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News :: Crime & Police |
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Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
Current rating: 0 |
by Ferd Burfel
Email: ferd (nospam) gmail.com (unverified!) |
20 May 2006
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What local law firm now has two lwyers with pending DUI cases? |
What local law firm now has two lawyers with pending DUI cases? Erwin, Martinkus, that's who! Both cases have sepecial prosecutors appointed.
People v. Brian King, pending since 2004, no activity since October 2005
and
People V. Wayne Smith, a 2006 case, also pending.
Why do these cases get special prosecutors and special treatment? |
See also:
http://www.cccircuitclerk.com
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This work is in the public domain |
Comments
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Common sense
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
20 May 2006
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It is because the local prosecutors know them and they do not want to be accused of any bias. That is common practice in every county. Not everything is a conspiracy. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Common sense
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
20 May 2006
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Oh yeah, what special treatment? You failed to mention anything that would indicate this. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Brian Dolinar
briandolinar (nospam) gmail.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
20 May 2006
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After a day at the County courthouse, a Common Sense conclusion is that poor black, brown, and white people are getting no treatment, or even bad treatment.
We know that white collar individuals are committing crimes.
For example, Brian Silverman, a local lawyer who has been accused of extorting clients for money and sexual favors.
How do these people stay out of our jails and prisons?
This is special treatment.
Ferd - please contact us at Community Court Watch. See my above email address.
We meet Saturdays at 4pm at the Indy Media Center, old Urbana post office.
Don't belive the haters.
The enemy is supposed to hate it.
BD |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Common sense
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 May 2006
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The previous comments were not meant be argumentative, they were just pointing out that you can not believe everything you read or are told. Common sense needs to be used along with your life experiences to determine the actual events or facts. From what I have gleaned in the majority of these posts, common sense is rarely used. If someone states they were falsely arrested or mistreated by someone in the criminal justice system everyone takes their word as the complete and absolute truth. They then jump on their soapboxes yelling it’s a conspiracy. Hence, the statement in an earlier post, “The word of a white male cop will always be trusted over that of a citizen”.
From what I have come to realize is that most of the time (at best) you can only believe half of what someone is telling you. Most people tend to embellish facts to make their stories either more interesting or shaded to their side. In instances such as these, it rallies a group of people together and has a better chance of being heard. Such as the recent protest in front of the courthouse. (But that is another issue I will not comment on). This helps that one individual, right or wrong, to have his say publicly. However, those who rally around him may look foolish and actually end up hurting the society if they do not take time to look at the facts themselves.
As far as the Silverman case you pointed out, I am unfamiliar with it but just looked into the published News Gazette articles. I understand this is not a complete history of the testimony but it is an example of how to look at the issues using common sense and life experiences.
Several concerning issues:
1.) Lewis is the former girlfriend of Ray Rowan, 30, of Chicago, a drug dealer with multiple convictions.
2.) Rowan is facing up to 29 years in prison on a federal drug conviction.
3.) Lewis was employed at a Department of Corrections work release center in Chicago where Rowan was an inmate. They started dating after he arrived there in January 1993.
4.) She said she then took a Crown Royal bag filled with $5,000 cash, "reached down and handed him the money under the desk.
Point #1- look at the background of Rowan; a drug dealer with multiple convictions that is facing up to 29 years in prison on a federal drug conviction. Is he an honest, hard working, respectable citizen? No. Do the majority of people with this type of criminal history have friends that are honest, hard working, respectable citizens? A few, but definitely not the majority.
Point #2- it was stated that Lewis was employed with the DOC where Rowan was an inmate. They started dating after he arrived. As we all know, this is strictly against the Department Of Corrections rules and procedures. Lewis clearly violated this policy and jeopardized her position. If this were discovered by the administration, she would have faced termination; therefore, the two of them had to hide this fact. This type of work also takes a certain type of individual such as one that is not easily intimidated. I find it hard to believe that she would be easily intimidated.
Point #3- In Silverman's defense, Champaign attorney Mike Cornyn introduced pictures of Silverman's desk, which showed it has a solid front, making Lewis' claim that she passed money under the desk impossible. Yes, they could have changed the desk or photographed a completely different desk but why; they were in his office. There would be no need to pass the bag under the desk?
Point #4- Lewis had testified that Silverman unbuttoned his shirt, something Ilene Silverman said her husband has been unable to do for many years due to his muscular dystrophy. She said he has Velcro on his dress shirts.
Point #5- She also said he has worn braces on both legs for several years. Lewis testified she recalled seeing one brace. The way the article reads, it sounds like they were standing up and she had her back to him as the sexual act was performed. I think this would be rather difficult for someone in a leg brace (or two).
Point #6- Asked on cross-examination why she just didn't leave Silverman's office after he told her he'd gotten Rowan a two-year sentence, Lewis said, "I was really scared, physically, mentally. I just felt like I was froze to the chair," she said. Physically and mentally scared by a 51 year old man with leg braces and muscular dystrophy. This does not sound like any DOC employee that I would know.
Again, let me reiterate. Only believe half of what you read or hear, then apply common sense and your life experiences. I am not saying she was not subjected to sexual harassment but I am pretty sure things did not happen as was stated in this news report.
Hopefully everyone can see this point. If not, all I can do is feel sorry for you because you are going to lead a miserable disgruntled life, led around by people taking advantage of you in order to advance themselves. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by BD
briandolinar (nospam) gmail.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
21 May 2006
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#1 Many people pegged as "drug users" are also honest, hard-working, respectable people.
They are brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters.
Lawyers/judges/cops can be "drug users."
Many people who are not "drug users" are dishonest, disrespectable, lazy people.
#2 The Commission Board found Lewis' testimony credible enough to recommend Silverman be suspended for 6 months.
For more, see my article in the March issue of the Public i.
BD |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Common sense
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 May 2006
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You are either young and naive or do not completely understand (no disrespect intended), so let me explain. There are two types of drug users.
Type one: The “recreational user”. This person may smoke marijuana on occasions with their friends. This person can fit into the category you stated “honest, hard-working, respectable people. They are brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters”. They can also be Lawyers/judges/cops. That is until they receive their first charge; however, everyone else who is charged usually gets their first offense dropped or a short probation period. They usually do not lose their job and suffer public ridicule. Is this equal treatment?
Type two: The “hardcore user”. This person advances to the heavier narcotics and may end up selling drugs, committing burglaries or robberies to support his or her habit. There are numerous studies to support this fact. They cannot hold down a job and are in and out of the criminal justice system for crimes such as theft, burglary, robbery and intent to deliver charges. They remain in this vicious cycle until some type of intervention is brought into their life. Through that intervention, be it professional or not, the addiction is broken and the interaction with the criminal justice system comes to an end.
Now, I believe someone with multiple drug convictions that is/was facing a 29-year federal drug conviction falls well within the “hardcore user” category.
As far as your point #2, I stated earlier that I am unfamiliar with this case. I just expressed my concerns from the short article I read in the News Gazette. I am sure there is a more detailed accounting available but I have more important things to do then review old testimonies. I just merely wanted to point out that many people on this forum just jump blindly on someone’s accusations without examining the facts. Just as I have read on several occasions, you have done. If you have examined the facts and still stand by all of your decisions, I question your mental grasp on reality. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by BD
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
22 May 2006
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Young and IDEALISTIC!
BD |
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Reality Bites |
by historian
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
22 May 2006
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"common sense" writes, apparently on BD's prior reporting in the impact of racism on the justice system in Champaign County
"If you have examined the facts and still stand by all of your decisions, I question your mental grasp on reality."
Perhaps "common sense" will explain to us what he thinks accounts for the vastly disparate outcomes according to race that have persisted for decades in the Champaign County justice system?
A story posted here today:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/115941/index.php
notes that nationwide, black men are imprisoned at rates about 10 times that of the white population. I don't have specific figures for Champaign County, but its rate of incarcerating black males rate is probably similar to the national statistics.
Surely you're not claiming that black males are 10 times as criminal as white males, are you "common sense"? If so, then it's you who needs a reality check. |
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Possible White Priviledges |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
24 May 2006
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THROUGHOUT CHAMPAIGN COUNTY'S HISTORY, THERE HAS BEEN A VERY BACKWARD, RED-NECK APPROACH TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. IF ANYONE DOES NOT BELIEVE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY HAS A VERY BAD RACIAL HABIT WHEN APPLYING THE LAWS EQUALLY TO ALL ITS CITIZENS, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING VERY GOOD ATTENTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AROUND HERE.
HERE ARE THREE CASES WHERE RACE MAY BE AFFECTING THE TYPE OF JUSTICE CARRIED OUT. AS YOU READ THE NARRATIVES, TRY TO IMAGINE A LOW-INCOME MINORITY RECEIVING THESE BENEFITS. THE ALL-KNOWING ANSWER THAT MONEY WALKS STILL REVEALS THAT OUR LAWS ARE USED ARBITRARILY AGAINST PEOPLE WE DON'T LIKE, AND BARELY USED AT ALL AGAINST PEOPLE THE LEGAL COMMUNITY FAVORS.
Case # 02-CF-1007 The People v. Developer Stephen Harrington. Harrington was accused of stealing over $150,000 from the owners of the Sonic Drive-In franchises. During construction on South 45, Harrington bilked the Esch Family out of their dough that was supposed to be given to Harrington to outsource contractors for the construction of the restaurant. Instead Harrington just kept the money and never hired anyone. Harrington was never arrested, rather he was summoned to court and was accompanied by his attorney. Harrington's bond was set at $1000, meaning he only needed $100 to get out of jail, but he was granted an ROR bond instead, and was also given the latitude to leave the state whenever he wanted.
For the next two years the case was continued 41 times.
In the end, Harrington's attorney tendered a letter indicating that the defendant had paid back some of the money to the Esch Family. Special Proscecutor Vujovich (another conflict of interest, Julia?) did not know how much he paid back. Vujovich did, however, agree to dismissing the theft charges against Harrignton in November of 2005 altogether. Despite what common sense would say would be an admission of guilt, that is, he gave some money back to the rightful owners, Vujovich explained to Judge Difanis that a proscecution for theft against Harrington would be "untenable".
Case # 04-CF-1317 The People v. Kristen Roseberry, age 22.
On July 20, 2004, Kristen Roseberry, biology major at Purdue, was in town visiting her fiance. While in Champaign-Urbana she consumed alcohol. Lots of alcohol. She drove her vehicle while intoxicated and found herself lost. Soon she was headed the wrong way on I-57, and collided head-on with an oncoming car carrying the Payne Family of Mississippi coming back from Chicago. The 55 year-old mother, Martha, sitting in the passenger seat was killed in the accident. Kristen's blood alcohol content was .254...., .08 is over the legal limit.
Kristen paid $8,500 cash to get out of jail that day.
The case has since been continued 21 times.
It remains pending.
Case #04-CF-1427 The People v. Rachel H. Smith
Ms. Smith was found to be in possession of over 200grams < 400grams of cocaine and over 5000grams of cannibus. That's serious drug trafficking. Bond was set at $200,000.
Bond was then reduced to $100,000. She posted the $10,000 cash and was allowed to leave the state to go to Florida and Texas.
The case has been continued 19 times.
The Special Procsecutor (again Vujovich) has asked for a change of venue to another jurisdiction which was granted by Judge Clem.
The case remains pending.
And yes, I'm sure all these cases have very good explanations why they are happening the way they are. The point is: Low-Income and People of Color rarely see these kind of sweetheart treatments when they break the law. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Not so fast LY...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
24 May 2006
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As a local member of the law enforcement community (cue the bashing) I have several burglary cases that are over a year old and still pending where the defendant is a minority. I suggest you use the alphabet as a guide and look at the criminal cases one after the other. Things aren't always what you perceive them to be. |
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Not So Fast |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
25 May 2006
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It's possible things aren't always what we perceive them to be.
Perhaps it is not ALWAYS that way, but you should know, being in law enforcement, that it is USUALLY that way.
Out of curiosity, have you any idea why your cases are being held up?
And how do you feel, as a member of law enforcement, being mandated to ticket cigarette smokers in addition to your duties chasing every kid with something in their pocket? |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Lucero
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
25 May 2006
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Yocal, I see you saying that white people aren't being punished enough, and blacks are being overly punished for the same crime. Which is it? Would you like them all to be punished equally? If so, then why don't you say so, rather than beating around the bush and going through all kinds of semantic hoops? As for me, I'll take the word of an anonymous law enforcement over that of an anonymous yokel, but I'd rather see facts than speculation, and I'd rather see good will than sarcasm. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Not so fast...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
26 May 2006
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LY,
Why are my cases taking so long? Continuances by the defense, and they are typically the reason why most cases take so long. I don't care for it, but I have grown to accept it. Btw, it is not usually the case as you seem to imply. You seem to think that cops have nothing better to do than sit around waiting for minorities to break the law. I wish I had a crystal ball and knew who was going to break the law. I don't so I mainly respond to calls from people who have had somehting done to them and they either know who did it, we have video, fingerprints, witnesses, etc. The police typically respond to calls or follow leads off of tips called in or discovered through investigations. None of the local departments have the manpower to just sit around looking for minorities to harass much as you seem to imply we do. Perhaps you think you got a raw deal on a speeding ticket or maybe received a punishment you felt was too harsh and are bitter? I don't know you, but your implication what the police do in this area shows a great deal of ignorance on your part.
Perhaps if you focus your energies into the community and get people to commit less crime that I get called to respond to then maybe we might make some progress.
Regarding your cig comment, I have better things to do with my time. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by BD
BD (nospam) BD (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
26 May 2006
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When the police stop profiling my brothers.
We'll stop profiling the police.
BD |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by yo BD...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
26 May 2006
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Ah, profiling. You got some body of evidence to back up your claim of profiling or are going on what people think? Do you have some studies that say the local cops are doing that? If so, please post.
Btw, thanks for the misdirection. The point of the posts were not profiling, but something different. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by BD
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
26 May 2006
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Read the News Gazette.
Stats came out in '05 proving racial profiling occurs locally.
But how many numbers to you need to be convinced?
Let alone the numerous accounts by African American residents, if that counts for anything.
Buenos dias. BD |
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Good Points Lucero and Lawman Annonymous |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
27 May 2006
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To Lucero: You're right, good will is better than sarcasm.
I'm saying both, whites don't get punished enough.... (Look at the disciplinary reports at the U of I, there are tons of crimes committed by students that never see the light of day at the courthouse.)...and mostly blacks and always low-income peoples are getting tossed into the prisons. Should everyone get the same treatment under the law? I would hope they would, however, I would rather there be more effective and meaningful sentences that actually restore people from committing crimes, rather than the big-money warehousing that's going on currently. Some have speculated that if more middle class whites were actually proscecuted like their black counterparts, there would be faster prison reform. I don't prefer being equally harsh on everybody, I would prefer restorative justice models that solve neighborhood problems. (I hear you laughing Lawman Annonymous)
Here's the problem I can't find the answer to: Why are mostly minorities in the jails, in the courts, and in the prisons? To the outside observer, it looks like the police are targeting black people.
To Lawman Annonymous:
I appreciate Lawman Annoymous bringing his real experience to the table. I understand his claim to a non-bias approach to law enforcement to be supported by the plain and simple fact that he goes where they tell him to. People call for police service. Police investigate what they are given to investigate. The race of the participants are the race of the people who made the call for service in the first place. There is no pre-selected crime scene with pre-selected suspects. Police show up because people have asked them to.
Am I understanding that correctly? |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Lucero
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 May 2006
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Hey, Local Yocal, thanks for the bit of good will (towards me, at least :-). I can't speak to how people get into the prisons, but a lot of imprisonment I've seen is pretty pointless, doing neither the prisoner nor society any good, so your point on warehousing is well taken. As for restorative justice models solving neighborhood problems, could you expain what you mean, or provide a link to a site with information on that? |
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Possible links to alternatives |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
29 May 2006
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Lucero:
www.caadrs.org - is a possible quick study in the field of alternative sentencing.
www.leap.cc - a surprising website about the drug war.
Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program of Champaign County
404 West Church Street
Champaign, IL 61820–3411
Phone: 217–352–9287
Fax: 217–352–6494
Contact: Ms. Malou Cristobal, Executive Director
Type of agency: Private community-based (nonprofit), Church-based
Program began: 1995
Cases referred in most recent year: Juvenile—47
Point(s) in justice process at which mediation occurs: Diversion, Post-adjudication but pre-disposition
Type(s) of referrals: Misdemeanors
Other types of mediation performed: Planned: Family, Group conferencing
This information is from Dec. 2004, (please be advised)
Locally, V.O.R.P. has been going on with some juvenile cases. The big risk is adult crime and serious, violent offenses which has yet to be tried here in Champaign County.
We also have a drug court which Judge Ford operates. It has great success in intervening in the lives of drug addicts (while always holding the stick of jail time over the defendant's head) but surprisingly the "graduating classes" are very few in number. I don't know if that's a resource problem or few addicts acutally qualify for drug court.
The idea of neighborhood interventions remains relatively untried. It's so much easier to just "call the cops" rather than go outside, and ask Johnny Whizkid why he's riding a stolen bicycle you both know is not his.
I am curious to know if much of what I read in the crime reports section of the newspaper couldn't be resolved out on the street, and without the expense of police officers, jails, lawyers, and incarcerations.
Probably the first step the citizenry needs to take, is for all of us to quit bothering the cops on stupid little shit that responsible adults should be able to handle on their own, without the need for an officer to put somebody in handcuffs. I will admit that in proportion to the number of calls police do get (each department, Urbana, Champaign, and the University Police probably average about 40 calls a night- way more on "drinking nights" of course), police officers show enormous restraint in effecting arrests. They let more fish go than they actually catch.
We really need to quit using The Police as retaliation against neighbors we don't like, babysitters who watch over what we put in our mouths (if I were an officer, I'd take my badge to Springfield and throw it on the House Floor protesting the stupid Drug War), and mediators of our petty disputes. The police should be called in only for emergencies and serious situations.
Anyway, the discussion we could have is how to resolve crime on our own, without having The Department of Corrections chewing up the money doing it for us. (which they don't, recidivism is hovering aroung 40-50%) Unless the greater priority is prison guards having plenty of good union jobs. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Not so fast...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
30 May 2006
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LY,
Yes, the majority of police interaction with the community, outside of traffic violations, occurs in this way as well as investigative leads given by informants or through witnesses.
I will also take up an issue that another individual asked before and had answered by Dolinar. The issue that he talks to in profiling is a divergence from the reality of what criminals do and where they are.
1) Ask yourself where most of the criminal activity happens.
2)Now ask yourself where are the police most likely to be in order to respond to that criminal activity.
The study that Brian Dolinar suggests proves his point of racial profilinf fails to do so. It is a very flawed study. When you understand that minority areas have the highest crime it goes without saying that police will spend more time in that area in an effort to curb that behavior. Will the police interact with more people that are black or hispanic in those high crime areas? Yes. Is that racial profiling? No.
Without giving away too much criminals do certain things and behave in certain ways that alert us to potential criminal activity. Does that mean we are right 100% of the time? No. We are right more often than not because of what we study regarding criminal behavior. That is what we profile - behavior. Its really as simple as that. Profiling is genarally seized upon by people who feel that the law/police didn't do enough for them or for someone they knew, and use it as racial leverage causing unnecessary animosity between the police and the community.
I feel bad that some people have this view of local law enforcement, but if they knew what I knew then they may understand that the citizens of Champaign County have some of the best officers around serving the community to the best of their ability. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by BD
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
30 May 2006
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I don't doubt we have some of the best police in the state.
But I know we also have one of the highest rates of inmate deaths in the local jails - now 5 in 3 years after the weekend.
Rogue officer Myers was exposed for tasing inmates.
Now this.
The public deserves an explanation.
BD |
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Trying To Not Go So Fast |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
30 May 2006
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"Yes, the majority of police interaction with the community, outside of traffic violations
occurs in this way as well as investigative leads given by informants or through witnesses."
THE PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY IS THAT POLICE CHOOSE TO STOP AFRICAN AMERICAN DRIVERS MORE OFTEN THAN WHITES, AND THEY CHOOSE TO SEARCH WITH THE NARCOTIC DOG MORE OFTEN ON AFRICAN AMERICAN DRIVERS THAN WHITE DRIVERS. THE PERCEPTION ALSO IS THAT OFFICERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ACT PARANOID AND DEFENSIVE WITH A CAR FULL OF BLACK PEOPLE THAN WHITES, AND WILL MORE LIKELY CALL FOR BACK UP. THE GENERAL PERCEPTION IS THAT THE POLICE DON'T LIKE BLACK PEOPLE.
ALSO THE PERCEPTION IS THAT "INFORMANTS" ARE JUST ADDICTS WHO HAVE BEEN BUSTED BY THE POLICE AND ARE BEING LEVERAGED TO BE THE POLICE'S "SLAVE FOR A DAY" USUALLY FOR DRUG BUYS WITH MARKED MONEY. OFTEN THESE INFORMANTS ARE VERY UNRELIABLE WITNESSES WHO WILL SAY THEY BOUGHT THE DRUGS FROM WHOEVER IT IS THE POLICE ARE TARGETING WHETHER THAT'S ACTUALLY THE CASE OR NOT. OR THESE "INFORMANTS" ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR COURT LATER DOWN THE ROAD. ALSO THE CRIMESTOPPERS PROGRAM HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A $50 PROGRAM FOR ADDICTS TO SCORE EASY DRUG MONEY WITH BY ANNONYMOUSLY SNITCHING ON THEIR FRIENDS.
PEOPLE WONDER WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN AS TO HOW POLICE ARE SUMMONED TO A SPECIFIC SCENE OR INCIDENT. IS IT 50% METCAD CALLS FROM CITIZENS, 15% TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND ACCIDENTS, 10% FROM INFORMANTS,15% FROM ONGOING UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS, AND 10% WHAT THE OFFICER SPOTS FROM THE SQUAD CAR?
"1) Ask yourself where most of the criminal activity happens.
2)Now ask yourself where are the police most likely to be in order to respond to that criminal activity.
When you understand that minority areas have the highest crime it goes without saying that police will spend more time in that area in an effort to curb that behavior. Will the police interact with more people that are black or hispanic in those high crime areas? Yes."
SO I'M GETTING CONFUSED. YOU HAVE SAID BEFORE THAT POLICE GET CALLED INTO MINORITY AREAS AND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE THERE. YOUR COMMENTS ABOVE SUGGEST THAT POLICE ALREADY KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CRIME HAPPENS THE MOST AND THEREFORE ARE TROLLING AROUND IN THOSE AREAS TO BE AT THE READY FOR WHEN IT HAPPENS. WHICH HAPPENS MORE, OFFICERS SPOTTING CRIME FROM THE SQUAD CAR BECAUSE THEY WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THERE, OR... THEY ARE SUMMONED TO A SPECIFIC ADDRESS OR BUSINESS BY A CITIZEN CALLER?
"I feel bad that some people have this view of local law enforcement,..."
I'M SURE YOU MIGHT DISAGREE AND FEEL BAD ABOUT THE ABOVE PERCEPTIONS MANY CITIZENS HAVE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS. AND YET,....THE PERCEPTION AND TALK AROUND TOWN REMAINS FAIRLY CONSISTENT. MINORITIES AND LOW-INCOME PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING BUT BAD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS. SO IF GOOD OFFICERS, LIKE YOURSELF, ARE NOT DOING THE BAD THINGS PEOPLE ARE ACCUSING YOU OF, WHY ARE THESE PERCEPTIONS OUT THERE? |
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The Police Problem |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
Having watched this dog and pony show for over a decade, here is the problem I see happening over and over:
Citizens complain about the police. The Police assure everyone there is nothing to complain about. Citizens continue to complain about the police. Police continue to assure everyone there is nothing to complain about and there is just a misunderstanding among the public. Citizens keep complaining about the police. The Police hire a PR director to help with the misunderstandings. Citizens keep complaining. Police show a PowerPoint presentation to the city councils assuring them everything is okeedokee. Citizens continue to complain.
So why does there remain all this complaining when we've been repeatedly assured by the police that everything they do is just fine? |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Not so fast...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
LY,
You don't need to shout (CAPS) for me to understand what you are saying. I am trying to be helpful.
THE PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY IS THAT POLICE CHOOSE TO STOP AFRICAN AMERICAN DRIVERS MORE OFTEN THAN WHITES, AND THEY CHOOSE TO SEARCH WITH THE NARCOTIC DOG MORE OFTEN ON AFRICAN AMERICAN DRIVERS THAN WHITE DRIVERS. THE PERCEPTION ALSO IS THAT OFFICERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ACT PARANOID AND DEFENSIVE WITH A CAR FULL OF BLACK PEOPLE THAN WHITES, AND WILL MORE LIKELY CALL FOR BACK UP. THE GENERAL PERCEPTION IS THAT THE POLICE DON'T LIKE BLACK PEOPLE.
The majority of drug activity take splace in and around low income areas. Facts of life.
ALSO THE PERCEPTION IS THAT "INFORMANTS" ARE JUST ADDICTS WHO HAVE BEEN BUSTED BY THE POLICE AND ARE BEING LEVERAGED TO BE THE POLICE'S "SLAVE FOR A DAY" USUALLY FOR DRUG BUYS WITH MARKED MONEY. OFTEN THESE INFORMANTS ARE VERY UNRELIABLE WITNESSES WHO WILL SAY THEY BOUGHT THE DRUGS FROM WHOEVER IT IS THE POLICE ARE TARGETING WHETHER THAT'S ACTUALLY THE CASE OR NOT. OR THESE "INFORMANTS" ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR COURT LATER DOWN THE ROAD. ALSO THE CRIMESTOPPERS PROGRAM HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A $50 PROGRAM FOR ADDICTS TO SCORE EASY DRUG MONEY WITH BY ANNONYMOUSLY SNITCHING ON THEIR FRIENDS.
Some are addicts, but most are not. Having said that some of those 'unreliable' informants have been responsible for getting quite a bit of drugs off the street. We have ways to cross check the information we get, and we would be negligent if we didn't check the tips we get. Would you rather we ignore information from 'unreliable' people. As far as their testimony in court goes if their tip pans out then their history is generally viewed differently by a jury. Crimestoppers has been very helpful.
SO I'M GETTING CONFUSED. YOU HAVE SAID BEFORE THAT POLICE GET CALLED INTO MINORITY AREAS AND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE THERE. YOUR COMMENTS ABOVE SUGGEST THAT POLICE ALREADY KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CRIME HAPPENS THE MOST AND THEREFORE ARE TROLLING AROUND IN THOSE AREAS TO BE AT THE READY FOR WHEN IT HAPPENS. WHICH HAPPENS MORE, OFFICERS SPOTTING CRIME FROM THE SQUAD CAR BECAUSE THEY WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THERE, OR... THEY ARE SUMMONED TO A SPECIFIC ADDRESS OR BUSINESS BY A CITIZEN CALLER?
Ok. Step by step here. You have an area that has a higher call volume because of residents (victims) calls for service to address crime. The police respond by stepping up patrols to curb the criminal behavior, and in the process address potential criminal behavior. Because of the increased patrols the odds are increased in seeing a crime 'live'. Its not complicated.
I'M SURE YOU MIGHT DISAGREE AND FEEL BAD ABOUT THE ABOVE PERCEPTIONS MANY CITIZENS HAVE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS. AND YET,....THE PERCEPTION AND TALK AROUND TOWN REMAINS FAIRLY CONSISTENT. MINORITIES AND LOW-INCOME PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING BUT BAD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS. SO IF GOOD OFFICERS, LIKE YOURSELF, ARE NOT DOING THE BAD THINGS PEOPLE ARE ACCUSING YOU OF, WHY ARE THESE PERCEPTIONS OUT THERE?
Most of the people are quite nice to the police and it is in those low income areas where people have been led to believe that the police are out to get them that treat people with complete disrespect. I find it interesting that a white person tells the police that their being harassed because they are poor, but the black person tells me it is because they are black, the hispanic because they are hispanic, and the asian because they are asian. You'd be surprised how often it is said to a minority officer. Some of the racial slurs thrown at minority officers by other minorities frequently has me shaking my head. I have also found it interesting that parents enable their kids to continue to commit crimes and get mad at the police when their kids keep getting caught. There's a parenting disconnect there. What is consistent is that there is only a 'perception', but it not backed up by any sound study that takes into consideration key factors. The reality is the police will be seen more often where the majority of crime is occuring. The rub here would be if the police decreased their presence in some areas and only relied on calls for service we would be vilified for not caring about those areas. Catch-22.
Btw, people are always complaining about politics.
Let's put the shoe on the other foot. How would you conduct policing to ensure that no complaints ever happen? |
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Not so fast..., I Call Bullshit |
by historian
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
Not so fast... wrote:
"The majority of drug activity takes place in and around low income areas. Facts of life."
All I can say is that you're spreading the bullshit pretty deep there, Not so fast. Here's just one statistic that shows you really don't know what you're talking about:
"Although African Americans comprise only 12.2 percent of the population and 13 percent of drug users, they make up 38 percent of those arrested for drug offenses and 59 percent of those convicted of drug offenses causing critics to call the war on drugs the "New Jim Crow." The higher arrest rates for African Americans and Latinos do not reflect a higher abuse rate in these communities but rather a law enforcement emphasis on inner city areas where drug use and sales are more likely to take place in open-air drug markets where treatment resources are scarce."
http://www.drugpolicy.org/communities/race/
Now you can argue that race has nothing to do with this, except that is widely recognized poverty is closely correlated with race in this country. That's a fact of life, so when you conveniently ignore it when it undermines your argument that race is irrelevant to this discussion, it looks suspiciously like you'd just prefer a more socially acceptable excuse to explain starkly disparate outcomes that strongly implicate race as a factor in the local justice system.
Now, speaking from personal experience, I can also tell you that white people are just as likely, if not more likely, to do drugs than people of color. The frats and sororities have extensive drug-subcultures that extend beyond alcohol. But you really don't see cops staking them out or sendng in informants.
The fact of the matter is that people of color make easy targets for the police and presecutors. They rarely have the resources to fight charges, are less likely to make bail, and thus are more likely to succumb to the pressures to rat on people to clear up their own problems because of that.
The drug war would totally fall apart if not for snitch culture and every cop knows it, so they do everything in their power to promote it.
The drug war is based almost entirely on the use of this often questionable informant testimony. For the most part, people's involvement with drugs are non-violent and lead to no more crime than alcohol does. In other words, there really is little association betwen drugs and crime that is not driven by the fact that they are illegal. This also means that we treat drugs as a crime problem, rather than as a health problem.. If we were really worried about the health problems associated with drugs, we could take half the budget fhe drug war and put it into treatement. The other half could be used to address social conditions that foster drug use, like lack of job and educational opportunities. I seriously doubt if we have any more problems with drugs themselves if they were legal than if they weren't -- and people would be far more likely tio get treatment. Then police could concentrate on real crime, instead of what has essentially become a jobs program for the justice system, which is really all the drug war ever effectively has been.
Not so fast also claimed:
"...it is in those low income areas where people have been led to believe that the police are out to get them that treat people with complete disrespect."
The people you are referring to can think for themselves. They base their opinions of police on their personal experience, not because they're been brainwashed by the media. Besides, other than the IMC, is there any media in this community that tends to really take a critical look at the police? I'm sure the IMC couldn't "brainwash" -- as you seem to indicate is happening -- people into believeing something that is without basis, as you seem to imply. The troubles between local communities of color and the police started long before the IMC came on the scene in late 2000. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Not so fast...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
historian,
I have consistently referred to the local area, not national. I have talked about Champaign County, not the USA. I have talked about local law enforcement, not national enforcement, and I certainly did not discuss any drug enforcement policy. Now that I have gutted your attempt at refutation please try again and focus on the local area. I am far more learned about what happens locally than nationally, and have offered my explanations concerning issues in Champaign County.
When you get stop and catch your breath from your rush to judgment you will notice that you simply did not pay attention to what I posted. In your eagerness to put down the police you failed to note key points in my posts. It is frequently this attitude that engenders the hostility that police sometimes encounter in the local area. Please read carefully.
You stated this,
"Now, speaking from personal experience, I can also tell you that white people are just as likely, if not more likely, to do drugs than people of color. The frats and sororities have extensive drug-subcultures that extend beyond alcohol. But you really don't see cops staking them out or sendng in informants."
How do you know this?
Do you know that the police don't stake out suspect sites on campus?
How do you know that?
Did you know that the university deals pro actively regarding drug use in the dorms?
Did you know that local police have spent hundreds of hours staking out sites concerning meth where the predominate race is white locally? Is this local or just more national average information?
Hint: Let me point out that you can't fit a sqaure block into a round hole. What appears to happen nationally doesn't necessarily happen locally.
You stated,
"The drug war would totally fall apart if not for snitch culture and every cop knows it, so they do everything in their power to promote it."
How do you know this?
How would that work?
Is this more national info rather than local?
If its local then its going to come as a big shock to investigators I know who work very hard putting together cases sans the 'unreliable' or 'questionable' informant.
As far as your comment about people in low income areas being able to think for themselves quite a few thank me and others for the work we do in helping rid their neighborhoods of the drugs, violence, and vandalism.
I also did not say media nor IMC, but chose Brian Dolinar because it was available immediately on this thread, and it is his type of attitude that is out there. I do not know him nor do I know if he works with the IMC. It is people with that type of attitude that hamper efforts to reach out to people making some of them believe that the police are only out to get them. If the police arbitrarily arrested people for no reason then they would lose their jobs. I also never stated anyone was brainwashed by the IMC. I would like you to point out where I did.
It is It is my wish to help explain some issues, but I am sensing an unwillingness to be open minded by some as well as hostility.
I also noticed that you did not take me up on my question on how you would do policing differently to avoid never having complaints. |
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Good Discussion Anyway |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
Before Not So Fast leaves the thread frustrated by the tone of some of our posts,.....I would like to say I meant no shout with the all caps. I was only trying to distinguish your words from mine.
I do appreciate some of the dialogue here and I think Not So Fast brings a perspective alot of us rarely get to hear from.
Not So Fast's challenge is extremely legitimate and deserves a considered answer.
Given that, I haven't the time to think it through right now, but thanks for the idea, Not So Fast. |
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Like Joe Friday Said, Gimme the Facts |
by historian
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
Not so fast continues to suggest that there's a different set of facts out there that will reassure us that everything is fine, there's nothing to see, now just move along folks.
Not so fast.
Let's just say I think it's a difference of interpretation. I don't think the facts change, but you're welcome to bring up something I missed. here. We can look at the facts, the statistics, what we know about the outcomes of the system as it operates. Why is it when it comes to the justice system, conservatives really do NOT like to discuss outcome based results?
The evidence on the face of it is that there is something very wrong with our justice system. Maybe Not so fast thinks that critics of the justice system, locally or nationally, want to hang it all on the cops. That's a simplistic rendering of the concerns being expressed and is certainly inaccurate.
Yes, there are some bad cops, plain and simple. Mr. (formerly) Officer Kurt Hjort, for one. All too often, it takes far too long for these people to be expunged from the system.
But the real problem is that cops operate within a racist system. No matter how "good" an individual cop may be, he or she will still be wading against the tide in trying to indivdiually change the racist outcomes of the system.
I think the real problem is, and Not so fast is just a typical example, is those who insist that there really is not a problem and they certainly need to do nothing to change things. What's the old saying? If you're not part of the solution, you may be part of the problem. Do you support civilian police review boards? That is a good way for the police to build trust. Urbana will have one, What's the problem with Champaign? Oh, that mayor...I see.
Being in denial about there being a problem with the justice system as a whole is a problem. No matter what convoluted spin you want to put on it, the system is racist. Just don't take it so personal, Not so fast, we generally are not down on you personally, it's just your head in the sand attitude.
Justifiably, prosecutors and politicians should be in the line of fire here, as both tend to spend a lot of their time pimping their careers on the back of the latest supposed threat to public order and morality and the solution is almost always more time in the slammer, all at increasingly ridiculous costs and of little demonstaretd efficacy, at least when it comes to drugs.
Some reference was made to the mandated DOT reporting of racial trends in traffic stops. Here's Champaign's:
http://www.ci.champaign.il.us/public_safety/page.php?pn=idottraff
Poke around and you'll find that minorities -- primarily, but not exclusively African Americans -- make up about 24.6% of the driving population, yet they are subject to 42.2% of all searches. This is a rather obvious discrepancy, but Not so fast will again attempt to explain this away with some more complicated reason for what most people can see is likely happening.
And that is just one statistic. And Not so fast may have a minor point or two to make, but it hardly accounts for more than a small fraction of the difference. Then you have all the other studies, which may differ in detail across the country, but which tend to show the same trend. Meta-analysis is a pretty powerful argument that what is happening in Champaign County is not too much different than the same disturbing trends nationally.
You say the little local differences are significant? Perhaps, but the just don't provide much of an argument that there is not a significant racially disparate outcome problem with our local justice system.
Maybe we should be glad, that at least with traffic stops, we may be a little better than Illinois as a whole on that, I don't have the figures handy. But there is another disturbing statistic that I do have statewide figures available on and if Champaign County is doing no WORSE than the national average, which is that 13 times as many black youths as white are being imprisoned for drug crime. That is because Illinois is, atrociously, the absolutely worst state in the union as a whole on this statistic, with an almost unbelievable 57 times as many black youth as white being imprisoned for a drug crime.
http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/drugs/war/rates-b&w.htm
I'll repeat, because you seem to be a little slow on facts, Not so fast. That is, for every 1 white person in jail in Illinois for drug crime, there are 57 black people.
If Not so fast thinks racism has nothing to do with that, I've got a good deal on a bridge in Brooklyn. Sure is is not all cops, but there is certainly an issue with the system as a whole. Anyone with a heart and a brain can see why the Afircan-American community is becoming increasingly restless with this abomination that some are willing to call justice.
So Not so fast, why don't you tell us how Champaign County compares to the Illinois and national averages on this statistic?
As far as policing and never having complaints, I would say you need to get to work right away on resolving some of these ridiculous injustices, instead of feeding the audience pap. That would be a start, but if you don't do something to build some real trust, all the sweet talk in the world about how much you want to help gfight "drugs, violence, and vandalism" then end up sending most of their kids to jail, is just so much BS.
I also noticed you never answered my question of whether or not you think that blacks are really 13 times, 57 times, or whatever times more criminal than whites. Are they? Or will you come up with yet another complicated explanation for the obviously racially disparate outcomes?
There's no doubt it's a racist system. The only question is: Which side are you on? |
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Few More Facts |
by FWIW
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 May 2006
|
* Nationwide, one in every 20 black men over the age of 18 is in prison. In five states, between one in 13 and one in 14 black men is in prison. This compares to one in 180 white men.
Source: Human Rights Watch, "Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs" (Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch, 2000), from their website at http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/drugs/war/key-facts.htm.
* Nationwide, black men are sent to prison on drug charges at 13 times the rate of white men.
Source: Human Rights Watch, "Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs" (Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch, 2000), from their website at http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/drugs/war/key-facts.htm.
* "Most drug offenders are white. Five times as many whites use drugs as blacks. Yet blacks comprise the great majority of drug offenders sent to prison. The solution to this racial inequity is not to incarcerate more whites, but to reduce the use of prison for low-level drug offenders and to increase the availability of substance abuse treatment."
Source: Human Rights Watch, "Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs" (Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch, 2000), from their website at http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/drugs/war/key-facts.htm.
* "The Justice Policy Institute report concludes that the drug-free zone laws are ineffective in their intended purpose of protecting youth from drug activity and contribute to glaring racial disparities in incarceration."
http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/pressroom/pressrelease/pr032306.cfm
* "I learned very early on that when we got an African American youth, virtually everything from arrest summaries, to family history, to rap sheets, to psychiatric exams was skewed. If a middle-class white youth was sent to us as “dangerous,” he was more likely actually to be so than an African American teenager given the same label. The white teenager was more likely to have been afforded competent legal counsel and appropriate psychiatric and psychological testing, tried in a variety of privately funded options, and dealt with more sensitively and individually at every stage of the juvenile justice processing. For him to be labeled “dangerous” he had to have done something very serious indeed.— Jerome G. Miller, Search and Destroy: African-American Males in the Criminal Justice System (1996)"
http://www.aecf.org/publications/pdfs/pathways8.pdf |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by Not so fast...
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Jun 2006
|
I am sorry I even bothered to speak about some of the issues concerning our LOCAL law enforcement agencies. My questions have gone unanswered, and what I have stated has been either ignored or twisted. The legitimate questions I challenged some readers with have been met with sarcasm, derision, and dismissed. I have been largely met with community activists who, I guess, mean well, but use national and state stats and attempt to apply them locally. I have been asked to comment on those, but have refused since my expertise is local and in this format it is counterproductive to answer questions when your own go unanswered. Any attempt to comment on national stats would only be more speculation as yours are. The local stats I have attempted to explain since I know how those numbers came about, but those explanations have been dismissed, and now by blanket statement I have been called a racist and am part of a racist system. historian, would you care to tell Adair and Clark they are racists? I'm sure they would have a few things to say to you on that. It is clear from some of the exchanges that there are those who do not seek dialogue or solutions and willfully advance hate towards the law and no amount of explanation will suffice. Those types of people will believe to the bitter end the sky is red when it is blue. When the explanations of how things happen don't mesh with your predisposed bias of what they should be then the response I have gotten is typical, not correct, but typical.
I know there are those that are concerned with perceptions of how the police operate and there are those within the police and the SAs office that work to eliminate the negative perceptions, but comments from people like historian and Dolinar only serve to continue to widen that wedge that has been driven between the community and law enforcement agencies. Whether it is through bitterness with one individual, violations of the law, disagreements with their sentencing, or their victimization that has yet to see justice the hostility that some seek to promote is not healthy and does not advance the cause of justice and community togetherness.
I appreciated the opportunity to address some things with Local Yocal and through that exchange maybe some readers who did not comment came away with a better understanding. It is not common in today’s discourse to have such an exchange that doesn't delve into name calling or profanity, and again my thanks to LY. To those community activists who ignorantly continue to pound that square peg into the round hole you must ask yourself whose cause are you serving with your unending stream of hate towards the police and SAs office. If you are not approaching this problem with an open heart and helpful attitude, but with a fist then your chances for success are lessened. Don't let the hate eat you up. |
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Read a Bit More Closely |
by historian
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Jun 2006
|
You need to reread what I wrote. I called no one a racist, although I don't really see how anyone can plausibly make the claim that the justice system is not racist in its operations and outcomes. All the evidence points toward that conclusion. There are those like you who mumble platitudes about how much you care and how you don't think it's that way, but where is your evidence?
Once again I ask, why the reluctance to evaluate the system dispassionately based on its outcomes?
Why the reluctance to even acknowledge there is a problem? Again, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. Does participation in a racist system make you a racist? That's an open question as far as I'm concern. It could, but it might not. If you take that as being inaccurate, then explain why you think that is so, instead of wringing your hands about the unfairness of it all. Your problem with "fairness" needs to be contrasted with the fairness problem inherent in a system that sends 57 times as many black males to prison for drugs as it does white males. To me, that is some major league unfairness, certainly far worse than my quoting some discomforting statistics to you which you then avoid dealing with by complaining about how unfair people are to the local cops.
As I stated, I'd be glad to look at the local statistics and I already mentioned that I both hope and expect that they are somewhat better than the national and state levels. Who knows, maybe they are worse than the state or national ones and you simply don't want to inform us what they are, because it will shoot the hell out of your position since you have been unable to convince anyone that such discrepanciies can be explained by something other than the workings of race in our society?
You present yourself as having some expertise, but you seem to prefer speaking in optimistic generalities. Please, if you have data that shows the local justice system operates at significant variance with the national and state figures, give us the links. Otherwise, people will continue to operate, organize and and move forward dealing with this racist system based on the hard data available. |
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Re: Local Lawyers with DUI cases? |
by wayward
mrscake (nospam) gmail.deletethispart.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Jun 2006
|
It seems like there's sort of a vicious cycle. From what I've read, it's often hard for low-income people to find work that pays a living wage, and crimes seem like a quick way of making money. (Of course, they're also conducive to getting killed or incarcerated, but in the short term, drug dealing probably pays better than McDonald's.)
So some people get into crime, which certainly doesn't make the low-income areas nice places to live. The government responds by increasing the police presence in the area, and tensions escalate. Maybe the police get tired of some of the people they deal with, and it shows. The residents are probably there because they don't have the option of living anywhere else, and if they feel disrespected by the police, it makes their situation seem even worse. So the cycle continues.
It seems like there are some inequities here, but I'm not convinced that they're related to police misconduct or biased prosecution. |
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How To Police With Less Complaints |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Jun 2006
|
In response to Not So Fast's Pepsi Challenge, I offer a few improvements to the Police Departments that might lessen the number of complaints and build better relations between the officers and the citizens they serve. Never having complaints seems downright impossible. Kind of like sending 8 patrolman to police all of Champaign on a given night. Impossible. So I won't assume there will never be any complaints, but here's a few suggestions that might begin to improve law enforcement and increase citizen involvement.
All Departments have Citizens Review Boards. The Boards might be comprised of a representative from the Police Department, a rep from the State's Atty's Office, a rep from the Public Defender's Office, a rep from the U of I Law School, a rep from the business community, and a rep from the homeless community, activist community, ect.. Some kind of blend that brings a variety perspectives and expertises to the inquiries. The Boards should have subpoenaing power, be public, have transcripted hearings, air on UPTV and The Local Government Channel, and have sanctioning powers up to recommending criminal charges to the State's Attorneys office. The police have run out of excuses on this one. If you got nothing to hide afterall......
Officers need to live in town. This residing in the periphery Sundown Towns makes it hard for caucasion officers to be culturated and trusted within the African American community. If say, the Champaign Police were willing to put four of its patrol people living in those new homes on Bradley, then people would get to know the police as people, not as the Sunglassed, No Hair, Red Neck, Hitler Mustached, BrownShirted RoboParatroopers that swoop in to cuff somebody and bolt out.
Midnight Basketball games between Police and area youth.
Bicycle Repair Shops and Bicycle Give-A-Ways and Picnics down at Police Headquarters. You can wow the kiddies with the equipment, ice cream and barbeque all around, and give the adults tours of the building.
No more fabricating police reports. No more testilying in court. There must be zero tolerance for this despicable behavior. Officers caught fabricating police reports, planting illegal evidence, and committing perjury will not only face immediate dismissal but also criminal charges subject to the penetentiary.
Co-workers caught concealing official misconduct on the part of their fellow employees will also face discplinary sanctions.
No more using the METCAD Dispatch System to see if a hot girl is married or where she lives. Personal information is not a toy to hunt girls with. Officers caught using the METCAD Dispatch System for anything other than professional police business, face immediate termination.
No more stealing private property without an arrest. Often Police take weapons and drugs and money from citizens and then make no arrest. This helping yourself to the booty at the crime scene needs to come to an immediate halt.
End the drug war. This is outside the police jurisdiction at the moment, but officers and departments need to reprioritize their crime focus and the current madness has to stop. Criminalizing a health problem is only pouring gas on fires, jeopardizes officer safety, and is a hypocritical waste of everybody's time.
www.leap.cc is a good website on the subject.
If a woman alleges criminal sexual conduct, a thorough investigation will be done, and if the officer has good reason to believe someone has likely committed the crime, there should be an arrest- no matter if the person is a frat boy, a wealthy somebody, a school official, whatever. 75% of the rapes are by people the victim can identify. Where are the arrests?
Arresting someone, hauling them to jail, should be seen as a drastic action of last resort. It is nothing to boast about, nothing to be pleased by. It is a tragedy and jail usually does not solve anything other than cost everybody alot of money and needless time. Attitude is everything.
More bicycle, and walking patrols. I'd be willing to be taxed more if it meant there were more walking officers around to ask directions, information, help with a tire, and of course, complain about an incident. Get out of the squad car and mingle.
Champaign-Urbana should have Officer Appreciation Day. Officer Appreciation Day could be a designated day where citizens are encouraged to give a police officer a donut that day. Corny, but something to give the public a chance to say thanks once a year directly to officers while on patrol.
No more S.W.A.T. practices in residential neighborhoods, especially in front of children. Rumors have been that officers are running drills right in the middle of neighborhoods unannounced, scaring everyone who sees the sudden commotion. If this is true, stop. now.
No more illegal searches. Like Miranda Warnings, officers ought to be required to announce their probable cause for searching someone. Also, citizens should be allowed to retain their right of refusal and be advised by the officer they do have a right to refuse. Again, the elimination of the drug war would go a long way to ending the current practice of hide-and-seek games we all are playing with the police.
Use of Force training on a regular basis. Tax me more to get this done. People would be shocked at how little the police have a chance to review procedures, freshen their skills, and learn safer tactics. It's a resource problem but it needs to be happening.
Recruit local young men to become patrol officers and detectives. There should be scholarships offered at Parkland and PTI for all area high schools.
Videotape all interrogations.
Citizens have a right to videotape officers while in the line of duty, in the public way, and do not interfere with police activity. Currently, there are some members of the Urbana Police Department selling the eavesdropping statute as a reason to seize cameras, erase cellphone audio recorders and demand citizens turn off any recording equipment. Bullshit. We have a right to document what our government does. Period. There is no such thing as eavesdropping on an open government.
The Supreme Court got it wrong. Champaign-Urbana should lead the nation with a higher standard and demand their officers have probable cause to search for drugs (again, eliminate these laws to begin with would be better) before asking for a narcotics dog to be brought to a vehicle.
There are likely more and better ideas than what I've listed here. The goal should be when officers suit up for patrol, and take to the streets, it should be like a parade. They are waving on one side of the street to people and then the other side of the street. We should feel good when a squad car pulls into the vicinity. The heroes are here. Instead, some officers have tarnished the badge so bad, we now cringe at the sight of a uniformed, hairless buffoon who's only here to hassle people. Even if it's Officer Not So Fast, who's just trying to do his job as best he can. |
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Figures |
by Local Yocal
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
06 Jun 2006
|
Just when you think you have a legitimate discussion going, Not So Fast disappears when his question gets answered.
The Police and State's Attorney's office continue to claim there is nothing wrong and they are just misperceived. The public does not understand law enforcement.
The fact is, citizens have legitimate complaints, and the reputations of the police departments and S.A.'s office are earned- there have been numerous incidents where police behavior has been very questionable if not criminal. While it may be Officer Not So Fast runs a clean ship in his squad car, it is not helpful to simply deny real events and real problems citizens are experiencing with other officers.
As you can see, Not So Fast asked for input. He got it. And now he has nothing in response.
Unfortunately, Historian may have been right all along.....Not So Fast was just pulling fast ones. Save the PR campaign for the News-Gazette, don't waste it on this audience. What we talk about here are real issues, not image-enhancement. Sadly, the problems remain, and Officers like Not So Fast hide for cover when the heat is on. Figures. |
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