Documents obtained by a D.C.-based civil rights group, the
Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, show that the D.C. police high-speed
escort of Charlie Sheen violated police General Orders. The Washington
D.C. police department used police cruisers as emergency vehicles at
speeds of at least 80 miles per hour to escort Charlie Sheen from Dulles
Airport in Virginia to his show in Washington, D.C. on April 19, 2011.
Apparently, arriving in his private jet, Sheen was late for his
performance and D.C.'s Homeland Security and Special Operations Division
authorized and approved the high speed escort.
The police
Teletype made available today by the PCJF states that police may not use
their vehicles as emergency vehicles outside of the District of
Columbia except "while engaged in the fresh pursuit of a fleeing felon.
... When responding on an assignment, no vehicle shall be operated at a
speed greater than ten miles per hour in excess of the posted speed
limit, except when operating an emergency vehicle in pursuit of a
felon." These documents were obtained by the PCJF in litigation against
the MPD, and are available here at www.dcmpd.org.
"This shows a
shameful disregard for the lives and safety of area residents and an
unprofessional interest in serving celebrity clientele," stated Mara
Verheyden-Hilliard, Executive Director and attorney with the PCJF.
"Not
only is the MPD apparently using DC taxpayer resources to act as a
private security service for celebrities, in so doing they are risking
the lives of the residents of DC and the surrounding region," stated
Carl Messineo, Legal Director of the PCJF. "How many lives is the MPD
willing to risk with a high speed escort simply because Charlie Sheen
can't manage himself and is late to his own show?" he commented.
Police
testimony in 2004 revealed that the high cost and tragic results of
police cruisers driven at high speeds. "Research has found that 40% of
all police pursuits result in some type of police collision, 20% in
personal injury, and 1% in death." MPD testified against the expansion
of authority to engage in high-speed police activities.
The
Partnership for Civil Justice Fund has filed a Freedom of Information
Act demand with the DC Metropolitan Police Department seeking records
and communications related to the deployment of police services for the
purpose of providing a high-speed escort to celebrity Charlie Sheen. The
FOIA demand is available here.
PCJF attorneys who are experts in D.C. police conduct are available for interviews.