Tapes, officers say suspended police chief used questionable tactics

Tapes, officers say suspended police chief used questionable tactics

While the sudden suspension of CSU Police Chief Dexter Yarbrough last month came as another shocking challenge facing a transitioning administration, several campus officers say his absence comes as a breath of fresh air to the department -- putting what several independent sources called his "reign of terror" on hiatus.

Listing numerous accusations of improprieties ranging from falsifying police documents, to mandating the special treatment of student athletes, to teaching students illegal police tactics, several timid police officers say the President's Office had plenty of alarming evidence to take action long ago but turned a blind eye to a handful of alleged abuses of power.

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Audio recordings of his class lecture turned into OEOD and Penley last year demonstrate what many allege and describe as the chief's rogue and potentially illegal police tactics.

In one classroom lecture in spring 2008, Yarbrough advised his students -- including many aspiring police officers -- to provide illicit drugs to informants as payment for information.

"We may decide to give the informant 10 of those (crack cocaine) rocks. OK," Yarbrough said to his criminal investigations class, for which he is additionally compensated as an adjunct instructor.

In the recording, one student sought clarification on the chief's advice, saying:

"So if a police officer gives an informant 10 rocks of crack, and they end up in the hospital, are they responsible for it at that point? … Because I could just say the police gave it to me?"

To the student's question, Yarbrough responded:

"Let me tell you what I would do: You give it to them, but you let them know that, hey, if you get caught with this, you know, don't say my name. Or if they get sick or something, I never gave them those (drugs).

"Didn't I tell you guys that sometimes the police lie? Didn't I tell you guys that? If I didn't, there you go."

In another recording, Yarbrough alluded that sometimes police should cut corners because "if you want the police to play fair, the police can play fair. OK. But watch out when you go out at night, and watch your crime rates go up. The police can play fair. Do you really want the police to do that?"

In a later lecture, the chief, who was a Chicago policeman prior to entering academia, said sometimes excessive and violent force against a suspect is a "reality of law enforcement."

"If there's a news conference going on, I can't get in front of a crowd and say. 'He got exactly what the f*** he deserved.' You know the police should have beat him, you know. I used to beat ass when I was in Chicago, too. I can't say that.

"I'd have to say, 'Well, you know we're going to have to look into this matter seriously … all of our officers, we like to think that they operate with the utmost integrity and ethics … All of that sh** sounds good. That sh** sounds real good, but in the back of my mind, damn. He got popped. If he would have done it the way we used to do it in Chi town (Chicago), man, none of this sh** would have happened."

Larimer County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson says providing drugs to informants is never acceptable, regardless of the outcome for a police investigation.

"I would certainly look at it in this jurisdiction very suspiciously," Abrahamson said. "There is no legal defense for that transaction, and I know that our local law enforcement does not condone that sort of activity."

The tapes were recorded by Aaron Gropp, a 38-year-old graduate student and former Larimer County Sheriff's deputy. Gropp said he began recording lectures after what he called "asinine" and "wrong" statements from Yarbrough, including what he thought to be sexual harassment and possible admission of criminal culpability.

"He constantly said things that were illegal," Gropp said. "… I was flabbergasted. He just completely dissolved and undermined the credibility of every officer at CSU."

The lecture that inspired him to gather recordings, Gropp said, was one in which he says Yarbrough told the class "women want the dick, even when they say 'no.' They want the dick."

Click on the link for the full article and links to audio and documentation

Wow, I'm surprised this story didn't generate more of a reaction. Especially with quotes like this:

The lecture that inspired him to gather recordings, Gropp said, was one in which he says Yarbrough told the class "women want the dick, even when they say 'no.' They want the dick."

I just started reading it...we're all inundated w/ politics today China!

ok...wow. I don't even know what to say. I can say that at our state police academy, I never heard anything of the sort.

It's pieces of **** like this that give cops a bad name.

He actually said all that **** like it was no big deal? lol :doh:...what a buffoon.

What does CSU stand for, btw?

Shocking.

..

Is CSU anything like CTU?

He actually said all that **** like it was no big deal? lol :doh:...what a buffoon.

What does CSU stand for, btw?

I assume CSU stands for Colorado State University since the article is from the Rocky Mountain Collegian.

I assume CSU stands for Colorado State University since the article is from the Rocky Mountain Collegian.

Watch nothing happen to him

Are people more surprised by what he said... or the fact that he would say it publically like he did? Personally I'm not even a little surprised that a cop would say or think any of that... well ok the "even if they say no" comment doesn't strike me as typical. But the other stuff? The kicking ass and never admitting it, bribing informans, etc etc... not surprised one bit.

I'm not surprised by him thinking or talking about it.