Koval Violates Code of Conduct?

Should someone file a complaint?

Here’s the code of conduct language I am referring to:

2. Truthfulness
Members of the Department are required to be truthful.

This regulation prohibits perjury, withholding of evidence from a judicial proceeding, false public statements, untruthful statements made within the Department, and any other misrepresentations.

This policy does not apply to court-recognized instances where there are legitimate investigative activities involved (e.g., undercover work, hostage negotiations).

Members shall not knowingly make false official reports, or knowingly enter or cause to be entered inaccurate, false or improper information in any Departmental records.

So, in Chief Koval’s letter to County Executive Joe Parisi – tattling to dad about County Board Supervisor Leland Pan (which was so misplaced it borders on absurd, since the county executive has no authority in this regard. Either Koval is being incredibly stupid for a man in his position making $140,000 a year or this was a publicity stunt from the beginning) there are two issues that I see. First of all, his characterization of the of people in the building seems completely disconnected from reality after seeing the video. First of all, they are locked behind a gate and not even by the police officers. Second of all, for the 14 minutes and 22 seconds of the tape I watched I never once hear them yelling anything like what the chief suggests.

Here is how he described the situation:

However, around midnight, a group of about 100 protestors moved from the Williamson Street area up to the City-County Building (CCB). These citizens were very angry and were trying to gain access to the building and the police department. Comments such as “kill the cops” and “we have guns too” were yelled frequently. Again, my officers acted with the utmost professionalism and watched over these citizens to ensure their safety, and the safety of all the employees working in this building. We felt comfortable knowing that the City-County Building was locked and closed. We had stationed officers at all the entrances so that people on official business, with a need to enter the building, could do so. However, due to safety concerns, officers were instructed not to allow any protestors entry to the building.

and

Our resources were stretched extremely thin, yet the protestors grew in numbers and their anger increased as they neared the police department.

Here are some shorter videos of the situation. Watch Koval’s Angry Mob of Protestors
This is them entering the building.

This is them being asked to leave.

The roar of their angry screams is deafening! So much to fear! end sarcasm.

This is what I hear on the longer video (sorry, I have private access, can’t share it with you):
Outside the building, in the doorway.
Here come the comps, come on guys, walk in. (protestors walking quietly)

Come on, come quickly, the cops are behind you. (near silence from the group of about 150 – 200)

Quickly but calmly. (still near silence)

Quickly but calmly, the cops are behind you.

Welcome to your building, this is your house. Come on in. (This is not Leland Pan’s voice, by the way)

Anyone else coming in? Do you guys want to come in.

Police: Gotta close the doors guys.

In the stairwell to the downstairs area, which has them fenced off and they can’t get to the police station.

Still, very, very quiet for this large of a group, no shouting or chanting 3 minutes into the video.

Is that door locked? (Presumed no) Go on in. Camera person makes way through crowd to the front. Pardon me, excuse me. Still very, very quiet group, 4 minutes in, no chanting or shouting.

Camera person standing behind the fence, with 150 – 200 people, still nearly silent, asks a police office how they got over here (behind the fence) and how does he get back – his phone charger is over there and had someone retrieve.

Police officer says: “Will you all please exit the building”, in a calm, quiet voice.

Some people ask the officer if he’d like to make a statement about what happened this evening, he says “no”. Can you tell us what is going on? No, shakes head, says he doesn’t have any information regarding that. Can you tell us if someone is being released? Officer ignores question (sounds like a press conference in dull quiet voices) Officer says “So . . . ” he pauses and jsut walks away.

The other side of the fence
There are about 15 people standing on the other side of the fence, by a doorway to the Madison Police Department, near the vending machines and elevators in the City-County Building.

The camera person goes around to the other side of the fence with the smaller group of people at this point, people are chanting what, if you have been anyhwhere near any events will be very, very familiar to you.

What’s his name?
Tony Robinson (repeated 6 times)

Who do we trust?
Not the police (repeated 8 times)
Fuck the police
Fuck the police (repeated 2 or 3 times)
Who do we trust
Not the police (repeated 3 times)
Fuck the police
Fuck the police (repeated 4 or 5 times)
Who do we trust?
Not the police (repeated 4 times)
Fuck the police
Fuck the police (repeated 2 times)
Who do we trust?
Not the police (repeated 2 times)

What do we want
Justice
When do we want it
Now (repeated 3 times)

What’s his name?
Tony Robinson
Who did they kill?
Tony Robinson
Who did they murder?
Tony Robinson
Who did they slaughter?
Tony Robinson
What’s his name?
Tony Robinson (repeated 3 times)
Who did they kill?
Tony Robinson (repeated 2 times)
What’s his name?
Tony Robinson
Who did they kill?
Tony Robinson
Who did they murder?
Tony Robinson
Who did they slaughter?
Tony Robinson
What’s his name?

The group on the other side of the fence might be up to 25 now, an attorney is talking to 2 police officers trying to get answers to questions.

Cut in the video . ..

People now yelling
Tell the police, let them out, there’s nothing to talk about?
People chanting “Let them out” (many times)

One of the “witnesses” held against their will comes out, but he doesn’t have his phone. They ask officers about how to get his phone back. They say that is what they were just talking about, ask him.

A person in the crowd calmly and at normal tones asks “How do you go home to your daughter tonight” to an officer of color. He doesn’t answer. Can’t read his name tag.

Someone yells, is chief koval here?

Second officer with his jacket on, no visible name tag stands there saying nothing.

More questions to the officer of color about how his daughter would feel.

Someone yells – What’s the officers name that killed him? Who is it? Who’s that? Where is he? Where’s the chief. 2 officers stand there saying nothing. Two more I can’t see standing behind them.

People yell, how will he be held accountable? Is he arrested?

Others talking to the police ask how they can stand here and have no answers for us. They explain they have a public information officer. (Now 4 cops standing behind the 2 in the doorway) A designee from the Chief will be speaking for the organization explains the officer. He will be speaking for them. People say “but you’re a parent” and “but they’re not here”. Is he coming tonight? Is the chief here? (Officer says yes, the chief is here) Is he coming to talk to us (I don’t know about that says the officer) Someone says, he gets to go home and sleep tonight. Officer says I’m sure he’s here. Looks back at other 5 officers. They ask “How about he come talk to us, I’ve been asking to talk to him all night.” Again, this is not yelling, the crowd is not yelling. Its now 9.5 minutes in to the 14 minute video that has had 2 breaks, so in real time its been at least 20 – 30 minutes if not more. The crowd is mostly silent at this point, standing behind the fence and can’t get over by the officers talking to the smaller group of people. They are not violent, not shouting anything.

More talking to the officer, the office says the chief is busy, they say they lost someone tonight. He’s busy but a boy was murdered? A life was taken and there is no one to answer for it? They say its amazing when he will call us in and talk to us when its convenient for them. Attorney asks to see the search warrant for the phone. Attorney asking more questions, they are telling her to call DCI. Crowd points out that DCI is here now, different officer says they talked to the family. Someone says “these officers are lying”. They ask if the chief is coming out, still no yelling. Can you let the chief know we want to talk to him? Officer says yes, but stands there and doesn’t do anything, he says “I will”. Crowd says “please”. Can you radio it in or how do you do that? Officer still standing there and obviously sent no message. Um . . . . “It would be wonderful to talk to him tonight” Officer stands there looking confused about what to do. There is some consulting behind them. A luitenant comes out (again, you can’t see his name, he has a badge around his neck and a vest – I’m assuming bullet proof) He looks nervous. People ask if they can talk to him and where is chief Koval. Again, no shouting this entire time, just a calm conversation. He says something about “I’m working too” – people say obviously this is work, they say the want to talk to him, several people talking. They say there are 300 people here, they shot the police, lots of talking, still not yelling but increasing a bit in volume and emotion. They ask him is he has kids, how they would feel if they got shot, where is Koval? Cold blooded. Lieutenant says “so the issues you all are talking about . . . ” They say they’d like to talk to chief Koval, that they want to see the search warrant Anthony Limon’s phone, what’s the name of the murdering officer, We keep getting told its not Madison Police it DCI, then bring DCI down here and let us see the search warrant on the phone. Someone else asks why you just held two young men who witnessed a friend of theirs – a gruesome murder – and didn’t have a mental assessment done on them, before they were questioned. You asked them if they wanted someone, they said no, I believe they were not in a state of mind where they could make that decision without someone supporting them. Back to calm and rational discussion. They want to know why the people questioning the young men did not self identify, who they were and who they were with and why as attorney’s they were asked to be present, we were not not permitted to consult with the young men and see if they were comfortable being questioned without the presence of an attorney. (Attorney raising her voice) Someone else says “their mental health status”. They were hauled in here in a squad car by white police officers, held in a room by white police officers (multiple people talking again), asked questions by white police officers when their friend was just gunned down. Attorney says they asked for an attorney, they should have had the opporuntity to have one present. (Three officers are just standing there, saying nothing, cocking their head to the side as if they are listening) A person says that yes, emotions are running a little high. (But sill in conversational voice) Attorney says they want to see the search warrant, otherwise it is being held illegally. Another person who had been quiet says “We have questions, now you all need to respond. Number one, where is the search warrant? Silence. Lt. says “I have no idea”. Group erupts in expressions of disbelief, but not anger or raised voices. Another voice says “2, where is the chief”. And don’t tell us DCI is running the investigation, says the attorney. Do you know where the chief is? Multiple people talking again. Crowd is not chanting or yelling. Someone asks why they have a smirk on their face, is this funny to you. (I honestly don’t think they were smirking, I think they were nervous) Attorney says that they are gatekeeping for DCI, you’re preventing us from getting in toch with them. Where is chief Koval, some people say “sitting down eating donuts somewhere”. (That’s about as disrespectful as it got) They ask why they are smirking, the guy in the hat (the Lieutenant). Why can’t we talk to the chief? Who are you? He doesn’t answer. Attorney now yelling. Rest of the crowd is quiet. What is the name? They’re not answering, they’re looking smug, just stop talking to them. So this whole situation is a joke, it fucking hilarious. Do you have an answer? What is the name of the officer who murdered. Lots of people yelling stuff out and talking at once Someone asks for everyone quiet to be quiet, can you go get the phone? Will you answer?

Video cuts off. Crowd was nearly silent the whole time except when they were lead in chants. The smaller crowd spoke in normal tones of voice, at no time did I hear the things that Koval said, they were angry, but respectful. After watching the 14 minutes of video – I don’t see what Koval explains in his letter. Of course, he wasn’t there, so I’m not sure how he thinks he knows.

So . . . someone might have, at some point during the night, yelled the things that Koval describes, however! At some point someone might have yelled “kill the cops” or “we have guns too”, but it is a gross mischaracterization of the incident to describe this compared to what I saw on the video.

SECOND ISSUE
I’m still tracking this one down, but this is what Koval says:

In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 7, protestors had gathered at the site of the incident in the 1100 block of Williamson Street, and at best their tone can only be described as angry and volatile. At least one Madison Police squad car was damaged during the spontaneous gathering, and the situation was extremely tense. Our officers acted with the appropriate decorum and restraint during these moments, and followed citizen protestors throughout the weekend with a goal of keeping the crime scene, the citizens, and all property safe.

Did you hear about any police car being damaged? I would think this would have made the news, right? I did see a police car damaged at one point during that weekend, but it was a woman not connected to the protests or rallies who accidentally backed into the police car when she was driving out of the BP gas station.

Dear Chief Koval:

In your March 9th letter to County Executive Parisi state the following:

In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 7, protestors had gathered at the site of the incident in the 1100 block of Williamson Street, and at best their tone can only be described as angry and volatile.  At least one Madison Police squad car was damaged during the spontaneous gathering, and the situation was extremely tense.  Our officers acted with the appropriate decorum and restraint during these moments, and followed citizen protestors throughout the weekend with a goal of keeping the crime scene, the citizens, and all property safe.

For comparison purposes, please also send me the same information on the accident that occurred in the parking lot of the BP gas station across the street from where your police officer shot and killed Tony Robinson.  In this incident, a woman backed into a squad car parked behind her in the parking lot and there was damage to the light and front bumper of the car This incident occurred on the weekend of March 7th or the following Monday.

Thanks in advance, and if you need me to send this request to someone else or in a different format, please advise!

Respectfully,

Brenda Konkel

Was the damage to the squad car Koval refers to this same incident? If so, that is seriously misleading.