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State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland (center left) addresses protesters complaining about Chester Police Officer Joshua DeWees while DeWees supporters are gathered across the street.

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Group demands suspension of Chester cop

By WILLIAM BENDER
Philadelphia Daily News

benderw@phillynews.com 215-854-5255

Protesters calling for the suspension of Chester Police Officer Joshua DeWees, the target of three federal civil-rights lawsuits, marched yesterday from Chester City Hall to police headquarters, where they were met by DeWees himself - clad in Phillies gear and surrounded by 20 supporters.

The two groups glared at each other from opposite sides of 7th Street, which served as a buffer. Tensions were high, but there was no violence.

"This guy is out of control. I don't feel safe with him in this city," said Ricky Reese, whose daughter claims in a lawsuit that DeWees struck her with a baton and wrongfully arrested her in 2007 when she was 14. The charges were later dismissed.

Gerald Turner, who sued De-Wees last week in federal court, Philadelphia, said he stopped attending a Chester church he had belonged to for 25 years after De-Wees allegedly berated the congregation with racial obscenities and cited him for disorderly conduct.

Turner, 52, of Bear, Del., said he was trying to report an auto accident that had occurred outside the church in December 2007 when DeWees blew his lid.

"He cussed me out, cussed the pastor out, cussed everyone out, and locked me up," Turner said. A preliminary hearing was never scheduled for his citation.

State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland sided with Turner and the other protesters yesterday, saying that DeWees should be placed on desk duty until all the complaints can be investigated.

Glancing across the street at a dog that one of DeWees' supporters had on a leash, Kirkland said, "This is like Selma, Alabama. What's going on here?"

DeWees' group dismissed the protesters' complaints, saying they were tarnishing the reputation of a good cop.

"It's shenanigans, fabricated lies against an officer of good moral fiber," said George Oronzio, a member of the Bullets Motorcycle Club, which raises funds for police officers killed in the line of duty.

"I think this is a disgrace, a smear tactic against the police," Oronzio said. "We're tired of this, and we're calling bulls---."

DeWees, 27, declined to comment. In June, his pickup truck was set on fire outside of his house. He has previously said he believes it was a police-targeted arson.

Darrell Jones, president of the Chester NAACP, said yesterday that he has received other complaints about DeWees in addition to the three lawsuits. Jones said DeWees should be suspended if the allegations are proven to be true.

"It's funny that the NAACP is all for due process, but they're not giving Officer DeWees any," said Sean Dougherty, 24, a Delaware County Park Police officer who was supporting DeWees.

Chester spokeswoman Emily Harris said in a statement that the city and Police Department would not comment on active litigation.

She said the city takes all complaints seriously and would "continue to hold the men and women of the Chester Police Department to the highest standards."

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Comments

Posted 07:46 AM, 10/31/2009

tightlines

What? Cops never do anything wrong. Ever. Stop complaining!

Posted 08:32 AM, 10/31/2009

Smokey

Wow! Looks to be about a dozen protestors. Once again, the media making a mountain out of a molehill.

Posted 08:41 AM, 10/31/2009

stoneman

Another pos hiding behind the badge. With some creeps it gives them ID and courage they would never have otherwise.

Posted 10:03 AM, 10/31/2009

JohnI

"It's funny that the NAACP is all for due process, but they're not giving Officer DeWees any." OK, put him on trial.

Posted 10:24 AM, 10/31/2009

med328

No small coincidence that this kind of thing keeps happening to the SAME cop! Some cops have 20, 25, 30 year careers, making plenty of arrests and being very active and aggressive - and get very few complaints. This dope has a few years on the job and he's a complaint magnet. The guy's a bad seed, and should have NEVER made it past the hiring background or the psych exam. Fire him.

Posted 10:59 AM, 10/31/2009

saun8934

This cop should definitely be taken off the street, before he kills someone!

Posted 11:14 AM, 10/31/2009

solibs

One bad apple ruins the bunch. Get rid of him.

Posted 11:19 AM, 10/31/2009

Fitzy31

Dirtbag with a badge, but not for long!

Posted 11:28 AM, 10/31/2009

ashemnat99

It needs to be looked into. How many seperate things have to take place with the same cop before you at least start to wonder?? Its not like the person involved with him on a certain day knows that this is a cop who has been complained about before. So, if stuff keeps happening with this one cop is that all just a coincidence? Seems odd to me. Plus, I know a guy I gre up with who was a straight up wimp and scared of his own shadow and always wanted a permit to carry a gun, even as a teenager. He also wanted to be a cop and everyone that knew him knew he was one of those guys that should never be given a gun and a badge because he was going to definitely get some payback for all his insecurities. This stuff happens.

Posted 12:24 PM, 10/31/2009

gfo102

I was there at the police station for part of this, but there was no tension until the father of the girl who says she was assaulted (over two years ago, and just mentioning it this year) started yelling profanities at officer Dewees and calling one of his black supporters "an Uncle Tom." Mr Kirkland seems to be concerned that one of Dewees' supporters had brought his dog with him. SO what? One of the protesters had brought thier dog with them too. You can't take your dog out on a half-decent day without mr Kirkland feeling nervous and evoking memories of the segregatory South? And the NAACP may want to brief their "members" who decide to "protest" against white police officers on not gratuititously using the "N-Word" when speaking loudly amongst themselves in public. It's extremely unbecoming. I get the feeling that Dr King was rolling over in his grave yesterday. Oh, and this officer was involved in another incident over the summer. One that didn't make all the papers, but deserves repeating. He pulled over a school bus that was really speeding through a school zone. The bus driver shut the door on his arm and dragged him for a few blocks before attacking him. Turns out the driver had a brain tumor that caused irrational behavior, and needed to be pepper sprayed to be subdued. They never filed a complaint against the officer. We'll see what happens when it goes to trial...if it goes to trial. I'm sure that that's what the lawyer is counting on. And all that is going to do is deplete the funding of a city that desperately needs it, hurting community relations with the police department along the way. All for the almighty dollar. At the end of the day, all involved have to live with their consciences...good luck to all involved on that one.

Posted 02:49 PM, 10/31/2009

WhatWouldTDDo

"This guy is out of control. I don't feel safe with him in this city," You don't feel safe because of one cop? Maybe the reason the city isn't safe is because AAs are running wild through Chester. Stop committing crimes and you won't have to worry about the big, bad, po-po arresting you. When will these people stop with the complaining?

Posted 04:14 PM, 10/31/2009

Kgknows

You said it "No small coincidence".. this is a case of people breaking the law, and see $$$ .. One person makes an alligation and now its become a band wagon. Forget any officers cutting people breaks because of this. So when you leave the bar after having "one beer" and you get pulled over, dont go crying you wont finish college because of this if your arrested... they aren't going to care anymore. I thought it was very mature of the person who set this officers truck on fire, lets put his family at risk because you dont like how he does his job. This is a fine officer, and the truth will be told, and justice will be sought, I hope this officer doesnt sue every single one of these people for defamation of character when hes proven innocent!!

Posted 05:37 PM, 10/31/2009

med328

I'll go a step further and question his good judgement on deciding to attend a protest - against him! By going there with his supporters, all he did was demonstrate to me that he's antagonistic, confrontational, and likes to a good fight. Well here's a news flash - that's a dangerous viewpoint of how best for a police officer to deal with brutality allegations.

Posted 08:22 PM, 10/31/2009

johanna

And what about the pos who set fire to the guys car. I'm so effin sick and tired of everybody whining about race.

Posted 09:35 PM, 10/31/2009

FishtownYo

WhatWouldTDDo: Stop committing crimes and you won't have to worry about the big, bad, po-po arresting you? Since when did you need to commit a crime for a cop to arrest you? Where are you la-la land, wake up my friend. Cops are against you at every moment, unless your wealthy or connected.