The Minuteman

The statements from the police department and the school say’s it all.

This is by no means the first time for an incident like this, but at least this kid was lucky enough to live.  This was your normal sibling harassment.  My sister and I used to pick on each other all the time like this.  The school officials injected themselves into the situation unnecessarily, including searching his sisters property without consent.  The officer then proceeded to use force after the student asked why he was being suspended.

This is what happens when you put bored police officers in positions of power.  Not to mention the fact that many school administrators claim, wrongfully, that students are exempt from the Bill of Rights, as well as other basic rights.  No they are not, not to mention the fact that those rights are inalienable, and no lien can be placed upon them because of age, gender, sex, creed, or any other reason.  Those rights are non-negotiable and you have violated them.  It was obvious that the school was nervous about the situation, as well they should be, by the fact that they were attempting to destroy and suppress the evidence.

None of my teachers were ever dumb enough to lay a hand on me, ever.  These teachers attempted to unlawfully restrain a student while documenting a interaction with a public official in a public building.  News flash to all involved, those teachers are public employees as well.  While at work I do not think they have a right to privacy when it comes to their employment.  If a student wants to document something they find questionable they have every right to.

This whole incident is just another example of how the educational system is deluding students into sacrificing their rights and providing a method for Officer Roid Rage to get his rocks off.

State Sponsored Criminal Count: 114 Det. Murphy

Because the job of school police officers is to use excessive force against students without care or worry.

h/t Phsstphok

Previously in the Washington State Legislature.

Representative Ross Hunter, who amazingly enough is the chair of the Ways and Means committee, has introduced legislation to repeal one of the most beneficial self-defense laws Washington State has.  He want’s to repeal RCW 9A.16.110, which allows for reimbursement of legal defense costs when a person is acquitted of a crime on the basis of self-defense.

Shortly there after it appeared that his efforts were dead on arrival.  Apparently not given a work session happening in the house judiciary committee today. 

Work Session:  

1. Overview of the Self-defense Reimbursement Statute.
2. Wrongful Conviction Compensation.
3. Briefing and discussion of Government liability and risk management practices.
4. Immigration Services and Assistance.

That second line is disturbing given the events of last April.  While 9A.16.110 pertains to those found not guilty by reason of self-defense, there is no other similar topic that fits under that subject line.  Given the budget problems within the state it is obvious that they are looking for places to save money.

Here’s a better idea, stop the wrongful prosecutions all together and force prosecutors to pay out of their own pocket in the event a case is ruled self-defense.  Then you don’t have the court costs involved with the not guilty verdict either.

If you’re a Washington State resident, feel free to contact your representatives and let them know the protection provided by 9A.16.110 should not be on the chopping block.

*Note this is a work session and the special session for November has not convened yet.  Doesn’t hurt to start ringing bells now.

Costa had no way of knowing this, but the man in the car that had slammed into her was himself a police sergeant — after a boozy night on the town with his fellow Miami Beach officers. Or that when law officers searching for the runaway rider spotted him wandering along Andrews Avenue in Oakland Park — caked in mud, reeking of alcohol, keys to the Lexus in his pocket — they would chauffeur him home rather than test his blood alcohol or toss him in jail.

Later, when a state trooper would try to investigate the Miami Beach sergeant’s behavior, he was dismissed by some of the officer’s colleagues. Finally, when that trooper detailed these difficulties in a probable cause affidavit — saying Miami Beach officers had lied, ignored subpoenas and failed to return his calls — he would encounter the wrath of the Beach’s top cop, Carlos Noriega.

We often hear about how much disdain the police have for drunk drivers.  This disdain though seems to be more of a push for laws and power than an actual dislike for the havoc caused by drunk drivers.  If their disdain was genuine they would be the first in line to publically flog one of their own.  One leads by example and this is an excellent example of “do as I say, not as I do.” 

The article goes on to detail the lackadaisical investigation into the crash.  How the sergeant’s fellow officers attempted to protect him.  The icing on the cake though is the following:

Barrenechea was not charged with drunk driving, although he most definitely appeared intoxicated to Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Tally Brown. No one had seen him behind the wheel of his car, and when he was stopped as he ambled down Andrews Avenue, he would answer no questions. He’d admitted only his name and only after deputies presented him with an image of a driver’s license with his photo on it. He was briefly cuffed by Deputy Mitchell Lyden, then uncuffed.

Because of all the sloppy police work, he was shielded from being punished for the root cause of the accident.  This is yet another example of the unequal treatment between civilian law enforcement and the general public.

State Sponsored Criminal Count: 113  Sgt. Barrenechea

Because drunk driving is only wrong if you’re a civilian, if you’re a cop you’re free and clear.

A former Gatlinburg police officer entered a guilty plea this week to assault charges stemming from an incident last year at a Gatlinburg bar.

Steven Cline of Sevierville was charged earlier this year in a sealed presentment issued by a Sevier County grand jury. The charges arose from a Sept. 4, 2010, incident in which Cline attacked a couple outside the Hoggs and Honeys bar.

Incident reports said he punched a man in the jaw and shoved a woman down, then poured beer on her head during an altercation while he was off duty.

This officer was off duty but I am including it in the count because this is not the first incident of this nature.  Not to mention the fact that many seem to think that LEOs are some how better at controlling their behavior in a bar than the general public.

The fact is that police are civilians and people.  They screw up and should not be given a free pass, or allowed extra leeway given their position.  If people think that the rights of law abiding citizens should be restricted, LEOs should be included in that list.

The job of the police is not to prevent crime but to investigate a crime after it has occurred.  It is the job of the public at large to prevent crime.  This includes crime committed by police officers.  This count is reactionary but is done with the express purpose of attempting to provide a negative feedback loop to prevent further abuses.  It is also done in the hope to raise awareness to help the public realize their role and hold their local police accountable.  I am not saying every cop is corrupt, but it is readily apparent that they do not police themselves.

There are officers who do a fantastic job.  Those men should be praised for what they do, for exercising proper restraint, doing their job professionally, and treating the public with the respect they deserve.  Many of these men also do the right thing when their brethren cross the line.  Those who do not do the right thing though are no better than the man who crossed that line.  Often we talk about the man who crossed the line, but we hear nothing about his partner who said nothing and did nothing.

Some have called me anti-police as of late.  That is blatantly false, honest cops who do a good job I like and respect.  What I don’t like and have absolutely no tolerance for is this kind of abuse.  Some are willing to write a free pass due to “stresses of the job”, I give no such pass.  If you can not take the stress of the job, maybe you should do something else.  

I work in safety critical systems, I have to take responsibility for everything I do, including when I screw up.  If I ignore something someone else does because, “it’s not my problem” and it ends up in an incident, I am equally culpable.  Officers who look the other way are culpable, officers who make negligent decisions should be fired.  Especially when they do not immediately admit their mistakes and often abuse the public due to the qualified immunity they are given.  

Name me anywhere in the private sector that has that kind of immunity.  At best your company looses a chunk of money and you’ll probably be hunting for a new job.  At worst you are bankrupt, going to prison for involuntary manslaughter, and you’re career is over.  Which path depends on if you’re a PE and a few other qualifiers.  The bottom line is in my industry I am held accountable, what holds the police accountable, especially given their exemption?

State Sponsored Criminal Count: 112 Steven Cline

Because when you’re off duty going and assaulting drunks is the thing to do.

No Ice Cream today.  I was busy with a SET exercise today and am helping some friends with insulation tomorrow.

So instead here’s a quick link dump of some stuff I want to write up but have neither the time or energy to do.

• Issa Questioning if White House pressured Ford to pull ‘Bailout’ ad
• Qualified Immunity protecting school principals
• Solyndra probe may snare Energy Secretary Chu (I need to just start talking about the BS that is green tech)
• Even the LA Times has figured out Obama is a disaster for civil liberties

Tonight at 1800 PDT, 2000 CDT I will be on Vicious Circle.  This weeks topic is Men in kilts: The advantages and hazards of the pants free lifestyle.

So if your around feel free to listen as Breda, Alan, Weer’d, Jay, The Nerds, and myself discuss that and many other topics.

*For those who’ve been keeping track, I was also on a couple weeks ago as well.

**A side note, VC is very not safe for work.  More specifically you don’t probably want to be blaring it out of your speakers.  Headphones though you should probably be fine.  It’s just audio, no video, the day this becomes a video podcast is probably the day viewership moves to 0.

I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t stop laughing.

It reminds me of the F1 engine video

I personally prefer this imperial march.

It’s a freaking tesla coil, what’s not to love?  Then again I am partial to high voltage.

H/T Sebastian on the Floppy Drives

Here we have a golden example of an incident that qualifies for the State Sponsored Criminal Count. 

The lawsuit was filed by NPD investigator Leonard Claunts, Lt. Joe Huff and Sgt. Curtis Shankel, who all worked in the department’s Internal Affairs division and say they reported various wrongdoing and policy violations by officers and supervisors to top police administrators to no avail. Frustrated by the lack of response, they ultimately conveyed their concerns to the mayor, City Council and human resources director, according to the lawsuit.

The fourth plaintiff is Leonard Claunts’ wife, Ginger, who reportedly emailed Human Resources Director Ed Simmerman last November, alleging various issues of public safety and misuse of public funds. About the same time, Shankel sent an anonymous letter to Mayor Dale and the City Council about the same general issues, according to the complaint.

Now when you read that you see that police officers are filing a law suit against their own department.  Why would they do a thing like that?  Because the whole system, city included, is so corrupt that they are harassing the officers attempting to blow the whistle.

The lawsuit claims Augsburger threatened to sue two of the officers for slander, reassigned Lt. Huff and took various retaliatory actions against all three, ranging from a negative performance review to downgrading their police vehicles and office space. One month ago, according to the lawsuit, all three officers were served with “personnel notices” from Augsburger and told that the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office would conduct an internal affairs investigation against them.

These men were attempting to do the right thing, which was their job, and have been stonewalled, harassed, and intimidated into stopping.  The mayor was actively ignoring the situation and was ensuring that the responsible parties were protected.

State Sponsored Criminal Count: 111 Too many to count or name

Because if you’re stealing money and IA catches wind, bribe the mayor and chief.  They’ll cover your ass.