Spokane7
50°
June 17, 2011 in City
Troopers show degrees of dishonesty
When Washington State Patrol Trooper Daniel Mann talks about his days at Berkley – if he ever does – it’s probably nothing like you imagine.
No free-speech protests or sit-ins. No dropping acid and sitting in a tree. No examination of the great pinko texts. Or any texts. Not to mention no lectures, no quizzes, no classes.
Mann’s “Berkley” experience involved a single 11-page paper written in the fall of 1998, titled “Drugs Should Not Be Legalized.” This was his “final” paper, as well as his “initial” paper, as well as his “only” paper. He sent a couple grand to the “University of Berkley” in Michigan and waited for his diploma to show up.
Then he started collecting a bigger paycheck for his educational advancements.
Nothing wrong with that, right?
Well, that depends. The information above comes from the scathing conclusions of an investigation into Mann’s actions in 2009, in which Assistant Chief James Lever recommends his firing.
“I believe Mann knowingly submitted a phony academic degree from the University of Berkley to the WSP for increased pay and promotional points,” Lever wrote. “This act clearly constitutes a violation of the rules, regulations and policies of the WSP. … It is simply not reasonable to believe that he did not realize that a Berkley degree was not legitimate. He knew what he was doing was wrong and the facts of the case clearly demonstrate continued attempts to both cover up and prevent any scrutiny of his actions.”
But the State Patrol, after moving initially to fire Mann and several others, chickened out and gave them suspensions of several days. This followed the 10-month paid vacation while they were being investigated. Washington State Patrol spokesman Bob Calkins said the discipline was based on the notion that the troopers had used bad judgment, not intentionally defrauded the state. They stopped receiving the extra pay and repaid more than $50,000 – Mann alone repaid nearly $12,000.
The next move for the Diploma Mill Gang was obvious: Sue the state.
The suit – call it Chutzpah v. Common Decency – was filed in King County Superior Court in December by Mann and four other troopers. They allege that the State Patrol defamed them in some public statements – as well as in some of the minor misunderstandings the patrol didn’t clear up. It takes a lot of huevos to do what Mann did and then sue the state alleging, among other things, “outrage.”
The investigation into the diplomas followed the news in May 2008 that dozens of government employees had purchased counterfeit degrees from a Spokane diploma mill. While the five troopers didn’t buy their diplomas from the Spokane operation, they purchased them from unaccredited online “institutions” that award diplomas based on life experience.
A prosecutor said no crime was committed, but Lever’s report identified three “proven” violations of the patrol’s codes of conduct and ethics. And what the patrol said about Mann publicly is nice and friendly compared to the report. A few examples:
• “It is a proven fact that University of Berkley is a diploma mill. Mann had every obligation to recognize what he was representing as a college degree was indeed a fake and invalid by any reasonable measure.”
• “Despite never having taken a class, read a book, or taken a test, Mann argued that he believed his degree was legitimate. It is absurd to believe that an 11-page research paper could be evaluated and graded to determine a person’s qualification to receive a four-year degree. It would not even be credible for a single upper division college course (one quarter) to simply require a single 11-page research paper without any additional reading, lectures, tests, or additional assignments.”
• “Mann’s deceptive behavior demonstrates the clear intent to mislead and deceive the department.”
• “One primary function of a narcotics detective, that Mann performed for several years, is to constantly test information to determine reliability and credibility of information they receive. For me to believe Mann was completely duped by an Internet website is simply too much to ask.”
• “Mann’s dishonest and unethical actions can simply not be tolerated.”
Of course, they have been tolerated. The State Patrol still issues a paycheck to Mann, who catches drunken drivers here in Spokane.
I feel a personal connection to Mann’s educational experiences, because of my own. I dropped out of college my first go-round, then went back to Eastern Washington University as an adult with a full-time job. It took a lot of work and cost a lot of money, and I’m glad I did it. I didn’t get a raise or anything, but it was invaluable.
Maybe that’s something you have to experience to appreciate.
“It appears to the reviewer that Mann questions the real value of a legitimate bachelor’s degree and therefore felt he deserved the same reward as those who actually went to school and earned a degree,” the report says. “Had Mann actually gone to school, studied, and learned his way toward a four-year degree, I believe he would have a completely different perspective.”
Shawn Vestal can be reached at (509) 459-5431 or shawnv@ spokesman.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vestal13.
The draw of the unknowable 
Orphan on June 17 at 7:31 a.m.
Law Enforcement folks lie to people all the time and its even lawful for them to do so. Mann is a great example of someone that should not be involved in law enforcement. Mann and many others that work in law enforcment have what I call an only one attitude. I am the only one that can; Carry a gun, drive fast, break the law etc. For all you good law enforcement officers out there get these guys off the streets and away from the public you know better than anyone else who they are. A criminal is a criminal no matter what uniform they are wearing.
What we have here is a criminal (Mann) out catching criminals is that really what we want. If I was a Lawyer for a DUI suspect I would get Mann on the whitness stand and ask about his diploma to discredit him then tear apart the rest of his case after all when is Mann lying and when is he telling the truth.
Sadbuttrue on June 17 at 7:49 a.m.
Police sieze control of societies employing many strategies of deceit and deception. One on display here is the familiar debasement of credentials, in service of the fallacious appeal to authority and expertise.
In every police state in history, the truly qualified are the first to be killed and persecuted by the thinly-educated goons in power.
kathrynmary on June 17 at 7:55 a.m.
Chickend out? Disgusting. And you wonder why the public does not trust most law enforcement officers any more. Wake up and apply the same rules and law to everyone.
Notapatriot on June 17 at 8:04 a.m.
So - this pathetic sack of pond scum proudly wears his uniform and ridiculous hat, carries his gun and badge, runs around purportedly upholding the law. All the while, he’s stealing a few grand a year from the public coffers because he scams a phony degree. Let’s suppose this same trooper walks into Costco and steals a few thousand dollars. Stay with me now - …. he gets caught. People like me shoot off scathing criticism to the big cheese trooper and get a polite yet wimpy form letter in response. Then Trooper Mann and his loser, gun totin’, thieving, criminal sack of sewage pals all get 10 months of PAID vacation for being thieves. THEN….. they sue for us pointing out that they are thieving SOB’s and ought to be fired on the spot and made to pay back every penny and cuffed and put in jail and have everyone in jail know that they are lying, thieving, dishonest losers.
My prediction, they will win their ridiculous suit. They will all collect multiple hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars. They will all sit around in comfy full retirement with large publicly funded nest eggs under their loser asses.
What a pathetic country. Where are the leaders with some gonads?
SugarShane on June 17 at 8:22 a.m.
Do they really wonder why people think there is a good ole boys club amongst law enforcement officers? If you call them on it they get really mad and deny everything.
I was harassed by a WSP in Spokane and filed a complaint, his superior all but laughed at me, assuring me that it would be handled professionally, what a joke.
eagleproducer on June 17 at 8:51 a.m.
What does it mean “it takes huevos” to do what Mann did? Isn’t there a suit Pending in SPokane from a coP seeking damages because he was fired for conditions relating to his “disability” alcoholism. It sounds to me that instead of huevos it takes a criminal level of stuPidity. How is it not a crime to defraud the state to get money from the state? I don’t get that Part. I read the state code for fraud and it certainly fits the bill. Any lawyers want to exPlain that?
I’d like to debate Mann’s scholarshiP. Today marks the fortieth anniversary of the beginning of the failed War on Drugs. This unconstitutional intrusion into the lives of citizens engaged in consensual adult behavior has drained the treasury of trillions while disruPting the lives of countless families and sending them into Poverty. It has disenfranchised millions of U.S. citizens who lose many of their civil rights with federal drug convictions. Here are the main results of our “efforts” to control human behavior.
1. Drug use has increased
2. Drubs are more available than ever and have increased dramatically in Potency.
3. The U.S. engages in “mass incarceration” resulting in the highest Per caPita rate of incarceration in the world.
4. The failed war on drugs has started and fueled a civil war in Mexico, where close to forty thousand deaths since 2003 are attributed to Cartel violence.
5. The Cartels, like the Mafia during Prohibition have branched out into our communities establishing aPParently legitimate businesses to launder their Profits.
Every time I tyPe a lower case P a suPer annoying PoP uP ad for the arena engages half of my screen. Is anyone else enjoying that exPerience?
de3 on June 17 at 8:53 a.m.
Every time a video shows up days or weeks after an officer-involved incident, it always shows that the officers lied, as with the killing of Otto Zehm.
I can no longer support the police and I no longer wave and smile at passing officers. They have lost their trust.
The local police here are little more than criminal “good ole boys” mob, unchanged since the story told in Breaking Blue. Corruption runs rampant, illustrated by Mann’s case.
monarch on June 17 at 8:56 a.m.
Law enforcement employees have become untouchables. Unless they are convicted of a crime there is virtually no way to remove them. This isn’t the way a democratic society should work and this erodes public confidence in law enforcement. All these rights are in their contracts, and at the next contract renewal there should be some adjustments as things are out of kilter. Why not give the CEO the power to remove people at the CEO’s discretion? I realize that law enforcement is a tough job and the vast majority are good people. But it’s just absurd this guy got 10 month paid vacation and is still on the force after submitting a degree that doesn’t pass the laugh test.
Sadbuttrue on June 17 at 9:23 a.m.
On second thought, maybe a cop getting a phony degree is better than the so-called “training” these thugs get at cop school.
Even a toilet paper diploma mill would not support tasering adiabetic, would it?
PlanB on June 17 at 10:04 a.m.
I wonder why the “good” cops never seem to do anything about the behavior of the bad ones.
greenlibertarian on June 17 at 10:11 a.m.
He should be fired on the spot. Let his union waste resources defending this POS and losing. There ARE plenty of good cops and PLENTY of good people willing to actually step up and Protect and Serve.
Bad apples like this need to be kicked to the curb, hard, stat.
John_Fever_Richmond on June 17 at 10:11 a.m.
@ Orphan - I really think you’re onto something here. Here’s what I read about personality disorders:
Those who struggle with a personality disorder have great difficulty dealing with other people. They tend to be inflexible, rigid, and unable to respond to the changes and demands of life. Although they feel that their behavior patterns are “normal” or “right,” people with personality disorders tend to have a narrow view of the world and find it difficult to participate in social activities.
You need to submit your idea of the “Only One Attitude” to the APA!
If ANYONE reading this post believes that ANY of these lying POS troopers would still have jobs working in the REAL WORLD - please comment. I’m just curious what employers in the REAL WORLD have to say about their continued service. I know that my employer would fire me on the spot if they caught me misrepresenting my educational credentials.
Oh how I would love to type for hours on this subject - unfortunately I’ve got a paper to finish so I can obtain my Masters Degree in Criminology from BSU!!!
John_Fever_Richmond on June 17 at 10:13 a.m.
BSU = Bull S*** University
cryssT on June 17 at 10:16 a.m.
Several things:
“it takes huevos” - huevos means eggs. I believe “cojones”, meaning testicles would have been the appropriate word.
Additionally, it would be a lot easier for troopers to actually attend college if they weren’t on a shift rotation every 28 days. Every 3-4 months would be far more appropriate and healthy.
Of course, the 3% pay reduction effective July 1, 2011 that applied to all “State Employees” did not apply to the WSP.
and Longevity Pay:
After a trooper reaches their fifth year of commissioned service, they will receive 2% longevity pay every five years of commissioned service after they have reached five years of service. http://www.wsp.wa.gov/employment/benefits.htm
liberal_in_right_wing_land on June 17 at 10:30 a.m.
No wonder nobody trust our corrupt law enforcement officials anymore. While not all are dirty slimy losers it sure seems that a majority of them are and it is bringing down everyone.
John_Fever_Richmond on June 17 at 10:37 a.m.
Every time I hear the term “War on drugs” I get this annoying pop-up in my head of Charlie Sheen saying “WINNING!”
Thoreau on June 17 at 10:43 a.m.
Cops aren’t the only ones who get these “degrees.”
Chill, people.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on June 17 at 10:45 a.m.
Off toPic, but am I the only one who when I hit the letter P without also hitting the caPs lock button this ANNOYING Michael Buble at the Arena ad comes across the whole screen?
misjustice on June 17 at 10:53 a.m.
P, testing, PPPPPPP, testing, pppppp
Mine must be broken! I can’t get it to PoP uP….
Regarding the story, no big surprise; there are lazy liars and cheats in every Profession. Why should coPpers be any different?
tomnsahl on June 17 at 10:59 a.m.
There is no excuse for what this jerk and others did. Public servants should be held to a higher standard, and keeping them on paid administrative leave is just wrong. Adding insult to the injury of public trust - is now this (I/we hope) frivilous lawsuit…. sighhhhh …
For the vocal minority of cowardly loud mouths who have used this opportunity again to paint all of law enforcement with the broad brush of their venomous hate agenda - PLEASE try to stay on topic!
Orphan on June 17 at 11:25 a.m.
To all; isnt it interesting that most of us agree in this topic. If the agreement is that broad would that not indicate a real problem or at least the perception of a real problem at the very least.
wobble506 on June 17 at 11:25 a.m.
The problem is the Unions. They have negotiated a contract which makes it almost impossible to fire these jerks, that under any other circumstance, would be fired on the spot.
They recommended firing them, but they can’t cuz of the stupid unions. Same thing with incompetent teachers, and state workers. Most are really good at what they do, but the unions refuse to police their own ranks, so now we have cops on paid vacation, teachers on paid leave, when they really need to be fired.
Time to gut the unions, and make the public employees actually accountable to the public, since we are the ones that pay their salaries! Wisconsin has it right
detroitdude on June 17 at 11:48 a.m.
I posted a link earlier on how to alleviate the pop up issue, one of the moderators removed it.
Kbabe on June 17 at 12:04 p.m.
Maybe the public sector unions have too much power. Do ya think?
reservedparking on June 17 at 12:39 p.m.
“I posted a link earlier on how to alleviate the pop up issue, one of the moderators removed it.”
Don’t be standing in the way of revenue, DD, you’ll get your foot stepped on.
I know a lot of LEOs in many different agencies. Please don’t paint them all with such a broad brush of dishonesty based on the actions of one, or a few.
empyrius on June 17 at 1:05 p.m.
If unions are so terribly evil that we just must bust them up; then how in the world are public “servants” giong to have a union that is beyond the reaches of citizen review?!?
The police policing themselves, union reps sitting in on the proceedings; and all the public has is taxpayer funded lawyers to protect us from police improprieties???
This is like trusting the lawyers’ of Avista to protect my interests against Avista: that is just not going to happen!
But since Mann is getting paid a king’s ransom for being smart enough to get a four year degree with just an eleven page paper, can I at least read this masterpiece so I can be illuminated by this young man’s brilliance????
MrBloggy on June 17 at 1:06 p.m.
‘No Trooper, I reached 70mph along the way to 95 mph so that counts as obeying the speed limit.”
mrd on June 17 at 1:52 p.m.
I agree with a previous poster, where are the “honest” cops complaining about this. And cops wonder why they get so little respect.
Teseract on June 17 at 2:05 p.m.
It’s hard these days not to call the phrase “Honest Cop” an oxymoron. Anyone who has had any kind of experience with the police (even when not as a suspect in a crime) will have a story about a less than honest police officer.
How many people around here have gotten traffic infraction tickets only to see the police doing the same actions or worse? Just the other day I was driving in the (admittedly ridiculous) 20mph zone in Hillyard on Market, puttering along at the speed limit when a car came zooming up behind me and passed me doing at least 40, weaving in and out of traffic lazily, not even bothering to use a turn signal when changing lanes. Yes, it was the good ‘ol SPD, driving like a $@#$@#, obviously not en-route to a call, no emergency lights, obviously just being too lazy to flip a switch to signal they’re changing lanes, much less having to lift their foot off the gas pedal.
The cop probably pulled someone over 5 minutes later for doing 37 in a 35mph zone.
Another favorite of mine is the WSP on Highway 2 late at night hitting their emergency lights just long enough to blow through a red light as to not be hassled by having to actually slow to a stop like a normal person. My father drives along 395 on his way to work at 4am and regularly gets passed by WSP officers doing 90mph+ in a 60mph zone with no emergency lights.
Many (not all, but many) LEOs seem to think they’re above the law, or somehow better than the rest of us… but the profession does tend to draw in the people with personalities that enjoy power over their fellow citizens.
Kivaari on June 17 at 2:30 p.m.
Honest cops can’t overcome the idiots that are in charge. Most administrators got there by being kiss-ups. Once they go beyond sergeant, they trasition to the dark side.
Sgt. Don
Sadbuttrue on June 17 at 5:20 p.m.
Bad news: local washington cop defrauds state with fake degree; Idaho cop lies under oath to put man in prison for 25 years.
The good news? At least they are not out shooting people at a rate higher than new york city which house 20 times the population
Orphan on June 17 at 5:37 p.m.
Kivaari good point
eagleproducer on June 17 at 6:42 p.m.
kivaari’s Point might be “good” if it weren’t the rank and file coPs who are always the ones in trouble.
ARJ on June 30 at 10:23 p.m.
I have always had high respect for law enforcment but when it comes to dishonesty, it’s really hard to trust them at all. What has happened to trust, honesty and integrity. I recently had an ordeal which has affected a friend of mine as far as a false statement from a distraught girlfriend given to a police officer, which in turn this police officer stated some false information in his report. These law enforcement officers have taken an oath and sign statements to be true. If this is taken to court, is that considered perjury on both the person making this accusation and this police officer who certified and signed it to be true, and if so what happens to the police officer and what happens to this person making the false accusations? I come from a family of law enforcement and I am frustrated when it comes to those officers who give others a bad taste in their mouth.