Yearly Archives: 2013

Jeffrey Tucker: 3 Important Lessons from a Canadian Border Crossing

"I was at the Canadian border, headed toward the freedom that exists a few feet beyond the last security check. I was gently waved down a side corridor. Ninety minutes later, I was let go, but not before something truly alarming happened. I’m pretty sure that the Canadian government captured a mirrored version of my smartphone — which pretty much holds the whole of my life. I’ll explain precisely how this happened in just a bit — in the hopes that perhaps you can take precautions that I did not. But let’s first establish that this practice is not unusual. According to documents obtained by the ACLU, this has become the standard backdoor method of search used today by governments around the world." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJeffrey Tucker: 3 Important Lessons from a Canadian Border Crossing

Police officer gets year in jail for conning immigrants out of $13,000

"A former Wappingers Falls police officer has been sentenced to one year in Dutchess County Jail after he admitted he conned immigrants who sought driver's licenses and immigration assistance out of more than $13,000. Rodriguez, who worked as a liaison to the Latino community in Wappingers Falls, admitted he charged victims $500 to $1,000 for 'asylum and withholding of removal' applications. He said he falsely promised the applications would be reviewed by an attorney and filed with immigration authorities. Rodriguez also admitted he charged immigrants $300 to enter a non-existent state lottery where the victims could win valid state driver’s licenses." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice officer gets year in jail for conning immigrants out of $13,000

Officer fired for long list of misconduct, gunplay, crashing police car

"Stahl, a Pelham officer for 12 years, was the focus of a public disciplinary hearing before selectmen last month, where he was accused of: Loudly berating a female drunken-driving suspect in a profanity-laced interrogation. Drawing his gun on two apparently unarmed teens during a traffic stop. Being heard by a Pelham police dispatcher on the radio speaking in a profane manner toward his superior officer, Lt. Brian McCarthy, and broadcasting his desire to punch one female civilian he encountered on duty 'right in the face.' Crashing his cruiser while driving with unnecessary and 'life-threatening' speed - at 50 mph above the listed 30 mph limit." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOfficer fired for long list of misconduct, gunplay, crashing police car

Police Officer Fired for Repeated Use of Taser on Senior With Alzheimer’s

"Doug Martin, an officer in Peru, Ind., had been summoned to Miller's Merry Manor on June 17, 2012, after a nurse called 911 for help in transporting a patient who had hit his roommate, a nurse and a nursing assistant. Martin and his partner, Officer Jeremy Brindle, entered the Alzheimer's ward to find 64-year-old James Howard sitting in a chair, wearing socks and nothing else. Howard refused the officers' command to lie on a gurney and advanced toward Brindle, who tried to handcuff Howard. When Brindle lost control of one of Howard's wrists, Martin yelled 'Taser' and deployed it on Howard's torso. Martin zapped Howard five times for a total of 31 seconds." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice Officer Fired for Repeated Use of Taser on Senior With Alzheimer’s

Virginia City Hides Data Showing Increased Red Light Camera Injuries

"After holding out for more than three years, officials in Virginia Beach, Virginia finally released accident data that raise serious questions about whether the use of red light cameras has improved traffic safety in the city. The number of injury accidents went down 12 percent throughout the city. At the twelve intersections where red light camera tickets are issued, however, injury accidents went up 5 percent over the same period. After finally releasing the information, city officials dismissed the relevance of the climbing injury rate. As of January, the cameras had issued 199,463 citations worth $10 million. $7.3 million worth of tickets have been issued solely to vehicles making rolling right turns on red." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVirginia City Hides Data Showing Increased Red Light Camera Injuries

Vermont: Federal Lawsuit Challenges Bogus Traffic Stop, Lying Cop

"Rod MacIver filed a suit in the US District Court for the District of Vermont on Thursday over the December 9, 2012 traffic stop. Officer Jason P. Lawton pulled over MacIver's truck and accused him of running a red light, even though a dashcam video of the incident confirms that did not happen (view video). When MacIver began arguing with Officer Lawton, he was slapped with a $214 ticket and two points against his driver's license. Lawton then filed a complaint about the rookie officer with the Shelburne Police Department, and Sergeant Allen Fortin emailed Lawton back claiming that he had reviewed the video and it showed a violation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVermont: Federal Lawsuit Challenges Bogus Traffic Stop, Lying Cop

Florida Police Jail Man For Petitioning Against Red Light Cameras

"'As I was approaching him, I read 'BAN CAMS' on the sign he was wearing,' Officer Campbell wrote. 'He was holding a large stack of papers... I asked him if he had a permit to protest the red light cameras, and he said no.' At this point, Officer Campbell asked for Schmidter's identification. Since he was not driving, the man explained he was not carrying any. The officer then asked for his name and date of birth. Schmidter declined to do so unless the officer could show him what law he had violated. Officer Campbell said he did not have to do that. After asking one more time he grabbed Schmidter's wrist, handcuffed him, and placed him under arrest." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFlorida Police Jail Man For Petitioning Against Red Light Cameras

Lawsuit against police over Radio Shack strip search settled

"The settlement, signed by Mitchell in August and approved by the City Council last week, releases the city and the officers from any further claims by Mitchell. The city also maintains the settlement is not an admission of any wrongdoing. It also includes a confidentiality clause. In May 2009, Mitchell alleged he was pulled over in the shopping center parking lot, ordered out of the car at gunpoint and handcuffed. He said he was taken into Radio Shack where the police pulled off his shorts and underwear, searching for drugs. No drugs were found." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLawsuit against police over Radio Shack strip search settled

Police detective accused of multiple beatings, wrongful arrests

"At least three people claim they've been beaten and wrongly arrested by a veteran Miami Beach police detective. Andrew Mossberg told Local 10 last week that he thought he was stopping a robbery when Philippe Archer, an undercover Miami Beach police detective, knocked him unconscious and arrested him. The department launched an internal affairs investigation into the incident. 'The Miami Beach Police Department has to know that Detective Archer is a problem,' said Michael Goodman, an attorney who represents Guy Moulin. 'He can't just keep beating people, getting sued, and they pretend like nothing ever happened,' said Goodman." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice detective accused of multiple beatings, wrongful arrests

Officer takes seized vehicles home, bills city for repairs

"A Eugene police officer has been reprimanded for improperly taking seized vehicles home with him, neglecting to tell his bosses about it and then charging the city for the time he claims to have spent repairing them. The officer told investigators that he had taken the vehicles home to fix them up so that they could be sold at a higher value as part of a city program that transfers the proceeds of auctioned items into a fund that aids crime victims, officials said. But questions were raised when a property control specialist couldn’t find the motor­cycle, and an internal investigation was launched." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOfficer takes seized vehicles home, bills city for repairs