The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division arrested and charged Police Officer Tony Pollen, a now ex- Hardeeville Police officer, with embezzling more than $5,000.00 from motorist driving near or through the city of Hardeeville, South Carolina. He was also charged with misconduct in public office. (As usual, all mentioned in this article are innocent until proven guilty).
A second officer by the name of Christian R. Nollinger was also arrested for basically the same charges. Matter of fact, it's reported that half the police force was fired or quit during a major shakeup. A city commissioned report stated that " officers were operating in a vaccum without much guidance, leadership, or even a proper policy handbook".
Hardeeville is located in Jasper County, South Carolina, bisected by Interstate 95, so it's a regular route for citizens traveling south towards Florida and Georgia as well as those traveling north towards the east coast and the major cities of Washington, New York, and other major cities.
These two officers, and apparently other officers, had a good thing going on. The city permitted their officers to collect cash bonds from motorist who didn't reside in the area. If the ticketed motorist failed to appear in court, the cash would be forfeited to the city. In other words, if you reside in California and received a ticket in Hardeeville, you were given a court date to appear to answer the ticket, and if you were a no show, you forfeit the money the cop received from you when he issued the ticket. A quick question. Why would a Californian drive across the country to go to traffic court for a simple ticket? Is it just me?
Anyway, what did the officers do in most cases? You guessed it, put the money in their pockets! Yes, your hard earned money. These cops paid their mortgages, car notes, kids college tuitions, or had a good night on the town with your money! If this doesn't infuriate you obviously you are a bad cop, the family or friends of a bad cop, or just plain not in touch with reality.
And if that's not enough, look at this. It took the State Attorney's Office of South Carolina to make them stop. Apparently the state told them it was illegal for the town to collect the money in the first place. They told the city that only State Troopers are allowed to collect money. What! Are we now suppose to suddenly feel good about the fact that instead of bad cops spending our money in Hardeeville, it's okay to spend and spread our money around the entire state of South Carolina? As if all State Troopers in South Carolina are 100% honest!
If you been reading my articles for any length of time you know I constantly released news about bad law enforcers arrested for crimes from every state in the United States! Just google "Police Officers Arrested" and marvel at the thousands, yes thousand, of arrested police officers charged with everything from raping our children to murdering our citizens, from just about every state in the union?
Look, be very careful driving through any city or state, but especially the small cities. Their tax base is soo small they depend on innocent motorists to pay for their public services.
My opinion, be careful driving through any part of South Carolina. Matter of fact, I'm going to start a research project to expose what cities and states are performing this practice. Of course every trooper in South Carolina is not bad, but believe me they are infected with at least one bad cop, they have in the past. Anyway, why would you place that responsibility in a trooper's care? The temptation is too great. After all, they have mortgages, colleges tuitions, and grocery bills!
