Rudovsky comdemns corruption in Phila. P.D.

Mumia Abu-Jamal's lawyer offered suggestions to curb racism in the 39th District Police Department. Law Professor David Rudovsky blasted recent corruption scandals in the Philadelphia Police Department yesterday, as part of a lecture series sponsored by the Philomathean Society. He focused on charges of racism facing the department's 39th District headquarters. The allegations, stemming from incidents discovered two years ago, say the district's officers -- primarily in the narcotics division -- framed their suspects and conducted false arrests, improper searches and violent acts against them. The framed suspects -- one of whom spent three years in jail after officers planted drugs in her home -- were all black or Hispanic. Rudovsky is no stranger to police department controversy. He is one of a team of lawyers representing Mumia Abu-Jamal, a black reporter sent to death row for killing a police officer 15 years ago. Abu-Jamal's case has become something of a cause celebre, as his supporters have lodged protests claiming city officials framed him and conspired to prevent him from receiving a fair trial. In discussing the 39th District case, Rudovsky lamented the apparent acceptance of inappropriate behavior there. Noting that no one questioned one officer with 25 civilian complaints against him until a recent investigation began, Rudovsky said many officers felt such practices were acceptable. "The department basically implied, 'You can do whatever you want and we won't punish you,' " Rudovsky said. "The courts said, 'You can do whatever you want and we'll believe you.' " The city paid nearly $4 million in damages for the police abuse. Yet Rudovsky said city officials seemed unconcerned. "This was not an incentive for change," Rudovsky said. "It was seen as the price of doing business." Following threats of a lawsuit from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peopled and other organizations -- including Rudovsky's law firm -- the city began reforming the police department. The department is now in the process of initiating several new policies, some of which are based on recommendations from Los Angeles and New York departments. One of the changes Rudovsky discussed is upgrading a database of search warrants and arrests in all police divisions, which will help monitor officers' actions. Poor record keeping created difficulties in overseeing officers in the 39th District, he said. Because the squad's records were not computerized, it was hard to determine if many civilians lodged complaints against an officer. And the squad did not document officer violence or categorize incidents by race, making it difficult for outsiders to prove discrimination, Rudovsky charged. "Having the right data gives the department more power in knowing the problems that are around," Rudovsky said. The upgraded computer system will also make it easier to identify abusive officers, he explained. Every time an officer's use of unusual force requires a civilian to get medical attention, the department will complete a separate form that will be recorded in the database. If an officer has used an excessive amount of force over a given time period, the department can take disciplinary action. Other methods of reform include random checking of informants and the appointment of an integrity officer, he said. Complainants can also monitor the reforms over the next two years. Rudovsky began his career as a public defendant during the 1970s, and he currently sits on the board of trustees of the American Civil Liberties Union. He said he has always been interested in cases challenging the misuse of authority. "I guess it all stemmed from rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers as an underdog," Rudovsky joked. Philomathean Society member Josh Marcus, a College junior, said he learned a lot from Rudovsky's speech. "It was interesting to hear the nuts and bolts of how police reform has actually begun to slowly come about," Marcus said. "It's an important issue because there's such widespread abuse in the city and it's often swept under the carpet and not addressed."