The Twin Rivers Police Officers Association, which is a California school police officers union, has sparked public outrage for creating and selling a t-shirt depicting a child behind bars with the slogan “U Raise ‘em, We Cage ‘em”.  The Sacramento Bee reports that:

On Monday, community leaders and child advocates said the T-shirts are highly offensive and could validate feelings of mistrust for the Twin Rivers’ school police force. The agency has been under intense scrutiny over complaints it has overstepped its authority.

“There is nowhere on the planet where it is OK to wear a shirt like this,” said Ed Howard, senior counsel for the University of San Diego’s Children’s Advocacy Institute, after seeing the image of the shirt.

I wish we could get community leaders to be just as outraged about the actual criminalization of child misbehavior and abuse of children at the hands of school police officers, as they are over a t-shirt depicting the criminalization and abuse of children.

Photo by Bryan Patrick

A Texas DA gets greedy, and so do a California narc, a California prison worker, a Washington state evidence clerk, and a Washington, DC, police officer. Let’s get to it:

In Center, Texas, the Shelby County District Attorney’s office is one focus of a federal criminal investigation into allowing arrested drug traffickers to buy their way out of trouble by letting the county seize their cash. The feds are now reviewing whether DA Lynda Kaye Russell cut illegal deals with defendants in a bid to bolster her county’s asset forfeiture account, which took in more than $800,000 in less than a year. An Associated Press investigation found “numerous examples of suspects who went unpunished or got unusually light sentences after turning over tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.” In one case, a man caught with 15 kilos of cocaine and $80,000 in cash got probation after forfeiting the money to the DA; in another, a woman found with $620,000 in cash stuffed in Christmas presents walked free after turning over the money. Shelby County’s law enforcement practices gained national notoriety in 2008 when a still pending class action lawsuit accused the county of targeting black motorists and threatening to jail or prosecute them if they didn’t agree to forfeit their cash. Russell has been DA since 1999 and implemented a “drug enforcement” program on the highway through the county in 2006.

In Oakland, California, a former San Ramon police officer and Contra Costa sheriff’s deputy was arraigned Tuesday on federal charges related to the ongoing Central Costa Narcotics Enforcement Team (CCNET) corruption probe. Louis Lombardi, 39, is accused of stealing cash and drugs during police raids, selling marijuana and methamphetamine, and conspiring with his CCNET commander to set up a marijuana grow operation. He faces nine felony and misdemeanor counts and is looking at up to 60 years in prison. His attorney says he will cop a plea shortly. Three other CCNET officers, including its former commander, have already been charged in the case, and a fourth is likely to be charged soon.

In San Rafael, California, a former California Department of Corrections warehouse supervisor was arraigned Monday on charges he brought marijuana to San Quentin Prison to sell to an inmate. Robert Alioto, 48, had been arrested on October 5 and was fired the next day. He was charged with bringing a controlled substance into a state prison, selling or furnishing a controlled substance to a prisoner, and possession of marijuana for sale. He’s looking at up to five years in prison if convicted.

In Washington, DC, a former Metro DC police officer was sentenced last Friday to 15 years in prison for his role in the botched attempted robbery of a drug dealer that resulted in the fatal shooting of one of the would-be robbers by one of his companions. Former officer Reginald Jones, 42, acted as a lookout from his patrol car as five men attempted the robbery. As the drug dealer was being assaulted, his girlfriend ran to Jones’ police car seeking assistance, but Jones instead sped off. He pleaded guilty to second degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery.

In Port Angeles, Washington, a former Clallam County sheriff’s evidence officer was convicted last Friday of stealing money from the evidence room. Staci Allison was accused of making off with at least $8,600 and, despite her protestations of innocence, she was convicted on counts of first-degree theft and money laundering. She’s looking at up to 10 years in prison when sentenced next month.

This is a submitted post by a Cop Block fan describing his police encounter with the San Jose Police

The other day, I had just left my house and was driving down my street, when I got a phone call. I pulled over and parked my car under a tree for shade and answered the phone. While talking on the phone, I noticed a patrol car coming from a side street. I continued with my call as the patrol car drove past me. The patrol car drove up the street a ways and then made a U-turn and pulled alongside of my car and one of the officers inside asked what I was doing. I stated that I was talking on my phone. He again asked me what I was doing and I again said I was talking on my phone. He then said (in a raised voice) “I said what are you doing here?” I again stated I was just talking on my phone and don’t know what else you want me to say.

He then asked for my ID, which I handed over to him. I asked why I was being harassed, since I was clearly not violating any laws. The officer (Officer Jennings of the San Jose PD) then said, “That’s it, get out of your vehicle, I’m gonna put you through the whole routine and that I was going to get a ticket for talking on my cell phone with my motor running” I got out of my vehicle and went to the back and put my hands on the back of my car. Officer Jennings proceeded to tell me that there had been robberies in the neighborhood and that he figured I was calling my accomplice that could have been behind the house I was parked in front of and was warning them that the cops were in the area.

He then proceeded to pat me down and in the process kicked my leg out from under me trying to knock me off my feet, but was unable to. I then said that this was total harassment and that I wasn’t doing anything wrong and that I lived right up the street, as my ID clearly showed. He again proceeded to tell me about robberies in the area and that I was a suspect…..somehow. I told him that was bullshit, since I live on this street and know most of my neighbors and the ones I don’t know see me driving up and down the street every day, so no one could have called the cops on me since I had only been parked there for less than 2 minutes before they started harassing me.

Officer Jennings got right in my face and said, “why would we be harassing you, you’re white?” He then looked over to his partner and said, “He’s too stupid to get it. He doesn’t get it, we’re wasting our time.” He then asked me if I like to resist arrest or fight with the cops, just trying to provoke me into a fight. I was biting. His partner finally chimed in saying that I needed to just be saying yes sir and no sir to the officers’ questions. After about 15 minutes of harassment and verbal and physical abuse, I got my ID back and they said I was free to go. I asked Officer Jennings for his business card. He said he and the other officer did not have one, so I asked for their badge numbers. He gave them to me verbally and proceeded to get into his car.

I then went to open my car door to get back inside and grab a pen to write their badge numbers down and was pushed with a two hand shove and told, “I told you to stand there until we drive away. After they drove away, I immediately called 911 and told them I had been harassed and assaulted by a couple of police officers. I also filed a complaint with Internal Affairs, even though I and everyone else knows nothing will happen to this sack of shit officer Jennings.

If you have a police encounter you would like to share, please feel free to write about it and send it to us using our SUBMIT tab.

Dirty cops popped up all across the South this week, and a crooked California prison guard, too. Let’s get to it:

 In Helena, Arkansas, five Helena-West Helena police officers were arrested Tuesday as part of a major drug trafficking crackdown that also involved public corruption. More than 800 federal and local police took part in mass arrests that targeted 70 people on federal charges. The police action, code named Operation Delta Blues, targeted crack cocaine sale and money laundering, but also swept up the Helena-West Helena police on corruption charges. The officers arrested are Helena-West Helena Police Department officer Herman Eaton, 46; Helena-West Helena officer Robert “Bam Bam” Rogers, 35; Helena-West Helena Sgt. Marlene Kalb, 48; Marvell police officer Robert Wahls, 42; and former Phillips County Deputy Sheriff Winston Dean Jackson, 44, who’s now a Helena-West Helena police officer. They face a variety of drug trafficking and other charges.

In Caruthersville, Missouri, the Caruthersville police chief and an officer were arrested October 6 and charged with forgery and theft. Chief Chris Riggs and Officer Marcus Hopkins each face multiple counts of forgery, while Riggs also faces one count of theft. Their exact misdeeds have not been revealed, but the investigation was conducted by the Missouri Highway Patrol Drugs and Crime Division. Both men are free on $200,000 bonds. Riggs remains police chief.

In Bayou La Batre, Alabama, a former Bayou La Batre police officer was arrested October 7 after a months-long investigation into missing drug money by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. Former officer Jason Edwards had been in charge of confiscated drug money when some turned up missing in March. He resigned over the summer. At last report, Edwards was out on bail pending trial.

In St. Martinsville, Louisiana, a St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office jail guard was arrested October 5 for allegedly smuggling contraband into the St. Martin Parish Correctional II Facility. Officer Freddie Abraham, 20, is charged with malfeasance in office, criminal conspiracy, attempted introduction of contraband in penal institutions, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He was last reported in jail trying to make a $30,000 bond.

In Blacksburg, South Carolina, a former Cherokee County sheriff’s department narcotics officer was arrested October 5 for engaging in sex acts with a confidential informant who had pending charges. Albert Phillips, 41, is charged with misconduct in office for the acts, which took place between December 2008 and January 2009. He resigned in January 2009.

In Petaluma, California, a guard at San Quentin state prison was arrested October 6 for selling drugs at the prison and accepting bribes. Robert Alioto, 48, was booked on suspicion of requesting or receiving a bribe, possession of marijuana for sale, sales or transportation of marijuana, conspiracy and selling drugs to a person in custody. Officials had few details. Alioto is free on $50,000 bail.

QUOTE THE CONSTITUTION

As many of you probably know, the State of California recently passed a law saying a warrant is needed for police to search your cellphone if you are placed under arrest. Policeone.com picked up the story and the police officers who commented on the story let their true feelings on the Constitution be known.

In the story, the author noted that this law, which forces police officers to follow the Constitution, was opposed by The Peace Officers Research Association of California. Why did the oppose it? Well because it threatens their auhtority to do whatever they want, law be damned.

The Peace Officers Research Association of California, which opposed the law, argued: “Restricting the authority of a peace officer to search an arrestee unduly restricts their ability to apply the law, fight crime, discover evidence valuable to an investigation and protect the citizens of California.”

And that is just the tip of the iceberg, the quotes on the PoliceOne website and on their facebook page just go to prove what we already knew, cops are not fans of the Constitution when it comes to restrictions on their authority. These people crave power, whether or not it is why they took the job, the power gets ahold of most officers and like the famous saying “power currupts”

PoliceOne.com user kas9kas posted this on the website,

A person arrested loses their fourth ammendment when Peace Officers seize their person and property. Anything found on an arrestee has always been fair game in the courts eyes. If we find counterfeit money in a wallet, a childs porno picture, or narcotics, it was still evidence that was legally obtained by arrest.

User sevans  is really in favor of “Law Enforcement” Officers following the law

Boy am I glad I left California. The whacko legislature and governor know not what they do, unless allowing more criminals to avoid prosecution is their intent. I cannot believe they enacted this law after the California Supreme Court, one of the most liberal in the Country, upheld the search. I started in California and retired from Oregon. I’m truly surprised the liberal Oregon Court (either Court of Appeals, or Supreme Court) didn’t follow California.

I’ve noticed time and time again that anyone that is opposed to something a cop does, or just pisses them off in anyway, is a liberal in the minds of a PoliceOne.com commenter. I’ve yet to figure that out. But before I go on, let’s just take a look at what the US Constitution has to say about searching a persons property

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

This is an amendment that was written because British soldiers and were allowed to search any home they liked, at any time and for whatever reason they wanted. And since many Founding Fathers were smugglers, they did not like this. But if you want to piss off a cop, just quote the 4th amendment. Make sure you tell them that you have the right to be secure in your effects. This really sets them off, especially PoliceOne user rhaney1313

OK everybody…lets all of us standup and applause the absolute morons in Sacramento and that awesome looser Gov. Jerry (Sunshine) Brown. He and his merrymen and dancing babes did it again. Another BAD law………….From all of us real Californians…My apologies to the United States of America and to the citizens in each State.

That’s right, a real Californian is against getting a warrant to search someones property, and that is what your cell phone and any other electronic device you have in your car is, your private property. Now not all cops are against the Constitution restricting their path to absolute authority, USO131  is one of the good guys.

When you start eliminating the need for a warrant you start to go down a very slippery slope of the loss of your constitutional rights..
If you can’t wrap your head around what I am saying then wrap it around this… Some one is arrested for DUI and all the contents in their electronic device was downloaded? The key here is the subject was arrested… Their cell phone was searched even when the reason for the arrest had nothing to do with possibly of any evidence to USE AGAINST THEM MIGHT BE ON THAT CELL PHONE…
Again remember this YOU CAN AND WILL BE SEARCHED LIKE THIS AS WELL…

Glockman39 is another one of the good guys, however small that group may be. Here he responds to rhaney1313

You want to stand up an applaud the upholding of the constitution? That document which you were, I assume, sworn to uphold?

Tell me, what reason would you have to search an individual’s cell phone for, say, an open container arrest? Are you hoping to find pictures of him imbibing on previous occasions?

We have the fourth amendment, and warrants signed by judges for a reason. The same reason we have the second amendment right to protect ourselves with individual firearms ownership.

Really, folks, I can’t fathom why some of you are so upset by this, unless you are too lazy to put in the extra effort required to protect individual liberty.

And this isn’t a left/right issue. It’s a rule of law issue.

A warrant isn’t always needed, most people are too afraid to say no to an officer, and they know it. One trick cops use all the time, one which I fell for during a traffic stop a few years back, is just simply asking the person if they can search their property, as coolcoin points out

Hey, just ask for consent, most of the time you will get it, just like consent to search a car. The morons think they are smarter than you, and if they give you permission, they are banking on you being too lazy to follow through, because “they have nothing to hide”, right?

Yep, you heard it correct, this officer thinks we’re all morons, at least he admits it. Over at the PoliceOne.com facebook page, where officers are always more bold and hateful, commenter Matt Osborne expresses his disdain by claiming his job will me millions of times harder if he has to follow the rules he swore to uphold.

damn bunch of tree huggers. California is the i hate police state lets make their job 8000000000000 times harder. Every police officer just needs to take a day off at the same time and see how they fill about that.

Nothing says “fuck you, respect my authority” like an idle threat written with the wrong word (see how they FEEL about that)

Hey Johnny Lubeck, what do you think about this?

The best thing that can happen for the country is a west coast earthquake, where it seperates Cali, and it floats out into the pacific.

Oh, I see. That was rather……harsh.

Hey Thomas John Staubly Jr., you’re the next contestant on “I hate you private citizens who make us follow the law, I hope you fucking die” (In case there is confusion, I don’t hope he dies, I’m implying he wants you to die)

next their gunna make officers get a warrant before they can even knock on their door….this is absurd. thank god i live in a redf state that is actually pro-law enforcement and actually let them do their damn jobs

Oh I’m sorry Thomas, you weren’t done? You had something else to say about freedom loving Americans who love the Constitution and limits on governmental power, like someone else, who was it? Oh yeah, the Founding Fathers. But anyways, I believe you had something else to add to the conversation later on

 lets face it, these people who take issues with these type of searches arent hurt or offended by the searches. the ones who take issue with this are the anti leo and/or thuggin gangbangers trying to get out of a charge. if you dont have anything to hide and arent committing any crime, then quess what, you likely wont get searched. keep your nose out of crime and this wont be an issue. the majority of supreme court decisions are made from some thug trying to get out of a charge or some liberal nut case who is super anti-leo

Oh that’s right, anyone who stands up for their rights must be a….hold on, I wanna get this term correct…..thuggin gangbanger. Well he showed us! Good upstanding people wipe their ass with the Constitution, thuggin gangbangers are the ones who want their rights to be upheld.

Like I said earlier though, there are good cops who are in favor of this new law, I was unaware there was so many thuggin gangbangers with badges, like Christopher Powell.

some of you are crazy or lazy…how is it anti-le to say that someones cell phone is subject to protections of the 4th ammendment? Ask somebody if you can look at their cell phone, if they tell you no, than get a warrant…if you don’t have PC or enough to get a warrant, then you probably have no business looking anyway.

It’s really scary to see what cops honestly think of this ruling. So many of them are bold enough to come right out and say they don’t want to have to get a warrant to search a persons property, even though they swore to uphold a document that says they do.

But the real problem is that Probable Cause is never really defined in the Constitution. Cops use this all the time, they just saw “I had probable cause to believe that…….” and they can search anything without a warrant.

It’s time to stand up for your rights, if you aren’t already. If you are pulled over, and a cop asks if he can search something (your car, cell phone, laptop, whatever) tell him no. Just be prepared to deal with a pissed off cop, and maybe carry a pocket constitution with you at all times.

While my girlfriend and I were watching our partially slow blind friend on the beach of the fourth of July we were approached by two officers that gave us a ticket for having our dog on the beach, a yellow lab that actually helps our blind friend. After that we were about to move out and got approached in one minute by another set of officers. These two were my worst nightmare! We were all kicked off the beach and my friend who was watching our area was still getting harassed by the officers. I went to see if my friend was in need of any help and the officer Garlow wasn’t happy with that. I almost got thrown in the sand and he tried to confiscate my medicine (marijuana), but good old California loves us pot smokers so I showed him my Marijuana license. It was awesome having the cop hand me back my weed. But unfortunately that wasn’t the end of my independence day! I was asked several questions that were subjected for me to answer in some form of argument, but I kept my cool and then I was taken in for absolutely nothing. I had smoked earlier that day in the morning time and I had 2 beers up until this point of 3 in the afternoon. Anyways I never got a breath, blood or urine test for them to prove that I was intoxicated. I spent 16 hours in jail on my Independence day for I guess watching a blind kid, having 2 beers, and taking my medicine.

Great law enforcement we live under these days!!!

-Michael C

Santa Rosa Police brutality 09/25/2011

According to the person who filmed this (who contacted CopBlock.org via the submit tab), “I swear this man was put in the hospital with 3 broken ribs, dislocated shoulder and a bruised spleen and he didn’t even resist arrest, my friend got it all on video, please help. This happened in a town in Northern Ca called Santa Rosa. I have no photos only this video posted on youtube. Can you please help?”

That’s where you guys come in. Call the Santa Rosa Police department at 707.528.5222. We need more information on this officer, thanks

As Ademo posted earlier, two Fullerton PD officers have been charged in the killing of Kelly Thomas. Prosecutors have begrudgingly dealt a couple of charges to appease the angry masses, months after Mr. Thomas’ death.

Officer Manny Ramos was charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter. It should come as no surprise the murdering scum was not charged with first-degree murder (because clearly, when you engage in a gang-like beating of a mentally ill man with 4 of your friends, you did not intend to kill him). Another officer, Police Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, was charged with one count each of involuntary manslaughter and excessive force.

“The cause of death in this case is mechanical compression of the thorax, making it impossible for Kelly Thomas to breathe normal. In other words, with the chest being compressed, Kelly Thomas was unable to inhale,” District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters. “Over time his brain was deprived of oxygen.” Or how about, he died because he was murdered by the cops? That’s a little more intellectually honest. Even as he (likely against his will) charges these brave men with heinous crimes, Rackaukas still attempts to act as the ultimate police PR machine by describing a gruesome murder as oxygen deprivation.

Because, you know, when people suffer at the hands of police, it’s never because the police did anything wrong; it’s always the result of bizarre external circumstances. For instance, a family that was brutalized by a SWAT operation gone wrong was “inadvertently affected.” Grandfather Eurie Stamps was “struck by a bullet which was discharged from a SWAT officer’s rifle.” Or of course, the good old excuse used time and time again when people die from Taser deaths – the police officer didn’t do it, the Taser did! The victim just had a terrible and unexpected reaction to the Taser!

Local protester, Merijoe, has been to every Saturday protest since July 30 (see her protest sign to the right). She believes the charges were a good start, but are not enough. She believes all officers should have been charged. “We’re all aware of the fact that if Kelly’s dad, Ron,  hadn’t taken those hospital pictures of Kelly and released them to places like the Fullerton’s Future Blog and the Daily Mail in England, which then had John and Ken screaming for days about this horrific murder, it would have been totally swept under the rug,” says Merijoe. She is also angry about the fact that it took 75 days for charges to be brought up, and meanwhile, the 6 officers involved continued to work until August 2nd.

Merijoe feels spokespeople for the FPD continually failed to be forthcoming, and even lied about officers breaking bones when this was not the case. “The fact that all these animals were put on paid leave inflamed us more,” says Merijoe. “Evidently they’re still on this paid leave so tax payers are still on the hook for their salary and they get time accumulated for their pensions.”