Police, Media Relations and Disinformation

Phoenix, AZ—Politicians and their appointed police chiefs across this nation demand nearly total control of police related information.

It’s epidemic in the larger cities controlled by Democratic Party mayors.  They see the value of leaving their citizens with a false sense of security and public safety as they spin any and all information accordingly.

Police business was once considered just that.  Certain information was kept away from all but sworn police officers.  That’s not the case because the local politicians have demanded and unlawfully obtained access to sensitive police data nearly everywhere.

Politicians also demand the ability to influence arrests and prosecutions of friends, relatives and of course their campaign contributors.  Illicit influence is used to both free the guilty and even jail the innocent.  Cops and prosecutors have no choice but to look the other way.  Whistle blowing in law enforcement circles simply does not exist. 

Our cops are considered expendable so reality dictates that the bosses find a sacrificial lamb or two to frame, fire and destroy their reputations.  This creates the appearance of avoiding corruption by eating a few of their own.

If you think things are operating by the book anywhere, you’re dead wrong.  Of course the actual Obstruction of Justice must be subtle and well below media radar. 

Controlling the cops is somewhat easy for politicians because they control the lives of officers through their jobs, working assignments and pensions.

Because of political corruption the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports system is almost totally unreliable because of local politicians and their police chiefs. 

They have learned that they can skew statistics to get additional federal funding or to hide things like murders from the public.  They’ve found creative ways of making crime statistics appear almost anyway they want.  

I’ve been both a cop and an investigative TV news producer over the last four decades and have seen this all-first hand. 

The police agencies have learned that they can control information by the use of Public Information Officers.   These are the kind of people that know how to do exactly what they’re told by superiors. 

PIO’s are not there to disseminate information but to protect and hide it.  They provide not a single syllable beyond what the public record demands.  They do this with a broad smile and appearance of cooperation. 

PIO’s know how to arrange a live news conference on an important crime story.  They love the captive audience that live TV gives them.  The PIO’s dutifully subvert the news conference purpose and instead use it for face time of the local politicians that have absolutely nothing to do with the story. 

Then they all brag about the “great work” they are doing for the taxpayers until the mass nausea sets in.  Only after that they will say a few words about the story involved. 

Today’s local news is troubled in a big way.  Lost audience and revenue has eliminated any challenges to the PIO’s disinformation.  The PIO’s and their bosses love this and know the stories will spin they way they want them.

As an investigative TV news producer I’ve made it personal policy to purposely avoid the PIO’s and not waste my time with them.  

Instead I locate and contact the witnesses, victims and property owners for the real story.  Instead of waiting for the cops to tell me about the backgrounds I investigate the newsmakers myself. 

If news organizations like allowing the PIO’s to tell their audiences what the news is, reporters and producers are not necessary.  Let the PIO’s Skype in their sound! 

No police department, politician or other obstructionist is going to prevent me from digging and learning the truth about a story I’m working.  Getting a news director to authorize my time these days is the real challenge. 

I’ve always watched the lamest of reporters suck up to the PIO’s thinking they will somehow get something extra.  The PIO’s are enemies of the truth and exist only to demolish or derail anything that might show government ineffectiveness or questionable motivation. 

Reporters should simply refuse to deal with the PIO’s.  If the cop or a low level supervisor like a sergeant or detective handling the story you're working has been muzzled that all the more reason to skip wasting time with the PIO’s. 

At a minimum no sound bites, name recognition belongs in print or on video of any police PIO. 

Every journalist that covers crime and courts should know this. 

The truth is that many reporters these days only want to get their minute-thirty second package up or six-inch print story without any effort.  What a sad existence.  I say do it right or don’t do it at all. 

Theatre Palisades is a Place for Great Entertainment in Los Angeles

Pacific Palisades, CA—In this terrific seaside community there is an incubator for talent called Theatre Palisades.  It’s within the Pierson Playhouse that was built on its present site in 1975.  They put up five major shows a year along with children’s shows and various concerts.

Right now until July 13^th you can see the Tennessee Williams play, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.   For your convenience they have a website at www.theatrepalisades.org  

Back when I spent more time in L.A. I was honored to appear in several of their productions.  Six weeks of rehearsals along with a six week show run make appearing on the stage nearly impossible for me today.   The sad part is that it was non-stop fun. 

Since I’m having so much fun with little my camera-armed drone why not give you an incredible view of this great venue.

Compromise Gun Rights to Accommodate The Dangerously Mentally Ill?

Los Angeles, CA—There is little doubt that every mass shooter in the USA suffered from severe mental illness, usually schizophrenia. Most or all have rejected taking anti-psychotic medication and accordingly they went on deadly rampages.

We used to put these people in mental hospitals that were more tolerable and comfortable than our jails.  After our medical community determined that wonder drugs were more humane that hospitalization they convinced government officials to close the asylums.

Now the same people are simply sitting in jails and prisons without treatment.  The effort to be more humane has backfired.

The solution offered against violence by the insane is to eliminate gun rights for the sane and law-abiding.  They seem to forget that the insane use knives, clubs or brute force to murder.  They can’t seem to understand that before the Oklahoma Bombing and 9/11 attack on America that the most significant mass murder was committed with a single gallon of gasoline at the Happyland Social Club taking nearly 100 lives. 

It’s impossible to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of the insane that are driven or determined to kill.  We must face that fact and  deal with it.

I don’t have the answers to or mental health problems of America anymore than I have for the millions of Americans using street drugs and alcohol.  However taking the rights of the sane, sober and law-abiding is no answer. 

If we really care about the mass killings we have to address and revisit the real issue behind these massive catastrophes.  If we refuse to consider reopening the mental hospitals we must accept that we will continue to have these unthinkable tragedies. 

The horrible massive shootings were unheard of in America until we ended hospitalization of the mentally ill. 

Is it fair to allow the dangerously mentally to roam free and force the law-abiding to surrender their right to keep and bear arms?  Disarming people does not make them safe.  Not only is it unfair it’s absolutely unconstitutional. 

Las Vegas Mutant Cop Killers and a Few Facebook Favorite Photos

Las Vegas, NV—This is very early information and it does not contain their criminal history or mental health information. of two maniacs that decided to murder two unsuspecting cops eating lunch her on a quiet Sunday.  There will be more to come. 

Apparently Jared and Amanda Woodruff Miller began their own revolution yesterday by ambushing and murdering the two young cops, Igor Solodo, 41 and Alyn Beck, 31 as they were both having lunch at CiCi’s Pizzeria .    After killing the cops they quickly stripped them of their guns, ammunition, body armor and police badges.  The announced that the revolution had begun and fled to a nearby WalMart.

The story from there becomes confusing.  A yet to be identified woman was murdered at the WalMart as the two maniacs shot up this big box store.  People fled.  There is a report that a yet to be identified licensed concealed weapon holder engaged the two in gunfire and many have wounded one of them saving lives.

Eventually they were surrounded by police and currently it’s believed that Amanda shot Jared dead and then killed herself. 

None of us can imagine motives or mindset for this kind of violence.  The press branded them as White Supremacists, but their victims were white.  That makes no sense.  But these kinds of things never do. 

It looks like their revolution is over but in a sick society that refuses to confine dangerously mentally ill people we can expect more.  These news making violent events were not part of the American Culture until the mental hospitals were all emptied and shut down.  

My Camera Armed Drones and Your Privacy

Phantom 2 Quadcopter

Los Angeles, CA—There is a bit of a debate going on involving one of technology’s newer gifts.  The somewhat inexpensive, Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) drones are here.  Are they really a threat to your privacy?  I have the answer for you.

As most of my readers know, I’m a licensed private investigator.  I now have my own Air Force consisting of two consumer type camera-armed drones!  Can these gee wiz gizmos help me learn more about the people I’m investigating?  The answer is, not really.

First of all the devices are limited significantly by their power sources.  They are battery operated.  The longest they can stay in the air currently is under 25 minutes. 

They may be quiet but are visible especially at night because of their running lights.  The lights must stay on or the pilot can’t see or control it.  

For surveillance they are worthless because of the short flight time.  Traditional means of watching people are still more effective. 

If a person I’m investigating enters a vehicle I can only follow the vehicle for less than a mile under the best of conditions.  Tall buildings, power lines, lamp posts and trees all threaten my drones. 

Rain and wind are not friendly to my drones and I have no desire to risk seeing them destroyed. 

I’ve stayed awake nights trying to figure out ways of using the UAS to further my investigations.  I’ve found a couple that really don’t threaten privacy. 

Frequently I need high-resolution aerial images of accident or crime scenes to use during interviews and for court exhibits.  The drones are absolutely excellent for this purpose.

Locating stolen property or livestock has suddenly become easier.  Before I’d have to hire aircraft and pilots to look at property from the air to avoid allegations of trespass.  Now I can do the same thing but without spending a fortune with my drones.

Some could argue drones can be used to look through windows but so can any helicopter.  That is really not practical because of limitations on cameras in difficult lighting conditions.  My little drones are incapable of gathering audio because of issues like wind and the sound of the rotors. 

The affordable drones can’t handle the much heavier and sophisticated cameras and night vision equipment or spotlights like helicopters.  My cameras are the tiny and featherweight GoPro Hero 3+ that provides stunning images.

The only mischief I could really get involved with are nude sunbathers in their back yards that could be observed and photographed.  That’s been the case with helicopters since their invention.  That’s been an issue for Hollywood’s starlets for decades.  I have to ask have some of those pictures and resulting publicity furthered their careers? 

In the future I’m sure that the technology and capability of the drones will evolve in the future but we’re talking years and decades. 

The fact is that Americans have privacy rights provided they stay in places like inside their homes and businesses where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.  My drones can’t see you while you’re in your bathtub or bed. 

I also plan to use these drones for newsgathering purposes.  Active accident, fire and crime scenes where helicopters are unavailable are going to be my drone targets.  We all know how helpful aerial views are for TV news video.   The problem is having this kind of event at a convenient distance. 

I challenge any of my visitors to figure out a way to invade privacy that would actually justify concerns.

  

Obama’s Ownership of America’s Liberal Mainstream Media is Suddenly a Major Embarrassment

 Washington, DC—Our mainstream media were all in lockstep behind Barack Obama as a new Messiah.  Scandal after scandal was laughed off beginning with the candidate and now President’s suspicious and questionable birth qualifications.  His alignment with a high-profile racist preacher along with long personal ties to known Communist terrorists, William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn were simply guffawed. 

The Obama Administration, BATFE gun running scandal was intentionally designed to create bloodshed that would be blamed on American Gun Rights.  This propaganda effort took the lives of at least two Border Patrol Agents and hundreds of Mexican Nationals.  The media blew it off as a bureaucratic bungling and a mistake.  

The Whitehouse kept a Nixon style enemies list and the IRS was sent to punish any political opposition.  Again, the mainstream media did not find this newsworthy.  No tough questions or criticisms like the firestorm Nixon suffered.

The NSA Spy Scandal that was revealed by Edward Snowden is of unprecedented, criminal and epic proportions.  The mainstream media simply made a traitor out of the whistle-blower as they ignored a clear and obvious case of Treason by Obama.  

Obama gave himself absolute power with the destruction of the Posse Comitatus Act while authorizing secret detention or even killings of Americans without Due Process of law.  In effect, Obama simply suspended the United States Constitution. This is exactly what Adolph Hitler did in Germany.  What did the mainstream media say?  Absolutely nothing!

Our military veterans were sold out.   VA physicians at great personal risk exposed the horrible cover up of deaths of patients seeking critical medical care.  The mainstream media burped and Obama had to respond with a symbolic forced resignation and finally a subdued reaction.

The Bizarre and Shocking Case of Treason, Obama and Bowe Bergdhal is Far Worse than imaginable.   The mainstream media seems to be a bit red-faced and blind-sided.  Will this be the beginning of the saddest chapter of American history?  When will we finally rid our Whitehouse of that traitor? 

The Bizarre and Shocking Case of Treason, Obama and Bergdhal is Far Worse than Imaginable!

Landsthul, Germany—None of us can ever imagine a young released, prisoner of war not being greeted by family members at this venerable medical institution after a five-year enemy confinement.  This seems beyond unusual and to me is more than a clue that Bowe Bergdhal is actually in a high security setting and obviously under arrest.

Our military would routinely bring a soldier's stateside family here and lodge them so they could greet a former captive.  Military medical professionals would insist on this for the health and well being of any soldier.   Moreover, it’s obvious that Bergdhal is being held incommunicado. This departure by the military from normal procedure screams out, that Barack Obama has seriously misled us.

There’s ample evidence that Bowe Bergdhal deserted the Army, seeking to join the Taliban.  Americans then gave their lives trying to help this wayward lad back to reality and the unit he deserted.  We don’t seem to know much about what went on over the last five years other than some propaganda videos posted by the Taliban.

I don’t give a rat’s ass what Obama thinks he’s been in control of but the people calling the shots here is our own military.  They have ample probable cause to hold Bergdhal for a multitude of the most serious charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

I suspect that the Army may have taken punitive action much to the chagrin of Obama.  Ultimately Obama can intervene and even pardon Bergdhal but how outrageous and embarrassing that would be! 

Bargdhal’s father is most obviously a Koran toting Muslim who seems to be more concerned and loyal to the “people” Afghanistan than the USA.  His own comments have been strange to say the least.  

Will Obama still try and claim that Bergdhal was really worth the illegal and extraordinary prisoner trade of five senior enemy combatants? 

What I see is that Obama is now in a huge stalemate with the Military and American people over the disposition of Bergdhal. 

Obama’s actions here were and are totally against the interests of the American people and violated the law.  Impeachment and prosecution of Obama seems well within reach.

I can’t imagine Susan Rice’s outlandish claim that Bergdhal, “Served with honor and distinction.”   This will definitely be one of those stories that will keep on giving. 

This whole picture has an odor that even ardent Democrats don’t like.   Stay tuned folks; this is a story that is of historic importance.  This is destined to be Obama’s Swan Song. 

The Volatile Counterproductively of The Open Carry of Firearms

Phoenix, AZ—Most of my blog visitors know my strong and unyielding opinion on our rights to keep and bear arms.  I have personally fought bad gun laws through civil actions in the courts.  I have lobbied for gun rights at the State Legislature for many years.    

Open carry of firearms has its place.  On the range, while hunting, at various firearm related events.  That would also be a reality during serious civil unrest or worse. 

Open carry is indeed a Constitutional right but that alone does not make it in anyway clever or socially acceptable. 

The whole point of firearm concealment is to place robbers, rapists and killers at a serious tactical disadvantage.  Since self-defense is the goal why would anyone want to give a criminal the advantage and ability to overpower and disarm them by openly carrying? 

Open carry does not belong at the local Starbucks, Chipotle, or in mixed company.  By mixed company I mean around other than likeminded gun owners.  

Open carry has become a “in your face” form of protest and considered by gun rights haters as pure intimidation designed to incite.  Open carry may be your right but using it for political provocation is counterproductive and dumb. 

If you want to influence those people with irrational fear of firearms please teach them safety and take them shooting.  Unnecessary open carry makes as much sense as trying to calm an angry bull by waving a red cape.

Arizona for decades banned all concealed carry but allowed open carry without a permit.  The problems created by open carry were substantial.  Ignorant gun haters were always calling the cops when they saw guns and become angry when the cops would not arrest an open carrier.  

Often the complainants would exaggerate and claim that the gun was pulled or pointed at them!  The gun carrier often had to stand trial for Aggravated Assault on the unsubstantiated claims of some lying jerk. If the judge or jury believed the complainant a mandatory five-year prison term would be handed out!  

As a criminal defense investigator I’ve had many first hand experience with some of those horrible cases.

Finely, Arizona accepted concealed carry and later went the extra mile of not requiring permits of any kind. Those phony Aggravated Assault complaints dropped dramatically.

Unnecessarily carrying of an exposed firearm is downright dangerous.  There is of course the criminal that would like to simply strong-arm the gun away from you.  Then there are those dim bulbs that believe that you are carrying exposed because you want to intimidate, frighten or even assault them.  Open carry is too often the subject of unnecessary and unwarranted verbal arguments and disturbances. 

Simply stated a person carrying and exposed firearm is much more likely to be involved in a breach of the peace than having it concealed.   

We cannot change the thought process or behavior of the intolerant, ignorant and malicious people in our world.  Why would you want to give them a tool they’d use to insult, attack or cause your arrest, prosecution and possible conviction?  If they can’t see your gun it won’t be the subject of controversy or worse.

Nobody wants to be a legal test case for gun rights considering the high price of lawyers and the reality of judicial tyranny.   Most people don’t understand that you can challenge the constitutionality of gun laws without violating them or being arrested.  You simply file a civil complaint in court to challenge the law asking for a Declaratory Judgment striking down the bad law.  

It helps to have the NRA or SAF paying your lawyers too!  That’s the gentleman’s way of winning.  That’s what the various plaintiffs did in the Landmark Heller and McDonald cases that were favorably decided in the U.S. Supreme Court.

As for the debacles at Starbucks and more recently at the Chipotle restaurants nobody takes in account what the business owners need.   To take sides on the volatile gun rights issue is insurance that one side or the other will boycott that business.  

No business wants to become embroiled in a political issue of any kind.  Why would you want to force an innocent business owner to take a position when you know it may destroy his or her source of income?

Please leave innocent bystander businesses out of your political arguments.

As for open carry, it has its place well outside of political statements, demonstrations or inciting hateful conduct.  Rather than provoking those gun-rights haters, kindness and tolerance goes so much further.  

All of my gun owner friends are gentle law-abiding folks that understand the necessity of the ability to defend themselves and families from the unthinkable.  

Being hostile, rude or insulting has never accomplished anything positive for anyone.  Simple kindness and a warm smile wins every time! 

Let me also say business that through posted signs seeks to preclude law abiding gun owners, deserve to be boycotted.  Some of them are learning the hard way that such signs invite armed robbers.