FAIRFAX

COALITION OF POLICE, LOCAL 5000

International Union of Police Associations

August 23, 2015
Like many law enforcement officers, and in particular, Fairfax County law enforcement officers,
the events that have transpired the past week have shaken us to our core. There have been a number
of instances in which a Fairfax County police officer has been charged or indicted for a felony. These
instances have involved a police officer knowingly engaging in a criminal activity and their prosecution
was not just necessary, but just. However, to see an officer indicted for murder in a situation in which
he was in the commission of his duties has been unbelievable.
Officer Torres didnt come to work that day looking to hurt or kill anyone. He didnt get out of
the car looking to hurt or kill anyone. What became abundantly clear soon after arriving on the scene
that day almost two years ago was that he was dealing with an armed irrational subject that had made
numerous threats to family, friends and police officers.
Even more alarming is the way he has been treated after immediately turning himself in upon
learning of the indictment. During his arraignment and bond hearing, Commonwealth Attorney Ray
Morrogh cited that Adam Torres should remain in the Fairfax jail due to a deteriorating mental state at
the time of the incident, two years ago. The information he cited to support this claim was based on
conjecture, rumor, and fallacies involving Adams personal life. Hearing this salacious argument from
what is supposed to be an officer of the court of the highest integrity was enough to make one retch.
It was also abundantly clear that this was not a fair and impartial hearing. As Judge Stephen
Shannon read from a typed script his reasoning for denying bond, the similarities to Mr. Morroghs
argument were striking. He too cited this deteriorating mental state that made him a danger to
society. Where was this danger as Adam came and went from the public safety complex for the past
two years? Where was this danger as Adam walked to the courthouse cafeteria numerous times a
week, eating lunch just below Mr. Morroghs office, or quite possibly in the same room as Mr. Shannon?
Furthermore, for those that argue that those indicted for murder are not released on bond you couldnt
be more mistaken. Just a few weeks ago, Thomas Lienau shot and killed his roommate after an
argument. He was charged with second-degree murder and subsequently granted bond by a Fairfax
County Judge.
The message that Fairfax County police officers hear is clear by county leaders- we love our
police officers! Even though we barely give them the resources and manpower they need to do the job.
But we love you and support you, until you cause a problem.
It may be human error, a judgment call based on poor information, or a mistake. Sure, the
department and county will defend and support the officer, to a point. When it is no longer in their best
interests the officer will be railroaded through a termination recommendation punctuated by a sham of
an appeals process in which they have neither the opportunity to defend themselves nor offer any
information in their favor lest they incriminate themselves in an ongoing criminal proceeding. When the
mirage of this just appeals process has been concluded, they will then be left broken with their life in
Fairfax Coalition of Police, Local 5000 International Union of Police Associations

tatters, their family dragged through the mud, dehumanized, demeaned, and without the means to
support themselves. The department and county leaders will retreat back to the Ivory Tower and the
Taj Mahal respectively, guarded by their team of lawyers and public relations machines. Further
dissection of how the tragedy occurred or institutional failures will become a moot point as the
scapegoat officer can be led to the slaughter and everyone can go back to issuing platitudes about just
how great they are. The machinery of the criminal justice system will then descend upon the officer in
order to demonstrate to the detractors that there is no preferential treatment. To the contrary, they
will apply a different, separate, and draconian set of rules with the only discernable reason to put the
rest of us on warning. Message received.
Officers that think they could not be in this position are gravely mistaken. Every day, officers
respond to situations where they may only have part of the information, faulty information, or no
information. They must make decisions based on what is in front of them. And every day, the decisions
an officer must make can have dire consequences and incur the wrath of those that believe by pillorying
the police they can fix all of societys problems. It should be abundantly clear to every officer, we could
all be Adam Torres.
Adam Torres responded to a domestic disturbance, one of the most dangerous calls that officers
must respond to, that was rapidly spinning out of control. An armed, irrational subject met him and the
result of that meeting was a tragedy for all involved. Our sympathies continue to go out to the Geer
family, as they have had to have the loss of a family member, tragic in any circumstance, compounded
by the inability of senior officials to resolve administrative issues professionally and sensibly. We should
not be compounding that tragedy by allowing this miscarriage of the justice system to continue in the
spirit that it is currently being conducted.
The Fairfax Coalition of Police Local 5000, International Union of Police Associations fully stands
behind our brother Adam Torres. Through the IUPA Legal Defense Fund, we will ensure that Officer
Torres gets the best representation possible. We will also continue to do everything we can to support
the Torres family as they too have been working their way through this tragedy.
We look forward to the trial where the truth will ultimately come out.

Respectfully,
Sean Corcoran
President
Fairfax Coalition of Police Local 5000, IUPA