A Cop's Dilemma

A deputy was charged with Murder 2 recently, and it made me wonder if it could have been avoided. I've been told that the Sheriff had been told numerous times that Chris was a problem. However, since he was connected, he didn't get the behavior modification he should have. If that is true, Mark - you better get your checkbook out.

What do you do if you are a cop and you see another doing some pretty stupid stuff? Not criminal stuff, but stuff that is "on the edge." Who do you tell? If you tell your supervisor, it may filter up, or you may be telling the other guy's best friend. Suppose your supervisor is doing weird stuff? The troops talk amongst themselves, but there is no way for one to get information up to management that really needs to be sent up. If you tell something, and others find out, you are no longer on the "team".

In my 30 plus years, I saw some officers do some stupid stuff, and if I felt it warranted, I spoke directly to them about it. But, I've learned I'm a little different. I never felt the need to be in the click, so I did what I felt necessary. I never saw another officer do anything criminal, and any time I saw an officer starting to be too hard on someone, I pulled them off. But, that's obviously not happening these days.

I think there needs to be some way of bringing bad behavior to an officer's attention, and I'm starting to think the best way is for the officers to self police. Maybe officers need to post something somewhere (on an anonymous blog) when they see one of the ranks screwing up? Then again, that would open things up for someone to trash another officer. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I think this is a valid question. What do you think? Do you have any ideas on how this could be handled?

I would be more than willing to host a blog and moderate it for the officers in and around the area, if they wanted a site like that. Let me know what you think.

Track the Sentencing Matrix Bill

Here's the link to track the sentencing matrix bill in the legislature

Thug of the Week 03-06-2008

This week's Thug is Houston Baggett, rni# 81927, with 109 arrests and 132 charges. Houston is in jail this time for violation of probation. I'm not sure if he's on probation for the robberies, burglaries, drug sales, assaults or one of the other arrests, or maybe a combination of the above. He was arrested seven times in 2007, yet has only this one arrest for this year. I think maybe he's rehabilitated himself!

Here's a list of just his General Sessions charges:
Bookno Arrdate Agency Charge
8104731 2/11/2008 MP VIOLATION OF PROBATION M
7135942 10/2/2007 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
7135942 10/2/2007 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
7133327 9/14/2007 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
7713517 8/1/2007 MP POSS OF CONT SUBSTANCE MARIJUANA
7112225 4/10/2007 SO FAIL TO APPEAR FOR BOOKING/PROCESS
7112225 4/10/2007 MP ROBBERY
7112225 4/10/2007 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
7111058 3/31/2007 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
7111058 3/31/2007 MP POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
7111058 3/31/2007 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
7704313 3/23/2007 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
7704313 3/23/2007 MP POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
7102542 1/23/2007 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
6137169 11/27/2006 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
6135581 11/12/2006 MP AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
6659338 11/12/2006 MP POSS OF CONT SUBSTANCE MARIJUANA
6124802 8/17/2006 MP ROBBERY
6106096 2/28/2006 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
5132468 10/20/2005 MP ASSAULT-BODILY HARM
5132468 10/20/2005 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
5132468 10/20/2005 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
5639584 8/9/2005 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
4135155 11/10/2004 MP MANUF/DEL/SELL/COCAINE
4135155 11/10/2004 MP POSS OF CONT SUBSTANCE COCAINE
4133449 10/27/2004 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
4133449 10/27/2004 MP UNAUTHORIZED USE OF MV OR BICYCLE
4133449 10/27/2004 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
4126676 8/27/2004 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
4103678 2/2/2004 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
4103678 2/2/2004 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
3133683 11/11/2003 MP POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
1142666 1/16/2002 SO FAIL TO APPEAR FOR BOOKING/PROCESS
1142666 12/21/2001 MP ROBBERY
1142666 12/21/2001 MP ROBBERY
1142354 12/18/2001 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
1657073 12/3/2001 SO THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
1131547 9/18/2001 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
1121664 6/29/2001 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
1121664 6/29/2001 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
1116068 5/11/2001 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
1108881 3/13/2001 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
1107835 3/6/2001 SO CONTEMPT OF COURT-GENERAL LAW
1107835 3/5/2001 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
1107835 3/5/2001 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
1106031 2/20/2001 MP FAIL TO APPEAR FOR BOOKING/PROCESS
1102273 1/19/2001 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
1601303 1/10/2001 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
159397 12/30/2000 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
148158 10/16/2000 SO CONTEMPT OF COURT-GENERAL LAW
148158 10/3/2000 MP SEL/DEL/DIST IMITATION CONTROL SUB
148158 10/3/2000 MP CRIMINAL ATTEMPT MISDEMEANOR
138172 7/27/2000 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
127762 6/12/2000 SO FAIL TO APPEAR FOR BOOKING/PROCESS
127762 5/26/2000 MP POSS CONT SUB W/I TO MANUF/DEL/SELL
127762 5/26/2000 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
622252 5/8/2000 SO INDECENT EXPOSURE M
123937 5/5/2000 MP CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION
117381 4/1/2000 MP ROBBERY
117381 4/1/2000 MP POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
117381 4/1/2000 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
113842 3/14/2000 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99167119 12/23/1999 MP ASSAULT M
99167119 12/23/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
99161763 11/21/1999 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99156781 10/26/1999 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99147293 9/7/1999 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
99142965 8/17/1999 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99139653 8/1/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
99135138 7/8/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
99125598 5/17/1999 MP CONTEMPT OF COURT-GENERAL LAW
99125598 5/17/1999 MP FAIL TO APPEAR FOR BOOKING/PROCESS
99123005 5/3/1999 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
99622510 4/29/1999 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99113848 3/17/1999 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99113848 3/17/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
99109334 2/19/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
99107625 2/10/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
99107625 2/10/1999 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
99104546 1/25/1999 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
99104546 1/25/1999 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
98057566 11/13/1998 MP SEL/DEL/DIST IMITATION CONTROL SUB
98057566 11/13/1998 MP POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
98057566 11/13/1998 MP PURCH/REC IMITATION CONTROLLED SUB
98046400 9/15/1998 SO CONTEMPT OF COURT-GENERAL LAW
98039087 8/4/1998 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
98039087 8/4/1998 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
98038440 8/1/1998 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
98037470 7/27/1998 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
98025843 5/23/1998 MP PEDESTRIAN SOLICITING RIDE/BUSINESS
98021984 5/1/1998 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
98019356 4/16/1998 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
98019356 4/16/1998 MP EVADING ARREST
98019356 4/16/1998 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
98014903 3/23/1998 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
98006126 2/3/1998 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
98006126 2/3/1998 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
98003074 1/18/1998 MP OBSTRUCT HIGHWAY OR PASSAGEWAY
97040776 8/13/1997 MP AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
97040776 8/13/1997 MP ASSAULT M
97023625 5/13/1997 MP PUBLIC INTOXICATION
97023625 5/13/1997 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
97010869 3/6/1997 SO THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
97001119 1/7/1997 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
96436058 12/13/1996 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
92042118 2/11/1992 MP POSS CONT SUB W/I TO MANUF/DEL/SELL
92042118 2/11/1992 MP POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEM
91363100 12/29/1991 MP POSS CONT SUB W/I TO MANUF/DEL/SELL
91363100 12/29/1991 MP POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA
91363100 12/29/1991 MP POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEM
91285125 10/12/1991 MP GAMBLING
91170086 6/19/1991 MP CRIMINAL TRESPASS
90193122 7/12/1990 MP DISORDERLY CONDUCT
90122146 5/2/1990 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
90079081 3/20/1990 MP THEFT OF PROPERTY $500 OR LESS
87178707 6/27/1987 MP DISTURBANCE OF PEACE
87129037 5/9/1987 MP SHOPLIFTING M
87084700 3/25/1987 MP DISTURBANCE OF PEACE
87084700 3/25/1987 MP ASSAULT & BATTERY
87084700 3/25/1987 MP SHOPLIFTING M
87003047 1/3/1987 SO VIOLATION OF PROBATION M
86276012 10/3/1986 MP ATTEMPT TO COMMIT FELONY
86276012 10/3/1986 MP MALICIOUS MISCHIEF
86263090 9/20/1986 MP UNLAWFUL POSS CONTROL SUBSTANCE
86263090 9/20/1986 MP UNLAWFUL POSS CONTROL SUBSTANCE
86105015 4/15/1986 MP NO DRIVER LICENSE
86105015 4/15/1986 MP AUTO LARCENY
86105015 4/15/1986 MP RECKLESS DRIVING
86105015 4/15/1986 MP RESISTING ARREST
86105015 4/15/1986 MP MALICIOUS MISCHIEF

Welcome to The Killing Fields

The recent murders on Lester are causing people to sit up and take notice. One thing that is FINALLY being reported, is that these people where criminals. It has even been reported that there was a gang affiliation, though the media hasn't delved into that much. Here's what I can say about this situation. It is a tragedy, but it is a predictable tragedy. When you have a criminal justice system that believes more in time-out than time-in, this is what you get. Three of the four deceased adults had serious criminal records. The men should not have even been at home when this killing took place, they should have been in jail.

Here's a rundown on each of the deceased:

1. Cecil Dotson was arrested five times, as an adult. His latest charge was for armed robbery. He was also a gang member.

2. Hollis Seals was arrested 16 different times, as an adult. His latest charge was for carrying a pistol (live by it...)

3. Shindri Roberson AKA Alicia Stevenson was apparently a prostitute, as she has been arrested for prostitution at least three times and also for selling drugs, and other such charges. She had been arrested 7 times.

4. Marissa Williams doesn't appear to have any charges. She just made bad choices in men and friends. She had to get an order of protection against one of her suitors.

It has been reported that Cecil Dotson's brother served time for Murder, is a gang member, stabbed someone while in jail, and pulled a pistol on Cecil last month.

Why is anyone surprised about these violent deaths, given the environment? When will the legislature wake up and pass a bill that keeps repeat offenders off the streets? Does anyone want to bet that the person or people responsible for killing these victims has been to jail several times, is probably a gang member, and needs to punished one last time?

Much has been said about what the MPD can do or has done. New York has been cited as the model, and it is. However, the MPD is implementing new strategies and has been doing Blue Crush, which arrests a lot of offenders, for the past year or more. Soon, the Real Time Crime Center will open and there will be new strategies. One of those is the implementation of "Gun Shot Detection" cameras. These cameras will be deployed into areas that have a history of gun-play and they will only record when they detect a gunshot. They will be monitored by staff in the RTCC. We will be developing databases and software that gives officers the information they need, when they need it. Even so, this will not cause the criminals to stop. Only the courts and the legislature can do that. We can load the jails, and they will continue to spank their hands and turn them back out, until the public has had enough.

I don't mean to come across as harsh or pessimistic, but I'm more surprised we haven't had more of these type situations, given the laissez-faire attitude of both the courts and the legislature. It's time people got upset enough to contact their legislators and demand the sentencing laws be fixed. If our thugs weren't propelled back into the community so easily, we might not be such a dangerous city!

I'm sorry for the kids that were killed and the family members who have lost relatives, regardless as to whether they were criminals or saints. I'm also sorry for anyone who has to live in that environment. What chance do those kids who survived have of becoming anything but a criminal? I'd say it's not a wager I would want to make. What's the answer? I believe the answer is multifaceted, and one that requires the good men of the black community to step up. It's time to decry thuggery and to push kids in the right direction, not towards wearing gangster clothing, flashing gang signs and listening to gangstah rap. Who will step forward and lead the community? Any reverends out there who are actually more concerned about people, than politics? If so, step up and do what God commands.

Jerry Porter - Thug of the Week 2/21/2008

click images to enlarge

This week we shine our ubiquitous spotlight on none other than Jerry Porter and his 109 bookings at the Shelby County Crossbar Hotel. Jerry's latest escapade is chronicled in the affidavit which has been inserted into this post. While reading through the affidavit, you get a sense that Jerry may have a "mental" problem. I'm not sure what that means though, because I think we all have mental problems. It's a matter of degree. In Jerry's case, I think the solution might be some quality time at an "extended stay" facility, something like the (I hate to call it this) Correctional Center.

Personally, I think people like Jerry need to be housed in the "work house", where they can work off their aggressive behavior, in the fields, or doing some form of manual labor. I'm told all this idleness is the "devil's workshop" and it appears the devil has been busy in Jerry's little shop of horrors. So here's to you - Jerry Porter - thug man of the week!

Happy Valentine Thug 2-14-2008

Click to Enlarge

Mary Austin, Mary Boswell, "Mary, Mary quite contrary"...

This week's thug has been booked in the county jail 160 times and been charged with over 230 charges. She has been charged with some form of prostitution over 135 times. She plies her trade everywhere, even near churches and schools.

Once again, I'd like to thank this week's thug for helping us highlight this problem. Maybe, through these "thugs" hard work, we can get things changed!

It's "Illegal" Alien

I ran into a friend who works in one of Shelby County's criminal courts the other day and we were discussing crime and all things criminal. He had some revelations for me. I knew there was a problem with illegal aliens, but I didn't know exactly how bad it was, not that I have a clear picture of that now. But, what I learned was astounding.

It seems that there is an "illegal" in the court where he works who has been in jail for 2 years, on a "rape of a child" charge. The defense is claiming he is incapable of knowing right from wrong. This is because he doesn't speak English! Usually, a person is ruled mentally incompetent because of some psychological problem, but this new wrinkle,which is apparently a scheme of the public defenders office, is costing the taxpayer a bundle. The court has assigned a translator (I'm told at $125.00 per court appearance) and a spanish speaking attorney, at a much higher rate. They are also paying dueling psychologists to haggle over whether or not this guy has become Anglicized enough to be tried. There's no telling how much money we are spending on this clown, who should have been dropped off back in his native country (from about 30,000 feet).

In another matter, which is related to the same problem, I was told how the DAs office took another illegal alien to the judge and recommended probation. Fortunately, that judge wouldn't go along with the deal. He ruled that it would be impossible for him to grant probation to an "illegal alien" because one of the rules for probation is that the person will have a job, and it is illegal to hire an illegal alien. This guy is now doing the 11 months and 29 days he should be doing.
I hope the other judges take note of this ruling because it is only right. I cannot understand how we got so out of control that we are granting, not only the rights of citizens, but more, to illegal aliens.

I will be trying to find information over the next week or so regarding how many illegal aliens have been arrested this past year, even though our local shurf isn't concerned with enforcing that law. Personally, I think once arrested, and identified as an illegal, they should be immediately deported. I think it's called "prima facia" evidence. The fact that they are breathing our air, is proof enough that they are committing a crime.

Thug of the Week - 02-07-2008

This weeks participant in the Thug of the Week Thug-a-thon is Andre Elliott. Andre has been a non player lately, but somehow he has landed back in the slammer, after assaulting a clerk at a service station, while being overly inebriated. This is not the first time Andre has assaulted someone. As is usually the case, this weeks player, has done this numerous times, only to be evaluated, then released back onto society. Andre has been arrested 171 different times and has been charged with 266 different charges, ranging from public drunk to robbery. He has also been charged with selling crack cocaine, carry a dangerous weapon, etc. He is currently in jail on a $100.00 bond and will probably walk back out the door tomorrow, if not sooner.

click to enlarge


As an aside, I think people might be interested to know that I was contacted, this week, by a judge who said he had been listening to Mike Fleming and me discuss this repeat offender issue. He said he was glad someone was speaking up, because a sitting judge cannot. This particular judge is a friend that I helped get elected because I knew he would make a good judge. I told him of my idea about the sentencing matrix, and he agreed - it is a great idea. The underlying concept is that after the first conviction on a misdemeanor charge (automatic probation), a person would have to receive a stronger punishment than they received the previous time. This would give a judge some leeway, but would require a progressive discipline. Hopefully, our local legislators will be paying attention to this blog and the radio show.

Babes WITH Arms

Remember all the hoopla over the West Memphis officer shooting the twelve year old last year? Well, where is the outrage over the latest arrests by the MPD of the teenage robbers? Where is the parent? Notice, I didn't say where are the parents. Are is a verb that is used when the subject is plural. Anyone want to bet there was no father in the family? Who thinks a young teenager can't kill you?

My last year on the job, I arrested 5 crips one night, after a 15 year old tried to kill me with a REAL .9mm pistol. We also recovered another pistol from the car they were driving. Ed Vidulich, we have learned, was killed by an 18 year old. When you have young boys with no father around to make them do right, you can expect the worst. Even when fathers are around, there are no guarantees, but it's far less likely the boys will turn out to be gangsters.

Here's the MPD press release on the "shotgun robbers" who were arrested this past week. Notice this release talks about a "toy" gun. Does that sound familiar?

On Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 8:15 PM Uniform patrol officers from Union Station arrested two suspects in connection with the robbery of the Pizza Hut delivery driver at 1223 Tutwiler. Officers had recovered a toy handgun and determined these suspects fit the description of the shot gun robberies that had been occurring in the Evergreen Historical District around the area of Rhodes College. Robbery Investigators began an investigation and today have charged six juveniles in connection with these series of robberies.
Ladetrick Bond, 13
Ricky Hampton, 15
Terrell Phillips, 15
Qurtez Harris, 16
Deadrick Munged, 16
Lorenzo Howard, 16

Robbery investigators expect to make additional arrest and have been working to recover property taken in these robberies.

On Crime and Punishment

Thanks to Senator Mark Norris and Representative Curry Todd for getting things started on the repeat offender problem here in Memphis. As they promised, on Mike Fleming's radio show last week, they have introduced legislation to study the repeat offender problem and come up with solutions. Here is the text of the bill which was introduced 1/31/2008:

SENATE BILL 3905
By Norris
HOUSE BILL 3751
By Todd


AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16 and Title 40, relative to misdemeanor sentencing.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16, Chapter 21, Part 1, is amended by adding the following as a new section:

Section 16-21-112.

(a) The council is requested to conduct a study of § 40-35-302, and other provisions of the criminal code dealing with misdemeanor sentencing. The study shall determine whether the present misdemeanor sentencing structure is sufficient to adequately deter and punish offenders who commit multiple misdemeanor offenses. Because these multiple offenses congest the criminal justice system and rarely result in any appreciable punishment, it gives the general public the impression that the justice system is lax and does not do enough to protect the victims from the loss and inconvenience caused by numerous petty offenses committed by the same defendant.

(b) The administrative office of the courts is authorized to assist the council in completing the study and report requested by this section.
(c) The council shall complete the study and report its findings, including any recommendations for necessary legislation, to the clerk of the house of representatives and the senate for distribution to the members by January 15,2009.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

Thug of the Week 1-31-2008

Click to enlarge

This week, since the legislature is back in session, I decided to highlight the most arrested female in Memphis. While it's true that she only had about half the arrests that Larry West accrued, she still has a significant number. Kimberly Johnson rni # 68844 has 230 booking numbers, and has been charged with 388 different charges since she started her adult crime career.

A quick look at the charges will show you that "anything goes" with Ms Johnson. She hasn't been to our jail in a while, and I don't see her listed in the SCCC either, so maybe she moved on? Kimberly was last arrested in the area of McLemore and Bellevue, where she has been arrested numerous times before. If you see her, be sure to tell her to "STOP THAT!"

388 charges and 230 arrests just seems a little "wrong" doesn't it? One has to ask the question, "why hasn't someone with some authority done something about these thugs who continue to terrorize Memphis?" I'm asking that right now. Law enforcement is doing their part. Are the judges doing everything they can under the current law? Are the prosecutors? I'm not sure they are. I think even under the current law, more could be done with the repeat offender, if they people who are in charge of the various entities would step up.

Last week we heard from Senator Mark Norris and Representative Curry Todd on the subject and they promised to introduce legislation to address this. I'll be checking on that during this next week, and inviting them and other political leaders to visit this blog and post comments about what their thoughts are. Let's see who steps up to the plate.

Click to enlarge

Hey Mister, What is an Escort?

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

While looking at my selection for this coming week's "Thug of the Week", I decided to do a little research. This week's "thug" is a street entrepreneur, or a "substitute", aw heck, she's a prostitute. She has been arrested a couple of hundred times for plying her trade, which I'm told is the oldest profession. While she operates on the lower end of the spectrum, there are others who are more "respectible", meaning they charge a lot more!

I decided to see how hard it would be to hire a "substitute" via the internet, and you might be amazed to see what I saw. Well, there are several screen shots of what I saw below. I guess anything goes these days, doesn't it? We aren't living in Bedford Falls anymore, it's now become Pottersville. Take a look - you might be surprised...

Tunica Escorts


Maybe your heart desires to be left alone:


How bout something to calm your nerves?



Now, I've been around the block a time or two and seen a few things in my day, but the world sure seems to have gone awry. I think Darwin had it backwards, we are not evolving, we are DEvolving.

One Good Law!

Finally a bill has been introduced that is guaranteed to help protect the citizens! This bill will fix a problem we have had here in Shelby County since at least 2002. This bill requires that a shurf have some experience in his or her chosen field. Now, that's a novel idea! Think about it, if our shurf had actually been a cop, maybe he wouldn't have taken money from convicts. Maybe he would have known what authority he had to make arrests in all of Shelby County. Maybe he wouldn't have thought we "can't arrest our way out of crime." And he might not even say stupid stuff like, " a taser can be a lethal weapon."

I hope this bill gets passed this year. It is another one of those "common sense" bills.

HB1537 by *Bass. (*SB1744 by *Ketron.)

Sheriffs - Requires any candidate for sheriff to have five or more years experience in law enforcement; existing sheriffs are grandfathered-in. - Amends TCA Title 8.

Fiscal Summary for HB1537 / *SB1744
MINIMAL

Bill Summary for HB1537 / *SB1744

This bill adds to the present law qualifications that are required for election or appointment to the office of sheriff by requiring at least five years' experience as either a member of the state highway patrol or a POST certified law enforcement officer, or comparable certification in another state. The experience requirement added by this bill would not apply to any person who is serving in the office of sheriff on July 1, 2007, for so long as the person's service in the office of sheriff is continuous and uninterrupted.

Updated Info: click to enlarge

link to the source document

Thug of the Week 1-24-2008

This week's "frequent flyer" is Carl Webb. Carl, like many of his fellow occupants of the "cross bar hotel" has been convicted of a multitude of offenses. Carl has visited 201 Poplar, as a temporary resident on 139 occasions since 1982. The charges against Mr Webb have ranged from public drunk to robbery and burglary. Here's a look at some graphical representations of Carl's track record:

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE


Hopefully, this week on the Mike Fleming Show, we will be able to get the ball rolling to help cut crime in Memphis and Shelby County. We will be joined by retired police officer, and current state representative, Curry Todd and Senator Mark Norris to discuss the crime problem. Hopefully, they will take our suggestion for a sentencing matrix and get some legislation passed that puts more pressure on the thugs who practice the black art of thuggery!

Given that we have so many people who keep getting arrested, who can argue that our very way of life is in danger. Law enforcement has been doing the job. Blue Crush is locking criminals up in record numbers, but they are being released back into society even faster. It's not a revolving door, it's more like a proton accelerator!

Thug O The Week - 01172008

Did you hear the one about the guy who was so old his social security number was 2? Well, this week's thug has something in common with him. Clifton Banks' RNI number is 4361! Today, the highest RNI number I could find is 378,256. That means 373,895 other people have been arrested since Clifton first graced the sally-port of the Criminal Justice Complex.

Oh, but Clifton hasn't been resting on his laurels. He's been busy stimulating the economy. Think of all the police officers, lawyers, deputies, deputy jailers, clerks, insurance people, doctors, etc. who have benefited from Mr. Banks' activities. Clifton has been booked into the county jail 146 times since January 27, 1983, when his first act included shoplifting, assault and battery and malicious mischief. Since that time he has dabbled in most every charge on the books, except murder. Robbery, burglary, assault, numerous drug charges, criminal trespass, etc. Clifton is currently in jail, without a bond, and no charges available via JSS or through the SCSO's website. I guess he's being investigated again.

Once again, the "system" has failed to "rehabilitate" a wayward individual, as though anyone could rehabilitate anyone else. Personally, I think the idea of rehabilitation is wrong. People have to decide they want to be "rehabilitated" before it happens. For this reason, I think the better strategy is to attempt to change behavior, or make the punishment for committing crimes untenable to the perpetrators, so that they opt for more criminal friendly environs. (Don't forget the bus ticket option!)

Since the legislature has reconvened, this would be a good time for everyone to let their representatives know that we need an overhaul of our "injustice" system. Here's a link to a web page that will let you send an email to the legislators.

Identification Please!

I just returned from a cruise in the Bahamas. Once again, I got to experience, firsthand, the insanity of government regulation. I have always hated the bureaucratic shuffle, but now, since 9/11 we have been subjected to insanity personified. I'm glad the guy who did the shoe bomb thing didn't decide to stuff the C4 into a suppository, else we'd be getting a proctological exam at the airport. It's almost that bad anyway. Take your shoes off, coins, cellphones, take your laptop out of the bag (used to have to turn it on), etc. Now, being a retired cop, it boggles my mind that the US Government doesn't trust cops to carry their weapons anywhere in the country. I've carried one all over the place, been shot at, never shot at anyone. Some idiot bureaucrat, most likely an anti-gun liberal, decided nobody should carry guns in the air. Even though the president did sign a law a few years ago that says cops can carry their guns anywhere, we still can't. Oh well, it's the government. It's not supposed to be logical, or sane, or . . . .

Next up, getting on the cruise ship was fun. I don't yet have a passport (soon to be remedied), so I had to take a birth certificate with me. Now, the birth certificate is merely a document that has a name on it, and it appears to have been issued by a governmental entity, but beyond that it identifies absolutely nothing. The birth certificate I took was issued by the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis in 1953. That wasn't good enough, it had to be a "state" issued certificate. So, we had to call and get someone to go into the gun safe, retrieve my marriage certificate, then fax it to the cruise line. It seems a marriage license, or one of your children's birth certificates is considered "identification". I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.

Stay with me now. The cruise line and/or the department of Homeland Security decided that this document is proof that I am who I say I am. It is also acceptable that this document can be faxed to the cruise line. Now, they don't know where this document is coming from, who it is coming from, there is nothing on the document that identifies who I am, and it could refer to anyone. Are you seeing some holes in the system?

Here's another example of "government intelligence" - social security card required. Now, if ever there was an exercise in stupidity, it is using a social security card for identification purposes. Here's a link to a bunch of social security cards you can download, type your ssn on the card, print and there you go.

And we wonder why we cannot protect our borders with these rules being formulated by an outpatient group from a government mental institution. The government already has most people's fingerprints, they certainly have mine. Most everyone has a driver's license, issued by a state, etc. It seems long overdue that we have a system whereby we can quickly identify who is a citizen, and who isn't. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm aware of the "big brother" conspiracy theories, and I also don't want the government micromanaging me. At the same time, I think we need a system that is efficient, does what it purports to do, and lets the citizenry continue about their business with minimal intrusion.

New Plan - Cut Crime in Memphis and See the World

I have come up with a new idea on how to cut crime in Memphis which won't cost a lot of money and will help our criminal element expand their horizon. It's a plan that would have saved us millions, had we implemented it years ago. Here's the deal:

Instead of going through all the machinations of prosecuting people for their crimes, I think we offer them an option. They could have three choices, maybe four. They can opt out of our "penal" system and instead take a trip. Here are their four possible destinations:

1. Detroit
2. St. Louis
3. New Orleans
4. Atlanta

According to the Greyhound Bus website, a one way (non refundable) ticket from Memphis to Detroit is 103.00. I'll bet we could get a volume discount, if we shipped all 138 of our top folks their way. The 138 people who have been arrested 100 times or more in Shelby County account for over 18,500 arrests. If we calculate those arrests cost the taxpayers $500.00 per incident, which is probably low, we find we have spent 9.25 million dollars on this batch of miscreants. Had we just ponied up the bus fare, we would only have spent $14,214.00. That's a net savings of 9.2357 million.

This program's time has come. I mean, New Orleans did the same thing, except they didn't buy anyone a ticket. Memphis and Houston got flooded with their criminals. Yeah, I know the crime rate in Nawlins is still through the roof, but hey, it could be much worse.

I'm thinking this plan has some potential. Transfer our problems to other areas of the country, where they are criminal friendly - like we used to be. Of course when this group leaves, we would still have over 17,400 criminals who have been arrested 20 times or more (but less than 100) to contend with. Who knows, maybe we could pony up for them too.


What do you think?

Thug Thursday - The First of '08

Laverne Robinson is apparently one of those "secret shoppers", except when she gets caught. Then she becomes a shoplifter, or a person who steals stuff with a value less than $500.00. I'll say this for her, she is persistent. Last year she was arrested 9 times, 5 times in 2006, none in 2005 (must have been on sabbatical), 6 times in 2004 and so on. She has been booked a total of 105 times for every charge we have, it seems. I guess it really isn't fair to call her a shoplifter though, because her charges range from public drunk to aggravated assault, prostitution and she has even tried her hand at selling drugs.

Laverne is currently in jail on a $750.00 bond and holds the rank of fourth most arrested - currently in jail.

Murder - Down 12 Percent in Memphis

The numbers are in for 2007 and it appears Memphis has experienced a significant downturn in crime this year. Murders are down by 11% and all part I crimes are down about 5.5%. I believe much of this is due to the Blue Crush Operation and CyberWatch. Blue Crush is taking a lot of bad folks off the street, and CyberWatch is making the citizens aware of what is happening around them. One precinct commander has told me his burglaries are down by 25% and he attributes it to CyberWatch.

We will get even better once the Real Time Crime Center is open and we expose even more information to the general public. The more information we can get out to the public, the more likely they are to help us in our fight against crime. We've had nothing but positive feedback on the CyberWatch program, but we've only scratched the surface of what we will be making available to the citizens.

Even with all these things in place, we will still need new legislation, if we are to continue this crime abatement. The MPD can arrest people all day long, but it will be to no avail, if we can't take the repeat and serious offenders off the street. Mike Fleming (WREC Radio) and I will be focusing on this more and more as we get ready for the legislature to reconvein. I'm asking everyone to contact their legislators and express your concern over this issue. We need a sentencing matrix that helps change the criminal's behavior and the legislature is the only place that can happen.

Gee, Here's a Novel Idea

I know, what if we were to go after the repeat offenders? Do you think that would make our crime rate go down? Duh! It seems the problems in Baltimore were so bad, they finally decided to concentrate on the repeaters and guess what, it has had an immediate impact.

If you think it's bad in Memphis, it's twice as bad in Baltimore - for murders. Baltimore has a population of around 630,000 and Memphis is 645,978 according to the US Census data, but Baltimore has had 280 homicides this year compared to Memphis' 160 (29 of which were not murders, but justifiable homicides). Can you say, "desperate times, call for desperate measures?"

Here's a clip from today's CA on the subject:

Earlier this year, Baltimore was headed for its bloodiest year in nearly a decade. But the bloodletting eased up after a new police commissioner took office.

The bloodshed in Baltimore is blamed on entrenched poverty, widespread drug addiction, failing schools and easy access to guns.

Through Dec. 26, there were 280 homicides in Baltimore -- four more than in all of 2006. Things looked even grimmer in mid-July, the day Police Commissioner Leonard Hamm resigned. At that point, Baltimore had 178 homicides, putting it on pace for a total of 325. The city has not topped 300 since 1999.

The new police commissioner, Frederick Bealefeld III, and Mayor Sheila Dixon have gone after repeat violent offenders more aggressively, flooded high-crime zones with officers, and revived a unit that traces illegal guns. Also, repeat gun offenders are being sent more frequently to the federal court system, where they face stiffer sentences.

In Memphis, Blue Crush is doing a lot of that, and we are ramping up to deal with the constant repeat offenders over the next year. I guess it would only be fair to give the thugs fair warning - we will be watching you! Now, if we can just get the legislature to pass some better legislation to deal with these terrorists!

I encourage anyone and everyone to send an email to your legislators requesting this legislation. As a matter of fact, I've created a web page that will let you do just that, with just a few clicks.

He's Doing it Again!

click to enlarge



Source - Shelby County Registrar's website

It seems a leopard cannot change his spots. Our local shurf, Mark (not a cop) Luttrell, is taking gratuities again. The Memphis Daily News reported that he took some free tickets that were offered by the University of Memphis and didn't return them. All the county commissioners returned the tickets they were given, but Mark didn't see the need to. That might be because Mark thinks the ethics rules of the county and the policies of the Sheriff's office that outlaw such conduct, are really just "suggestions", unless they are applied to deputies.

Mark took a free dinner cruise last year while in Chicago, and he didn't report it, nor did he pay for it himself. The cruise was paid for by Aramark, the company who just happens to be a vendor for the county and the Sheriff's office - to the tune of several million dollars.

While I was employed by the Sheriff's Office, it was made clear that you could not accept freebies from anyone. And, you couldn't take discounted stuff, UNLESS THE DISCOUNT WAS OFFERED TO EVERY OTHER DEPUTY SHERIFF. We routinely get discounts on food from different businesses, but that is an across the board discount to any cop. We get 10% from AutoZone, Dillards, and other companies, but once again, it's to all deputies and police officers. Now, I don't remember the U of M offering me free tickets, but if they had, I couldn't have accepted them, because we couldn't accept anything that was FREE.

Can anyone out there support his taking the free gifts? The rest of the county commission felt it was against the latest "ethics" policy, or else they would have kept the tickets too. It seems Mark has decided the rules just NEVER apply to him. Mark, that's a slippery slope. Pretty soon you'll be taking contributions from convicted drug dealers, oh wait, you've already done that. Oh well.

I'm still waiting on Mark's apology for taking money from the convicted cocaine dealers and other criminals, while punishing deputies for visiting a guy in prison. And I haven't heard anything more from Brian Kuhn, county attorney, regarding Mark's cruise. Now, I will be sending another email to Brian Kuhn on this clear ethics violation. Maybe Mark can be sanctioned by the county commission? Or do we have to find a coroner (whoever that might be) and have Mark arrested?

Mark, do the right thing - for once - and pay the money you would have had to pay for the tickets to a local charity. Give it to St Jude, The Union Mission, etc. AND don't accept anything else. You already make plenty of money, plus you drive our car, burn our gas and have our credit card.

If you are reading this and you find yourself asking what the ..... was he thinking, why not email him at mark.luttrell@shelby-sheriff.org and let him know - he is wrong!

Gangster and Murder Suspect Sought - and Caught

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
McArthur Bobo, 27 wanted in connection with the December 23rd murder of Michael Gibbs, which occurred at 42 N. Claybrook. HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY UNION STATION OFFICERS.
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Kudos to the officers of Union Station! Another job well done!

The Memphis Police Department is looking for this suspect, McArthur Bobo, in regards to a murder that occurred in the downtown area a week ago. He has been identified as a member of the Crips, a local social group who specialize in terrorizing communities. If you encounter him, call the police, he is a bad boy who carries a gun and uses it. He has been arrested over 30 times for everything from burglary, to selling drugs, to assault, witness intimidation, arson, possession of an unlawful weapon, etc! Here's a link to the BOLO on McArthur Bobo

Thug Thursday - 12/27/2007

Click any of the images to Enlarge

The song goes, "I'll be home for Christmas..." and so it was for this week's "thug of the week" when he was arrested on Christmas Day and got to come back "home" for the 161st time. Freddie Warr RNI# 15061. Freddie is another 1 man terror team who has primarily stayed in the area of South Parkway and Kyle, and also near the CJC downtown, according to where he has been arrested. You see, Freddie, like many thugs tends to cause problems for those within a 1.5 mile radius of where he stays.

Here's an image of a map which plots his arrests:


Freddie is in jail today on a felony vandalism charge, plus violating a protective order and public intoxication. I hope the local legislators are looking at this blog and listening to Mike Fleming's show, because these "thugs" demonstrate why we need a sentencing matrix. How long must the people who live in this community put up with these criminals who refuse to contribute to society?

Here's the list of carnage caused by Freddie - by charge type:

How Many?

Murder is the unlawful killing of a human person with malice aforethought. Murder is generally distinguished from other forms of homicide by the elements of malice aforethought and the lack of lawful justification. All jurisdictions, ancient and modern, consider it a most serious crime. Most jurisdictions impose a severe penalty for its commission. (source wikipedia)

From time to time, I look at what people are searching for when they hit my blog. Usually, they want to find out where the dangerous areas of Memphis are, or they are inquiring about gangs, or they may want to know how many murders we've had. I started looking at those numbers and found out something I thought was interesting. It has been widely reported that we've had 160 Murders in 2007, but after looking at the data, I find that simply isn't true. We've had 132 Murder/Manslaughters and the others have been coded as "Justifiable Homicide". I think this is a gross injustice to say we've had 160 murders when roughly 18% of those were cases that involved someone taking a lawful action, that resulted in a death. It's an unfortunate thing, to have to take someone else's life, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

So, let's start reporting the offenses as they are. We need to be breaking the Justifiable Homicides out of the total picture, because they are not Murder.
Here's the breakdown:
130 Murders/Non Negligent Manslaughter
002 Manslaughter by Negligence
028 Justifiable Homicides

160 Total

Here's a look at where the 132 Murders/Manslaughters have occured this year:

MPD - Working in the War Zone

Lately, there has been a lot of news about the MPD working in the "war zones", particularly after a young man was shot. Many people who don't live in an area like this don't really understand how crime permeates the entire area. I've worked this particular area many times and it seemed every house in the neighborhood was occupied by drug dealers or gang bangers. If you take a quick look at the reported crimes within a .5 mile radius of Alaska and Henry, you will see 69 crimes. Those crimes include murder, robbery, rape, burglary, assault, drug offenses, etc. This is not an anomaly, it is the usual for this particular area of Memphis. I feel for the people who are forced to live in this area, because the gangsters, drug dealers and basic criminals make life extremely hard on them. I'm posting a prototype of what we will be exposing for the public within the next few months, so you can get a good idea of what I'm talking about. This is just the reported crimes. I'll follow it up with the sex offenders and warrants, as well.

The Memphis Police Department has been involved in a constant battle in this area of town, and you can throw several Sheriff's Officers in the middle of that fight too. I think we probably entered every house in the area while I was working with the SCSO's Fugitive Squad.

As you view this map, keep in mind that the addresses have been rounded to the nearest 100 block, so you aren't seeing the exact addresses of the reported crimes.

UPDATE - WARRANTS (50 Most Recent)

Thug of the Week 12-20-2007

This week's "Thug" is Kenneth Edwards rni # 90057 dob: 3-10-1959 Age: 48. He has been booked into the Shelby County Jail over 130 times. Like his predecessors, most of his charges are simple misdemeanors, and yes, he has a bunch of more serious cases.

He has been busted on 21 different occasions for Theft of Property, 7 Criminal Trespasses, 2 assaults, 2 unlawful possession of a weapon, 1 aggravated arson, 1 aggravated burglary, carrying a weapon on school property, felony vandalism, and a slew of other charges.

Kenneth was averaging 4 arrests per year, until 2004 when he was arrested 12 times. The following years he was arrested - 12,10 and 9 times respectively. He still has time to get arrested a few more times this year, if he doesn't procrastinate.

Here is a look at those charges:

CLICK TO ENLARGE


As a part of my day job at the MPD, I try to come up with better ways of addressing the crime problem. One thing we have started looking at is patterns of criminal behavior. So far, it appears that most criminals commit their crimes within a radius of about 1 - 1.5 miles from where they live. With that in mind, here is a graphical look at Kenneth Edwards's arrests. As a part of the Real Time Crime Center, we will be constantly hammering the data to look for trends, patterns, and behaviors. Developing this data will help us both solve and predict crimes. Here's Kenneth Edwards' arrest map - I think you'll see this supports my theory :

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Why Consolidate?

Personally, I am not for consolidation. I don't want my taxes to go any higher than they already are. However, at some point, there won't be much left that isn't incorporated into one of the cities of Shelby County and the SCSO will cease to patrol. I guess at that point, the shurf will be relegated to the courts and jail, leaving only fugitive to do anything resembling law enforcement. Then there will be a need for unified law enforcement. If and when that happens, the MPD will have to be the agency that handles it. A 300 man department can't consume one that has 2200.

I think commissioner, Mike Carpenter, has a good understanding of the problem with having a politician running the law enforcement agency. In one of the study group meetings, he said the following:

"But Carpenter said an elected law enforcement head is not without problems, as he emphasized he wasn't talking about Luttrell.

"I don't want to be at the mercy of an unqualified law enforcement officer who can play political games - who can go out and raise money - who can glad-hand folks," Carpenter said. "He can put together enough votes in a crowded field to get the job. Sure, there's some minimal qualifications ... but it doesn't mean you can actually do the job. And we're stuck for four years."

Mike may have emphasized he wasn't talking about Luttrell, but guess what, he was talking about Luttrell. The above scenario describes Mark to a tee, with the exception that the taxpayers will wind up suffering for eight years before he moves on. Mark Luttrell is a jailer, not a cop, and as such, he has no basis of understanding. This leads to him making stupid remarks like:

1. "what authority do we have to make arrests in Bartlett?" (compstats meeting 2004)
2. "We can't arrest our way out of crime" (television news report 2005)
3. "We don't have a big drug or gang problem in county schools" (news story 2005)
4. "Tasers are deadly weapons" (2007 WMC news story)

If the news media would stop legitimizing him as a law enforcement officer (he ain't), he would stop being a public embarrassment. I guess he would only be a private embarrassment then.

Luttrell raises money from convicts, then says he makes no apology for it, but stops taking "reported" contributions from convicts. He also uses his position to abuse and intimidate officers like the following few examples, which are just a few of many:

1. Inspector Judy Hughes was transferred from Fugitive to the report center after filing a county EEOC "hostile work environment" complaint. She supervised 8 clerks, with no captain, no lieutenants, no sergeants and no patrolmen under her authority. She is now retired.
2. Next up was Captain Bobby Simmons. He took Judy's place, and then the report center's clerks were reassigned, when the operation went paperless. Captain Simmons reported to work for about a year, with no-one to supervise. He had an office with a desk and chair, oh yeah and a phone.
3. There was this lieutenant who was transferred to the midnight shift of the Fugitive Bureau because he had said he was going to run for Sheriff.(yeah that would be me)

There are many other examples that could be cited, but that's an exercise in futility, because nobody seems to care. As for the intimidation factor, these things didn't intimidate me, but it certainly had a chilling effect on the other officers. Fortunately, I had enough time on the job that I could retire and get away from the asylum.

If you are one of those people who thinks Luttrell is so great, you might want to read about the federal lawsuit the deputies filed against him after he refused to negotiate with the Deputy Sheriff's Association. Additionally, the top three officers of the DSA have had time off (with pay) to conduct union business since the late '70s. Not anymore. Luttrell sent them all back to their bid positions - another intimidation move. He is refusing to negotiate with the deputies, because they decided they needed to be aligned with the teamsters. Since when can the Sheriff dictate who the officers can be affiliated with? I hope the deputies prevail in their lawsuit, and maybe even get awarded punitive, personal damages. We don't need a dictator at the SCSO.

As for me, I would rather keep things the way they are, except I think the shurf needs to deal with his area of expertise (jails) and leave the policing to those who know whereof they speak.

It's Thug of the Week - or - When does 156 Equal 252

She was just hangin with the boys, in a vacant building, in the 1300 block of Jefferson, when the "po po" showed up to take her back to jail. I'm sure it seems like yesterday to Carolyn, that first trip to jail in 1986, that is. Carolyn, or Sheila, or Sharon, or Debra, or Jane Doe, or Chocolate, or even Sweet Chocolate, whichever alias you use, has lived a notorious life of crime. This is her 156th time to be booked which is an amazing feat, considering she is only 44 years old.

Carolyn, like many of these "thugs", has primarily been charged with minor misdemeanors. But, her rap sheet lists major felonies, like the five robberies, 10 charges of selling cocaine, numerous thefts and on and on.... She has been charged with a total of 252 different violations. Her latest charge is criminal trespass, which carries a 100.00 bond that she apparently can't make. Not a major crime, is it? That may be true, and if it were her first, or even 10th offense, I might not be so ready to say throw the key away. The problem is she is just another example of an antisocial person who will always be a criminal until that last gasp. Once again, this is a perfect example that cries out for a sentencing matrix. At what point is enough, enough?

Here's her mugshot and rap sheet :

Local Media Can Help

If we are to get any changes enacted through the legislature, we are going to need all the help we can get. One thing that would really help is if every time local media reports on these thugs being arrested, they would tell us how many times, and for what offenses they have been arrested. It doesn't take that long to hit the JSSI website and count it up, though it would be nice if the clerk's website gave you that information for each individual.

A quick look at the two people who were arrested in the sex sting at Overton Park showed that Eddie McGhee has been booked into the county jail 31 times, and Eric Martin - 22 times. If the news outlets start talking about how many times each offender has been arrested, it will draw attention to this problem, and maybe our local legislators will start trying to deal with this issue.

MPD Issuing BOLOs via the web

We've started folding our Notifications(BOLO - Be On the LookOut) into the CyberWatch Reports and at some point, will have a webpage that lets you view the list of bolos. Here's an example of one of the announcements, which alerts the public to the theft of a bunch of Flat Panel LCD televisions. This doesn't mean you should go try to find one at a deep discount!