Loopy Old Judge Thierry Colaw Winks At Police Misconduct

Steven Greenhut: It’s no surprise that we’re seeing a spate of bad on-the-job behavior by police and deputies. Thanks to judges such as Pete-Wilson-appointee Thierry Colaw, of the OC Superior Court, cops know they can do anything they want and face no punishment whatsoever. As the Orange County Register explained, “Neighbors in a Costa Mesa condo complex were ticked off when they noticed [Costa Mesa police officer Allen] Rieckhof visiting with their neighbor, repeatedly, in full uniform on his police motorcycle. Rieckhof didn’t deny it, the city said; he admitted to dining with Rodgers,  shopping for eggs for her and playing ‘grab ass’ during his work shift. He said he did this legitimately, by stacking his meal break with two shorter breaks. The city says this explanation came a bit late in the game.

“The city accused Rieckhof of neglect of duty and decided  to  suspended him without pay for 100 hours; an  arbitrator found that the main witness — the former girlfriend — was a not credible and recommended that the city drop the discipline;  the city stuck to its guns, based on Rieckhof’s own statements; and Rieckhof fought, and won. The city must reinstate all lost wages and benefits to Rieckhof.”

Even though Officer ‘Grab Ass’ Rieckhof admitted that he did this, spending up to two hours at a time in romatic activities and involving other police officers in purchasing him stuff from Victoria’s Secret, Judge Colaw could not find any dereliction of duty here. There was a technical violation of the Peace Officers Bill of Rights — essentially a law that makes it so cumbersome to discipline police degenerates that it’s not worth the time and money to do so — but Rieckhof’s attorney insisted that Colaw vindicated the behavior and did not rely on a mere technicality.

Yet Officer Grab Ass didn’t deny doing those things that led to his new nickname.  That means that loopy old Judge Colaw must have no problem with the substance of what the officer did. Spending time in romantic activities on the job is now OK in Costa Mesa and by extension other cities throughout California.

We know that police officers can get away with pretty much anything these days. But so can the judges who wink and nod at the misuse of public dollars and this type of official misbehavior. It’s time to pay more attention to those goofball judges who apparently have been on the bench so long that they no longer are capable of doing their job in a manner that looks after the public trust.

JUNE 24, 2012