Tag Archives: Sheriff

Featured, Police Accountability, Police State, Technology, US

Police want app ‘Waze’ to be disabled

85 Comments

A smartphone app called Waze, which allows drivers to mark where they spot police cars along roadsides, is under fire by police officers who want the app disabled.

Waze, which was bought by Google in 2013 for $966 million, is a free, social media type app which allows drivers to interact in real-time with other drivers on the road. The app currently has 50 million users in over 200 countries.

Traffic conditions are constantly updated within the app and any route detours or bad road conditions are also made visible for other drivers to see. The app also allows users to mark where they spot police cars on the road, but whether the police cars are part of a speed trap or a DUI checkpoint is not viewable.

Sheriff Mike Brown of Bedford County, Virginia has a problem with the app though. According to the Inquisitr, Brown said, “The police community needs to coordinate an effort to have the owner, Google, act like the responsible corporate citizen they have always been and remove this feature from the application even before any litigation or statutory action.”

A reserve deputy sheriff in Southern California is also calling the app a “stalking app” according to Gulf News. Sergio Kopelev believes allowing people to mark where police officers are puts officers in danger because anyone with a grudge against police can then easily locate officers.

Jim Pasco, an executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, agrees with Kopelev saying, “I can think of 100 ways that it could present an officer-safety issue. There’s no control over who uses it. So, if you’re a criminal and you want to rob a bank, hypothetically, you use your Waze.”

While police officers are asking for the app to be disabled, others are defending the app.

Nuala O’Connor, the head of the Washington Civil Rights group the Center for Democracy and Technology, has said according to NBC Washington, “I do not think it is legitimate to ask a person-to-person communication to cease simply because it reports on publicly visible law enforcement.”

O’Connor did raise concerns about how much privacy Waze users can expect since their movements are being tracked when the app is turned on.

As of now, Google reportedly has no plans to disable the app or restrict it in anyway.

Featured, Police State

Sheriff’s Deputies Force Children to Strip, Squat and Cough at Philadelphia Court

29 Comments

Deputies with the Philadelphia Police Department reportedly strip-searched minors who were making appearances for hearings at the Philadelphia Family Courthouse

CBS Philadelphia reports that multiple sources state sheriff’s deputies ordered juveniles in county custody to “remove all their clothes, to squat, and to cough.” The searches happened individuals and in small groups.

KYW Newsradio said multiple sources told them the searches were cancelled after the children complained and court authorities were notified. The incidents took place on Monday November 17 and possibly Tuesday the 18th. The courthouse officially  opened on the 17th.

A statement from the Family Court stated:

“On Tuesday morning of this week, in response to concerns raised by child advocates over allegations of strip searches of juveniles, the leadership of Philadelphia Family Court directed the Sheriff’s Office to cease and desist all strip searches pending further notice. Today, Family Court issued new rules governing the screening and detention of juveniles that the Court developed in collaboration with the Sheriff’s Office.”

As CBS notes, “not all of the young people searched were in custody on a criminal matter” and some had been the victims of  physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.

What are your thoughts? Do you think this procedure is appropriate? Leave your comments below.

 

Featured, Politics, US

California court ruling could bring about the end of conceal-carry restrictions

3 Comments

A ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals could allow more citizens to obtain a conceal-carry permit, and advocates estimate about two million people will apply for permits thanks to the ruling.

Previously, people who applied for carry concealed permits had to have a reason for wanting the permit, which the court ruled was a violation of citizen’s Second Amendment rights.

Brandon Combs of the Calguns Foundation spoke to CBS San Fransisco, saying, “Sometimes they’ll say, ‘You know, prove you’ve already been assaulted and then we’ll give you a license or prove how much money you carry or what kind of jewelry you wear.’”

This ruling though gets rid of the requirement and will allow people to apply for a permit without such a hindrance.

Many have also spoken out after the ruling, including some officials, saying they will not challenge the courts.  San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore is one such official.

“Law enforcement’s role is to uphold and enforce the law,” said Gore, according to FOX News.  “Since becoming Sheriff, I have always maintained that it is the legislature’s responsibility to make the laws, and the judiciary’s responsibility to interpret them and their constitutionality.”

The ruling will not allow convicted felons or mentally ill citizens to possess or carry firearms though.  Firearms will also still be illegal to carry in places such as government buildings or schools.

“Some sheriffs are probably going to see this news as evidence their policies are wrong,” said Combs.  “But sheriffs and police chiefs in anti-gun jurisdictions may need more help seeing the light. We’ll be happy to help them, even if it means going to the Supreme Court.”

US

Colo. Governor Had No Idea That Harsh Gun Regulation Would Be Controversial?

Video 27 Comments

On Friday, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper made an entire roomful of sheriffs facepalm when he said he was unaware they wanted to meet with him in 2013 to discuss their concerns over proposed gun laws until it was too late and that he had no idea the measures would be so controversial.

According to the Denver Post, Hickenlooper also told the County Sheriffs of Colorado at their biannual meeting that he regretted not having all the facts when he signed the bills into law.

Hickenlooper signed the first gun bills into law in March 2013. One bill expanded background checks to private sales. Another banned weapon magazines with more than 15 rounds, a move that caused Colorado-based magazine producer Magpul to begin plans to move most of its operations out of state.

“If we’d known that it was going to divide the state so intensely, we probably would have thought about it twice,” Hickenlooper said to the sheriffs, according to the Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction.

Two months after the bills were signed into law, 55 of Colorado’s 62 elected sheriffs filed suit, saying the regulations violated the Second Amendment. A federal judge ruled the sheriffs didn’t have standing to sue in their official capacity, but allowed term-limited sheriffs to sue as individuals. Ten sheriffs are now part of the suit, said attorney Dave Kopel.

Montezuma County Sheriff Dennis Spruell took to Facebook with his reaction to the governor, which went quickly viral.

“Everybody in the state of Colorado knew we wanted to talk to him about the gun bills,” Spruell said. “How could he not know that?”

One of the sheriff’s asked Hickenlooper why he talked to pro-gun control advocate Mayor Michael Bloomberg about gun laws and not speak with any sheriffs. Hickenlooper denied that he spoke with Bloomberg but in phone records obtained by RevealingPolitics.com it shows that he did.

Watch the video below:

Politics, US

Sheriff’s Deputy Who Respects The Constitution Deals With Protestors

43 Comments

This video was sent to me to demonstrate what happens when a Sheriff’s deputy who respects the Constitution is sent out to an open carry demonstration.

According to Truth Seeker Daily, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on the scene after his department received calls from the public about a small group of men demonstrating along side a busy street. The men were open carrying firearms and holding home made signs.

“We saw the Oakland County Sheriff car pull up so we all took out our camera-phones right away, anticipating trouble. This officer gets out of his car, waves to us, and walks right over. He shakes all of our hands, introduces himself, and states his purpose for walking over to us.”

Too often we show videos of police and sheriff’s deputies who are failing to recognize the Constitutional rights of protestors. When a law enforcement officer demonstrates his commitment to the rule of law, it should be pointed out. If for no other reason than to remind other law enforcement of how to treat those whom they are sworn to serve.

Interviews, Politics, US

Exclusive: FL Sheriff Arrested, Charged With Felony & Suspended For Protecting Citizens’ 2nd Amendment Rights

455 Comments

UPDATE: Reports are surfacing that the FL Sheriff was found “not guilty” and has been reinstated.

Liberty County, FL-

In a developing story, Sheriff Nick Finch was arrested, charged with a felony and suspended without pay for supporting a citizen’s 2nd Amendment rights. It’s not a story you hear every day. It’s certainly not a story you’d expect out of a county named Liberty.

The events began when Floyd Eugene Parrish, a Florida resident, was arrested and detained by one of Finch’s deputies for carrying a firearm without a permit on March 8th, 2013. In the state of Florida, this lands you a 3rd degree felony charge. Finch released Parrish because, in his assessment, Parrish was not a violent criminal and was acting innocuously. Finch called the clerk and told her not to draw up arrest documents until he was there to assess the situation. Note, Parrish had not been officially booked into jail- only detained.Finch

The arresting deputy had multiple complaints for overstepping his authority from citizens over the past several months before Parrish’s arrest. A month after Parrish was released from jail Sheriff Finch decided he needed to launch an internal investigation against the deputy due to multiple complaints and phone calls he had received. Once the deputy found out that an investigation was going to be launched against him, he resigned to keep the investigation from occurring. On May 1st, the deputy, who was no longer employed in the state of Florida, filed a complaint against Finch for the Parrish arrest that took place more 2 months beforehand.

Rick Scott, Florida governor,  stepped in and had Finch arrested. Governor Scott then appointed a new sheriff. Finch says he did not vote for the Governor. “I’m not a republican, or a  democrat. Just a man who believes in the Constitution,” says Finch. A rally was recently organized by Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Adrian Wyllie. Governor Scott was invited to speak, but was a no show.

 

Below is our exclusive interview with Sheriff Finch:

Q1: How have things been going since the Governor stepped in and had you arrested?

A1: Things have been tough. Especially on the family. We are living on one income right now. Willie Meggs, the state attorney, actually has family in Liberty County and it seems they were part of the group who were against my election to begin with. This is one of the most corrupt attorneys in FL. Having to live at their side has not been easy.

Q2: Why do you believe Governor Scott  had you arrested?

A2: I think that once the state attorney filed charges against me Governor Scott had to step in. I’m shocked and amazed that it has gone this far. The Governor claims he is pro 2nd Amendment, but I’m not so sure. I have offered to take a lie-detector test for the Governor if he thinks I’m not being truthful about the events that night. I am trying to work with the Governor- not against him. 

Q3: Do you feel that the stop on Parrish (the man Sheriff Finch released from jail) by your deputy, which lead to discovery of the weapon and his subsequent arrest was constitutional?

A3: The deputy arrested Parrish for “failure to maintain the lane”. Upon stopping Parrish he was not drunk, or under the influence of any drugs. I myself have traveled that same road many times. It is a single lane and is crumbling. I have gone off the road there multiple times.  Regardless, Parrish told the deputy that he did have a weapon. The deputy the arrested him for not having a licence. Sadly, we do not have cameras on the patrol cars, so it is really the deputy’s word against Parrish’s as to whether or not his driving warranted a stop.   

Q4: If you could go back to that night in March would you do things differently?

A4: Absolutely not. I wouldn’t have done anything different. Once I became aware of the arrest, I immediately called the clerk and told her not to book Parrish. I am a Desert Storm veteran. I took an oath to protect the Constitution in the army and again as a sheriff. The state is charging me with destroying documents, which never existed. They do not have a case.

Q5: How long do you plan to fight for this case?

A5: I do not expect to be convicted of the crime. However, I’ll fight it all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. The state already made me an offer that if I resign they will drop the charges. To me, this means they do not have a case and it seems there are political motives to push me out rather than seek justice.

Q6: It seems like the tea party, libertarian crowd has really got behind you. Is being an “independent” sort of code for being libertarian?

A6: Reagan was the first president I ever voted for. I was a republican for years before I became an independent. As far as I am concerned it seems like there is no difference now days between republicans and democrats. To answer your question though, yes I am certainly seeming to lean more libertarian now days. 

Tea parties around the country have reacted. Mark West, Chattanooga Tea Party President, tells us in an exclusive interview:

“The Tea Party movement is united on multiple core issues. Of those core issues we hold the Constitution supreme. We are also united in protecting it from those who are attacking it in the states and federal government. This is probably one of the clearest examples of such an attack. Sheriff Finch took an oath to the Constitution of the United States of America. Because he took this oath seriously, Governor Scott sees it fit to have this elected sheriff arrested and charged with a felony. You’d expect more from a governor who claims to be a Republican, but no. As we are united on core issues, we must unite behind Sheriff Finch. This is a time for the grassroots to dig deep and take a stand. Finch is just one example of many. If we do not stand, it is only a matter of time before it is in our county. As an organization, the Chattanooga Tea Party has donated $500.00 to Finch’s defense fund, and many of our members have donated on top of that. Finch needs our support of the next months to years as he walks forward in this battle with his lawyers. He also needs our prayers. If we expect to have sheriffs who will protect our constitutional rights, then we have to support those brothers and sisters such as Finch who are willing to stand strong.“

West tells us that a fundraiser/rally is planned for Finch on August 24th. The Chattanooga Tea Party vice president is flying down to Florida to support Finch. Supporters have set up a Facebook page to keep up with Finch’s case.

Sheriff Mack, Founder, President of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), has taken a stand for Sheriff Finch. They have set up a defense fund for Finch and are rallying support from across the country.  I spoke with  Sheriff Mack about Finch’s case:

“Obviously we are getting very involved. We are having a fundraiser in Panama City, FL this weekend. Finch stood against the enforcement of a law, which is contrary to the Constitution. He stood in courage. Everyone would be in jail if it wasn’t for sheriffs like Finch setting a great example as to what all sheriffs in this country should be doing. We have been able to send Finch $3.5k already, and we have already raised about another $5k.“

Sheriff Mack tells me that the fundraiser in Florida this weekend will host some of the country’s finest constitutional sheriffs.

(EDIT 1)

Finch is being charged with violation of Florida Statute 838.022(1):  It is unlawful for a public servant, with corrupt intent to obtain a benefit for any person or to cause harm to another, to: (b): Conceal, cover up, destroy, mutilate, or alter any official record or official document or cause another person to perform such an act.

However, according to the state of Florida’s General Records Schedule any records of Parrish’s arrest lost their administrative value once Finch acted within his authority not to pursue charges against Parrish, and therefore could not longer be used or retained.

According to former prosecutor and attorney KrisAnne Hall:

“You see, when Sheriff Finch used his proper authority to not pursue charges against Mr. Parish, the records pertaining to his arrest lost their “administrative value.”  Sheriff Finch, by this Florida Regulation was within his authority to destroy this record. The arrest affidavit of Sheriff Finch gives a pretty detailed account of what took place.  But the arrest affidavit NEVER mentions Parish being booked into custody.  Being placed in a jail cell is not being booked.  If the arrest affidavit is accurate, and we have to trust it to be as it was given under oath, then Parish was never booked so the log that contained his name was in error and the Sheriff’s office also had full authority to white out his name and make space for someone who was actually booked into the jail.“

Finch first ran for Sheriff as a republican in 2008. He lost in that election cycle, and ran again as an independent when he finally won with the support of thousands in 2012. He first took office on January 1st, 2013.