Again with the Tow Trucks?
Many tow truck drivers are among the shadiest of operators we've ever met. Sorry if that offends any towing companies, but why would anyone do anything except keep these guys at arms length in any dealings?
A Chicago police officer was arrested today as part of an ongoing investigation by federal officials into police pocketing bribes to steer work to tow truck drivers, an FBI spokesman said.
The arrest was made late today and officials expect to release details on Wednesday, said [...] an FBI spokesman.
The officer was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, [an FBI spokesman] said. [He] said he could not give details of the arrest or give the officer's name or other information until the charges were unsealed in federal court.
Job gone, pension gone, prison time looming, all for how many hundreds of bucks? Maybe a few thousand at most? And all while everyone and their brother knew the feebs were looking at towing companies.
Labels: scandals
posted by SCC at 12:03 AM
62 Comments:
If the allegations are true then fuck him!
"...all for how many hundreds of bucks? Maybe a few thousand at most?"
Good to see the G going after the big fish!
Easy pickins, rather than something more complicated like indicting Tricky Dick Daley.
They say the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.
Maybe he thought the Feds WEREN'T watching anymore after doing so for years. Maybe he thought those tow truck drivers could be trusted. Using this logic, maybe I'll wake up surrounded by Bunnies at The Mansion in the morning.
Some people just don't get it. Don't know when to say "when", when to call it a day, when to throw in the towel, when to cut their losses, when to say "Uncle" or when to wave the white flag.
There are far too many reasons to even begin to digest as to why people do the things they do - especially things that have veritable life-ending consequences.
Life, and being on this job in particular, is a daily gambling excursion. Why anyone with half a brain would want to double-down on the next hand is beyond me.
I wonder how many coppers are sweating the term "ongoing investigation" right about now.
Hey, The City Treasurer gets to invest our pension funds in company's that toss her campaign contributions.....
...what's the difference?
"Many tow truck drivers are among the shadiest of operators we've ever met. Sorry if that offends any towing companies, but why would anyone do anything except keep these guys at arms length in any dealings?" -- SCC
Amen. Example -- North Shore Towing = North Shore Taxi = North Shore Salvage, all run out of that scrap yard next to the channel up there -- the one with the huge Dobermans trying to get over the counter at the customer. St. Francis Hospital in Evanston has direct "courtesy phones" in the lobby that link right to North Shore, so that your elderly post-op relative on the way home can be driven in circles miles out of her way and terrorized by some semi-coherent, unshaven drunk cabbie.
Auto accident? EPD calls a tow for the car and a cab for the driver, if he's inna condition.
Such a business. Arf! Arf!
Hey,
look at the bright side. If convicted this stellar officer won't be drawing any money from our pension funds.
I'm a glass half full kind of guy.
For everyone who's about to say "innocent till proven guilty," save it. This moron and others like him continue to be selfish pricks. He has screwed himself, and every other honest copper with his petty bullshit. Not to mention his family. Fuck him. I hope he rolls on other dirty fucks and they still throw the book at him.
There will always be bad apples. Just don't let 'em spoil the rest...
From personal experience I've learned that tow truck drivers or "re-lo-s" can be very shady. Long time ago I realized not to even engage these people in conversation when they show up on scene of accidents, etc. Go through proper channels or just do your tow report paper work. They want to be "friendly" to your face but they will turn on you in a minute. Do not trust these people, or even speak to them when dealing with a towing or relocating issue. This is not to mention that half the tow truck drivers are felons, or people who have criminal backgrounds, and a ton are also driving on suspended or revoked licenses. If they aren't going to screw you they are screwing the poor drivers who are confused during accidents and scam them into thinking they will "help" for money and insurance fraud schemes.
Are you kiddin me?! Are you stupid?! Oh wait, you must be! Have fun in the federal joint office!
Many more to come. Idiots.
Now maybe after spending all of their resources in this towing scam the FBI can now begin investigating the Daley, Degnan and Joyce crime operation.
shaking head
pretty stupid
There has been more than one tow truck-related scandal through the years. When will people learn?
why now? this stuff has been sitting around for 3+ years. im questioning the timing.
Notice it only involves cops who work in Area 5...
Yet, the Feds can't get Mayor Daley and company with all of the millions of dollars being steered, pocketed and bribed and even let the Mayor's kid escape to Russia to live with no extradition treaty?!
They focus on a guy that took a few hundred dollars? How much did this investigation costs to get one lowly fish?
A hundred thousand in manpower alone, I'll bet!
Way to waste money Feds!
Grow some balls and go after City Hall 5th floor, if you dare!
I'll give any policeman the benefit of the doubt on judgement calls and split second decisions but stupid shit like this I can't feel bad for them. Get your head outta your ass stupid.
There are no words to describe what type of moron would do this in this day and age.
I don't get it, I just don't understand this. Why?
I can't mess with these a-holes enough. They drive like they're an emergency vehicle-they are not, they swarm around accident scenes like vultures-which they are, they seldom have the proper equipment to complete their job-which they don't and they tend to be bottom feeders. But, I tend to generalize. Sorry, let's talk about cabbies...
You are out of your mind if you take anything of value on the street from anybody.
The tow chasers are pretty good up in my neck of the woods, they stay away, leave if you tell them and will clear the street of the cars without demanding the tow.
Many times they are on the scene before you get there.
My wife got into a wreck in a suburb, her car was hooked by the "official" tow of the suburb without her even being allowed to get her own wrecker. It cost me over $300 for the tow and I still had to have the car towed from their tow yard to my body shop. The feds ought to look into that.
There's more to the story,,,lying to the feds, actually soliciting the cash payment, trying to cover up, calling another tow driver to discuss the case.
He's in more trouble for lying and covering up than for the actual money.
I don't see why officer's call for these tow guys over the air to do relo's or let them stay on scene at accidents. Most of these guys aren't even properly licensed by the ICC to be towing. Lock these guys up if they come on scene and solicit business and tow their trucks as prisoner property.
When ever a driver asks about towing, I tell them to call their insurance company for a recommendation and get everything in writing first.
As or the tow drivers, I tell them to move their trucks and park them legally. I've written many a parker on the goofs that claim they are emergency vehicles. A quick cell phone photo of the truck parked wrong for a little insurance.
Gotta make your own fun out there.
Earth to fuckheads:
The investigation is ON GOING per Chicago Breaking News. Hence, IT IS STILL GOING ON. So QUIT FUCKING AROUND. THe Feds have tow truck drivers working undercover.
OT
I'd like to see the feds have agents working undercover as defendants in criminal cases, and have the agents record corrupt lawyers concoct defenses for their clients.
This was all going down before the Blago thing held it up.
My seniority just went up again!!!! Thanks Mr. Hey Kid that's not how we do it! No JACKASS! This is how I do not do it and keep my pension, self respect and family name.
Jody have your Fed buddies stop in the fifth floor and look into Mr. this is the first I am hearing about this? Daley...
O wait he pays you how much, over $300,000 a year to live in this schity and an expense account plus a car? Is that not hush money maybe?
Jody your a tow truck driver in disguise...
Feds equivalent of a DOPW arrest.
Sounds like he will need this guy.
http://www.bettercallsaul.com/
For the Feds, this is just like a tac guy taking a shoplifter. A Part 1 but what a Part 1.
Do they still keep track of that nonsense?
old retired guy
4 years later they go and pinch him? A lot of people are sweating bullets right about now. Isn't that right boys and girls over in OCD. The feds are coming!
Anonymous said...
Notice it only involves cops who work in Area 5...
6/30/2010 08:42:00 AM
nothing pissed me off more after car breaking down in the west loop than waiting for car dealers tow truck who was chased down & warned about "not being allowed to be on this side of Lake St." Is Area 4 next up? I wondered why certain po's had a bug up their ass for tow trucks along Halsted. All the G is doing is looking at the CR files, all the players are right there.
Robert Grant said :" Your either on the train or on the tracks"
When are the FEDS going to go after Daley & co? When???????
Stop going after the small fish and go for the sharks.
Anonymous said...
"...all for how many hundreds of bucks? Maybe a few thousand at most?"
Good to see the G going after the big fish!
Easy pickins, rather than something more complicated like indicting Tricky Dick Daley.
******************************************************
Hey Fuck you! These assholes were holding cars for ransom. Telling people they had no choice but to have the tow truck tow their car, even on drivable accidents. I have no compassion for thieves!!!
SSSOOOO!!! STOOPID!
Can I get an event number squad?!
CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON GUN ORDINANCE FRIDAY JUL 2, 2010
OT: Daley and his crime family would hate to be confronted by any armed citizens fed up with their thievery. That is the reason he is against guns. Criminal don't care about rules/laws and daley knows this. This is why all ordiances created since dick has been in office affects the law abiding citizen only. Criminal respect other criminal at the top of their game, so they are the one's who will vote for lil dick next election. Politians, Judges and ASA's are all apart of what's wrong with the system.
>Politicians fail to create common sense laws.
>Judges fail to sentence repeat offenders. Only 1st time misdemeanor are sentenced fully.
>ASA's fail to prosecute without a full confession. They only persue cases involving police and 1st time offenders.
..all for how many hundreds of bucks? Maybe a few thousand at most?"
Good to see the G going after the big fish!
Easy pickins, rather than something more complicated like indicting Tricky Dick Daley.
________________________
Can't indict their number one informant.
This happens in 2006...
These tow drivers are nothing but a bunch of fucking buccaneers.
These assholes have Police scanners in their trucks and often beat us to a crash scene.
We shoo them like the flies they are.
These officers were just plain STUPID! period. Full stop.
Sometimes for stupid shit to stop, it should be painful!
Even back in the day in 011 there was A LOT OF CHIT-CHAT of funny shit going on with the G trying to hook up Coppers. Up to and including playing "footsie" with the buccaneers (or dope boys etc.) and "random" cars left unattended with curious amounts of U.S. currency found in them. Of course the locals would 'fess up that the Feds who dropped the cars said they were trolling for Coppers.
Like another poster said, (and not that we would EVER condone such) "this isn't 1975..."
Lather... Rinse... Repeat... Stay Safe!
are these guys fucking stupid... every 4 months one of these guys gets picked off... way to sell your soul to the devil for a few hundred bucks, most of these drivers are shady fucks, a few are gang bangers.. have fun in the booty house
J.W. was never a Rhodes scholar. He blew his career over tow trucks. How stupid.
How stupid can u be damn I been on the job 5yrs and they busted a few cops on this crap already think smarter not harder.... moving along
The funniest part is that we have people (pols) stealing millions and the best the G can get is coppers stealing a few hundred. I guess they are about as competent as the ASA's.
You guys need a serious lesson in how the "feebs" operate. Trolling for coppers is not the game. When a specific name is mentioned, it starts there. Maybe if some of you turned your back on the guys who have to worry about that 6am wake up knock there'd be a lot less paranoia amongst us!
Did anyone ever think that maybe Daley is doing his impersonation of the Jack Nicholson role in the movie 'The Departed'?
Daley could selling out everyone to the feds to save his and his sons own skins. And, maybe JFled was a plant by the feds and Daley had to hire him.
And, word is Patrick 'The New Batters' Daley is giving out inside information to his Army buddies to help them score some big paydays in Chicago.
Also, why can't the CPD police themselves?
The 'tow truck scamming cop' is just another blemish on the badge. Forget saying 99% of the CPD aren't bad cops and 1% spoil things for the rest of the CPD, it's more like only 80/20 these days
I thought a poster initially said there were two PO's (JW & JP)arrested.
Was there two or just one this time?
it doesn't seem like he was strong arming the tow driver .... it was a "business partnership" no?
what's wrong with that?
this is like the parking ticket of the federal system
this guy must be crazy ... I'm sticking to dealing with the funeral homes .... SHEESH
Free Bill Cozzi. The punishment doesn't fit the crime. Bring Bill home. He has been incarcerated long enough. Free Bill Cozzi NOW. Its the right thing to do.
There's a reason they're tow truck drivers. Well, actually a couple of reasons.....They're thieving, junkie felons and chop shop work is good money and of course the carnivals just aren't hiring like they used to.
You guys need a serious lesson in how the "feebs" operate. Trolling for coppers is not the game. When a specific name is mentioned, it starts there. Maybe if some of you turned your back on the guys who have to worry about that 6am wake up knock there'd be a lot less paranoia amongst us!
7/01/2010 12:20:00 AM
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I don't know what you're talking about - am I am pretty sure no one else does either - go away now
The 'tow truck scamming cop' is just another blemish on the badge. Forget saying 99% of the CPD aren't bad cops and 1% spoil things for the rest of the CPD, it's more like only 80/20 these days
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I expect the public to be dumb - but not you.
The reason we look bad is youtube, video cameras, the internet, etc., meaning, ya we have our problems but each and every one is magnified. We are out there, visible. Manage to put a camera of all the inner workings of Congress, or the Marines in Iraq and you will see a whole lot of blemishes, but those blemishes were always there, now they are not hidden.
Get a fucking clue.
You ever talk to an old-timer in depth? You see many watch commanders shaking down taverns in 2010 do ya? How many cops you know taking $ on traffic stops? Think maybe quite a few did in in 1962 or so?
You are fucking lost. We are bizarrely legit nowadays. That's why this job is so fucking boring.
80/20 my ass. GOOF.
Every other occupation is hidden. Ours is right there to be gawked at. We are getting better, WAY BETTER. We are just going through grwoing pains, that's all.
what a dummy. He was warned a long time ago to stop with the tow trucks by the bosses..looks like he didn t listen.Short another copper in 14..
U put your livelihood and career in the hands of "Felons"!
I have no pity on thee!
Da Pelon
tow truck drivers are vultures on wheels. they are as bad as these street informants. beware...dealing with the devil will get you a pitchford in the ass!
the fbi poked a few traffic cops in 014 for small time shit but they can't get daley who has been stealing for 20 years----
HERE IS TWO FOR THE BOOKS!
I have been victimized twice, one was when they towed my daughters car off Harlem & 58th/59th just north of the R-R-Tracks. The car stalled and a Summit-Police showed up behind her car and through his loud-bull-horn told her to stay in her car! He then walked up and told her that she has to move her car(da! it can't stay on Harlem)due to traffic! At 10ish there was hardly any heavy traffic.(did not offer to help, push, or let her call for tow?).
Walks back to his suv and sit's there until Kustom-Tow from Summit shows up within minutes and pulls in front of my daughters car? The tow guy walks past my daughter and starts talking with the police for a few minutes until my daughter get's out to see what is going on?
They tell her to stay in her car until the tow guy walks up to my daughters car window and ask if she has $100.00-cash on her and that he would tow here home which was just around the corner at 63rd & Sayer. When she said she did not have any money she told him if he could tow her home or to the shop on Central & 63rd and would get the money from her dad. He then told her that if she did not have any money then and now, he would have the car towed to the Kustom-Pvt.-Tow Pound and that she would now have to pay for storage, tow, in the amount of $270.00 plus $5.00 for using a credit-card, $275.00!
I suppose asking for money like that does/is a violation under 625 ILCC 5/11-006(b) which is for soliciting or Business on a roadway (possibly a class A misd), I have submitted complaints to everyone but no response as of this comment,(this incident occurred in fall of 2009).
HERE IS TWO FOR THE BOOKS,PG.2-OF-2
Incident#2), Having said that I also had my Box-RV-Truck towed from a location near my home by E&R to 103rd & Doty and when I went down to bail it out of the pound I realized that they said to have towed it from in front of my home when in fact it was towed from around the corner of my home where it was parked when towed!! They also said it was towed because it was towed as an abandon veh(it has all registration up to date, city, state, and insurance)no tickets ever on veh, no other violation ever! They were still able to tow it! I have since had a hearing and was given a refund for the full amount minus the bull i had to go through to getting it back over a period of two days costing me $375.00. All police-officers know that if we didn't have our stuff properly registered we would catch hell for it!
Every tow truck driver should be checked for proper towing, registration, insurance, etc., you would probably get weapons, drugs, theft of veh, poss of stolen veh, and who knows what else.
REMEMBER to stay safe and always be careful on any kind of traffic-stop regardless, you want to make sure you go home safe to your families.
7/09/2010 12:57:57 AM
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