Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 4010 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: SEPTEMBER 2016 NATIONWIDE What’s up in law enforcement across the U.S.A. THETOPTEN T here were 32 firearms- related fatalities of law enforcement officers over the first six months of the year. That’s a spike of 78 percent over the same time last year when 18 officers were killed by gunfire. Of particular concern is the fact that ambush-style killings of law enforcement officers have dramatically increased more than 300 per- cent from the same period in 2015. Fourteen officers were shot and killed in ambushes, seven officers were killed stopping a suspicious person and five officers were killed while executing a tactical ar- rest or high-risk warrants. Traffic-related incidents were the second leading cause of officer fatalities, with 24 officers killed during the reporting period — a 17 percent decrease over the same period last year when 29 people died. There was a 78 percent decrease of single-vehicle crashes the first six months of 2016 compared to the same period last year — an early indication that progress is being made reducing these preventable deaths. Heart attacks were the cause of six officer deaths, two offi- cers fell to their death, one of- ficer died in an aircraft crash, one officer was beaten to death and one officer drowned. Texas led all states with 13 officer fatalities; followed by Louisiana with seven officer deaths. California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia all lost three officers so far this year in 2016. Ambush attacks on cops are up Shooters increasingly have military training, making incidents like Dallas and Baton Rouge that much more deadly for law enforcement professionals. Sticking to it Many Americans were sure that Drug Enforce- ment Administration officials were going to reschedule cannabis, also known as “marijuana,” this summer. But they were wrong. The drug war, particularly with respect to cannabis, is what keeps the tax dollars flowing to the agency and that’s obviously a bigger concern at the DEA than people’s health. Despite the obvious, DEA officials are sticking with “marijuana” as a Schedule I narcotic that has “no cur- rently accepted medical use,” despite the increasing challenges of selling that proposition to the American people. So again, according to the DEA, cannabis has no medical value and is more addictive and dangerous than meth or Oxycontin. Naughty Police officers have used criminal databases for personal reasons for as long as there have been cops and databases. What’s new is the fact that many officers who look up potential dates, old girlfriends, ex-wives and current husbands are getting caught and punished. In California, a veteran Orange County sheriff’s deputy was recently charged with improperly using his work access to computer records to search the criminal history of two people. The deputy “is still employed with the department,” said Lt. Mark Stichter. “Our internal administrative investigation is ongoing.” If convicted, which is unlikely, the officer in question could be looking at a year in prison. Security costs After police officers were targeted and murdered in Dallas and Baton Rouge, many law enforce- ment agencies went to two-man patrols as an officer safety measure. But how are they going to pay for it? In Florida, Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell re- ported a deficit of $300,000. After the two-man patrols that figure jumped to $430,000. By law, the depart- ment cannot end the year with deficit so the shortfall for officers on patrol would have to be covered by reductions in other areas of the sheriff’s budget. This is an excellent example of what happens when there isn’t enough money in the budget to get the job done. The safety provided by the two-man patrols will likely be offset by cuts in training or delays in purchasing important equipment. Heavy fine In Bergen County, New Jersey’s top civilian public- safety official can keep his job but has to fork over about a third of his salary after he interfered in a DUI stop. “After reviewing the findings from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of the Ber- gen County Inspector General, I have determined that the actions of Public Safety Director Ralph Rivera on March 19, 2016 warrant a suspension of 90 work days without pay,” County Executive James Tedesco said. Rivera, a former State Police major, was suspended after an officer reported that Rivera showed up at a traffic stop in Hackensack in an unmarked police SUV. He flashed a badge and asked the cops to let the guy go because he was a friend. 1. He or she is “very new to the world of law enforce- ment” and “can’t wait to get started!” 2. She’s a Scientologist and you’re assigned to a million- year-old murder on Planet Zorgon 9. 3. Anyone that does not voluntarily submit a pre-signed letter of resignation on day one can clean out their locker. 4. “I have a zero-tolerance policy for misbehaving of- ficers and am a big believer in performance incentives.” 5. Incoming sheriff says he could care less about the two sexual assaults you cleared; he just wants to know how the graphics on the “Re-elect Sheriff McNamara!” campaign signs look. 6. She’s a vegan marathoner and thinks that most of the issues facing the agency today can be fixed by getting cops to eat healthy. 7. There were a few accusations about sexual assault, harassment, retaliation, theft, and a failed RICO case the feds couldn’t close, but nothing that serious. 8. Most of the new OT details seem to involve repairs at the chief’s townhouse or summer cottage. 9. Wants to put a non-former police officer on the citizen’s review board. 10. Has no interest in anything besides covering his or her own butt … you know – the usual. signs the new boss is a nightmare