Alabama State Trooper Christopher Bauer was recently arrested for the rape of an 11-year-old girl. Except this wasn’t even his first accusation, and it could’ve all been stopped years ago. How?
In 2018, Bauer was fired from the FBI for sexual misconduct allegations, including raping a co-worker at knifepoint! He’d been in the Air Force, the Montgomery, AL police force, and worked “high-profile cases” at the New Orleans FBI office.
So, how did he get yet another job?
Bauer forged a letter from the FBI, “proving” that he’d served a “decade of creditable service” and that he was “eligible for rehire.” Clearly, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s “full and thorough” background check wasn't enough if it’s THAT easy to wield power in yet another job!
But Bauer isn’t a “bad apple.” This is a pattern.
Between 2005-2015, a law enforcement official got “caught in a case of sexual abuse or misconduct … every FIVE days.” 40% of reported cases involve teenagers! And, historically, only 31% of rapes get reported, so the problem is likely even bigger than it seems.
All bureaus and departments that make up the criminal legal system are connected. Cops like Bauer go from job to job if they get caught being abusive, or get to retire with cushy benefits. If the system itself allows this to keep happening, it is too corrupt to be reformed!