The Oakland County Child Killer
What the Hell is the Deal with the Oakland County Child Killer Investigation?
On May 24, 1990, Paige Renkowski disappeared without a trace after pulling over in the middle of the afternoon on I-96 just before the Fowlerville exit. Her purse and shoes were still in the car which was found running hours later. Her case remains unsolved. Thirty-five years later, her case is back in the news.
The full interview of Paige Renkowski’s sister, Michele:
Thanks to a reader.
1. The Hamtramck Police Chief and an officer were placed on administrative leave amid unspecified allegations.
I agree with the reader that any attempt at “transparency” will probably be timed for the upcoming holiday weekend when people have their attention on other activities.
2. Grand Rapids Police Officer Christopher Schurr will not be re-tried for murder in the fatal shooting of Black motorist Patrick Lyoya.
3. A Detroit Police Officer runs a red light, kills a motorcyclist and received 90 days in jail. It took six months to get an arraignment.
Evan Newman, 27, died at the scene of the crash. His mother’s suggestions at sentencing are worth reading about.
The now former police officer indicates he is trying to join the Border Patrol. I’m sure Secretary Noem is always looking for a few “good” men and women who are willing to wear a mask while on the job. Either way, he will probably hire on with some other law enforcement agency.
The Invisible Institute (https://www.macfound.org/grantee/invisible-institute-10104074/) and ProPublica found a pattern of the Chicago Police Department failing to vigorously investigate accusations of sexual assault by police officers, whether those complaints were lodged by fellow cops or members of the public. The claims were often downplayed or ignored by the department, sometimes allowing officers to abuse again and again. They often closed cases without conducting full investigations.
https://www.propublica.org/article/chicago-police-officers-sexual-assault-allegations
Sexual predators who are Boy Scout troop leaders, priests, cops, university professors are often protected by their Big Institutions, who rarely do the right thing. Mostly because they rarely have to.
Eric Tabb was pulling this shit at the police academy. Imagine what happened once he got his badge.
So no. You don’t get to police yourselves. You suck at policing yourselves and cannot be trusted. Ever.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) was formed in 2017 as the latest iteration of the review board for Chicago PD. Never missing a trick, and always ready to use member dues to litigate, the Fraternal Order of Police (Chicago PD union) filed a lawsuit alleging that COPA exhibited an anti-police bias that unfairly affects investigations and how officers are disciplined. A federal judge dismissed the suit in April.
Let’s see. Gross, systemic failures to investigate allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and crimes committed by academy members and police officers; police unions; immunity laws–I don’t think the “unfairness scale” is working against them. Spend your money and energy on weeding out these POS, and those who enable/defend them, early and often.
We all know they are there–woven into the fabric of the organizations like the Boy Scouts, and professions like the priesthood, policing, teaching. And we know those who are victimized are the people who face the uphill battle, not someone with a union rep and built-in legal counsel at the ready. The criminals in uniform, cassocks, or suits and ties are rarely held to account.
See also the series 2024 Washington Post series, Abused by the Badge (A Washington Post investigation found hundreds of law enforcement officers in the United States have sexually exploited kids. Many avoid prison time.):