Memphis officer charged with murder while on duty

[Erik88]

This is a headline you don't see often. 

"A 29-year-old Memphis Police officer is facing a slew of charges after police say he allegedly kidnapped and killed a man while on duty. While on duty, Officer Patric Ferguson, armed with a handgun, forced the 30-year-old victim, Robert Howard, into his squad car Tuesday evening, according to a police statement on Twitter. Police say Ferguson drove the victim to a separate location where he allegedly shot and killed him."

I'm not that familiar with MPD.  How is their reputation? 

 

 

[KahrMan]

From what I have read the two men knew each other.  I do not think him being a cop had anything to do with the murder.  Just made a good headline.

[deerslayer]

Meanwhile the city council refuses to let citizens vote on whether MPD can hire people who live outside Shelby County.  Reducing your hiring pool when the department is short staffed and qualified recruits are hard to find is a great idea...

[krunchnik]

I have 2 friends who have been on the MPD force-1 is still there and the other fella quit when he was stabbed in his first year on the force.

But both of them thought pretty highly of their management and co-officer's.

My one friend has had some good stories about being on patrol-some stories actually makes a person question just how many folks out there are very unstable.

[deerslayer]

I know several officers and while I have a lot of respect for them, I wouldn’t want their jobs.  They don’t speak highly of all their co-workers.  
 

For political reasons, city government has prevented MPD from hiring outside Shelby County for years and has instead lowered standards for new recruits.  MPD has been 300-400 officers short for several years.  The lowered standards result in some with iffy backgrounds getting hired and stories of misconduct are becoming more common.  

[Chucktshoes]

The stories of misconduct are nothing new. Like any large metro department, there are now, and always have been,  problem officers in it. Simple matter of numbers. How it compares to other departments of similar size, I can’t say. What I do know is 20 years ago there were some straight shenanigans going on. I can’t imagine it’s changed all that much. 

[Grayfox54]

Local news say the murder was over a woman. Seems the victim was dating the officer's ex and he wasn't happy about it. 

MPD's reputation isn't that good. They do have some excellent officers, especially the older guys in the upper ranks. However, many of the average patrol officers are morons. Due to their own hiring policies, MPD has had to lower their standards quite a bit just to get recruits. Not sure if its still true, but at one point some years ago you could be hired with a non-violent felony on your record.  

Memphis also has a problem with officers using them as a stepping stone. A guy gets hired by Memphis because the standards are low and MPD will hire just about anybody.  MPD trains them and they work for a couple of years to get experience and then move on to another department with better pay, benefits and a much safer city. They never had any intention of making a career in Memphis. 

 

[E4 No More]

33 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

The stories of misconduct are nothing new. Like any large metro department, there are now, and always have been,  problem officers in it. Simple matter of numbers. How it compares to other departments of similar size, I can’t say. What I do know is 20 years ago there were some straight shenanigans going on. I can’t imagine it’s changed all that much. 

Just look at the serial rapist/murderer cop in California that was recently in the news. Psychological screening in the PD's that I have gone through were a complete joke. It was more about your connections than anything else.

[No_0ne]

8 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

Local news say the murder was over a woman. Seems the victim was dating the officer's ex and he wasn't happy about it. 

MPD's reputation isn't that good. They do have some excellent officers, especially the older guys in the upper ranks. However, many of the average patrol officers are morons. Due to their own hiring policies, MPD has had to lower their standards quite a bit just to get recruits. Not sure if its still true, but at one point some years ago you could be hired with a non-violent felony on your record.  

Memphis also has a problem with officers using them as a stepping stone. A guy gets hired by Memphis because the standards are low and MPD will hire just about anybody.  MPD trains them and they work for a couple of years to get experience and then move on to another department with better pay, benefits and a much safer city. They never had any intention of making a career in Memphis. 

 

That was my first thought when reading the original post just now ...

[TGO David]

That headline appears to have evoked the reactions that they intended.

Just like the actions of a bad apple among the overall community of "gun owners" shouldn't be used to paint the rest of us with a wide brush, I think we ought to try to give other groups of people the same benefit of the doubt.

 

 

[Swamp ash]

15 minutes ago, TGO David said:

That headline appears to have evoked the reactions that they intended.

Just like the actions of a bad apple among the overall community of "gun owners" shouldn't be used to paint the rest of us with a wide brush, I think we ought to try to give other groups of people the same benefit of the doubt.

 

 

Indeed, "groupings" often have little meaning other than offering insight towards the biases of those defining the groups.

 

[Snaveba]

I have not read any articles about this case, but if he used his capacity as an LEO to detain the victim before murdering him, then I think reporting it the way they did is appropriate. If he just happens to be a LEO who kidnapped and murdered the victim,  then it is irrelevant and was used to sensationalize the story. 

[Erik88]

I mean, how often do you see a cop legitimately murder someone while on duty? I found it surprising enough to share. The headline was accurate to the facts as we know them. He forced the man into his squad car. I don't really see anything that sensationalized about the story. 

 

 

[Snaveba]

Somehow I missed the “On Duty” part of your post.  

[Capbyrd]

Memphis cops have a great solve rate on murder, but outside of that, I haven't seen them care about anything past revenue generation.   They certainly didn't care when my motorcycle was stolen. 

 

[E4 No More]

34 minutes ago, Capbyrd said:

Memphis cops have a great solve rate on murder, but outside of that, I haven't seen them care about anything past revenue generation.   They certainly didn't care when my motorcycle was stolen. 

 

You will find that true of most large departments when it comes to stolen property. My daughter had some property stolen from her home in Lavergne by someone she knew. The property was taken to a pawn shop in Nashville. Once it hits the pawn shop it was too bad, so sad out of the Metro PD. Apparently, now days it's easier for the PD's to let you suffer a loss rather than prosecute the thieves for stealing or the pawn shops for receiving stolen property.