~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 23, 2013

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colorado

Unity in the Community anti-violence rally sparks hope for change

Three 8-foot-tall crosses rested against trees in the center of Columbus Park, covered from top to bottom with pieces of paper. On each sheet were handwritten names and ages — one, for example, had these: Vincent Bass, 16; Donnell H. White, 13; Zoey Espinoza, 2.

"It's all the names of people who have died in our community because of violence," said Geri Martinez, who helped coordinate Unity in the Community, an anti-violence and public-awareness event held Saturday in the park on West 38th Avenue in north Denver.

The neighborhood has struggled with violence, particularly gang violence, she said.

Brightly colored thumbtacks pinned the sheets, listing hundreds of names, to the wooden crosses.

"We know we can't stop all the violence," said Dave Romero, pastor of New Beginnings Ministry. "But if we come together, we can slow it down."

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23520418/unity-community-anti-violence-rally-sparks-hope-change

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Jersey

Private force of civilians will serve as eyes and ears in Camden

Funding from state still needed

CHERRY HILL — Camden County freeholders on Thursday night approved a plan for “public safety ambassadors” to bolster the police presence in Camden's business districts.

But the private force, to be made up of 70 to 100 unarmed civilians in fluorescent vests, won't hit the streets until the state provides needed funding, officials noted.

The ambassadors are intended to serve as the Camden County Police Department's eyes and ears in the downtown business district along Broadway, as well as in shopping areas along Haddon and Mount Ephraim avenues, River Road and Federal Street, said Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson.

“They'd provide a highly visible security presence,” said Thomson. “That will free up police officers to be in the city's neighborhoods, doing community policing and more particularly hitting the hot spots.”

“It's part of a larger law enforcement strategy that will allow the Metro Division to focus on policing the neighborhoods,” said county spokesman Dan Keashen.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20130621/NEWS01/306210012/Private-force-civilians-will-serve-eyes-ears-Camden?nclick_check=1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Idaho

Opinion

Police Your Communities

Vandalism costs us all

The recent temperatures sure make it feel like we kind of skipped spring and dove right into summer around these parts. I really enjoy watching people and families get out and enjoy all the outdoor opportunities we are blessed to have in North Idaho. Most people are really good stewards of the natural resources and leave the place better than they found it.

Unfortunately, good weather also brings out mischievous activity as well. Over the last few years the amount of damage and litter on public lands has increased. It appears there is an overall lack of respect for anything that does not directly belong to people. I know most of these folks are of high school age or around that age and I understand that kids do goofy things and the decision process of the brain doesn't always have the elevator going all the way up. I get it, I was a kid too. But, the level of destruction is over the top.

In the past few weeks we have had signs and toilets shot up on our Sportsmen's Access sites. We have gates shot, buildings and equipment shot, live trees cut down and large amounts of litter left behind. We have people using the woods as a shooting gallery with the new rage of shooting down live sapling trees. It's a blatant disrespect for public property and complete lack of understanding of who pays for the up keep of that area.

http://riverjournal.com/vivvo/outdoors/2680-gametrail_vandalism_haag_062013.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the FBI

Top Ten at 500
Two New Fugitives Added to List

The FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program—an iconic symbol of the Bureau's crime-fighting ability recognized around the world—has reached a milestone with the naming of the 500th fugitive to the Top Ten list.

Jose Manuel Garcia Guevara and Walter Lee Williams—numbers 499 and 500, respectively—are the latest fugitives to be named to the list that was established more than six decades ago and has included notorious criminals such as bank robber Willie Sutton, serial killer Ted Bundy, Centennial Park bomber Eric Ruldoph, and terrorist Osama bin Laden. Update: Walter Lee Williams has been captured. (6/19/13)

During a ceremony held today near FBI Headquarters at the Newseum—a museum dedicated to news and journalism (see sidebar)—FBI Assistant Director of Public Affairs Mike Kortan noted, “The Top Ten program relies heavily on the help of citizens and the media. Without their help over the years, the FBI could not have located many of these individuals.”

Between the two of them, the fugitives named today are wanted for a combination of crimes including rape, murder, and the sexual exploitation of children. Rewards are being offered for information leading to the apprehension of both men.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2013/june/top-ten-at-500-two-new-fugitives-added-to-list/top-ten-at-500-two-new-fugitives-added-to-list

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 22, 2013

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

California

Christopher Dorner's firing from LAPD defended

Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer who went on a killing rampage he said was motivated to clear his name, was properly fired after using the internal Los Angeles Police Department system to try to stay on the force, police officials said Friday.

In a report to the Police Commission, Police Chief Charlie Beck and Inspector General Alexander Bustamante said the department followed all the correct procedures in removing Dorner from the department in 2009 after he filed a false complaint against a training officer, accusing her of kicking a suspect who had been restrained.

Beck had ordered the review after Dorner's manifesto, a 17-page document called "Last Resort," raised questions over the procedures used in his firing.

Dorner is believed to have committed suicide when he was cornered inside a Big Bear cabin following a killing spree in which he had allegedly murdered the daughter of the attorney who had represented him and her fiance, as well as killing two other police officers and wounding three others.

http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_23513725/christopher-dorners-firing-from-lapd-defended

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edward Snowden extradition attempts 'could take years'

Hong Kong legal experts say US could face lengthy diplomatic and legal process to try NSA whistleblower in American court

Any attempt by the US to extradite the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden from Hong Kong for espionage could take years and be blocked by China, legal experts have said.

The warning comes after it emerged on Friday that the US has charged Snowden with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorised person. The latter two charges are part of the US Espionage Act.

Legislators in Hong Kong responded by calling for mainland China to intervene in the case. Snowden, 29, who is reportedly in hiding in Hong Kong, was last seen on 10 June. He is understood to have made contact with human rights lawyers in anticipation of a legal action from the US.

The US and Hong Kong have had an extradition treaty since 1998, a year after Hong Kong was transferred from British to Chinese rule. Scores of Americans have been sent back for trial under the treaty.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/22/edward-snowden-extradition-take-years

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ex-Border Patrol agents get at least 30 years

SAN DIEGO — Two brothers who worked as Border Patrol agents were sentenced to at least 30 years in prison each for smuggling hundreds of immigrants into the United States, crimes that the judge termed a threat to national security.

U.S. District Court Judge John Houston sentenced Raul Villarreal on Friday to 35 years in prison for being the ring leader and ordered him to pay a $250,000 fine. His brother, Fidel Villarreal, was sentenced to 30 years for managing the illicit business.

The sentences are among the longest given to border law enforcement officials for corruption.

Houston said he gave the severe sentences to deter other agents who have been entrusted by the American people to protect the border. The judge called their smuggling operation "disgusting."

http://www.wftv.com/news/ap/crime/ex-border-patrol-agents-get-at-least-30-years/nYR43/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Missouri

Jasper County Sheriff's deputies start community policing effort

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Jasper County deputies have taken community policing to the country.

Sheriff Randee Kaiser said the goal of a project started recently is to encourage residents cooperating in reducing crime in an area in the south central part of the county.

The program has been started as a trial with plans to extend it to other areas, he said.

“It's going very well, we've gotten a lot of positive reaction from the community so far,” he said.

The area targeted for the project is from the south county line north to Cedar Road, between County Road 120 and 190, which includes the Fidelity area. He said the area was selected because it now has higher rates of calls for service.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x331662183/Jasper-County-Sheriff-s-deputies-start-community-policing-effort

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virginia

LPD: Community Policing Helped Lower Crime Stats

Lynchburg, VA - The Lynchburg police department is pleased with new crime statistics, showing the total number of incidents was down in 2012.

The state police released the annual report this week, showing property crime is down significantly from the year before.

Police attribute several things to lowering the number of property crimes last year -- everything from social media to vigilant citizens.

Sirens. It's a sound no one wants in their neighborhood. And if you live in Lynchburg, you may be hearing it less.

http://www.wset.com/story/22656775/lpd-community-policing-helped-lower-crime-stats

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 21, 2013

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

California

Judges: Gov. Jerry Brown must fully comply with prison order

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A panel of federal judges on Thursday rejected Gov. Jerry Brown's attempt to circumvent its long-standing order for reducing California's prison population, the latest step in an ongoing legal drama over how to improve inmates' medical and mental health care inmates.

Brown quickly announced that he will ask the courts to stay what he called an "unprecedented order to release almost 10,000 inmates by the end of this year." The governor already filed notice that he intends to appeal the latest order to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The judges stopped just short of citing the Democratic governor for contempt of court, but again threatened to do so if he does not immediately comply with their latest order.

The plan submitted by the Brown administration in May to further reduce the inmate population failed to meet the judges' mandate because it fell short of the court-ordered population cap by 2,300 inmates, the judges said in their 51-page order. That previous population reduction order has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The judges reiterated in their sharply worded ruling that the governor must comply with the original order to reduce the population to 110,000 inmates by the end of the year. They ordered Brown to take all the steps he outlined in May, as well as one more step - the expansion of good-time credits leading to early release. Brown had offered that as an option, but it was not one he was willing to embrace.

http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_23504722/judges-gov-jerry-brown-must-fully-comply-prison

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Southern California police say they need more resources to confront potential inmate releases

A court order that could, in what may be considered a worst-case scenario, lead to the early release of thousands of state prison inmates prompted outrage from Southern California police leaders, as well as liberal and conservative politicians who decried the ruling as a threat to public safety.

Gov. Jerry Brown immediately responded to Thursday's ruling by declaring he will seek a stay of what he described as an "unprecedented" order calling for the release of nearly 10,000 inmates by year's end.

The judges who issued the ruling demanded that California reduce its prison population by 9,400 inmates. Although it was not necessarily certain that, if the ruling is upheld, all of those inmates would be freed instead of confined in alternative facilities, the possibility remains that the order may result in thousands of inmates being released into communities where police services have been cut due to local government's budget struggles since the Great Recession.

"This puts us in a very tough position," Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said.

The Long Beach Police Department recently hired 50 officers, McDonnell said, which would put its total staffing of sworn men and women to just over 800 officers.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23506886/southern-california-police-say-they-need-more-resources

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Senate immigration deal would double number of U.S. border agents

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal agents on the U.S.-Mexican border would double to about 40,000 under a deal reached on Thursday in the Democratic-led Senate to draw more Republicans to a landmark immigration bill headed toward anticipated passage.

Some questioned the costs and benefits of up to $50 billion in the extra border security, which also will include high-tech surveillance equipment such as manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, radar and seismic devices.

But concerns were overshadowed by the deal's main goal: win votes for an overhaul of U.S. immigration law that will open a pathway to citizenship for up to 11 million undocumented immigrants.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid was expected to set a test vote for as early as Monday in a bid to have the deal added to the White House-backed bill in the form of an amendment.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-06-20/news/sns-rt-us-usa-immigration-senatebre95i1jl-20130619_1_border-security-u-s-border-agents-landmark-immigration-bill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oregon

Grandma organizes ‘Glock Block' to shoot neighborhood criminals

Fed-up by the rise of crime in her neighborhood in Milwaukie, Oregon, 65-year-old, Coy Tolonen has decided to put matters into her own hands — using a Glock handgun.

The grandmother of three has organized a neighborhood “Glock Block,” a group of pistol-packing elderly neighbors seeking to deter crime, KOIN 6 News in Oregon reported.

Tolonen decided to start the group when her home was broken into last Thursday, she fears, by the same man who had stolen a bronze statue from her backyard earlier that day.

“It just made my blood run cold because our grandkids are playing here a lot, and one of them could have been snatched just as easily as the statue,” she told ABCNews.com.

Now the breast cancer survivor has taken a class and joined-up with other neighbors with concealed carry permits to try to keep their neighborhood safe. The neighbors have put-up fliers in their windows with their stated motto: “This is a Glock Block, We don't call 911.”

http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/20/grandma-organizes-glock-block-to-shoot-neighborhood-criminals/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Jersey

Police trading cards returning to Florham Park

FLORHAM PARK – It appears the borough police will once again be giving out those popular baseball-style trading cards kids love to collect and swap.

The Borough Council on Thursday approved a resolution endorsing Police Chief Patrick Montuore's request to re-initiate the program, which had been offered several years ago but was discontinued due to expense.

Montuore, however, wants the cards to return because they “have a pretty good local policing value."

Restoring the program, he said, “was a no-brainer.”

The cards typically contain a photo of police officers, as well as a little about them and the department. Kids typically collect the cards, and in doing so, also get to know more about the officers.

http://newjerseyhills.com/florham_park_eagle/news/police-trading-cards-returning-to-florham-park/article_24dcd59c-da0a-11e2-b516-0019bb2963f4.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

California

Oakland Police Unveil Neighborhood Commanders In New Strategy

OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Oakland Interim Police Chief Sean Whent said Thursday that his department's new neighborhood policing plan is aimed at being more efficient in reducing the city's high crime rate.

“We want to better identify crime hotspots and react to them,” Whent said at a news conference at the police Eastmont substation, where he introduced the commanders of the five new police districts.

The Police Department had been divided into two large geographic districts in recent years but in March it started switching to five smaller districts, each with its own captain and about 66 officers.

Police officials say the new units will be able to focus on smaller beats and consequently improve response times and allow for more proactive policing.

Whent said the department also wants to “improve our relationship with the community” so that community members feel more comfortable talking with police officers and helping them solve crimes.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/06/20/oakland-police-unveils-neighborhood-commanders-in-new-strategy/

.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~