Barry Coffman Says We Are Misinformed
Echoing the sentiments of his boss and apparent mentor, Acting Police Chief Dan Hughes, Fullerton cop union leader Barry Coffman says those who characterize the FPD as having a corruption problem are misinformed. Here are his exact words from a Register article.
“I think they are misinformed,” Coffman said about anyone saying the department has had corruption. “They don’t know what corrupt is. … They take this Kelly Thomas incident and say there has been a cover-up. Just because they didn’t get information when they wanted it, they conclude there is corruption.”
Predictably, Coffman chooses to gloss over the long string of malfeasance perpetrated by members of the FPD, mostly card-carrying members of his own union. See, Barry is suddenly confronted with the very real possibility that Fullerton might consider outside offers to take over policing in Fullerton, offers that could save as much as $10,000,000, annually.
Well, Mr. Excessive Horning has a selective and self-serving memory. I don’t. Here’s what I remember from just the past year:
Albert Rincon – Accused of multiple sexual assaults. City styles two cases for $350,000.
Todd Major – Fraud. Ripped off Explorers.
Kelly Mejia – Grand theft.
Miguel Siliceo – misidentification of suspect. Wrong guy spends 5 moths in jail.
Vince Mater – Charged by DA with destruction of evidence in jail suicide case.
Manuel Ramos – Accused of assaulting disabled man in June, 2011.
Kenton Hampton – Accused of battery and false arrest against Veth Mam and Edward Quinonez. Cooked up story to attempt to convict Mam. Jury acquits Mam.
Frank Nguyen – bogus testimony in Mam case.
Robert “Go home or go to jail” Kirk – Threatens law abiding citizens with jail for watching the FPD at work. Later spotted in the “excessive horning” debacle.
Perry Thayer – accused of roughing up downtown visitor
Cary Tong – ditto
April Baughman – stole from the FPD property room for two years before getting caught. Hmm. No accomplices? No inventory?
Andrew Goodrich – peddled falsehoods about the Kelly Thomas killing that were never retracted.
Barry Coffman(!) – proud participant in Dan Hughes’ excessive horning scam.
Tom “Tango” Basham – allegedly the watch commander the night of the Thomas murder, and player #1 in the subsequent cover up.
Christopher Wren – off the hook in the Rincon assaults, but plead no contest to “false imprisonment” against some kid in the IE – bargaining down battery charges. Anger management took care of his legal problems. Ours are still pending.
Dan Hughes – boss of all the above
Etc., etc.
Of course the “incident” with Kelly Thomas stands in a class by itself for malicious, incompetence, and murderous thuggery. We will always remember the names Ramos, Wolfe, Cicinelli, Blatney, Craig. Oh and let’s not forget our old friend Hampton.
Say, Barry, tell us again who is misinformed?
Barry is misinformed. He thinks he gets to keep his job.
Oh Barry might keep his job, but he might also be working in the jail passing out spoons to the inmates, or working down in Stanton.
He won’t be working around his former pals.
He might not keep is stripes either.
The unknown has Barry scared.
FULLERTON, Max Cohen: The article, “Fullerton backs all recalls” [Front Page, June 6], quotes Kelly Thomas’s father, Ron Thomas as saying – “Now the new folks are going to have to answer my questions.”
Ron Thomas was previously quoted as saying he didn’t have time to “act as Kelly’s full-time conservator” when he was alive [“Records: Kelly Thomas ‘gravely’ mentally ill,” Local, Aug. 5, 2011]. But now, when there’s big money to be gotten from Kelly’s death, Ron Thomas has all the time in the world to get “justice” for his son.
This is a perversion of what it means to be a parent. The taxpayers are being abused to satisfy these greedy uncaring people. Kelly Thomas’s mother already collected $1 million from taxpayers because she abandoned her son and he met a terrible death. Now I believe the father is out for his big payday. It is beneath contempt.
The entire Thomas family allowed Kelly Thomas – a very sick son/brother – to live like a stray dog on the streets. Then when the dangers devoured him they are not ashamed to put on the cloak of caring parenthood.
Taxpayers should sue the Thomas family to recover all the costs involved with the actions of the unfortunate Kelly Thomas.
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/cohen-357663-offer-election.html
That’s so many kinds of stupid I don’t even have time to start.
I agree…. sigh….
That freak neglected to point out, Kelly has civil rights too, and can do what every he wants, whether he lives with his family, or on the street. That is his liberty.
“allowed him” …how do you legally not ALLOW a grown person who was very much still coherent, to do what they want? A grown person who has not signed any legal papers to hand over his affairs to someone else to handle?
And Ron Thomas has always proclaimed that he wanted justice for his son-that was known and documented since day 1, not all of a sudden.
Yeah, yeah & yeah; blame the victim and their family on your incompetent, ‘out-of-shape’ and poorly trained police officer’s actions…
Nice try once again!
so, using your logic, then the thomas family not fullerton police officers beat Kelly thomas to death?
It’s sad his union is divided and he doesn’t even know it. He sent an email to his members yesterday preparing for the worst and said the city had been sold….. hard to buy something that’s yours, sounds like it was “reclaimed” not sold… Good job Barry… don’t worry you’ll look good in green.
Memo: from Barry
Subject: Donuts
We have all enjoyed the free donuts curtesy of Pat Mckinley every morning. Well that is all ending soon so eat up now. In addition we remind you to not brake-check suspects, break their fingers, or step on their faces until you are sure your DAR is in the “off” position. Thanks for all you do to keep our officers safe from law-abiding citizens.
Love,
Barry
LOL. Made my morning!
LMAO!!!! NICE one.
Unfortunately, I can’t laugh because it rings SO true.
Barry Coffman: Mall Cop
Why punish people who work in malls?!
Barry Coffman: unemployed person.
The parasite must go.
When the city of Placentia decided not renew their contract with Brea for Police services, OCSD said they would hire any Brea officers laid off.
If Fullerton disbands the FPD, isn’t there a chance that these same thug cops will still end up patrolling the city?
There are alternatives, it could be negotiated there be no transfers from FPD to OCSD. Also if the FPD staff has to be absorbed, they could be transferred/dispersed throughout the OC. Who knows until the water is tested? Anyone know of any examples of law enforcement agency transfers?
I don’t think the city of Fullerton can dictate who OCSD can hire.
They might be able to specify that certain officers not be allowed to patrol their city, but that’s only a guess.
Yes the sheriff will hire and staff the same cops that currently patrol Fullerton. The only difference is the ex-Fullerton cops will receive more pay, have more opportunities to work sleepy south county cities. Massive amounts of overtime. Better equipment a Getto Bird to buzz the sky’s of Fullerton. Any finely the opportunity to tell the public we don’t do that (party calls, transient calls, the dope dealer next door, respond to emergency calls within 6 minutes) for we are the sheriff.
How do you figure that when most of them won’t meet the qualifications or will be reassigned to jail duty?
You scared bevmo barry?
…………….is better
It was Yorba Linda that did not renew the contract with Brea; Placentia never received police services from Brea and continues to have its own police department.
Yes, it was YL. My mistake. Thank you peaches.
The question still stands. Does Fullerton really benefit from disbanding the FPD?
FPD must be disbanded because after the death of kelly thomas the other ugly truths about FPD came tumbling out. The grossly damaged FPD’s reputation makes it easier for the arrestees/detainees to sue the FPD even when no civil rights abuses have been committed upon them. Due to massive public media about the FPD’s civil rights abuses any court of law, jury will be prejudiced against the FPD. The city of Fullerton will end up spending more of its precious tax revenue on legal settlements damages to the plaintiffs.
I bet more than a few do not get hired.
It’s called neglegent retention and OCSD is not legally obligated to hire those they think do not meet their standards.
We will see.
What about having the city council officially give it’s ok to the “new hires” as well? That can be a stipulation in the new contract with OCSD.
It was Yorba Linda not Placentia you ignorant idiot. Where do you live? IE?
I acknowledge my mistake above. Can’t you read stupid?
Pay no attention to Bad News Barry’s trolls. They’re prone to cause road rage, rather than watch an intellectual exchange of ideas pass them by.
Keep your BS blinders on if necessary to stay on track.
Yes, dont excite them, its not pretty, dont let them succeed.
Thank you for the advice Fullerton Lover/Champion Master. I won’t feed the trolls. 🙂
Well this Barry gets it totally.
The police tactic to infer that the Kelly Thomas murder was an isolated incident within FPD will not fly.
Dan Hughes, read the long list of police officers acting badly above.
FPD do the right thing! The world is watching!
Leverson go crawl back from under the rock from where you came!
Barry head is so far up Andy’s ass he can’t see straight!
Coffman is the best argument to outsource. This proves the FPD is out of touch and worse, unrepentant. He refers to the Thomas “incident” and acts as if it is isolated. This “incident” had a cop torture an innocent man by tasering him until the battery ran out and then said to the throngs of his colleagues and superiors “My taser battery ran out so I beat the hell out of his face with it” to which NOT ONE fellow cop or superior on the scene took issue. It is clear this is the culture of the FPD, not an “incident”.
Actually, what he said per the script handed out at the trial was “the three of us couldn’t control him, so I had no other options but to smash his face in with my taser.”
What a taint!
Wrong Guy you are wrong again. Here is the exact quote form the tape the world can view (and hear) on youtube: “I ran out, we ran out of options so I got the end of my Taser and I probably. … I just start smashing his face to hell.”
Now we can’t taint that
That’s more like it…
Didn’t you hear him (or someone) say, ‘the 3 of us couldn’t control him”?
He (Cicinelli’s) a ‘Taint’ BTW.
The arrogance of Coffman’s statement is truly unbelievable. I find it hard to believe that all his union members agree with him. Come on, guys and gals. Get some cojones and let’s hear from you!
Speak up against this NOW or lose your department and your careers LATER.
All you have to do is release a written statement to this site, the OC Weekly or even the OC Register.
Your silence will destroy your careers. Think about your city and your families.
SPEAK UP!
Amen!
Barry Coffman and Robert Kirk will rue the day that they ever messed with a loyal friend of the Fullerton Lover.
I never forget.
Shut up Tony!
A change in culture is a slow process (it occurs at all). We don’t have the time or money to wait and see if thugs with the authority of police offices decide they want to honor the Constitutional rights of the citizens of Fullerton. The Sheriff saves millions immediately and immediately stops civil exposure. We are currently in for huge hits for the cases in the pipeline. Who knows how many more we are going to receive in the near future? End it and end it quickly! OUTSOURCE!
Seaborne graduated from a police academy, but could not pass a psychological evaluation to get hired anywhere. Why not make him the chief of police? Between him and Ron Thomas’s two weeks of police experience and of course watching cop shows on TV they should be able to build the perfect department.
The only psychological evaluation to get hired on the FPD, seems to be whether or not the officer candidate possesses a soul or a conscience?
Answer in the affirmative and you’ll find your application for the police department in the circular bin.
Don’t believe me?
Maybe you should ask the rest of the police officers on the FPD (who aren’t currently facing disciplinary actions) why they’ve never spoke out against the civil and human rights abuses under color of authority?
Maybe they would be in the predicament they find themselves in now if they had.
Barry Coffman’s problem is that he’s been keeping his eye on the Donut and not the hole.
He also looks like a bloated version of Tony Orlando.
“Oh tie a Maple Donut ’round the ol’ oak tree…”
“He also looks like a bloated version of Tony Orlando.”
Ha ha He really does.
Taco,
Even if what you say is true we would be far better off than where we are. That is the situation we are in. Thanks for making the point so well.
Way to go Barry! Keep throwing gas on the fire and causing more division! Just what’s needed at this point-
That’s one hell of a laundry list there, Barry. Looks like it’s time to fire up the washing machine!
To any FPOA member: You have a President (Coffman) who is out of touch with reality and who cannot read the writing on the walls. You need to seriously think about a new President- one who sees that a new day in Fullerton is about to dawn and who understands that the citizens are not stupid and are now in charge of things. A new President who humbly and repentantly comes to the new council apologetically and acknowledges problems and pledges 100% to work together to make the department fit the community’s expectations. Your future may depend on it.
Amen William, YOU the man!!!!!
William Wallace for FPD POA president!!!
I think they are misinformed,” Coffman said about anyone saying the department has had corruption. “They don’t know what corrupt is. … They take this Kelly Thomas incident”
Coffman thinks the public did not see six fullerton police officers while on duty in uniform in full view of the public at a busy bus station repeatedly strike with batons and tasers, punches to the face killed Kelly thomas , a 130 pound disabled, homeless man.
So who did beat Kelly Thomas to death? since Coffman asserts he knows what really happened, then did he beat kelly thomas to death?
So now the push is to bring in the OC Sherriff’s Dept to take over? Please, like there’s no corruption there?
Tells us what the corruption is?
Sure there is corruption in the Sheriff’s Department, however not as much in OC as in LA.
Either way, the OCSD would be on their best behavior once they got on board, I’m certain. If not, this blog and the new city council will keep them honest AND they will be much more cost effective.
There’s more of us than there is of them — we’ll be watching, all of Fullerton and the media will be watching. Stay tuned!
and the sad thing is THEY are making this separation — “us vs them” and it shouldn’t be that way 🙁
It’s ALL pretty disgusting that both the acting chief Hughes and Coffman both deny the ‘culture of corruption’.
The arrogance of some of these LEOs, to think that the citizens do NOT know what’s going on.
The simple fact that the recall was a success should be a leading indicator to these incompetents that the citizens of Fullerton DO know what’s going on within their police department and THEIR city overall.
WE will not stand for thuggery and douchebaggery in OUR city!
Nicely done. Can we get a new tag for posts? #douchebaggery.
Wrong Guy!! You are right, sorry for the misunderstanding.
If I have no choice but to have corrupt law enforcement, I would at least go with the least expensive option.
Titan,
There is no perfect policing option. The question is what is the best option? The current situation has us paying millions more than is necessary and we are exposed to many millions more for their wrongful acts. You cap costs at a much better rate and cut off exposure for civil claims. This is the best and most responsible option. The Sheriff will be motivated to provide good service as it is a contract away from being replaced. Market forces drive prices down. The current arrangement is a budget that constantly increases. Tax payer money must be respected and wisely spent. We are currently on a very unwise and irresponsible course.
It apears from those who regularly observe the police in fullerton that they generaly have an us against them mentaloty and an attitude of us above them. Its not surprising that they would think this way when money seems to be the dominating motivation of the job performance at FPD. Who would be the leader of entitlements .One other than Barry Cofman. Imany times wonder what his agena is when he appears at city council meetings wether his agenda involves anything oitside money matters.
Firefighting Homelessness
Building upon a long tradition of service to the community, the Fullerton Fire Department is about to initiate a new program called “Firefighting Homelessness.”
Starting July 1, the Fire Department will begin collecting supplies for homeless men, women, and children. Each Fire Station will place a barrel on the property, allowing residents a convenient location to contribute supplies. Local non-profit organizations will collect and distribute the supplies to our homeless population.
“As firefighters, we are used to helping people 24/7 in emergency situations,” said Fullerton Fire Chief Wolfgang Knabe. “We also feel a calling to help the homeless community to meet their basic needs. This is our way of doing what we can and helping those that need it the most. The program will be in affect all year long and we hope to make a difference in the lives of many.”
http://www.ci.fullerton.ca.us/civica/press/display.asp?layout=1&Entry=2677
Wolfgang gets it- Barry take a lesson from him.
Damn that Fire Chief for going against the “brotherhood” and making FPD look bad. NOT!!
Starting July 1, the Fire Department will begin cleaning homeless men, women, and children from our streets. Each Fire Station will utilize full-strength firehoses to blast filthy temporary residents and their meager possessions out of town. Our staff will collect all abandoned homeless possessions and distribute them to each other at the station. After the firehose blasting those homeless people who remain on our streets will be picked up and distributed to Anaheim.
“As firefighters, we are used to helping people 24/7 in emergency situations,” said Fullerton Fire Chief Barry Coffman. “The presence of these dirty bums on our streets is definitely an emergency. We feel a calling to help them by blasting them the hell out of our community. This is our way of doing what we can and helping the people that we serve get these muck-covered paupers out of their Jacaranda-lined streets. The program will be in affect all year long and we hope to make a difference in the lives of many.”
You can’t quote real people in a public forum, that’s slander. Problem is that nobody here seem to care what rules get broken. Coffman could sue the blog and you.
Calling all bums…Come to Fullerton, Bum City USA.
I have called the FPD 4 times in the last 4 years.
First when a tagger sprayed a death threat on my sidewalk. FPD said someone would be there right away to investigate. 3 hours later, when I called back to say WTH, the dispatcher said they had already gone to my house. I WAS SITTING ON THE FREAKIN PORCH the whole time, so I told her she was lying. She said they would get someone there right away. They came, took a picture and left. FPD said they were busy since a man had been stabbed a week before that. 3 months later a detective called me and asked if I had any new information… I said “No, do you!!??” and hung up on him.
The next 3 times were when the same neighbor was blaring music at 3AM during a party he was having in his front-freakin yard on Orangethorpe. Not once did the FPD respond or do anything at all about it. I did note that there was a cop sitting in a parking lot a block away for several hours not visibilly doing anything.
Before that, when I worked for Maintenance Services I was at the City Yard and saw 5 guys throwing rock from the train tracks and breaking windows on city vehicles. Several weeks before that they had broken windows on 5 or 6 vehicles (you know how much a window costs on a street sweeper?!). I called the police and they said someone would be there in 15 minutes. 30 minutes later, a cop came in the yard, I went and met him and said ‘its about damn time.’ He says ‘time for what? I saw someone was in here after hours and came to check it out’. They never even bothered to dispatch someone to a report of city vehicles being vandalized in the city yard!?
Disband the FPD? HELL YES! Its hard to fire a cop, but easy to close down a police department. Shut it down, contract with OCSD for a year or so, then MAYBE re-open it and don’t hire people on the black-list.
OCSD would use exsisting equipment and facilities within Fullerton.
They could bring in some of their own equipment if they wish or change certain things if need be.
Wouldn’t even need to change cars.
It must of been Officer Wren, he doesn’t like to respond to calls.
That was for Erik Wehn.
Barry Coffman is about to be recalled by his own union members for failure to lead. Most would like to keep their jobs.
Any additional info from the inside?
“Tom “Tango” Basham – allegedly the watch commander the night of the Thomas murder, and player #1 in the subsequent cover up”
Can anyone confirm this?
Life is all about perspective. Mr Coffman’s perspective is such that he actually believes he is right and we have got it all wrong. Mr Coffman’s perspective sheds telling insight into the morally bankrupt condition that pervades law enforcement all over the country. He is absolutely correct. With the exception of the Kelly Thomas murder, compared to other departments the laundry list above is pale in comparison. HOWEVER-this is our Fullerton. They work for us and soon enough that sad realization will sink into their little noggins. We will not tolerate the bar being set a few degrees above hades. This beautiful, diverse, vibrant place called Fullerton is not populated by a bunch of cowards and the 3 clownsill members were just the first of many to be thrown out on their asses.
The “Thin Blue Line” has become a tightrope!!!!
WEALTHY CORRUPT COP. WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH MONEY HE HAS BURIED.
THE LIVE CAM THAT NIGHT WAS VERY ACTIVE SOMEONE WAS ENJOYING THE KELLY THOMAS EXTENDED EXECUTION. DISGRACEFUL.
To Sadists its just “Pure Joy”
Yelling “RELAX” as they execute him. It would have been more merciful to murder Kelly with a gun shot rather than savagely beat him to death. However, Jay couldn’t run his battery dead tasering him if they did that. We don’t know what corruption is, do we Barry?
Barry Conman has got his head stuffed way up where the sun don’t shine.
This just proves the cops are not the least bit interested in reform.
TO BE REFORMED YOU MUST MAKE AMENDS FOR YOUR PAST WRONGS.
COME DOWN HARD ON THESE SCOUNDRELS, CITY COUNCIL. HIT THEM FAST. HIT THEM HARD. MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THERE IS A NEW BOSS IN TOWN – WHO’S NOT THE SAME AS THE OLD BOSS.
DO YOUR JOB, CITY COUNCIL. TNS!!!!!
What did we do with the corrupt council? REPLACED THEM!
What do we do with the corrupt PD?
REPLACE THEM!
Re: Morning Letters
If one was to use your faulty logic they could ask why Jay Cicinelli’s family did not do a better job of getting him the psychological support he needed after he lost his eye. Perhaps if they had been more concerned parents he could have worked out his rage in a manner that did not involve bashing a handcuffed man’s head repeatedly.
And where were Manny Ramos’ parents when he was eating himself to the point of becoming obese? If they had truly loved him they would have made him seek help through Overeaters Anonymous. Maybe then Kelly Thomas would not have suffocated quite as quickly underneath all that weight. Talk about parental neglect. How do they sleep mat night!
I know as a cop or cop apologist you are used to just following the orders of more educated people blindly. But there is a little something called free will that human’s possess. Kelly Thomas used it when he refused to accept his parent’s help or take his meds. Similarily, Jay Cicinelli, Manny Ramos and the rest of the perps acted on free will when they murdered, or did nothing to prevent the murder of Kelly Thomas. They were to blame, not the parents. Just accept the fact that a corrupt police force has cost the taxpayers millions and will soon be facing some major changes.
Barry Coffman is RIGHT!! We are all misinformed! Remember, Barry needs to be re-elected to his union presidency, so he will say whatever is required to get elected!
Barry is a good union man, just like Sgt Andrew Goodrich who is now a Lieutenant, promoted even though he lied and lied and lied until he was REPLACED as the public info officer at FPD.
So is FPD still corrupt? Does FPD have a culture of corruption? Draw your own conclusions!