St. Louis, Missouri - World Series ticket inquiry turns to high-ranking officers
By Bill Bryan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 03/30/07
Police Chief Joe Mokwa vowed Thursday to probe rumors that high-ranking officers might have used World Series tickets seized from scalpers, and said the inquiry will look at other sporting events too. "I'm adamant that I'll protect the integrity of the department," Mokwa told the Post-Dispatch. "I will follow any innuendo or accusation, even communicated gossip."
The chief said some scalpers alleged improper conduct by police regarding tickets at sporting events besides last October's World Series, but he was not specific.
Rumors about who used the tickets began circulating after the newspaper reported that internal affairs officers were investigating allegations that eight undercover vice-narcotics detectives kept some 30 tickets — out of more than 100 seized.
Since tickets are now scanned at Busch Stadium and not torn in half, it was possible to use them without visible change and file them as evidence after the games. A complaint by a scalper who claimed to have overheard officers talking about using confiscated tickets set off an investigation.
It is a violation of St. Louis ordinance to resell tickets at more than face value. Mokwa said all eight officers accused in the scheme will be questioned a second time.
Police sources say the eight already gave sworn statements that tickets went to friends and family but not to anyone in the department. There are no allegations that any officer resold a seized ticket, the sources said.
Internal affairs has received at least one photograph allegedly showing a person sitting in a seat for which the ticket had been seized, officials said.
Chris Goodson, president of the police board, agreed that the department's integrity is as stake. "It's always at stake," he said Thursday. "I think it's too early to say that it has taken a hit. That's why it's so important that we demand and expect the chief to do a full investigation."
Mokwa said the findings might be sent to Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce as early as next week, for consideration of criminal charges.
bbryan@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8950
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