In 2015, Baltimore had an uprising against police violence much like those occurring around the country this summer. When it happened, we were both working at the Baltimore City Paper, an alternative weekly much like Boulder Weekly except that it no longer exists.
The Baltimore Uprising was the sort of event that alt-weeklies exist to cover: A massive community-organized protest in response to the death of one of its residents standing up and saying, no more. Our coverage focused on the people in the streets organizers, gang members who were trying to make a truce, for example and we put the reporting together into dispatches that all assumed the voice of the paper which was the voice, we hoped, of the city.
The experiences we had trying to chronicle that rebellion and the police blowback that followed it, was ultimately translated into our new book, I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of Americas Most Corrupt Police Squad which came out July 21. I Got A Monster details the way a corrupt crew of cops working in a unit called the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) ran a criminal enterprise, robbing drug dealers, stealing and dealing drugs in the aftermath of the uprising. Co-writing the book could only have happened because of the alt-weekly newspapers where advocacy journalism, narrative storytelling, and actually good writing are encouraged rather than discouraged.
As we write this, many cities continue to organize against police violence and after sending in federal law enforcement to snatch people up in Portland, Donald Trump threatens to send federal agents into other cities and do the same. And while their federal authority and intervention is novel, their activities are not. They are an extension of policing as it is intended to function in all of our cities as this excerpt from I Got A Monster shows.
DETECTIVE MOMODU GONDO DIDNT SHOW up for the new GTTFs first raid. Detectives Jemell Rayam, Daniel Hersl and John Clewell got the guy dirty in his car, and Hersl and Rayam waited on the porch while Clewell went for a warrant to search his house.
Hey, if theres any money, you know, well split it, Rayam said. Hersl agreed. It was no big deal for either of them.
Clewell returned with Sgt. Wayne Jenkins and Detectives Hendrix, Ward, and Taylor to execute the warrant. Ransacking the house together, GTTF found weed, coke, heroin, two pistols and a massive rifle with banana clips.
Hey, did you get any money? Hersl asked Rayam after the search.
I figured, you know, it should be money in there, Rayam said. But I didnt find any.
There was always the possibility that one of the new guys had found the cash first and not cut them in. Even if they didnt get any money, Jenkinss new unit gained glory in the form of news coverage: Guns and Drugs Seized in Southwest Baltimore Raid, the local TV declared the next morning with a photo of all the dope and guns laid out on a table.
A few days later, Jenkins, Gondo, Rayam, Hendrix, and Ward entered Milton Millers row house in East Baltimore and forced him to show them where he kept his money. In Millers bedroom, they found a shoe box with $10,000 stuffed in it. They sent him downstairs and stole $2,000. They also found $15,000 in a boot along with fifty grams of heroin. They took the money and left the heroin.
A few days later, Jenkins called Gondo, who was with Rayam at an auto shop in South Baltimore. The two were trying to get some additional police lights put on an unmarked car. Jenkins told Gondo about some fuckin ballers he was up on and suggested getting together to do some street ripping later on.
We over here right across from the Ravens stadium now trying to get these lights in, Gondo said.
Oh, you found somebody to do it? Jenkins asked.
Yeah, we did, man, but I mean, we strikin out, Gondo said.
How much they want? Jenkins asked.
They talkin like four or five hundred, Gondo said.
Man, tell them bitches three hundred cash, its for the police, Jenkins said. And they get a get-out-of-jail-free card with my bosss phone number.
Right. This is a legitimate business, though, Gondo said. They saying, I think they cant even do it, though, they talking to Rayam now, they saying they cant do it.
Man, there aint no legitimate business anywhere, Jenkins said.
Right, Gondo said dutifully.
Lazy motherfuckers, Jenkins said. Tell them we about to drop a case on em.
THAT NIGHT, the GTTF got together for a series of door pops. A little after midnight, two cars rolled down Baltimores historic Pennsylvania Avenue not far from where Freddie Gray was grabbed, looking for groups to roll up on and grab anybody who ran.
A couple of nights a week, we would just go out to hot areas, we would drive around, Hersl said. We drive around them areas kind of go hunting, see what we can get into.
A group of black men were hanging out near a corner store, some against the wall and one sitting on a bus stop bench emblazoned with Baltimore: The Greatest City in America. Jenkins whipped a manic turn and pulled up to the curb. Clewell popped the door, scattering the group, moving targets running in all directions.
Someone in a white T-shirt rushed around the corner, and Clewell went after him, but he was too fast and Clewell lost him. From the back seat of the car, Hersl saw another man dart the other way, holding his waistband like he was trying to stop a gun from slipping through his pants. So Clewell went after the man and Hersl hopped out and ran with Clewell.
When the suspect leaped off a retaining wall, a gun fell out on the ground and Clewell grabbed it.
The door pop was a new strategy for the GTTF and it was unconstitutional. But numbers were numbers. They got three more guns that night with door pops.
Courtesy of St. Martins Press. Order your copy at us.macmillan.com/books/9781250221803.
Read the original:
Book excerpt: 'I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Corrupt Police Squad' - Boulder Weekly
- Boulder police rescue driver, 4-year-old from vehicle hanging on retaining wall - Boulder Daily Camera - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Watch Colo. Police Save 4-Year-Old from Car Hanging over Retaining Wall - Officer - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Boulder Police, Firefighters Rescue Toddler from Crashed Vehicle Hanging on Wall - POLICE - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Theyre heroes: Police rescue child from SUV after crash leaves vehicle dangling over wall - WMBF - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Cops Rescue Mon And Child From Lexus Hanging Over Retaining Wall - CarScoops - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- First responders pull 4-year-old from crashed SUV, hanging from retaining wall - msnNOW - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Construction of flyover at Melamadai junction is in full swing - The Hindu - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Retaining wall collapses in Yorkshire Dales prompting fears of road closure - Richmondshire Today - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Repair retaining wall - The Tribune India - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- MTA bus driver, 3 passengers injured after backing into retaining wall in Westlake area - CBS Los Angeles - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 4 injured when MTA bus backs into retaining wall - KABC-TV - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 4 injured when MTA bus backs into retaining wall - AOL - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Driver more than 3.5x legal alcohol limit hits house and retaining wall, police say - 14 News WFIE Evansville - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Canyon wall falls in Utah national park famous for iconic hoodoos. What caused it? - Sacramento Bee - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Innovative Types of Retaining Walls for Sloped Properties - The Philippine Times - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Construction collapse in Barren County - Bowling Green - WBKO - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Courtenay concerned about retaining wall along river - Times Colonist - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Potential Risk of Failure of Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall - City of Courtenay - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 110-year-old retaining wall near Ottawa Rowing Club to be demolished, replaced - Yahoo News Canada - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- CCAT begins reconstruction project - The LumberJack - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Trial ordered for SUV driver accused of striking, killing toddler in ... - The San Diego Union-Tribune - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Archaeological Site inside Monastiraki Metro Station Athens, Greece - Atlas Obscura - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Marc Cavagnero Associates have completed the renovation and ... - Global Design News - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- A Renovated Eichler Proves a Vibrant, Livable Showcase for ... - Nob Hill Gazette - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Part of Illinois 106 closing seven months for construction - Jacksonville Journal-Courier - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- New preservation fund set up to protect iconic Red Church and ... - Union Democrat - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- TSR Nitro Teams Ready For Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals - Mopar Insiders - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Contract to address failing Claremont access walls expected to be ... - Hamilton Spectator - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Work around the State Capitol will close part of Monroe Street Monday - The State Journal-Register - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Man dies after his box truck was dragged under tractor trailer, South Carolina officials say - CDLLife - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Lack of SH25A reopening work concerning - MP - The Bay's News ... - SunLive - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Brewster Town Meeting: School overrides, plastic ban, Wing Island - Cape Cod Times - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- New tech being used for slope stabilisation of few portions of NH - The Arunachal Times - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Retaining Walls: How to Build Them, Costs & Types - This Old House - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- Stranded By Storms, Neighbor Keeps Mountain Community Connected With Outside World Thanks to Zipline - NBC Bay Area - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- How much does a concrete retaining wall cost? - HomeGuide - January 7th, 2023 [January 7th, 2023]
- 40 Retaining Wall Ideas That Will Elevate Your Landscaping - October 24th, 2022 [October 24th, 2022]
- Retaining Wall: Types, Purpose, Advantages & Disadvantages - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- 51 Really Cool Retaining Wall Ideas - Sebring Design Build ... - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Keeping Hanging Lake Trail useable has been a difficult task - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Last Hatfield homeplace being developed into museum, gift shop - Huntington Herald Dispatch - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Roadway Activity Report for parts of East and Middle Tennessee (December 23 - 29, 2021) - tn.gov - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Man Gets Probation For Punching Trooper Who Responded To Drunken Driving Crash - CBS Minnesota - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- 3 Bedroom Home in Ocean City - $1,099,900 - Press of Atlantic City - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- BRAGSA helping to rebuild collapsed wall at Belmont - Searchlight Newspaper - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Pittsburg Police Say Driver Expected to Survive After Major Injury Crash on E Leland Road - EastCountyToday - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Spring Branch homes total Texas Hill Country xeriscape landscape renovation created many outdoor entertainment areas - San Antonio Express-News - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Middle Beach retaining wall project is underway - Portland Press Herald - pressherald.com - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Contract approved for construction of retaining wall along Gordon Town Road - Jamaica Observer - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- SLED report reveals new details about deputy-involved shooting that injured teen, led to K9s death - WSPA 7News - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Floral Park Board of Trustees reports Feb. 2 - The Island Now - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- West Tennessee Weekly Construction February 3-10, 2021 - tn.gov - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- SLED investigative report reveals new details about deputy-involved shooting that injured teen and led to K9s death - WSPA 7News - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Replacing the Columbus Statue: Deliver Black Dreams' Call to Action - Columbus Monthly - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Burien Council hears of Seahurst landslide and of flooding problems due to rainy winter - The B-Town Blog - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Rehabilitation plots on reclaimed land lack basic infrastructure - The Hindu - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Expert's opinion on how 70ft wall collapsed in the middle of the night - Nottinghamshire Live - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Friendship and Stonework Grow More Beautiful With Time - The Atlantic - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Mumbai: Repair of BG Kher Marg only after post-monsoon inspection - Free Press Journal - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Explaining the Icy Mystery of the Dyatlov Pass - kottke.org - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Anger after traffic cones moved at Greengates junction - Bradford Telegraph and Argus - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- APP spends nearly $90K assisting; plans to double that figure this year (With Photos) - Dominica News Online - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Guide rails proposed for Sherman's Hubbell Mountain Road, now it's up to the taxpayers - Laredo Morning Times - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Adorable Adoptable Pets Of The Week In The Oxford Area - Oxford, CT Patch - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Reconstruction of Third Street wall in Leechburg expected to start in April or May - TribLIVE - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Floral Park Board of Trustees report for January 19 - The Island Now - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Its like a big jigsaw puzzle: Pathway overpass foundation work underway - Scottsbluff Star Herald - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Boys, ages 11 and 12, arrested after racing, crashing stolen car in St. Paul - Bring Me The News - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- UPDATED: Morning traffic in Saanich interrupted after driver crashes into centre median, retaining wall - Saanich News - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Sunderland road closed off to traffic over safety concerns after wall crumbles - Sunderland Echo - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Kill Coal to Save Lives - The New Republic - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Putnam road project part of push to keep work in-house - Huntington Herald Dispatch - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Riverside breaks ground on playground | The St. Clair Times | annistonstar.com - Anniston Star - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Wilton Selectboard hears Water Department concerns and announces nomination ballots - Daily Bulldog - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Buildings, tunnels and bridges could soon repair themselves - Horizon - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- The cry to vote | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - thejewishchronicle.net - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Construction Worker Killed After Retaining Wall Collapses In Brooklyn - CBS New York - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Montague homeowners ordered to remove retaining wall built on town land - The Journal Pioneer - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Fayetteville City Council to meet twice this week - Arkansas Online - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Looking back: Here are the Top 10 stories of 2020 - KBJR 6 - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]