Search Results for: node/SSCC children police

Accountabilibuddyable: Louisville KY

One should always try to end the year on a high note, so I was pleased as punch when I saw this come across my twitter feed.

A Louisville man has reached a $750,000 settlement with a former police officer who twice arrested him on domestic violence charges but failed to disclose a romantic relationship with the alleged victim.

So cop was sleeping with a mans wife and arrested the husband on domestic violence numerous times.  It is worth noting that the husband plead guilty to the first incident while prosecutors then dropped the second incident after discovering the relationship.  I don’t know the details on the plea so it is very well possible that they were going after him for something quite bad and he took the plea in fear.  For those who don’t think that happens the way it works is prosecutors will often fire well beyond what they can effectively prove in the hopes of getting a plea agreement. 

I’m glad to see that it appears the officer in question is liable for the settlement, though he has moved to a new town and it is quite possible he is still a law enforcement officer since he resigned instead of being fired.

Michael Delbert Bonzo is being (mostly) held Accountabilibuddyable.  More like this please.

Because if you see a chick you like and she’s married, arrest the husband on domestic violence charges.  That way you can get some one on one time with her.

Accountabilibuddyable: Wisconsin 12/09/2011

Remember the cop who thought that holsters were stupid and unnecessary and did an ND into the ground at the mall?  If you don’t, well you should for no other reason that the chief attempted to claim the officer did nothing wrong.

Well I stumbled across this one today.

Sgt. Michael Edwards was charged Thursday with endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported online court records show Edwards pleaded not guilty.

According to the complaint, Edwards was at a pretzel shop at Southridge Mall in Greendale on Nov. 2 when he reached into his back pocket for his wallet. The complaint said Edwards’ gun slid out of his waistband and went off. A woman standing nearby suffered a welt on her leg.

That man is unbelievably lucky that no one was hit or otherwise severely injured.  I find this charge fitting considering his negligence in this instance. His department has placed him on administrative duty. 

I say leave his ass behind a desk permanently without a weapon.  He has shown a lack of care towards the carrying and use of a firearm and he needs to prove he no longer has the mental capacity of a fly and takes carrying such a tool seriously.  

This is also a prime time to remind everyone about Rule 5 given the gun slipped out of his waist band and it shot into the ground.

Greendale police say the officer was lucky, and say they’re glad no one was injured. They say the bullet was fired directly into the ground, and disintegrated once it hit the marble floor.

Say it with me now, “Don’t try and catch a gun!

My First Car

Since JayG started it
and I actually have a story to tell, here goes nothing.

So here’s the meme. Long answers or short.
1. What was your first car?
Model, year, color, condition?
2. What adventures did you have in it, good or
bad?
3. What happened to it, what’s the end of the story?

My first car, bought from my cousin by my parents, was a 2002 Hyundai Accent
much like what is pictured here.

It was stick shift and the low profile model.  It also was the bare minimum
on any extras as in no cruise control.  My parents bought it for me after I
moved into an apartment from the dorms.  Since I had previously lived on campus, I didn’t need
a car and my parents said they didn’t want me driving home every weekend.  I
didn’t have a car in high school, didn’t need one and I didn’t get my license
till after I graduated, I didn’t have a use for it.  At the time, I felt school
was more important than driving.

My first urban driving experience with this car was in Seattle.  I was driving up
James St., which happens to be very steep, and had to stop in the middle of the
hill for a red light.  As I was still fairly new at driving a stick I conked the
engine when the light turned green.  After that, I quickly learned how to play
the clutch on hills which came in handy for the WSU campus.  If need be, I could
easily let it roll more than normal to warn other drivers that were on my tail.

That car was a good little car.  That is, until it became known as the coffin
on wheels.  A car that small up against a fuel tanker carrying 11,000 gallons of
fuel, head on, is not a fair fight.  The car, to say the least, did not
survive.

*Notes below are from TMM, I do not remember the accident or 5 days after the accident.  My condition was the same as Drew Barrymore’s character in 50 First Dates.* Pictures below could be considered by some to be of a graphic nature. Click read more for pictures.

Random Pictures 387

Random Pictures 387

I [TMM] was driving at the time of the accident.  My legs actually came out from under the steering wheel and I was laying at about a 45 degree angle with my legs laying against the dash.  After regaining consiousness and taking care of other issues *discussed in a minute* I set the compound fracture in my left leg.  It was bent about 75-80 degrees, with my foot turned in about 60-70 degrees as well. I won’t describe how I did it, a guy outside the car was disturbed by my actions.  I splinted and wedged it in place on the dash board until the cavalry arrived.

Random Pictures 387

The cavalry had to peel the car open in order to pull me out.  That is quite seriously the most pain I have ever felt in my life.  My right femur was broken right at the Lesser Trochanter.  At the time we actually thought I had broken my pelvis.  That combined with the damage to my left leg, it was excruciatingly painful as they pulled me onto the back board because they basically had to drag my legs over the non-smooth interior.  When they finally got my leg in traction in the hospital it was the most refreshing feeling in the world.  Seriously it ranked right up there with sex just because of how fast it went from pain, to no pain.  It was like flipping a switch.  Which was also the switch were I finally checked out, as they did that, they also started an IV and giving me pain meds.  I have seen my signature on documents I don’t remember signing.  I gave a statement to the police evidently as well.

Random Pictures 390

Random Pictures 391

My first concern on regaining consciousness and realizing what had happened was for TMW.  She was unconscious slumped down in her seat.  Her breathing was obviously labored and when I looked towards her it was obvious that her seat belt was holding her head up by her neck.  She was being choked by the seat belt.  I instructed some people at the scene to cut the seat belt.  An argument insued with them whining about a possible neck injury.  I asked what experience they had in first aid.  To which they responded, “We’re both RN’s.”  At which point I was a bit furthered upset and said, “Well didn’t they teach you anything about the importance of the airway in stabilizing a trauma victim?  If she can’t breath, everything else is null and void.”  They promptly cut the seat belt.  Which was doubly good because she had 6 broken ribs on her right side and as a result her lungs partially collapsed.  That stress coupled with a restricted airway could have easily killed her.

They removed her from the car first, and lets just say that was the most disturbing blood curdling sound I’ve ever heard in my life.  Due to her injuries she was unconscious but aware.  I could hear her quite well as they pulled her from the car.

Once we were both extricated from the car we were airlifted by helicopter to Spokane.  So I remember the ride on the angel of mercy, the wife however does not.  We both went through long surgeries that night to deal with our injuries.  After which I spent 24 hours in the ICU and TMW spent 48 while recovering.

So there’s the story and pictures (after the car was moved to the wrecking yard) of the Hyundai.  If we can find the packet of accident scene photos we’ll try and post some scans of them.

Which One of These Is Not Like The Others

Police said three Mercedes Benz cars and a Lamborghini Diablo were also involved in the massive crash at the weekend on the Chugoku Expressway, in the country’s south-west.

While the majority of the 14 vehicles – which also included a Japanese supercar Nissan GT-R Skyline and a Toyota Prius – were travelling along the Osaka Prefecture-bound bended lane at least one Mercedes CL600 was driving in the opposite direction.

I have the strangest feeling that the odd ball in that listing was one of two things. Either he was the poor guy that got caught up in the middle, or he was unintentionally the cause.

Unsurprisingly all the high end cars were speeding and I have a feeling they all ended up on top of the little Prius that was at the equivalent of a full stop.

Expensive-Crash_2074844c

Sucks to be that insurance adjuster because that is going to be one expensive wreck.

via GunFreeZone

Next Time, Shoot the Asshat

There is no such thing as winning a lawsuit.  At a minimum it costs you time and money even if you’re the prevailing party.  So when I saw this I though it another prime example of why you do not cower or negotiate.

A man who held a Kansas couple hostage in their home while fleeing from
authorities is suing them, claiming that they broke an oral contract
made when he promised them money in exchange for hiding him from police.
The couple has asked a judge to dismiss the suit.

Obviously the idiot has never heard of duress and it’s effects on the nullifying the terms of a contract.  What is most interesting though is the following:

Keeshan said the contract also would have been invalid because the
couple agreed to let Dimmick in the home only because they knew he had a
knife and suspected he might have a gun.

The armed individual intimidated the home owners into allowing his entrance and into hiding him.  When they escape he sues for breach of contract!?  Given the evidence provided by the Tuller Drill at that range lethal force is justified.  It is also another lesson in not opening the door for stangers, talk through side glass or a peep hole.  At minimum put a safety chain on the door.  It may seem paranoid but it is nothing more than safety and preparedness.

Even if someone really wants in your house the safety chain isn’t going to stop them.  It will buy you time though to create a safe engagement distance.

Some might expect this law suit to go nowhere, but there is no correlation between the law and justice.  So I don’t hold my breath.  Besides even if it’s thrown out, I doubt the defendants will ever actually recover their legal bills from the plaintiff.

*h/t to Unc on the Tuller Drill video

Accountabilibuddyable: Ohio Edition (12/8/2011)

H/t To Tam who linked to Merlin’s Musings on this one.

Triggs escaped time behind bars – he faced a maximum of six months in
jail – after losing his 13-year police career earlier this year when he
was charged with several felonies.

Now it would have been icing on the cake to see him actually serve jail time and he still might.  Any violation of his sentencing will result in 6 months in jail.  The fact he can never work in law enforcement again in the state of Ohio though puts a serious smile on my face.  While he may be able to go and apply for a LEO certificate outside the state, his odds of receiving one given his criminal record is diminished.

I understand exactly what Tam was saying in her comment, that’s how the prosecutor in my case got me to plea out.  Charge felonies and then offer a sweet deal.  In this case it seems like they really had him.  Even though it seemed like a slam dunk thought there’s always a risk with the jury.  The plea deal guaranteed a hit and given the particular crime it should kill any future prospects.

Alvin Triggs – That’s why you don’t run plate numbers for your drug dealer buddies.  You might actually be held accountable.

*It could have been better, but this out come is far better that what would have happened in many cases.

On those NUBs Occupying Space

I pretty much have written them off as nothing more than another reason to invest in metals such as Lead, Copper, and Brass.  At least this movement has the benefit of gathering all those NUBs* together into one common location to make them more easily identifiable.

Surfing through my news blotters today I stumbled across an article in the Huffpost that made me start laughing uncontrollably.

There’s no shortage of talking, and you never know who will take hold
of the People’s Mic. Persuasive speakers on all sides can give General
Assembly meetings a roller-coaster feel. Someone always seems to oppose a
budget proposal, or have a strong dissenting opinion on something that
seems on its way to sure passage. Just one voice joining the debate at
the last minute has the power to sway the entire discussion.

With every proposal, there are questions and there are concerns, and
the process continues and continues. The facilitators say numerous times
the group has strayed off process. Questions are sometimes ignored for
being “off-topic” even when they aren’t, time constraints are cited and
frustrations boil over. Occupiers curse, speak out of turn and sometimes
they just keep on talking, despite “Mic Check” calls over them. Those
on all sides alienate each other.

It is often said that Democracy is nothing more than two wolves and a sheep getting together to decide what’s for dinner.  It appears that the Occupy movement is finally getting a solid lesson in what Democracy is, mob rule, where to win a debate you just need to sway the ignorant.

Earlier last week it came out that the leadership and operation of the movement was doing many of the very things they were protesting against Wallstreet for.  Including having a tax man taking from part of the group.  The group that was taxed was ignored by the remaining part of the Occupy group and is not given the support they require.

The drummers claim that the finance working group even levied a percussion tax of sorts, taking up to half of the $150-300 a day that the drum circle was receiving in tips. “Now they have over $500,000 from all sorts of places,” said Engelerdt. “We’re like, what’s going on here? They’re like the banks we’re protesting.”

Not to mention that a bunch of the protesters learned what it was like to have people come and claim their personal property as belonging to the public [commune].

Another argument broke out next to the pile of appropriated belongings, growing taller by the minute. A man named Sage Roberts desperately rifled through the pile, looking for a sleeping bag. “They’ve taken my stuff,” he muttered. Lauren Digion, the sanitation group leader, broke in: “This isn’t your stuff. You got all this stuff from comfort [the working group]. It belongs to comfort.”

The article then goes on to point out how they have people freeloading within their borders and there’s nothing they can do about it other than just deal with it.  That all sounds really freaking familiar you know that?  The only support they get from me is that I support their right to speak and peaceably assemble.  That said, I have serious problems with the property damage and costs these individuals are inflicting on those who do not support them or their cause.  It is not the job of the public to pay for their protest.  It is for those latter reasons I do not consider it a peaceably assembly and while it is certainly possible that the police have used excessive force I’m disappointed it’s taken them this long to start throwing the bums out.

So when I saw this at the end of the first article:

They’re planning to “Occupy Central Park” next month — on 11-11-11 — and hope the move will bring the protesters together again and unite them with their counterparts across the world.

I immediately started wondering what could be done as a response this time around.  Last year for the 10/10/10 green BS we went and made Mother Gaia our bitch.  Some of you might not be in the area, feel free to come up with your own methods of flipping the bird to the Occupy whatever movement.  Looks like I need to email some people to see what we can come up with.

*For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s Non Usable Body.  It’s also used in video games for players that just can’t seem to learn, but I’m channeling Disgruntled Sailor here.

A Facepalmable Moment

So yesterday I got an email about an emergency exercise this weekend asking for help.  Local coordinator needs some help at Whitman County dispatch.

Unsurprisingly they wanted my information in advance to clear me into the building.  I just got an email from the coordinator.  Included in it was the response to him from the dispatch center. 

Subject: RE: ARES Quarterly Exercise 10/29
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:26:49 +0000

Ok but I want to emphasize, there is absolutely no weapons allowed in or near the
dispatch center. That being said, I will make sure the dispatch center knows you will
be allowed into the building.

Now I know someone probably noted that I have a CPL on my background check.  Now for those of you from outside the area, here’s why this is a facepalmable moment.

Police said the gunman started shooting from a parking lot across from the Latah County Courthouse shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday. A hail of more than 30 bullets ripped through the county’s emergency dispatch center, Duke said. Dispatchers were moved to a room in the jail area of the courthouse. Officers rushed out of the building.

This incident occurred in May 2007, and the whole incident took place less just over 10 miles by road from where the dispatch is.  In this incident officer Lee Newbill was killed as well as a civilian who responded to aid the officer.  During the incident Whitcom actually took over emergency communications for Latah county.

There is first hand experience for the area, even this dispatch center, that the disarmament does nothing to actually make anyone safer.  Yet instead of learning from that lesson and how ineffective it was at protecting people they continue the illusion.  Not only do they continue the illusion, but ignore the fact that the person they’re admitting is statistically more likely to be law abiding than the general population.

So I will bite my tongue and leave it locked up.  I will have the most important tool still with me, I just hate leaving the most effective accessory for use with the most important tool.

*As a random thought, I doubt they saw my ATF paperwork for explosives.  I don’t see why the state records would indicate it, but I can’t help but laugh at what the response would have been if they had.