Whistleblower or 'nut'? Fired Philly cop seeking donations
Andre Boyer, a former Philadelphia police officer who says he was fired for being a whistleblower, is trying to raise money online to investigate police corruption and cover his resulting, mounting legal expenses.
Andre Boyer, a former Philadelphia police officer who says he was fired for being a whistleblower, is trying to raise money online to investigate police corruption and cover his resulting, mounting legal expenses.
His GoFundMe campaign, the "Dirty Corrupt Philly Cops Fund," is not exactly going gangbusters. In 20 days, only two people have donated $35 toward Boyer's $10,000 goal.
Boyer is a 17-year veteran of the police department who lost his job in 2013 over allegations that he mishandled $6,000 during an arrest. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 appealed the firing but failed to get him reinstated.
In his GoFundMe appeal, posted Feb. 18, he instead argues that he was fired because his partner planted 735 packets of heroin on a suspect after a 2011 car stop and then falsified documents and lied in court about it. Boyer has two lawsuits pending – a federal civil-rights complaint against the city, and a malpractice claim against the FOP.
"I was fired because I would not go alone [sic] with what they did and reported them," he wrote. "Now I need funding to help me pay Attorney fees. I expose the corruption within the Philadelphia Police Department and my 6 kids suffered the consequences of me being a WHISLTEBLOWER the truth destroy my life and doing the right thing as a law-enforcement officer. Help me clear my family name and restore my Honor."
During his career, Boyer was one of the busiest cops in North Philly's gritty 22nd District, making more arrests than most of his colleagues. He also racked up 25 civilian complaints over the years (most deemed unfounded or not sustained by internal affairs investigators).
Since leaving, he has remained a critic of his former employer. He runs a Facebook page posting incendiary accusations of wrongdoing against specific cops. In recent posts, he accused various officers by name of sexual assault, theft, brutality and other crimes. His profile photo: Al Pacino as Frank Serpico, the real-life New York City cop whose whistleblowing inspired the 1973 movie "Serpico."
In a phone interview today, Boyer said his posts uncover secrets that police officials would prefer stay hidden.
"Once people start looking at the evidence, they will be able to connect the dots," said Boyer, who now works part-time for a detective agency investigating and providing security. "It's like a soap opera."
John McNesby, president of the police union, laughed when he heard about the GoFundMe page.
"I don't even pay attention to that guy. He's crazy. He's a nut," McNesby said.
Still, the union was miffed enough at Boyer's Facebook posts that officials sent him a cease and desist letter on Feb. 19, accusing him of defaming officers and threatening to sue if he didn't stop.
"He has an absolutely callous disregard for the truth, and we will be addressing that in the very near future," union vice president John McGrody said.
McNesby agreed: "He's making all kinds of slanderous accusations against people, stuff that's just not true."
Boyer posted the union's letter on his Facebook page, writing: "The answer to your letter is 'HELL NO' I will continue to report and expose corruption within the PPD and FOP Organization. So don't wait (15) days to file your lawsuit."
Lt. John Stanford, a police spokesman, declined to comment on Boyer or his fundraising appeal, saying: "It has no relevance to me or the department."