Drunk, Doped........and Deadly Force.

From the title you may think this post is an attack on TPD officers who have been involved in recent deadly force shootings such as the incident with Linda Hicks, the 64 year old, African American, armed, schizophrenic who was shot and killed last week. It is not.

Ms. Hicks was was a mentally unstable, armed threat to herself, her housemates, and the officers who responded. Had TPD officers not done anything, and she had hurt someone else or herself, they would have been derelict in their duty. From what I have read the officers used the force continuum appropriately when verbal commands, and the taser were ineffective. Any person who calls for non-deadly response to a citizen armed with a knife or other sharp weapon (in this case scissors), does not understand the dynamics of armed conflict; such weapons are deadly weapons. Officers are not - and should not- be trained to meet deadly force resistance with non-deadly force.

HOWEVER, this post is not a TPD cheering session either. Recently we learned that TPD officers who were intoxicated on duty and tested positive for marijuana use, will be suspended, not fired. This is a travesty. Police must be held to a higher standard when their profession is enforcing the law. Had I reported for duty drunk, EVER, I would have been summarily fired on the spot -- and rightfully so.

This is the result and example of the damage unions can do to a modern work force, community, and economy. The union in fact decried the 90 day suspensions as overbearing and overreaction. WHAT??!!! With a straight face the men and women who represent the TPD officer's union claim that drunk cops on duty who get suspended are being treated too harshly. Their hypocrisy is self explanatory.

The TPD has to fight a constant PR battle, doing the right thing under immeasurably difficult situations, while being constantly examined and second guessed by the citizenry. Their effectiveness is only undermined further when misconduct of this type is allowed to continue. For the hundreds of well trained, professional, dedicated officers on the TPD who don't deserve the attacks they receive, these four have made their jobs and safety much more tenuous.

Be safe.

TAHL

Animal House Rescue Charity Event -- Sunday July 26th

ANIMAL HOUSE RESCUE CHARITY EVENT

BIG DOG WALKJuly 26, 2009Walk:9 A.M. - 11 A.M.Secor Room Activities: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Secor Metro Park http://www.metroparkstoledo.com/metroparks/maps/
Register and donate on-line, or in person with cash at any AHR adoption
http://www.ahrescue.org/

Short Walk: Woodland Pond Trail, 0.3 mile Long Walk: Swamp Forrest Trail, 1.2 miles

Grand Prize Raffle: $250.00 Visa Cash Card: Need not be present to win.Silent Auction in Secor Room 11 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. (bidding ends at 12:30 p.m.)Raffle Drawing at 1 p.m. in Secor Room



Adoptions in Secor Room11:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. Entertainment, food, beverages, variety of specialty vendors, samples, games, prizes, and more……

$20.00 registration donation includes t-shirt, water bottle, samples, and coupons Pre-registeredWalkers check-in between 9 & 10:30 a.m. Sunday Morning. Official start 9:30 a.m.*

Follow the AHR BIG DOG WALK SIGNS*Register at any adoption event Saturday, July, 18th at Anderson’s, 503 Illinois Ave., Maumee, Ohio, between Noon and 3 p.m. or; Saturday July 25th, at PetCo on Monroe Street between Noon and 3 p.m. $25.00

Same Day Registration Donation 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. in the Secor Room.Additional t-shirts available for $10.00 donation on event day.

To register and pay online, go to http://www.ahrescue.org/.Click on the link for Walk Registration, fill out and submit the form.Then click on the PayPal link to pay your $20.00 Registration Donation.

For details or space rental: ahrdogsncats@yahoo.com***25 Free AVID micro-chips, available to registered walkers at 9:00 a.m.*** Reduced Cost Shot Clinic 10:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.***Restrictions apply. See website for details***

CopArazzi

Yes, the paparazzi have the right to take photos of celebrities in PUBLIC, but none of us support or condone their METHODS.

Yes, police have a DUTY to keep our streets safe, but, red light cameras are not the proper METHOD.

They have become the CopArazzi, lost is the spirit and intent of their job and purpose. Lost to the all mighty dollar. The perfect analogy.


IN FULL DISCLOSURE - I heard this term on Bob and Tom today, from comedian Augie Smith.

TAHL

I want to live in a community.................

Where the police know the residents, including the kids, by name; and watch, investigate, inquire, or contact strangers at night or if they suspect wrongdoing.

Where the police aggressively enforce traffic laws so its safe for me and my kids to drive, ride or walk on the sidewalk and streets on the way to the park; and where the community benefits from the investigations that start as traffic stops.

Where drunk, reckless, negligent, unsafe drivers know they should avoid my community because there is a higher risk the police are being vigilant and the chance of being discovered and prosecuted is real; so they choose to drive around my community.

All these things most every honest person would admit they too would like in their community. Yet they are the things being used to attack the Ottawa Hills PD in the wake of a shooting incident following a felony chase, in which a motorcycle rider may have become paralyzed.

I remain proud to live in a clean, safe, well maintained, lighted, diverse community with a pro-active police force. I thank them for their service every chance I get.

TAHL

Support our Cops -- Wait for the facts.

Standing in the street as cars go buy can get you killed. Thats called a traffic stop - the most dangerous activity a police officer does.

Driving fast on side streets in a 3000 pound car can get you killed. Its what cops do every day.

Confronting people who are drug crazed, angry, intoxicated or just simply bad people can get you killed. Its what cops do every day.

So before we race to judgment about the shooting of a suspect by Ottawa Hills police, the community I live in, and officers I know; lets wait to find out the facts. Recognize and revere their sacrafices, and wait to pass judgment in haste.
TAHL

Cops Subdue Young Teen

Fox news showed a story recently about the arrest of a 14 year old African American boy, which unfortunately lead to a physical confrontation between the officers and the young man.

www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/wupw_caught_on_tape_family_wants_justice_sharia_davis_may_2009

As stated by the reporter, we don't know all the facts, or how and why this incident escalated into a physical confrontation. I did notice two aspects of the video which are concerning. I am not a TPD academy graduate, or an OHP graduate. I attended the police academy in another state, however, most PMA tactics (Physical Means of Arrest) are standardized; and choking techniques are not generally taught anymore.

The video shows one officer both choking and smothering (hand over mouth) the subject. This is a problem. Granted, in a struggle technique often gets thrown out the window and in tough struggles at times you have to do what it takes to survive, but as shown the incident does not appear to be at a high enough level to require or justify choking. Chokes are very dangerous, and can lead to terrible, unintended consequences.

I don't have the facts of this incident, but as it developed, there are some problems to be addressed. If TPD teaches or allows chokes, then perhaps this arrest was within policy. The smothering is both dangerous (human bites are very infectious) and unnecessary. While there is rarely a legitimate or smart reason to struggle with police, if the hood was hot enough to burn this young man's face, PERHAPS, it is understandable why he would continue to raise his head off the vehicle.

Regardless, I hope this incident is used in a positive way to address tactics, decision making, and techniques for TPD.

TAHL

Dedicated Toledo Workforce

Its nice to see that not everyone is using the cold weather as an excuse not to head out to work. While closings are rampantly streaming across the bottom of our TV screens, the thieves of Toledo are hard at work.

My truck was broken into yesterday, during work hours, in the Port Lawrence parking garage downtown. Toledo thieves, undeterred by weather, are out doing their best to stimulate the underbelly of the economy. While I applaud the thief's dedication, I question his/her talent.

First, I drive an old truck. "Old" in this context does not mean "classic" or "vintage," it means crappy. A rusted out 1991 Ford Ranger to be specific. However, because the prior owner was a young kid, it did have a kickin stereo, so the choice was not completely unreasonable.

I must take issue, however, with how this citizen applies his craft. I naively still expect workers to know their trade, study the masters, and apply it with journeyman skill. My thief is either an apprentice, or is resting on his laurels.

Gone are the days when a man took pride in his work, sought excellence, and the results were self evident. My salvage technician obviously has not studied the masters. He surely has not watched: The Heist, Oceans 11, 12, or 13, or The Ref; as he clearly is unaware that the goal is to steal with such precision and finesse that the mark remains unaware that they have been had for days or even weeks.

Clearly, the person who is re-using my stereo did not do their homework. They obviously did not study the dashboard schematics of the Ford Ranger, and must not have called upon a collegue or former UAW Ford plant "source" who could provide them detailed diagrams of the Ford truck interior, thereby allowing him to effortlessly release the dash and remove its contents with speed and minimal effort. My recycler brutishly pried my dash from its moorings, braking it in the process, leaving clear evidence of his presence through tool marks on the trim, and even destroying his tool, lazily leaving it on my floorboard.

Additionally, he lacked the attention to detail and thoroughness required to excel in any profession. He missed several premium CD's affixed to my sun visor, including Botchelli and Dave Mathews, BOTCHELLI FOR GOD'S SAKE! With even a cursory look behind the seat it would have been clear that my speakers were ripe as fresh apples for picking, as I had not actually mounted them and they were simply resting behind the seat held in place by their magnets. Finally, the briefest glance into the glove box (step #3 in "Auto Burglary for Dummies") would have shown the treasure hunter that his new stereo included a REMOTE.

So not everyone is using the weather as a reason to rest at home on the couch watching Regis and Kelly. Some "go getters" are out braving the elements to ply their craft and provide much needed, gently used electronics, to themselves or their pawn dealer. All is not lost, Toledo does have dedicated, hard working, citizens willing to get out there and profit.

TAHL