All three laugh and rock music soon fades in.
Maupin, of the National Action Network, was wide-eyed after watching a DVD copy of the exchange.
“Do these individuals (in the department) know that they played into every negative stereotype of African Americans and the police?” he said.
“We don’t all speak hip hop,” he added later.
Maupin called for apologies from the mayor and chief and for an investigation into the show.
Tillman, of the NAACP, said apologies alone would not satisfy his outrage.
“I don’t want your apology,” Tillman said. “I want you to show me in your training and show me in your future” that things can change.
Both said that not only was the rap request stereotyping the men, but the joke at the end of the segment was dangerous.
“It’s the most dangerous statement that a law enforcement officer can have at a time when we’re looking at what happened in New York,” where police officers this week shot an unarmed black man 50 times, killing him.
On Wednesday, police spokesman officer Brandon Banks, who was the credited producer of the show, defended it and said footage that was cut shows Schoville originally told the two they would not receive a ticket, then asked if they would rap for the cameras. Banks and a cameraman were with Schoville when the scene was shot. The extra footage was cut for time considerations, Banks said.
Schoville himself did not respond to a request made through the department to comment.
“Rev. Tillman and Rev. Maupin are the ones who are asserting that it’s stereotypical and I don’t see it as such,” Banks said, adding later: “It was done in absolutely good-natured good fun and the people involved were all in agreement.”
No one previously came forward to complain and neither of the men complained either, Banks said. “They have the complete right and freedom to walk away at any point.”
The two men could not be identified. Because they were not given a ticket, Tempe had no record of their names.
For now, the city’s top officials are expressing regret the incident ever happened and that it made air.
An investigation will be conducted by the police internal affairs unit and city’s diversity manager, Ryff said.
“I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to members of our community who may have been offended for our airing of this program as well as the conduct of our officers,” he said.
When Maupin learned of the apologies and investigation late Thursday, he responded: “Thank God.”
Tribune writer Garin Groff contributed to this report.
Contact Nick Martin by email, or phone (480) 898-6380
Mayor, police chief apologize for rap TV segment
Associated Press
Dec. 1, 2006 07:37 AM
A television show produced by Tempe police aired on the city's cable channel and showed a White police officer telling two Black men they could get out of a ticket if they performed a rap, authorities said.
Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman and city Police Chief Tom Ryff apologized for the show Thursday and suspended its future production after Black community leaders voiced outrage and disappointment over it.
The segment at issue of "Tempe StreetBeat," which followed several police on patrol, aired six times a week in November.
It showed a sergeant pulling over two men in August in the parking lot of the Arizona Mills mall.
He first asks for a name and ID from the driver and then asks the two men if they knew much the fine is for littering.
The officer then tells the men that they can avoid getting a littering ticket "if the two of you just do a little rap about - what do you want to do a rap about? Littering? About the dangers of littering."
The two men agree and each perform a short rap, laughing afterward.
The Rev. Jarrett Maupin, president of Arizona's chapter of the National Action Network, called for apologies from Hallman and Ryff and for an investigation into the show.
The Rev. Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, also expressed outrage at the YV show.
Cops' TV show axed
Sarah Muench and Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 2, 2006 12:00 AM
City officials have yanked a Tempe police-produced television show from broadcast and began investigating two officers Friday after a segment aired multiple times in November showing an officer telling two African-American men they could avoid getting a ticket if they rapped.
Police Chief Tom Ryff, who became Tempe's top cop Monday, called for an immediate two-pronged administrative review.
Ryff said the department will investigate the actions of Officer Brandon Banks, who produced the show, and Sgt. Chuck Schoville and will be conducted by the Police Department's internal affairs department. Ryff said he hopes that portion will be completed within a week.
"As the chief of police, I accept responsibility for the actions of my staff and apologize to any members of our community who were offended by this most unfortunate event," Ryff said in a written statement.
Tempe's Diversity Office will also be involved in the investigation to provide out-of-department oversight, Ryff said.
Once complete, the review will undergo further scrutiny from the city's citizens review board and the Human Relations Commission.
"The investigation, I don't believe, is going to be very complex," Ryff said.
The other half of the investigation will look at the Street Beat show and other Channel 11 TV shows created and produced by Tempe. It will include city staff creating checks and balances "to make sure this doesn't happen again," Ryff said. The episode of Street Beat will no longer air on Channel 11, and no new episodes will be produced until after the investigation is complete. At least three people working for the city saw the show before it aired six times in November.
Members of the African-American community in Tempe were upset by Schoville's actions and the Police Department, but were happy with the department's quick response.
"There was no hint of trying to cover it up, push it aside, or even trying to rationalize what happened. From the outset it has been direct communication," said the Rev. Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Tillman called it an unfortunate, embarrassing and hurtful situation.
"They had enough integrity to apologize and engage the community that was offended by this video," said the Rev. Jarett Maupin, president of the Arizona chapter of the National Action Network. "This situation played into every negative stereotype."
In talks today the city officials and the reverends discussed forming an African-American advisory board. They also discussed ways to improve communication between the African-American community and the city.
Police did not identify the two men who were pulled over and because Schoville, a 25-year veteran, didn't write them a ticket, so there was no record of their names.
But the license plate on the tan Mercedes-Benz they were in is visible in the video. It's possible that police will attempt to contact the men as part of the internal investigation, said Sgt. Dan Masters, a Tempe police spokesman.
Banks and Schoville will remain on active duty during the investigation, according to Ryff.
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'You know I'm right'
The Street Beat episode that sparked the recent controversy shows host Sgt. Chuck Schoville pulling over the two men on suspicion of littering in August in the parking lot of Arizona Mills.
Schoville asks the two for identification and then asks them if they know what the fine is for littering.
"No littering ticket if the two of you just do a little rap about - what do you want to do a rap about? Littering? About the dangers of littering. OK," Schoville said, then looks at one of the men.
"He's the thinker, I can see he's already busting it out right now," Schoville said.
The two, smiling and playing along with Schoville, agree and each say a short rhyme, chuckling afterward.
Before they part ways, Schoville says, "All right, don't forget, it's Raiders, Raiders in the Super Bowl this year."
The driver replies, "You're right."
"Yeah, you know I'm right," Schoville said. "You know why you say I'm right? Because I've got a gun and a badge. I'm always right."
The two shake hands and Schoville tells him he'll see him later.
Tempe mayor calls cop video ‘unacceptable’
By Nick Martin, Tribune
December 2, 2006
Tempe’s mayor and police chief spent much of Friday again apologizing for a police-produced television program that showed an officer telling two black men they could get out of a ticket by performing a rap.
Both city leaders said they were caught by surprise the day before when they learned about the “Tempe Street-Beat” episode, which had been airing repeatedly on the city’s cable channel during November.
In a private meeting at City Hall on Friday morning, Mayor Hugh Hallman and Police Chief Tom Ryff apologized personally to the Revs. Jarrett Maupin and Oscar Tillman, two minority rights leaders who had voiced outrage and disappointment about the show.
The city officials then apologized again at an afternoon news conference.
“I want to make things very clear,” Hallman said. “The video that was shown on our Channel 11 is completely unacceptable.”
Both Hallman and Ryff moved quickly Thursday night after learning of the minority leaders’ anger over the program from the Tribune.
They gave initial public apologies, yanked the show from the air and vowed an investigation into it.
“We did not hide,” Hallman said at the conference. “We brought it forward.”
The swift actions seemed to satisfy Maupin, president of the National Action Network’s Arizona chapter, and Tillman, chairman of the Maricopa County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Both said, however, they would wait to see what the investigation finds.
“This is in no way excusing what happened on this day,” Maupin said. “But we are taking steps forward.”
In the “StreetBeat” episode, host Sgt. Chuck Schoville is shown actually pulling over two men in August in the parking lot of Arizona Mills mall.
“No littering ticket if the two of you just do a little rap about — what do you want to do a rap about? Littering? About the dangers of littering,” Schoville tells them.
The men each perform a short rap and laugh, shaking Schoville’s hand.
Moments later, as the two men are going on their way, Schoville says “Raiders in the Super Bowl this year.”
“You’re right,” one of the men says.
“You know why you say I’m right?” Schoville jokes. “Because I’ve got a gun and a badge. I’m always right.”
All three laugh.
Schoville, a 25-year member of the force, was out of town when the show he hosted for five years was pulled, Hallman said. He has not responded to a request through the police department to comment.
Ryff, who took over the force Monday from Ralph Tranter, said the investigation into the matter would likely be fast.
“We have it on video. We know what happened,” Ryff said.
The investigation will be conducted by police internal investigators and the city diversity manager. It will focus not just on the incident, but on the oversight and conduct of the show in general, Ryff said.
Neither Schoville nor any of the other city employees involved with “StreetBeat,” including credited producer officer Brandon Banks, had been punished or suspended.
Banks defended the show the day before, saying Schoville told the men he pulled over they would not get a ticket prior to making the rap request. They could have said no, according to Banks, who had been at the scene with Schoville.
The footage was cut for time considerations, Banks said. His account, however, does not match the cut footage he released to the Tribune.
In the footage, which is more than seven minutes long, Schoville is seen quizzing the driver about littering, his suspended license and, after learning the man was born in Chicago, gangs from that area.
“You don’t know about that from Chicago?” Schoville asks.
“No, I go to school,” the man says.
Banks said the department has no record of the men’s names because they were let off with a warning. Banks is probably lying! First since the Tempe PD ran the names of both guys thru the DPS NCIC computer system their is a log record on the computer that can be view to get the names of the guys. A public information request to the Arizona DPS can get that. Second normally on all police stops the police make paper records for themselfs of the incident along with names. This is so if information is later found linking the people they stopped to a crime they have the information needed to find them and arrest them. Third the cops almost certainly ran their car's license plate which is Arizona plate 054-VPX thru the NCIC computer to see if it was stolen. Again there would be a record of that. That information would also be entered in the notes the cops made of the incident. - The Webmaster
Ryff said he will not direct the investigation to find the men, but if investigators feel it’s necessary, they will.
Contact Nick Martin by email, or phone (480) 898-6380
The Tempe Police are lying when they say they can’t get the names of the two black me they stopped and forced to give raps. Tempe Police said this which is a lie:
“The two men could not be identified. Because they were not given a ticket, Tempe had no record of their names.”In this article we learn that the Tempe cops ran the two men’s names thru the NCIC computer looking for warrants and determined that one man had a suspended license and was involved in gangs in the Chicago area. We learn that information from this statement in the articles:
Schoville is seen quizzing the driver about littering, his suspended license and, after learning the man was born in Chicago, gangs from that area.That statement proves the Tempe Police are lying about not knowing the names of the men they stopped. When ever any police officers in the U.S.A. runs something thru the NCIC computer systems log records are made on the computer system which contain the officers name, the information requested, along with the date and time the request was made.
In Arizona the NCIC computer system is run by the Arizona DPS and that information could be requested by making a public records request to the DPS. I suspect law enforcement people who use the system can pull up those log records, and that the Tempe Police could easily get the names of the two guys stopped thru the NCIC computer system.
The article didn’t say it but the cops almost certainly ran the license plate of the car the men were in thru the NCIC computer system to see if it was stolen. Again, if they did run the plates thru the computer a log record exists.
Last police normally don’t stop people just for fun. They stop people with the intent of arresting them if they are criminals. The police usually make detailed notes of the information they obtain from people they stop because it can often be used to arrest them in the future if it is discovered the people are suspected to be involved in a crime. For this reason I suspect the Tempe cops have in their notes the names of the two men they stopped.
What appears to be the home address and phone number of racist Tempe cop Chuck Schoville is listed on Los Angeles Indy Media and on Arizona IndyMedia at 1 2 3