In numerous years, Confederate flags were displayed in various locations in and around the Roundup campground. In 1992 the same persons who ordered the sign taken down pulled the responsible person away from the car and told him to stop what he was doing. In addition to Roundup participants, OIG made significant efforts to interview the persons who alleged misconduct against the Roundup and its participants. Over the sixteen years of the Roundup, only three percent of the total estimated number of attendees were DOJ employees. In 2001 the National Center for Women Even male attendees told us that would not have wanted any female family member or friend to attend the Roundup because of how women were treated. Most people of interracial goodwill have never heard of Gene Rightmyer, the former Knoxville, Tennessee-based ATF agent who organized and led the Good Ol' Boys Roundup (Roundup) from 1980 through 1995. Download the WHAS11 News app now. We hope that our effort to deal fully and carefully with disturbing allegations against officers responsible for enforcing our federal criminal laws will promote the fair administration of justice and the public's confidence in the ability of the Department of Justice to police itself. Every law enforcement agency must decide how they are going to promote their employees. From our careful review of the evidence as to the specific allegations of racist misconduct, we found substantial credible evidence of blatantly racist signs, skits, and actions in 1990, 1992, and 1995. Rules are paramount to maintaining order and uniformity in the military. In addition to the persons who brought allegations of racism to light, OIG sought to interview persons who were identified as having committed racially offensive acts. And no DOJ employee was ever elected to be president or vice-president of the Roundup. In 1992, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, police officer competing in the Redneck of the Year contest performed a skit where he claimed to have found a watermelon which had fallen off the back of a passing truck, struck it until it broke open, and then pulled out a doll he had painted black. Information sharing is chaotic and in-group knows more about organizational agendas than everyone else. In other words, many of the law enforcement-affiliated Roundup participants who were interviewed provided investigators with less than full, candid, and truthful information. Our report describes many of the crude and disgusting incidents that were related to us during our interviews. (Government Executive Magazine, "Playing Favorites," by Brian Friel, October 2004). An exhaustive investigation and a full report of the Good O' Boy Roundup was important for several reasons. (1999). In the early years a contest called the Beer Enduro took place, requiring participants to drink a specified quantity of beer at regular intervals. During the course of this investigation OIG interviewed over 500 witnesses, including participants in the Roundup, people who were invited but did not attend, vendors to the Roundup, DOJ employees based in Southeastern offices, river raft guides, local Tennessee residents, and others. We not only had to deal with weak recollections due to the passage of time but also faulty or incomplete memories because so many participants had consumed so much alcohol during the Roundup. In response to a request of the Deputy Attorney General, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted a wide-ranging investigation to determine whether any Department of Justice (DOJ) employees had attended the Roundup and, if so, whether they engaged in or approved of racial, criminal, or other kinds of misconduct at any of the sixteen Roundups from 1980 through 1995. Tweet. For cabinet level positions, an executive will probably be drawn to experienced, qualified candidates, but historically, the lower down the ladder, the more likely for someone's brother-in-law to be slipped into a job for which he is not qualified. According to the lawsuit, LMPD eliminated Satterthwaite's position as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer without explanation. If true and if committed by DOJ law enforcement officers, we would be confronted with very serious questions about the officers' fitness to serve, their ability to discharge their law enforcement duties, and their right to wear a federal badge. We were unable to establish how long this conduct lasted or how many people may have been involved in it. Contrary to the media accounts of this incident, the black agents were not turned away from the Roundup. In insular environments, when ambiguous issues arise in meetings, there is a lack of questions that limit learning and understanding. The interview comes after the DOJ released a report on Tuesday, revealing that women make uponly 16 percent of criminal investigative jobs within the departments central investigative agencies and hold few executive leadership positions. More information about these Birmingham-area law enforcement Skinheads will be detailed in my upcoming book, "Inmate 36223-001: The Story of a Political Prisoner. However, we found no evidence linking DOJ employees to acts of public drunkenness, public lewdness, or any of the other sordid aspects of the Roundup in any specific or persistent way. Immediately after the skit, Rightmyer publicly criticized its participants but took no other action, such as ejecting them from the Roundup. 7. I look around from time to time and never cease to be amazed at how little social progress we have actually made. The initial allegations of racist conduct were made in an article in the Washington Times on July 11. good ole boy system - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums When the persons in the registration area observed the sign, it was removed. In Hayward's case, for example, the important kernels of truth contained in his 1990 videotape and in his allegation regarding a particularly egregious racist skit in 1990 were combined with other allegations that were embellishments of actual events and in many cases distortions and outright fabrications. We are disturbed that an event characterized by rampant public drunkenness, widespread public lewdness, and in later years episodes of racist conduct drew participants from DOJ and other law enforcement organizations. OIG found no evidence that any DOJ employee -- or federal employees from other agencies -- participated in such conduct. C. Findings Regarding General Allegations of Racist Nevertheless, we found that, regardless of intent, some minority agents perceived a message that they would not be welcome or considered a "good o' boy," and that indeed they might face racial intolerance and hostility if they attended. In addition to Hayward, two other witnesses had vague and indeterminate recollections of some type of racist sign being posted in the campground for a short time in 1989. Lexipol. Being a federal law enforcement officer within the Department of Justice is a privilege not a right; it can appropriately be conditioned on maintaining a proper level of behavior at all times. Ultimately, the purported eyewitness recanted his claim. In conducting this investigation, the OIG's principal purposes were (1) to determine whether DOJ employees had committed acts that might warrant sanction by their components and (2) to determine whether existing standards of conduct provide adequate guidance as they relate to off-duty conduct or whether any changes in administrative policy or practice should be made. However, the respective components may wish to consider counseling for some of their employee participants based on our findings. . The lawsuit details the process that LMPD is required to go through when promoting internally, which includes interviews and a ranking system. OIG also found insufficient evidence to conclude that a racist sign was displayed in any part of the campground during the 1989 Roundup. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. Greater punishment could be warranted, therefore, if the behavior evidenced in this investigation is part of a pattern of documented racial insensitivity. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/07/cultural-change-that-sticks, Lee, A. He contended that racist signs and an effigy of a black person were displayed at the registration desk for the entire Roundup. We essentially place or lives in each others hands. Council members, mayors, and legislators must make special efforts to ensure that they hear all sides of an issue rather than just relying on the views of the people they know. There are even those that will incite a situation in order to see how the new person responds. Former FBI agent Robyn Gritz said on Wednesday that there was a good old boys club within the premier U.S. law enforcementagencies after the Department of Justice released a report detailing gender bias in the field. In 1991, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. brought to the Roundup shirts that depicted three police officers around a police car and two persons being held face down on the hood of the car. Mississippi Is the Most Corrupt State, Says a New Study The good ole boy system. OIG received no allegations and found no evidence that any DOJ property was used to support the Roundup. CAIRO, Ga. It was Election Day in Grady County, and Sheriff Harry Young, 76, had hardly slept three hours the night before. Furthermore, because of their duty to fairly investigate and prosecute violations of the law, DOJ law enforcement officers are held to even stricter application of these standards of conduct. Unlimited access to beer twenty-four hours a day led to extreme drunkenness. The emperors new clothes.Retrieved from http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html. One of the Senate affiants alleged that during the 1990 Roundup a "drug enforcement officer" offered her some unspecified drugs in Grumpy's, a bar adjacent to the campground that was frequented by many Roundup attendees. In one photo, a group surrounding the flag are shown making obscene gestures and raising their fists in a Nazi salute. In addition to Hayward, two other witnesses had vague and indeterminate recollections of some type of racist sign being posted in the campground for a short time in 1989. This group of participants affiliated with DOJ constitutes approximately three percent of the estimated total number of attendees at the sixteen Roundups. Hayward was told he could not enter the campground unless all of these materials were removed. He was told by a Fort Lauderdale officer that "ATF fucks up everything they touch Now you are bringing niggers to the Roundup." We conclude that specific disciplinary action is not warranted for the vast majority of DOJ employees who attended the Roundup in one or more years. We hope that our effort to deal fully and carefully with disturbing allegations against officers responsible for enforcing our federal criminal laws will promote the fair administration of justice and the public's confidence in the ability of the Department of Justice to police itself. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations prohibit federal employees from engaging in "criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously disgraceful conduct prejudicial to the government." Satterthwaite claims that an unmarked vehicle conducted surveillance on his home for several days, causing him to become "disturbed, frightened, confused and anxious." We found substantial evidence that the campground was a hostile environment for women especially in the later years of the Roundup. For a period of time substantial effort was made to see who could be the most vile and disgusting. Although not raised initially as allegations, OIG found substantial credible evidence of rampant alcohol abuse and extreme cases of juvenile and shocking behavior. The Investigators: Good Ol' Boys - WAFB If someone is accused of wrongdoing, its up to a jury of their peers to determine their fate. h) Other Incidents No DOJ employee ever won Redneck of the Year, Ugliest Good O' Boy, Liar's Contest, or Beer Enduro competitions. On the other hand, simply attending a private, unofficial event at which a few participants engage in racist conduct and at which such behavior is not the purpose of the event should not, in most circumstances, merit punishment for the employee who attends. Another Ocoee area resident claimed he had requested and been handed some cocaine powder while in the campground during a Roundup in the late 1980s. On July 11, 1995, the Washington Times blew the whistle on this annual racist Roundup of law enforcement agents and their invited guests. These allegations also threatened to taint the public reputation of the agencies that employed these agents. In addition, because our evaluation of DOJ employee conduct required the fullest and most accurate reconstruction possible of what had actually occurred at the Roundup, we sought to identify as many attendees of the various Roundups as we could. The only identifying information we received was that an unspecified person from Ohio and another from Mississippi possessed one of these tapes. Do Jobs Prevent Or Deter Incarcerations? In reality, the clothes do not exist, and although swindled, the emperor himself does not admit he cannot see them, because he doesnt want to be seen as unwise. The signs were removed and destroyed. None of the allegations of criminal conduct were substantiated, although activity inappropriate for a gathering with a substantial number of law enforcement officers took place. Here's what I am working up to: it's been mentioned in many articles. Although one other witness believed he saw a T-shirt similar to the one described by Randall worn by one person at the 1995 Roundup, OIG found insufficient credible evidence that such shirts were for sale at the Roundup. These signs read, "Nigger check point," "Any niggers in that car?," and "17 lb." One particular display in 1992, captured in a photograph we obtained during the investigation, included a group surrounding the flag whose members are shown making obscene gestures and raising their fists. Both nepotism and cronyism are often at work when political parties recruit candidates for public office. Nevertheless, because the investigation established some episodes of egregious racist conduct in certain years, we tried to determine which DOJ employees attended the Roundup in those years, and whether they participated in or encouraged such conduct. Decisions that need to be made get kicked down the road and unpopular people no matter their competence have no voice. For most of the allegations, no physical or documentary evidence was available. All the latest Law Enforcement Today news, updates and alerts delivered straight to your phone or inbox. OIG interviewed every DOJ employee, current and past, who attended at least one Roundup, and many of their colleagues and supervisors, with a particular emphasis on minority employees, to determine what they knew about the Roundup. Thats just a fact of life. OIG investigated every allegation of specific racist misconduct made by Hayward, Randall, several current and former black ATF agents, and witnesses who were interviewed during the course of this investigation. T.K. Rightmyer also announced generally that everyone in law enforcement was welcome at the Roundup, and those who disagreed should leave. The last person to be able to consume the required amount without a break was the winner. 2. At the least, they may choose to recuse themselves from votes where social relationships may exert undue influence. Example video title will go here for this video. The "good ol' boy" system is when a leader unabashedly chooses favorites among their subordinates. Will Leflore and Metro Council President David James worked with LMPD for 20 years. Even male attendees told us that would not have wanted any female family member or friend to attend the Roundup because of how women were treated. Instead, it is working for those in power, which crushes ongoing momentum efforts. Once Hayward and Randall's allegations were made public, one former and several current black ATF agents made allegations that the Roundup was a "whites-only" event and that no black agents had ever been invited to attend. READ MORE: YOU LOST YOUR BEST EMPLOYEE, NOW WHAT? In 1992, two different signs were displayed at the campground. The law is clear and yet, somehow, different troops arent held to the same standard for the same crimes. All rights reserved. The Uniform Code of Military Justice is very clear. Randall was even less cooperative, refusing to answer more than a few basic questions in the presence of other militia members in late July and refusing our requests for a subsequent interview. The Interview: Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez - The Texas Observer Compounding the frustration is that these small groups of in-players are loyal to each other to the core, even when one of their members is incompetent. Indeed, we recognized that the persons who attended the Roundup may have had a motive to conceal or minimize the instances of racial or other kinds of misconduct in order to make their attendance at a Roundup appear more benign than it might have been. Furthermore, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in public hearings emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation because the allegations implicated numerous law enforcement agencies in the criminal justice system. For 1995, Randall contended that "nigger hunting licenses" were openly available on the Roundup campground. We discovered, however, a huge gap between these policies, on the one hand, and actual attendance at and perceptions about the event, on the other. Ultimately, the purported eyewitness recanted his claim. We discuss the problem of one of our State Legislators practicing Law privately and representing a subject in a high profile, double murder trial and how it raises questions for citizens, Law Enforcement and Circuit Solicitors Offices. Thus, we had a responsibility to gather as much evidence as possible on the experiences of the DOJ personnel who attended the Roundup so we could absolve the innocent as well as blame the guilty. When these allegations were first made public, the public criticism was broad and harsh. Randall also alleged that a T-shirt with a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a target superimposed over his face, was offered for sale. Moreover, OIG interviewed residents in the area near where the Roundup was held to learn what relevant evidence they might possess. He eventually parked his car off to the side, removed the offensive clothing, and was permitted to enter. A second sign, this one reading, "nigger checkpoint," was reported to have been posted across from the registration area early on the morning the Roundup began. John F. Kennedy, for example, appointed his brother Robert as attorney general. In our view, the existing standards of conduct are broad enough to regulate off-duty conduct when it could impair the effectiveness of DOJ employees or bring discredit on their employing agency. The caption read, "Boyz on the Hood." Dallas Police Association president calls for end of 'good ole boy' system of promoting officers to top ranks By Scott Goldstein 11:34 AM on May 14, 2012 CDT Dallas police leaders have been. 1 . We conclude that specific disciplinary action is not warranted for the vast majority of DOJ employees who attended the Roundup in one or more years. Intent and a "Whites-only" Policy Substantiated Allegations Half of the DOJ participants did not go to any Roundups after 1988 -- a significant fact because no egregious racist misconduct was alleged to have occurred prior to 1989. g) Display of Confederate Flag DOJ regulations also prohibit employees from engaging in "disrespectful conduct." OIG identified forty-four past or present DOJ employees who attended at least one Roundup. However, in an investigation that examined events occurring over a sixteen-year period and involving well in excess of 1,000 participants, we cannot be sure that we have uncovered every objectionable incident. Although not raised initially as allegations, OIG found substantial credible evidence of rampant alcohol abuse and extreme cases of juvenile and shocking behavior. In the public sphere, favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism also undermine the common good. The Gallup Organization has extensively studied work engagement, with one of the best measures of work engagement being connected to the Gallup Q12 survey, which asks whether people in your organization care for you, develop you, and respect your opinion. Nevertheless, we found that, regardless of intent, some minority agents perceived a message that they would not be welcome or considered a "good o' boy," and that indeed they might face racial intolerance and hostility if they attended. Connections, networking, family-almost everyone has drawn on these sources of support in job hunting in the private spherre. Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. In the public sphere, favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism also undermine the common good. Racists Vandalized LeBrons Los Angeles Home. In the fourth installment of dark leadership that impedes the best in leadership, we will examine the failures of the insular leader and how they negatively impact police organizations. And in many cases, DOJ employees acted as one would hope they would -- they saw an event marked by excessive alcohol consumption and puerile behavior and never returned. . We believe we have developed a fair and accurate picture of what occurred. Understanding the Dark Side of Leadership - Law Enforcement Today He also alleged that ATF agents surrounded cars entering the campground and shouted, "Got any niggers in that car?" We believe that such off-duty responsibilities are not well-understood by many DOJ employees. . Harvard professor Barbara Kellerman has identified seven types of bad leaders, and by ignoring bad leadership people undermine good leadership (Johnson, 2012). For 1989, we received numerous allegations of racist conduct, most of which were made by Richard Hayward. He eventually evened out at FCC, a level 3/4 facility. Several women in law enforcement who attended the Roundup reported feeling uncomfortable due to the vulgarity and demeanor of the male attendees. They will try ordering you around, like they're in a position to do so. The phrase used by the persons engaged in the activity was "checking cars for niggers." Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley reacts to comment Democrat Stacey In our view, this employee demonstrated poor judgment that falls below applicable standards because he attended the Roundup after knowing of racist incidents at the event and his other actions evinced a toleration for, and encouragement of, such racist behavior. Year-to-date through October 23, 2020, the numbers were already at 632 calls. Standout: The groundbreaking new strengths assessment from the leader of the strengths revolution. The accounts of nudity reported to us included men on their way to and from the showers, women dancers, women baring their chests, a retired officer exposing himself with his badge displayed on his penis, people pulling trousers off other attendees, and other similar behavior.
