Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson spoke with reporters Monday night in Ferguson. (Amanda Terkel, HuffPost)Huffington Post – by Amanda Terkel

FERGUSON, Mo. — Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson defended the new rule that protesters cannot stand and congregate in one place, saying it would protect community members from criminal elements who were trying to hide in their midst and cause trouble.

“We are not going to let groups congregate and build into larger groups because that’s what causes problems,” Johnson told reporters in a press briefing Monday night, in response to a question from The Huffington Post. “Because what happens is, the peaceful protesters gather, and the other element blends in. Now they blend in, and that’s what’s been causing us some issues. So by allowing them to walk, that’s not going to let the other element blend in and define this group.”   Continue reading “Capt. Ron Johnson Defends New Protest Rules In Ferguson: ‘We’re Not Violating Your Rights’”

Sheriff Thomas R. RodellaThe Newspaper

A road rage incident could put the top law enforcement officer in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico behind bars. Federal prosecutors on Friday charged Sheriff Thomas R. Rodella with civil rights violations, brandishing a firearm and falsifying documents related to a March 11 traffic stop of Michael Tafoya on Highway 399.

According to the federal complaint, Sheriff Rodella and his son, Thomas R. Rodella Jr, were speeding in a personal Jeep Wrangler SUV when they approached Tafoya’s white sedan, which was observing the 35 MPH speed limit. Rodella tailgated the sedan, and Tafoya tapped the brakes, infuriating Rodella. Eventually, Tafoya pulled to the side so Rodella could pass.   Continue reading “New Mexico Sheriff Busted Over Brutal Road Rage Traffic Stop”

NBC Los Angeles – by Jeanne Kuang

Fifteen drivers in Riverside County got traffic citations on Wednesday for allegedly failing to give the right-of-way to a traffic cone on legs.

The cone was an undercover Moreno Valley cop in costume, walking the crosswalk near a middle school to catch drivers who don’t stop for pedestrians.   Continue reading “Drivers Cited for Failing to Stop For Cop Dressed as Traffic Cone”

MassPrivateI

Boston’s police department apparently performed a dry run of its facial recognition software on attendees of a local music festival. 

Nobody at either day of last year’s debut Boston Calling partied with much expectation of privacy. With an army of media photographers, selfie takers, and videographers recording every angle of the massive concert on Government Center, it was inherently clear that music fans were in the middle of a massive photo opp. Continue reading “Boston Police used facial recognition software to spy on everyone attending a local music festival”

FergusonUSA Today

WASHINGTON (AP) — Images of police outfitted in paramilitary gear clashing with protesters in suburban St. Louis after the weekend shooting death of unarmed black teenager is giving new impetus to efforts to rein in a Pentagon program that provides free machine guns and other surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies.

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., says he plans to introduce legislation when Congress returns in September to curb what he describes as an increasing militarization of police agencies across the country.   Continue reading “Congressman wants to curb military surplus program”

Humans are Free

SaskPower has announced that they are removing all the smart meters that were installed in the province.

The minister responsible for SaskPower Bill Boyd said the utility company will be taking out all 105,000 smart meters around Saskatchewan.

“I think the concerns about safety are paramount here, the concerns are significant enough, anytime families are at risk in Saskatchewan, actions have to be taken and that’s why we’ve directed SaskPower accordingly,” said Minister Boyd.

Continue reading “105,000 Smart Meters Removed in SK, Canada, for Safety Concerns”

View image on TwitterHuffington Post

The Huffington Post’s Ryan J. Reilly and the Washington Post’s Wesley Lowery were arrested Wednesday evening while covering the protests in Ferguson, Missouri after the death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, who was shot by a police officer last week. The journalists were released unharmed, but their detentions highlighted the town’s ramped up police presence, which has left numerous residents injured by rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas during protests held every night after Brown’s death.

SWAT officers roughed up the reporters inside a McDonald’s, where both journalists were working. Reilly snapped a photo, prompting cops to request his identification.   Continue reading “Huffington Post Reporter Arrested In Ferguson”

DogsReason – by J.D. Tuccille

Three years ago, the Justice Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) published a report on The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters. The report noted that police encounter dogs on a daily basis, that more than half of Americans consider their pets family members, and that officers really should develop better familiarity with pooches and less-shooty responses when coming into contact with our furry friends. Continue reading “If Decency Won’t Stop Cops From Shooting Dogs, Maybe Lawsuits Will, Suggests Justice Department”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution – by Rhonda Cook

Ten former law enforcement officers from five agencies, in addition to two civilians, have been sentenced to from one to nine years in federal prison for selling their badges to protect drug dealers.

The man who coordinated the protection, a civilian, is to be sentenced in federal court on Wednesday.   Continue reading “Atlanta area officers get federal prison for helping drug dealers”

Wall Street Journal – by Ashby Jones

Lawsuits against websites that facilitate private firearm sales might not fare much better, judging from a federal appeals court ruling handed down Tuesday.

The Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago upheld a trial judge’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the brother of a woman killed with a handgun purchased through Armslist.com, an online marketplace for privately owned guns. The three-judge panel ruled that Armslist did not owe a “duty of care” to the plaintiff or his sister, and therefore the plaintiff could not prove negligence.   Continue reading “Online Gun Exchange Not Liable for Murder Victim’s Death, Appeals Court Says”

Pro Liberate – by William Norman Grigg

Victor Pierce bears a resemblance to notorious death-cult leader Jim Jones, which is a tragic accident of nature. He also deeply imbibed the authoritarian Kool-Aid ladled out by the Homeland Security State, and force-fed it to the residents of Barry Township, Michigan, the tiny and unfortunate village where Pierce was employed as Chief of Police.

Like the Rev. Jones, Pierce demanded that everyone within the area of his claimed authority partake of the divinely inspired vision he has received.   Continue reading “Small-Town Praetorianism: Barry Township Rejects Victor Pierce’s Authoritarian “Vision””

LAPD responds to the scene were police fatally shot a man on Aug. 11, 2014. (Credit: KTLA)KTLA 5 News – by JOHN A. MORENO, MELISSA PAMER AND NERISSA KNIGHT

Family members said Tuesday that a 25-year-old man was complying with police orders when he was fatally shot by LAPD officers in the Florence neighborhood South Los Angeles.

Patrol officers had “conducted an investigative stop” in the 200 block of 65th Street, and “during the stop a struggle ensued” and police opened fire, an LAPD news release issued midmorning Tuesday stated.Officers responded to a report of a possible officer-involved shooting at the intersection of West 65th Street and South Broadway (map) at 8:12 p.m. Monday, Lt. Ellis Imaizumi of the Los Angeles Police Department said Monday evening.   Continue reading “Police Fatally Shoot Man in South L.A.; Family Members Say He Was Lying Down When Shot”

FBI

CHICAGO—A former west suburban Lyons police officer was sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally extorting more than $48,000 from targets of criminal investigations he was supposedly conducting during 2013. The defendant, JIMMY J. RODGERS, who was a 14-year veteran of the Lyons Police Department, was sentenced after pleading guilty in May to extortion.

Rodgers, 44, of Chicago, was assigned to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, task force and his duties included investigating the sale of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes. In the course of his work, he set up six fake transactions with criminals, detained them, hand-cuffed them, stole their goods and funds for his own benefit, threatened them, and then lied and concealed the scam.

Continue reading “Former Lyons Police Officer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Extorting $48,000 from Targets of Investigations”

NBC Miami – by Tony Pipitone and Robbi Peele

Miami-Dade County taxpayers will pay $600,000 to the families of three men who were shot to death in a botched police sting in the Redland three years ago, despite police claims that the shootings were justified.

Without admitting liability, the county has agreed to pay $240,000 each to representatives of Antonio Andrew and Roger Gonzalez Sr., and $120,000 to the survivors of Jorge Lemus, according to documents provided today by the county attorney’s office.   Continue reading “County Agrees to Pay $600k for Deaths in Botched Miami-Dade Police Sting”

Boston Herald – by O’Ryan Johnson, Colneth Smiley Jr.

A Dedham cop was arrested and placed on leave yesterday after he was charged as an accessory in the kidnapping of an Avon man who is presumed dead, authorities said.

Michael Schoener, 40, pleaded not guilty to a charge of accessory before the fact of kidnapping. He was held on $5,000 cash bail and ordered to be placed on a GPS tracking bracelet if he is released, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey said in a statement.   Continue reading “Dedham cop charged in kidnapping case”

Morris Williams says bank, federal government targets gun shops. (August 5, 2014/FOX Carolina)Fox Carolina – by Jennifer Phillips

INMAN, SC (FOX Carolina) – A Spartanburg County business owner is upset after he says SunTrust Bank closed his business accounts because he runs a pawn shop.

Even as a boy, Morris Williams often had a gun in his hands.

“I grew up hunting with my dad,” Williams said.   Continue reading “South Carolina Store Owner Says Bank Accounts Closed Because He Sells Guns”

Va cop 1Eric Peters Autos – by Eric

In Virginia, they’re both Class 1 Misdemeanors  – along with animal cruelty and larceny. One small notch below a felony. They’ll put you in jail for it. The speeding, I mean. Sexual battery? Meh. Give ‘em a fine, maybe an ankle bracelet, send ‘em on their way.

But Johnny Cochran help you if you get nabbed doing over 80 in Virginia. Or more than 20 MPH faster than any speed limit – no matter how preposterously under-posted.   Continue reading “Sexual Battery . . . and Speeding”

Alternet

ST. LOUIS (CN) – St. Louis police falsely arrested a woman, claiming she was someone who was already dead, and continued to hold her in jail and give her the runaround after acknowledging that the warrant was for a dead person, the woman claims in court.

     Shannon Renee McNeal sued the St. Louis Division of Corrections, the City of St. Louis, all of the members of the St. Louis City Police Board, St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson, several police officers and St. Louis Circuit Clerk Jane Schweitzer, on Monday in Federal Court.   Continue reading “Insane Case of Mistaken Identity: Woman Arrested, Told She Is Actually Dead, Held Anyway”