Back story: The history of San Bernardino cop under fire
Click below for the story Mike Cruz and I wrote about Sgt. Bradley Lawrence's career.
The point of the article, basically, is to show that A) Sentiment is very divided in the department over whether Lawrence is a good cop getting a raw deal or a bad cop getting something that was a long time coming.
And B) That Lawrence's checkered history in the department didn't stop him from getting a choice assignment in the narcotics division, a move that raised a lot of eyebrows and had colleagues thinking that Lawrence's alliance with Lt. Brian Boom - and by extension Cpt. Mitch Kimball and Chief Michael Billdt - had helped him get his foot in that door.
Click below to read ...
SAN BERNARDINO - Sgt. Bradley Lawrence has always been something of an enigmatic figure in the Police Department he's worked for since the early 1980s.
Bright and driven, Lawrence awed colleagues and impressed superiors with his smarts and prodigious talents for paperwork.
Memos, action plans, reports - Lawrence churned them out with pace and polish. But there was something else. A proclivity others saw in him: a troubling mix of immaturity, cockiness, a flair for drama and, as one veteran officer put it, "a tendency to stretch the rules."
One nickname that stuck, according to one officer, was "Spotlight," an ode to Lawrence's thirst for attention.
But little is known from official sources about the career and life of Lawrence, who was placed on paid leave Aug. 7 after two fellow officers filed separate complaints against him for allegedly violating departmental and constitutional tenets.
More specifically, a fellow sergeant has alleged that Lawrence would illegally detain people without probable cause or charges, a practice known throughout the department as placing them "on ice."
Department leadership has turned off any trickle of information, including Lawrence's age, prior disciplinary action, and even the year he began drawing a public paycheck.
Lawrence himself has resisted all calls for comment, and he did so again Friday.
Officers in the department decline to speak on record about their colleague, citing fear that they themselves will face disciplinary action from top brass if they speak out.
But many are willing to speak on condition of anonymity, reacting out of a mix of concern over Lawrence's conduct and the way in which it has been handled.
Sgt. Rich Lawhead, as president of the police union of which Lawrence is a member, chose his words carefully.
"The union is going to do everything it can to support its membership, and we are as committed to protecting those who are innocent as rooting out those who may discredit our organization," said Lawhead, who recently remarked that the perception exists that Lawrence may have been afforded favorable treatment from top brass.
Interviews with a half-dozen current and former officers shed their own kind of spotlight on what has been a tumultuous career.
Early years
Lawrence, who is in his 40s, was hired by the Police Department in the early 1980s, according to police sources.
He came across as brash and sharp, veteran officers remember, with the persistent facial ruddiness of a teen and a tendency to grow his hair to a length that tested bounds.
Lawrence found himself embroiled in controversy in 1989.
It was that year, police sources say, when Lawrence allegedly threatened to tie an uncooperative suspect to his patrol car during a field interrogation. A school police officer reported him, and Lawrence was prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office. Lawrence was fired, sources say.
But the trial ended in a hung jury, and Lawrence was rehired.
Post trial
Lawrence went back to work in the early 1990s after the District Attorney's Office declined to re-file charges.
By the mid-1990s, Lawrence earned a new opportunity, sources say.
He was transferred to a narcotics unit, a sought-after assignment that provides a level of freedom that can be exhilarating but dangerous.
Narcotics officers work long shifts, often overnight. They roam the streets undercover, often growing shaggy beards and long hair, and have access to arsenals of intelligence, street informants and cash to purchase illicit substances while building their cases.
"Working narcotics is something that requires an officer with an exceptional ethical compass," said one veteran officer who declined to provide his name for fear of retribution. "That's something Brad never had."
Lawrence's tour in narcotics was cut short, sources say, although the reason is unclear, buried in his confidential personnel file.
Back on the beat
Lawrence was back on the patrol beat. At some point, sources say, he suffered a back injury on the job. After a period off duty, Lawrence came back to work, but for light office duty.
His talents for concentration, analyses and writing gave him another chance to excel, sources say. Soon, Lawrence would go to work for Roger Poyzer, a lieutenant heading up the Police Department's fledgling towing program.
"When he worked for me, he did exemplary service," said Poyzer, who retired in 2004. "He assumed full responsibility for our programs, he used computer knowledge, great organizational skills and really hard work to do a better job than I'd expected."
Things went relatively smooth for Lawrence during this period, other longtime officers remember.
There was, however, a flare-up between Lawrence and local towing companies, possibly over whether the companies were following state regulations. Poyzer said Lawrence was in the right.
"Some of the tow companies were conducting illegal activities," he said.
Fresh momentum, problems
With a clean record of service under Poyzer, Lawrence's star was back on the rise.
"After he worked for me, he went back on patrol, and then got promoted to detective," Poyzer said.
Lawrence would also be promoted to sergeant.
But the big move for Lawrence would come later.
Numerous Police Department sources, all insisting on anonymity because they fear reprisal for speaking to the media about Lawrence or interdepartmental matters, say Lawrence last year applied for an opening on the narcotics team he served on in the mid-1990s, replacing Dave Harp, who was promoted.
Lawrence, who sources say had endeared himself to Poyzer and other members of Police Chief Michael Billdt's trusted top deputies, Capt. Mitch Kimball and Lt. Brian Boom, received another shot at the choice assignment.
Trouble started soon after. A Sept. 19 booking log obtained by The Sun lists the detention of a man named Greg Parker as "on ice" in the police jail.
Fontana police have confirmed that they turned Parker over to San Bernardino police after a traffic stop. Parker's attorney now alleges that Lawrence kidnapped his client and later searched his house without a warrant.
On July 2, San Bernardino police Sgt. Mike Desrochers confronted Lawrence for allegedly illegally detaining two men driving in a car, then took his complaint to Assistant Police Chief Walter Goggin in an e-mail. Weeks later, in early August, another officer lodged a complaint against Lawrence for allegedly overstepping the bounds of a search warrant while raiding a local motel, prompting Billdt to put Lawrence on leave.
Six defendants are on trial for alleged possession of drugs for sale from the July 2 bust.
Lawyers on both sides say Lawrence's conduct could be a factor in later phases, such as at jury trial.
Lawhead, who has questioned the timing of Lawrence's leave, said the Police Department is committed to ethical law enforcement.
"There is no favoritism in our ranks; there is no blue line," he said.
For many in the beleaguered department, the latest news only confirms long-seated suspicions: Lawrence is trouble, and his closeness with the current police leadership would lead to his demise.
For others, Lawrence is a smart, hard-nosed cop whose actions will be found to be lawful.
Only time will tell.
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What is curious to me is why these guys LOVE giving people "Possession for Sale" charges? I mean 6 guys ALL are selling.I know that carries much more time than a possession. Why not just possession of a controlled substance?These guys treat the public ( who pays there paychecks) like dirt.They are men on power trips.They bust into peoples homes, scare the crap out of them and then give them these MADE up charges. How they hell do they know these guys are selling drugs? Did they have one of their informants do a "Controlled Buy". If they did...couldn't they get a search warrant? I mean, 6 drug dealers in 1 day all at 1 house....that musta been a good day for Mr Spotlight!
I guess the good chief and his captains couldn't ask these questions, oh, thats right...THEY let him put these guys on ICE.
Now they want to get rid of "The whistle-blower". Sounds like the chief, Sgt and Lt have a problem with ethics also.
Robert,
I must say your assessment of Lawrence and his career are very accurate. Obviously there is someone out there not afraid to talk to you and I admire them for it. However, I feel compelled to correct an inaccurate statement you made. Sentiment in the Department is not divided at all. I challenge you to find one member of the Department below the rank of lieutenant (hence not a Billdt staffer) who says they are surprised by these allegations. Certainly they could go on record saying it and have nothing to fear. In fact they would gain favor with the Chief. The bottom line is you won't find that person. Because Lawrence is a dirty cop, always has been, and everyone resents having to work with him. This inside investigation of him is a joke. We all know it and the way Boom and Kimball operate he'll probably come out of it with some kind of commendation. If they were really interested in looking at Lawrence they would start with his fraudulent exagerated overtime slips and figure out how much he has embezzled from the City. Trust me, it's a lot.
Thank you for your comment. I concede that sentiment is probably not divided, at least not equally.
I will say I was hypersensitive using all these anonymous sources and wanted to avoid the criticism of "slamming Lawrence."
Sometimes we in the news business try so hard to make something "balanced" that we fail to call it like it is.
Stay tuned ...
Thanks,
Robert
The general public has a right to know (and needs to know!) that the "ROGUE POLICING" an the "ON ICE" MISCONDUCT that has been brought to light in San Bernardino City's police dept is certaily NOT a set of isolated incidences that only affects San Bernardino Cities citizens. The people of Yucaipa and even the Calimesa are also being subjected to these (and still many other) acts of police officer misconduct. For instence; On (04-10-2008,@11:30 A.M.), my wife, my son, and myself were all victoms of a number of criminal acts carried out by large number of Officers, and lead by Officers "Newport" and "Constantine", of the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department in Yucaipa, Ca., who did come to my home in Calimesa, did enter my home with-out a search warrant, and did verbally and physically assaulted both my wife and son. They were then both hand-cuffed and put them in the back seat of a patrol car, with-out being read the rights, with-out being put under arrest, and with-out being charged with having commited any specific crime,**{putting them both "ON ICE"!)**! Then, they lead several other officers in the un-authorized and un-warranted search of my home, where several pieces of personal property was taken. Officers "Newport" and "Constantine" were also responsible for physically injuries sufured by my son and wife, as well as some interior structural damages to my home. Upon arriving home from work at 5:15 P.M., I was confronted by both Officers "Newport" and "Constantine", who failed to provide me with a search warrant, or an arrest warrant, then lied to me stating that "my home was not being searched at that point in time, but that it was being "locked down" while awaiting a search warrant before searching my home."***(Please take note: the search warrant finally did arrive......but, not untill close to 6:00 P.M., and wasn't even signed by a judge untill 5:45 P.M., and by a judge in Bartow, Ca., my wife and son had been illegally detained with-out so much as a drink of water or bath room break, for 7 hours!)******. And still, When I asked them "Exactly why the were at my home", they said "they were there to take my son into custudy because he was a wanted felon/fugitive, as well as being armed and dangerous." I asked "armed? With what?" Officer "Newport" said that "he was in possession of a loaded .380 cal hand gun." He then added that "I was the owner of a .380 cal pistol", and asked me "did I know of it's where-abouts and if so, when did I see it last?" Adding that their informant identified my son as having possession of it." I then informed them that it was locked up inside of my digital safe in my bedroom closet, and I was then asked to show it to him. I was ead inside to my bedroom closet, where "I first had to confront the officer who was searching my closet" and asked him to step aside, opened my safe, and "As I said, it was in fact, locked up inide said safe!" Not in my son's possession!" "My son was not a felon!/or a wanted fugitive!" In fact, "it was already a matter of legal court record in S.B. Superior Court that there was no proof a crime being commited/ the case was already dismissed in court/ and, the primary suspect was already being released!" And,"My wife was not aiding and abetting anyone!" Or, "An Accessory to any-thing!" So,My biggest question is this; "For what possible reason were both my wife and son arrested, jailed, slandered in the media, all of our basic constitusional rights so blatantly disregarded, and by those very persons who's job/ who's sworn duty it is to searve and to protect these rights? ******(Isn't it "To searve and protect",.....NOT, "To LIE and DECIEVE!")*******
Serenah,
I want to be clear: I am proud and fully behind every word Mike Cruz and I have written about the Lawrence case. We have done a tremendous amount of meticulous investigating and interviewing to get a story that is very hard to crack.
As serious professional journalists, we deal with a complex set of factors in deciding what we write and how we write it. We can't just tell the "whole" story unless we are as sure as possible we are right. It is in that respect - the level of restraint - that newspaper writers differ from ameteur bloggers. If a private blogger gets something wrong, it probably won't amount to much. If I get something wrong, I erode the credibility of myself and my employer. If I get it wrong often enough, I get sent packing.
Our story is deep and accurate. It is also conservative, as it should be, because the stakes are high: Livelihoods, careers, and the public's trust all hang in the balance.
Thank you,
Robert Rogers
Roger, What you have seem to get is that there are all aspects of public corruption. This includes the local police admisistration. If you read read many of the past articles about police investigations, most criminal acts conducted by officers seem to be outsourced and investigated by an independant agency such as the Sheriffs department. But in this case all seams to be kept in house, this makes thing easier to clean up and maintain control. Why isn't Buildt or any other supervisor that was in charge of Lawrence moving for this type of criminal investigation. Build needs to make a comment on this and not refer to it as a personal matter. This is a matter of public safety. The citizens have a right to know, or maybe we need to find a man that can comment!
To Crime, A family deal!
Yes, this is happening all the time. For instance June,8 2005 5:30pm, my husband drives into the drive-way and 6 men approach him and want to see whats in our car.We have a home-based technology company and silk-screening business. They keep my husband in the front yard of our home demanding he open our car for a search.....and then our home for a search. After 45 minutes of my husband asking if they have a search warrant...which they did not have one they start banging on our door to have me let them in.I was silk-screening t-shirts for a local tow truck company I had paint all over my hands. I hear the banging, I answer the door. 2 men are standing there in street clothes. They ask me if they can come in and talk to me about my husband..I asked, who are you they say San Bernardino police..I asked them what they wanted to talk about, they just kept saying...let us in. I asked if they had a search warrant...they said NO...So I said NO you cant come in. The one guy who kept screaming at me said...im going to go back to your husband and make him make you let us come in. One of the officers stayed at my front door and said "You are on Freeze Status...if you move I will shoot you.After about 15 mins later, the other officer, who I now believe was Kimball and the officer who put me on freeze status is Ben Zimmerman ( I tried to get all there names, but they didnt want to tell me)Said my husband said it was ok to come in.I still refused. I wanted to speak to me husband...my husband said they kept pushing him, stepping on his toes and trying to get him to fight back...he wouldn't. They said they would destroy our business, tear down our walls in our house, if he didnt let them in. He finally said yes....What did they find...a little pot. They took my husband down to Redlands station and they told him they were charging him with possession for SALES...what bullshit. We had a legitimate business.They told my husband they would destroy him and lock-him up for a long time if he didnt "Work for them".They would drive by our home every hour waiting for him to come out.....We were a web hosting company and technology project company. I silk-screened for our clients who also had us build websites and databases. After 10 months of harassment, by, Ben Zimmerman and Vaughn Llaylo out of Redlands, we moved away.During this 10 months, Rude and Murphy from Yuciapa came busting down our door, with a search warrant, and FOUND NOTHING.Agian, they demanded my husband "Work for them" But, in the process I was held on the floor with a gun to my head while my than 16 year old daughter watched. That was the last straw...we sold our home and moved out of state.
I know now looking back, they wanted to use our home for there "Street team"( gang of informants and uncover cops)to set-up shop ( drug house).
I know in my heart that some of the biggest drug dealers in SB are "Working for them" and setting people up...like you and my family.
I so hope they all loose there badges, because what they are doing to the community is hideous.They don't target the real criminals...they target folks who have ties to the community because they think they will use them forever.
I think a class action lawsuit is in order.I hope more people are reading this blog and come forward.
These are Dirty, Dirty cops!
It's easy when reporting "alleged" corruption(isn't that the word used for every other person accused of illegal activity), to paint every police officer with the same brush. There's no denying that a small fraction of police officers may be involved in illegal activity using the "means justify the ends" mentality, but it's not the majority of officers that operate this way. Those of us that believe in the oath we took are just as disgusted with rogue officers and the administrators that protect them as the general public. But, for every "you should hear what they did to me" story, I seriously doubt those people are as pure and innocent as they would have you believe. It's been my experience that if you have been "harrassed" by the police it's probably because you have some contact with the criminal element, whether directly or indirectly. If you get "caught up" or "caught slippin'" that doesn't put you in the same category as an innocent person.
For those who would like us to go after the "real criminals", I'd like someone to define "real criminal."
I'm am in no way defending or supporting the tacticts reportedly used by Sgt. Lawrence. It's easy to blame the cops for all things that are wrong in the community. But, before you get on your soap box and condem us all, walk in our shoes. I think you'll find that we are hard working, honest and caring people who are trying to do the best we can despite the lack of support within the community and our own organization.
Serenah,
I know you're not an idiot. I never suggested such a thing. I was merely explaining my reasoning behind my article.
Not sure why you inferred that I was insulting you. I'm sorry if that was how I came off.
Also not sure why you can't stop digging at me (I get "lucky," I'm "irresponsible," I don't "impress" you).
Despite it all, I'm still pleased to count you as a reader.
Thank you,
Robert
To can't leave my name,
It's been my experience that if you have been "harassed" by the police it's probably because you have some contact with the criminal element, whether directly or indirectly.
Harrassment isnt ok...Violence and threats of violence isnt ok....If a citizen threatens violence against a cop...they get shot. Cops can run around guns pointed, no search warrants, threatening violence and committing violence and nothing happens....The people cower in fear.
criminal element, whether directly or indirectly.
So does this mean that everyone who has a family member that knows someone in the criminal element deserves to be harassed?Don't some of you cops have family members that have brushes with the law?..are you locking them up?Are you harassing your family members?
Give me a break!
Nothing Justifies Breaking into peoples homes and threatening them! NOTHING!
Nobody on this thread is stating blanket remarks. I think Names are being named.When those men were in my home and they saw my husbands office, all the computers, because we had 3 kids from UCR as programmers working for us, building an auction site....they didn't know what to do. I don't know what they expected. They start ripping my husbands office apart, acting like kids in a candy store, scaring the Shit out of my daughter.Than we became a target for the "Street team"and all the criminals in it. We were threatened with home invasion.Were myself and my 16 yr old daughter a target, YES.Who are we going to call? The police...yeah right...they were the ones orchestrating this.
You cops better start looking at your selfs....How many police involved shooting have there been, of unharmed people?You guys cant even stand dealing with "Your Organization" as it is right now.....because you KNOW you are not protecting and serving...SB as a community is a MESS...and you are the Over see'ers. Why don't you guys come up with some constructive ways to DEAL with YOUR COMMUNITY". You cant lock everyone up....or harass everyone.
Serenah,
Yes, the gentrification program ...IE, operation Phoenix's, used the police force to "Clean-out the Area". They are also using Code-enforcement to tear down the buildings.On the taxpayers dollar!The next questions should be...Who is the developer or developers that are in line to re-build.Which politician's are building relationships with these developers, ect....
This whole project also shows what the police force in San Bernardino is used for.
I understand that the governor has asked for the money to cover the education budget to come from Re-development monies.The re-development monies are supposed to go to the BLIGHTED areas. So, instead of re-invest in the community that currently lives there...they will use OP tactics to MOVE the People out and then Private developers can go in for pennies on thr dollar and build for profit.
The Governor can approve 7 billion for new super-max prisons, but, cant cover the education budget. Where do you think the OP folks are going...yah...those new prisons. The kids can then be state raised and forever be in the system. The other great news for the Government is that prisoners provide cheap labor and they are also not counted in the unemplyment numbers which drive the economy.
WHERE ARE THE COPS NOW! WHY AREN'T THEY PROTECTING THERE PEOPLE FROM THIS!
Because they are hired thugs for the rich.....
Serenah,
Keep digging and follow the money!Its always about the money, and thats such a shame!
It feels like SB is rotting from the inside. The cops are clueless....they just keep messing with the poor kids on the streets, while the white collar criminals rob everyone blind. I think the war on drugs was invented to keep the local cops looking the other way...then the rich can come in and do whatever they want.Kinda like Iraq....we all know it was about the oil and for the oil corporations.....but, they send in our troops with this Bullshit of ...spreading democracy...well, when it comes to the cops...they are spreading the bullshit of ...its for justice....MY ASS.If I'm mad at the cops for anything its because they are stupid and not protecting the citizens they are supposed to, from these (corrupt officials). It seems the more a cop acts like a thug...the more the administration turns a blind eye.
Lets just hope that they don't market OP to other cities in the country.....they can keep there Ruse's in SB.
OMG....
Does the governor know about how mismanaged this has been and all the consequences?Is there any data being collected? Do they even care?Maybe OP is going exactly like they want it to go.People being moved out, houses being torn down and kids being victimized.Maybe they never intended for there to be a parks and rec program. If the kids parents are all arrested and the place torn down, there wont be any kids there anyway.
God this is a sorry state of affairs.When did Americans become so greedy and uncompassionate? I remember hearing Mr. Bush say about the constitution..."its just a god damn piece of paper".I guess that was the OK for the rest of the people in power to feel the same.If this country ever needed divine intervention it is now.
Have you tried the attorney general of California? Isn't it Jerry Brown. A liberal?I don't think Conservatives care. They think all the drug addicts should be locked up anyway and the kids raised by the church.God help us if Mccain gets elected!I'm sure there will be patriot act 3, which will deem liberals terrorists and anyone non-evangelical terrorists.They will be using programs more and more like OP.Frightening were America is at!
I woke -up this morning and the first thing that popped in my head was "Writing legislation", so, I turned on my computer and read your plan. I think its a great plan. I would however leave out the Law Enforcement part. In my opinion, they are part of the problem. The police forces in America have become militarized.They are not your friend.They certainly haven't treated the people you are trying to help with any respect. If you could have a picture of the American soldiers doing a raid on a house in Iraq and the American police force doing a raid on a home in America...they look the same.They are the tools of trade for the politicians to ENFORCE there laws.As you said before, they are soldiers, fighting a declared WAR on drugs and WAR on crime ( too bad that doesn't include white-collar crime)
Getting a city council resolution passed or legislation in the California House is another way. You don't need a lawyer.
I have gotten city council resolutions passed here in the city I live in. I can help you. The first thing I would do is "Make friends" with a city councilor and see if they would introduce your resolution to the rest of the council for a vote. I would also start talking about a "Working group".Get together some folks in the community, churches, non-profits,business leaders. Form a working group and start compiling data on OP. The good, bad and ugly.Start a petition drive in the OP areas.
You are probably not going to be able to unseat morris, but, you can possibly STOP OP.
Yes on getting the community together....didnt the justice dept. send in someone from DC to monitor OP. USE them to your advantage.They can SET-UP the meeting for you and than YOU take the Platform.
You are right, this is our country and we should be living by consistutional law.The Bush Administration has totally disregarded our consistution.
Serenah, I know you think the cops are ok....THEY are NOT. All they care about is there big fat paychecks and running around town on a power trip.The people you are trying to help certainly dont trust them or go to them for any help.They never challenge there assignments or look deeper than the surface. They work for them!Morris sent in the military (Police) to the OP area....I think the cops have forgotten they TOO are AMERICANS.
I respect you for trying to help the people who most need the help...you are an asset to the community. Let me know if I can help.
Some more thoughts......
You have a great opportunity to stop OP now, before it spreads like a cancer threw-out the country.It really is about re-development and using the police force as a military unit against the poor. I know that blighted areas, which really means poverty are real problems, but, the Morris administration doesn't want to deal with the REAL ISSUES. These are Horrifying trends, especially for the poor and people of color.Here's some stats for you! 1 in 8 black men are in jail. 1 in 7 black men are USED by the police as informants. This breaks down trust within the black community.They (police policy)is to destroy the black community as they did the American Indians.Thats why the American Indians KICKED the police of there lands.OP is all about the police...they got the money, spent the money and started cleaning house.
Another horrific trend is they are recruiting police officers who are vets of the Iraq War....these guys are so messed-up with PTSD and then we are going to have them do RAIDS on Americans?...yikes...what kinda Flashbacks are these guys going to have!I know they aren't practicing constitutional Law in Iraq.
These blogs remind us just how ignorant some people are! How about a little discussion about the topic at hand, and not all of this black helicopter BS...Indians kicking police off of their land??!! WTF!!! I suppose you did this to make way for the Mexican Mafia??!!
You dont think that the police force was USED to clean out the OP targeted areas? You are asleep my friend!
I think the prisons have done a great job at organizing the Mexician Mafia...it is a PRISON gang after all. The topic at hand is constitutional law, which is being VIOLATED by Police officers. Yeah...the indians did kick-out the police forces from there lands. Who they really kicked out was the US government...who use the police force to ENFORCE there laws.
I cant just keep the discussion to officer Lawrence....because these kinds of violations are department wide.Operation Phoenix, is all about cops, going into "Targeted Areas, Targeting people". I know poverty and blight is difficult to look at and even more difficult to deal with...but, arresting everyone is wrong, taking people's homes and demolishing them is wrong. Putting people ON ICE is wrong. Breaking into peoples homes without warrants is WRONG. Officer Lawrence is a soldier, just doing his job. Its the POLICIES in place that need to be changed. It doesn't appear that the chief or mayor consider his actions as wrong, or the DA or the city council.
WHY inst he ARRESTED YET?If anyone else broke down 4 motel doors with guns...they would be in Jail..or more likely KILLED...but, not these guys.....they hide behind there badges....he is getting paid to sit at home.....that sure is a double standard!
If a regular citizen, kidnapped with a firearm, than went and committed breaking and entering of that persons home...they would BE LOCKED-UP. But, instead this guy and his gang of thugs is HOME collecting a paycheck!
Serenah, Serenah, Serenah...where to start with you???!!!
After having a cup of coffee, consulting a tutor, and re-reading the comments left...I still think you are off base! This thread deals with a specific issue that you do not blog about...I still stand by my assertion that the black helicopter BS needs to stop. Rally behind the facts and move on...
Let me address some things...first and foremost don't challenge my patriotism, nor my loyalty to this country! Secondly, what information do you have to call me a foreigner??? I was born and raised in this country and too have served this country, and continue to do so! Are you a RACIST to make that type of comment? If I were a "foreigner" would you take me out and string me up by my neck for expressing my views??? Nice representation of the US Army by the way...
Serenah, maybe you should take some ritalin and calm down...or maybe I should realize that since you only stand at 4'11" you have a Napolean complex, and must lash out at everybody since you lack the stature and ability to deal with things as a rational person would.
I find it interesting that you would say that I need to put a dress on and go cook for the folks that are going to do something about this...well I now know why you are 4'11...it is because you are malnourished and waiting for a government handout...well keep waiting!!!!
They say there are two types of people in the world, those who make things happen, and those who wait for things to happen. It is obvious that you neither! You said in your post, "it upsets me to a degree of wanting something done about it", so what are you going to do about it? Sit here and blog to no end? You seemed to want to challenge my intelligence, but what have you really done to effect change? NOTHING! The best thing you have come up with is this, "Punks are to be seen and not heard"...wow this came right from the schoolyard...with responses like this, no wonder nobody will listen to you. Well heres another schoolyard saying; Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!!!
When you reply to this, make sure you sit on another phone book to make yourself a little taller and more bold!
Oh yeah...my "pebbles" are attached and doing just fine!
To Scott Appleton,
What is your opinion about the topic at hand. It seems you are just condemning this blog. What do YOU think should happen to this cop(S)for the blatant disregard for the constitution? What do you think OP is really about?
How do the citizens really make there voices heard over all the politicizing?
People in SB are getting hurt. At the top of this blog is 2 more examples of Police not giving a shit about its citizens or the Constitution.Just because they wear a badge doesn't make them better than...if anything...I have thought about being a cop or politician...they seem to be making all the deals and all the money with no consequences.
Well "annonymous" and "Serenah" I would be happy to debate you on these issues...just make yourself known, or pick a meeting spot. Annonymous u hide behind the "annonymous" signature...wow bravery! Oh and great comment on the twig and berries thing woo hoo! Chock one up for you!!!!
I would love to debate with you....It may take ma a few hours to get there. I don't live in California anymore.I live on top of a mesa on 3 acres of land. Its simply breath-taking.
I have my own reasons from for departing So.Cal, Specifically, rogue cops WHO wouldn't stop harassing me.You see, I and my family had a home they (cops) wanted to set shop up in...I had to fight tooth and nail, but, finally decided they would never leave us alone.It has been the best decision I have ever made.
I follow the papers down there because I know first hand what these rogue cops are capable of and the kind of destruction they can bring down on someone. You might saying I'm keeping an eye on the enemy!
I am also a state coordinator for the campaign to establish a U.S Department of peace and non-violence. I know that most of the violence on are streets and in our schools are a lack of education, about non-violent means of conflict resolution.The Police in San Bernardino KNOW nothing about this and could careless.
I was totally terrorized by them as was my 16 yr old daughter.A tragedy really.My family is healing.
I have watched "From Afar" the whole OP program and have found it very disturbing to say the least.The molestations are just over the top....but, whats more fascinating is how that being uncovered has really made people look at what going on.In my opinion, it really has been a Gentrification program, which, benefits some, usually the city with higher tax revenues and the development firms. The losers are clearly the residents who live in the Targeted areas. They loose there homes and thier families are separated by arrests by the police. What saddens me the most is that our justice system is being hy-jacked by politicians and judges with agendas.The police used to be people you went to when you needed help, not today.They are a means for crowd control, or sweeps or #'s for grants. It is most disappointing.I actually feel sorry for them.
With my work of non-violent communication, I have spoken to many officers, they all tell me "Everyone is out for there own", the moral must be awful.
These issues should concern everyone.These men have power over our families, over our finances and our communities.
Scott, you will have to debate me publicly on this blog...im not coming off my mountain!After what I went thru down there...I don't ever want to return. It changed everything I thought I knew about this country and especially law enforcement.I never knew that "They open up shop"and set people up the way they do. It makes my heart cry. The funny thing is they think its perfectly ok to set people up, then bust them and ruin there lives.You know, they do have quota's and so do the "Informants" working for them. Innocent people going to jail, so cops can keep there jobs. This is the true justice system at work in SB.Part of the Dept. of Peace bill address's restorative justice and how to implement it in communities. OP really could have been a Phoenix...instead, it has been uncovered to be a greedy, selfish project, targeted at the poor.
Serenah, Your heart is in the right place and your eyes are open. Empower the people you are working with to take a stand.I will help you write legislation and city council resolutions. Rise above the pain and do your work with LOVE....I promise it will work.
Still anonymous....But, if it helps....im 5'2, 110 pounds, female and blonde.
brad lawrence will be protected and the innternal investigation will reveal nothing....and there wont be any outside investigations either. wake up and smell the coffee. several officers in the department have close ties to the das office. scott paterson and ramos were roommates. goggin and kimball each have wives working as deputy das and victims advocates. gooooooooooooooood luck,,,,,,,,,,,
Serenah,
Thank You for the kind words, yes, it has been difficult.
Just let me know how I can be of help to you....You are doing the work that most wont and don't care about.
I do know that some cops are good...but, when it comes to Narcotics officers...NO WAY.I have seen way too much.
I know its a result of this hideous WAR on DRUGS...Which I believe to be Americas civil war. Since I work for Peace and NO WAR...How can I not address the longest declared war we have been in. I know war creates Money...But, we are killing, using and destroying OURSELVES with the WAR.
You know, you see and live the results everyday.
Mr Twig and Berries doesn't seem like he has anything to say about anything important...I guess he just wanted to fight with us and discredit....Too BAD...he might have learned something.
I knew him in Jr. Hi.(Golden Valley Jr. High at the time.) Nothing's changed with this guy. It's a shame, too. Wasted, misdirected talent. Ask his former teachers and they'll most likely affirm the above.