Its Memorial Day weekend. Fun, sun, BBQ's, golf and the end of the school season. All great ways to celebrate. But, lets not forget the real meaning and purpose of the holiday.
Look for, be aware of, and seek out veterans and their families. If a car at the gas pump has a veteran sticker or plate, thank the driver. If you see a soldier, airman, marine or swabby in uniform at a restaurant, offer to pay their meal or pick up the tip. Visit elderly veterans in your neighborhood and cut the grass or offer a cold one.
Likewise, do the same for veteran's families.
Thank you to all who have served, continue to serve, and gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Tom Sullivan
Friday, May 28, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Support OHPD Sunday
A group of biker are holding a ride and rally at city hall Sunday to show solidarity for Mike McClosky. If you encounter them please follow the law and ideal of courtesy and decency.
However, wear your OH colors stand along Indian Road to show your support. Make the bike ride a positive experience. Attending at Village Hall will not help the PD. So show your support elswhere in the village.
Regardless of your beliefs about the McClosky shooting, our villiage and Police Dept. deserve our support.
Thank you.
Tom Sullivan.
However, wear your OH colors stand along Indian Road to show your support. Make the bike ride a positive experience. Attending at Village Hall will not help the PD. So show your support elswhere in the village.
Regardless of your beliefs about the McClosky shooting, our villiage and Police Dept. deserve our support.
Thank you.
Tom Sullivan.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
OHPD Video Released.
I posted quite a bit about this case when it happened, cautioning everyone to save judgment until the facts were known.
The video is very damning. Ofc. White is in serious legal trouble, criminal and civil. I can't speak to his mindset, but, I think its likely he made the CARDINAL MISTAKE of putting his finger on the trigger when he should not (rule #2), and had a negligent discharge.
Thus, he may escape an aggravated assault conviction, with a reduction to some reckless or negligent level, but his civil case is going to be an uphill battle towards settlement.
A tragedy for all.
TAHL
The video is very damning. Ofc. White is in serious legal trouble, criminal and civil. I can't speak to his mindset, but, I think its likely he made the CARDINAL MISTAKE of putting his finger on the trigger when he should not (rule #2), and had a negligent discharge.
Thus, he may escape an aggravated assault conviction, with a reduction to some reckless or negligent level, but his civil case is going to be an uphill battle towards settlement.
A tragedy for all.
TAHL
Friday, March 19, 2010
Cuts and Concessions before Police Layoffs
Every city employee should pay their own retirement contribution with the city's matching capped at 5%.
Every city employee should pay 20% if their health care premium, with standard deductibles and co-pays.
Every city position possible should be eliminated before a single police officer is layed off, even if the Mayor has to answer his own phone.
If contracts are preventing this from happening, then the City should declare insolvency, go into receivership, and let a state trustee determine new contracts, benefits and wages.
Every city employee should pay 20% if their health care premium, with standard deductibles and co-pays.
Every city position possible should be eliminated before a single police officer is layed off, even if the Mayor has to answer his own phone.
If contracts are preventing this from happening, then the City should declare insolvency, go into receivership, and let a state trustee determine new contracts, benefits and wages.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Settlment in Lima Shooting case Does Not Equal Guilt
It has been announced that the City of Lima's insurer has agreed to settlement with the estate of Tarika Wilson, the woman shot and killed during a drug raid last year. According to GCJ, citing the Lima paper, the settlement was agreed to by the insurer, OVER THE OBJECTION OF THE CITY.
The local NAACP is already claiming settlement proves guilt, because, in their view, no person would settle a case if they were guilty. First, civil law is about liability not guilt, with a much lower level of proof needed to find negligence. Second, the insurer - holding a non-consent policy- did not need the City or Sgt. Chavalia's consent, and made the decision to settle on its own. Insurance companies are doing business. It simply calculated the cost of defense, the risk of losing in front of a Lima jury, and the potential verdict at trial, and settled.
Nothing in the settlement equates to GUILT. It is simply a risk decision by insurance company representatives.
Regardless of the responsibility held by Ms. Wilson, or the drug dealing boyfriend, her children will have a nest egg - a huge nest egg - to survive on. Let's hope it is not waisted by well meaning family.
TAHL
The local NAACP is already claiming settlement proves guilt, because, in their view, no person would settle a case if they were guilty. First, civil law is about liability not guilt, with a much lower level of proof needed to find negligence. Second, the insurer - holding a non-consent policy- did not need the City or Sgt. Chavalia's consent, and made the decision to settle on its own. Insurance companies are doing business. It simply calculated the cost of defense, the risk of losing in front of a Lima jury, and the potential verdict at trial, and settled.
Nothing in the settlement equates to GUILT. It is simply a risk decision by insurance company representatives.
Regardless of the responsibility held by Ms. Wilson, or the drug dealing boyfriend, her children will have a nest egg - a huge nest egg - to survive on. Let's hope it is not waisted by well meaning family.
TAHL
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
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
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
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