This policy came into being when various civil rights organizations charged that police shootings-fatal and nonfatal-were being covered up when investigated by Homicide or Detective Divisions, and that only Internal Affairs, an elite unit already charged with the investigation of police malfeasance, could be trusted to investigate shootings fully and fairly.
When the first “assist officer, shots fired” call was broadcast to every police vehicle in Philadelphia, it was received in the Crown Victoria assigned to Inspector Michael Weisbach, of the Internal Affairs Division, who was at the ti
me returning to his home from a social event at Temple Beth Emmanuel.
He did not respond to the call, primarily because he was a considerable distance from South Front Street, and realized that by the time he could get there, at least twenty, and probably more, other units would be on the scene.
But he did turn to his wife and say, “I really hope no one was hit. I’m really beat.”
By the time he got to his home, however, other radio traffic had made it clear that he wasn’t going to be able to go to bed anytime soon. And after he’d dropped his wife off and headed for the Internal Affairs office on Dungan Road in northeast Philadelphia, there came, several times, official confirmation.
“I-2, Radio.”
“I-2, go.”
“We have two suspects down, one dead, at the assist officer, shots fired, unit block South Front Street.”
“Okay. I’m on my way to IAD.”
Then his cellular telephone chirped the first bars of “Rule Britannia.”
“Weisbach.”
“Inspector, this is Captain Fein, Sixth District.”
“Hello, Jake.”
“Two suspects down, one dead, at the assist officer, shots fired on South Front.”
“I’m on my way to IAD. Thanks for the heads up.”
“Out of school, Mike, it looks righteous.”
“I sure hope so. Thanks again, Jake.”
He had just laid the telephone down on the seat when it played “Rule Britannia” again.
“Weisbach.”
“Kimberly, boss. I just got a call from Lieutenant McGuire of Dignitary Protection. He was the first supervisor on the scene in the shots fired on South Front, and he’s transporting the shooter here.”
“I’m en route.”
“You’re not going to like this, boss. The shooter’s Sergeant Matt Payne.”
“Oh, hell.”
“You want me to call the FOP?”
“Yes, please. And put Payne in an interview room and don’t do anything else until I get there.”
“Yes, sir. There’s more, boss.”
“Let me have it.”
“Stan Colt and his entourage were there. The press has hold of it and they’re all over the scene. I’m watching it on the television here in the office. They broke into the prime-time shows to cover it live. It’s a real cluster fuck out there.”
Under the contract between the City of Philadelphia and Lodge #5 of the Fraternal Order of Police, it is agreed that whenever any police officer, regardless of rank, is detained for any reason that might result in criminal prosecution, the detaining unit will, at the same time it notifies senior police officials, notify the Fraternal Order of Police.