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SSCC #440–Chattanooga

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The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports (http://bit.ly/XONxx8) Greg Luther claims in the $400,000 suit that he wanted to photograph a car crash that damaged his fence and retaining wall. Officer Brian Blumenberg told him he could not photograph the crime scene.

Officer Blumenberg’s response when the victim asked to speak to his supervisor?

When Luther asked to speak to a supervisor, Blumenberg threw him to the ground, handcuffed him and put him in the back of a patrol car, the suit states.
An internal affairs report states that Blumenberg was concerned that Luther would step on evidence. Blumenberg received a reprimand but it was not determined he used excessive force.

Really?  That wasn’t excessive force?  That wasn’t an unlawful arrest either, especially considering that was damage to his personal property.  Damage that he would need to document himself for insurance purposes.  Who in their right mind trains their officers to deal with the public in such a manner?  Who thinks that using force of any kind in that situation is acceptable?  Oh that’s right, our would be masters.

State Sponsored Criminal #440: Officer Brian Blumenberg

Because when someone calls the police about damage to their property and politely asks if they can document it, beat the hell out of them.  Doubly so when they decide to challenge your authority by asking for a supervisor within their rights.

A Compare and Contrast Exercise…

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Let’s compare and contrast the following two people, what they did, and the reactions by the American Media.

GonzalesVSHolder

For those who don’t recognize the pictures, on the left we have former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, on the right we have Attorney General Eric Holder.

The significant similarities necessary for this discussion:

  • Both are tied to the highest position within the Department of Justice.
  • Both committed questionable acts while in that position.
  • Both were disliked by large parts of the American people for their actions.
  • Both acted in a manner with the express intent of undermining and destroying enumerated rights.

Differences:

  • Eric Holder’s decisions resulted in the deaths of both American and Mexican civilians.
  • Eric Holder refused to process cases where the American public was intimidated from exercising their rights.
  • Alberto Gonzales was forced to resign while Holder continues to retain his position.
  • Eric Holder was found in contempt of congress.  Eric Holder has not been arrested despite the ability for congress to do so.
  • The Congressional “no-confidence” vote against Gonzales did not succeed.
  • Alberto Gonzales was appointed by President George Bush.
  • Eric Holder was appointed by President Barack Obama.

For those who may not remember the details.  Here is the quick rundown of the two big scandals under Holder.

The details you more likely need a reminder of is the incidents involving Alberto Gonzales

So while the comments and behavior of Gonzales was despicable and worthy of question, why has AG Holder been allowed to remain?  There is a man responsible for creating programs with the express purpose of illegally undermining a constitutional right.  Programs that resulted in the deaths of members of the public.  A man who has been found in contempt of congress, yet no one seems to have the balls to actually fire him.

Ultimately the biggest difference between these two is the men who were responsible for appointing them.  Because honestly that’s the only reason Eric Holder has been able to continue in his position.  Remember that the next time some tells you about how the media isn’t biased.

SSCC #426–West Palm Beach

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Before he or his mother, Cynthia Miller, could figure out why Boynton Beach police officer Michael Arco was so concerned about a man sitting in his own car in front of his own house, Andrews was in a choke hold with his arm twisted behind his back and she was slammed to the ground, according to a lawsuit alleging false arrest filed Sunday against the city in U.S. District Court.

Boy, to get that kind of treatment he must of done something really bad.

“No probable cause existed for the seizure and arrest of (Miller and Andrews) for any offense whatsoever,” attorney W. Craig Lawson wrote in the lawsuit. “No reasonable suspicion, no founded suspicion, and no articulable suspicion of criminal activity existed.”

Now before you completely dismiss it, note no charges were ever filed against the mother.  The charges against the son were merely resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, both of which were dropped.  Both of those charges are often referred to as “contempt of cop”.  But most note worthy is the following:

The same can’t be said of Arco. The 27-year-old resigned from the Boynton Beach Police Department last year after he was charged with official misconduct and perjury after prosecutors said he and another officer falsified a report that purported to explain how they entered a motel room in November 2010 to arrest an armed robbery suspect. The case against the robbery suspect was thrown out. The charges against Arco, who was disciplined several times by supervisors before he resigned, are still pending.

Rarely do bad cops ever just do it once.  No they’re allowed to continue abusing the citizens till their actions are so egregious that it could cost someone an elected position.  The response at that point is to merely let him resign.

State Sponsored Criminal #426: Michael Arco

Because when you see someone sitting in a car in their drive way, throw them on the ground and arrest them.  Just make it up as you go along, your partner will always back you up.

SSCC #420 – New Orleans

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Seriously I didn’t not plan for this in advance, the number and crime are purely coincidental.

Assistant city attorney Jason Cantrell was issued a summons after he dropped a joint while talking to a police officer in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.

Cantrell, 43, was cited for simple drug possession and released under a city policy for low-level marijuana cases, according to police.  

Now while apparently the law was followed in this case, there is a reason I’m placing this under the criminal count.

Cantrell has practiced civil and criminal law in New Orleans for 17 years, including six as a public defender in Juvenile Court. In an ironic twist, the 43-year-old also worked as a drug court attorney.

(Emphasis mine.)  While it does seem that most of the work may have been on the defense side instead of the prosecution, he still was a city employee.  Charged with enforcing and upholding the law.

Now he has promptly resigned and the punishment matches what the rest of the public should see in that municipality if the article is to be believed.  Still, this fits perfectly with the, “Laws for thee, not for me” tag.

State Sponsored Criminal #420: Jason Cantrell

Because laws only apply to the lowly peons.  Those who work for the king are allowed to have any noun they want.

h/t Dave Hardy.

Ear Worm Wednesday – 10/3/2012

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Trapt-Stand Up

When a bunch of us finally stand up, it’s going to be ugly, nasty, and at a minimum it will look like Atlas shrugging.  I’m tired of supporting people like this (just watch the video below, it’s got a response tied to it I fully agree with).

So if the government will buy me a phone, why am I working to pay for my own phone and service? Seriously where do we draw the line?  I am staring at the fact that my tax burden is about to increase by enough that I’ll be making the same I did last year after Uncle Sam is done with me.

You read that right, I get promoted and a raise and my Uncle Sam comes along and say’s, “You don’t need that, this woman over here needs an ‘Obama Phone’.”  All I have to say is vote out the incumbents; every last one of the corrupt little turds, even if you don’t think they’re a problem.

Pardon me while I go off and do something else before this becomes a full-fledged rant.

SSCC Honorable Mention–Washington State Patrol

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Via Ry comes this try out for the IMPD.

State patrol troopers got quite a shock Sunday when the reckless driver they were chasing turned out to be one of their own.

This wasn’t a simple case of weaving and getting pulled over though.

Investigators say Berthofl was driving near Tacoma on Sunday afternoon when he side-swiped a car that had slowed for a traffic jam.

Witnesses say Bertholf went around into the median. They followed him until troopers closed in. Despite the lights and sirens, troopers say Bertholf didn’t stop. When he finally did pull over, the troopers were shocked to learn he was a co-worker.

It gets worse because he an decorated officer specifically for his efforts in stopping drunk driving.  I was glad to see this:

But with Sunday’s arrest, WSP officials say it’s possible his law enforcement career is over.

"There’s a high likelihood," Huss said. "It’s very difficult for somebody, rightfully so, to fulfill a position in law enforcement when you have these types of serious allegations in place."

If he’s convicted and fired I’ll be more than willing to toss this into the accountabilibuddyable pile.  If he escapes firing I wouldn’t be surprised if he pays a call to the IMPD with his impressive service record against drunk driving.

State Sponsored Criminal Honorable Mention: David Bertholf

Because when you’re a cop who enforces drunk driving, you’re obviously special and an exemption to the rule

SSCC #413–Massachusetts

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A state trooper who accidentally shot his neighbor in Norton last year was cleared of any wrong doing, but that is not sitting well with the victim.

Why would I so willingly add this to the count?

Blair was walking her dogs on New Year’s Eve in the woods behind her Norton home when her neighbor said he mistook her dog for a deer’s tail. He fired his rifle and hit Blair, shattering her pelvis.

…

Environmental police recommended the trooper be charged with careless use of a weapon, but earlier this week the courts dropped the criminal complaint.

And he got to keep his hunting license too.  Like that would happen to any of the rest of us peons.

State Sponsored Criminal #413:  State Trooper John Doe

Because cops can be negligent with firearms all they want, they’re anointed after all.

via Jay G

SSCC #411 – Seattle

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That’s right folks, the Seattle PD had decided to return to the land of the criminal count.  This one is juicy…

In a complaint filed in Seattle Municipal Court, Donnie R. Lowe, 45, was accused of knowingly violating a no-contact order issued after his arrest in June for allegedly assaulting his wife.

Lowe’s wife was believed to be a passenger in a car when Seattle police stopped him Aug. 14 for allegedly talking on his cellphone while driving, according to sources familiar with the case. But Lowe was not immediately arrested because police were not able to verify the court order as a result of a computer problem, the sources said.

Now initially it doesn’t sound that bad, especially since the judge issued the no-contact order without a request to do so from the wife.  So a judge did something against the will of both the defendant and plaintiff and they possibly violated it, but here’s the real reason this sucker is juicy.

The new charge further clouded Lowe’s career in the Police Department, in which his bachelor’s degree in business and master’s in public administration helped him land a position on the police-reform effort but whose troubling history of bad judgment and misconduct raised questions about his selection.

That’s right folks, the Seattle Police departments first choice to aid  in their reform behaves like this.  It is worth noting that he has since been removed as the team leader and the situation has changed due to this incident.

Since then, the city and Justice Department reached a comprehensive settlement agreement in July in which a court-appointed monitor will oversee broad reforms in police practices.

The most entertaining part though is this isn’t the first time he has behaved in a questionable nature.

He previously was disciplined after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in 2008. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of reckless driving, later dismissed when he met court conditions. The department then suspended him for four days without pay after an internal investigation.

…

Lowe also received internal reprimands for inappropriate physical treatment of his handcuffed son while he was in police custody in a holding cell in 2006, and over an improper effort to retrieve from a man nude photographs of a female acquaintance in 2002.

Have no fear though, I’m sure he’s on paid administrative leave, pulling down his $148,000 salary.  Seriously you can’t make this stuff up!

State Sponsored Criminal #411: Donnie R. Lowe

Because what better man to help aid the department in reform than a man who is obviously in need of some reform himself.