Police Sergeant Admits to Hitting Protesters with Police Vehicle
Sergeant Brags About Police Violence
(MA) – Boston Police Department sergeant, Clifton McHale was caught on another officer’s body camera, admitting to hitting protesters with his police vehicle. The incident happened In the early morning hours of June 1. Boston residents had been protesting the killing of George Floyd on May 31, with the protests continuing overnight.
In the video below, Sgt. McHale is standing with a group of officers when another officer walks up. As the officer is walking up, Sgt. McHale turns toward him, starts laughing, then starts telling the newly arrived officer about what had transpired until he gets to the point where he says, “I’m fucking hitting people with the car.”
The newly arrived officer immediately turns away from Sgt. McHale and taps McHale on the head as he walks away, trying to get him to stop talking. He turns in circle and comes back as the group of officers are looking at him. He then says, “This thing is on,” letting Sgt. McHale know his comments were recorded. McHale tries to cover himself by saying he didn’t really hit anyone, but it’s too late. You can tell he realizes he screwed up.
Sergeant Placed On Leave
The Boston Police Department is refusing to release the identity of the sergeant who was bragging about hitting protesters with his police vehicle, but according to the Daily Beast article, “Two sources cited by the Globe identified the sergeant as Clifton McHale.”
Boston.com writes,
“According to Boston police officials, the department has launched an internal investigation based off the videos and has placed a sergeant involved on administrative leave. The department has not identified the sergeant and have not indicated whether the sergeant seen on video is the one who is now on leave.”
Suspended for Sexual Assault
Every officer should know by now that when something happens, all your other dirty laundry is going to come out. It turns out that using his vehicle to strike people is not McHale’s first infraction. In 2005 a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her. McHale had been working a part-time job when he saw a woman who was highly intoxicated. According to Boston. com,
“On July 17, 2005, McHale was in uniform and working a paid detail at The Purple Shamrock near Faneuil Hall when he offered to drive a woman he met to her hotel in an unmarked police cruiser, according to the Globe. McHale, however, stopped in an alleyway instead of heading directly to the hotel, according to an internal police investigation cited by the newspaper. The woman reported to authorities that she passed out and found McHale assaulting her when she came to, the Globe reported.”
As frequently happens when women are sexually assaulted while passed out, the rapist claims it was consensual. That’s exactly what McHale did and the prosecutors didn’t feel they had enough evidence to say otherwise so he was not charged. McHale did agree to a 1-year unpaid suspension.
Officers Stupidly Throw Away Their Careers
Clifton McHale is a 23-year veteran with the Boston Police Department. In 2019 Sergeant McHale had a base pay of $118,572. That’s base pay. It doesn’t count any overtime he made or what he made in part-time jobs. It never ceases to amaze me how so many officers can have a good paying job that gives them good benefits, good retirement, authority and respect and yet they are so careless with that job. Officer after officer has not only risked his career, but in many cases, his freedom. The reasons vary, but in general, it comes down to arrogance. The belief that they can do whatever they want. Maybe McHale felt he was protected since “his father is a former Boston police deputy superintendent.” Or maybe, like so many others, his need to exert dominance exceeds his common sense and decency.
I guess we’ll have to wait to see if the Boston Police Department will act to stop excessive force and deadly conduct by their officers.