Cop Acquitted for Drug Dealing, Rehired and then Fired Again for Failing Drug Test

Philadelphia, PA — Perry Betts, one of the most corrupt narcotics officers in the history of the Philadelphia Police Department, has been fired, again, for failing a drug test.

Bett’s situation is especially interesting because he was just recently rehired by the police department. His rehiring came after he was acquitted in a federal corruption case, in which he was accused of 47 different charges including extortion, robbery, kidnapping, and drug dealing.

He was acquitted of all of those charges along with six co-defendants who were also Philadelphia Police Officers implicated in the conspiracy. The officers were not only acquitted on all 47 counts, but they also got their jobs back and were even given a parade.

Now Betts will be losing his job for a second and final time, after testing positive for marijuana on a random drug test.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said that Betts will be suspended for 30 days “with the intent to dismiss,” according to the Daily News.

“He will not be able to return, I’m told he went on vacation and will be back Monday. He will be served on Monday. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised. I don’t know him personally, but we have to follow our procedures, and that’s exactly what we’ve done here,” Ramsey said.

The police union won’t even be fighting for Betts this time. John McNesby, the president of the union that represents him said that “We’re absolutely, positively doing nothing for him. It is what it is, and levels are what they are. He’s no longer going to be a police officer.”

“You would think you would want to come back to work, stay out of the limelight and collect a paycheck. I honestly can’t figure it out,” he added.

All of the officers were either current or have been a part of the narcotics division. John Speiser, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spic er, Perry Betts, Thomas Liciardello, and Linwood Norman all narrowly escaped multiple charges including extortion, robbery, kidnapping, and drug-dealing.

All six officers were found not guilty on all 47 charges against them earlier this year, despite eyewitness testimony from one of their own, multiple witnesses, and being caught red-handed in a federal investigation.

The investigation started two years ago when a former cop, Jeffrey Walker, was arrested and pleaded guilty to corruption charges. As part of an apparent plea arrangement, Walker rolled over on his fellow corrupt brothers in blue.

The charges brought against them included stealing drugs and money, robbing drug suspects at gunpoint, and worse.