Former Detective Files Lawsuit Against Baltimore Police Department
BALTIMORE (WJZ) --- A former Baltimore City police officer police detective claims he was harassed and intimidated on the job after speaking out about a fellow officer's misconduct.
Investigator Mike Hellgren has the details.
The new lawsuit claims detective Joe Crystal faced intimidation and harassment after blowing the whistle on fellow officers' misconduct on the job.
Crystal's problems started in 2011 when he came forward after he witnessed fellow cops assault a man. They found him hiding in the home of an officer's girlfriend and tried to cover it up.
He claims fellow cops soon branded him a snitch and that he couldn't get backup in dangerous situations. He even had a rat placed on the windshield of his personal car. The intimidation got so bad, he says he was forced to resign.
The following is part of his exclusive interview with WJZ earlier this year.
"How do we ask somebody to come out and say, 'I saw this' when we do this to our own," Crystal said.
His lawyer, Nick Panetleakis believes the department violated Crystal's freedom of speech. Then tried to smear him when they later opened an investigation into Crystal for his wife being in a take-home car.
The city wanted Crystal to sign this agreement, where they would drop that investigation if he agreed not to sue and not to speak out against the department. He wouldn't.
Detective Crystal Settlement Agreement and Release
"They know they wronged him, so they're doing everything they can to squeeze him to stop him from pursuing how they wronged him" Crystal's lawyer said.
Crystal has since moved out of state, but has continued in law enforcement.
"I didn't become a cop to beat somebody and get street justice," Crystal said. "I became a cop to do my job and get real justice."
City police told WJZ before that, they do not comment on personal matters. The city has yet to formally respond to the lawsuit.
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