These materials were prepared for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics by former Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and former Communications Director Miriam Schulman. WHAS11 talked to two retired LMPD officers who are African Americans. When friendships or subjective issues are focal points of promotions it sends an organizational message that the pathway for advancement is not working hard. While we conclude that the organizers did not specifically intend for the Roundup to be a "whites-only" racist gathering, we were able to identify only twenty individual members of minority groups, including four blacks, who ever attended a Roundup. Nepotism is an even narrower form of favoritism. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 state legislatures have found the practice of nepotism troubling enough to enact laws against it. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Racial Inequities in Law Enforcement - Our Scientists' Work | RTI The only identifying information we received was that an unspecified person from Ohio and another from Mississippi possessed one of these tapes. We found substantial evidence that the campground was a hostile environment for women especially in the later years of the Roundup. Other attendees intervened and broke up the confrontation. One of the most basic themes in ethics is fairness, stated this way by Artistotle: "Equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally." Only one DOJ employee, now retired, served in an official organizational capacity as an "MOB," which stood for the "members of the board" or "mean old bastards," the group with responsibility for cooking, registration, and official recreational activities. When he believed that OIG intended to seek court enforcement of the subpoena he publicly threatened bloodshed. c) Racist Skits As we have noted, we are forwarding information to the Director of the FBI for consideration of discipline against an FBI So, unconsciously we end up testing them, and closely evaluating their every move. Enter https://www.corrections1.com/ and click OK. On two occasions the Redneck of the Year contest contained blatantly racist material. In media interviews, Randall and Hayward stated that they went to the site of the 1995 Roundup with the intention of finding racist conduct to report. Our investigation established that DOJ employees had quite diverse experiences at the Roundup. Roundup's Racism in the Law enforcement Community Never Died. Racist skits were performed in 1990 and 1992. Although in earlier years we found efforts by Rightmyer to ensure that women were treated appropriately and these women reported no problems, we found little evidence of concern in the later years when the objectionable conduct became pervasive. Decisions that need to be made get kicked down the road and unpopular people no matter their competence have no voice. We relate this to the idea of making a copy of a copy. The emperors new clothes.Retrieved from http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html. Our initial task was to identify DOJ employees who attended any of the Roundups. Rightmyer was interviewed by OIG twice, including an all day on-the-record interview in the latter stages of the investigation. The caption of the photo on the T-shirt read, "Boyz on the Hood." Nevertheless, because the investigation established some episodes of egregious racist conduct in certain years, we tried to determine which DOJ employees attended the Roundup in those years, and whether they participated in or encouraged such conduct. When the persons in the registration area observed the sign, it was removed. When these allegations were first made public, the public criticism was broad and harsh. The official activities of the Roundup were centered on athletic events, drinking, and what were intended to be humorous performances by participants vying for such titles as Redneck of the Year. The banner was thrown in the trash. Lake County sheriff: DOJ grant will help department further move away A related idea is patronage, giving public service jobs to those who may have helped elect the person who has the power of appointment. In reality, the clothes do not exist, and although swindled, the emperor himself does not admit he cannot see them, because he doesnt want to be seen as unwise. Hayward was told he could not enter the campground unless all of these materials were removed. This woman denied that she was raped. Download the WHAS11 News app now. Also, the appearance of favoritism weakens morale in government service, not to mention public faith in the integrity of government. Contrary to the media accounts of this incident, the black agents were not turned away from the Roundup. Those who are insular limit the abilities of work engagement and limiting an organizations true potential. I look around from time to time and never cease to be amazed at how little social progress we have actually made. They are here you know. Once Hayward and Randall's allegations were made public, one former and several current black ATF agents made allegations that the Roundup was a "whites-only" event and that no black agents had ever been invited to attend. Additionally, organizations that have insular leaders also suffer due to a lack of problem solving within the management rank. One of the Senate affiants alleged that during the 1990 Roundup a "drug enforcement officer" offered her some unspecified drugs in Grumpy's, a bar adjacent to the campground that was frequented by many Roundup attendees. D. Findings Regarding Other Misconduct Other attendees intervened and broke up the confrontation. The interview comes after the DOJ released a report on Tuesday, revealing that women make uponly 16 percent of criminal investigative jobs within the departments central investigative agencies and hold few executive leadership positions. However, the respective components may wish to consider counseling for some of their employee participants based on our findings. We found no information to identify who was responsible for this sign. The next day Rightmyer told the offenders that blacks were welcome at the Roundup and if they did not like it, they should leave. The caption read, "Boyz on the Hood." Former FBI agent Robyn Gritz said on Wednesday that there was a "good old boys" club within the premier U.S. law enforcement agencies after the Department of Justice released a report. And although we were able to identify more who had been invited to attend, most chose not to -- some merely because the name and location suggested to them that they would not be welcome there. A future Roundup president and Richard Hayward can be readily identified in the photo. We chase off and scare off new officers before they can grasp even the basics of our profession. The largest number of DOJ employees in attendance in any given year was eleven, a level reached twice, once out of approximately 400 attendees in 1986 and then again out of 520 attendees in 1994. OIG made special efforts to interview persons from many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and to interview a large number of participants who had no law enforcement affiliation. For cabinet level positions, an executive will probably be drawn to experienced, qualified candidates, but historically, the lower down the ladder, the more likely for someone's brother-in-law to be slipped into a job for which he is not qualified. This article is part four of a seven-part series, illuminating light on the seven errors of leadership behaviors. Because of the lack of controls placed on the distribution of fliers once they reached particular offices, the extent to which they were brought to the attention of the agents in these offices varied. 1. He eventually parked his car off to the side, removed the offensive clothing, and was permitted to enter. They were welcomed at the Roundup in multiple years. Hayward and his attorney terminated the interview shortly after the questioning turned to Hayward's own white supremacist views and activities. An important part of the climate was established by the availability of unlimited amounts of alcohol. Although we heard conflicting views as to whether this conduct was intended to send a benign message of "Southern heritage" or a message of racism and intolerance, especially towards African Americans, we conclude that such displays had the effect, whether intended or not, of adding to a racially charged and hostile environment. Open Meetings, Open Records, and Transparency in Government, Relationships between Elected Officials and Staff. During this 16-year period, only 4 black law enforcement agents ever attempted to attend the Roundup. The good ol boy system is when a leader unabashedly chooses favorites among their subordinates. In addition, we found that because the central activity during most Roundups was the consumption of large quantities of Roundup-supplied alcohol, the organizers knowingly sacrificed the ability to control the conduct of participants. Hayward, who made the videotape with the "checkpoint" sign and who in an affidavit submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee claimed to have witnessed a broad array of racist acts at a number of the Roundups, refused for several months to cooperate with the OIG investigation, submit to an interview, or surrender the original videotape. And in many cases, DOJ employees acted as one would hope they would -- they saw an event marked by excessive alcohol consumption and puerile behavior and never returned. 2. "You know, you're the person that plays golf with the commander of the unit, so when you go apply you're going to get that spot.". The 9News Investigators found records of two paychecks made out to Jimmy Jones after his resignation date of April 28, 2015. No DOJ employee ever won Redneck of the Year, Ugliest Good O' Boy, Liar's Contest, or Beer Enduro competitions. Racists Vandalized LeBrons Los Angeles Home. No DOJ employee ever served on the "REX" (Roundup Executive Committee), the group responsible for setting Roundup policies. Randall was even less cooperative, refusing to answer more than a few basic questions in the presence of other militia members in late July and refusing our requests for a subsequent interview. We believe that such off-duty responsibilities are not well-understood by many DOJ employees. When the organizers of the Roundup learned about the signs, they ordered the signs taken down. These individuals no longer use the term "nigger" in racially mixed company, but they freely use this derogatory term while relaxing and socializing in intimate settings with all-white friends and family members. "There is definitely a system of the good ole boy system that takes place," James said. Nor, as the initial news accounts suggested, was the Roundup dominated by federal law enforcement personnel. The "good ole boy" system plagues T.D.C.J, and is part of the reason they have a hard time keeping employees. Insular environments are also the breeding ground of fear-based cultures. We are disturbed that an event characterized by rampant public drunkenness, widespread public lewdness, and in later years episodes of racist conduct drew participants from DOJ and other law enforcement organizations. A second sign, this one reading, "nigger checkpoint," was reported to have been posted across from the registration area early on the morning the Roundup began. In addition to Roundup participants, OIG made significant efforts to interview the persons who alleged misconduct against the Roundup and its participants. Other substantiated allegations, such as the playing of games for monetary stakes and the consumption in isolated instances of moonshine, are addressed fully in the report. In practice, these should give an accurate and fair assessment of a unit. Avoidance of critical thinking during planning efforts: People dont criticize plans that are rolled out by power players, thereby not really putting our best foot forward. In conducting this investigation, the OIG's principal purposes were (1) to determine whether DOJ employees had committed acts that might warrant sanction by their components and (2) to determine whether existing standards of conduct provide adequate guidance as they relate to off-duty conduct or whether any changes in administrative policy or practice should be made. Third, executives should be thinking about strategic succession planning rather than waiting for retirements to occur and making picks in the moment. Many police organizations have faced this lopsided leadership option (McMillin, 1999). In their affidavits to the Senate, the two Ocoee women claimed to have heard that a woman was gang-raped by a large number of Roundup participants. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You would have everyone on equal footing, we would be treated fairly. The only identifying information we received was that an unspecified person from Ohio and another from Mississippi possessed one of these tapes. Twenty-three of the forty-four DOJ employees attended only one Roundup; eight more went only twice. When someone is granted a position because of connections rather than because he or she has the best credentials and experience, the service that person renders to the public may be inferior. We conclude that the name "Good O' Boy" was not selected or used with the intent to send a message that the event was racially exclusive. At our direction, DOJ components canvassed their employees to determine whether any had either attended or been invited to a Roundup or knew anyone who had. When the investigation began, concern was raised that federal employees might have used government time and resources to promote racist activities, in violation of Office of Government Ethics standards. Tweet. We found substantial evidence that the campground was a hostile environment for women especially in the later years of the Roundup. Insular leaders draw a clear boundary between those in the group and those seen as outsiders (Johnson, 2012). The authors suggest four opportunities to dig an organization out of an insular environment. Archived | Perspectives on Civil Protective Orders in Domestic Violence Texas Department of Criminal Justice "good ole boy" Reviews When the persons in the registration area observed the sign, it was removed. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. We also coordinated with a number of other law enforcement agencies that were conducting investigations into participation by their own personnel in the Roundup, most notably the Department of Treasury Office of the Inspector General (Treasury OIG). CAIRO, Ga. It was Election Day in Grady County, and Sheriff Harry Young, 76, had hardly slept three hours the night before. OIG believes further that employees bring disrepute to the Department and adversely affect their ability to perform their law enforcement mission if they knowingly attend an event whose purpose is to encourage or promote racist activity. We believe that such off-duty responsibilities are not well-understood by many DOJ employees. We found no information as to who was responsible for this sign. Although the Roundup was plainly not the type of event that brings credit to its participants, we developed no evidence that any significant role was played in the Roundup by any DOJ personnel past or present. Randall also alleged that a T-shirt with a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a target superimposed over his face, was offered for sale. It also makes us highly skeptical of anyone new coming in. OIG received no allegations and found no evidence that any DOJ property was used to support the Roundup. Who knows if they will have our back when the time comes? Cultural change that sticks.Harvard Business Review. In addition, two local women provided affidavits to the Senate Judiciary Committee alleging, among other things, that a woman had been gang-raped at a Roundup, a "drug enforcement officer" had offered one of them drugs during a Roundup, and a goat had been purchased for bestiality purposes. Even though our assessment is that an inadequate evidentiary basis exists to recommend discipline for any of the other DOJ employees whose conduct we considered, we are extremely troubled by many of the excesses committed by non-DOJ attendees at the Roundup that developed during the mid-1980s and grew far worse during the years 1990-95. We not only had to deal with weak recollections due to the passage of time but also faulty or incomplete memories because so many participants had consumed so much alcohol during the Roundup. Such conduct included playing music with racist lyrics at campsites; wearing, trading, and selling T-shirts with racially insensitive messages; telling racially offensive jokes during official competitions; and, in the context of particular facts found, displaying Confederate flags. We cling to old traditions and practices. That creates a unique bond regardless of your personal relationship with someone. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/bellis.NTCOFSP/Downloads/0679.pdf, Rand, S. (n.d.). Near these signs, and also visible in the video, was a drawing of a likeness of an African American with a circle around it and a red slash across the circle. Greater punishment could be warranted, therefore, if the behavior evidenced in this investigation is part of a pattern of documented racial insensitivity. Beshear confirms 3 dead after severe weather makes its way through Kentuckiana, LG&E: 'Significant' power outages with no restoration time given, A councilwoman's 'road map' to equity in Louisville, 'We have another study that tells us what we already know' | Black Louisvillians react to LMPD review, 'Breonna's home state continues to fail her' | Louisville groups raise concerns over changes to bill that would limit no-knock warrants, 'To lose my son in the same community I grew up in, it's tough.' Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Randall also alleged that a T-shirt with a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a target superimposed over his face, was offered for sale. Only one DOJ employee, now retired, served in an official organizational capacity as an "MOB," which stood for the "members of the board" or "mean old bastards," the group with responsibility for cooking, registration, and official recreational activities. To assist the Director of the FBI in his determination of punishment in this case, we are also forwarding additional information from our investigative files and will provide further information as requested. Hayward also brought a large David Duke for President banner to hang in the campground, but it was up only briefly before Roundup organizers ordered that it be taken down. We found no evidence that the invitations to the Roundup, either written or oral, made explicit references or even allusions to racial restrictions on attendance or that racist activities were available or welcome at the event.
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