Now, this whistleblower is releasing damning audio evidence that once again points to the systemic corruption alleged to exist within the Battle Creek Police Department and Battle Creek City Hall.
This evidence should force accountability upon those within the police department, city government, and community who have participated in, enabled, defended, or helped cover up this conduct.
According to the whistleblower, the punishment for exposing misconduct inside the department was not limited to isolation and retaliation — it included being deliberately placed into dangerous situations where fellow officers allegedly knew he could be seriously injured or killed.
This should help vindicate any naysayers in the police department, city hall and community who have been a part of the cover up and whom defend this type of corrupt behavior.
The following account below details one of those incidents. The content and audio below was given to me by “Officer Whistleblower” of the Battle Creek Police Department which was captured on a makeshift recorder made by Officer Whistleblower with a BCPD CS Cannister seen in the pictures below.
BCPD Modified CS Cannister To Record CorruptionBCPD Modified CS Cannister To Record CorruptionBCPD Modified CS Cannister To Record Corruption
On August 7, 2011, while assigned as the lone downtown officer at the notoriously dangerous Par 4 Lounge in Battle Creek, the whistleblower officer says supervisors and fellow officers knowingly abandoned him in an overcrowded, gang-heavy environment despite available manpower and clear safety risks. The officer believes it was intentional retaliation for breaking the “Blue Wall of Silence” after reporting misconduct within the department.
The audio recordings referenced in this article allegedly capture officers attempting to justify why they refused to assist or protect one of their own.
Sgt Jeff Case
August 7th, 2011
Venue: Par 4 Lounge, downtown Battle Creek.
While serving as a downtown resource officer, I was set up to fail and get seriously hurt. I was assigned to bar enforcement with no direct backup in case of a fight, or intoxicated individuals. My backup consisted of citywide district cars who could be tied up with other calls for service. I was directed as the only downtown officer (when an additional one was available, but denied to help me) on specific busy bar nights. The city had a history of bars that were frequently used by criminals and various gangs. In the past, officers were aware of these individuals carrying firearms, dealing drugs, or looking for rivals with in intent to commit homicides when the bars closed… Par 4 was no exception.
The night of the audio clips, I had been assigned as the sole officer to patrol the bar and keep everyone safe. At one point, I had arrested an individual for drunk driving and had transported her to the jail… this left the bar exposed to having a large crowed. When I returned, the parking lot was overflowing and there were a couple hundred people now occupying the bar and parking lot. I noted many people sitting randomly in their cars and empty liquor bottles strewed throughout the parking lot. I was only briefly assisted by two additional officers. The first Sgt. Jeff Case (cousin of Ofc. Joel Case) and Ofc. Troy Gilleylen, a future Sgt. and eventually a Deputy Chief.
Shorty after returning to the bar, a driver unrelated to the bar had fled a traffic stop and the officer and other started to pursue the driver. With the parking lot overcrowded and people loitering the area, both officers left me alone with the crowd and exposed me to potential physical harm. When the officers left, they could clearly see the same observations I had made and knowing left, understanding the risks from previous encounters with this bar.
15-20 minutes later, units arrived back at the bar… However, officers stood around the perimeter and failed to interact and disperse the crowd. This created a dangerous situation for me, since they watched me moving from groups of people and cars, trying to prevent any altercations. As an experienced officer, one of the most dangerous parts is not knowing what’s hidden in a vehicle. Criminals often hide drugs and other weapons and in this case, we had an extra layer of gangs under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The potential for me being assaulted was extremely high. The situation could be described from the incident Det. Frank Serpico experienced in the 70’s with his narcotics unit in NYC. He was aware that his own people would most likely set up a situation in which he could get hurt, thus they wouldn’t face criminal charges if they weren’t directly involved with his injury or death. Here I am facing similar situations, and this was only one of those incidents… there had been plenty more documented. I was still less than two years after reporting excessive force that had been committed by one of our officers. In the audio clips you are about to hear, Sgt. Jeff Case and Ofc. Chad Fickle tried to defend themselves over my concern of the lack of officer support. Both of these officers had a personal reason for putting me in a position to get assaulted. One member was related to Joel Case and both were a part of his unit at either the same time he assaulted the citizen, or just before it.
