Category Archives: State Sponsored Criminal Count

SSCC #383–IMPD

  By Barron | August 8, 2012 - 17:26 | ,
2 Comments

Here’s another from RobertaX.

Also during the past five months, Ratcliff has continued to stalk and harass a woman who has been the object of his obsession for years, according to Marion County prosecutors who charged him Thursday. He faces three felony counts of stalking, one misdemeanor count of battery and 26 misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy.

Here’s a question, why was he still employed as a police officer during that time if he was harassing and stalking a woman?  I guess the IMPD believes in giving predators every advantage.

State Sponsored Criminal #383: Craig Ratcliff

Because an officer of the law stalking a someone is perfectly acceptable and while we disarm the general public we should leave them with their badge and gun to use against their victim.*

*Note, I don’t like how many of the DV laws work for this reason amongst others.  It is too easy to use against someone who is actually innocent and is often used as a tactic to harass someone through the legal system, but the futility is obvious when some how when a cop does it he’s special.

SSCC #382–Los Angeles

  By Barron | August 7, 2012 - 19:48 | , ,
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“I felt 300 pounds on my neck,” Brooks told reporters at NBC Los Angeles. Brooks, a volunteer employee at THC Downtown Collective, a Long Beach, CA medical marijuana dispensary, was arrested June 19 during a police raid of the pot shop. Footage from the dispensary’s security camera reveals a brutal bust, including cops walking on Brooks’ back and standing on his neck, while officers prepare to handcuff the suspect. “I just felt violated and disrespected,” said the 28-year-old volunteer, one of five arrested in the raid. “We got beat up and arrested for a citation that’s equivalent to someone jaywalking.”

Even less surprising is the fact that the officers also destroyed the surveillance equipment.  Tell me, why would an officer do that?  My immediate guess is to steal pot without evidence against him for own personal use.  There’s only one reason cops destroy surveillance equipment and that is to make sure they’re not recorded when they’re breaking the law.

Overall this is nothing more than state level cronyism when you see the following:

Although police admit the dispensary was compliant with California state law, Long Beach PD said the raid was ordered because the store was operating without a city permit. The attorney for Dorian Brooks, however, argued that the city of Long Beach denied owners a permit, and makes it increasingly difficult for dispensaries like THC Downtown Collective to get one.

State Sponsored Criminal #381:

Because honest up right cops just don’t like being recorded right?  I mean they’re honest so they don’t need to be recorded, they’re just doing their job right?

h/t Uncle

SSCC #380 & #381 – Tacoma

  By Barron | August 6, 2012 - 12:55 | , , ,
2 Comments

KIRO TV’s investigative unit has discovered Tacoma police used force to arrest and handcuff an innocent deaf woman after she called 911 for their help.

Instead of an apology, she ended up bloody and in jail for  early three days without an interpreter before a prosecutor declined to press charges.  

This whole incident is all sorts of fail and can easily be broken down as an officer was quick to resort to his taser without using his brain.  Then after screwing the pooch on that front they doubled down on stupid.

 State law on the employment of ASL interpreters for deaf suspects is clear. 

RCW 2.42.120 (4)requires law enforcement agencies conducting an investigation to “appoint and pay for a qualified interpreter throughout the investigation.”

RCW 2.42.120 (5) states “If a hearing impaired person is arrested for an alleged violation of a criminal law, the arresting officer or the officer’s supervisor shall, at the earliest possible time, procure and arrange payment for a qualified interpreter for any notification of rights, warning, interrogation, or taking of a statement. No employee of the law enforcement agency who has responsibilities other than interpreting may be appointed as a qualified interpreter.”

Basically these officers played the game of CYA and ended up violating more laws because of it.  There’s a reason the prosecutor didn’t file charges, no jury in the world would convict.  Further she probably saw the civil suit writing on the wall.  This ends up in the full count because of the following:

White said despite her repeated requests to police for a certified ASL interpreter, one was never provided.

The story is complex and the officers at the scene clearly had a different point of view.  KIRO 7 Investigators have tried to get their explanation for six weeks and while we’ve talked to Tacoma Police on the phone they would not respond to the allegations.  We’ve also sent them emails and left several messages. 

If Tacoma police want to explain their side of the story, we’ll have a follow-up. 

There is no doubt that the Tacoma Police will not be punishing the officers involved and will do nothing to mediate or resolve the situation they have created.  This is a textbook case of the state sponsoring its own criminals.

State Sponsored Criminal #380: Ryan Koskovich

#381: Michael Young

Because you immediately jump to the taser when you know there is a deaf woman involved.  Further, after finding out you tasered an innocent, you charge her with a crime and hold her against the law without an interpreter or informing your supervisor she’s deaf.  Because the police don’t have to follow the law, they are the law.

SSCC #379–Indianapolis

  By Barron | August 3, 2012 - 17:31 | ,
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This one’s here merely because of the history of the IMPD in this count already.  Namely this, this and this.

An Indiana State trooper arrested an off-duty Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer on drunk driving charges early Sunday morning.

I am shocked, shocked I tell you.  How is it another anointed individual of the IMPD was able to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated.  I have been informed numerous times that action is against the law and people keep telling me the law will stop crime and criminals!

At least this individual wasn’t on duty or in a police vehicle.  You just have to appreciate the little things he did do.

State Sponsored Criminal #279: Daniel Kepler

Because drinking and driving is only bad when you’re not a member of the Indianapolis Metro Police Department.

h/t RobertaX

SSCC #377–NOAA

  By Barron | August 1, 2012 - 20:28 | , ,
3 Comments

Yes, you read that right, NOAA, as in the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

The huge humpback whale whose friendliness precipitated a surreal seven-year — so far — federal hunt for criminality surely did not feel put upon. Nevertheless, our unhinged government, with an obsession like that of Melville’s Ahab, has crippled Nancy Black’s scientific career, cost her more than $100,000 in legal fees — so far — and might sentence her to 20 years in prison. This Kafkaesque burlesque of law enforcement began when someone whistled.

So what was so horrible a crime that these agents from the government have spent so much time and effort?

Black, 50, a marine biologist who also captains a whale-watching ship, was with some watchers in Monterey Bay in 2005 when a member of her crew whistled at the humpback that had approached her boat, hoping to entice the whale to linger. Back on land, another of her employees called the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to ask if the whistling constituted “harassment” of a marine mammal, which is an “environmental crime.” NOAA requested a video of the episode, which Black sent after editing it slightly to highlight the whistling. NOAA found no harassment — but got her indicted for editing the tape, calling this a “material false statement” to federal investigators, which is a felony under the 1863 False Claims Act, intended to punish suppliers defrauding the government during the Civil War.

See, they knew it wasn’t harassment but well, given 3 felonies a day they can up root your life to dig up anything.  When we say dig up, I also mean twisting the facts to make you guilty of crimes you didn’t commit.

If there was ever a clue that something was wrong with our government and legal system, this is a shining example.

State Sponsored Criminal #377: NOAA

Because if you’re an environmentalist wacko, get a job with the feds, then you can destroy anyone who does something you disagree with with the power, weight, and force of government behind you.

via Uncle.

SSCC #376–DEA

  By Barron | July 31, 2012 - 17:38 | , , ,
2 Comments

Commandeered by one of his drivers, who was secretly working with federal agents, the truck had been hauling marijuana from the border as part of an undercover operation. And without Patty’s knowledge, the Drug Enforcement Administration was paying his driver, Lawrence Chapa, to use the truck to bust traffickers.

At least 17 hours before that early morning phone call, Chapa was shot dead in front of more than a dozen law enforcement officers – all of them taken by surprise by hijackers trying to steal the red Kenworth T600 truck and its load of pot.

In the confusion of the attack in northwest Harris County, compounded by officers in the operation not all knowing each other, a Houston policeman shot and wounded a Harris County sheriff’s deputy.

As expected though the DEA is refusing to accept responsibility for the damages to his truck.  This however is unsurprising since I’m sure Obama would claim this man wasn’t building a business, someone else was.  Now for those who claim that his insurance should cover the costs:

Copies of letters and emails from Patty’s insurance company state that it won’t pay for repairs because the truck was part of a law-enforcement operation. Patty drew from his 401K retirement fund to repair the truck, which was out of operation for 100 days.

So basically what happened here is the DEA shifted the costs and risks for their idiocy onto a small business man and when it went south they left him with the bill.

State Sponsored Criminal #376: The Entire DEA

Because when fighting the war on drugs, collateral damage is inconsequential. 

SSCC #375 – Michigan

  By Barron | July 30, 2012 - 20:53 | ,
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The Michigan State Police post commander in Gladstone was arrested for drunken driving in Chippewa County over the weekend, according to county officials there.

Lt. William H. Smith, 43, was booked into the Chippewa County Jail at 4:51 a.m. Saturday, confirmed Undersheriff Mike Bitnar this morning. Smith was booked under an "OWI" charge which is operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, said Bitnar.

No word on him being fired yet.  I expect if charges move forward he will be on no more than administrative leave.  Since drinking and driving is a perfectly acceptable behavior for a  Law Enforcement Officer.

State Sponsored Criminal #375: William H. Smith

Because drinking and driving is only bad when you end up in an accident, never mind experience and history should have taught to know better.

via Lance A.

SSCC #374 – Dallas

  By Barron | July 26, 2012 - 13:48 | ,
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A rookie Dallas police officer was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Wednesday morning after he nearly hit two squad cars near the scene of Tuesday’s officer-involved shooting in south Dallas.

Yeah, that right there isn’t too bright.  You would have thought he would have at least known to avoid the area.  Then again he probably felt safe since it was just his buddies in the area.

If all else fails though I’m sure he will probably transfer to IMPD.

State Sponsored Criminal #374: Officer Matthew Gaines

Because drinking and driving is acceptable when you’re an officer of the law.

via Bob S.