Renton police investigating cartoons mocking cops & city workers -Are they cops or grade schoolers?

RENTON, Wash. -- Police say a series of cartoons mocking officers and other city workers are criminal, and the people who posted them online are guilty of cyberstalking.

One member of the police department has already been demoted, but investigators are looking for additional parties that may be involved after another string of cartoons recently surfaced.

The cartoons, which first appeared on YouTube earlier this year, poke fun at an unnamed law enforcement agency. But Renton Police Chief Kevin Milosevich says his officers, as well as several Renton city employees, are the target.

"The purpose of these videos was to embarrass, torment and harass specific members of the police department and other city employees," he said.

Some of the animation parody real situations that have occurred in the department, Milosevich said, but other events referenced in the cartoons never took place.

"There was an investigation some time ago; however, what was in the videos was a gross exaggeration of what the investigation was all about," he said.

According to a search warrant requested by Renton police, the videos are aimed directly at several Renton police officers and a jail employee. In the warrant, the officers say the videos used embarrassing and emotionally-tormenting comments about past sexual relationships.

Investigators said a similar-looking cartoon made the rounds earlier this year. That cartoon was traced to two Renton officers and led to an internal investigation.

The chief said a deputy chief in the department was demoted to sergeant as a result of the first cartoon. A second police department member also remains under investigation.

But Milosevich believes the latest string of cartoons may be the work of someone else entirely.

"We believe a suspect in this case is either a department employee or someone who is closely associated with this department," he said.

Police used search warrants to track down the creators through the Internet after telling a judge the videos are meant to harass city workers and amounts to cyberstalking.

On Thursday, reporters challenged the chief, asking whether free speech rights were being compromised in what critics are calling a witch hunt.

Nine videos exist, and Renton police are in the process of releasing all of them to the media.
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They are caring about a cartoon? Really? Boohooo..sorry I'm really trying to give a shit ...this is just pathetic if you ask me.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• police
• city
• animation
• cops
• bird
• crime
• cartoon
• court
• security
• judge
• attorney

[daveblandston6]

The chief says the cartoons contain "lies." Since the cartoons do not name specific people or a specific police department, how can they contain "lies?" That's like saying "The movie 'Lethal Weapon' is a lie." This chief and the whining cops who committed the immoral acts described in Chief Milosevich's search warrant are going to look pretty damn silly when this is over.

[YummyFreelunch]

@daveblandston6

Exactly, its a spoof a satire..my god..grow a pair, chief

[daveblandston6]

How can Chief Milosevich refer to the idiots who commited the acts made fun of in the cartoons as "victims" with a strait face? No wonder this department is so screwed up!!! The police chief is nothing but an enabler for out-of-control government employees acting outrageously on the taxpayers' dime! Freedom of speech is not a crime, Chief, and you swore an oath to protect it!

[YummyFreelunch]

@daveblandston6

I thought the same thing..i can't believe it.

[hiphopisdeadRIP90s]

fuck the rpd fuckin hoe ass pigs

[m9078jk3]

Maybe Kevin Milosevich is related to Slobodan Milošević.

[daveblandston6]

Oh, by the way - in response to the question "What judge would even hear this case?" The answer is Judge Cayce, who signed the search warrant to locate the cartoonist. America has entered a new phase in history where the Constitution and rule of law no longer applies.

[vechorik]

FREEDOM OF SPEECH! Way to go, Mr. Fiddlesticks! Keep mocking those cops! They can't stand to see themselves as you see them.

[ben5017]

The only crime here is the prosecutors and judge should have laughed in the face of chief Kevin Milosevich if they were obeying the law ... there is no crime here by having no names, places, events, or dept directly named in these generic police parodies.

The ACLU has your number chief ... wasting a lot of taxpayer money on this baseless witch hunt! Could Mall security might be a better gig for you Kevin?

[YummyFreelunch]

@Skizla

Yes..its a bit silly, isnt it..I mean, dont they have criminals to apprehend? Or old ladies to tazer?