"Video captured Medford detective’s vulgar threat to driver" by John R. Ellement Globe Staff July 27, 2015
A Medford police detective was placed on leave Monday after being captured on a dashboard camera telling a motorist that he would “put a hole right in your head” during a traffic stop Sunday night, officials said.
In addition, a video surfaced late Monday of a 2012 incident involving Medford police Detective Stephen LeBert.
LeBert was placed on administrative leave by Police Chief Leo Sacco, who said he was troubled by LeBert’s actions and language during the Sunday night confrontation on High Street.
“The language, the demeanor,’’ Sacco said in explaining why he placed LeBert on leave and launched an internal investigation. “Just what is being said and how it is being said. I hate even being quoted as saying it, but ‘putting a hole in your head’ — that is uncalled for.’’
The incident was captured on the dashboard camera of the driver, who describes himself as a Malden resident who grew up in Lowell. LeBert insists on the recorded video that the driver post the section showing the traffic incident, but on Monday the driver had only released the section showing the confrontation between the two men that took place at about 10:15 p.m. Sunday on High Street.
“I’d like to see what might be there a little bit earlier and what might be there a little bit later when everything was OK,’’ Sacco said.
The chief said the driver did not file a formal complaint with the department on Monday. The driver could not be reached for comment.
Sacco said LeBert has performed well over 30 years on the police force.
The video begins with a red pickup truck pulling up on the right side of the driver’s car as they both reach High Street. The driver can be heard saying something that is unclear while LeBert, who was off duty, can be heard saying, “now you’re done!’’ as he puts his truck into park, opens the door, and steps out.
LeBert is wearing a T-shirt and shorts. There are no police markings on his pickup truck, which Sacco said was his private vehicle.
LeBert can be seen reaching into his rear pockets and a side pocket as he walks toward the car. The driver backs away, leaving LeBert in the middle of the street, holding what the chief said appeared to be his wallet badge in his left hand.
LeBert’s right hand is down by his side.
“I’ll put a hole right through your [expletive] head,’’ LeBert says in the video. “Pull your car over. I’ll put a hole right in your [expletive] head. I’ll put a hole right through your head.’’
The driver tells LeBert that he did not know he was a police officer, and he pulls over.
“Not only a cop, but a [expletive] Medford detective,’’ LeBert says. “You went through that [expletive] rotary.’’
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see a sign,’’ the driver says. “This is my first time. . . .”
“You’re lucky I’m a cop because I’d be beating the [expletive] out of you right now,’’ LeBert says.
Lucky it was caught on tape and he didn't have his service weapon(?).
The driver told LeBert that he had a dash cam, and the detective said he was going to seize the video because it will show the danger the man caused by driving into the rotary the wrong way.
When uniformed officers arrived, they allowed the driver to leave without a citation. Before the driver left, LeBert spoke to him one more time.
“Don’t forget to bring your dash cam, your video, of you going through the rotary the wrong way almost hitting two cars head-on, one of them being me,’’ LeBert says on the tape.
Sacco said that LeBert had a duty to act even when off duty because of the risk an impaired driver can pose to the traveling public.
But Sacco said LeBert had options that did not include confronting the driver himself, such as calling on-duty officers right away.
In the 2012 incident, LeBert approached a man who was filming him, according to a Boston.com report.
Sacco, the police chief, confirmed that LeBert was the man depicted in the video and that he was counseled on how to “act accordingly.”
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I hope it won't be a stain on the department.
I'm sure there is more to come on this so stay tuned....
NDUs: Threat video wasn’t first run-in for Medford detective
I haven't watched, and neither did anyone else based on the hits.
"Medford mayor promises ‘decisive action’ after taped stop" by John R. Ellement Globe Staff July 29, 2015
Medford Mayor Michael J. McGlynn says he is “shocked’’ by the actions of a Medford police detective who was captured on camera last weekend, allegedly saying that he could “put a hole” in the head of a motorist.
In a statement issued Tuesday, McGlynn said he supports Medford Police Chief Leo Sacco’s decision to place Detective Stephen LeBert on administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation.
“The words and behavior of the officer as shown on that video go far beyond the acceptable standards of behavior of a police officer,’’ McGlynn said in the statement. “I was fully shocked and saddened by the detective’s statements and his demeanor directed towards the driver.’’
LeBert was off duty at the time of the episode.
The motorist posted a recorded portion of the episode on YouTube shortly afterward, and it quickly drew attention around the Boston area.
The driver claimed he made a wrong turn about 10:15 p.m. Sunday in the rotary connecting Routes 38 and 60, then corrected his mistake without endangering any other vehicles, but suddenly found himself being pursued by a pickup truck.
The video shows the pickup truck pulling up on the right side of the driver’s car as they both reach High Street.
The driver says something that is unclear while LeBert says, “Now you’re done!’’ LeBert puts his truck into park, opens the door, and steps out.
LeBert wore a T-shirt and shorts. There were no police markings on his pickup truck, a personal vehicle.
LeBert reaches into his rear pockets and a side pocket as he walks toward the car, according to the video. The driver backs away, leaving LeBert in the middle of the street, holding what the chief said appeared to be his wallet badge in his left hand.
LeBert’s right hand is down by his side.
“I’ll put a hole right through your [expletive] head,’’ LeBert says in the video. “Pull your car over. I’ll put a hole right in your [expletive] head. I’ll put a hole right through your head.’’
The driver tells LeBert that he did not know he was a police officer, then he pulled over.
“Not only a cop, but a [expletive] Medford detective,’’ LeBert says. “You went through that [expletive] rotary.’’
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see a sign,’’ the driver says. “This is my first time.”
LeBert tells the motorist that he almost hit two vehicles head-on — “one of them being me’’ — while he was going the wrong way in the rotary.
In his statement, McGlynn said that as the mayor of Medford for 28 years, he believes “the vast majority of Medford police officers carry out their duties professionally and with courtesy to the public.’’
Previously, LeBert has been admonished by superiors after he was videotaped in 2012 episode blocking the camera of a man recording as Medford police officers interacted with his brother.
In that video, LeBert also tells the man that his brother should lie down in front of a train to end his substance abuse problems.
That's kind of cold, but at least there would be no shooting investigation.
McGlynn said in the statement he expects the Police Department to conduct a “fair and complete” investigation with “all deliberate speed.’’
He promised “appropriate and decisive action’’ once Sacco submits his recommendations on how the department should respond to LeBert’s actions.
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Is it mean of me to drop the coverage?
UPDATE: Take away this bully’s badge
This may be hard to believe coming from me, but I say charge him as if he were a private citizen. He was off duty.
