Thursday, May 04, 2006

Author Stands Up to Police Corruption and Inspires Others

(Syndicated News) When faced with workplace corruption, many people look the other way for fear of retribution, especially when the problems are in the police department. Now readers can learn first hand the exciting story of how one police officer stood up to corruption and inspired others.

"Since I was a young child I had a dream of being a police officer,"” says Kevin LaChapelle, author of "“Please God, Don't Let My Badge Tarnish"” (iUniverse, 2006). "“When I took the oath to be a police officer I was serious about protecting and serving the citizens."”

LaChapelle goes from loving his job to finding shocking discoveries of corruption at the El Cajon Police Department, in El Cajon, Calif., where he worked. He shares his struggle to keep his badge untarnished while resisting the status quo and callousness others succumb to. He also shares his experiences of helping others.

"“While exposing the culture of corruption within the police department,"” explains LaChapelle, “"I began to mentor young people out of gangs. I'’ve helped many people turn their lives around and become successful adults."

In addition, he ran for a board member position for one of the largest local school districts, which had a reputation of financial corruption. He not only won the election in a landslide victory, he was also instrumental in exposing the financial corruption, which led to a total overhaul of the top level district management.

Standing up to these problems gave LaChapelle the idea to focus on empowering communities to expose fraud and corruption. In 1999 he started the Special Investigations Agency (SIA), which is made up of volunteer law enforcement officers, attorneys, and other professionals. The agency has a proven track record of successfully exposing corruption across the country.

"I believe that God has a plan for each of us,"” adds LaChapelle. "The next step in my plan is to inspire others to do the right thing. That'’s why I wrote this book, to give people the strength to stand up for what they believe in."

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is an incredible amount of corruption going on here in Thailand! We need someone like LaChapelle to clean this place up. What really sucks the most, though, is the fact that most people here remain pretty complacent about it, assuming that there simple isn't anything they can do about it. Jess.

Anonymous said...

I can imagine. The problem is that a guy like LaChapelle usually gets stomped on and beat up becuase the rest of us fail to stand up and get behind them in exposing corruption. I will order his book and hopefully be insired. Sure are a lot of good reviews about it on Amazon...

Kevin LaChapelle said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Kevin LaChapelle said...

For corruption to prevail, good people must do nothing. This is why we have corruption, because people are not willing to stand up for what they know is right! That is why I have always stood up for what I believe, and I will continue to do so in the future. I hope many will read my book and be inspired to take a stand for what they know is right as well!

Anonymous said...

Trying to take a stand in todays world is tough. Political correctsness and one's self-preservation of comfort has given way to compromise and sellout. I admire what guys like Kevin Lachapelle are doing. May the rest of us have the courage to defend and support the ones taking the shots on the front lines. If we don't, America will be gone faster that our grandkids...

Anonymous said...

I personally have observed police corruption and racketeering in Alabama , namely baldwin county, including the district attorneys office and in the state of Louisianna, in st marys parrish. The police allow individuals to enagage in terrorism by aggrevated stalking and aggrevalted assualt utilizing chemicals. These individuals dispense streams of chemicals onto victums and their homes and concealed by the local police. They have engaged in domestic terrorism and no one will stand up and stop them. This continual criminal activity has been reported to the attorney genrals office and his offices made nothing but excuses that is wanst their jurisdiction. I have witnessed sherif deputies engaging in this activity in both states and they use organized crime tacticts to suppress witnesses. This has been reported to the FBI in Mobile, Al and New Orleans , La and they made no attempt to investagate these allegations. This is what is happening to our government in the US. Continued corruption and organized crime in the government itself.

Anonymous said...

I would like to second the anonymous writers comments about "corruption" in Baldwin County Alabama. I am not personally aware of the use of chemicals, but I am personally and intimately aware of misuse of authority, judicial misconduct and draconian tactics by City Police in one highly influential municipality. Further, it appears the actions of the city Police are approved by the District Attorney, the Sheriff's Department and many in the legal system including, judges, clerks, and attorneys. It is a shame, in this particular city and across America, that nothing is being done to thwart the ongoing and escalating misconduct of our supposed public servants. BTW, I too reported my understandings to the FBI. To date, no actions taken.