Marilyn Mosby often says that she is not biased against the police because she comes from a long line of police officers.  That much is true, she does come from 5 generations of police officers but the last two generations are noted for being less than honorable servants of the people.  Both of her parents were fired police officers and her grandfather sued because he was refused a job policing the streets because he lost an eye after a car battery exploded in his face.

Let’s start with her father.  Her father, Alan James was thrown off the Boston police force for conduct unbecoming an officer.  In 1989, James and Officer Dwight James were arrested for armed robbery.  It was said that they were shaking down drug dealers and taking their money and drugs.  They were acquitted at trial but right after that James was fired from the police force.  He did not appeal.

Mosby admits that her father was guilty:

“My dad was a crooked cop.  He confiscated drugs and money from the dealers on a regular basis.”

Her mother was also tossed off the police force.  During her time on the Boston Police Department, she racked up nine disciplinary reports.  Although there is no indication that she ever did anything corrupt, she did have a history of drug abuse.  Linda Thompson was in violation of the department’s drug abuse policy and was ordered to undergo a 45 day rehabilitation.  She was caught again in 2008, but retired rather than be fired, which allowed her to collect a monthly pension of $1,810.69 a month for life.

Her grandfather, Prescott Thompson, who goes by the name of Rick, was a Boston police officer with a clean record, but in 1971, he suffered a career ending injury after a car battery exploded and he had to have one eye replaced with a glass eye.  He did not return to work but did remain on the police force until 1976, when he he accepted a retirement offer.

Later, he regretted the decision and applied to the force, but was turned down because of his eye, since he would have no depth perception and a gun.  Not satisfied with that, he then sued on the grounds of racial discrimination.  He pointed out that five other officers were on the force.  The Boston police admitted that was true but that they did not work on policing but were clerks and other jobs not requiring a gun.  He lost that case.

While I can admire his desire to continue to be an officer, I have to agree with the police department that two good eyes are absolutely necessary for the job.

Now, what I have to wonder is whether her family’s experiences shaped her opinion and led her to bring unfounded charges against 6 Baltimore cops.