Can You Say "Rule #14" Violation?

From the Chicago Police Department Rules and Regulations:

• Rule 14 - Making a false report, written or oral

If you are ever found guilty of a Rule 14 violation, your entire career is toast. You are (in the eyes of the Department) a liar of the highest order. You cannot testify to anything in court as your testimony is automatically suspect. You cannot cooperate with outside agencies or task forces as anything you may be required to sign or investigate is tainted. You cannot and should not be listed on case reports or Search Warrant affidavits or inventories or anything.

And then we read this in the Sun Times Thursday:

• Risley gave a different account concerning tapes the Chicago Police obtained of conversations between Klipfel and a drug dealer who was a confidential informant. The tapes were part of the Chicago Police investigation of Klipfel.

  In 2003, Risley said in a court deposition that he never had a copy of the tapes nor did he ever tell Miedzianowski he had a copy.

  On the witness stand Wednesday, Risley acknowledged having a copy of them. And he admitted he had been secretly recorded as part of the federal government's investigation of Miedzianowski discussing the tapes with the crooked cop.

This explains part of Risley's departure under a cloud. A deposition is a sworn court report. Contradicting it under oath is not exactly a bright move. Secondly, this shines an ugly light on something that has been whispered in the darkest hallways over the past few years - how far up the ladder does corruption go within this Department? When you look at the lists of exempts that have been fired, resigned, convicted or departed under clouds, you really have to wonder.

UPDATE: And in the Channel 7 report, the Superintendent certainly doesn't come off very well:

• The superintendent told the jury he thought Medzianowski was an "average investigator" with an "attitude." He remembered how Medzianowski "would stare at you until you turned away. He did it to me a couple of times." But Cline also confirmed that when he evaluated Medzianowski he rated the officer at 96 and 97 on a scale of 100.

  Cline also told attorney Sally Saltzberg that after he was promoted to Area 5 commander he filed two formal complaints against Medzianowski for allegedly stealing and passing on witness statements to gang members. Cline also testified that while he never heard back from the department's internal affairs division, the information he provided was eventually included in the federal case that convicted Medzianowski.

So the one time boss of the gang unit rated Medzianowski 96/97 out of 100? What does that tell you about the old rating system? And as D/C of Area 5, he couldn't get information on the progress of an investigation he initiated in regard to what can only charitably be described as Official Misconduct?

Oh. Ok then. Nothing to see here folks. Move along.

UPDATE: The Risley in question retired a couple years back. Post amended.