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Mar 29, 2007 10:12 pm US/Central
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Ex-Police Supt.: Daley To Blame For Unruly Cops
Taped December Incident Led To Suspension Of Police Powers For 6 Officers
CBS 2's Joanie Lum and Mike Parker contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
New details are coming out about a fight between Chicago police officers and four men in December, including what allegedly started the brawl.
As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, a videotape of police allegedly beating four businessmen at a River West bar still has not been released. But Thursday's Chicago Sun-Times reports one of the four victims taunted one of the police officers, who was crying over the death of his father. Then a fight broke out.
Police Superintendent Phil Cline says the department is embarrassed.
"No words should ever lead to physical action. What troubles me is if a fight did occur, their job is to let the responding officers know what happened and sort it out," Cline said.
Someone did call 911, but the Sun-Times reports the officers involved in the beating allegedly waived off the responding officers. Six cops have been suspended.
Like virtually everyone else in Chicago, the man who ran the Chicago Police Department in the early 1980s has been watching the unfolding stories of police officer misconduct.
"I think they look like the Dirty Dozen, they act like the Dirty Dozen, they don't care and I think it's reflective of the mandate that comes down from the fifth floor," said former police superintendent Richard Brzeczek.
"We've stripped 'em. We're working with the state's attorneys. If they choose to charge, we'll arrest them," Cline said.
Brzeczek has long been at odds with Mayor Richard M. Daley, and Thursday night, he charged that some cops think they can get away with bad behavior, because the mayor has been sweeping police problems under the rug.
"He doesn't want any problems to become public," Brzeczek said of Daley.
"Everything is done, calculated to his political career," he said.
Cline on Thursday put to rest any rumors that there would be changes in Daley's top brass shortly after the re-election.
"I serve at the pleasure of the mayor. Personally I don't have any plans to retire. We still have a lot of work to do," Cline said.
He says he briefed Daley by telephone, as the mayor is currently out of the country.
Brzeczek thinks Cline is safe, for now.
"The only way he's not going to survive it is if he has to take his turn falling on the sword to protect the mayor's cowardice," Brzeczek said of Cline.
Cline says the police scandals can't be a distraction when it comes to reducing crime. He spoke at a crime-fighting workshop Thursday, along with first lady Laura Bush.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)