Gangsters in Blue

New Kelly Thomas Murder Video

According to the article on The Huffington Post:

 The 33-minute video starts with Thomas being approached by Fullerton Police Department Officer Manuel Ramos, who engages him in conversation. By minute 15, Ramos has already donned latex gloves… “You see my fists?” Ramos asks Thomas. “They’re getting ready to fuck you up.”

It appears to me that this thug could have easily handcuffed Thomas while he was sitting on the curb. He chose to brutally murder him instead.

John Freeman, Copblock Contributer

This Is How You Beat A Man To Death is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

PSOSGT, a frequent commenter on CopBlock.org, submitted the following as a guest post. He didn’t think it would be published but after reading it I thought it would make a good blog, including my responses to his statements. PSOSGT’s statements are block quoted.

I realize this isn’t going to be posted, but I think these two stories shed SOME light as to why police don’t like people behind them, filming or just watching, while dealing someone else. Yes, we use the tired saying of “officer safety” but these are two examples that happened over 2 days that show why police get “jumpy” at times when people walk up to traffic stops, or any other investigation.

Cops can’t read minds. We don’t know if your going to talk, film, watch, or pull out a gun.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/21040-sergeant-david-enzbrenner

Sergeant David Enzbrenner was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack while assisting a code enforcement officer serve a nuisance order at a home near the intersection of 12th. and Division Streets shortly after 4:00 pm.

A person unrelated to the order suddenly approached and opened fire without warning, killing Sergeant Enzbrenner. The man then committed suicide. It is believed the man held a grudge against law enforcement officers because his father was serving a life sentence without parole in Louisiana.

Ah, it says that, “a person unrelated to the order suddenly approached and opened fire.” There was no preventing this, nor is there any one reason as to why this happened, other than some guy wanted to kill this guy. There was no camera involved in this case and a number of things can be distractions, so where do you draw the line? Or why even draw a line? If filming officers makes their job more dangerous then I suggest they stop forcing people to pay their salaries.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/21038-police-officer-i-deriek-w-crouse

Officer Deriek Crouse was shot and killed while making a traffic stop in the parking lot of the university’s Cassell Coliseum, near McComas Hall, at approximately 12:15 pm.

At some point during the stop, a suspect unrelated to the traffic stop approached his unmarked car and shot him once in the head as he sat in his vehicle. The suspect fled on foot to a nearby location on campus and changed clothes. He was located in the university’s I-Lot approximately 45 minutes after the shooting and committed suicide as a Montgomery County deputy attempted to contact him

Again, this seems to be a predetermined event. Maybe this officer was corrupt? Maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe, just maybe, this was a good officer who paid the ultimate price for another’s mistake. Officers who die in the line of duty are honored – parade and all – yet when officers kill someone the deceased are criminalized.

Neither of these examples prove PSOSGT’s point, that officer need to be wary of people filming. For one, both officers were preoccupied with enforcing some sort of victimless crime – code enforcement and traffic stop – which could be part of the reason for such hate towards LEO’s. Second,  if someone had been filming they would have caught these murders on video and could have helped hold those responsible. In case it wasn’t justified, like when cops kill innocent people for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

PSOSGT goes on to say,

On a personal level, and I’ve said it before. Showing only 1 side to the story, without context isn’t going to win you any favors, or bonus points with people if you truly want to change how police conduct business.

Everyone has a bias, no matter what they say. It’s natural. If there is a bias, and we show one side of policing, I think it’s obvious by the name – CopBlock.org. Atleast we don’t tell you this is the “No Spin Zone” while we jam our beliefs down your throat. Also, I encourage anyone to look at the other side of the coin, watch COPS, visit PoliceOne.com and research as much as you can about police.

How many LEO’s have ever thought about starting their own police service, without the government’s permission, that actually protects people? Are any officers out there sick of the politics involved with their jobs? Forced to do things they don’t like, told what laws/actions to arrest people for? Wouldn’t it be great to sit at home – or do routine visits to costumers – and wait for someone who actually needs help to call you? Have you ever thought of working for yourself, rather than the man?

I agree with anyone who looks at a call, video, report, or cops actions and says, “that’s fucked up” or disagree with what happened. It’s common. But the vast majority of people out there have NO IDEA what or why an officer acted or reacted in any given situation. I think it’s just as important to see what is put INTO law enforcement, that the result of an officer doing his/her job.

I think alot of us do see what’s put into law enforcement… law, which is simply words on paper that I may or may not agree with and enforce, which means if I don’t like it I’ll be punished. So, enforcement is what happens to those who don’t agree with the laws. And an officer’s job isn’t about what they believe but enforcing laws, even ones they know are bad/unconstitutional.

What do you think? Do cameras distract officers? Were these good examples to back that claim? Are people who aren’t police officers less creditable when discussing police issues? Would you hire a private company to provide you protection services if offered (instead of paying taxes to your local department)?

Why police don’t want you too close. is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

 Guest Post by John Freeman

Rich From Janesville WI (names have been changed)

In (around) 2002, I was living with several roommates in a rental home on the West side of Janesville. I had two roommates.  We all worked full time and enjoyed weekends at the row of bars on Main Street in Downtown Janesville.

My buddy Rich stood 5 foot and maybe 6 inches. I would guess he was a solid 145 pounds.

It surprised me when I heard two or three dudes, early in the morning,  talking and taking pictures in the bathroom across the hall from my room.  I’m cool with all different lifestyles but will be damned if anyone, especially guys are messing around in my personal area let alone the area where I brush my teeth. When I opened the door what I found was a bleeding friend with several broken front teeth, a blood soaked shirt,  and a face which looked like it was dragged 20 yards across concrete.

According to Rich, he was severely beaten by Janesville Police.  He said he had been in a pushing match with another guy outside the bars and I guess the cops wanted a piece of the action also. I’ve been in my fare share of bar fights but from what I saw, this was a pure, savage beat-down. Rich’s forehead, from the beating,  had been bleeding severely.  He had not been given medical attention. Not sure if he was given a choice.  Not sure why the cops felt the beating was necessary but they never took him to jail.

After taking photographs he called the police department. He requested a supervisor to come out so he could file a complaint. Rich had told me that while they were grinding his head into the cement they were yelling, “Shut the fuck up!” I wish I could tell you the outcome of the incident. I ended up moving out of state shortly after the incident and lost touch with Rich.

Mark Schroeder Waukesha WI

According to news reports, in 2010 a man arrived to assess his 19 year old daughter’s injuries after she had been in a serious accident. He was a 53-year-old with no criminal record named Mark Schroeder. For some reason, the cop on scene, Officer Ryan LaFavor decided to pull the bad ass routine and refused to let this guy check on his kid who was still in the car and had called her dad following the accident. It is my understanding that no medical team members had arrived yet. According to JSOnline.com, this is what ensued:

Schroeder got out and began approaching the crash when LaFavor yelled at him to stop or be arrested. When Schroeder explained that one of the drivers was his daughter and began returning to his car, LaFavor took him to the ground, kneed him in the back, handcuffed him and kept yelling at him to “shut the (expletive) up,” according to Mastantuono.

The police had dash-cam videos of the incident but after they were requested by both the prosecution and defense, the cops promptly deleted them. They were first viewed by top brass and others 20 some times. The Judge dismissed the charges against this man because she felt this was a cover up.  She knew they were lying. So do the rest of us.

Milwaukee Police April 2012

The video provided pertains to this incident.  A man was in the nightlife area of Milwaukee with some friends. His buddy suggested he take a 2008 Lamborghini for a spin which he gladly obliged. He was drunk and driving it without headlights around the block. The cops stopped him and allegedly ripped him out of the car.  Those of us who have sat in such a car (Though I’ve never driven one) know that getting out of that type of  machine takes some practice.

This man wasn’t good enough or fast enough because this cop decided to attempt to crush his skull while another cop leisurely watched from 2 or3 feet away.  The Police Chief, Ed Philandering Flynn decided it was no big deal that this same rogue cop was suspended for mental health issues 2 years ago but this time cleared him of wrong doing almost immediately.  While this man was laying prone on his stomach with two cops on his back begging for his life he of course was told to, “Shut your fucking mouth!”

Seems like a trend doesn’t it?

“Shut The Fuck Up” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Guest Post by Katie McCall

So often we hear stories about officers stepping out of line and aggressively asserting themselves without reason. But this story is different. This story is about a cop who tried to stop the violence.

Officer Regina Tasca has worked for the Bogota, New Jersey police departmentfor 11 years. She had an exemplary record. One day in April, 2011, she received a call to assist with the transport of a 22 year old male to the hospital because he was psychologically distraught. The call came in from his mother who was beside herself with worry for her adult son.

Officer Tasca arrived on scene and immediately began to put the man at ease. ”When the call came, I heard that a couple of officers from Ridgefield Park were coming to provide backup, which I thought was OK,” Tasca said. But when they arrived the young man grew nervous. “He noticed them and asked me, ‘Why are there other police offices here from another town?’ Then he said that he was leaving, and he moved maybe two or three steps when one of the Ridgefield officers jumped him.”

Sgt. Chris Thibault pounced on the non-aggressive man and tried to handcuff him. The second officer, Sgt. Joe Rella, “assisted” him by jumping on top and punching the unarmed man in the head. The man’s mother looked on and screamed helplessly for the cops to stop pummeling her son.

In the midst of the chaos, Officer Tasca, intervened. She did not assist her brothers in blue, but chose instead to pry the officers off of him and pull him to his feet.

Was she commended? Were the officers who tackled the passive male investigated? No, on both accounts.

Instead, Officer Tasca was asked to turn in her weapon and was suspended. This week, she faces a hearing where she will possibly be fired.

And the two officers who did the tackling? They were never even investigated.

Unfit for duty? Perhaps they are right. She’s unfit for duty as the only ethical officer amongst the gangsters of her police department. But she IS FIT for service to citizens as a police officer, protecting and serving the public.

Thank you Officer Tasca. You remind us of what public service can be.

Crossing the “Thin Blue Line” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Guest post by Damon

This is a video of the most reasonable man I know being booked in for “disorderly conduct”. This man has applied for a press pass which was later revoked by the corporate media representatives  in charge of distributing all press passes. He has attempted to use footage from Wisconsin Eye, a government-funded media service. They made him take down the footage because it is the property of said 501c(3) corporation.

He has filmed legislators committing voter fraud through the windows of the gallery. They took that as a sign that they needed to post black plastic over the windows. These are the lengths he has gone to in order to report on the blatant corruption of our State Government during the last session.  In direct contradiction of  State Statute 19.90, which states that we have the right to film our public officials, our legislature has deemed filming a violation of their own rules of conduct and are prosecuting, “Offenders” under disorderly conduct statutes. This day he wasn’t filming.

Being known for excising one’s rights is now enough to warrant detainment in Wisconsin.

This is not my video and I cannot claim credit for it.  I got it off my buddy’s youtube channel(arthurkr222).

Illegal Possession Of A Camera, Disorderly Conduct In The WI Assembly is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

By Guest Writer Jacob Crawfird

Miami’s Homeland Security is keeping tabs on Carlos Miller, why? Not because he is any terrorist threat or some subversive radical. Rather because he runs the website, “Photography Is Not A Crime!” which documents police attacks on copwatchers, journalists, and ordinary citizens who catch heat for filming police interactions. He’s been supportive of my police accountability work with copwatch and I’ve appreciated his coverage of police issues over the last few years.

—Jacob Crawford
ladderfilms@gmail.com

Carlos Miller Under Surveillance for His Website, “Photography is Not a Crime” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

I was recording police from across the street on a public sidewalk. Keep in mind I do nothing that is against the law. I have every right to film them in their duties. I in no way addressed the officer OR the guy the officer was talking too. The passenger, who is not engaged by the cop starts the conversation with me. It turns out that I knew the passenger. After the traffic stop was over I get stopped, detained, then threatened. The cops realize they have nothing to hold me on and let me go but not before threatening me that he will arrest me if I do this behavior again.

Afterwards I went looking to record them again but came up empty handed.

Muscatine, Iowa USA aka Nazi Germany. “Show me your papers please” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Back in July of 2011 I was having problems with an ex-boyfriend. The man had been living with me and believed that he had all rights to the property.  He’d been told to stay away though he had lived there before and had destroyed thousands of dollars of my property. He had also been reported to the authorities who informed me property damage and rumors of threats were not enough for me to file a restraining order.

One night I got word from a friend that this man was headed towards my house on a drug-induced rampage and was bringing a friend from The Navy along. I’m a small woman with no self-defense training of any kind and these two men were a terrifying prospect. I immediately dialed 911.

My new roommate had police training with the explorers and was taking Administration of Justice classes at the time. He had a handgun and the licenses to go with it. He was the one to go outside and politely ask the ex-boyfriend to leave. When the trespasser picked up a stick and went into a rage, his friend reached into his car for something. My roommate saw this motion and pulled the gun down to his waist and demanded they leave the private property. I was still on hold with emergency dispatch.

The two finally backed the car out onto the street and yelled obscenities waking all the neighbors. After 45 minutes on the phone, our sheriffs finally arrived. My roommate put his weapon on the ground in pieces as soon as they showed up and gladly showed them anything they needed and answered all their questions.

15 minutes later I watched the officers drive off with my roommate in the back of their squad car. He was placed under arrest for brandishing a weapon while the other two were let loose despite me begging officers to drug test them and bring them to justice.

Now, 9 months later, we finally got the letter saying the charges had been dropped and my roommate’s handgun could be retrieved. He’s been nine months without full-time work because he lost out on security contracts requiring his weapon. He now has to pay twenty dollars to get his weapon back. Where is the justice in this justice department?

Small Town Cops Lost on Constitutional Rights is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

I’d like to know when Virginia Beach residents thought is was a great idea to give millionaires tour rides in the VBPD helicopter!? Whether the it is utilized as a nightingale backup, catch legitimate bad guys, or routine flight ops, the police helicopter is for O F F I C I A L USE ONLY! Let these millionaires hire private businesses to give theses people tours of the city if they want to fly that bad!

Below is the story conducted by the local news station.

WVEC.com

Posted on January 11, 2012 at 6:34 PM
Updated Wednesday, Jan 11 at 6:42 PM

VIRGINIA BEACH — Virginia Beach is implementing a written policy to safeguard the use of its police helicopter.

13News obtained a draft administrative directive that allows the city’s Economic Development Department to use the police helicopter to provide aerial tours for clients on an as available, as needed basis.

A spokesman for Virginia Beach Police tells 13News that the police department “wholeheartedly” supports the draft administrative directive. He added the only major caveat would be that police work always takes precedent over the tours.

“We’re not here to give somebody a pleasure ride at taxpayers expense. I just think it’s the wrong way to go,” said Robert Dean.

Dean believes even though the economic development department would shift money from its budget to the police budget for fuel costs, the use of the police chopper for tours sends the wrong message.

“But to constantly use this helicopter for police and public safety expenditure for economic development is wrong,” said Dean.

A spokesperson for the City of Virginia Beach said the police helicopter is only used for economic development tours a few times a year.

The draft advance directive says that in order for economic development to use the helicopter for tours, the potential project must exceed $5 million in private investment, must create at least 50 new jobs, showcase multiple potential sites, and prospects must be aligned with the current targeted industry markets.

Council member Harry Diezel says using the police helicopter for economic development during downtime makes sense.

“It does not do well to just sit and to only use it when a call comes in. Those are highly sophisticated and highly maintained pieces of equipment,” said Diezel adding, “I don’t think any city has the luxury to just fence itself in and not deal with the larger community issues. That to me is what’s happening here.”

Virginia Beach has two police helicopters. Police departments in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth and Hampton do not have helicopters.

Regionally, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police told 13News it does have a police helicopter; however, a spokesperson said it is only used for public safety purposes.

The city says the administrative directive could be finalized in the next few weeks.

-Kenny

Sent to CopBlock using the submission tab, click here.

Virginia Beach, Va. Police Dept Give Helicopter Rides to Millionaires is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

The below block quotes were sent to CopBlock.org via the submission tab. I decided to add my two cents into this post because I think Terrance missed a few points pertaining to Occupy events. He states:

I keep seeing so many of these OWS people getting busted by police videos. I get it, OWS wants… well, nothing clear. No defined goal… But what they are doing is trespassing into streets and impeding traffic, vandalizing public parks and roads and buildings… Then you film it and complain that your rights are violated when the police arrest you while trespassing and/or vandalizing. I only have one issue with this. You commit a crime, then you complain your rights are violated. Your being hypocritical with your actions and words.

How does one trespass on public property? How do you vandalize a public property such as a park? Isn’t public property owned by the people? I’m not justifying or saying I support these tactics – destroying private property is always wrong – but look at it this way.

Sure the Occupy movement has no clear agenda, goal or demands. IMO, that’s because there are so many government caused issues that everyone’s demands are different. When “the government” (via politicians – who claim to be working for you) forces you to comply with “the law” and punishes (with fines, prison or seizing property) those who refuse to do so, what other recourse do people have?

I say lets start the conversation where the conversation begins, why are people in the parks and streets anyways? Maybe the endless wars in the Middle East, troubled economy and growing police state have something to do with the increased displeasure for government controls (ie, laws). One day people, like those at occupy, will realize the common factor – the cancer to most any social problem today – the government.

This is something Terrance has over looked as well.  Using his logic, the people have a right to protest or assemble as long as they don’t break the law. Yet, as you seen in the Occupy movement, the government (police and politicians alike) create city ordinances and/or state laws against being on public property at certain times (that they decide as they go). Yes, this is confusing because as I stated above, public property is owned by everyone but regulated by few.

How can a government that claims to be the freest in the world arrest people for peaceful assembly and free speech? Or, on a small side note, cage the most people than another country in the world? Isn’t Freedom of Speech, the right to peacefully assemble and to be free to live your life  the pilars of some crazy government document that was written hundreds of years ago? Why aren’t people questioning the government as much as the protestors Terrance?

The police do NOT decide who breaks laws in these OWS marches/camps. They only follow their orders which is to clear out the camps/rallys when they become a problem. I love what this website does when it comes to accountability, but come on.

Don’t be the NEED for change, be the change that is needed.

I could go on about police and their ability to use discretion, or the fact that most of the violence at Occupy events happens after the police initiate force. Instead, I’ll agree with you. “Don’t be the need for change, be the change that is needed” is exactly what every officer should be telling themselves before they go out on their shift. Start with those who believe badges grant extra rights.

OWS Isn’t a play on rights, it’s vandals at work. is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights