Badges? We got no badges. We don't need no stinking badges...

Thursday, November 11, 2010

New Rules for Inmates at OC Juvie

New directives have come out of Juvenile Hall administration concerning the so-called "rights" of their charges.

It seems that juvenile correctional officers will now have to escort even the highest risk inmates from their cellblocks to outside school because the CSA decided they are not getting enough school. Beginning Monday, deputies will escort wards to outside school classrooms and stand outside the doors to...... well, do what? They are precluded by policy and procedure from entering the room if a fight breaks out until adequate staff have arrived. Of course, administration could be counting on the fact that many of their younger gun-ho deputies will forgo safety and enter the room without adequate backup. When that happens, and a staff member gets hurt, you can bet the department will cry foul and discipline the staff member for not following procedure. But the heat will still be on for these young men and women to put themselves in danger for the sake of "the job".


Sounds like a win-win situation for Chief Sentman.

Just in case, we will keep tabs on the number of fights that break out among these minors. Remember, we are not talking about curfew violations. We are talking about murderers, rapists and arsonists. Hard core gang members. Yes, that is the face of juvenile hall wards. And you all thought they went home at night to be tucked in by June Cleaver.

Correctional Workers Stage Protest at CCPOA Headquarters

State correctional officers are staging a small protest at CCPOA's West Sacramento headquarters, calling for the union's executive council to step down over a series of legal and leadership miscues that the protesters say reveal ethical and possibly legal lapses among their leaders.

Looks like the prison guards are tired of their own leadership. No doubt that Mike Jimenez thought that he could weild the whip like his predecessors. Unfortunately, he is no Don Novey and the officers are fed up with the tactics their union is taking and they want to get rid of the current leadership.

This is a good lesson learned and a clear message for other union leaders to make sure they are listening to their constituency or they may find themselves in the same boat.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Shit Hits the Fan

The anticipated school schedules and directives for handling SR & XSR minors has come out and will start Monday. Let's see how long before our first fight breaks out. I figure about 10 minutes after the school bell. More to come.
Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

County's Office of Independent Review Gets Into Probation Business

It seems the Gang of Five doesn't like to be kept in the dark. When they wanted to look at the tape of the riot that occurred at Juvenile Hall a couple of months ago, they were told by the Department that it was forbidden. Campbell, seems to believe that bringing the OIR in will create the kind of attorney-client privilege needed to be able to view the tape. There really shouldn't be any concern about viewing the tape. The cameras in the Hall are 20th century technology and the tapes are so grainy you couldn't identify Santa Claus if you wanted to. Still, it will be interesting to see if this does what they want it to. It is doubtful that this will suffice and the Gang of Five will probably remain out in the cold. If, by chance they are successful, it will only take one lawsuit by the PLO to stop it.

What should be of real concern is the OIR's involvement in probation affairs. The department, historically, does not like anyone telling them how to handle their affairs... even internal affairs.

Monday, November 8, 2010

CSA's, Gifts for Guns & the Aftermath

Today's press release on the Sheriff's blog, amplified by the touting of OCEA about the new class of Correction Services Assistant is very interesting. As I perused the article, I noticed they go through a ten week "academy" that includes such topics as laws of arrest, arrest procedures, and the use of pepper spray. Whooa, wait a minute.... I thought these were civilians? So why are we wasting time giving them lessons on arrest? Could it be that Sheriff Sandy has a hidden agenda? Could it be that she plans to eventually make these officers.....dare I say it...... peace officers (with limited authority, of course)? I guess time will tell. One course they went through is certain to serve them well. The "Will to Survive" course will come in handy when they are getting their asses kicked and the sheriffs deputies are too busy texting from their phones to go help them.

Arnie is up in Fresno, today, promoting the "Guns for Gifts" program that, as he puts it, "will make our communities safe". One might not know it until they read the article, but Fresno has a huge gang problem. I guess Arni is reaching out to the bad guys, hoping they will trade their hard-earned guns in for Christmas gifts for their homies. A better way to handle this would be to find better ways of enforcing the current gun and gang laws that make it illegal for gangsters to own guns in the first place. Admittedly, that is more difficult than signing new, useless laws into effect, smothering society with our nanny-state blanket. Good luck and good riddance, Arnie.

Brown is in, Nutmeg is out. Several political pundits are blaming (who else) the unions for foiling Meg's power grab. Apparently, most of the ultra-conservative nut cases haven't finished with the unions yet. So, they will continue to blame them for everything from the State's ever imminent bankruptcy status to global warming because the liberals think they should do something about the environment. No one seems to know for sure what Meggie and her billion dollar buddy Carly are going to do now. Could be a run for President? then she can join the ranks of Ron Paul. She has already surpassed him in the political spending arena. Why not? President Nutmeg Whitman.... hmmm, has a nice sound to it.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

T-rack v. T-Spitzer

If you did not have the pleasure of seeing the dueling press conferences, you owed it to yourself to watch the panel discussion on KOCE. I'm still trying to digest the hyperbole from all sides. I should have an analysis worthy of a stinking badge shortly.
Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The DA Does It Right........ For Once

News Flash!!!! The most corrupt DA in California refuses to prosecute another political crony! News at.....

Seriously, for once, the DA is probably right. If there was an actual physical altercation between Norby and his wife, you can bet the police would have hauled his keester to jail. DV has no leeway. If an accusation is made and there is the slightest threat of evidence, then the police will drag you off to jail, if for nothing else than to let you cool off. Since Power Ranger Chris is still free to sleep on Sacramento's finest park benches, I would say this one was a good call.

Still........

So Nutmeg Whitman has managed to cull a few self-serving peace officer unions out for herself. It's a shame that they can't see the real ploy of divide and conquer. Wayne Quint, President of CCLEA, once threatened any association thinking of dumping all public employees for the sake of public safety with expulsion. I hope he still feels the same way. The union portrayed in the Youtube video (guess who?) is the same one that wanted to cut and run the last time pension talk got heated just a few years ago.

As we slide into the final days before the election, it is important to remember that we, as public employees, must stand together completely and not let them divide us for our own selfish gain. Oh yeah, and vote for Governor Brown.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Should Police Have to Play These Games?

This is the kind of stuff that the old Keystone Cops movie shorts were made of. You might expect this coming from some small town in the middle of nowhere USA. But, here in Orange County? Then again....

It seems some candidates in Los Alamitos, that Western-most city of the Real OC, are playing games with each other. It would be funny, but they are actually taking up the time of Los Al's small and overworked-as-it-is police department to put up with this stupidity.

If you haven't heard, the politics heated up in Los Alamitos over the weekend. It seems some candidates can't keep their hands off of other candidates property. One candidate, George Briggerman jr., is stupid enough to be caught on tape (later viewed by several hundred people) taking another candidate's sign and dumping it. Another candidate is stalked by a woman claiming to just be making sure he doesn't steal flyers of another candidate. He calls the cops because of the stalker and later the stalker calls the cops because he allegedly did steal the flyers. The cops come out but no one gets arrested.

Is this really what you want your police to be doing? Crime may not be rampant in Los Alamitos, but I'm sure their police department has better things to do than run around chasing people running for office and acting like they are running for middle school president. Come to think of it, even the kids know better than that. Oh, the video? here

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Can He? Will He?

Could it be that Shawn Nelson is rethinking his pension? The article in the Voice of OC indicates he may be doing just that. Without naming names, the OCERS Chief, Steve Delaney, said that a high ranking elected official had inquired about changing the terms of his pension. So, who else could it be?

There is no doubt that the revelation that Shawn took the best pension available has injured him with his republican cronies. I am sure they were all aghast when they found out he did it....... by accident, of course.

In any case, as was pointed out, he has multiple opportunities to fix this if he really wants to. Of course, one has to ask, this guy is a lawyer. Didn't he read the fine print?

Monday, August 30, 2010

Todd Spitzer - Friend or Foe?

You didn't hear it here first. Too bad. What you will hear is that Todd is being played (and not very well) by his former boss and nemesis, Tony T-rack Rackaukus. As to why, is anyone's guess.... OK, I'll guess.....

I've already commented on the Voice of OC and the Register about this. Spitzer has probably never been on really good terms with T-rack. Face it, he wants the man's job, jumped the gun to vie for it and is now paying the price. Of course, you have to figure Susie girl Schroeder who is sunning herself in Hawaii right now, will probably try to run. At least, that is the rumor. Would she win?

Spitzer has:
  • $1 million in campaign funds already socked away
  • Huge name recognition in this county as a former member of the Gang of Five and State Assemblyman
  • Huge name recognition due to this fiasco that T-rack himself inaugurated (hmmmm, could Tony really be acting in Todd's best interest?)
  • A great reputation as a go-getter no-holds barred prosecutor who will not worry about party affiliation when it comes to digging up the dirt on corrupt politicians and businessmen
Susie girl has:
  • Her sugar daddy who runs the republican machine in OC
  • A reputation for being T-rack's lackey spokesperson who can't think for herself
  • Limited trial experience
  • Campaign funds - well, lets just say she is behind Spitzer on this one.
You decide who has the best chance now, or in the future. If there are other contenders out there, no one has heard from them. Wait..... is that Wally Wade I hear yelling from somewhere in south county?

Thursday, August 12, 2010

wonderhere Norby went

So, ever wonder what happened to Chris Norby, OC's inveterate libertarian Supervisor? He's alive and, presumably well, up in Sacramento. In fact, he continues his" Norby Notes" from afar. In his latest diatribe he complains in an unlibertarian tone about how those darn gay people ursurped the American way of life by getting a judge to go along with their scheme to undermine the American way of life by getting him to strike down the anti-gay marriage prop 8. Hey, I'm as straight as Mongo (get it?) and I could care less. He should too. Norby should spend his time figuring out if, in the next 3 years, he will ever get a bill passed. So far he is 0 for 3.

Here is his latest at http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/72/newsletter/08_10_9.htm

Sunday, August 8, 2010

share

Another aspect of the recent riot at juvenile hall. This time from our own Jeff Gallagher

share

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Trying Mobile Blogging

Remember, this is after all, just a test site.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.4.9

Officer hurt in big fight at Juvenile Hall | garcia, juvenile, began - News - The Orange County Register

Here is the Register's story on the "big fight at juvenile hall". At least they were able to interview some of the officers involved. Maybe this will open the door on a department long kept purposely in the dark.

Officer hurt in big fight at Juvenile Hall | garcia, juvenile, began - News - The Orange County Register

share

The Voice of OC is staying on the story as the true facts come out. Seems there is more to this than the probation department spokesperson, Robert "I don't know what you are talking about" Rangel led the public to believe. Now, they have denied access to the tapes, even though they have the technology to redact the minors' faces so they can be released. You decide......
share

share

Now, this is more like it. I don't even have to write anything, just republish it from the Voice of OC. They ran down a story on a riot in juvenile hall that resulted in the hospitalization of one officer and the subsequent 4 day lockdown ( sort of) of the Hall. Ask and you shall receive.....
share

Monday, August 2, 2010

Demonstation Project

This is a demonstration project for another website. The purpose of this is to work on other web projects and see how outside content can me managed from other users and placed within another website.