In California, the Diocese of Oakland is being sued for “knowing disregard” in not stopping known abusers from abusing again. It’s pretty clear, as we’ve seen time and again, that dioceses looked the other way when abuse happened. But what’s interesting is how casually we hear of the police department doing the same thing.
In talking about a case in which the Fremont Police Department was investigating Breen for molesting juvenile girls, Crespin said the relationship he had with some police agencies was that the diocese should handle its own investigation.
“The police were saying (they) would not pursue this investigation any further if we removed (Breene) from the county,” Crespin said.
Shouldn’t these police agencies also be held liable? Who did Crespin talk to? Who gave him these assurances? The heads of the law enforcement agencies at the time should be investigated. If the Church is responsible for willful negligence, shouldn’t these agencies also be held partially liable for failing to investigate crimes?
