“LEST WE FORGET…”
WTC Victims of Attack:
Sgt John Coughlin #3751, ESS4
Sgt Michael Curtin #3256, Ess2
Sgt Rodney Gillis, #1889, ESS8
Sgt Timothy Roy #2926, STED
Det Claude Richards #244, Bomb Squad
Det Joseph Vigiano #4511, ESS3
PO John Dallara #4011, ESS2
PO Vincent Danz #2166, ESS3
PO Jerome Dominguez #10003, ESS3
PO Stephen Driscoll #17482, ESS4
PO Mark Ellis #11441, TD4
PO Robert Fazio #6667, 13 Pct
PO Ronald Kloepfer #22403, ESS7
PO Thomas Langone #14356, ESS10
PO james Leahy #8943, 6 Pct
PO Brian McDonnell #6889, ESS1
PO John Perry #3266, 40 Pct
PO Glen Pettit #3815, PAPO
Moira Smith #10467, 13 Pct
PO Ramon Suarez #12671, TD4
PO Paul Talty #28907, ESS10
PO Santos Valentin #21630, ESS7
PO Walter Weaver #2784, ESS3
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Friday, August 07, 2009
IF YOGI BERRA WAS A DETECTIVE
(I had to re-post this after reading one individuals report last week...Tip of The Day: Write like you speak, not like people expect you to write...no "cop-ese"!)
The following statements, taken from Detective Supplemental Reports, could easily have been written by Yogi Berra if he was a detective.
They were living domesticatally.
They’re habitating at …
Seeking the location of his whereabouts…
He was of Jamaican assessment.
Seeking to identify his identification.
Identified a pattern of unrelated incidents.
Was wearing a multi-colored white tee shirt Known to congregate by himself.
The eyewitness is blind and did not see anything.
They went into a feet pursuit.
He has numerical arrests on his rap sheet.
The bus driver was working off duty at the time.
The information was received from an anonymous CI.
His sister states that she is not related to her brother.
The suspicious package was examined and determined to be not suspicious.
The unarmed security guard fired two shots at the perp.
All the calls that day happened another day.
Also, does anyone know when the word “conversating” became a recognized word in the English language?
(I had to re-post this after reading one individuals report last week...Tip of The Day: Write like you speak, not like people expect you to write...no "cop-ese"!)
The following statements, taken from Detective Supplemental Reports, could easily have been written by Yogi Berra if he was a detective.
They were living domesticatally.
They’re habitating at …
Seeking the location of his whereabouts…
He was of Jamaican assessment.
Seeking to identify his identification.
Identified a pattern of unrelated incidents.
Was wearing a multi-colored white tee shirt Known to congregate by himself.
The eyewitness is blind and did not see anything.
They went into a feet pursuit.
He has numerical arrests on his rap sheet.
The bus driver was working off duty at the time.
The information was received from an anonymous CI.
His sister states that she is not related to her brother.
The suspicious package was examined and determined to be not suspicious.
The unarmed security guard fired two shots at the perp.
All the calls that day happened another day.
Also, does anyone know when the word “conversating” became a recognized word in the English language?
INVESTIGATOR’S THOUGHTS TO PONDER
“Truth is knowledge, only verified”.
"A man does not look behind the door unless he has stood there himself."
"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... it is a bird of some sort."
Benedict Arnold was always the first one to rise when George Washington walked into the room.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
"Singularity is almost invariably a clue. The more featureless and commonplace a crime is, the more difficult it is to bring it home."
"I have become convinced there is no one truth, nor two; there are often several truths."
"In the war between falsehood and truth, falsehood often wins the first battle, but truth wins the last."
“Truth is knowledge, only verified”.
"A man does not look behind the door unless he has stood there himself."
"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... it is a bird of some sort."
Benedict Arnold was always the first one to rise when George Washington walked into the room.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
"Singularity is almost invariably a clue. The more featureless and commonplace a crime is, the more difficult it is to bring it home."
"I have become convinced there is no one truth, nor two; there are often several truths."
"In the war between falsehood and truth, falsehood often wins the first battle, but truth wins the last."
Thursday, August 06, 2009
MOTIVES FOR FALSE CONFESSIONS
To date, the innocence project has freed in excess of 200 individuals from prison based on DNA evidence. These innocent defendants were found guilty of serious felonies such as murder and rape. Furthermore, about twenty percent of them confessed to committing the crime either to the police during an interrogation, or to a judge as a result of a plea bargain with the prosecutor. What causes innocent people to confess to crimes they did not commit?
The simple answer is that, at the time of the confession, many of these suspects believed that it was in their best interest to confess, e.g., escape a death sentence, keep children out of a foster home, etc. However, when evaluating individual cases, a number of specific motivations can be identified. When evaluating the trustworthiness of a confession, the investigator, prosecutor and judge should consider the following motivations for false confessions.
Tangible Gains
When speaking of the value of the polygraph technique, John Reid told the following story. A man from Chicago confessed to a homicide that occurred in California. The man was extradited to the west coast and charged with the killing. At that point he recanted his confession, and explained that he was seeking to escape the cold weather of Illinois. Of course, no one believed him until Reid was able to verify his truthfulness through the polygraph technique. Other examples of tangible gains that may lead to a false confession include seeking shelter, food, medical care, and protection (being hunted by drug lords). These suspects may come forward and confess without any interrogation (the so-called voluntary false confession), or confess after a relatively short and mild interrogation. Once their need has been satisfied, they recant the confession but find that it is much easier to be charged with a crime than having the charges dropped.
Protecting a Loved One
During a New Year's Eve party, a guest was shot in the host's back yard. When the police arrived, the host's teenage son came forward and explained that the guest was arguing with his father so the boy ran into the house, retrieved a shotgun and killed the guest. The boy was charged with first degree murder and obtained an attorney. Once the boy learned that he would be tried as an adult and face life in prison, he recanted his confession and explained that it was his father who actually shot the guest. A polygraph confirmed the boy's statement; the father was interrogated and confessed. We have also experienced the opposite situation, where a parent has confessed to protect a son or daughter who was involved in criminal activity.
Low Intelligence / Youthful Offenders
In the previous New Year's Eve killing, the boy's father told him that because he was a teenager he would not go to prison. It has been suggested that suspects who are young or have a low IQ may fail to understand the severity of consequences they face through their decision to confess. Consider an analogous situation: I believe most adults of average intelligence would pay the IRS a $200 fine even though they contest the alleged error on their tax return; putting an end to the hassle, fear and frustration of dealing with the IRS is worth $200. However, I doubt that the same taxpayer would be willing to spend even a day in jail as punishment for the contested error.
Suspects under the age of 16 who have had little contact with police, or suspects who have an IQ under 65 are statistically abundant in documented false confession cases. Certainly a confession coming from this category of suspect should be carefully scrutinized to make certain that it was obtained in the absence of a promise of leniency and that the confession contains corroborative information that originated from the suspect. When investigators are dealing with these vulnerable suspects, caution should be exercised to make certain the interrogations are not too lengthy, intense or psychologically manipulative.
Coercion
Many innocent people will confess to a crime if they are subjected to sufficient pain or threats of harm (coercion). This concept is fundamental to common law, and within the judiciary there is zero-tolerance when it comes to coercion. For a confession to be admissible as evidence, it must be obtained without inflicting or threatening to inflict any physical harm to the suspect.
While coercion specifically relates to the suspect's physical well being, there is a related psychological circumstance which may have an even greater impact on false confessions. Consider the following interrogation of an innocent mother in a case involving the death of her infant child.
"Martha, the fact that you can't tell the truth about what you did to your child tells us you're an unfit mother. You know what we do with unfit mothers? We place their children in foster homes. Your children will be placed in foster homes across the country and they will never see each other again and you will never see them. That's what will happen if you don't confess to shaking your child."
When an innocent suspect is convinced that his denials will not prevent a prison sentence, loss of reputation, or loss of something else he values, in an effort to reduce or escape those inevitable consequences, certainly the suspect may be persuaded to confess. Under this circumstance, because the suspect is still under the threat of the consequence, the confession may not be retracted until the suspect feels it is safe to do so.
Duress
The average innocent suspect can answer questions and fend off persuasive interrogation techniques for many hours without being tempted, in any way, to confess. However, when the sessions become too lengthy, intense or unbearable, the innocent suspect may confess to terminate the conditions. Duress describes lengthy questioning, as well as deprivation of biological needs such as sleep, warmth or food. Unlike coercion, duress is considered by the courts on a continuum, in which a number of different factors are considered.
A homicide confession obtained after a ten hour interrogation from a mentally competent adult suspect who has waived his Miranda rights may be considered by most courts as legally admissible. However, a burglary confession obtained after a ten hours of interrogation of a 15-year-old suspect who did not have a parent or guardian present may be suppressed, partially as a result of duress. When evaluating the trustworthiness of a confession, it is important to recognize that some suspects are more susceptible to persuasive interrogation techniques.
Mental Illness
Following a heinous crime, it is not uncommon for innocent individuals suffering from mental illness to come forward and confess. Some of them are delusional and receive "messages" to confess. Others have lost touch with reality and believe they committed the crime. Some confess to seek attention or recognition. Most of these cases involve voluntary confessions (obtained in the absence of interrogation) which are readily identified as false because the confession lacks accurate corroboration.
This motivation presents a greater difficulty when the innocent suspect with a mental illness initially maintains his innocence, and confesses after interrogation. Innocent suspects with anxiety disorders are more susceptible to duress than the average population. With some depressive disorders, the individual may rationalize a false confession by convincing themselves that they deserve to be punished for some real or imagined past transgression.
The latter group of suspects are aware that they did not commit the crime at the time of their confession. These suspects were simply vulnerable to interrogation tactics that the mentally healthy suspect can easily resist. Consequently, mental illness and cognitive functioning becomes an important factor when considering duress.
Faulty Memory
Finally, an innocent person may be persuaded to confess if he has no recollection of his activities at the time of the crime but is convinced, after learning of evidence of his guilt, that he must have committed the crime. This is termed a coerced internalized false confession. There is generally a tangible cause for the suspect's memory loss such as intoxication, head trauma, epilepsy or suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Once convinced of their guilt, these suspects may accept this as the truth, plead guilty in court and accept their prison sentence. Through time, therapy or happenstance, this suspect may question his guilt. But, as with the earlier suspect who confessed to obtain a warmer climate, he discovers that it is very difficult to undo a plea bargain.
Conclusion
Just because there are many possible motivations for innocent people to confess does not mean that most confessions are false. To the contrary, the average criminal suspect is more than capable of resisting standard interrogation tactics and a great deal of effort is required to persuade these individuals to tell the truth. But experience and scientific evidence proves that innocent suspects have confessed. Furthermore, each of these false confessions satisfied a particular motivation. Awareness of these motivations should assist investigators in selecting appropriate interrogation techniques for particular suspects and should also assist prosecutors and judges to identify confessions that may not be true.
With the above discussion in mind, the following represents some factors to consider in the assessment of the credibility of a suspect's confession. These issues are certainly not all inclusive, and each case must be evaluated on the "totality of circumstances" surrounding the interrogation and confession, but nevertheless, these are elements that should be given careful consideration:
1. The suspect's condition at the time of the interrogation
a. Physical condition (including drug and/or alcohol intoxication)
b. Mental capacity
c. Psychological condition
2. The suspect's age
3. The suspect's prior experience with law enforcement
4. The suspect's understanding of the language
5. The length of the interrogation
6. The degree of detail provided by the suspect in his confession
7. The extent of corroboration between the confession and the crime
8. The presence of witnesses to the interrogation and confession
9. The suspect's behavior during the interrogation
10. The effort to address the suspect's physical needs
11. The presence of any improper interrogation techniques
excerpts from John E. Reid & Associates
To date, the innocence project has freed in excess of 200 individuals from prison based on DNA evidence. These innocent defendants were found guilty of serious felonies such as murder and rape. Furthermore, about twenty percent of them confessed to committing the crime either to the police during an interrogation, or to a judge as a result of a plea bargain with the prosecutor. What causes innocent people to confess to crimes they did not commit?
The simple answer is that, at the time of the confession, many of these suspects believed that it was in their best interest to confess, e.g., escape a death sentence, keep children out of a foster home, etc. However, when evaluating individual cases, a number of specific motivations can be identified. When evaluating the trustworthiness of a confession, the investigator, prosecutor and judge should consider the following motivations for false confessions.
Tangible Gains
When speaking of the value of the polygraph technique, John Reid told the following story. A man from Chicago confessed to a homicide that occurred in California. The man was extradited to the west coast and charged with the killing. At that point he recanted his confession, and explained that he was seeking to escape the cold weather of Illinois. Of course, no one believed him until Reid was able to verify his truthfulness through the polygraph technique. Other examples of tangible gains that may lead to a false confession include seeking shelter, food, medical care, and protection (being hunted by drug lords). These suspects may come forward and confess without any interrogation (the so-called voluntary false confession), or confess after a relatively short and mild interrogation. Once their need has been satisfied, they recant the confession but find that it is much easier to be charged with a crime than having the charges dropped.
Protecting a Loved One
During a New Year's Eve party, a guest was shot in the host's back yard. When the police arrived, the host's teenage son came forward and explained that the guest was arguing with his father so the boy ran into the house, retrieved a shotgun and killed the guest. The boy was charged with first degree murder and obtained an attorney. Once the boy learned that he would be tried as an adult and face life in prison, he recanted his confession and explained that it was his father who actually shot the guest. A polygraph confirmed the boy's statement; the father was interrogated and confessed. We have also experienced the opposite situation, where a parent has confessed to protect a son or daughter who was involved in criminal activity.
Low Intelligence / Youthful Offenders
In the previous New Year's Eve killing, the boy's father told him that because he was a teenager he would not go to prison. It has been suggested that suspects who are young or have a low IQ may fail to understand the severity of consequences they face through their decision to confess. Consider an analogous situation: I believe most adults of average intelligence would pay the IRS a $200 fine even though they contest the alleged error on their tax return; putting an end to the hassle, fear and frustration of dealing with the IRS is worth $200. However, I doubt that the same taxpayer would be willing to spend even a day in jail as punishment for the contested error.
Suspects under the age of 16 who have had little contact with police, or suspects who have an IQ under 65 are statistically abundant in documented false confession cases. Certainly a confession coming from this category of suspect should be carefully scrutinized to make certain that it was obtained in the absence of a promise of leniency and that the confession contains corroborative information that originated from the suspect. When investigators are dealing with these vulnerable suspects, caution should be exercised to make certain the interrogations are not too lengthy, intense or psychologically manipulative.
Coercion
Many innocent people will confess to a crime if they are subjected to sufficient pain or threats of harm (coercion). This concept is fundamental to common law, and within the judiciary there is zero-tolerance when it comes to coercion. For a confession to be admissible as evidence, it must be obtained without inflicting or threatening to inflict any physical harm to the suspect.
While coercion specifically relates to the suspect's physical well being, there is a related psychological circumstance which may have an even greater impact on false confessions. Consider the following interrogation of an innocent mother in a case involving the death of her infant child.
"Martha, the fact that you can't tell the truth about what you did to your child tells us you're an unfit mother. You know what we do with unfit mothers? We place their children in foster homes. Your children will be placed in foster homes across the country and they will never see each other again and you will never see them. That's what will happen if you don't confess to shaking your child."
When an innocent suspect is convinced that his denials will not prevent a prison sentence, loss of reputation, or loss of something else he values, in an effort to reduce or escape those inevitable consequences, certainly the suspect may be persuaded to confess. Under this circumstance, because the suspect is still under the threat of the consequence, the confession may not be retracted until the suspect feels it is safe to do so.
Duress
The average innocent suspect can answer questions and fend off persuasive interrogation techniques for many hours without being tempted, in any way, to confess. However, when the sessions become too lengthy, intense or unbearable, the innocent suspect may confess to terminate the conditions. Duress describes lengthy questioning, as well as deprivation of biological needs such as sleep, warmth or food. Unlike coercion, duress is considered by the courts on a continuum, in which a number of different factors are considered.
A homicide confession obtained after a ten hour interrogation from a mentally competent adult suspect who has waived his Miranda rights may be considered by most courts as legally admissible. However, a burglary confession obtained after a ten hours of interrogation of a 15-year-old suspect who did not have a parent or guardian present may be suppressed, partially as a result of duress. When evaluating the trustworthiness of a confession, it is important to recognize that some suspects are more susceptible to persuasive interrogation techniques.
Mental Illness
Following a heinous crime, it is not uncommon for innocent individuals suffering from mental illness to come forward and confess. Some of them are delusional and receive "messages" to confess. Others have lost touch with reality and believe they committed the crime. Some confess to seek attention or recognition. Most of these cases involve voluntary confessions (obtained in the absence of interrogation) which are readily identified as false because the confession lacks accurate corroboration.
This motivation presents a greater difficulty when the innocent suspect with a mental illness initially maintains his innocence, and confesses after interrogation. Innocent suspects with anxiety disorders are more susceptible to duress than the average population. With some depressive disorders, the individual may rationalize a false confession by convincing themselves that they deserve to be punished for some real or imagined past transgression.
The latter group of suspects are aware that they did not commit the crime at the time of their confession. These suspects were simply vulnerable to interrogation tactics that the mentally healthy suspect can easily resist. Consequently, mental illness and cognitive functioning becomes an important factor when considering duress.
Faulty Memory
Finally, an innocent person may be persuaded to confess if he has no recollection of his activities at the time of the crime but is convinced, after learning of evidence of his guilt, that he must have committed the crime. This is termed a coerced internalized false confession. There is generally a tangible cause for the suspect's memory loss such as intoxication, head trauma, epilepsy or suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Once convinced of their guilt, these suspects may accept this as the truth, plead guilty in court and accept their prison sentence. Through time, therapy or happenstance, this suspect may question his guilt. But, as with the earlier suspect who confessed to obtain a warmer climate, he discovers that it is very difficult to undo a plea bargain.
Conclusion
Just because there are many possible motivations for innocent people to confess does not mean that most confessions are false. To the contrary, the average criminal suspect is more than capable of resisting standard interrogation tactics and a great deal of effort is required to persuade these individuals to tell the truth. But experience and scientific evidence proves that innocent suspects have confessed. Furthermore, each of these false confessions satisfied a particular motivation. Awareness of these motivations should assist investigators in selecting appropriate interrogation techniques for particular suspects and should also assist prosecutors and judges to identify confessions that may not be true.
With the above discussion in mind, the following represents some factors to consider in the assessment of the credibility of a suspect's confession. These issues are certainly not all inclusive, and each case must be evaluated on the "totality of circumstances" surrounding the interrogation and confession, but nevertheless, these are elements that should be given careful consideration:
1. The suspect's condition at the time of the interrogation
a. Physical condition (including drug and/or alcohol intoxication)
b. Mental capacity
c. Psychological condition
2. The suspect's age
3. The suspect's prior experience with law enforcement
4. The suspect's understanding of the language
5. The length of the interrogation
6. The degree of detail provided by the suspect in his confession
7. The extent of corroboration between the confession and the crime
8. The presence of witnesses to the interrogation and confession
9. The suspect's behavior during the interrogation
10. The effort to address the suspect's physical needs
11. The presence of any improper interrogation techniques
excerpts from John E. Reid & Associates
Sunday, August 02, 2009
A LOOK AT A COMMON BUT UNCERTAIN TERM: HAIRBAG
A term that we (mostly up North)have all heard, and probably used, is certainly one of those that has an uncertain point of origin.
Could the following synopsis have some truth to it?
The story goes like this.
"Back in the day" an officer was permitted to get a haircut while on duty.
After finishing the haircut, the barber would sweep up the loose hair that was now on the floor and put it into a bag. Later, if a supervisor inquired as to why an officer was not on his foot post (occurred more often in cold/inclement weather), or touched an officers shield and felt that it wasn't cold despite frigid weather,
the officer would inform the supervisor that he had been getting a haircut.
The supervisor would then ask the officer to produce his "hairbag" or go to the barber himself and request to see the officers "hairbag."
So long as the cop or the barber produced a hairbag, the cop was ok.
After a while, veteran officers would often carry a bag of hair with them so they could produce it when requested to do so, such as on the times when they were found to be off-post and needed an excuse as to why. Over the years, this policy became less common and only savvy veterans would attempt to pull off the "hairbag" excuse when confronted by a supervisor.
A term that we (mostly up North)have all heard, and probably used, is certainly one of those that has an uncertain point of origin.
Could the following synopsis have some truth to it?
The story goes like this.
"Back in the day" an officer was permitted to get a haircut while on duty.
After finishing the haircut, the barber would sweep up the loose hair that was now on the floor and put it into a bag. Later, if a supervisor inquired as to why an officer was not on his foot post (occurred more often in cold/inclement weather), or touched an officers shield and felt that it wasn't cold despite frigid weather,
the officer would inform the supervisor that he had been getting a haircut.
The supervisor would then ask the officer to produce his "hairbag" or go to the barber himself and request to see the officers "hairbag."
So long as the cop or the barber produced a hairbag, the cop was ok.
After a while, veteran officers would often carry a bag of hair with them so they could produce it when requested to do so, such as on the times when they were found to be off-post and needed an excuse as to why. Over the years, this policy became less common and only savvy veterans would attempt to pull off the "hairbag" excuse when confronted by a supervisor.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
You don't know me, you just think you do
Written by Kristen Roman
APB
On a recent evening, as I walked with my five-year-old son into the park near our home, I encountered one of our neighbors. I don’t know him that well, but I have seen him in the park many times with his grandchildren, and I’m sure we exchanged names once long ago. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 16 years, having moved here when I began my career as a police officer. Many of my neighbors know that I work for the Madison Police Department, so it was not surprising to me that the neighbor I expected to simply pass by in the park that evening knew I worked in law enforcement.
As my son and I headed toward the play equipment, we passed the neighbor, and he and I nodded and smiled politely. Then he turned and asked me if I’d read a recent news article about two NYPD officers who had been indicted for various and sundry criminal activities. Honestly, I wasn’t paying much attention to the details of the story to which he was referring, because I was distracted by the realization that the only conversation I’d ever had with this neighbor was a variation on the same theme – police misconduct.
I realized that he was not interested in whether I’d read the article or what my thoughts were on the matter. Instead, he just wanted to vent about the police to the police. And to him, I was the police. I decided to give him a few minutes to finish his story and then try to politely move on. I suppose I could’ve responded with my own variation on his theme, such as “Did you hear about that grandfather who abused his granddaughters?”
He is, after all, a grandfather. Trust is essential in human relations, professional or otherwise. We entrust doctors with our physical well-being, clergy with our spiritual growth, teachers with our children, bankers with our money and police officers with our safety. Of course, nearly all societal roles carry with them an authority that can be responsibly applied or abused. When that trust is broken – whether by doctors or teachers, police officers or grandfathers – it is crucial to remember that the acts of a few are not representative of the whole. I am not “the police.”
I am an individual, proud to work in law enforcement and certain that I practice my profession responsibly, honestly, passionately and always with a keen awareness of the trust that has been placed in me by those in my community and by those with whom I serve. As human beings, we all have a responsibility to each other and we should all be held accountable for our behavior, regardless of our profession. Why, then, is the law-enforcement profession so easily criticized, and why do so many citizens believe they know how to do our job better than we do?
Few people think it is their place to tell a doctor, or a carpenter, or a financial adviser how to do his job if they know nothing of what they speak. It is difficult enough to sustain enthusiasm for one’s work when a significant portion of the people encountered did not seek you out and are not pleased you are there. One can deflect only so much second-guessing, and rude commentary – “I pay your salary!” “Why aren’t you out catching real criminals?” “Why didn’t they just shoot him in the leg?” – before it begins to instill a sense of alienation.
A continued absence of support and an “us vs. them” paradigm can breed a type of isolation and disconnect. This, in turn, can create an atmosphere ripe for some people – who got into this profession to make a difference for the better – to take a turn for the worse. Too often, stories printed in newspapers and reported on the six o’clock news perpetuate a mistrust of police.
The mistakes of a few officers are held out as representative of the profession, or, worse, officers who acted justifiably have doubt cast upon them when none is warranted. And as with media coverage when the occasional plane crashes, an objective perspective is lost because no one hears about the thousands of successful flights that occur each day. Law enforcement is a noble profession made up of individual men and women who pilot countless successful “flights” in their careers under the most turbulent conditions.
A single officer shouldn’t be held accountable for every instance of police misconduct any more than a single snowflake should be blamed for a blizzard. It is better to engage meaningfully with officers, avoiding sweeping generalizations and perhaps even offering a simple thank-you. Odds are it is well deserved and long overdue.
Written by Kristen Roman
APB
On a recent evening, as I walked with my five-year-old son into the park near our home, I encountered one of our neighbors. I don’t know him that well, but I have seen him in the park many times with his grandchildren, and I’m sure we exchanged names once long ago. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 16 years, having moved here when I began my career as a police officer. Many of my neighbors know that I work for the Madison Police Department, so it was not surprising to me that the neighbor I expected to simply pass by in the park that evening knew I worked in law enforcement.
As my son and I headed toward the play equipment, we passed the neighbor, and he and I nodded and smiled politely. Then he turned and asked me if I’d read a recent news article about two NYPD officers who had been indicted for various and sundry criminal activities. Honestly, I wasn’t paying much attention to the details of the story to which he was referring, because I was distracted by the realization that the only conversation I’d ever had with this neighbor was a variation on the same theme – police misconduct.
I realized that he was not interested in whether I’d read the article or what my thoughts were on the matter. Instead, he just wanted to vent about the police to the police. And to him, I was the police. I decided to give him a few minutes to finish his story and then try to politely move on. I suppose I could’ve responded with my own variation on his theme, such as “Did you hear about that grandfather who abused his granddaughters?”
He is, after all, a grandfather. Trust is essential in human relations, professional or otherwise. We entrust doctors with our physical well-being, clergy with our spiritual growth, teachers with our children, bankers with our money and police officers with our safety. Of course, nearly all societal roles carry with them an authority that can be responsibly applied or abused. When that trust is broken – whether by doctors or teachers, police officers or grandfathers – it is crucial to remember that the acts of a few are not representative of the whole. I am not “the police.”
I am an individual, proud to work in law enforcement and certain that I practice my profession responsibly, honestly, passionately and always with a keen awareness of the trust that has been placed in me by those in my community and by those with whom I serve. As human beings, we all have a responsibility to each other and we should all be held accountable for our behavior, regardless of our profession. Why, then, is the law-enforcement profession so easily criticized, and why do so many citizens believe they know how to do our job better than we do?
Few people think it is their place to tell a doctor, or a carpenter, or a financial adviser how to do his job if they know nothing of what they speak. It is difficult enough to sustain enthusiasm for one’s work when a significant portion of the people encountered did not seek you out and are not pleased you are there. One can deflect only so much second-guessing, and rude commentary – “I pay your salary!” “Why aren’t you out catching real criminals?” “Why didn’t they just shoot him in the leg?” – before it begins to instill a sense of alienation.
A continued absence of support and an “us vs. them” paradigm can breed a type of isolation and disconnect. This, in turn, can create an atmosphere ripe for some people – who got into this profession to make a difference for the better – to take a turn for the worse. Too often, stories printed in newspapers and reported on the six o’clock news perpetuate a mistrust of police.
The mistakes of a few officers are held out as representative of the profession, or, worse, officers who acted justifiably have doubt cast upon them when none is warranted. And as with media coverage when the occasional plane crashes, an objective perspective is lost because no one hears about the thousands of successful flights that occur each day. Law enforcement is a noble profession made up of individual men and women who pilot countless successful “flights” in their careers under the most turbulent conditions.
A single officer shouldn’t be held accountable for every instance of police misconduct any more than a single snowflake should be blamed for a blizzard. It is better to engage meaningfully with officers, avoiding sweeping generalizations and perhaps even offering a simple thank-you. Odds are it is well deserved and long overdue.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Newspaper Headlines That Make You Say...Huh...?
"Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead"
"War Dims Hope For Peace"
"Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge"
"Enfield (London)Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide"
"Cold Wave Linked To Tempatures"
"If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile"
"Man Struck By Lightening: Faces Battery Charge"
"Juvenile Court To Try Shooting Defendant"
Makes you wonder who does the editing at these fine publications...
"Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead"
"War Dims Hope For Peace"
"Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge"
"Enfield (London)Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide"
"Cold Wave Linked To Tempatures"
"If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile"
"Man Struck By Lightening: Faces Battery Charge"
"Juvenile Court To Try Shooting Defendant"
Makes you wonder who does the editing at these fine publications...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
USS NEW YORK
Here she is, the USS New
York, made from the
World
Trade
Center !
USS
New York
It was built with 24 tons of
scrap steel from the World Trade
Center .
It is the fifth in a new class of warship -
designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists.
It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft. Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite , LA to cast the ship's bow section.
When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, "those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence," recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there.
"It was a spiritual moment for everybody there". Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager said that when the WTC steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the "hair on my neck stood up. It had a big meaning to it for all of us," he said.."They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back."
The
ship's motto?
'Never Forget'
Monday, June 15, 2009
NEW DC POLICE MUSEUM SEEKS ARTIFACTS FOR DISPLAY
The new National Law Enforcement Museum is on a mission to acquire artifacts and materials for exhibition and collection in the new facility slated to open in Washington, DC in 2009. The Museum is inviting the U.S. public — and especially the law enforcement community — to help scour the country (and your attic!) to obtain objects, artifacts, documents, images, and oral histories that will tell the story of our nation’s law enforcement history from the 17th century to the present.
The Museum will be located in historic Judiciary Square, just steps away from the U.S. Capitol and directly across the street from the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial.
The Museum portion of the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Fund Web site at www.nleomf.com has the most updated museum “wish list,” as well as other information about the new Museum. There are artifact donation and artifact loan forms that can be downloaded from the site. Any items taken in by the Museum before the exhibits open will receive the utmost care and will be stored in the Museum’s state-of-the-art archival storage facilities. All items accepted into the collection will be tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Nothing, however, should be sent to the Museum without first being discussed with the Museum staff, so if you have materials to donate or loan, please contact the Exhibition Coordinator Kimberly Nelson at kim@nleomf.com or fax information to her at (703) 832-0483.
The new National Law Enforcement Museum is on a mission to acquire artifacts and materials for exhibition and collection in the new facility slated to open in Washington, DC in 2009. The Museum is inviting the U.S. public — and especially the law enforcement community — to help scour the country (and your attic!) to obtain objects, artifacts, documents, images, and oral histories that will tell the story of our nation’s law enforcement history from the 17th century to the present.
The Museum will be located in historic Judiciary Square, just steps away from the U.S. Capitol and directly across the street from the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial.
The Museum portion of the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Fund Web site at www.nleomf.com has the most updated museum “wish list,” as well as other information about the new Museum. There are artifact donation and artifact loan forms that can be downloaded from the site. Any items taken in by the Museum before the exhibits open will receive the utmost care and will be stored in the Museum’s state-of-the-art archival storage facilities. All items accepted into the collection will be tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Nothing, however, should be sent to the Museum without first being discussed with the Museum staff, so if you have materials to donate or loan, please contact the Exhibition Coordinator Kimberly Nelson at kim@nleomf.com or fax information to her at (703) 832-0483.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
"Two years ago on Sunday March 25th 2007 Moncks Corner Police Department in S. Carolina the Nation lost two of the finest officers ever to serve".
Two years ago today they made the Ultimate Sacrafice saving another. Officers were called to an abduction/domestic, units responded and they were able to get the victim out of the house. The suspect ran at both of them with a pump shotgun, they did get to shoot back but shotgun blasts were too much for both as they took several headshots......
Submitted by Ric
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Fraud and Identity Theft During Tax Time
This is the time of year we all are scrambling to collect receipts, bills and other important papers that are needed to file our taxes. It is sometimes a high stress period for some, while others look forward to the day their refund will arrive.
During this time there are those who would use the emotion and stress involved in tax preparation to commit a host of crimes against you, the good tax paying citizen.
“Phishing” is associated with the internet and email services. Phishing is an attempt to get you to divulge personal information about yourself and your finances in the hopes of using that information to steal your identity.
Scammers and con artists can use technology to replicate legitimate looking services. At tax time, the services and /or questionnaires appear to come from Uncle Sam himself…the IRS. These communications seek to lure tax payers into supplying names, social security numbers, credit card information and other personal identification information.
Remember…
Never respond to emails asking for information relating to refunds. The IRS’s website is the legitimate source for checking on refund status:
http://www.irs.gov/
When you have completed your return make sure you shred everything. Do not just throw it in the garbage.
If you believe you may be a victim of fraud contact the your Police Department for assistance. You may also contact the Attorney General’s Fraud Help Line at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226). You can also file a complaint online at http://www.myfloridalegal.com/
Informed and educated consumers can protect themselves from falling prey to these schemes.
And yes...it even happens to us!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
"Uncle Sam" Says To Government Employees..."Work Until You're 62"!
A major change proposed by the IRS for public pension plans could eliminate early retirement pay for government employees in less than two years.
A new regulation the agency is pursuing would prohibit most public pension plans from allowing participants to retire and collect benefits earlier than age 55, with a preferred retirement age of 62.
The IRS has the ability to implement the rule because public pensions have tax deferral status given to them by the federal agency.
Any ideas on why the IRS would consider this? The higher income from a full salary means higher income taxes you pay. Never mind the fact that if you came on the job as a "twenty something" year old you may very well have to work 30 years or more! That may not hit home with some of the newer members of the law enforcement family but think about it...doing this job is hard enough and if you want to do it for 30 years God Bless! I just don't want the government telling me or anybody else that I have to.
Labor unions across the country are looking at this and are currently fighting implementation of the rule. In fact it is in direct contrast to the agreement most agencies have with their employees. If you work under a contract (which I hope and pray you do...I have the PBA thank God) this type of ruling would be a change in your terms of employment, which is contractual, which would violate that agreement.
Stay tuned for this important issue to us all. You can read more about this by going to http://www.lris.com/, a great resource for public safety labor information.
Parts of this article were taken from the Las Vegas Review Journal Sept. 22nd.
A major change proposed by the IRS for public pension plans could eliminate early retirement pay for government employees in less than two years.
A new regulation the agency is pursuing would prohibit most public pension plans from allowing participants to retire and collect benefits earlier than age 55, with a preferred retirement age of 62.
The IRS has the ability to implement the rule because public pensions have tax deferral status given to them by the federal agency.
Any ideas on why the IRS would consider this? The higher income from a full salary means higher income taxes you pay. Never mind the fact that if you came on the job as a "twenty something" year old you may very well have to work 30 years or more! That may not hit home with some of the newer members of the law enforcement family but think about it...doing this job is hard enough and if you want to do it for 30 years God Bless! I just don't want the government telling me or anybody else that I have to.
Labor unions across the country are looking at this and are currently fighting implementation of the rule. In fact it is in direct contrast to the agreement most agencies have with their employees. If you work under a contract (which I hope and pray you do...I have the PBA thank God) this type of ruling would be a change in your terms of employment, which is contractual, which would violate that agreement.
Stay tuned for this important issue to us all. You can read more about this by going to http://www.lris.com/, a great resource for public safety labor information.
Parts of this article were taken from the Las Vegas Review Journal Sept. 22nd.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Recently I made my first trip to our nations capitol. The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier is a must see for anyone visiting. The changing of the guard is impressive as well as emotional. I should mention it was August and about 90 degrees when I was there (not the best time to be in D.C.) and to look at the soldiers you would never know it...
Here are some facts related to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and those soldiers chosen to guard it.
How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?
The guard takes 21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?
Again, he stops for 21 seconds for the same reason as noted above.
Did you know that the gloves that the soldier wears are wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
The Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30."
Other requirements of the Guard include a commitment for 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives.
They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way.
After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn.
The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.
During the first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV.
All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.
A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred.
Among the notables are:
President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, Congress took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson.
The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since 1930.
AVTOMAT KALASHNIKOVA
The AK-47 is short for the Russian “Avtomat Kalashnikova”, which means “Kalashnivov’s automatic”, and 47 refers to the year in which it was selected as the official weapon of the Soviet Union. The AK47 is noted as a weapon that is very easy to use, with very high firepower. Their strength is in their size: neither so small as to lack sufficient firepower, like revolvers, nor so big as to become unwieldy or have too much recoil. They are so simple to clean and assemble that in the former Soviet Union the military trained schoolboys to do it in an average of two minutes. Mikhail Kalashnikov is the inventor of this high-powered weapon. Little did he anticipate what his resulting firearm would become, when he set out to design a weapon of value for the Soviet Army that he served in for many years. Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov was born in 1919, and is now a well-preserved old man, who still gets invited all over the place as a movable icon to the most famous assault rifle in the world. Before retiring from the armed services of the Soviet Union, he received a general’s stipend of 500 rubles, which is more or less $500 a month. If he had been able to patent his weapon in the West, he would undoubtedly be one of the richest men in the world. There are approximately more than 150 million Kalashnikovs of varying models that have been produced over the years. Even if he only earned one dollar for each weapon, he would be swimming in money.“I did not invent that weapon to make money, but only and exclusively to defend the Motherland in a moment in which she needed it. If I had to go back and do it all over again, I would do exactly the same things and live my life just as I have. I have worked all my life, and my life is my work”. Interesting, as there is nothing in the world which has produced more deaths than the AK-47. It has killed more than the atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, more than the bubonic plague, more than malaria, more than all the attacks of the Islamic fundamentalists.Yet there are those who consider its inventor, and the gun itself, to be an icon.
The AK-47 is short for the Russian “Avtomat Kalashnikova”, which means “Kalashnivov’s automatic”, and 47 refers to the year in which it was selected as the official weapon of the Soviet Union. The AK47 is noted as a weapon that is very easy to use, with very high firepower. Their strength is in their size: neither so small as to lack sufficient firepower, like revolvers, nor so big as to become unwieldy or have too much recoil. They are so simple to clean and assemble that in the former Soviet Union the military trained schoolboys to do it in an average of two minutes. Mikhail Kalashnikov is the inventor of this high-powered weapon. Little did he anticipate what his resulting firearm would become, when he set out to design a weapon of value for the Soviet Army that he served in for many years. Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov was born in 1919, and is now a well-preserved old man, who still gets invited all over the place as a movable icon to the most famous assault rifle in the world. Before retiring from the armed services of the Soviet Union, he received a general’s stipend of 500 rubles, which is more or less $500 a month. If he had been able to patent his weapon in the West, he would undoubtedly be one of the richest men in the world. There are approximately more than 150 million Kalashnikovs of varying models that have been produced over the years. Even if he only earned one dollar for each weapon, he would be swimming in money.“I did not invent that weapon to make money, but only and exclusively to defend the Motherland in a moment in which she needed it. If I had to go back and do it all over again, I would do exactly the same things and live my life just as I have. I have worked all my life, and my life is my work”. Interesting, as there is nothing in the world which has produced more deaths than the AK-47. It has killed more than the atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, more than the bubonic plague, more than malaria, more than all the attacks of the Islamic fundamentalists.Yet there are those who consider its inventor, and the gun itself, to be an icon.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Domestic Violence and Homicide
DID YOU KNOW...that for 2005, Florida had 120,386 reported incidents of domestic violence, and that domestic violence accounted for 176 (20%) of the state's 881 murders? The spouse or live in partner was the victim in 54% of cases, and children were the victims in 7% of cases. Source: Florida Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team Annual Report, 2006.
When women and children are victims of homicide the perpetrator is frequently known to them, and equally frequent that perp is a family member or close associate, i.e: spouse, boyfriend, "ex" or some variation of that.
The following informaton is from a report submitted by the Florida Deptartment of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams. To veteran LEO's most of this information is unfortunately not a revelation. Some of the statistics however are very sobering.
The following data is from 19 cases provided to the FDLE’s DVDRC by the participating
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams. The cases were not selected based on any specific
date, time frame or circumstance. The data is from 10 teams covering only 15 counties,
and the number of reviews completed by each team varies. Therefore, the reader is
cautioned about drawing conclusions from this data.
Complainant Information
Regarding the 19 domestic violence fatality reports reviewed for the 2006 reporting period,
twenty-six percent of the calls were received from a family member of the perpetrator of the
fatality and 23% of the calls were received from a family member of the decedent. Fifteen
percent of the calls were received from a neighbor. A maintenance man, a witness at a hotel, a
deputy sheriff and the new intimate partner were reflected in the “other” category as the
complainant of the fatality. Nearly 70% of the calls were received after the event.
Twenty-six telephone calls were received regarding the 19 domestic violence fatality reports
reviewed for the 2006 reporting period. This was due to multiple complainants recorded in
seven of the reports. The category of “Other” consists of: one anonymous caller, one bartender,
one land lord, one warrants deputy and one homeland security officer.
Event Information
Of the 19 domestic violence fatality reports reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, there were
three cases with multiple victims, resulting in a total of 23 fatalities. Firearms (18) accounted for
78% of the 23 deaths. Over half of the decedents, 56%, were killed in their own residences.
There were a total of 23 victims in the 19 incidents reviewed for the 2006 reporting period. The
offense type category reflected that the perpetrator killed multiple victims in three of the fatality
review reports. The review forms reflected three victims in one report and two victims in two reports.
Environment Information
Of the 19 domestic violence fatality reports reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, an active
injunction was filed on the perpetrator in 16% of the cases; previous injunctions had been
present on the perpetrator in 16% of the cases and in one case an injunction was requested by the decedent twice but withdrawn the next day, and in one case the perpetrator had returned to a previous relationship with the decedent while an active injunction was on file. One decedent had a previous injunction filed at the time of the fatality.
Relationship Information
Of the 23 domestic fatalities reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, the victim in 30% of the
fatalities was the spouse or ex-spouse of the perpetrator and in 35% of the fatalities the victim
was the ex-boyfriend, cohabitant or ex-cohabitant of the perpetrator.
Prior threats to kill the decedent occurred in 35% of the fatalities. Previous incidents of
domestic violence had been reported in 35% of the fatalities. A significant change in the
relationship between the decedent and perpetrator had occurred in 52% of the fatalities.
Regarding the 23 domestic violence fatalities reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, the
categories of spouse, ex-spouse, ex-boyfriend, co-habitant and ex-cohabitant made up 65% of
the relationships involved in the fatalities.
This report goes on to document escalating circumstances, services requested and/or legal orders and injunctions, prior indicators of a lethal incident, etc.
I dont like getting bogged down in reports detailing alot of "stats" however, this report makes it very clear that intimate partner homicides (IPH's) are prevelant and in many cases there was a clear pattern of violent events leading up to the homicide.
It should also be noted that men as well as women are victims of IPH, although not as often as women.
Should you be interested in seeing the report in its entirety here is the link: (You may have to copy and paste it).
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/CitResCtr/Domestic_Violence/2006_DV_FRT.pdf
DID YOU KNOW...that for 2005, Florida had 120,386 reported incidents of domestic violence, and that domestic violence accounted for 176 (20%) of the state's 881 murders? The spouse or live in partner was the victim in 54% of cases, and children were the victims in 7% of cases. Source: Florida Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team Annual Report, 2006.
When women and children are victims of homicide the perpetrator is frequently known to them, and equally frequent that perp is a family member or close associate, i.e: spouse, boyfriend, "ex" or some variation of that.
The following informaton is from a report submitted by the Florida Deptartment of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams. To veteran LEO's most of this information is unfortunately not a revelation. Some of the statistics however are very sobering.
The following data is from 19 cases provided to the FDLE’s DVDRC by the participating
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams. The cases were not selected based on any specific
date, time frame or circumstance. The data is from 10 teams covering only 15 counties,
and the number of reviews completed by each team varies. Therefore, the reader is
cautioned about drawing conclusions from this data.
Complainant Information
Regarding the 19 domestic violence fatality reports reviewed for the 2006 reporting period,
twenty-six percent of the calls were received from a family member of the perpetrator of the
fatality and 23% of the calls were received from a family member of the decedent. Fifteen
percent of the calls were received from a neighbor. A maintenance man, a witness at a hotel, a
deputy sheriff and the new intimate partner were reflected in the “other” category as the
complainant of the fatality. Nearly 70% of the calls were received after the event.
Twenty-six telephone calls were received regarding the 19 domestic violence fatality reports
reviewed for the 2006 reporting period. This was due to multiple complainants recorded in
seven of the reports. The category of “Other” consists of: one anonymous caller, one bartender,
one land lord, one warrants deputy and one homeland security officer.
Event Information
Of the 19 domestic violence fatality reports reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, there were
three cases with multiple victims, resulting in a total of 23 fatalities. Firearms (18) accounted for
78% of the 23 deaths. Over half of the decedents, 56%, were killed in their own residences.
There were a total of 23 victims in the 19 incidents reviewed for the 2006 reporting period. The
offense type category reflected that the perpetrator killed multiple victims in three of the fatality
review reports. The review forms reflected three victims in one report and two victims in two reports.
Environment Information
Of the 19 domestic violence fatality reports reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, an active
injunction was filed on the perpetrator in 16% of the cases; previous injunctions had been
present on the perpetrator in 16% of the cases and in one case an injunction was requested by the decedent twice but withdrawn the next day, and in one case the perpetrator had returned to a previous relationship with the decedent while an active injunction was on file. One decedent had a previous injunction filed at the time of the fatality.
Relationship Information
Of the 23 domestic fatalities reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, the victim in 30% of the
fatalities was the spouse or ex-spouse of the perpetrator and in 35% of the fatalities the victim
was the ex-boyfriend, cohabitant or ex-cohabitant of the perpetrator.
Prior threats to kill the decedent occurred in 35% of the fatalities. Previous incidents of
domestic violence had been reported in 35% of the fatalities. A significant change in the
relationship between the decedent and perpetrator had occurred in 52% of the fatalities.
Regarding the 23 domestic violence fatalities reviewed for the 2006 reporting period, the
categories of spouse, ex-spouse, ex-boyfriend, co-habitant and ex-cohabitant made up 65% of
the relationships involved in the fatalities.
This report goes on to document escalating circumstances, services requested and/or legal orders and injunctions, prior indicators of a lethal incident, etc.
I dont like getting bogged down in reports detailing alot of "stats" however, this report makes it very clear that intimate partner homicides (IPH's) are prevelant and in many cases there was a clear pattern of violent events leading up to the homicide.
It should also be noted that men as well as women are victims of IPH, although not as often as women.
Should you be interested in seeing the report in its entirety here is the link: (You may have to copy and paste it).
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/CitResCtr/Domestic_Violence/2006_DV_FRT.pdf
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Philadelphia Officer Killed-Partner Critically Injured The Philadelphia Police Department is in mourning following a car accident in Mantua last night that claimed the life of one officer and left another critically injured. The deceased has been identified as Isabel Nazario, a Narcotics Strike Force officer detailed to the 16th Police District in West Philadelphia, police said. Her partner, Terry Tull, was listed in extremely critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania last night.About 9 p.m., police began pursuing a white Cadillac Escalade near 46th and Westminster after the car failed to stop when police tried to pull it over, said Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman. Nazario and Tull learned of the pursuit and decided to join in, he said. As they headed south on 39th Street with Tull at the wheel, the Escalade , being driven by a 16-year-old unlicensed male traveling east on Wallace Street, broadsided their cruiser near the passenger door, police said.
Nazario, 40, a mother with 18 years on the force, was killed instantly. The driver of the Escalade was treated at Children's Hospital for minor injuries last night, then transported to the Homicide Unit for questioning, the sources said.
Submitted by a member of the PPD
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
VATICAN PROTECTION
If the President is protected by the Secret Service, who protects the Pope? The Swiss Guards, of course. The Swiss Guards celebrated their 500th anniversary in 2006, founded in 1506, and at one time consisted of several different military commands. The Papal Swiss Guard is the only Swiss Guard that still exists. Is the Papal Swiss Guard actually Swiss? In a word, very.
To be more precise, the Papal Swiss Guard is mostly German Swiss. In 2006 the Papal Swiss Guard, responsible for the pope's personal security and the protection of the Vatican, could look back on 500 years of history.
Established in January 1506, the Papal Swiss Guard (there were other Swiss Guards in France), an official Vatican City security unit, is still made up of Swiss volunteers.
Although it is over 500 years old and its members wear colorful uniforms dating back centuries, the Swiss Guard is a highly trained security unit, much like the U.S. Secret Service that guards the U.S. President.
Following the 1981 assassination attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II, the level of training for the Swiss Guard was intensified even more. The official languages of the Swiss Guard are German and Italian. The elite corps is famous for its distinctive yellow-and-blue uniform which, as the first official history of the Guards recently stressed, was not designed by Michelangelo, as widely believed.
The colors which make the uniform so attractive are the traditional Medici blue, red and yellow, set off nicely by the white of the collar and gloves. The blue and yellow bands give a sense of lightness as they move over the red doublet and breeches. The Guard's every-day uniform is completely blue. With the passing centuries there have been a few minor changes, but on the whole the original dress has been maintained. It is commonly thought that the uniform was designed by Michelangelo, but it would seem rather that he had nothing to do with it. Why Swiss, you ask? During the Middle Ages and in Renaissance times, the Swiss had the reputation of being Europe's most reliable mercenaries - tough fighters who hardly ever changed sides.
They famously proved their worth during the Sack of Rome in 1527, when 147 Guards laid down their lives to protect Pope Clement VII from the rampaging army of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
The 110-strong Swiss Guards have strict recruitment terms. The Guards get their recruits from a group of Swiss towns and villages which for centuries have provided the pope's personal corps.
Candidates have to be single males over the age of 18, and practicing Catholics ''of stainless character''.
At one time there was also a height requirement, of 1.74m tall (OK, who can compute that into “American” measurement?), although this has recently been relaxed.
They also have to have completed their compulsory military service in Switzerland.
To be more precise, the Papal Swiss Guard is mostly German Swiss. In 2006 the Papal Swiss Guard, responsible for the pope's personal security and the protection of the Vatican, could look back on 500 years of history.
Established in January 1506, the Papal Swiss Guard (there were other Swiss Guards in France), an official Vatican City security unit, is still made up of Swiss volunteers.
Although it is over 500 years old and its members wear colorful uniforms dating back centuries, the Swiss Guard is a highly trained security unit, much like the U.S. Secret Service that guards the U.S. President.
Following the 1981 assassination attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II, the level of training for the Swiss Guard was intensified even more. The official languages of the Swiss Guard are German and Italian. The elite corps is famous for its distinctive yellow-and-blue uniform which, as the first official history of the Guards recently stressed, was not designed by Michelangelo, as widely believed.
The colors which make the uniform so attractive are the traditional Medici blue, red and yellow, set off nicely by the white of the collar and gloves. The blue and yellow bands give a sense of lightness as they move over the red doublet and breeches. The Guard's every-day uniform is completely blue. With the passing centuries there have been a few minor changes, but on the whole the original dress has been maintained. It is commonly thought that the uniform was designed by Michelangelo, but it would seem rather that he had nothing to do with it. Why Swiss, you ask? During the Middle Ages and in Renaissance times, the Swiss had the reputation of being Europe's most reliable mercenaries - tough fighters who hardly ever changed sides.
They famously proved their worth during the Sack of Rome in 1527, when 147 Guards laid down their lives to protect Pope Clement VII from the rampaging army of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
The 110-strong Swiss Guards have strict recruitment terms. The Guards get their recruits from a group of Swiss towns and villages which for centuries have provided the pope's personal corps.
Candidates have to be single males over the age of 18, and practicing Catholics ''of stainless character''.
At one time there was also a height requirement, of 1.74m tall (OK, who can compute that into “American” measurement?), although this has recently been relaxed.
They also have to have completed their compulsory military service in Switzerland.
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