Update: Click here for the latest as this story develops.
Federal civil rights and corruption charges have been filed against several San Francisco Police Department officers in connection with a series of raids on poor people’s SRO apartments, where the officers allegedly stole property, according to a report by KTVU.
The SFPD will be holding a press conference on the indictments within the hour, following by an afternoon press conference by Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who raised the issue in 2011 after obtained video surveillance footage that appeared to show an officers taking a laptop and other property, a story we covered at the time.
Surveillance video footage from the Julian Hotel, which Adachi’s office posted to YouTube in May 2011.
“We’re pleased to see the federal government appears to be taking these civil rights violations seriously,” Public Defender’s Office spokesperson Tamara Aparton told the Guardian.
Although the officers names haven’t been released, KTVU reports that five current officers and a former officer were indicted. Officers named by Adachi in 2011 as involved in the illegal alleged activites were Ronaldo Vargas and Richard Guerrero, although the SFPD says it won’t comment on the indictments until the press conference.
So check back here later for more on this breaking story.
Surveillance video footage from the Henry Hotel (above) and the Jefferson Hotel (below), which Adachi’s office posted to YouTube in December 2010.