Backstabber Report

Denver’s Manager of Safety Ron Perea Backstabs Public Re Cop Beating Video

On a snowy night back in April, 2009, two friends got in trouble after drinking at a local bar. One of the young men, Shaun Johnson, had used the woman’s bathroom and got into an altercation with the bouncers. Both he and Michael Deherrera then left the premises. They soon found themselves in the presence of police and Shaun Johnston was beaten and arrested.

While’s Shaun’s arrest was taking place Michael Deherrera called his father from about 10 feet away. A deputy sheriff, Michael’s father wasn’t sure what was happening. “They’re beating Shaun!,” was what Michael kept repeating.

Moments later, Michael Deherrera was grabbed, hit by Officer Sparks and beaten, as well – hit at least 9 times with a steel bar covered by leather, which used to be referred to as a “black jack” and is part of standard equipment issued to police. The phone connection remained open and Michael’s father could hear expletives and a final comment by someone that they had to get rid of the phone because they had made a video. Michael ended up in the hospital, bloodied, face swollen, with stitches and chipped teeth resulting from his beating.

Though there is far more to this story than a simple beating caught on video from a Denver street HALO camera (Michael Deherrera was not making a video) and Officer Sparks filing a totally fabricated report of the incident, focus must be given to Denver’s Manager of Safety, Ron Perea.

You have to wonder how safe Denver really is with a man like Ron Perea in charge of decisions that determine disciplinary action against rogue police officers who use excessive force.

Manager of Safety Ron Perea wrote in his report that the “video alone is inflammatory, however when the entirety of the situation” is known the officers should not be fired.

“When you look at it in its entirely, and see what occurred, I don’t believe the officers acted excessively,” Perea said.

So, let’s look at it in it’s entirety, including the official report filed by the officers.

The officers claimed DeHerrera had tried to hit one officer, but the video refutes that claim.

They suggest the suspect bladed his body and clenched his right fist. Well, what he did is he turned his body and lifted his cell phone with his right hand. In fact, while that hand is holding the phone his other hand is holding the arm of the hand holding the phone.

In fact, the video proves the officers were lying point-by-point.

Officers claimed DeHerrera was standing “one foot” away from the incident, interfered with the arrest and officers had to repeatedly tell him to get back and he refused. The video shows none of that is true.

The video also shows the officer inappropriately using the police club to repeatedly hit DeHerrera while he was down. There’s really nothing in the video to suggest at any point in time that he was being actively aggressive.

What does appear suspicious is the fact that one officer, while dealing with Shaun Johnson noticed that Michael Deherrera is using his cell phone and points to him. Officer Sparks then leaves Shaun Johnston and approaches Michael, taking him down. Seems to us that the only thing he did wrong was being mistaken for having video recorded their first use of excessive force.

Safety Manager Ron Perea's decision was to suspend the officers for three days without pay for filing an "inaccurate" police report. When asked if he thought the officers lied, he replied, "No."

Manager Ron Perea has set a new precedent that has basically let Denver police officers know that serious disciplinary action will not be taken against any officer who uses excessive force, even if such force is shown on a video. A dangerous mandate to residents and visitors to Denver, Colorado. Due to Perea's decision the city of Denver can not seek further action against the officers within their jurisdiction.

Though certain officials of Denver may think that such behavior by law enforcement is acceptable, Denver's Mayor John Hickenlooper may realize that his police department is heading down a dangerous path and may need to be reigned in from the freedom to abuse that Perea has given them. Mayor Hickenlooper has asked the FBI to look into the Michael DeHererra case to determine whether excessive force was used.

The FBI is the only resource left for Denver, that can mete out justice to police officers who violate the civil rights of citizens.

A civil case was settled in favor of Michael Deherrera for $17,500. We only hope that Officer Sparks and the others involved will lose their jobs. The next civil case may result in a far more serious offense being committed by them and they may be more careful in where they commit it, being sure to be out of camera range.

The only safety Ron Perea is managing is the safety of brutal Denver police officers.