Gangsters in Blue

Submitted by R. “Lane” Bryant

Things just got interesting for folks in southwestern Virginia’s typically quiet mountain city of Galax. The Galax Police Department issued the following announcement on Monday, April 8:

Beginning April 22nd the Galax Police Department will begin going door to door from East to West and North to South. We intend to make personal contact with every adult resident of Galax. As Chief of the Galax Police Department I am committed to moving Galax Police to a pure model of Community Oriented Policing. We will be conducting door to door surveys at least three days a week. Each uniform member of the police department (including the Chief and Captain) will participate in this effort.

We believe to be succesful both the police and those we serve must be engaged in “Making a Safer City All Day Everyday”
More details to follow as we get closer to April 22nd.

Rick Clark, Chief

For more information, see the Galax PD Facebook page.

There are many comments on the Facebook post expressing approval of the idea. It sounds to me, however, like the Galax PD has too much time on their hands. Maybe they should downsize and save the city’s taxpayers some money rather than concoct ideas on how to be more of a nuisance to them. The first round of their new campaign may only be to conduct surveys, but it could certainly evolve into more. Other cities implementing these programs in the past have gone door to door requesting consent to search homes (without a warrant) for such things as illegal guns.

What are Chief Clark’s objectives in this campaign? The citizens of Galax need to police the police and push for answers to this question. They also need to know their rights in the event that this survey turns into more than a casual front-porch conversation.

Galax Police Department to Conduct Door-to-Door Surveys is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Origin unknown.

Police Abuse Woman For Filming… is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

From ABC7-KGO San Francisco

VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) — The ABC7 News I-Team has uncovered a new complaint of excessive force against Vallejo police — the incident, caught on camera. The department is already reeling after a violent year, including six people shot and killed by officers.

The more I dig, the more questions I have. This story began when a package arrived in the mail from someone inside the department. It was a DVD, a police report, and a letter complaining about a “cowboy attitude” by officers and command staff.

Imagine you’re a police officer on patrol. It’s a warm summer day when the call comes in — a 22-year-old complaining his roommates beat him up and kicked him out of the apartment.    Read More…

Feel free to Contact Vallejo PD at their non ER number

Non-Emergencies
(707) 648-4321

“Officer” Mustard Punches Man for “Failure to Honor cop” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

According to InfoWars.com,

A San Bernardino police officer piloting a helicopter was caught on camera circling a lone woman in the desert, before landing the chopper and then proceeding to harass her in a ridiculous example of how police resources are being wasted to shake down innocent people.

The clip begins with the police helicopter making numerous over flights of the woman as she films the chopper.

The helicopter then shines a light in the direction of the woman as it hovers lower and prepares to land. The chopper lands and the pilot, an officer with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s office, approaches the woman and asks her what she is doing.

“Just exploring and picking up rocks,” the woman responds.

The cop then demands the woman’s ID to which she responds she doesn’t have any. When the woman asks why he is questioning her, the cop responds, “We’re investigating something right now.”

The police officer then proceeds to take the woman’s name and date of birth in order to perform a criminal background check via his walkie-talkie.

After he gets a response from police headquarters, the cop asks the woman if she has any weapons, orders her, “don’t put your hands in your pockets,” and then proceeds to perform an unconstitutional search of her person.

“I know you’re doing your job but I don’t consent to a search,” says the woman as the cop continues to rifle through her belongings.

Read More…

“cop” Lands Helicoptor to Harrass Woman is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

According to this link from PoliceOne.com,

The man who stabbed an Aiken Bloodhound Tracking Team police K-9 while fleeing from law enforcement received a maximum sentence this week.

Feel free to consider taking a look at an up and coming FaceBook page entitled:  Help stop cops shooting Innocent Dogs.

It’s interesting how police tend to differentiate the value of  “Police dogs” vs “Non police dogs.”

PoliceOne.com Comments Exposed. Has Your Dog Been Murdered by cops? is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Milwaukee Police have had so many alleged incidents of police misconduct in recent months, the FBI has set up a hotline in Milwaukee soliciting accounts of civil rights violations. When the folks at MPD are not busy conducting illegal anal  cavity searches literally at the end of a gun barrel, it seems they are arresting people for filming their misconduct.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel exposed the above video 2 days prior to publishing an article today about yet more misreported crime statistics.  I can’t really blame the police for arresting so many individuals filming them. If I were a criminal hiding behind a piece of tin, I’d surely do the same thing. Here’s how the Journal reports the newest filming arrest:

Every week since the Sept. 23 release of a video that showed Derek Williams gasping for breath in the back of a Milwaukee police car, protesters from “Occupy the Hood” have marched in the streets.

For the first time Sunday, one of those marches resulted in arrests.

Police say the four people arrested were blocking traffic near N. 27th St. and W. Wisconsin Ave. Those arrested say that although they did march through the street, police accompanied them the whole way – a statement police confirmed. They were not arrested until about 15 minutes after the demonstration ended, the protesters said.

Cellphone video shot by one of the people arrested shows the protesters standing on the sidewalk as they are being taken into custody.

“We really, honestly, didn’t do anything. They was just doing it because we had been protesting earlier,” said Jasmine Washington, 24, who was ticketed for blocking traffic and resisting arrest.

She was walking to her car to leave when she was handcuffed, she said. She asked the officer why she was being arrested.

“He said it was because I stepped in the street,” Washington said.

Washington and two of the other people arrested, Khalil Coleman, 26, and Anthony Williams, 24, who made the recording, told the Journal Sentinel this version of events:

See Full Article:

Best of luck to our friends in Milwaukee. You have a long road ahead of you.

Milwaukee Police At It Yet Again…(Video) is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

This post comes to us from Tim of MilwaukeeCitizenPress -YouTube channel.  Tim was arrested a few months back and his arrest video was featured here on CopBlock as well as on Carlos Miller’s photographyisnotacrime.com.

Today was my second scheduled trial date. My original trial date was scheduled for 9-4-12 but my arresting “officer” Jason Kotarak filed an adjournment about 12 days prior despite nearly 4 months to clear his calendar. I had taken the day off work and assumed I’d be able to present my defense. Apparently the court waited until the actual date of my trial to mail me the notification as it was postmarked for the day of my trial.

The following are excerpts from my “Journal” taken during my experience at Milwaukee Municipal Court 11-12-12.

12:30pm I entered the courthouse through Mr. (officer) Mares’ security checkpoint. He got me through swiftly and treated me with the utmost respect as he always has. It’s obvious that Mr. Mares is a genuine individual and I have the utmost respect for him.

12:35 I check in with one of the receptionists who works in a large glass cage. She presses the intercom button and yells, “Next in line!” I reply, while making eye contact with her, “Next in line PLEASE!” She checks me into the system.

12:40 I take the elevator up one floor and speak with an individual by the name of  “Racliff”  (above video) or something similar. He states he cannot tell me if Jason Kotarak will attend court and objects to me video-recording.

12:45 I engage in conversation with several citizens waiting at the city attorney’s office. Apparently, the city attorney is at lunch from 12pm to 1pm.  I’d like to expose the city attorney to the Department of Justice memo regarding filming police. Too many people waiting. Will address another day.

1:12 I walk to branch one door and wait for the bailiff to unlock the door to the courtroom. One female officer standing with her back to the courtroom wall texting.

1:17 Texting female officer no longer scrutinizing me and the camera and audio recorder hanging around my neck.

1:25 Baliff unlocks the deadlock on the courtroom doors and walks in. Female texting officer stays outside as do I.

1:27 I walk into the courtroom and am surprised to see judge Valerie Hill sitting on the bench. I walk in and sit on the left side of the courtroom immediately behind  the police corral.

1:29 2 cops sitting in the cop corral. Both fully armed. One looks like my friend of 20 years who’s name is Dirk. Thinking, “Tommy (my lawyer friend) wish you were here bro!”

1:35 (Thinking) Jason Kotarak…no show! Scheduled trial time was 1:30pm.  Can’t wait to speak with Sheryl from the police and fire commission about this.

1:39 Jason Kotarak (my arresting officer) shows up late. He walks in fully armed with what appears to be some sort of flak jacket. He is chomping his gum at a rapid pace.

1:40 Jason Kotarak sits down in the bench at the front of the room past the “police only fence.” I attempt to make eye contact and am satisfied that he showed up. He appears to be sending a text message despite the ban on electronic devices.

1:45ish Peter Block, the city attorney, calls me up to his desk.  Peter Block is maybe 5’5 and heavy set.  He cites my previous plea offer of $75 and I again decline. I tell him that Jason Kotarak lied on the police report. He states he’s seen my YouTube video. I ask him if he thinks he can convict me of the loitering charge and he says he thinks he can.

1:46ish-2:20ish Peter Block handles several cases besides mine. All electronic devices are barred from the courtroom. Peter Block has approximately 8 private conversations with (officer) Jason Kotarak during the next 20 minutes.  One of the conversations occurred when Peter Block motioned for Jason Kotarak to come outside the courtroom into the desolate hallway. After many minutes they both returned to the courtroom.

2:07ish Judge Valerie Hill verbally reprimands the prosecutor, Peter Block, and a “defendant” for discussing a case too loudly.  I was as close to them as she was and I didn’t hear a thing. Myself and the some others in the gallery are astounded by her crassness.

2:15ish My name is called. I approach prepared to present my defense. Judge Valerie Hill states that the state wants to dismiss my case. She says the witness seen for 10 seconds or so in the video is not available.  I attempt to tell her that I object. She declines my objection. I ask if this is a dismissal with prejudice. She states it is not and that the charges may be brought against me for 2 years from the date of my arrest. I request to appeal the dismissal and and ask to reopen the case. She laughs at me.

Jason Kotarak walks up within 3 feet of me while in open court and attempts to confirm the address on my ticket. I look at the Judge and she looks down. I ask why he needs to know my current address and he immediately leaves. I feel extremely intimidated.

I turn on my camera looking for comment from him outside the court and he is gone.

2:40ish I return home and report Jason Kotarak’s behavior to the Milwaukee Police and Fire Commission. I also report his actions and an update on my situation to my local police department (Deputy Chief Dennis Angle.) I have been keeping my local department apprised of my situation since I was threatened with arrest by Erwin Estacio of MPD internal affairs. I contacted  “Milwaukee police misconduct” FBI hotline and spoke with a very cordial individual.

 Civil trial coming soon.

Milwaukee Cop Charges Videographer With Loitering…FAIL (Video) is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Last night,  voters made their voices heard. Those in Colorado and Washington decided they were finished allowing government officials the ability to take money from their household budgets to spend on things like the actions in the video above.

According to republicreport.org,  the top five special interest groups lobbying to keep marijuana illegal are:

1.) Police Unions: Police departments across the country have become dependent on federal drug war grants to finance their budget. In March, we published a story revealing that a police union lobbyist in California coordinated the effort to defeat Prop 19, a ballot measure in 2010 to legalize marijuana, while helping his police department clients collect tens of millions in federal marijuana-eradication grants. And it’s not just in California. Federal lobbying disclosures show that other police union lobbyists have pushed for stiffer penalties for marijuana-related crimes nationwide.

2.) Private Prisons Corporations: Private prison corporations make millions by incarcerating people who have been imprisoned for drug crimes, including marijuana. As Republic Report’s Matt Stoller noted last year, Corrections Corporation of America, one of the largest for-profit prison companies, revealed in a regulatory filing that continuing the drug war is part in parcel to their business strategy. Prison companies have spent millions bankrolling pro-drug war politicians and have used secretive front groups, like the American Legislative Exchange Council, to pass harsh sentencing requirements for drug crimes.

3.) Alcohol and Beer Companies: Fearing competition for the dollars Americans spend on leisure, alcohol and tobacco interests have lobbied to keep marijuana out of reach. For instance, the California Beer & Beverage Distributors contributed campaign contributions to a committee set up to prevent marijuana from being legalized and taxed.

4.) Pharmaceutical Corporations: Like the sin industries listed above, pharmaceutical interests would like to keep marijuana illegal so American don’t have the option of cheap medical alternatives to their products. Howard Wooldridge, a retired police officer who now lobbies the government to relax marijuana prohibition laws, told Republic Report that next to police unions, the “second biggest opponent on Capitol Hill is big PhRMA” because marijuana can replace “everything from Advil to Vicodin and other expensive pills.”

5.) Prison Guard Unions: Prison guard unions have a vested interest in keeping people behind bars just like for-profit prison companies. In 2008, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association spent a whopping $1 million to defeat a measure that would have “reduced sentences and parole times for nonviolent drug offenders while emphasizing drug treatment over prison.”

MARIJUANA PROHIBITION ENDS! (Video) is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

This video comes to us from: AdamVs.TheMan, Fr33manTV, FreeKeene, and the letter L.

The nature of this video holds a striking resemblance to the Keene Activity Center search a few months back.

(Video) “Home Inspectors” Enter Home And Encounter Videocameras. Immediately Flee… is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

This video comes to us from YouTube Channel jpcfourth.  Jpcfourth has a plethora of videos well worth watching on his channel.  Thanks to individuals like this, who are risking their freedom and potentially their lives, our families, friends,  and neighbors are able to see just how repressive and dangerous police have become to the “common man.”  Through the efforts of folks willing to take that extra step, not just watching but actually pulling out the cell phone and videotaping, we are effecting change.

jpcfourth, feel free to contact me through the CopBlock.org Submit a Post tab and I’d like to send you a free copblock t-shirt or hat.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Cop to Copwatcher: “Move 5 Blocks Down” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights