Houston Police Officer caught taking cash from speeders

[Won Hunglo]

[replacer_a]



Officer Arrested, Released On Bond

By Ryan Korsgard


POSTED: Friday, July 24, 2009
UPDATED: 5:26 pm CDT July 24, 2009

HOUSTON -- A Houston police officer arrested in uniform during a sting in Houston's eastside Denver Harbor area is out of jail on a $2,000 bond, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.
WATCH IT: http://www.click2houston.com/news/20171222/detail.htmlOfficer Arrested During Sting


Officer Anthony Rochell Foster, 43, is charged with theft by a public servant. Court records showed he's accused of stealing between $500 and $1,500.
Sources who were briefed on this case told KPRC Local 2 the officer was arrested after a traffic stop shortly before noon Thursday, after he was accused of taking cash from the motorist he had pulled over. The motorist was actually an undercover officer from the HPD Proactive Internal Affairs unit.
Court documents showed that Foster got the money because he is a police officer.
One ranking source who works with Foster at the HPD Northeast Patrol station on Ley Road told KPRC Local 2 that Proactive IAD had been investigating reports that the officer was "shaking down" Hispanic male drivers he had pulled over.
It was unclear how long Proactive IAD had been staging the sting on Foster. Police confirmed the investigation was a result of complaints against Foster.
The officer called the Houston Police Officer's Union legal team, but those lawyers told KPRC Local 2 they were unfamiliar with the case and unable to comment. The lawyers were working to arrange bail for the officer on Thursday night.
A union attorney said Foster's case will be presented to the legal committee for consideration.
HPD protocol dictates that arrested officers are relieved of duty with pay until a final outcome in the case.
Foster is scheduled for his first court appearance in the Harris County 182nd District Court on Monday. He has been a Houston police officer for 15 years. HPD confirmed he is on paid leave.
If he is found guilty, it could mean a two-year prison sentence and a permanent loss of his Texas peace officer's license.

[erickonphoenix]

Yeah, but the ticket doesn't go on your record.

[85mcLaren]

This happened a lot in our town back in the 80's. In my opinion - it was a win-win for both of us. We gave our beer to him and maybe a little $20 and we were on our way. Happened every other weekend. Too much publicity and politics has killed that anymore....

Jason

[category4]

Hell I would slip him a hundee or so to make a speeding ticket disappear.

[lugnuts]

why would anyone complain about it? no ticket and on my way for some cash, I would take that any day over a ticket.

[erickonphoenix]

In Mexico it's called tipping and it's very popular. If a policeman helps you out they expect a few extra dollars to supplement their meager salaries.

[Won Hunglo]

In Mexico it's called tipping and it's very popular. If a policeman helps you out they expect a few extra dollars to supplement their meager salaries.

I thought it was called advance bail money. Because in Mexico, if you don't pay off up front, you are going to jail.

[gpracer1]

In Mexico it's called tipping and it's very popular. If a policeman helps you out they expect a few extra dollars to supplement their meager salaries.

My dad got busted for speeding in Mexico a few months ago and got off with $5.

So a few weeks later he goes back and knows not to speed. Cop pulls him over for speeding, even though my dad was not speeding at all. Had to pay the cop again.....thats called a "shake down".

If you are okay with that, then thats cool. If I got busted for something I didnt do I would be pissed.
They target any car without a front license plate. Mexican cars require front plates while AZ cars dont. Its easy "profiling" pickins for the cops since they know mexicans dont have any money and us Americans do.

Best part is, he showed my dad the speed reading on the gun, and it was the exact same both times.

[whiterabbit05]

$5? That's awesome. For the price of a V1 you could get caught speeding over 80 times!

How many people can say they were saved by their RD over 80 times?