Police Brutality Happy Hour: Redux?

By Randy LoBasso
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 3 | Posted Apr. 8, 2010

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Keep your schedules open because we feel like the Philadelphia Police Department has another happy hour in the works. All things considered, this one should have more booze, more snacks and, possibly, exotic dancers. This we allege.

That's 'cause the Police Department has got another lawsuit on their hands and if things go as they have in the past for the cop involved, it’ll be time to helium up those balloons, clown-paint your face and booze it up like there’s no tomorrow.

On March 26, Officer Thomas Schaffling left a Tacony after-hours club about 3 a.m. and couldn’t find his car. Two men, not affiliated with the off-duty cop, were getting into their own car, and Schaffling allegedly kicked and busted a fog light on their vehicle. Then, allegedly, Schaffling told them he was a cop and threatened to kill the duo.

A man who lives nearby told the Daily News he heard someone say, “You don't know who you're messing with. I could kill you.” Then, allegedly, Schaffling began firing his gun at the men, one of which suffered a grazed bullet under his arm and was treated at Aria Health's Frankford campus.

Paul Messing, an attorney representing the two men (who are suing Schaffling, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and officers who responded to the shooting) told the Daily News: “He was just firing wildly…He seemed to be firing [bullets] all over the place and in their direction. It was just good fortune and Schaffling's state of intoxication that no one was killed.”

Thank God he was shitfaced. Allegedly.

Normally, with such one-sided facts in a case like this, we wouldn’t be planning a victory happy hour, say, down at the Fraternal Order of Police near Broad and Spring Garden. But, well, we’ll just let the Daily News explain what Officer Schaffling has – allegedly – gotten out of in the past:

“During his more than seven years on the force, Schaffling, 26, has amassed at least 14 citizen complaints, mostly for allegations of excessive force. He's also been at the center of several high-profile police calamities, including the Fox 29 videotaped beating of three shooting suspects; a baby-shower debacle in which officers allegedly used pepper spray and struck women and children; and the handcuffing and near-arrest of state Rep. Jewell Williams, D-North Philadelphia,” they write.

“In each incident, citizens alleged that Schaffling brandished a gun or baton and threatened to "kill you mother f---ers" or "blow your f---ing head off." In the end, most citizens got locked up, while Schaffling escaped discipline.”

Cheers!

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1. Anonymous said... on Apr 8, 2010 at 03:18PM

“This gives the situation more clarity, its obvious that the police dept. is taking care of their own...”

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2. Anonymous said... on Apr 8, 2010 at 05:37PM

“did this guy beat 3 black guys for shooting somebody,they got off, so did this cop, well now we know the black guys we really innocent, this is former da abrahms fault she made phila popo,Gods, power corrupts, greed destroys, most cops do it for power ,i seen one cop make a black man bark like a dog for 10 mins because the cop felt like taking the mans dignity, i really wanted to report this cop but he threated say i assulted a cop ,”

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3. Anonymous said... on Apr 9, 2010 at 08:04AM

“get this guy off the force. he's an insult to the badge.”

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