01/20 By HILARY APPELMAN
Associated Press Writer
   ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) -- Five former police officers who were part of a
special street-level drug enforcement team systematically abused suspects for 2
1/2 years, a federal prosecutor said today.
   In opening arguments in U.S. District Court, a lawyer for one of
the defendants told jurors the Rochester officers were made
scapegoats by police administrators.
   Prosecutor Cathleen Mahoney accused the officers of abusing their
authority by "beating people with blackjacks and two-by-fours ...
stealing from them ... and even framing people for crimes they did
not commit."
   "They abused the law they pledged to uphold, they crossed the
line into criminal behavior," Mahoney said.
   The five are charged with abusing suspects, planting evidence,
skimming official funds and faking overtime vouchers in 73 separate
incidents.
   Mahoney said that when the team was formed, Rochester police
Capt. James O'Brian, one of the defendants, told the other officers
he wanted to see "sparks and fire on the street."
   Defense lawyer John Parrinello said the officers who will testify
for the prosecution are lying to protect themselves or were
intimidated into testifying.
   "There was no conspiracy, there was no agreement," he said. "The
only agreement they had was to go out and shut down drug dealers."
   Former Police Chief Gordon Urlacher pleaded guilty in December to
a felony charge of conspiracy, admitting that he knew the officers
were abusing suspects but did nothing to stop the abuse.
   Urlacher is serving a four-year federal prison term for a
separate embezzlement conviction.