The Police State Exposed! Discussions - 12160 Social Network2024-03-19T14:05:40Zhttps://12160.info/group/thepolicestateexposed/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noWATCH: CITIZEN ANNOUNCES HE'S RUNNING AGAINST CORRUPT SHERIFF, HIS HOME IS RAIDED, WIFE KIDNAPPEDtag:12160.info,2018-08-20:2649739:Topic:18107602018-08-20T18:02:38.026ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/running-sheriff-wife-house-raided/">MATT AGORIST @ THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Clayton County, GA — In the land of the free, practicing democracy is often futile and even more often, highly corrupt. Illustrating the corrupt nature of this process is a case out of Georgia in which a sheriff with a…</div>
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<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/running-sheriff-wife-house-raided/">MATT AGORIST @ THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Clayton County, GA — In the land of the free, practicing democracy is often futile and even more often, highly corrupt. Illustrating the corrupt nature of this process is a case out of Georgia in which a sheriff with a history of alleged criminal activity is accused of harassing, intimidating, and even arresting innocent people who challenge his authority.</div>
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<div id="newsdetail"><p>On August 10, Robert Hawes, a former deputy with the Clayton County sheriff’s department, announced that he would be running against the incumbent Sheriff Victor Hill. Days later police would be in his home, kidnapping his wife.</p>
<p>“This sounds like an effort to intimidate a potential political opponent, which is in my mind, not an appropriate use of law enforcement powers,” Harvey Newman, professor emeritus at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University told AJC. “We want people to feel able to speak truth to power. But this appears to be an effort to, if not silence that, to at least intimidate it.”</p>
<p>After Hawes announced his desires to seek Hill’s job, Hawes says that’s when Hill went on the offensive, sending out emails disparaged Hawes’ sons, accusing them of stealing their father’s department-issued gun in 2014 and selling it at a pawn shop. Hawes said the accusation is untrue.</p>
<p>“I bet you if we did an open records request of the emails that came from the sheriff, there would be some nasty threats from him,” he said. “The only reason he is doing what he is doing is because I said I was running for sheriff.”</p>
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<p>When they heard of the false claims against, Gerrian Hawes, Robert’s wife, emailed the sheriff and said, “Where there is love, fear cannot exist.”</p>
<p>For this, deputies were sent to their home to arrest Gerrian for making threats to the sheriff.</p>
<p>“All this comes after I made the announcement I was running for sheriff,” Robert said. “She responded because she thinks he is trying to place fear into us.”</p>
<p>As the AJC <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/victor-hill-rival-says-clayton-sheriff-arrested-wife-intimidate-him/SSED2J5Qmx7Q6fXk53acHO/">reports</a>, Hill has an extremely corrupt and checkered past:</p>
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<blockquote><p>Hill has been the leader of the Clayton Sheriff’s Office since 2013, his second go-round in the top job after running the department from 2005-2008. When the seat was up for re-election in 2016, he received 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary.</p>
<p>Over the years, however, detractors have described his behavior as everything from reckless to criminal.</p>
<p>When he first took office in 2005, he immediately fired 27 employees, placing snipers on the sheriff’s department roof as they were escorted out. In 2012, he was accused of several counts of racketeering, theft by taking and making false statements, though he would later be acquitted of all charges.</p>
<p>In 2015, he accidentally shot a female friend while demonstrating “police tactics” during a date. And last year, his law enforcement certification was put on probation for two years by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.</p>
<p>This year, he has been linked to Mitzi Bickers, a Clayton Sheriff’s chaplain who was indicted in April in connection to the bribery scandal at Atlanta City Hall. Charges against her include witness tampering, wire fraud and money laundering.</p>
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<p>Rodney Williams, a former Clayton Sheriff’s Office chaplain, experienced a similar fate to Gerrian after he emailed the sheriff, noting his “evil agenda.”</p>
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<p>After the email, Hill took out a warrant for Williams’ arrest as well. Williams told AJC that he could predict Gerrian’s arrest after her husband’s announcement, as this is the sheriff’s normal tactic.</p>
<p>“I saw it coming, that’s just how he operates,” said Williams, who was at the courthouse Thursday to support Gerrian Hawes. “You give him a little bit of bait, the snake will stick his head out because he does not have any self-control. That’s just what he does.”</p>
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</div> DEAF 76-YEAR-OLD WOMAN KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED JAYWALKINGtag:12160.info,2018-08-16:2649739:Topic:18085602018-08-16T18:29:46.507ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/elderly-woman-attacked-police-jaywalking/">MATT AGORIST @ THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Dublin, CA — Hui Jie Jin was walking home from the grocery store last year when she says she was attacked by a deputy who “violently threw” her to the ground, knocking her unconscious. The 76-year-old deaf woman…</div>
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<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/elderly-woman-attacked-police-jaywalking/">MATT AGORIST @ THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Dublin, CA — Hui Jie Jin was walking home from the grocery store last year when she says she was attacked by a deputy who “violently threw” her to the ground, knocking her unconscious. The 76-year-old deaf woman wasn’t robbing a store or threatening to harm someone—she was crossing the road in a manner unfit for the police state—otherwise known as jaywalking.</div>
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<div id="newsdetail"><p>Walking across the street in a manner not fit for the police state <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/video-cop-loses-tackles-school-kid-chokes-ground-jaywalking/">can often end in serious injury or death</a>— not necessarily because of a car running you over either. The enforcement of jaywalking laws in this country have gone to the extreme and a new lawsuit against the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office proves this notion.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/76-year-old-deaf-woman-sues-Alameda-County-13159009.php">SF Chronicle</a>, attorneys for plaintiff Hui Jie Jin laid out the allegations in a lawsuit filed late last week in Northern District of California. The suit claims Jin suffered a permanent brain injury, along with contusions and abrasions, as a result of what her attorneys called an unlawful arrest.</p>
<p>Named in the suit as defendants are sheriff’s deputy Phillip Corvello, Alameda County, Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern and the city of Dublin. Deputy Corvello is also contracted to work with the Dublin police department who conducted an internal investigation into the case, according to captain Nate Schmidt.</p>
<p>Schmidt explained that jaywalking is not an arrestable offense. However, he said that “there was more than an arrest for jaywalking. Not obeying a lawful order is an arrestable offense, so that’s what we were looking at.”</p>
<p>Because of the lawsuit, Schmidt chose not to go any further into detail. However, given that Jin is deaf, the officer likely escalated violence because she could not understand him barking orders at her.</p>
<p>Indeed, this is what the lawsuit claims. As the SF Chronicle points out:</p>
<blockquote><p>Jin and Corvello first encountered each other on the morning of July 21, 2017, when Jin was out shopping for groceries. The lawsuit claims that Corvello began yelling at Jin while she was allegedly jaywalking, but because Jin is “profoundly deaf” she couldn’t hear or understand his commands.</p>
<p>As Corvello moved closer to her, the suit alleges, Jin pointed to her ear with one hand and waved her hand back and forth with the other to signal that she was deaf.</p>
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<p>“Despite recognizing that Mrs. Jin could not hear or understand him, Officer Corvello made no attempts to effectively communicate with Mrs. Jin at any point before or during her arrest,” the suit states.</p>
<p>Within minutes of Corvello watching an elderly deaf woman cross the road with her groceries, Jin found herself surrounded by police — for jaywalking. As officers arrived, they searched Jin and all of her groceries. During the search, Jin produced her California identification card, disabled senior citizen bus pass, and a handwritten card with the name and phone number of Jin’s daughter for emergencies.</p>
<p>According to the lawsuit, Jin was terrified and begged the cops not to hurt her but this was to no avail.</p>
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<p>“Mrs. Jin was terrified, but at no point did she resist arrest or attempt to flee, nor could she due to her age and disabilities,” the complaint states. Jin prayed and repeatedly bowed in front of Corvello “in order to beg … for mercy and not to hurt her.”</p>
<p>However, according to the suit, Corvello was having nothing of it. This elderly deaf woman had been caught jaywalking so he was going to take her down.</p>
<p>According to the suit, Corvello then attacked the 76-year-old deaf woman and slammed her to the ground. He then put his boot on her back as she was handcuffed. The trauma was so rough for Jin that she passed out.</p>
<p>The suit alleges multiple violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, negligence, and deprivation of Jin’s civil rights.</p>
<p>According to the lawsuit, Jin was given a citation for jaywalking and resisting arrest. However, none of this paperwork exists and no charges were filed, the suit says.</p>
<p>Jin is now seeking an unspecified amount in damages and is asking that the department be trained in how not to beat up elderly deaf women for jaywalking. Rest assured that the taxpayers of Alameda County will now be held responsible for the brutal cop who assaulted a 76-year-old woman.</p>
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</div> WATCH: COPS SHOOT, KILL ‘GOOD SAMARITAN’ FATHER AND VETERAN FOR TRYING TO BREAK UP FIGHTtag:12160.info,2018-07-02:2649739:Topic:17934132018-07-02T23:51:16.033ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/watch-cops-shoot-kill-good-samaritan-father-and-veteran-for-trying-to-break-up-fight/">THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
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<p>Portland, OR – A community is outraged after a father and U.S. Navy veteran was shot and killed by police while witnesses claim he was…</p>
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<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/watch-cops-shoot-kill-good-samaritan-father-and-veteran-for-trying-to-break-up-fight/">THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
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<p>Portland, OR – A community is outraged after a father and U.S. Navy veteran was shot and killed by police while witnesses claim he was trying to break up a fight, but when his handgun fell out of its holster and he reached to pick it up, police did not hesitate to open fire on him.</p>
<p>Jason E. Washington, 45, will be remembered as a beloved father of three daughters who married his high school sweetheart, served in the Navy, and was working as a U.S. postal worker. He was also the only one who attempted to break up a fight that broke out on a street corner in downtown Portland while nearby police did nothing to help.</p>
<p>Witness Keyaira Smith began filming the encounter, and she <a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-state-officers-administrative-leave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Oregon Public Broadcasting that she believes Washington was just “<strong><em>trying to be a good Samaritan</em></strong>” by attempting to break up the fight, and when two Portland State University Police officers approached the scene, they “<em>did not appear to try to stop the fight</em>.”</p>
<p>The video shows Washington attempting to corral a man in a blue shirt, who Smith said was responsible for starting the conflict because he was using racial slurs against a Black man nearby.</p>
<p><em>“The guy in blue had used some racial slurs earlier when they were in the street kiddy corner to where they were in this video and that’s what brought it to this point, and started the whole thing,”</em> Smith said.</p>
<p>At one point, the handgun Washington was carrying in a holster on his right hip becomes visible, and then Washington tripped.</p>
<p><em>“The gun slipped out of the holster when he had fallen, and I think he may have tried to retrieve it,”</em>Smith said. “<strong><em>Then they said ‘gun</em></strong><em>.’”</em><em> </em></p>
<p>As is the case with numerous officer-involved shootings across the country, when an officer yells the word “<em>GUN</em>,” it is used as a warning sign to let other officers know that a suspect is armed and in many cases it serves as justification for the officers who open fire seconds later, before they can accurately ascertain whether they saw an actual gun or the person with the gun was attempting to harm them or anyone else.</p>
<p>The officer opened fire immediately and struck Washington—the good Samaritan whose only participation in the fight was his attempt to stop it from happening.</p>
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<p><strong>“<em>There was absolutely no hesitation at all. [The officer] went straight for his gun</em>,” Smith said, noting that at the time he was shot, Washington had his back turned to police.</strong><strong> </strong></p>
<p>The officers responsible for the shooting have been identified as Shawn McKenzie and James Dewey. In response to the incident, Portland State University President Rahmat Shoureshi released a statement promising that the campus public safety chief would conduct an internal review of the shooting, and action would be taken accordingly.</p>
<p><em>“I want to express my concern about the fatal officer-involved shooting early this morning,”</em>Shoureshi said. <em>“I know there are many questions about the incident, and we want to keep you informed as best we can … I have asked our Campus Public Safety Chief to conduct a thorough internal assessment and evaluation of this incident as well as our policies and procedures.”</em></p>
<p>Washington’s death has left his family heartbroken. His friend, Alyssa LeCesne, <a href="https://articles-oregonlive-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/articles.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/06/man_killed_by_portland_state_p.amp?usqp=mq331AQECAE4AQ%3D%3D&amp_js_v=0.1#referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Oregon Live that Washington will be remembered as “<em>an upstanding man who was proud to have helped raise a household full of women</em>,” and he is leaving behind his wife, three daughters and a 5-year-old granddaughter who “<em>worshipped the ground he walked on</em>.”</p>
<p>“<strong><em>There are a lot of people in Portland grieving right now,”</em></strong> LeCesne said</p>
</div> HORRIFYING VIDEO SHOWS COPS SHOOT AND KILL FLEEING BOY TO STOP HIM FROM RUNNING AWAYtag:12160.info,2018-06-20:2649739:Topic:17895612018-06-20T17:25:34.154ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/horrifying-video-shows-cops-shoot-and-kill-fleeing-boy-to-stop-him-from-running-away/">THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
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<p>Pittsburgh, PA — An extremely disturbing video was shared with the Free Thought Project Tuesday night which shows Allegheny County Police…</p>
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<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/horrifying-video-shows-cops-shoot-and-kill-fleeing-boy-to-stop-him-from-running-away/">THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
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<p>Pittsburgh, PA — An extremely disturbing video was shared with the Free Thought Project Tuesday night which shows Allegheny County Police in East Pittsburgh shoot and kill a 17-year-old boy as he fled a traffic stop on foot. The boy was a passenger in a vehicle that had been stopped by police.</p>
<p>According to police, they responded to calls of a shooting in the neighborhood of North Braddock. When they arrived, they found a 22-year-old man who’d been shot and witnesses reported a vehicle fleeing the scene.</p>
<p>“At approximately 8:20 PM, County 9-1-1 received multiple calls reporting that shots were fired and that a male had been shot in the 800 block of Kirkpatrick Avenue,” police said. “Callers reported that a vehicle was seen fleeing the scene, and were able to provide a description of that vehicle. North Braddock Police and paramedics responded and found a 22-year-old male who had been shot. He was been transported to a local trauma center where he was treated and released.”</p>
<p>Police then found a vehicle <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/officers-mistake-teen-taser-assault/">fitting the description</a> of the car which allegedly fled the scene, so they pulled over the driver. As police were placing the driver into handcuffs, the 17-year-old child and another person exited the vehicle and took off running. This decision would prove to be fatal for the 17-year-old.</p>
<p>For no reason, police then opened fire on the two fleeing suspects. The 17-year-old boy was shot in the back and he immediately fell to the ground.</p>
<p>After two shots are heard, the person recording the video gasps and can be heard saying, “why are they shooting at him? … Why are they shooting? All they did was run and they’re shooting at them?”</p>
<p>According to Allegheny County Police:</p>
<blockquote><p>Information on the vehicle that fled the North Braddock scene was put out over the air for neighboring police departments to assist/respond. An East Pittsburgh police officer saw a vehicle matching the description on Grandview Avenue which also had ballistics damage to the rear window. The officer stopped the vehicle near Grandview and Howard Street in East Pittsburgh. The officer took the driver into custody. While he was putting the driver into handcuffs, two other occupants ran from the car. One individual – a 17-year-old male – was shot by police. He was transported to McKeesport Hospital where he was declared deceased. Further information on the deceased, including name, will be released by the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner once formal identification has been made and the next of kin notified.</p>
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<p>To show how unnecessary the shooting was, police are asking for the third person—who escaped—to turn himself in to let them know what happened.</p>
<p>“ACPD Superintendent Coleman McDonough is asking that he turn himself in so that he can give a comprehensive description of what occurred this evening,” police said in the press release.</p>
<p>“Anyone having information on these incidents, or video of any portion of the incidents, is asked to contact the Allegheny County Police Department. Callers to the ACPD Tip Line can remain anonymous – the number is 833.ALL.TIPS (833.255.8477). The department can also be reached via its social media sites,” the county police department said. In a Facebook post, the department added, “Please note that information is still being gathered regarding these incidents and is subject to change. Additional information will be provided as we are able.”</p>
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<p>Indicating that the boy who was shot was unarmed, police have not stated whether or not they found a weapon on the scene. Rest assured, had there been a weapon, they would have stated this fact immediately. Also, according to witnesses the boy was unarmed.</p>
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<p class="Tweet-text e-entry-title" lang="en" dir="ltr" xml:lang="en">TWO WOUNDED: After a shooting in North Braddock and then shots fired after police pull over the suspect’s car in East Pittsburgh. Stay with <a href="https://twitter.com/KDKA" class="PrettyLink profile customisable h-card" dir="ltr"><span class="PrettyLink-prefix">@</span><span class="PrettyLink-value">KDKA</span></a> for updates.</p>
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<p>As the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette<a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2018/06/19/North-Braddock-East-Pittsburgh-officer-involved-shooting/stories/201806190176"> reports,</a> Pennsylvania law allows police officers to use deadly force to prevent someone from escaping arrest if that person has committed a forcible felony, possesses a deadly weapon or if the person has indicated he or she will endanger human life or inflict bodily injury if not arrested.</p>
<p>Whether or not this person posed a threat remains unknown. Even if this draconian law was used, as the police report states, officers on the scene couldn’t have known whether or not this boy had committed a crime—nor did they have enough time to deduce whether or not he was imminent threat to others.</p>
<p>In the video below, what we see is a classic case of shoot first and ask questions later. Sadly, this cost a young man his life.</p>
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</p> In Just Under 2 Hours, A Single Police Department Shot and Killed Three Peopletag:12160.info,2018-06-20:2649739:Topic:17895562018-06-20T15:47:09.085ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
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<p>Kansas City, MO – Last week, three people were shot and killed by officers with the Kansas City Police Department within the span of just two hours, sparking outrage in the community and forcing the department to reassess their policy in regards to use of lethal force.</p>
<p>The<span> </span><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article213207719.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first shooting</a><span> </span>happened near the 3800 block of North Jackson when police shot a woman who was allegedly wielding a sword. Despite the fact that the woman was isolated and engaged in a standoff with no hostages, police shot her anyway, taking her life. The<span> </span><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article213215464.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next shooting</a><span> </span>occurred less than an hour later, and police have released even fewer details about this incident, saying only that they responded to a report of a disturbance, where there was a fight,<span> </span><em>“possibly about a golf cart.”</em></p>
<p>In this incident, police killed two of the people involved, but have not released a detailed statement about what transpired.</p>
<p>Captain Lionel Colón said in a statement that the officers had “<em>no other option than to use deadly force.”</em></p>
<p><em>“KCPD understands the concern when deadly force is used. We study the science behind its use. We train accordingly over and over again to thoroughly prepare ourselves,”</em><span> </span>he said.</p>
<p>As is the case with essentially every police department in the United States, Kansas City police believe that they have the power to be judge, jury, and executioner if a particular situation does not go exactly the way they want it to, or if a suspect refuses to obey their every command.</p>
<p>The website for the Kansas City Police Department states that its officers are<span> </span><em>“authorized to use deadly force in order to protect themselves or others from what they reasonably believe is an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm.”</em></p>
<p>However, in the vast majority of cases where people are shot by police, they are actually not posing a threat to anyone’s life, they are simply disobeying an officer’s orders or trying to run and hide to evade arrest. Sadly, in many cases, victims of police violence haven’t even hurt anyone—many of them are just nonviolent drug offenders who don’t want to be taken away and put in a cage for something that shouldn’t even be illegal.</p>
<p><strong>If police actually only used force in situations where someone posed a threat, it is likely that these types of conversations and criticisms would not even exist.</strong></p>
<p>Due to the Kansas City Police Department’s history of excessive force, the city has attempted to make some policy measures to appease residents who are concerned about the violence, but these measures have not had much of an impact on how police do business.</p>
<p>According to KCUR, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker created a use of force committee in 2012, amid controversy about unnecessary police violence.</p>
<p><em>“We spend a significant greater amount of time than we used to talking to victim’s families, helping them understand our process. These particular cases, among all cases I look at, bear the greatest burden for community on whether or not they trust a process,</em>” Baker said.</p>
<p>It seems at this point, in Kansas City and the rest of the United States, that people have absolutely no reason to trust in the legal system and its enforcers, and if anything, efforts by government agents like Baker are doing more harm than good. It sounds like Baker is more interested in making victims of police violence more comfortable with the legal process, instead of actually ending the violence.</p>
<p>Local activist Damon Daniel with Ad Hoc Group Against Crime pointed out that police escalation of violence is at the heart of this issue.<br/><em><br/>“<strong>Often officers use the excuse that they felt they were threatened. Well, if they are maintaining distance, how much of a threat can that person be?</strong>“</em><span> </span>Daniel said.</p>
<p><em>“We certainly want law enforcement to return home safely, but we also want them to protect us even when we are perhaps in not in our right minds or on the right side of the law,”</em><span> </span>he added.</p>
<p>This point highlights one of the major problems with police in the U.S. They enter into situations seeking complete obedience, and if they don’t immediately receive it, they will escalate the situation to violence. If they were really concerned with helping people, de-escalation would be their top priority, and they would do everything in their power to subdue people peacefully, even at the risk of letting them escape.</p> COPS RAID CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S HOME AFTER HE EXPOSED THEIR CORRUPTIONtag:12160.info,2018-06-09:2649739:Topic:17864072018-06-09T19:48:28.635ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/exclusive-cops-raid-city-council-presidents-home-after-he-exposed-their-corruption/">THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Masontown, PA – When the president of the city council learned about theft committed by the local police and began calling for an audit of the department over “<em>seemingly corrupt and…</em></div>
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<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE:<span> </span><a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/exclusive-cops-raid-city-council-presidents-home-after-he-exposed-their-corruption/">THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Masontown, PA – When the president of the city council learned about theft committed by the local police and began calling for an audit of the department over “<em>seemingly corrupt and unethical actions,</em>” police responded by raiding his home and stealing from his property.</div>
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<div id="newsdetail"><p>John Stoffa told The Free Thought Project that he raised his concerns about <a href="http://triblive.com/news/fayette/8639752-74/police-kelly-shotgun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">past theft </a>within the department at a city council meeting in January, and he openly called for an audit. Days after the meeting, in what is now alleged be a clear act of retaliation, Stoffa’s home was raided by police.</p>
<p>Stoffa said he believes the invasion of his home and confiscation of his property is a blatant attempt to prevent the police department from being audited. The council president’s home was searched by three officers—two from Masontown and one from Cumberland Township. They confiscated his son’s Ipad, his iPhone, CD’s and DVD’s, a couple of Sony memory sticks, his home computer, and three USB hard drives.</p>
<p><em><strong>“They could have planted something for all I know,”</strong></em> Stoffa told TFTP. <em>“But we got it back. My attorney has it now.”</em></p>
<p>He also noted that even though the council has voted in favor of an audit, it has yet to begin. <em>“They never began the audit. We actually voted to do the audit after they raided my home,”</em> he said.</p>
<p>We asked Stoffa why he believes he was targeted by the police and he said, <em><strong>“because I was the most vocal about them. Nobody else questioned their practices, they kinda just did what they wanted.”</strong></em></p>
<p>When asked why he was so concerned about auditing the police department, Stoffa told us it is because he has <em>“heard too many stories of people’s Constitutional rights being abused by this bunch [of cops].”</em> Now he can relate.</p>
<p>There is a disagreement between Mayor Toni Petrus and the Masontown council over who actually has authority over the police department. <em>“Since we hire, and fire, and promote within the police department I believe we [the council] have the authority to audit the police department,”</em> Stoffa said.</p>
<p>To date, no charges have been filed against Stoffa for any incriminating evidence found in his possessions. He and his lawyers filed a motion to quash the search warrant and return his property for the—as he sees it—politically motivated violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.</p>
<p>Stoffa is now suing the Borough, the Masontown Police Department, Police Chief Joe Ryan, the mayor, the ex-council president, and the police officers involved in the perceived illegal raid of his home. Per the civil rights lawsuit, he’s asking for damages to be determined by a jury as demanded by Stoffa’s attorney, Charity Krupa.</p>
<p>When asked if he felt intimidated by the raid, Stoffa said he was <em>“pretty sick, pretty upset,”</em> and had <em>“trouble sleeping for a while.”</em></p>
<p><em><strong>“The Attorney General’s Office is handling the investigation now. The DA’s office stepped aside and turned it over to the Attorney General,”</strong></em> Stoffa told TFTP.</p>
<p>Stoffa said police had no probable cause to investigate him as he had committed no crime, was not in the process of committing a crime and was not planning on committing a crime. He acknowledged that it could have been worse, and said he is thankful that his wife and son were not home at the time of the raid.</p>
<p>The Masontown council has placed the audit on pause. Stoffa said he believes the police raid of his property acted as a warning, and as a result, <em><strong>“They have everyone afraid of retaliation, afraid their house will get raided.”</strong></em></p>
<p>Stoffa also said there is a lot of shady business dealings going on in Masontown. For instance, he claimed the police chief’s wife has a cleaning contract— for at least $550 per month—to clean the Borough office building and police station in what looks like a case of nepotism. The Police Association Fund is also being questioned by Stoffa. He said the Borough has no idea how much money is in the fund, how it is raised, or how it is spent.</p>
<p>Stoffa said he also wants a copy of the “Policies and Procedures” manual the police department has. <em>“For some reason, it’s a secret here,”</em> he said, adding that while he has seen it, neither he, the council, nor the public have access to it.</p>
<p>Krupa asked for a copy of it as well but was told Stoffa would have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. <em><strong>“Until we get these issues resolved, I’m going to keep pushing,”</strong></em> Stoffa vowed.</p>
<p>As The Free Thought Project has <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/city-council-candidate-harassed-raided-fighting-police-corruption/">reported,</a> John Stoffa is not the first citizen to attempt to work with the local city council to bring about change in his community. A homeowner in Green Bay, Wisconsin, decided to run for city council on the platform of police accountability after he claimed he was harassed and later assaulted by officers, and his home was raided with no probable cause. He hung a banner on his property that said, <em>“We pray for NO MORE RAIDS ON INNOCENT FAMILIES AND HOMES AGAIN!”</em></p>
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<h3>SHARE THIS ARTICLE...</h3> VIDEO REVEALS POLICE ARE LYING, SHOWS COP TRY TO SHOOT DOG AND KILL INNOCENT MOM INSTEADtag:12160.info,2018-05-27:2649739:Topic:17821552018-05-27T13:18:31.651ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE: <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/video-reveals-police-are-lying-shows-cop-try-to-shoot-dog-and-kill-innocent-mom-instead/">MATT AGORIST @ FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Burlington, IA — On Thursday, during a federal court hearing in Davenport, Iowa, officials revealed that the confidential police video—a key piece of evidence in exonerating a cop who…</div>
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<div id="newsheader"><h2>SOURCE: <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/video-reveals-police-are-lying-shows-cop-try-to-shoot-dog-and-kill-innocent-mom-instead/">MATT AGORIST @ FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></h2>
<div class="div_clear">(<a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/join-us/">Support Free Thought</a>) - Burlington, IA — On Thursday, during a federal court hearing in Davenport, Iowa, officials revealed that the confidential police video—a key piece of evidence in exonerating a cop who killed an innocent mom—does not collaborate the cop’s claims that he was bitten by a dog before firing the fatal shots that accidentally killed the mother of two.</div>
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<div id="newsdetail"><p>As TFTP previously <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/body-cam-footage-shows-police-officer-attempt-shoot-family-dog-kill-mother/">reported,</a> the Burlington police department released a 12-second clip from a Burlington Police officer’s body cam showing him shooting and killing Autumn Steele.</p>
<p>The alleged dog bite is a key component in the case which allowed police officer Jesse Hill to be justified in firing the shots that killed Steele in January of 2015. According to the official story, the German shepherd jumped on Hill’s back and bit his thigh, causing him injuries which required treatment.</p>
<p>The shooting was justified and Hill not disciplined, according to investigators, because Hill was in fear of his life during the dog attack and therefore did nothing wrong when he fired his weapon multiple times—<strong>missing the dog entirely, and hitting Steele in her chest, killing her.</strong></p>
<p>There is only one problem though, according to the family’s attorney, the video does not show any of this. Police have refused to release the entire video which they say does show it. However, those who have seen the whole video, say <strong>it never shows any such bite.</strong> As the Des Moines Register <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2018/05/24/burlington-police-shooting-autumn-steele-jesse-hill/641963002/?action_object_map=%5B1710411865704679%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.comments%22%5D&fb_action_ids=1540008072795522&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=other_multiline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports:</a></p>
<blockquote><p>In a separate legal battle, the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Burlington Police Department have been charged with violating the state’s open records law for refusing to release the full video, saying it is part of an investigative record and is confidential.</p>
<p>The video was not played in open court Thursday. But Chief Judge James Gritzner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa allowed attorneys in the case to describe pieces of the unreleased footage.</p>
<p><strong>Not only does the unreleased video show no bite, but Hill never says that he had been bitten</strong> — a direct contrast to what he wrote later in his report, Dave O’Brien, a Cedar Rapids attorney who represents the Steele family, said during the hearing.</p>
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<p><em>“This is a tragic case. This officer acted in a way that was entirely unreasonable,”</em> O’Brien said in Thursday’s hearing.</p>
<p>The Steele family and the city of Burlington asked Judge Gritzner to consider these facts and issue a summary judgement in their favor which would decide the case without the need for a trial. However, the judge said he would issue his ruling at a later date.</p>
<p>The tragic incident unfolded that fateful January day as Gabriel Steele, Autumn’s husband, was loading up their 4-year-old son, when Autumn began yelling at Gabriel.</p>
<p><em>“He’s got my kid!”</em> yells Autumn.</p>
<p>Officer Hill was at the Steele residence acting as an escort in their domestic dispute incident. During this commotion, the couple’s dog came running out of the house.</p>
<p><em>“Hey, hey, quit fighting, stop it,”</em> says Hill.</p>
<p>In the video, we can hear the dog growl, at which point Hill says, <em>“Get your dog.”</em> Only moments later, Hill fired off two rounds, completely missing the dog.</p>
<p>However, one of the shots struck and killed Autumn Steele.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GYtnB0obnSc?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p>The dog was not hit, nor did it have to be shot for Hill to “make it home to his family” that night.</p>
<p>As this current case illustrates, since the killing, the Burlington Police Department and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation have been anything but transparent in this investigation.</p>
<p>Other than releasing the ridiculously short 12-second video, the DCI, the BPD, and the Des Moines County Attorney’s office have <a href="https://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Body-cam-0324515">denied requests </a>for all other portions of the investigation.</p>
<p>Shortly after the killing, Des Moines County Attorney, Amy Beavers released a seven-page report detailing the reasons why Officer Hill will <strong>not face charges for killing Autumn Steele.</strong></p>
<p>According to a report out of the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/03/07/burlington-shooting-jesse-hill/24549293/">Des Moines Register</a> at the time:</p>
<blockquote><p>Beaver’s report makes reference to her rationale for not charging Hill with crimes that clearly aren’t supported by the evidence, such as felony involuntary manslaughter, which requires the commission of some other crime at the time of the homicide, and murder. Her report makes no mention of misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter, which is imposed in cases where a “person unintentionally causes the death of another person by the commission of an act in a manner likely to cause death or serious injury.”</p>
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<p>In her report, Beaver cited the fact that Hill is a police officer. Beaver says that he was in a difficult situation in which he was trying to stop a domestic dispute as well as protect himself from a dog. Being that he was a police officer, in this situation, he is entitled to special treatment, according to Beaver.</p>
<p>Does Beaver’s logic make any sense at all?</p>
<p>This was a clear-cut case of one person negligently taking the life of another person and now, we are finding out that there is a cover up.</p>
<p>Try to imagine a situation in which a non-police officer shoots and kills their neighbor in their front yard, either accidentally or not. Then try to imagine this non-police officer escaping any and all accountability. <strong>It would not happen.</strong></p>
<p>What’s more, the fact that the dog was secured without needing to be killed, illustrates the unnecessary actions of the officer.</p>
<p>Police officers are supposedly highly trained professionals, prepped to make hasty decisions in volatile situations. This is a claim that we hear all the time from the police themselves as well as supporters. Being able to make this claim means that holding them less accountable than the average citizen, should never occur—especially when they are caught lying.</p>
<p>Because of their monopoly on the use of force, cops should be held to a much higher standard of conduct than the average citizen. Unfortunately, this is almost never the case.</p>
</div> PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS OUTRAGE OVER TSA GROPING CAN NOW BE PUT ON A WATCHLISTtag:12160.info,2018-05-19:2649739:Topic:17796802018-05-19T16:14:24.328ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4">Published: May 18, 2018</div>
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<div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><div id="newsheader"><h2><span style="font-size: 10pt;">SOURCE: <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/special-watchlist-created-people-upset-tsa-agents/">JOHN VIBES, THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT…</a></span></h2>
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<div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4">Published: May 18, 2018</div>
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<div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><div id="newsheader"><h2><span style="font-size: 10pt;">SOURCE: <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/special-watchlist-created-people-upset-tsa-agents/">JOHN VIBES, THE FREE THOUGHT PROJECT</a></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1800344555?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1800344555?profile=original" width="400" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
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<div id="newsdetail"><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS OUTRAGE OVER TSA GROPING CAN NOW BE PUT ON A WATCHLIST</strong></p>
<p>The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is forming a new watchlist specifically for people who give its agents a hard time during security screenings, and are deemed “<em>unruly</em>” passengers who act in ways that TSA agents find “<em>offensive</em>.”</p>
<p>The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/us/politics/new-watch-list-tsa-screeners-.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> a five-page directive recently published by the agency announcing the establishment of the watchlist or “<em>95 list</em>,” which is a new program that began in February.</p>
<p>The directive, which was reportedly issued by Darby LaJoye, TSA’s assistant administrator for security operations, states that <em>“<strong>An intent to injure or cause physical pain is not required, nor is an actual physical injury</strong>.”</em></p>
<p>The criteria that could land a person on the list is extremely vague and could include anything from loitering near the checkpoint to having a verbal altercation with a TSA agent. The directive also suggested that anyone who presents “<em>challenges to the safe and effective completion of screening</em>” could be added to the list.</p>
<p>On Thursday, Congress asked the agency to reveal more details about the watchlist and to notify the people who have been added to it. Until the report from the Times, the agency did not reveal any details to the public, even those who are on the list.</p>
<p>During a House of Representatives Homeland Security hearing, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey said, <em>“TSA has an important job to do, and I want TSA officers to be safe and secure. What I don’t want—what I think no American would want —is an excuse for unfair, secret profiling that doesn’t even offer a chance for people to contest their name appearing on such a list.”</em></p>
<p>TSA Deputy Chief Counsel Kelly Wheaton said in a recent statement that there <strong>only 50 people</strong> on the list, but two other government security officials told the Times under the condition of anonymity that there are likely many more people on this list.</p>
<p>TSA spokesman Matthew F. Leas said in a statement that the agency <em>“wants to ensure there are safeguards in place to protect Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) and others from any individual who has previously exhibited disruptive or assaultive behavior at a screening checkpoint and is scheduled to fly.”</em></p>
<p>While this list does not prevent a passenger from flying, it does mark them as a potential target for searches or detainment if they continue to behave in ways that agents find suspicious.</p>
<p>It seems obvious that this new measure is targeting activists who object to TSA overreach or “<em>opt out</em>” during screenings. The TSA has been incredibly controversial since its inception, and there is a large segment of the US population who find ways to protest the agency every time they fly. It is very likely that this is the type of “<em>disruptive</em>” or “<em>unruly</em>” behavior that this new list is seeking to identify and single out.</p>
<p>Most of the formal watchlists that agencies like the TSA have had in place for years have been shown to have massive problems, but no changes have made, and countless names are added to these lists each year. In some cases, <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/police-state-fear-runs-rampant-7-month-old-baby-put-terrorist-watch-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">children</a> have been added to watchlists, and in other cases, <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/72-homeland-security-employees-terror-watch-list-tsa-95-fail-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TSA employees</a>themselves have ended up on these lists. In 2016, The Free Thought Project <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/he-sleeper-citizens-put-terror-watchlist-midemeanors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that calling the police or having a misdemeanor on your criminal record could land you on a watchlist.</p>
<p>There is plenty of reason for people to protest the TSA, as we report on a regular basis—its agents commit horrific acts against travelers and not just the <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/tsa-enhanced-groping-invasive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasive groping</a> that everyone is subject to. TSA agents have been caught stealing from travelers, <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/tsa-indicted-cocaine-conspiracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">smuggling drugs</a>, and committing <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/video-police-tsa-brutalizing-st-jude-patient/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outright assault</a>.</p>
<p>This could soon be a problem that affects more than just air travelers, considering recent reports of the <a href="https://thefreethoughtproject.com/conspiracy-theorist-tsa-increase-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TSA expanding</a> to bus and train stations as well as large-scale events.</p>
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</div> Hundreds of DHS badges, guns, cell phones lost or stolen since 2012tag:12160.info,2016-01-28:2649739:Topic:16093362016-01-28T22:51:21.029ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
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<p> Hundreds of badges, credentials, cell phones and guns belonging to Department of Homeland Security employees have been lost or stolen in recent years — raising serious security concerns about the potential damage these missing items could do in the wrong hands.</p>
<p>Inventory reports, obtained by the news site …</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1800336649?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1800336649?profile=original" width="640" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p> Hundreds of badges, credentials, cell phones and guns belonging to Department of Homeland Security employees have been lost or stolen in recent years — raising serious security concerns about the potential damage these missing items could do in the wrong hands.</p>
<p>Inventory reports, obtained by the news site <a href="http://completecolorado.com/pagetwo/2016/01/27/u-s-homeland-security-loses-1300-badges-and-credentials-in-31-months/" target="_blank">Complete Colorado</a> and shared with FoxNews.com, show that over 1,300 badges, 165 firearms and 589 cell phones were lost or stolen over the span of 31 months between 2012 and 2015.</p>
<p>The majority of the credentials belonged to employees of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while others belonged to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees.</p>
<p>The lost or stolen guns also mostly belonged to CBP employees, though others were cited as belonging to TSA and ICE workers. The agencies all fall under DHS.</p>
<p>The missing badges and guns suggest a shocking lack of security from federal law enforcement officers and represent a significant security risk, experts say.</p>
<p>“It’s scary that you’d have that number of credentials out there that someone could manipulate,” Tim Miller, a retired Secret Service special agent, told FoxNews.com.</p>
<p>While Miller said the phones are likely to have enough protocols in place to prevent them from being used for nefarious purposes, the badges and credentials are an entirely different matter and could allow access to sensitive areas such as cargo.</p>
<p>“The thing that’s particularly concerning is that if you get real credentials, it’s very easy to manipulate them, and you’ve got someone else’s picture on what law enforcement would see as valid,” Miller said. “Then you factor in terrorism, it’s a significant concern that people would run around with authentic credentials and be able to access areas they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access.”</p>
<p>When reached for comment, DHS did not dispute the inventory report data — which Complete Colorado, a Colorado-based online news site, had obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. The reporter who obtained the data also works with Denver-based free-market think tank the Independence Institute.</p>
<p>In a statement to FoxNews.com, a DHS spokesman said they strive to be “good stewards of government resources” and have improved oversight and reduced the number of lost or stolen items over the past few years.</p>
<p>“If a credential holder loses or has their credentials stolen, the holder must report the incident to their supervisor and credential issuance office immediately,” spokesman Justin Greenberg said. “Once the incident has been reported, this information is entered into appropriate DHS and law enforcement databases, which disables use of the lost or stolen item.”</p>
<p>He also noted that DHS encrypts all mobile devices, laptops and tablets.</p>
<p>Miller said officials need to be doing more, considering the sheer number of guns and badges that have been lost or stolen.</p>
<p>Lawmakers also have expressed concern about the safety of DHS property in the past. In December, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved legislation that would tighten screening of TSA workers, review security protocols and increase fines and enforcement requirements related to missing credentials.</p>
<p>The legislation was put forward after members of the committee <a href="http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/442589c9-1e39-4b69-93ec-481499588c6c/1FE3B4690A30DEE6F65D37BD23ED09C8.tsa-sida-badge-letter-3-17-15-signed.pdf" target="_blank">wrote to TSA officials</a> in March expressing concern about reports of unaccounted TSA badges, and the reported use of badges to bypass security checkpoints.</p>
<p>“Officials entrusted with protecting the American public cannot consider the loss of sensitive items normal or routine,” Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the committee, told FoxNews.com.</p>
<p>“When the Commerce Committee looked at lost and missing airport security credentials, we discovered that existing rules weren’t being effectively enforced. Mistakes happen, but if we don’t work to eliminate them and insist on accountability, then we’re left with unacceptable risk,” Thune said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/01/27/hundreds-dhs-badges-guns-cell-phones-lost-or-stolen-since-2012.html" target="_blank">Adam Shaw</a></p> Cops Seized Over $107,000 From Couple, Didn’t Charge Them With a Crimetag:12160.info,2015-12-28:2649739:Topic:16035212015-12-28T18:52:56.853ZCentral Scrutinizerhttps://12160.info/profile/H0llyw00d
<p><a href="http://govtslaves.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/police-state-350x220.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://govtslaves.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/police-state-350x220.jpg"></img></a> </p>
<p>A Massachusetts couple has been <a href="http://www.qconline.com/news/crime/couple-says-seized-cash-was-insurance-sales-proceeds/article_957b6827-510f-5bd7-9cf9-418cc17f419b.html">fighting for three years</a> to regain cash they say was wrongfully seized from them. In October 2012, the Illinois State Police pulled over Adam and Jennifer Perry for speeding as they were…</p>
<p><a href="http://govtslaves.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/police-state-350x220.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://govtslaves.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/police-state-350x220.jpg" class="align-center"/></a> </p>
<p>A Massachusetts couple has been <a href="http://www.qconline.com/news/crime/couple-says-seized-cash-was-insurance-sales-proceeds/article_957b6827-510f-5bd7-9cf9-418cc17f419b.html">fighting for three years</a> to regain cash they say was wrongfully seized from them. In October 2012, the Illinois State Police pulled over Adam and Jennifer Perry for speeding as they were driving through Henry County on Interstate 80. The Perrys said they were headed to Salt Lake City, Utah to see a hearing specialist for an ear infection Adam was suffering from.</p>
<p>A drug dog sniffed and indicated on the car. Officers then searched the vehicle and found $107,520 in cash in a suitcase and in Jennifer’s wallet. The Perrys claimed the search was without their consent and without a warrant. According to the officers, they also found a duffel bag that reportedly smelled of marijuana.</p>
<p>No drugs were found in the car, <a href="http://www.qconline.com/archives/judge-says-couple-must-cite-source-of-seized-in-henry/article_c9adab2d-dbf2-5cf6-9f78-68fb5925321d.html">nor did the government file criminal charges</a> against the Perrys. Nevertheless, officers seized the cash and eventually transferred it to the federal government.</p>
<p>In a letter filed earlier this month, Adam claims that the taken cash came from savings and disability settlements and payments. “Our faith in the United States legal system has been shaken. Why are officer’s [<em>sic</em>] allowed to be judge, jury and executioner on the side of the road?” the Perrys asked in a 2013 response to federal prosecutors.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, their case is not unique. An extensive investigation by <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2014/09/06/stop-and-seize/"><em>The Washington Post</em></a> into one federal forfeiture program found nearly 62,000 cash seizures since 9/11 where police did not use warrants or charge the owners with a crime. Out of those seizures, more than 1,700 were in Illinois alone.</p>
<p>Moreover, for federal civil forfeiture cases, property owners are not presumed innocent and do not have a right to an attorney. With few safeguards, police and prosecutors can profit from forfeiture. Illinois agencies received more than <a href="http://ij.org/pfp-state-pages/pfp-Illinois/">$186 million in federal forfeiture funds</a> between 2000 and 2013 from the U.S. Department of Justice, according to the Institute for Justice’s report, <em><a href="http://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/">Policing for Profit</a></em>.</p>
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<p><a href="http://ij.org/cops-seized-over-107000-from-couple-didnt-charge-them-with-a-crime/" target="_blank">Nick Sibilla</a></p>