Web Site Draws Cops' Wrath

RateMyCop.com Enables People To Rate Police Officers; Names Names; Many Cops Crying Foul

(CBS)  A new Web site is prompting outrage among many police officers.

RateMyCop.com lists cops' names -- some 140,000 and counting -- as well as the badge numbers of many of them, and enables people to rate them.

That, say many law enforcement officers, violates their rights, in part because there's little or no -- policing -- by the site of the information posted on it.

The Early Show took a look at RateMyCop.com and spoke to its founder, as well as a police representative, as part of its new series, "Caught in the Web." Every week, the show will look at controversial Web sites that find new ways to monitor people's behavior.

Until now, says Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen, there hasn't been a place for people to post comments about cops they encounter.

But registered users of RateMyCop.com can search for officers by name, department, or state, provide comments, and rate them based on professionalism, fairness, and overall satisfaction.

And what are some users of the site saying about "their" cop?

One wrote, "He has an extremely aggressive behavior issue involving any issue he feels he is not in control of," while another said, "He is a very exceptional cop in all known incidents."

But Hector Basurto, vice president of the Latino Police Officers Association, says, "Having a Web site like that puts a lot of law enforcement in danger, because it exposes us out there."

Kevin Martin, vice president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, lists several things he worries about: "Will they be able to access our home addresses, our home phone numbers, our marital status, whether we have children-- which is always a big concern."

But the site's founders say all of the officers' names and badge numbers were obtained through public records, and claim the site doesn't disclose any private information about them.

Still, some police representatives want legislation to shut down the site, but legal experts, citing the First Amendment, say that could be difficult.

"Any kind of publication is protected, as long as it is not publishing privileged information," observes constitutional law Prof. Peter Keane, of the University of California Hastings College of the Law.

On The Early Show Monday, RateMyCop.com founder Gino Sesto told Chen, "Our hope ... is to be able to create some transparency between officers and the citizens they patrol, to be able to create a communication way for people to talk to each other."

But Ron Cottingham, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California and a lieutenant with the San Diego Sheriff's Department, called the site, "one of the most insidious things to come along in a long time to denigrate the services of peace officers that are out there trying to serve the public and do public good. I don't think there's any good that can really come from it. There's nobody really being responsible to police this Web site and censure the information that's going on the Web site.

"I'd be concerned about my safety, the safety of my family, the safety of my children, my reputation within my community. Anybody can put anything on this Web site. They claim that there is some monitoring going on, but I've been looking at this Web site for several days. I've seen officers accused of sex crimes. I've seen officers accused of child abuse. I've seen officers accused of lying."

Sesto countered that, "We do have a mechanism to monitor the system, if there are comments like he said. We want to know about it, and we'll delete them as soon as possible, and we have. So I would ask him to send that to us, and we will delete them. As far as the safety of his family, we're not posting anything on this Web site that's not available on an everyday traffic ticket."

"This Web site doesn't publish anything other than the officer's name and sometimes their badge number. And we won't let people post any personal information."

"I think Mr. Sesto is incorrect in what he's saying," scoffed Cottingham. "Just the fact that I've seen this information posted on there for several days with no policing, no censorship. Anybody can go on there and make a connection. I mean, if someone has a specious allegation against myself and maybe a neighbor or someone that doesn't know me, because we do live in the communities that we work, see that, they can start posting information saying, 'I know this person, I know where I lives. This is his address.'"

To which Sesto said, "We had this happen once before, and we deleted in immediately, so I don't know what you're speaking to."

[marcpcbs]

All I have to say about the web sire is BRAVO!

This is a great first step towards returning accountability to Law Enforcement. Today it seems you can''t get a cop to come out of a doughnut shop except to step in front of a camera.

When Ex President Clinton put 100,000 more cops on the streets he didn''t increase security, he scraped the bottom of the barrel.

There%u2019s also a good chance the marijuana that%u2019s in your kid%u2019s school was grown by a northern California police officer. The cops here love their drug profits just as much as the non-badge wearing drug dealers do.

The unfunny part about this is that most of you will think I%u2019m making this up.

[generey]

Dial 911 & make a cop come!

[concorde5]

The cops should have nothing to worry about as long as they are doing their jobs properly. It''s about time the people had some means of voicing their concerns about certain cops. When a cop does wrong, it should be published for everyone to see.

[klingon69]

Good.
It''s about time that everyday citizens can compare and post about these thugs with a badge. Maybe this will make them think twice before abusing their power.

[jonathan1cas]

This is a good idea. How about Rate my realtor, mortgage originator, bank, elected official.

[gopack443]

Don''t they tell us that if were doing nothing wrong we have have nothing to fear? So why are they so afraid? maybe the public finds out how they really operate?

[rlsdsurfer]

The Sad Diego Sheriffs dept is curropt! So anything that Ron Cottinghams says should be questioned! BTW, I have proof of my alligations!

[urban63]

We''re in a NEW world....we get to rate our professors, our cops, our doctors, employers....etc. Thank G-d for technology. We are not silenced any longer.

[marcpcbs]

"This is a good idea. How about Rate my realtor, mortgage originator, bank, elected official."

Posted by jonathan1cas

More great ideas !!!!
I agree

We should also post whose hiring illegal%u2019s and which District Attorneys are sentencing for pot during the day and growing pot during the night.

[truth_police]

Lieutenant Ron Cottingham vehemently complains that "There''s nobody really being responsible to POLICE this Web site and CENSURE the information..." (emphasis added).

Note the central reverberating themes ... "POLICE" law-abiding citizens'' comments and "CENSURE" law-abiding citizens'' comments and "information."

This is precisely WHY such a website is absolutely essential, vital to the preservation of our fundamental rights. Neither we, the American citizen, nor the US Constitution want to convert this country to a fascist totalitarian state that is bent on POLICING and CENSORING the comments of law-abiding citizens.

This intractable totalitarian police mentality of POLICING and CENSORING the comments of law-abiding citizens is understandably frightening to most Americans. It reminds us once again, how critical it is to make sure there is an effective means to "POLICE" the police and to "CENSOR" wayward police conduct. It is the only deterrent ordinary citizens have to keep authoritarian figures, like the police, from breaking away from their leash (legal and constitutional limits of authority) which protects citizens from abuses. Anyone against the website obviously has something to hide.

[lochlan-2009]

"Still, some police representatives want legislation to shut down the site, but legal experts, citing the First Amendment, say that could be difficult."

Yeah, that *** piece of paper keeps getting in the way, huh guys? It''s getting harder and harder to harass citizens these days without their being a record of it.

[marcpcbs]

Truth_Police

"It is the only deterrent ordinary citizens have to keep authoritarian figures, like the police, from breaking away from their leash (legal and constitutional limits of authority) which protects citizens from abuses."

Your statement is great except the part I quoted. A critique page is far from our only recourse against injustice.

[josephbloe]

Hey CBS IDIOTS..

I typed out a thorough comment, only to find out you have a 1500 character (not word) limitation on comments.

No matter how I edited my comment, I still get a "ERROR- OVER LIMIT!" warning.

So, out of courtesy to your viewers...HOW ABOUT A REAL TIME CHARACTER COUNTER that shows the person commenting how close they are to your "THE TRUTH IS LIMITED TO 1500 CHARACTERS" restriction?

I believe you REALLY don''t give a *** about what we have to tell you!

[marcpcbs]

JOSEPHBLOE

Large chunks of truth is why god made Barns & Noble

[josephbloe]

How about a site called Rate Your Network Morning Show Personality?

Harry Smith should wear a dress...

And Julie Chen CBS''s Asian Barbie Doll should be relegated to Big Brother and disallowed from any other subject.

[josephbloe]

markpcbs...

Does this comment mean you work for CBS?

And "GOD" is just a result of the CBS Kool-aid you drink every day.

Your comment is preposterous...and out of line in regards to the subject matter.

[josephbloe]

Briefly, so as not to abuse CBS''s 1500 character LIMIT..

Seeing as how the Polices'' SOLUTION to everything is to KILL IT IMMEDIATELY...

citizens need sites like Ratemycop.com to be able to voice the terror they most often experience after the shortest encounter with these WELL-ARMED AUTHORITARIAN THUGS.

Don''t wait until you hear the words, "UP AGAINST THE WALL..M-F-r!", and feel electricity take over your body...

Speak out now...because your FREEDOM is at stake!

JB age 63...and never was an ANTI-GUV''MINT Radical until the Bush Regime took over.

IMPEACH BUSH/CHENEY..and all their buddies.

[undermyboot]

The only thing the police are concerned about is hiding their crimes from the public. Many "police" are nothing more than ignorant thugs with badges and guns- especially here in The South.

[hereticzero-2009]

Screw the cops! I have no respect for someone who enforces bad laws against the rest of us. A person is in more jeopardy being shot to death by a cop in a no-knock raid at the wrong address, usually over the possession of marijuana or other nonviolent crime, than from the user or being injured by whatever imaginary crime they are persecuting this week. There is no cop who ever held the job that received it by the hands of god. There is no cop born into being a police officer. They have to apply for the job of ruining our lives with their hypocritical self-righteousness of enforcing the law. They do not care if you are innocent or guilty, they enforce the law, all laws against you and me. They are not victims, they are the instigators that cause more problems for families than they solve. What peace do they keep? I haven''t seen any. They cause more division.

[stanleyrice]

The objections to this site are the same old fear based ones used by the existing government to cover up anything they don''t want the public to know about.

The police are no different from anyone else in terms of someone being able to make false or unjust accusations on a website. If there was a site for your comments on government workers of any kind, the same issues of fair reporting would exist. So police get no special consideration here. And clearly there is no private information being disseminated.

Being and ex law enforcement officer, I get a kick out of cops crying danger all the time. In reality police have a very low rate of being murdered, and in terms of statistics, it is a relatively safe job to have.

Incompetent, abusive, tyrannical, and vindictive types often opt to close down transparency. My hat is off the the founders of this website.

[quetzal0666]

What a wonderful idea.....

[kwajmi]

I think this website is outstanding! Finally a place where we can at least voice our opinions about these ex-school yard bullies without landing in jail on a trumped up--or totally imagined--charge...just because the cop is having a bad day or don''t like your tone of voice. Yes, they lie, they threaten, and are totally above the law that the rest of us have to follow. My hat is off to the website creators!

[ioweign]

Large chunks of truth is why god made Barns & Noble

Posted by marcpcbs at 11:28 AM : Mar 24, 2008


Once again - for a price...

[timetrips1]

hereticzero: Remember those comments the next time you call 911 and nobody answers! 10% of the population causes 90% of the trouble. I bet your in the top 10%

[voidmaster-2009]

"Still, some police representatives want legislation to shut down the site..."

Cops sure don%u2019t like criticism do they. I%u2019ve already looked at the site. There are as yet none listed for Amarillo, Texas. I think I%u2019ll sign up and rate a couple o%u2019 the local boys in blue.

[marcpcbs]

hereticzero

You should know that most of the people in jail for pot are there because they were caught growing tons of the stuff, selling it to kids or in possession while committing a violent crime. Stopping drug dealers and keeping the drugs out of our schools is a good thing. The problem we have in Northern California is that too many cops don%u2019t arrest the growers because they are too busy growing and marketing their own pot.

I was raised to believe that cops knew the difference between right and wrong, and then I woke up. If they legalized pedophilia tomorrow the cops would arresting you for protecting your own kids.

The cops do what their paid to do. Nothing %u201Cmore%u201D but many times %u201Cless%u201D.

[marcpcbs]

I want to go on record saying that I believe there are good cops and bad cops. The problem here is that the good cops, not only do nothing to reduce the number of bad cops, but they actually protect them and defend them. This is what makes all cops look bad.

I guess the good cops don''t appreciate the importance of public faith.

[actoreddie]

To Whom it may Concern,

I COMMEND this site and AGREE with the owner 100% and that the "people" have the RIGHT to know about what kind of COPS are on their local & State Police. Let''s face it, there are undoubtedly BAD COPS that abuse power. Media, civilians have reported AND captured many horrific incidents with civilians and police. If a GOOD COP has nothing to hide, they shouldn''t be in an up-roar about what boils down to, a "public opinion" and information site. Just as the a patient TODAY wants to be "certain" when medical treatment is ESSENTIAL and if that particular DOCTOR has been disciplined or sued for mal-practice. The same goes for the COPS who abuse their authority as we have seen over and over. I tried to register at that site and can''t click on anything?? Have they (Ratemycop.com) "already" been UNJUSTLY removed by the COPS and the police advocatesagencies who may in fact really have something to hide?? I do NOT for one minute believe that they resent this type of site, "that essentially just INFORMS the public"! No, they "claim" the site and "public information" it provides will jeopardize their lives as well as their families. They simply don''t want us to KNOW who is BAD and GOOD; remember thier is a "code of silence" in many similar professions. We are NOT don''t do your job, but if you are an abusive cop and have had numerous complaints filed against you, your community and the public should know. That''s it!

[thisisfunny]

These cops are so tough aren''t they? Cry babies and I do agree with another comment above regarding the fact that there are many good cops but once they protect the bad ones, they they all become bad. In order for this profession to be more acceptable, the good cops and good depts MUST drive these knuckleheads out of the profession because many are a danger to themselves with guns.

[killtheliars]

cops are public servants, they are paid b the taxpayers in their areas, therefore they should be monitored and rated accordingly.

[killtheliars]

timetrips1,

if anyone calls 9-11 regardless of who they are and what their oponions are, and nobody answers someone is getting fired and charges will be pressed as well as one hell of a lawsuit filed against the boro or disctrict where this happened.
The cops and emergency response personel are hired public servants, they work for us the tax payers. We can have any oponion we want and it is no concern of theirs. They just need to shut up, do their jobs and answer the phone. Also as a tax payer I always insits that the police in my area call me sir, since they work for me.

[marcpcbs]

Here%u2019s what happened in Mendocino County CA. The board of Supervisors who are pro marijuana manipulated the vote and the laws to unleash thousands of local drug dealers. Now all the cops have been instructed to see, hear and smell nothing. So they obey. Now we have a forty billion dollar a year pot industry in our county that fills most of the schools in the nation with pot. Thousands of people have moved here from all over the nation and the world specifically to profit from poisoning kids with drugs and all this is county sanctioned. New industries are popping up that just support growing pot like nurseries that advertise nothing but indoor grow scenes. There%u2019s a new college in Berkley that specializes in the growing, processing, sales and distribution of pot.

And all along the cops just went along. Some cops became growers and some just said nothing cause they were afraid of loosing their jobs. If there%u2019s pot in your kids school, don%u2019t just thank the cops, thank the system.

Our kids don%u2019t have a chance.

[kennedy7955]

It is amazing that the last voices heard, if at all regards crime, are from police officers. Our police departments across the country should be the first voices heard on what is going on in our communities - about who is committing crimes, where crimes are committed and what is happening in real time when the system breaks down.

A great example of this is the release of criminals on our streets, the constant arresting and re-arresting of criminals. The chief of police of each town should be holding press conferences warning the public of such dangerous occurrences. The Police should be openly critical of judges that endanger the public.

It is time the police end their silence and abdication of responsibility to the politicians, and tell us all what is really happening in our communities. If that sounds too political, then let the police unions hold the conferences.

This openness would save the lives of police and the public alike, and would provide a welcome dose of common sense and support for our police.

[nlm2383]

"Peace officers that are out there trying to serve the public and do public good."

HAHA!!!

[marcpcbs]

"killtheliars"

Good name!

[farmerbb]

I note the Ron Cottingham , on the San Diego Police, complained that officers were "accused of X, accused of Y, and accused of Z". Note he did NOT say they were FALSELY accused. I agree with the previous comment, the police have only themselves to blame. The GOOD cops often protect & hide the BAD cops. If they threw them out, their reputation would soar. But they don''t. I have often said there are more criminals INSIDE the police force, than outside, and that is NOT on a percentage basis.

[brendan havel]

why is motto "to protect and serve" no longer read on side of police cars?

[dylanxxv]

What a bunch of worthless crybabies...I''m joining this site today...

[kansas1946]

Here%u2019s what happened in Mendocino County CA. The board of Supervisors who are pro marijuana manipulated the vote and the laws to unleash thousands of local drug dealers.
*************************
I doubt they are "pro marijuana" and imagine they are anti-drug war. The drug war is the problem, not marijuana. Do a little research before you fall apart over marijuana.

[unamiat]

This sounds like invasion of privacy to me. If anyone I know, or their children or other family members come to harm, a lawyer will be contacting Julie Chen, CBS and anyone else connected to this low life play for attention.

[marcpcbs]

kansas1946

Were not in Kansas any more and this ain''t 1946. I spent the last 22 years watching this county be overtaken by drug dealers. Where the hell you been?
Probably selling pot to kids in Kansas.

Did you read anything I said? You go do some research.
boy, drug dealers are stupid.

[quetzal0666]

that would be great to have the ability to go online in real time next time you get pulled over and have the Officers information handy,
that way you can see if hes had any complaints against him and if so, start recording his every move, so you can use it later when you sue....

[berniepeders]

Don''''t they tell us that if were doing nothing wrong we have have nothing to fear? So why are they so afraid? maybe the public finds out how they really operate?

Posted by gopack443 at 10:17 AM : Mar 24, 2008

Bravo and Amen to that!

[tucano2]

Why on earth would a cop be afraid of a public job rating? Is a "chef" in a beanery afraid of the Health Inspector''s rating? Maybe such public rating is immune to ''doctoring'', ''politicing'', or ''spinning''? We have news for the cops; they are on the public''s payroll and it is the public that rules, not the cops, and individual cops are increasingly being put in the spotlight by the public. When there are cops who like cockroaches run from the light that means they''ve got more than the usual stuff to hide.

[lastsaneone]

If cops did their job then they wouldn''t have anything to worry about, but that is exactly the problem.
Most cops are not doing their job , they are just taking the pay.
There are more drugs and crime now than ever and we are running out of room in our prisons and all they want to do is write tickets , eat doughnuts and
arrest pot smokers and incarcerate them . We have real criminals running the streets, becuase of this and do they care ? no they don''t ! why ? becuase they are getting paid, you see it is ( Law Enforcement ) just like the medical/heathcare system in this country, the money is not in the cure, or in this case there IS NO MONEY IN IT FOR THE SO CALLED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IF THEY STOP DRUGS AND CRIME ! if they did that they would all be out of jobs. So why on earth would they want us to know what they are really doing or to grade them on their performance, they don''t.
Cops and the so called law enforcement ARE THE CRIMINALS, and their bu!!$hit system is about to come crashing down on them.
Something else has been lost here as well and that is the fact that all police and law enforcement people work for US, you are public servants and we will do anthing we want to do to police the police and if you don''t like it we will have you removed from the position WE GAVE YOU , and we will remove the athority WE GAVE YOU, PERIOD.
Pesonally I think all of them should be fIRED.

[lastsaneone]

If cops did their job then they wouldn''t have anything to worry about, but that is exactly the problem.
Most cops are not doing their job , they are just taking the pay.
There are more drugs and crime now than ever and we are running out of room in our prisons and all they want to do is write tickets , eat doughnuts and
arrest pot smokers and incarcerate them . We have real criminals running the streets, becuase of this and do they care ? no they don''t ! why ? becuase they are getting paid, you see it is ( Law Enforcement ) just like the medical/heathcare system in this country, the money is not in the cure, or in this case there IS NO MONEY IN IT FOR THE SO CALLED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IF THEY STOP DRUGS AND CRIME ! if they did that they would all be out of jobs. So why on earth would they want us to know what they are really doing or to grade them on their performance, they don''t.
Cops and the so called law enforcement ARE THE CRIMINALS, and their bu!!$hit system is about to come crashing down on them.
Something else has been lost here as well and that is the fact that all police and law enforcement people work for US, you are public servants and we will do anthing we want to do to police the police and if you don''t like it we will have you removed from the position WE GAVE YOU , and we will remove the athority WE GAVE YOU, PERIOD.
Pesonally I think all of them should be fIRED.

[cnjcc]

I believe the vast majority of law enforcement personnel are sincere and dedicated to an orderly society, however some of them clearly are motivated by some combination of low self esteem, were teased or bullied growing up, or have some other psychological need to be the one in charge. Those are the ones that get incensed when a suspect doesn''t do exactly what the officer says - that end up on tapes of beatings - that lie in court - that cover up for fellow officers - that otherwise abuse the authoritive positions they have been given. It''s a crappy world out there that needs to be policed, but some of them are just not right for the job. Maybe better pre-hire screening and psychological evaluation could eliminate many problem individuals.

[honestabe8]

marcpcbs sure seems to have his panties in a bunch over pot. marc...if you want prohibition, this is what you get.