Straub set to Resign

I caution those within Indianapolis Metro Police Department who may rejoice at the pending resignation of Frank Straub.  If Mayor Ballard can blunder as badly as he did with hiring and maintaining Straub, don't think he can't appoint someone equally as bad or worse than Dr. Straub.  Furthermore, Straub isn't set to resign until August; let's all hope he doesn't subscribe to a "scorched earth" policy because he can continue to damage IMPD prior to his departure.  My advice:  Be cautiously optimistic and watch Straub and Ballard very closely.

My wildly ridiculous predictions:  1)  Morale will instantly improve among the officers on IMPD.  2)  Straub flexes his ego and power one last time before leaving and Ballard continues to do nothing.  3)  IMPD morale sinks again when they realize Ballard is the bigger problem.  4)  If Richard Hite remains in Indianapolis, Ballard appoints him as the next Public Safety Director and affirms point #3.  5)  Straub goes to Chicago to work with a friend - but who really cares where he goes and who he works with.  6)  A State audit is finally done on the Public Safety Budget and they discover real "corruption" with the handling of our tax dollars.  Oh yeah...and we all live happily ever after.

Man I write a good story!

CompStat Redoux

From PoliceOne.com and Garey McKee:  http://www.policeone.com/bizarre/articles/5431660-Police-Limit-Comic-April-22-2012/

A special "thank you" to a faithful reader who emailed this cartoon for our enjoyment.

Felony Speech Courtesy of Obama

Watch this short video on bill HR347 signed into law by Barry HO. The commentator addresses the possibility of selective use of this bill. But I want to suggest another, more sinister use. These types of laws are not stable as of right now. For example, a law was enacted in Colorado (last year I think) prohibiting bible based speech against gays. As far as I am aware, as of yet, no one has been charged under the new law. This is because no one will stand for it at this time. But what is the purpose of these laws if they are not going to be used?

The left has for years (with the assistance of Republicans), been designing an alternate, ideological infrastructure within our government and culture. This infrastructure sits lifeless until "the event". This event is anything that shocks the conscience and requires a stern, patriotic response in the form of law enforcement; one that people are more than willing to get on board with. Then, once the law is used with success and support, it becomes the way things are done. That is how evil does its business.

PM

Chaos within Straub's Public Safety Department

Richard Hite has been appointed “interim IMPD Chief” following the resignation of Paul Ciesielski.  Hite retired from the Baltimore Police Department several years ago, but was hired by Public Safety Director Frank Straub in 2010 to be one of many new civilian Deputy Public Safety Directors.  IMPD Deputy Chief of Professional Standards Valerie Cunningham has also been demoted and placed on paid administrative leave.  These moves by Mayor Ballard and Director Straub come as a result of a perceived mishandling of evidence in the David Bisard case, specifically “vial #2” of David Bisard’s blood taken after the fatal crash.  Apparently this vile, along with others, was moved from the main Property Room to the Property Room Annex and stored improperly.  Mayor Ballard said during a news conference that he has asked the FBI to assist in investigating the mishandling of evidence.

Just an observation:  If Director Straub is as big a micro-manager as everyone on IMPD says he is, then why are Cunningham, Ciesielski and some Lieutenant being demoted and/or placed on administrative leave pending an FBI investigation?  Straub cannot have it both ways; either he is managing and in control of IMPD or he isn’t.  Maybe the Mayor should have placed Straub on administrative leave and/or Straub should have accepted responsibility for the mishandling of evidence and resigned.  IMPD has seemed to be in complete turmoil since Straub assumed the reigns over this agency.  It’s possible that IMPD has some archaic policies and practices that need reformed, but Straub exudes the impression that IMPD is a reckless agency out of control and unwilling to reform to his liking.  I prefer to acknowledge the obvious; IMPD has had major personnel and morale problems ever since Straub arrived.

Bucking Bulls and Political Correctness

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) was in Indianapolis over the weekend and I had the chance to go see 35 of the most insane athletes.  These men (yes, MEN…it’s not a sport concerned with gender equality) mount 1,800 lb. bulls and try to ride them for 8 seconds while judges “grade” the quality of the “bucking bull” and the “style” of the ride by the cowboy.  Only an American could invent something like this.  The most striking part of this event wasn’t the huge bulls, the courageous cowboys, the hysterical rodeo clown, or the large crowd of spectators; the most amazing moment of this entire event was the pre-event prayer uttered in front of the fans and competitors.    I was stunned and overjoyed to hear a prayer thanking God for a beautiful day and the joy of competition, asking for protection and for forgiveness of sins.  Many of the cowboys were kneeling on both knees in the middle of the arena with their heads bowed and hats off.  The reverent crowd at Bankers Life Fieldhouse was utterly silent; no boo’s, no sighs, and no cheering, just proper silence indicating an attitude of humility and Godly need.

Why does the Professional Bull Riders encourage such a prayer and not worry about being “politically correct” or losing business from those who may boycott?  How dare they speak the name of God and admit we all sin and are in desperate need of forgiveness.  Better yet, why can’t our schools, government meetings and graduation ceremonies utter such pre-event prayers exhibiting proper humility and an expressed need?  Must the truth come from the pulpit of a dirt bull ring!?

Our public school teachers will tell you they try to teach morals and values to their students by their example and “all-inclusive” lessons, but they aren’t allowed to explain the origin of these morals and values.  Liberals have decided its “unconstitutional” to speak the name of God in school because someone might feel uncomfortable or offended.  I can take my children to a PBR event and they learn more about courage, faith, prayer and God than they ever would in a public school that supposedly teaches morals and values.

I am slowly realizing that the public education my children are receiving is more harmful than good.  Children receive conflicting instruction in public school that they must have good behavior and values and yet they are taught their existence is the result of a big accident (Evolution).  Why would an evolved monkey need to exhibit a standard of behavior when truth and values are all relative?  I prefer consistent instruction that is logical and foundational to the author of morality, not a liberal (anti-God) attempt to instill pointless values.

I would rather spend my money on bull riding than public school education.

Whistleblower...CompStat

We did not want this pertinent information, posted by one of our readers, to get buried and unseen.

Mr. Graham RAYMAN is the award-winning Village Voice reporter who broke the NYPD scandal concerning WHISTLEBLOWER Officer Adrian Schoolcraft, 70th Pct. NYPD. Officer Schoolcraft is currently suing the City of New York for up to $50,000,000.00.

Any officers with documented information on CompStat "cooking the books" on Part I Index Crimes, you may contact Mr. Rayman via eMail at: GRayman@VillageVoice.com

Mention that the Public Safety Director is a former NYPD Deputy Commissioner in the email.

He has assured that your eMail will be held as strictly CONFIDENTIAL.

Look at Me! I'm on T.V.!

Light of the World Christian Church Rev. David Hampton was arrested, along with 12 other congregants, on April 1^st.  Indianapolis Metro Police arrested Light of the World church members for obstructing vehicular traffic on Michigan Road as they protested the death of 17 year old Trayvon Martin.  The Indy Star reported that Rev. David Hampton commended Indianapolis Metro Police for doing their job.  Rev. Hampton stated, “The message we want to send nationally is that the murder of Trayvon Martin with no arrest is unjust.”  Protestors obstructed traffic and carried signs that read, “Kill a dog go to jail, kill a black man go free?”, “Justice for Trayvon Martin”, “Stop the violence, start the love.”  Hampton stated, “If those who are driving past feel inconvenienced by us stopping traffic, imagine how inconvenienced Trayvon’s mother and father feel in the loss of their son.”

Where was Hampton’s “societal changing protest” a few short weeks ago when 5 teens, younger than Trayvon, were gunned down along The Downtown Canal?  Where are the protests for black on black violent crimes that dominate Indianapolis minority neighborhoods?  When does Rev. Hampton plan to protest the abortion clinics that are murdering black children at a rate far higher than any other ethnic group? (Blacks make up 13% of the population but account for 36% of all abortions.)  Why did Rev. Hampton think it necessary to tie up valuable police resources, especially given IMPD’s budget woes and manpower issues, to protest something that happened 800 miles away?  The arrest of Hampton and 12 of his church members not only pulled valuable public safety resources away from other neighborhoods, but their arrests will further burden our courts; and for what?...to protest an investigation that hasn’t been completed.  Light of the World clearly planned on blocking traffic and even planned on some church members being arrested.  This was a staged event with an obvious goal to receive media attention; and our local media was all too willing to oblige.  Indianapolis should impose a fine on Hampton and his church for the cost of the police resources they selfishly thought they were entitled to.

A supposed “Christian leader” encouraged members of his church, whom he is held to account for, to violate Indiana law so he could get some “face time” on the local media?  The conduct of Rev. Hampton and his church is shameful and un-Biblical.  There are some things worth fighting for, but Rev. Hampton’s passion for media “face time” and notoriety has skewed his priorities.  Obstructing traffic in the 4600 block of Michigan Road in Indianapolis Indiana does nothing to speed up an investigation in Florida, nor does it bring “Justice for Trayvon”.  Rev. Hampton, like so many black liberation theology churches, is concerned about “social justice” but ignores the fact that Jesus never provided any type of teaching based in the modern communist…I mean…”social justice” agenda.  I’m pretty sure Christ was treated more “unjustly” than Trayvon or any of Hampton’s church members.  However, Christ did teach a very important lesson Rev. Hampton may not be familiar with:  “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?...first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:3-5.

Side Note:  David Hampton seems to enjoy being arrested, especially if it adds to his notoriety.  He’s protested with and learned from the best…Al Sharpton, and Hampton served on the Board of Directors for the National Action Network.  A quick glance at Light of the Word’s website shows that the church is impressed with Hampton’s arrest record and association with Sharpton.  As a Bible believing Christian, I fear for the spiritual health of Hampton’s church if he is a disciple of Sharpton.  God help them! http://lightoftheworld.org/?members=rev-david-a-hampton

IMPD Welcomes CompStat

The basics of American policing, chasing and catching criminals, hasn’t changed much in the last 200 years, but technology has inspired various nuances to the tactics of “chasing” and “catching” criminals.  Patrol officers see “crime fighting” as a very basic and simple process, while the managers of policing agencies complicate the process by trying to reinvent the wheel for various political and self-serving reasons.  Much has been made about the perceived ability of law enforcement to prevent and reduce crime.  Politicians, police chiefs and public safety directors, mistakenly believe they have the ability to drastically affect crime, while more rational experts declare that law enforcement can only affect crime trends on the margins.

CompStat (Comparative Statistics) is a relatively new way of managing police resources and tactics largely due to the increased use of computer technology.  NYPD first began to employee this management method in the 1990’s and claimed amazing results in reducing overall crime in New York City.  Based on NYPD’s perceived success from the crime statistic numbers they proudly displayed, numerous other agencies began adopting CompStat and moving away from the Community Policing model that so many agencies were utilizing.  Was the perceived success of CompStat real or manufactured?  Can crime, a problem of the heart, be reduced with better data and deployment of street officers, a problem of management?

Public Safety Director Frank Straub is an advocate of the CompStat model’s success and began installing this crime management system in Indianapolis when he was hired by Mayor Ballard.   CompStat is “data driven” and holds street level officers on up to the chief accountable for the required crime reduction expectations.  John A. Eterno and Eli B. Silverman co-wrote a book titled, “The Crime Numbers Game: Management by Manipulation” in 2012.  This book lays waste to the CompStat model of policing and cites, “What began as a focus of reducing crime and the fear of crime has shifted to managing or manipulating the numbers…..while some numbers are important, they should not become the defining characteristic of policing.”  Indy…Welcome to CompStat! 

There are a number of problems that arise in agencies using the CompStat policing model: 1) CompStat can hamper the sense of interconnection between law enforcement officers. 2) It reduces officer discretion and causes officers to make arrests and write tickets for offenses they otherwise might not – due to the focus on data and work product.   3) It also limits officers’ ability to uphold half of their job responsibilities, “protecting life, liberty and property”; in essence upholding the Constitution (which doesn’t require arrest, ticket and report data).  4)  It “increases tension among management and the rank-and-file while at the same time reducing morale and adding to the pressures already there due to the nature of police work.”  CompStat greatly exacerbates the rift between management and the street cops.  5) It encourages and rewards “micro-management”.  6)  It creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that pushes command staff, who are under constant pressure to produce ever decreasing crime trends, to falsify crime statistics.  Simply stated, CompStat may have been initiated in New York with good intentions, but the years of focusing on data has wrecked that police department’s integrity and is slowly doing the same to other agencies.  Below you will find a lengthy lawsuit filed by Ofc. Schoolcraft of NYPD against his own agency.  His story is detailed in “The Crime Numbers Game” and displays the overt abuse he endured at the hands of NYPD in order to keep him quiet about the manipulation of crime statistics.  I highly doubt he is or will be the only whistle blower that has faced or will face the destructive results of CompStat.  Indy….Welcome to CompStat!

“The Crime Numbers Game” is a revealing true story about the problem with data driven crime management models and why agencies should focus more on Community Policing models.  Somewhere between CompStat and Community Policing is the proper model of policing.  Eterno and Silverman make a number of recommendations to help NYPD correct their destructive policing model course.  First and foremost they demand NYPD end micromanagement because “iron control from Headquarters stifles efficiency and effectiveness.”  Officers should be given the opportunity to use their discretion while patrolling an area/community they intimately know, which would result with more effective/surgical arrests and enforcement of laws.  Officers must be given enough manpower to properly staff districts and beats so they can engage the community and learn about specific problems, instead of running from one dispatch location to another, never acquiring usable information.  “Fundamentally, good policing relies on our police officers having the courage to use their professional discretion, confront risk, and make decisions in the knowledge that their leaders will support sound decision-making even when things go wrong.”

The truth about American policing is stated so luminously by D. Bayley (1994 Police for the Future)…”The police do not prevent crime.  This is one of the best kept secrets of modern life….In democratic countries all over the world, then, there is a sense of crisis about public security.  And at the center of this crisis are the police, who promise to protect us but do not appear to be able to do so.”  Most officers make every effort to perform and excel at their noble profession.  Officers are either hampered or encouraged by their leaders; but management must realize it isn’t always just about crime reduction; there are other factors involved.  Many officers hold a deep seated resentment and a feeling of alienation from what they perceive as the self-serving upper management of their agencies who are motivated by rationalistic efficiency criteria that appease politicians, the media and the courts.  Indy…Welcome to CompStat.  Change has come to American policing.

Schoolcraft lawsuit vs comp stat nypd

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