Will they ever figure it out?

Us motor types have the fun of writing as many tickets as we please as well as responding to all traffic collision in South City. We also respond as cover officers for calls which would be better to have two officers instead of one. When we're not in a ticket writing frenzy we'll take the 911 hang ups, alarm calls, occupied stalled cars, traffic hazards, and sometimes even parking complaints. When we're not doing any of the above, once in a while some unfortunate resident will have his/her house on fire requiring the fire department to respond.

Us motors will respond to those too because there will be a need for traffic control due to the many sheeple who drive. This was no exception. Myself and Jolly set up at both ends of the street to keep the curious idiots disguised as motorists at bay.

Five engines responded as well as one paramedic unit and a butt load of "white shirts" from the fire department. There was billowing dark gray smoke blanketing the neighborhood block. Fire hoses criss crossed the roadway all leading up to the house on fire.

We keep local residents and the curious away and to keep them from driving over the fire hoses. It never fails to amaze me that even the locals become a little pissy and absolutely have to get to their homes on the block which is closed off. They're not happy with being turned around, too bad, tough shit.

Now most of the motorists were very obliging as they understood and turned their cars around. Although they were obliging, it didn't prevent the stupid questions from being asked...... "What happened Officer?" "Did something happen?" "What's all the smoke from?"

Lets see, hmmmm...... Five BRTs (big red trucks), emergency lights on and flashing, one ambulance, lots of fire hoses running from hydrants to the house on fire, tons of smoke in a neighborhood, and two motor cops turning people around...... what gives?

I couldn't resist with all of the stupid questions being asked and had to at least answer the most rude idiot who felt he was being very inconvenienced by all of the hullabaloo, "It's a BBQ for the International Association of Fire Fighters."

Stupidity is alive and well

I was out one morning minding my own business trying to make a few friends by meeting and greeting when I hear the call sign of one of our Detectives, Callaghan, making a traffic stop. You occasionally hear them make a traffic stop but not very often.

While I'm parked patiently waiting for some unsuspecting motorist to catch my attention I hear the Detective ask for a cover unit. I figured I wasn't too far away so I answered up to take the cover.

I arrived in a couple of minutes and noticed the driver was seated in the back of Callaghan's unmarked car.

Callaghan tells me he was driving down the interstate from court when he sees this hooptie Honda ahead of him going about 80 to 85 mph. So He pulls along side and looks over at the driver just to get him to slow down. The driver looks over at Callaghan and gives him a hard look.

Callaghan didn't think too much of the hard look and pulled ahead of the Honda. The driver of the Honda obviously didn't like the fact that Callaghan had pulled in front of him, so Einstein decides to see how close he can get to the rear of his car.

Now Callaghan notices that this Honda is driving up his rear so he turned on his rear facing emergency lights. Einstein slowed down and gave some space between his hooptie and Callaghan's car.

Callaghan was thinking that he'd just head on in to his office, but he decided to pull the car over anyways. Einstein had his license, registration and insurance with him and it turned out the the fool had a no bail burglary warrant out of Monterey County.

Nothing like getting the "Po-Po's" attention. Idiot's out of county warrant allows the issuing police agency 5 work days to come and pick him up.

So much for making it to work on time.

You've got to be kidding me right now

We have a radar trailer which is deployed daily somewhere in South City, usually in some neighborhood where there have been numerous complaints of speeding vehicles. The trailer is usually deployed by a Community Service Officer (CSO). It just so happened that the CSO was off and the radar trailer deployment gets left to yours truly.

I stop the SUV I'm towing this trailer with at the reported "hot spot" of felonious speeders. As I'm unhitching the radar trailer I heard a voice behind me, "Are you going to leave that 'thing' parked here in front of this house?" I turn around, not knowing whether this is the home owner or a passerby.

And here's how the dialog continued;

2WT; "Yeah."

Anonymous Citizen (AC); "Right here in the street in front of his house? What if the home owner wants to park in front of their house?" (In a condescending tone of voice)

2WT; "That's right, the last time I checked this was a public street and it looks to me that this house has a driveway and three car garage for the homeowner. But when I get back to the office I'll check and see if the residents of this area have privatized this roadway with them bearing the responsibility of maintaining it."

AC; "Isn't it against the law to park next to a fire hydrant?"

2WT; "Typically yes, if its parked less than 15' from the hydrant. The trailer is 15' 1" away so we're good." and for good measure I threw in a little white lie, "The section applies to motor vehicles and this isn't."

Now it is beyond me that this idiot was complaining about where a radar trailer is parked, especially when it's at that location purposely to slow down drivers in the area and to remind them that the posted speed limit is 25 mph not 40 mph.

The only thing this scene was missing was gas lamps for street lights, snow, the old geezer wearing a tall black top hat, scarf. long coat and saying "Bah Humbug."

See ya Ebeneezer !

Garbage In, Garbage Out

The "person of interest" turned suspect, Maurice Clemmons who has according to the numerous press releases had an "extensive violent history from Arkansas". Sentenced to 108 years for aggravated robbery at the age of 17. Then Governor Mike Huckabee commuted Clemmons' sentence. Of course because he was so young at sentencing was Huckabee's reason to commute the 108 year sentence.

We all know that the 19 years Clemmons spent in prison made him a model citizen, rehabilitated and ready to become a productive member of society..... BULL SHIT!!!!

You don't spend 19 years in prison and become "cured". You're still the same P.O.S. (piece of shit). Look at prison for these low life's as college. They end up getting their BA, then their Masters and finally their Doctorate in crime, all on the dime of tax payers.

We as a society have become too soft. When did an "eye for an eye" become politically incorrect? California carries out it's death sentence with a "cocktail" which basically puts the P.O.S. to sleep. How painful can that be? No pain at all.

They say the death sentence is not a deterrent to crime. I say if you'd get rid of the liberals and start executing death row inmates quickly instead of them carrying on their appeals for 20 plus years, get rid of the sleepy time cocktail with either hanging or the good old electric chair, you might see violent crimes go down.

But we'll never experience that, because our touchy feely society is too soft.

Clemmons had been recently arrested and charged in Pierce County Washington for third-degree assault on a Peace Officer and second-degree rape of a child.

Mike Huckabee has stated, "Should he be found to be responsible for this horrible tragedy, it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington State."

Did the justice system fail?

It looks like it worked just fine. A 108 year sentence for aggravated robbery sounds fair. Hey but lets throw politics into the mix. It just goes to show what a politician will do to get a vote. Politics let this guy out of prison. It appears that Mike Huckabee is playing "place the blame game".

He says that it was the prosecutor who screwed up and didn't file some paperwork in a timely manner. The Pulaski County Arkansas Prosecutor, Larry Jegley says it best, "My word to Huckabee is man up and own what you did."

Of course Maurice Clemmons would not have made it so far in eluding the state wide manhunt without the help of friends and family. Those friends and family members are soon to be arrested according to authorities and rightfully so. They are just as guilty of murdering those Police Officers as if they had been at the Forza Coffee Company themselves and pulled the trigger.

The Police Officer who confronted Clemmons has done a tremendous service to the citizens. Clemmons didn't obey the Officer's commands which led to the Officer having to use deadly force. Clemmons succumbed to his wounds.

Clemmons' death doesn't ease the pain and sorrow for the Lakewood Police Department and the families of the slain officers, but I'm sure they feel a sense of justice has been served.

An eye for an eye.

The Officer who fought Clemmons at the coffee shop and wounded him before dying just goes to show, NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

Yet Another Dark Day For The Thin Blue Line

I'm numb, speechless, shocked.

The tragedy of the Oakland Police Department when Motor Sergeant Mark Dunnigan, Sergeants Erv Romans, Dan Sakai and Motor Officer John Hege were murdered is still fresh in my mind. I wanted to believe that this was a tragedy which would never happen again. Yet it has.

Four Lakewood, Washington PD Officers, Sergeant Mark Renninger, Officer Ronald Owens, Officer Tina Griswold and Officer Greg Richards were gunned down at a local coffee shop, working on their laptops. A whole shift murdered. Four families suffering the pain and loss of a loved one. The holidays will no longer be such a festive season for these unfortunate families.

A person of interest has been named, Maurice Clemmons. It's not clear at this time why, but he is being sought for questioning.

A "calling" is what brought me and many others to wear the badge. When a tragedy like this strikes, our chosen profession takes a hard hit. We try to make sense of the "why". I know there are those in our society who hate the uniform and badge for what it represents, and not the person in the uniform.

I pray that the person responsible for the murders of these four Law Enforcement Officers is caught quickly before he is able to cause more loss and sorrow. We try to make good of our "hard lessons" on how to be safer and to do our jobs better. What little if any consolation it is to the families of the fallen.

Although the Thin Blue Line has taken another tragic hit, we will continue to handle our beats and sectors without fail.

We will remember those who have fallen, and we will honor them. Their names will be added to the list of other fallen heroes on our State and National Peace Officer Monuments. Tragedy does not weaken what we do, it only strengthens our resolve and dedication.

To the Lakewood, Washington Police Department and the families of the fallen four, you have my sincerest condolences and sympathies for a loss of which there are no words to express.

To those of us who wear the badge, stay safe.

Just Plain Stupid

While in court one of my motor cohorts, Joker is up testifying for his case. Joker had originally stopped the car for the driver not wearing a seat belt and for not having her driver's license in possession.

After hearing the defendants testimony the Judge asked her if she had her license with her. She replied that she didn't have it with her (still!). The Judge looks over at the court clerks computer monitor which she casually turned toward the Judge's view. The Judge tells her, "That might because it looks like your license might be suspended."

Of course she tells the Judge it isn't, so he replies "No, I'm looking at your DMV record here and it says its suspended." So now the defendant has been notified that her license is suspended by the Judge.

She tried to continue to argue her point about not having a suspended license. The Judge shut her down and said he was looking at her driving record and it says its suspended. He told her that the DMV was one block down from the courthouse if she wanted to check on her driver license. He admonished her that she was not allowed to drive.

After she was found guilty, Officer Joker left the courtroom while the Judge imposed a fine for the seat belt and no driver license in possession.

Joker, being the fanatic, oppressive, heartless motor officer that he is waited outside in the parking lot. Sure enough Joker's defendant exits the courthouse, gets into her car and begins to drive away. On go the pretty flashing lights and she is pulled over just after her court case.

Of course her license was suspended and Joker had her car towed. Because her driver license was suspended, not only was her car towed, but impounded for 30 days on her dime.

People might think this cruel, but most of our hit and run traffic collisions involve drivers with never having had a driver license or have had their driver license suspended for one lawful reason or another. We tend to look at these situations as preventative traffic collision follow up for a hit and run that the District Attorney's Office won't touch because they're under funded and have bigger more important fish to fry and a motor cop would much rather be out writing tickets that sitting at a desk typing out a crash report.

If there is any bright side to this story it's the driver's case for driving on a suspended license will be heard at the same courthouse and same courtroom.

Same Bat Time

The other week, Juan Jalisco and I are sitting in traffic court. As the cases are called and the court room starts to thin out, I finally hear my defendants name called. I see my defendant rise from his seat as I do the same. I catch movement off to my right side. I look over and Juan Jalisco is standing up also.

Apparently both Juan and I had cited the driver less than 7 days apart for the same violation, speeding. I stand behind the podium in front of the Judge as the defendant is standing behind his to my left. I give my version of events and the Judge allows the defendant to cross examine me meaning ask me questions.

The defendant gives his testimony and I'm completely lost to what he's talking about. The location he was describing was nothing close to where I witnessed the violation occur. The driver said he has pictures he wants to show the Judge. The Judge directs him to hand the pictures to me.

I receive the pictures and I'm looking at them and now I have no clue of where these pictures are about. I hand the pictures over to the Judge. The defendant had nothing further to add, the Judge asked me if I had anything further. I told the Judge "submitted". He was found guilty but would not check his driving record nor set a fine until his second case was heard and adjudicated.

So I sit back down as Juan Jalisco gives his testimony of the same defendant being paced in a school parking lot as school was letting out for the afternoon. Then the pictures made sense. They were pictures of the school parking lot and not the roadway I had cited him for speeding on.

Even the defendant was confused and thought his first case with me was the ticket which Juan Jalisco had given him. Given the circumstances of children all around, the Judge found him guilty of unsafe speed through a school parking lot. Two points on his driver's license in one afternoon, Ouch.

I guess the defendants confusion adds some credibility to the stereotype that all motor cops look alike....