"You said 'years of work.' How many years has Officer Reigns been conducting these traffic stops that might be reviewed?"
Voss realized his mistake immediately. "I meant routine patrol duties, normal law enforcement activities."
"Of course." Marcus turned to the duty sergeant. "I need records pulled immediately: all traffic citations issued by Officer Reigns in the past 24 months, all vehicle searches, all impoundments, all civilian complaints."
The duty sergeant nodded and reached for his computer terminal.
"Now, I need something else," Marcus continued. "Every complaint against Officer Reigns that was previously dismissed or marked unfounded, particularly cases involving disputed searches, equipment failures, or towing disagreements."
"Sir," Voss interjected quickly, "internal complaint records are confidential."
"I'm the commanding officer, Sergeant. Nothing in this building is confidential from me."
The duty sergeant's fingers moved across the keyboard. After several minutes, he looked up with surprise. "Captain, I'm showing 14 complaints against Officer Reigns in the past 2 years. 12 were marked unfounded or dismissed."
"Who approved those dismissals?"
The sergeant checked his screen. "Nearly all of them show Sergeant Calvin Voss as the reviewing supervisor."
A heavy silence settled over the room: 12 dismissed complaints, one supervisor. A pattern that suggested something far worse than a single bad traffic stop.
Marcus walked to an empty desk and pulled the first archived complaint file from the system. The case involved an elderly woman named Mrs. Rodriguez, who claimed Officer Reigns demanded money during a traffic stop 6 months earlier. According to the report, her complaint was dismissed after Reigns's body camera showed equipment failure and Mrs. Rodriguez couldn't provide witnesses to support her accusation. The investigating supervisor who marked it unfounded: Sergeant Calvin Voss.
Marcus opened the second file. A young father named Davis Williams reported that Officer Reigns threatened to impound his vehicle unless he paid cash on the roadside. Williams claimed the amount demanded was exactly $500. Equipment failure. No witnesses. Complaint dismissed. Reviewing supervisor: Sergeant Calvin Voss.
Marcus felt cold certainty settle in his chest as he stared at the pattern emerging from the archived files. The $500 demand that morning hadn't been desperate improvisation or a moment of poor judgment; it was business as usual.
Marcus pulled the third complaint file from the computer system, his jaw tightening as another familiar pattern emerged. Harold Jennings, 73 years old, had reported Officer Derek Reigns for demanding what the elderly man described as "roadside processing money" during a traffic stop 8 months earlier. The complaint detailed how Reigns claimed Jennings had been speeding through a school zone, a violation Jennings vehemently denied. When Jennings requested to see the radar reading, Reigns allegedly became aggressive and threatened vehicle impoundment unless Jennings paid $500 in cash immediately. Jennings had refused; his car was towed within the hour.
Marcus scrolled through the investigative notes, feeling his anger build with each dismissive comment. Sergeant Voss had marked the complaint unfounded after determining that Reigns's body camera experienced technical difficulties and no independent witnesses could corroborate Jennings's version of events. The case was closed without further review.
Marcus reached for his phone and dialed the records department. "This is Captain Ellison. I need complete impound documentation for a vehicle belonging to Harold Jennings, towed approximately 8 months ago following a traffic stop by Officer Reigns."
After several minutes, the records clerk returned. "Captain, I found the file. The vehicle is still in impound. A 2018 Honda Civic registered to Harold Jennings of Oak Street."
"Still impounded after 8 months?"
"Yes, sir. Shows accumulated storage fees of $4,700. The owner hasn't paid for release."
Marcus felt the pieces falling into place with sickening clarity. An elderly man on a fixed income couldn't afford nearly $5,000 in storage fees, so his car remained trapped in a system designed to generate revenue from his refusal to pay roadside extortion.
"I need that impound paperwork pulled immediately," Marcus ordered. "Every invoice, every storage charge, every communication with the towing company. Bring everything to my office within 30 minutes."
"Sir, the impound lot is operated by Westbridge Towing Services."
"I don't care who operates it. Get me those records."
Marcus hung up and opened Harold Jennings's contact information from the complaint file. The phone rang four times before a tired voice answered.
"Mr. Jennings, this is Captain Marcus Ellison with the Westbridge Police Department. I'm calling about the complaint you filed 8 months ago regarding Officer Reigns."
Silence stretched across the line before Jennings spoke carefully: "That complaint was already handled. Sergeant Voss said there wasn't enough evidence."
"I'm reopening your case, Mr. Jennings. I need to ask you about your vehicle."
Another long pause. "What about it?"
"Is your car still in impound?"
"Can't afford to get it back. They want almost $5,000 now. I take the bus everywhere." Jennings's voice carried the weight of someone who had given up fighting. "Been taking the bus for 8 months."
"Mr. Jennings, I want you to listen to me carefully. Your car is being returned to you today. No payment required. We're conducting an administrative review of the entire impound process."
"I don't understand."
"You don't need to understand right now. Just be ready to pick up your vehicle this afternoon. Someone from my office will call with details."
Marcus ended the call as footsteps approached in the hallway outside the records room. Derek Reigns appeared in the doorway, his face flushed with anger and something that looked like desperation.
"Captain, we need to talk," Reigns said, stepping uninvited into the room. "This witch hunt stops now."
Marcus looked up from the complaint files scattered across the desk. "Officer Reigns, you weren't summoned."
"I don't need to be summoned to defend myself against false accusations." Reigns moved closer, his voice rising. "You're destroying good officers to impress the mayor and city council! Making yourself look tough by attacking cops who've been doing their jobs for years!"