US News – Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department has tapped a North Carolina-based prosecutor for a new role designed to provide more checks and balances to its civil asset forfeiture program, following criticism of its abuse by the police.

Corey Ellis, the first assistant U.S. attorney of the Western District of North Carolina, will serve as director of asset forfeiture accountability starting in January, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in a statement on Thursday.

Continue reading “U.S. Justice Department Taps Prosecutor to Oversee Asset Forfeiture Program”

NWF Daily News

NICEVILLE — A Niceville Police Department officer accidentally injected himself with heroin while searching a woman’s car for suspected narcotics.

According to an NPD police report, at around midnight Nov. 23 an officer spotted a car parked in a church parking lot after the same car was observed leaving a known drug house.   Continue reading “Officer accidentally injects himself with heroin during search for drugs in car”

North Jersey

LEONIA ─ Residential streets that routinely clog with cars heading to the George Washington Bridge will soon be off-limits to traffic during rush hour.

The borough, situated less than 2 miles from the world’s busiest bridge, plans to shut down dozens of side streets to nonresidents by January in an effort to mitigate spillover traffic from highways and discourage drivers from seeking shortcuts through Leonia.  Continue reading “Leonia, NJ to shut down residential streets during rush hour”

Campus Reform – by Kyle Perisic

A group of students at Western Washington University recently protested a lecture on free speech, calling support for the First Amendment “harmful” and “dangerous.”

The lecture, titled “Censorship and Free Speech in the Age of Trump,” featured University of Pennsylvania professor Jonathan Zimmerman, a notable free speech advocate, who was slated to discuss how to “how college campuses should think about free speech on campus.”   Continue reading “Students call free speech ‘violent’ while disrupting lecture”

MassPrivateI

Police state America has found a disturbing new way to forcibly take motorists blood without a warrant.

Law enforcement is using private hospitals to do their dirty work.

Earlier this year, I reported that police in Oregon were forcing hospitals to take motorists blood without a warrant.   Continue reading “Police in two states use hospitals to take motorists blood without a warrant”

The Newspaper

A New York motorist imprisoned after being falsely accused of driving under the influence (DUI) settled his case against the Pennsylvania State Police. Wilfredo Ramos Jr spent 158 days behind bars despite repeatedly testing free from drugs or alcohol.

The trouble began on the evening of June 16, 2014, while Ramos was passing through Upper Macungie Township on State Route 100. Pennsylvania trooper Justin M. Summa spotted the New York plates on the 2010 Toyota Corolla Ramos was driving and decided to pull him over. Not knowing why he was being stopped, Ramos complied, handing the officer his valid New York license and registration.   Continue reading “Pennsylvania Cops Settle After Sober Man Jailed For DUI”

WTOP – by  Sarah Beth Hensley

WASHINGTON — D.C. police arrested an ATV rider they say recorded an officer falling off his bike while pursuing a group of ATV riders over the weekend.

On Friday, police arrested 18-year-old Nasir Wallace who they say took video of a D.C. officer falling during a low-speed chase on 14th Street near Logan Circle Sunday night. The video captures the officer lunging for an ATV rider, missing and tumbling to the ground as two police cruiser abruptly stop to avoid hitting him.   Continue reading “DC police arrest ATV rider accused of filming officer fall off bike”

Tenth Amendment Center – by Mike Maharrey

CONCORD, N.H. (Nov. 30, 2017) – A bill prefiled in the New Hampshire House would ban sobriety checkpoints in the state. The law would not only end constitutionally dubious “searches” in New Hampshire, it would also thwart federal programs that heavily influence state traffic laws.

A coalition of five representatives prefiled House Bill 1283 (HB1283) for the 2018 legislative session. The legislation would ban law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire from conducting sobriety checkpoints.   Continue reading “New Hampshire Bill Would Ban DUI Checkpoints; Free State from Some Federal Funding Strings”

Fox News

A police force in Texas got creative with a Star Wars-themed video, starring Chewbacca as a new recruit.

The video released Wednesday by the Fort Worth Police Department started with roll call and the distribution of assignments.   Continue reading “Star Wars’ Chewbacca gets leading role in Texas police recruiting video”

MassPrivateI

Imagine police knocking on your door because you posted a ‘troubling comment’ on a social media website.

Imagine a judge forcing you to be jailed, sorry I meant hospitalized, because a computer program found your comment(s) ‘troubling’.

You can stop imagining, this is really happening.   Continue reading “Facebook’s new suicide detection A.I., could put thousands of innocent people behind bars”

PIX 11 News

Christmas may be about traditions, but some stores are flipping things around.

They’re selling upside down Christmas trees. Home Depot, Target, Walmart,Kohls and Bed Bath & Beyond all have the them for sale. Some of the upside down trees are already sold out.

Upside down trees retail for around $150-$1,000.   Continue reading “Stores are selling $1,000 upside down Christmas trees”

Business Insider – by Michelle Mark

A former South Carolina police officer who faces sentencing next week for fatally shooting an unarmed black man is citing recent testimony from Attorney General Jeff Sessions as an example of how a person’s apparently evolving memories are attributable to stress, not lies.

Michael Slager pleaded guilty last May to committing federal civil rights violations when he fired eight rounds into the back of 50-year-old Walter Scott as the South Carolina man fled a traffic stop in April 2015. Scott’s death attracted national attention after a bystander’s video of the incident went viral, inflaming the ongoing debate over racial bias and excessive force in policing.   Continue reading “The ex-cop who killed Walter Scott is using his ‘Swiss cheese memory’ as a defense — and citing Jeff Sessions’ own memory lapses as an example”

The Intercept – by Zaid Jilani

EVERY SUNDAY, LIKE clockwork, activists Adele Maclean and Marlon Kautz distribute food to the homeless at a public park in Atlanta. But when they went out to deliver food the Sunday before Thanksgiving, taking part in a longtime American holiday season tradition, local police ticketed them for violating a county ordinance that requires a food distribution permit.

Atlanta is in Georgia’s Fulton County, which has long had a policy on the books that requires organizations that distribute food to obtain a permit before doing so. Local authorities have in the past turned a blind eye, according to groups that feed the homeless in different parts of the city. Last week, however, that changed.   Continue reading “Atlanta Police Suddenly Enforce Old Law And Hand Out Tickets To People Feeding The Homeless”

Daily Mail

A Russian man has died after posing for a picture with a hand grenade after taking the pin out.

Alexander ‘Sasha’ Chechik had sent an image to his friend showing himself holding the grenade moments before it detonated, killing him instantly.   Continue reading “Man accidentally kills himself after taking the pin out of a grenade and then posing to take a photo with it”

MassPrivateI

Welcome to Police State America, where one camera surveillance system is never enough.

Since 2003, law enforcement has been installing four camera Police Observation Devices or PODS as they are typically referred to; at intersections and buildings across the country.  Continue reading “Four camera surveillance PODS coming to a city near you”

KOAT 7 News – by Megan Cruz

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Bernalillo County’s sheriff says his deputies will not wear body cameras because he can’t trust the media. He claims reporters would misconstrue the footage to unfairly criticize his officers.

The American Civil Liberties Union was the first to sound off against the sheriff. On Tuesday, the New Mexico Foundation of Open Government chimed in, too.  Continue reading “Sheriff faces criticism over refusal to use body cameras”

WSB TV

ATLANTA – A tip from Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Richard Belcher has led to the discovery of more cheating at Atlanta Public Schools.

This time it involves the district’s police department.

Belcher says APS acknowledges that a quarter of its officers cheated on an important state test.   Continue reading “Another cheating scandal: APS police chief disciplines 17 officers, dispatcher”

The Daily Bell – by Joe Jarvis

I don’t watch the news often. But the news was playing at the family Thanksgiving gathering. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was on, and the newscasters were discussing the extreme security measures taken by New York City.

The massive police presence was welcome according to the news. People were reportedly thanking police officers for their roles. The anchors attributed this attitude change to recent terrorist attacks and shootings.   Continue reading “Macy’s Parade Security Used to Promote Surveillance and Police State”