On June 1, 2019 then-Cleveland Police officer Shawn David Lund Simmons was fired following an internal investigation which began in February after the City received a notification indicating that Simmons had a felony criminal record and had served prison time in the Kingdom of Norway, where he was associated with the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. Simmons had been on emergency restricted duty since early-February.
As seen in this footage, during his pre-disciplinary hearing Simmons denied being a member of the Hells Angels, stating that he was childhood friends with a member of the Hells Angels and that he rented a room to the friend as an adult — but has since had only sporadic contact with him. Simmons did not deny his criminal convictions and jail time, though he did claim to not recall one of his arrests.
Cleveland police became aware of his history after the city posted a photo of Simmons next to Mayor Frank Jackson on Facebook after Simmons was sworn in as a police officer. Shortly thereafter, Mats Bjørnstad, a police superintendent with KRIPOS, the National Criminal Investigation Service in Norway, spotted members of the Oslo Hells Angels commenting on the Facebook post. One of the comments (available in the supporting documentation) reads “When you think you’ve seen everything… from red to blue what the f***”
Bjørnstad immediately notified a contact at the ATF. According to an email from Officer Bjørnstad to Agent Jeremy Sheets, Simmons’ convictions include aggravated assault, kidnapping, and extortion. Bjornstad wrote that “[Simmons] is well known to police for violence and connections to the Hells Angels,” adding that Simmons trained the gang’s “crew boys†in mixed martial arts. “Not one you want in your ranks, believe me,†Bjornstad wrote.
EUROPOL confirmed the conviction allegations, which Simmons had failed to disclose in his employment application, in which he had marked “no” in response to questions asking if he had ever been arrested. Information regarding his conviction and jail time served had not been located during an intensive pre-employment background screening.
This is the recording of Simmons’ pre-disciplinary hearing. It is also a particularly asinine example of the City of Cleveland’s almost-certainly-illegal practice of blurring the faces of all police officers, as Mr. Simmons is certainly not going to be serving in an undercover or plainclothes capacity with the department, ever. (That potentiality is the City’s only legal argument supporting redaction. It’s a big stretch, and it has been addressed elsewhere. See below if you really feel like talking more about it.)
The complete internal affairs investigation report and supporting documentation, including the email from Bljørnstad alerting the ATF about Simmons, is available to supporters on Patreon. Thank you. [PayPal people, you all rock too. I wish there was an easy way to let you all in on these things.]
~~~
Want to help make Real World Police happen AND get rewarded for it? Become a supporter on Patreon today and get access to supporter-only content as well as early access to many videos — including the new Real World Police: Roadcam series!
https://patreon.com/realworldpolice
Prefer PayPal?
https://paypal.me/realworldpolice
Prefer nothing?
That works too.
~~~
More on the redaction issue:
Dearest viewers who want to tell me why the City of Cleveland may be knowingly breaking the law:
Whether or not a public body may withhold any portion of a public record is strictly a legal question. It is not a public policy question. You are not making a compelling argument by explaining the logic behind the City’s actions. On the other hand, if you have a well-supported legal argument to make I want to hear it.
Because as far as I know, one doesn’t exist.
~~~
Curious to know how much it costs to obtain this channel’s content? Wonder no more, as there is a public post on Patreon that offers a comprehensive and transparent overview — including a link to nearly all of the channel’s invoices paid between August 2018 and May 2019. Direct link: http://tiny.cc/dollaz
** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
If you're trying to figure out why the officer's face is pixellated read the description and then read the pinned comment on this other video where it's discussed in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzjgEGZQ68g
I bet the guy who switched him out from Norway is been taken care of by the gang for screwing things up for one of their own, if it's really true that he is one of their own.
A drink everything you hear The word sponge while watching this video.
Even if they cover his face in this video, his voice and skin color is recoingnisable to the hell's Angels, they'll know who it's easily.
If he was convicted why covering his face? they don't cover civilian's faces.
You realize how good your life really is when aren't one in any of this YouTube Police videos, as and officer or as a civilian, In this case it's about and officer.
Surprise they fire him because police departments are full of criminals they might not have felonies but they worst than a lot of de real criminal felons.
he should go back to Norway – they don't seem to mind his character .. or lack of it
Don’t use the black card now…Bruh identifies as white…â€all skin folks ain’t kin folks†by Foundational African Americans..
Can’t believe they fired him! Some bs
If he is a good cop who cares?
Repeat after me (Asked) not (Axed) when will you guys learn this.
He thought about being honest, then decided against it.
Expunged shouldnt be able to be seen it should be deleted
Esponged laws on ur record should be removed completely no matter what
Oh good they’re doing this now. Hopefully IA will start cleaning up some of the border town departments down in Texas AZ, NM etc.
This one's a slippery slope, the department is definitely searching for a reason to get rid of this guy, maybe the police department who gets a multi million dollar a year budget should pay the little bit to "differentiate" between arrests in the states or not. SMH. Unless they keep the discrepancy for an excuse like this.
TIL that there are Hell’s Angels
in Norway. I’m trying to come up with a
â€Hell Freezes Over†joke but I can’t.
This dude is a criminal.
Interviewing cop – so where are you from?
This guy – I'm from the land of the ice and snow where the hot springs blow!
Interviewing cop – so where are you from?
This guy – I'm from the land of the ice and snow where the hot springs blow!
He just joined another gang, this time he gets paid
That for damn sure he'll angels is most racists MC in the world
Dame someone did not like him in that department fuck that the investigators are dicks and they just don’t want him there wow ask if he did a good job and go Based on that give the guy a break Ohio is full of racism and lots of injustice
Its safe to assume all police are white supremacist gang members who get off on committing violence against those who are not protected.
Former Hells Angels in Norway. Didn’t disclose he was a gang member.
I swear he sounds like he’s from California. Crazy
If the felony was expunged in NORWAY then why in the hell would he be persecuted and or prosecuted? He answered the question correctly, if his felony was expunged in another country on another continent then why answer yes on the application. I would have stated the same thing. Hell, every single one of us would have, especially this officer giving this interview. The guy speaks four languages: Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and English. Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish are all very complexed languages. They are Germanic languages. My point, is that this guy is immensely intelligent! You can tell that the gentlemen interviewing him can't annunciate English as well as the gentlemen being interviewed and yet the interviewer is holding him over the fire for a felony that was expunged. Hell, the interviewer cannot even pronounce Oslo, which is the capital of Norway! Interviewer, 'is it also?' The guy being interviewed, "you mean Oslo,"(hilarious). And he's in I.A. This is where other officers become intimidated do to this guy's intelligence. In short, this guy is a threat to their job(hierarchical attainment of rank), and that's the real reason for the investigation. He should have brought his attorney in on this. This guy should keep his job. You cannot compare Norwegian law to American law. Norway's laws are much more strict. The main interviewer is scared that the man sitting before him will climb rank and take his job. What you have to realize, is I.A. are also officers within the department. The man being interviewed has probably shown some exceptional qualities, thus a threat to the regulars.
And the interviewers full of shit. If you have an expungement on your record, The ONLY people that can see it are Law Enforcement PERIOD, not Public Safety or any other job or any other place. And the application does NOT specify arrest record other than United States. Why would it? This is where 12:12, I would of jumped up and said see you in court. The interviewer is interpreting the application AND the law subjectively. I would tear this interviewers ass in half. Like I said in the upper paragraph, home boy should have said, "speak to my attorney," because this interview is a dog and pony show, they are trying, and will, fry the interviewee's ass.
Add "Candle Stick Maker" and he's done it all!!!! LMAO 🤣
A lot of cops r thugs so what's wrong with them hiring 1 more?🤣
Dude speaks four languages. He won't have any issue getting a job.
Is he a POC? If so, I am not surprised that a gaggle of white police are giving him a hard time.
Mixed feelings about this. Alot has to do with diffrent Justice dept/views of each country. He was allowed to be a paramedic and teacher following his arrest in that country- and to all available knowledge was a stand up cop – and info normally not available thru diplomatic means was made public bc of social media. Obviously he could be completely lying about his passed affiliations; and one has to assume that info which we did not get disclosed during this video/interview is why he was fired. People tend to forget that the street/hood life includes both criminals and cops and is a very fine line. A lame duck cop who never learns the streets will never be a good cop – just a scary MF with a badge and a gun. The truth and what we expect from people who are paid to protect and serve lies somewhere in the middle – citizens fail to or consciously ignore that until circumstances happen that bring this subject to light; and as people – they will always choose the side that is favorable to them. We dont want lame MFs being cops who dont know the street because they get scared and rely on force to often- or we want a tough guy who is willing to scrap fight and unnecessarily put his life in danger many times. That tough guy you looking for will always have blemishes on his background.
A cop lying oh what a surprise
Sure he can find job in law enforcement in other states they really don’t care as long as it’s not in the USA
Arrested for kidnaping, assault and served time for extortion and this dude gets a job as a police officer. LOL
I was googling at why DMX was trending today and then it sent me to this guy. This guy is DMXs kid! Lol
Honestly, I thought 'expunged' is not really meant to be shared. Unless those docs said to include 'expunged' and other countries, then the fault falls with the police department.
How the hell do you make it that far anyways lol cops need to do better background checks I guess lol
I feel for the guy. By the explained logic, if you were accused and arrested for rape and then discovered the victim lied to save their reputation you would have to tell all your employers that you are a rapist, but not really. That’s just not right. Cops, always trying to convict never looking for the truth.
I’m conflicted watching this but I find myself leaning more towards feeling kinda bad for him. We all make mistakes, but he really seems like he’s just trying to live his life and work. He clearly was working some really dedicated jobs before and didn’t have issues. Idk, I don’t know if firing him was the best decision. He also seemed pretty knowledgeable and I could understand his assumptions about disclosing or not disclosing his criminal history in Norway
Don't lie on your personal history statement shit will come back and bite you in the ass
The guy turned his life around, left the criminal environment , changed countries and this is his payback. Just goes to show that the DOC doesn't even believe in their own mission.
This crooked cop's face should NOT be blurred out. This is all public record and the public has every right to see this liar's face. As public servants, they have no right to privacy.
what a guy
They should've showed his face unless they're using him to inform
@10:58– did he honestly say that speeding will get you 30 days in jail in Norway? Damn! They don't play! 😲😂
They blurred his face, after all that, they still cover for him. The system is so broken.
You can tell this guys decent, shame his past caught up with him. I bet he’s still cleaner than 90% of the guys he worked with.
How in the hell did this guy get a basic peace officer license in the first place.