Wisconsin Police Officer Honored by Legion

8/31/2006 8:02 AM

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 31 /U.S. Newswire/ - Police Officer Charles Roessler of the Milwaukee Police Department was presented The American Legion National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award at the organization's 88th National Convention in Salt Lake City. "Officer Roessler has an outstanding track record both in law enforcement and community service," said American Legion National Commander Thomas L. Bock, "He is well-deserving of this honor, and I'm proud to present it to him." Officer Roessler is a 24-year veteran of the Milwaukee Police Department and a member of the 128th Security Police Squadron of the Wisconsin Air National Guard. Prior to joining the squadron, Roessler served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force. A fellow legionnaire, Roessler is also a long-time member of American Legion Milwaukee Police Post 415 and currently serves as the Sergeant at Arms for the Fourth District in the Department of Wisconsin.

On-duty, Roessler has more than 12 merit arrests for burglary, armed robbery, and fraud. He's received over a dozen letters of appreciation from citizens and service groups, trained more than 20 new recruits as a field training officer, and received 15 letters of commendation of meritorious arrests. Off-duty, he also has been nothing short of exemplary. Roessler has volunteered countless hours to many causes in Wisconsin. He served as chairman of the Make-a-Wish Foundation and was a wish granter from 1988-2003. He also has volunteered numerous hours of his time to the Special Olympics, Milwaukee Police Athletic League coaching basketball teams comprised of endangered youth, and the Milwaukee Teen on Teen Initiative Program among several others.
The American Legion, the nation's largest veterans organization, honors outstanding law enforcement officers annually, consistent with its founding commitment to "Law and Order."

Contact Ramona Joyce, 202-263-2982, 202-445-1161 (cell) or Joe March, 317- 630-1253, 317-748-1926 (cell), both of the American Legion Web: http://www.legion.org
http://www.usnewswire.com/

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 06:29 PM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz
Should  merchants give police officers and firefighters special discounts?
Read the following column by Susan Clairmont of the Hamilton Spectator.

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There's a hidden menace in that free cup of coffee

By Susan Clairmont, The Hamilton Spectator
(Aug 29, 2006)

Usually when freebies and discounts are offered to people in uniform, it's done discreetly.

Like the time I was on patrol with a constable who went into a sandwich shop, ordered lunch, then slyly pressed his empty palm against the cashier's, literally going through the motions of paying for his meal without a cent changing hands. Or once when paramedics I was riding with swung by Tim Hortons for their expected free cup of coffee. Or the firefighters who told me about the deals they get on food for the station.

Over the years, I've spent a lot of time on the job with people in uniform. Most are scrupulously conscious of paying their way fair and square. Some, I suspect, were probably on their best behaviour because I was taking notes. But a few have been so oblivious to the ethics breached by accepting gifts that it never occurred to them to hide it. It's that last group that seem to be the target of an advertisement in this paper's sports section last Saturday. It was for Niagara Falls Golf Club's "stay and play" packages.

Three days of golf, cart rental, two nights accommodations and casino shuttle. Sounds fine. But read on in the ad and you get a better idea of who the club is catering to. "V.I.P. Bachelor Golf Parties our Specialty. 1 block South of Sundowner, Seduction and Penthouse Men's Clubs."

OK, so they're about-to-be-married golfers or horny golfers or both. But keep reading. "Special rates for firefighters, police and EMS." Really? If you flash your badge or wear your fire hat or bring your stethoscope with you to the golf course, you get a deal?

I called the course. They didn't want to talk about it much. A woman there did tell me the owner is a firefighter and that the discount -- which is valid Sunday to Thursday -- is designed for emergency and law enforcement workers who often have days off during the week. Apparently the same deal doesn't apply to steelworkers or nurses or librarians or anyone else who might work the weekend and have a few days off Sunday to Thursday.

What is really interesting, though, is that the firefighter who owns the club (he didn't return my call, by the way) ought to know that most police, fire and EMS services have policies forbidding members from accepting the very sort of deal he is offering. So either he didn't think this through and has wasted a lot of money in advertising dollars or he must believe those policies are ignored often enough that he can profit from those indiscretions.

Hamilton police have a policy that clearly and strictly forbids members from accepting or soliciting "any gift, benefit, money, discount, favour or other assistance of any nature or kind" being offered "because of the member's position as a member of the police service unless such is also offered or made available to all members of the public."

So is it OK for a Hamilton cop to take Niagara Falls Golf Club up on its discount? "No," says Deputy Chief Tom Marlor. The Hamilton Fire Department's policy is a little less specific. Each firefighter is "personally responsible" for ensuring they do not place themselves in a position of breach of trust. The department does not condone the acceptance of special offers or freebies. "That compromises our integrity," says Tim Boychuck, assistant deputy fire chief. "No deals. Everybody has a job to do in life. We are no different from anybody else."

Niagara police rely on the Police Services Act to guide its decisions about gifts and deals. Quite simply, they are not allowed. Badging your way to a golf course discount just isn't acceptable and can actually be punishable by a charge of misconduct.

You may think this is a lofty discussion to be having about a few rounds of golf. The money isn't huge. The cops and firefighters and paramedics would be off duty. Big deal? Well, it is a big deal. And it is often encapsulated in a single cup of coffee. It's just a fact. Cops, firefighters and paramedics are offered free coffee all the time. "The free coffee for the police officers on duty is not proper," says Inspector Joe Matthews of the Policing Standards Unit in Niagara.

No matter how well-intentioned the offer, the optics and sometimes the repercussions are messy. Will the coffee shop that gives out free java attract more cops and be a safer, busier spot than other businesses? If there is a problem at that shop, will police respond faster? If the owner of the shop gets into trouble, will the cops do him or her a favour? There are a lot of accusations that can fly when someone in a position of authority or power takes advantage of their status. Whether the compromising of integrity is real or imagined, the optics aren't good. Just buy the cup of coffee.

Susan Clairmont's commentary appears regularly in The Spectator. sclairmont@thespec.com 905-526-3539

Retrieved August 30, 2006 from http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1156801812554&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 04:23 AM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Council to decide former officer's appeal

Wickenburg, Arizona, August 30, 2006

By Janet DelTufo, Assistant Editor 

When the Wickenburg Town Council meets next week, it will decide whether or not to uphold a 3-month-old decision to terminate Wickenburg Police Officer James Christian Sallee. The meeting will take place at Town Hall Tuesday (Sept. 5) at 5:30 p.m. The meeting was moved from Monday to Tuesday in observance of Labor Day.

Sallee's employment with the town ended this past May at the conclusion of an internal investigation relating to a 2004 off-duty incident that took place north of Yarnell. The final decision to terminate Sallee was made by Town Manager Shane Dille. Sallee appealed the decision, and earlier this month he met with the Wickenburg Personnel Board during a three-hour closed-door hearing. The three-member board consisted of a council member (Vice Mayor Jim Girard) a town employee (Stacey Canary) and a citizen (G.R. Cason). The following day, the board contacted Sallee and his attorney in writing with its decision.

“The personnel board has listened to the testimony tapes and reviewed the hearing testimony and findings,” the memo said. “The evidence is very clear in support of the discharge of Officer James Sallee. “Therefore,” it said, “the board supports the decision made by staff in the termination of James Christian Sallee and sends this decision and recommendation to the Town Council of Wickenburg.”

The council will review the board's findings and recommendation during a possible executive session, and Sallee's attorney is expected to file a brief opposing the board's decision. The investigation leading to Sallee's termination involved a traffic incident in which Sallee was stopped by the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) for allegedly driving 92 mph in a 55 mph zone.

The incident report was written by YCSO Deputy Michael Bricker, who in his report said Sallee was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. The report said a field breath test was administered, and the test was said to have registered .086. A person in Arizona is presumed intoxicated with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above. In the report, Bricker said he placed Sallee under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol and then transported him to the YCSO substation in Yarnell for further testing.

Bricker said in the report that Sallee tested on an intoxilyzer machine and registered a BAC of .070. Bricker said Sallee was released to his passenger and was not cited for either speeding or DUI. After learning of the incident this past April, Wickenburg Police Chief Tony Melendez conducted an internal investigation. According to documents providing details into the investigation, Melendez gave Sallee a written notice of investigation stating that he could be disciplined up to and including dismissal if he refused to or did not truthfully answer questions relating to the investigation.

At the conclusion of the investigation, Melendez said he found Sallee to be untruthful. “Based on factual findings supported by sufficient evidence, Officer Sallee was impaired and was given the benefit of the doubt based on his position,” Melendez said. “Officer Sallee failed to report his unethical actions to the Wickenburg Police Department, and it was further found during this investigation that Officer Sallee was untruthful by making false statements. “Officer Sallee's denial of corroborated facts calls into question his integrity, truthfulness and fitness to serve as a Wickenburg police officer,” he added. “Due to the seriousness of Officer Sallee's actions, which jeopardize public trust in the Wickenburg Police Department, it is my recommendation that Officer Sallee be terminated.”

Town Manager Shane Dille then made the decision to terminate Sallee on May 24. Sallee, however, told the personnel board that he did not make untruthful statements during the investigation. He said he was never placed under arrest and was not impaired at that time. “Deputy Bricker never placed me under arrest, and I volunteered to go take the intoxilyzer test at the Yarnell substation to prove that I was not intoxicated,” Sallee said.

Sallee also said there was not a written policy in place at that time stating that a member of the Wickenburg Police Department needed to report to his or her supervisor if he or she had any law enforcement contact while off-duty. The hearing was closed to the media, family and the general public. However, the hearing was conducted in Council Chambers and several individuals sat and waited outside the room.

Several days after the hearing, Sallee requested in writing that tapes recorded during the hearing be released to the public. It is impossible to know all the testimony that took place during the hearing because the tape released to the public was chronologically out of order, with a large block of testimony missing. Town Clerk Donna Riffel, who did not attend the hearing, said the tape recorder used is the same recorder used during council meetings. She said when it is not used correctly or paused incorrectly, the recorder malfunctions. Riffel said she has had the same results in the past during council meetings.

“This was unintentional human error,” Riffel said. “And I will state for the record that the tape was not doctored or altered in anyway.” The order of witnesses and testimony on the 60-minute tape include the swearing in of witnesses, the introduction of the panel and attorneys, opening statements by Salle's attorney, closing statements by Sallee's attorney, closing statements by the town's attorney, testimony by Shane Dille, testimony by Chris Sallee, and it concludes with questions from the personnel board.

What is missing from the tape is approximately 45 minutes of testimony from Chief Melendez, and testimony from Judge John Henry and YCSO's Major John O'Hagen. Henry and O'Hagen were called as witnesses for Sallee. Heard on the tape during opening statements was Sallee's attorney Janet L. Feltz, saying her client did not violate any of the rules cited in his disciplinary notice. Feltz said Sallee did not discredit the town because he was never cited for the incident, nor did he lack candor in his written reply regarding the incident.

“The deputy may have written in a report that he the took Officer Sallee to the Yarnell substation and used the term ‘I placed him under arrest' without making a statement to that effect to Chris at the scene,” Feltz said. “Chris suggested they go to the substation, so the deputy had to write a report.” Deputy Bricker was not called by either side to testify, and board member Cason questioned that decision. He told Feltz that she had placed a lot of emphasis on whether Sallee was actually placed under arrest or not, and he wondered why Bricker was not there to testify.

Feltz responded by saying that the town was making the allegation, and that it was the town's choice to make the allegation through hearsay instead of through direct testimony. “We're here with the officer,” Feltz said. “You have first-hand testimony and can assess his credibility. I don't think it is our responsibility to bring in Deputy Bricker. I think it is the city's responsibility to do that if they want to establish the allegation.”

With that, Cason then asked town attorney Russ Romney why he did not include Bricker on the town's witness list. Romney told Cason that Bricker was out of town that week and he had been unable to subpoena him. Sallee, who worked for the town for 12 years, believes he did not receive due process. He said he was never given a chance to speak to Melendez or Dille regarding his account of the events versus the account of Deputy Bricker after he wrote his initial response to Melendez.

He said he knew the importance of telling the truth, realizing he could be terminated if he was not truthful. He also said that he could lose his certification with Arizona Police Officers Standard and Training (POST) if he was not truthful. Sallee said he swore to tell truth when the hearing began, and that his story has not changed since the time of the incident.

“I love being a police officer and enjoy working for the town,” Sallee said “And I always aspired to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather, who passed away at 91. He was a sergeant and a 35-year veteran of the Lexington (Kentucky) Police Department. “But I am very concerned about the tape that was recorded during my hearing,” he added. “The Town Council may listen to it when trying to make a decision, and it is inaccurate because of all the missing testimony.”

Sallee has not said what will be his next move if he is not reinstated with the Wickenburg Police Department. He said for now he is just trying to clear up the situation so that he can move on with his life. “It's been really hard living here and having people stare at me and make comments,” he said. “I have made mistakes and I made one last December when I was impaired and I had an accident.

“I received disciplinary action from the town and I did not fight it because there was a consequence to my action,” he added. “I do regret, however, that it has taken me this long to say I am sorry for what I did.” Sallee was referring to an incident where he was cited for extreme driving under the influence. Sallee was suspended without pay for 30 days and the charges were eventually dismissed in that case.

Retrieved August 30, 2006 from http://www.wickenburgsun.com/articles/2006/08/30/news/news02.prtws/news02.prt

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 12:23 AM | Permalink

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
By Frank Lombardi, Daily News City Hall Bureau
August 30th, 2006

New York - The somber rain matched the mood yesterday of a ceremony naming a Pelham Bay streetcorner in honor of slain police hero Daniel Enchautegui. The officer was killed Dec. 10 in a shootout with burglars he caught breaking into a neighbor's home.

"He really gave his life protecting the rest of us," Mayor Bloomberg said at a ceremony held, because of the rain, at the nearby St. Theresa School. "Being here today brings back the sorrow I think that we all felt that day, because when we lost Daniel, we lost a piece of our city's future," Bloomberg said of the 28-year-old police officer.

Dozens of uniformed officers stood in ranks behind Enchautegui's seated family and friends, including his mother and father, Maria and Pedro, and his sister, Yolanda Rosa. A street sign bearing the name Detective Daniel Enchautegui Way was unveiled, to be placed at the northeastern corner of Westchester Ave. and Arnow Place, up the block from where Enchautegui had lived and where he was fatally shot.

While off duty and in civilian clothes, Enchautegui had confronted two men - later identified as ex-con Steven Armento and Lillo Brancato, an actor who had parts in the film "A Bronx Tale" and TV's "The Sopranos" - as they were allegedly breaking into a next-door neighbor's home.

According to police accounts, Enchautegui identified himself as a cop, but Armento opened fire, hitting the officer in the chest. Though mortally wounded, Enchautegui managed to return fire, wounding Armento and Brancato, arrested by other cops responding to a 911 call the officer made before confronting the two men.

"Danny Enchautegui was one of our very best," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at the commemoration. "He served the people of New York City for three years, and he exhibited at the last moments of his life the instinct and discipline that earned him his sterling reputation." Kelly said Enchautegui's "amazing act of fortitude" in wounding the two suspects led to their capture. He added that the street sign will remind all who see it "of this outstanding young man who gave his life defending his community."

The suspects, who recovered from their wounds, are in jail awaiting trial on second-degree murder charges.

Retrieved August 30, 2006 from http://www.nydailynews.com

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 04:43 PM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Sheriff fires Burright
Swinyard dismisses sergeant who listed phony degree; he couldn’t be credible in court, D.A. said

By Rebecca Barrett, Gazette-Times reporter

Oregon - Benton County Sheriff Sgt. Jack Burright was fired Tuesday for misrepresenting his academic and training credentials on county job application forms.

Sheriff Jim Swinyard announced his decision at the law enforcement center. Earlier Tuesday, Swinyard met with Burright to deliver the termination papers and offer him a job as work crew supervisor, a position that doesn’t require law enforcement certification. Burright declined that offer.

As part of an internal investigation, Swinyard reviewed findings of a criminal investigation of Burright conducted by the Oregon State Police into statements and representations Burright made as an employee and former candidate for sheriff. Burright was cleared of forgery — because the statute of limitations had expired — and official misconduct last month. Burright withdrew as a sheriff candidate in July.

Swinyard said Burright’s credibility had been “severely compromised by a pattern of untruthful representations and statements over a period of years.”

Burright, in a prepared statement, said he didn’t intentionally deceive anyone and called the investigation and his termination unfair.

“While I could live with losing an election, it seems patently unfair that I am also losing my livelihood over an election,” Burright said.

“My disparate treatment appears to be based not in the underlying allegations, but my actions in running for sheriff.”

An attorney representing Burright had previously filed three tort claim notices with the county, giving notice that Burright intends to sue Benton County. Although no lawsuit has been filed and the statute of limitations expires later this year, those claims are still active, according to the county.

In those tort notices, Burright said he was the target of wrongful discrimination and retaliation after he announced he was running for sheriff.

Burright, a 13-year employee of the sheriff’s office, claims he was passed over for promotion when he applied to be lieutenant in 2004. That same job application is the one that Swinyard said was the main focus of the internal investigation, where Burright gave “untruthful representations” of his training and experience.

Internal investigation findings

Benton County District Attorney Scott Heiser told Swinyard in a July 22 e-mail that Burright’s misconduct documented in the State Police investigation “renders him no longer viable as a witness for the state of Oregon in any criminal matter in Benton County.”

Heiser said he could not accept any cases in which Burright was involved in the investigation.

“The big issue is he’s got to be able to go into court and be a viable and credible witness,” Swinyard said.

Burright was investigated by the Oregon State Police at Heiser’s request after the Gazette-Times in May reported discrepancies in his educational and training records.

Burright indicated on job and training applications and his candidate filing form that he had completed or graduated from Corvallis High School when he did not. He received a GED.

In addition, Burright bought a degree from an unaccredited online diploma mill called Farington University, and listed it on a 2004 application for lieutenant. He did not get that job.

At the request of the state Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, Swinyard will send the internal investigation report to the law enforcement licensing division for review. In a “worst-case scenario,” Burright’s actions could result in his police certification being revoked, Swinyard said.

Meanwhile, the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office is investigating a complaint that Burright knowingly falsified his candidate filing by indicating that he completed high school and that he had degrees pending when he had not completed required coursework at Linn-Benton Community College and Southwest University, an accredited online college.

Some political Web sites are promoting Burright as a write-in candidate for sheriff. Swinyard, who is retiring in December and has backed undersheriff Diana Simpson for sheriff, said that being fired wouldn’t disqualify Burright; however, he would no longer be eligible if his certification from the state licensing agency were revoked.

Swinyard said the foundation of law enforcement is public trust. He said the sheriff’s office conducts background investigations of all its employees, and although Burright’s background investigation could not be found, it does not mean there is something wrong with the county’s hiring or employee evaluation process.

Once hired, all deputies swear to abide by an ethics code and to conduct themselves in a manner that would bring credibility to the agency, Swinyard said.

Swinyard said that Burright’s leadership and expertise as a tactical defense instructor and SWAT team leader would be missed, but others in the sheriff’s office are qualified to fill his vacancy.

Burright’s attorney, Kent Hickam of Albany, called the firing a “great loss to law enforcement in Benton County. It’s completely unwarranted by anything he did.”

Reporter Ian Rollins of the Albany Democrat-Herald contributed to this report.

Retrieved August 26, 2006 from http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2006/08/16/news/community/wed02.txt

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 10:54 AM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Credit Card Records Show Former Newark Mayor on Far-Flung Trips

08-23-06, AP
Newark, New Jersey - Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James used a credit card issued by the city police department to rack up tens of thousands of dollars in charges at taxpayers' expense, according to a published report.

Among the $80,000 expenses was a more than $6,500 tab for a five-day trip to Rio de Janeiro during the final week of James' 20-year tenure as mayor of New Jersey's largest city, according to credit card records reported in The Sunday Star-Ledger of Newark.

The charges, for a card paid for with Newark police department funds, came on top of more than $70,000 in expenses on a previously disclosed card billed to City Hall.

James told the newspaper that he went on the June trip, which included a stay in a luxury hotel and dining in fine restaurants, to follow up on a 2004 visit in which he lectured on "affirmative action, sanitation, housing and poor people."

"I went to the consul general and met with him to discuss these issues. I wanted to see if my (earlier) visit paid off, and I found it did pay off," James said. When asked about the two bodyguards he took with him, James said, "Brazil is a hot spot for crime - everybody knows that."

The $80,000 in charges over two and a half years were for a Platinum Plus Visa card issued to "Sharpe James Newark Mayor Sec Pol Bus" and paid for with Newark police funds, according to records. The mayor's use of the card had not been previously disclosed.

The Star-Ledger in 2005 had made a public records request for James' expenses, and then received information on another Visa card billed to City Hall. On that card, there were charges for more than $70,000 from 2002 through 2004.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker said Friday that he had only recently learned himself of James' police department account. He said he had directed his staff to conduct a review of it. "Our investigation thus far appears to reveal an egregious and unacceptable use of public funds, especially in light of our urgent community needs, current fiscal crisis and common values," Booker said.

James said he needed two credit cards, instead of one, to cover his expenses because, "Sometimes the city doesn't pay properly." "If one account gets rejected, they use the other card," he said.

Credit card records on the police department account covered November 2003 through June 2006, but the records also said that James had had the card for a total eight years. The card also paid for multiple trips to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Florida, Martha's Vineyard, North Carolina and Atlantic City. Every trip in which the taxpayers paid the bill was city-related, according to James, who said he reimbursed the city when expenses weren't for city business.

An official with the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C., described James' expenses as "audacious." "It probably doesn't get any more clear-cut than using a public credit card ... and taking yourself to nice events _ not even fancy dinners in town, but resorts in exotic locales," said Leah Rush, director of state projects at the center.

James said traveling for Newark was a good thing."As the last of the civil rights mayors in America, I had to travel and sell this city and the world about the Newark success story," he said.

Retrieved August 24, 2006 from http://blackvoices.aol.com/black_news/canvas_directory_headlines_features/_a/credit-card-records-show-former-newark/20060823101609990001

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 03:25 AM | Permalink

by Dr. Frank Kardasz, August 14, 2006

Should social networking sites like Myspace, Xanga, Friendster, Facebook, Hi5, FacetheJury and others require applicants to subscribe by entering information from a credit card?

The proprietors of social networking sites have difficulty preventing minors from improperly joining the sites. Many young people have been victimized by predators who roam the sites. Much of the responsibility falls upon parents who fail to monitor their childrens Intenet activity but increasingly, the industry is being called upon to place better controls on the use of social networking sites.

The idea of requiring credit card information from applicant/subscribers to social networking sites is controversial yet promising.

Credit cards have been suggested as a method of age-verification for subscribers to the sites. Critics argue that credit cards are not a foolproof method of age verification. While I agree that credit cards are not the best method of age verification I believe that requiring prospective subscribers to social networking sites to enter credit card information would be helpful in three other important ways:

1. As a deterrent to young people who often subscribe without the knowledge of their parents.

2. As a deterrent to criminals who might be less likely to offend knowing that their identity might be traced through the credit card information they entered.

3. As a lead for law enforcement to follow-up in order to trace back to a criminal when unlawful activity occurs. 

Although the use of credit cards may not be a proof-positive means of age verification it would likely be a deterrent to those kids who would otherwise sneak onto a site and join without their parents knowledge.  If the sites require the entry of a credit card number to subscribe, the child or teen has one extra hurdle to jump before joining a site without parental consent, and a parent might notice the charge on his or her credit card statement and follow-up by examining the childs Internet activity.

Criminals who intend to use the sites for unlawful purposes might be slowed if they were required to enter a credit card number knowing that the number might be traced later by law enforcement officials. Yes, some criminals will use stolen credit card numbers, but others will not. 

Credit card information would give law enforcement an additional lead to trace through subpoena and search warrant in order to identify persons who facilitate or commit crimes through social networking sites.

Requiring a credit card to subscribe to a social networking site would not be perfect nor foolproof but I believe it would be better than the present free-for-all practices.

Unrelated to the present issue involving social networking sites, a couple years ago, in the disturbing world of Internet child pornography, we saw a slowing in reports of child pornography from one major Internet service provider when it began to require that subscribers pay a small annual fee for its "groups" service.  It may be that users simply moved to the other free "groups" services to share and traffic child pornography, but it is also possible that the chance of being traced drove some of the child pornography traffickers away from the ISP that began charging a small fee. If social networking sites were to require users to enter a credit card, perhaps a similar situation would occur.

What are your thoughts?

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 12:01 AM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:

1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
     a. Why did you choose that typology?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?
     a.Why did you choose that decision making process?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Los Angeles Police Department Officer Who Was Targeted in Sting Is Charged.
Policeman from the Rampart Division, which was plagued by scandal in the late '90s, is accused of making false arrests.

By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, August 12, 2006

A veteran Rampart Division officer was charged Friday with making false arrests, culminating an elaborate sting operation by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Authorities allege that Edward Beltran Zamora arrested two undercover officers — who were posing as suspects — on suspicion of possessing drugs, when surveillance video showed that they did not. The six-month operation by the LAPD's Ethics Enforcement Section began after officials noticed an unusual pattern to Zamora's arrests, they said.

The team was created in 2001 as part of the reforms instituted to help ferret out corruption after the Rampart scandal. Chief William J. Bratton has cited the Zamora case as an example of how the department is trying to tackle such problems. Zamora, 44, could not be reached for comment Friday. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted of the felony of filing a false police report and two misdemeanor counts each of false arrest and false imprisonment.

Several times during his 16-year tenure, suspects have accused Zamora of planting evidence. The city has paid $520,000 to settle two civil lawsuits filed against him. In December, the City Council approved a $300,000 settlement of a lawsuit by a 42-year-old man whom Zamora and a partner had arrested on suspicion of possessing a rifle.

A year before, the council approved a $220,000 settlement with a South Los Angeles man who alleged that Zamora and other officers had planted a rifle and a bag of drugs on him after they searched his home in November 1998.

In 2003, Zamora was accused in an internal LAPD report of dishonesty, making false statements and falsifying his daily activity field report. Few details of the accusations are available. But an LAPD Board of Rights found him guilty of having a report log that did not match information on radio frequencies and a computer system, according to court records.

Zamora was arrested at the LAPD's Parker Center headquarters Friday morning and released on $20,000 bail. His arraignment will be Sept. 8. Prosecutors said friday that the detectives actually conducted two stings against Zamora. The first occurred in January.

But Zamora did not file a police report on that case, so the internal investigation continued. Then on May 9 in the MacArthur Park area, Zamora arrested a person who he did not realize was an undercover detective.

Prosecutors say Zamora falsely claimed in a police report that he found a baggie of cocaine directly next to "the suspect." But videotape reportedly shows that the baggie was more than 15 feet away and that no drugs were on the undercover detective, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office.

The Zamora case has gained attention because he worked out of a station that in the late 1990s became a symbol of corruption. Rampart Officer Rafael Perez, after being caught stealing narcotics, told authorities that he and other officers had routinely falsified evidence, framed suspects and covered up unjustified shootings.

After an investigation, the U.S. Justice Department accused the city and the LAPD of civil rights violations. The city agreed to a five-year consent decree under which the Police Department would make a series of reforms with scrutiny from a federal judge and a court-appointed monitor.

A blue-ribbon report released last month found that although the LAPD has made improvements since the consent decree was imposed, the department is still at risk of officer misconduct and corruption.

Internal stings like the one targeting Zamora were among the measures instituted after the Rampart scandal. In 2004, the Ethics Enforcement Section conducted 127 internal investigations. Of them, 18 led to administrative discipline cases and six were referred to the district attorney for possible criminal prosecution. Last year, there were 204 investigations, with 15 administrative discipline actions and one criminal referral.

Retrieved August 13, 2006 from http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-rampart12aug12,1,7031109.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 08:25 PM | Permalink

Dr. Frank Kardasz, August 12, 2006

I recently read a column ridiculing the casual dress of police officers whom the writer had observed while the officers were busy working. The officers were observed conducting investigations or speaking with the media while wearing comfortable clothing instead of traditional police uniforms. The columnist didn't fault the actions of the officers, only their manner of dress. One officer was ridiculed because he was observed wearing shorts and because his legs were too white.

After reading the criticisms I thought: Please don't judge a book by its cover.

Sadly, we live in a culture where people are judged (and often misjudged) by their appearance. It is true that the very first thing that one notices when meeting someone is the other persons appearance. Unfortunately the cultural focus on appearance leads some people to unusual behavior: young women shoplift beauty supplies, people undergo body altering cosmetic surgeries or succumb to eating disorders. Millions of dollars are spent on tanning salons, beauty treatments and weight-reduction schemes.

I don't know the exact circumstances under which the critical columnist observed the officers in non-traditional police attire. Perhaps the officer wearing shorts in one hundred degree Arizona heat did not have time to tan his legs because he works all evening, attends court during the day and spends the rest of his time with his family, leaving precious few hours for the tanning salon. Perhaps the media relations officer wore a comfortable shirt one day because he has been working twelve hour shifts for the past few weeks trying to satisfy a media-frenzy of reporters hungry for information about a high-profile investigation and didn't have a spare dress shirt handy. Perhaps the investigator wearing jeans and a polo shirt at a crime scene was summoned from home during his off duty hours and had to rush to a scene to examine bloody or dirty evidence in filthy working conditions and didn't want to ruin his good clothes. I don't know the circumstances under which the officers were seen doing their jobs but I am grateful to them for doing the work.

I wonder if those in law enforcement aren't sometimes over-emphasizing the importance of the appearance of police officers. Some agencies have entire committees of personnel devoted to the development and application of meticulous rules about uniforms and appearance. There are expensive squads of honor guard personnel whose elaborate dress and conduct at special events are admired by many. When I think about the cost to the taxpayers for the time, equipment and overtime for these endeavors I wonder how these expenses might be redirected in order to support other traditional law enforcement functions.

What about the police as community representatives? If the police represent the communities they serve, should they dress with the Gestapo-like appearance of a Machiavellian elitist group of powerful snobs? One day I was talking with a veteran police officer who was describing a fellow officer. The officer he described was always meticulously well dressed and fastidiously well groomed but lazy and unproductive. He described the lazy officer as, "Chrome engine", and "All show and no-go."  So you see, all that glitters is not gold. This does not imply that everyone in a shiny and beautifully tailored wool uniform is a self-absorbed narcissist. Many well dressed officers are also great cops, but as a taxpayer, I simply want officers who can make arrests and keep the peace, not model for a fashion magazine. Donning a uniform doesn't make someone an officer any more than donning a cowboy hat makes one a cowboy.

Some will argue that the uniform displays professionalism and commands respect. Manner of dress notwithstanding, an officer demonstrates professionalism and commands respect through verbal communication, eye contact, posture and gestures. The uniform is just one piece of the professionalism puzzle. Professionalism, integrity, ethics and honor have little to do with appearance. At the end of the movie, "A few good men" Tom Cruise, playing a lawyer who has just saved a confused and idealistic young marine from jail says, "You don't have to wear a patch on your sleeve to have honor."

Bottom line: Cops have a challenging job where the employer also recommends that they wear a bullet resistant vest to work. As long as they are out there making arrests and keeping the peace I don't give a hoot if their pants are wrinkled and their shoes are not shiny. There are more important things to worry about. Please don't judge a book by its cover.

Dr. Frank Kardasz is an active-duty sworn Arizona Peace Officer with 27 years of law enforcement experience in Michigan and Arizona. He can be contacted at kardasz@kardasz.org

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 08:23 PM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Police captain at Florida Atlantic University resigned amid sex allegations

By Stephanie Slater, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer, August 11, 2006

Boca Raton, Florida — A Florida Atlantic University police captain resigned amid allegations he had on-duty sex with a student and pornographic images and e-mails on his department-issued cellphone and two computers.

Capt. Carl "Chuck" Aurin, 45, also kept in a locked file cabinet a video of him engaging in sex with a student, FAU Police Chief Bill Ferrell said. Ferrell said that Aurin's March 30 resignation stemmed from a separate complaint into possible ethical violations, but he would not elaborate. While the department looked into the ethics allegations, Aurin, who had been supervising the investigative and internal affairs divisions, was reassigned to oversee the shift commanders. On March 15, Aurin returned his Nextel BlackBerry phone and the keys to his office and unmarked patrol car. Two days later, Ferrell noticed that the BlackBerry was receiving a "high volume" of pornographic spam e-mail, according to an internal affairs investigation.

Deputy Chief Derrick Charleston then searched Aurin's patrol car and found a burgundy sketchbook containing sexually explicit messages and drawings about the captain's encounters with the student, which reportedly took place while he was patrolling the university's Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale campuses. While searching Aurin's office, Charleston found pornographic movies and pictures on two computers. They were sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to determine whether any of the material was criminal. Analysts found nothing illegal, Ferrell said, adding that all police laptops now have software that monitors for inappropriate Web sites. When Ferrell met with Aurin to discuss the findings, the captain immediately resigned. That same day, Aurin wrote in a letter to the chief that he resigned "with a heavy heart... due to personal reasons." Aurin, who on his Myspace.com profile describes himself as "hardcore but cuddly," joined FAU's police force in 1992. Neither he nor his attorney returned calls for comment.

There is no policy at FAU prohibiting fraternization among employees, but there are ethical rules that prohibit relationships between employees and their bosses, President Frank Brogan said, adding that it is an ethical violation for professors to have sex with students. There is no police department policy banning officers from having relationships with other officers or students, Ferrell said. The thing I preach is that what you do outside the police department is your business, and you keep your business outside the police department, " Ferrell said.

Aurin was never questioned during the internal affairs investigation, which concluded as soon as he resigned, the report shows. Ferrell said he has no plans to send his findings FDLE's Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, a 19-member panel of representatives from law enforcement agencies that could revoke Aurin's certification. "He never got the opportunity to speak his side because he resigned. I have no idea what he was going to admit or deny," Ferrell said. FDLE's records indicate that Aurin resigned but do not reflect the reason, spokesman Tom Berlinger said. "When a law enforcement officer leaves in the midst of an internal affairs investigation, the agency has an obligation to complete the investigation and report its findings to the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission," Berlinger said. "If that did not occur, I have no doubt that commission staff will be contacting the chief about Captain Aurin's departure."

Ferrell, a former Florida Highway Patrol lieutenant who became FAU's police chief in January, is cleaning up a department that Brogan said "has gone through some difficult times" — namely, sexual misconduct allegations. He replaced former Chief Dolores Danser, who was dismissed in June 2005 at the start of an internal probe that found that a police lieutenant sexually harassed three women the agency employed. Lt. Darren Kirch had sex with a female officer at a Boca Raton park after her first day of work, had a three-month affair with another subordinate and flirted while on duty with a third officer, the investigation concluded. Kirch resigned June 8, 2005. "It's so far behind us," Ferrell said. "I'm very aggressive toward making sure the image of the police department is not destroyed." Ferrell said he gave all 42 sworn officers a copy of the agency's code of ethics and explained the serious nature of violating ethical rules. "When there's issues in the police department that could be perceived to bring or slow us down, we deal with it," Ferrell said. "And if it means that the person has to leave, they're gone."

Staff writer Kim Miller and staff researcher Melanie Mena contributed to this story.
Find this article at:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbcsouth/content/local_news/epaper/2006/08/11/c1c_fausex_0811.html

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 01:32 PM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Fort Pierce chief indicted on forgery, theft charges unrelated to job
 

By Sarah Prohaska, Allyson Bird, Palm Beach Post Staff Writers, August 10, 2006

Fort Pierce, Florida - Police Chief Eugene Savage was booked into the St. Lucie County jail on Wednesday, hours after a grand jury indicted him on three felony charges alleging he forged his ex-wife's signature on a $5,800 real estate check and deposited the money. After his arrest, Savage was placed on unpaid administrative leave from the Fort Pierce Police Department, which he has led for almost a decade.

Savage and his attorneys drove into the jail parking lot in a black Monte Carlo with tinted windows shortly after 2:30 p.m. The booking process took about a half-hour, and they quickly drove out of the secure area without commenting. He was released on $3,000 bond. Earlier Wednesday, Savage's ex-wife, North Miami Police Chief Gwendolyn Boyd, testified before the grand jury, along with agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The agency has been investigating the check allegations since late January. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public.

Boyd declined to comment as she left the courthouse. A few minutes later, the grand jury issued the indictment charging Savage with third-degree grand theft, forgery of a bank check and uttering a forged bill. All three charges are third-degree felonies, punishable by a maximum of five years in prison for each count. Prosecutors said it is "questionable" whether a judge could order the sentences to run consecutively if Savage is convicted.

Assistant State Attorney Lev Evans said Savage has no criminal history and the charges are not connected to his job as police chief. "These allegations do not involve any official malfeasance," said Evans, who presented the case to the grand jury. "It doesn't involve the police department or the city. It seems this is more of a domestic matter."

The charges are connected to an escrow check issued to both Savage and Boyd in November, Evans said. Savage is accused of forging his ex-wife's signature, depositing the check in a bank and keeping the money, he said. Even though Savage's name was on the check, Evans said that, "under the law, you can't sign the name of another with the intent to defraud."

Boyd asked the FDLE to investigate in late January and State Attorney Bruce Colton decided to ask a grand jury whether the office should prosecute. "In a case like this, where we have a close relationship with his office, we didn't want it to look like it was either vindictiveness or favoritism on our part," Evans said. "He is law enforcement, and he is chief of police of one of the most active law enforcement agencies in our circuit. So we asked the grand jury to make the decision whether he should stand trial."

Savage has cooperated with the investigation and given several statements to FDLE agents, Evans said. Savage's attorney could not be reached Wednesday. The Fort Pierce city manager's office said Savage "relinquished his duties and responsibilities" Wednesday. City Manager Dennis Beach said Savage would remain on administrative leave without pay until the courts determine whether he is guilty.

Assistant Chief Sean Baldwin will be acting police chief. The city manager's office and the police department stressed that the charges are related to Savage's personal life. "It is my hope that a positive resolution of the charges occur(s) soon and Chief Savage is able to return to a city that truly appreciates his skill and commitment," Beach said.

The forgery allegations first came to Beach's attention in a confidential May 3 memo from Savage. Savage described meeting with FDLE investigators about an "allegation made against (him) for violating a court order dealing with an escrow settlement."

On July 31, Evans sent a letter to Savage inviting him to appear before a grand jury Wednesday, which Savage declined to do. Two days later, Savage sent a confidential memo to Beach asking to step down as chief at the end of the day on Aug. 4.

"I do not desire to compromise the integrity of the police department," Savage wrote. He followed that memo with another, saying his attorneys advised him to remain chief until the grand jury's decision. His arrest Wednesday leaves him in limbo until the case is resolved.

Savage, 57, was born in Jacksonville and served in the Army in the Vietnam War, earning several medals. According to his personnel file, he joined the West Palm Beach Police Department in 1970 and became the department's first black captain. He also was the first black president of the Treasure Coast Chiefs and Sheriffs Association and a leader in other law enforcement groups.
Savage studied public administration at Florida Atlantic University and finished his doctoral degree at Lynn University in 1990. He was named the Fort Pierce Police Department's first black chief in 1997. His salary, as of April, was more than $106,000.

He married Boyd in 2000, making a splash in the local and national media. They were divorced in 2005. Boyd testified last year that she caught Savage at the couple's Fort Pierce condominium in 2004. He was in his underwear and his secretary, Rosetta Smith, was hiding in their guest bathroom in a nightshirt, she said. Both denied having an affair.

An unidentified group began sending anti-Savage propaganda, prompting an FBI investigation into fictitious e-mails between Savage and Smith. The FBI determined that Savage's computer was not hacked into by someone outside the police department.

When St. Lucie County sheriff's officials released Savage's arrest report Wednesday, they included public records law and a handwritten memo from Savage dated Wednesday: "I do not desire to have any personal information released to the media, due to my status as a public official."
 
Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2006/08/10/m1a_SLSAVAGE_0810.html 

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 03:42 PM | Permalink

August 10, 2006, by Bob Allen, TowsonTimes.com

Officer Ronald Jones, who was recently chosen 2005 Officer of the Year in the Cockeysville Precinct, spent over a decade in information technology before pursuing his first love, law enforcement.  Officer Ronald Jones, recently named the Cockeysville Precinct's 2005 Officer of the Year, was a latecomer to law enforcement.

Before joining the Baltimore County Police Department 13 years ago, Jones spend more than a decade in information technology. But law enforcement had always been his first love. "It's what I always wanted to do," said Jones, 47, who was born in Baltimore and now lives in south-central Pennsylvania. "And it was absolutely the right decision - that's why I'm still here."

Jones was nominated for Precinct 7's annual honor by Sgt. Eric Keith of the precinct's community action team. "Officer Jones has repeatedly shown an ability to be creative in developing his investigative methods," Keith wrote. "He has used every resource at his disposal, as well as a great deal of teamwork to bring (cases) to successful conclusions."

Jones, who serves on Precinct 7's community action team, came to law enforcement in 1993, in his mid- thirties.  "I just wanted to do something that would help the citizens out," he said of the career change. Before Cockeysville, he worked out of the Garrison and Woodlawn precincts. He is a also man of relatively few words when it comes to singing his own praises. "I just like to give 100 percent," said "That's just what I'm here for. That's what I do."

In his nominating letter, Keith, his supervisor, sang Jones's praises for him. He said Jones's efforts in 2005 resulted in the completion of 56 field investigation reports and led to 51 arrests, 14 of them for possession of controlled dangerous substances. Jones said that attention to detail required during his years of repairing computers and computer systems serves him well as a police investigator. "You're often putting a puzzle together," he said. "It's a tedious process, but it all comes together in the end.

"I also dealt with the public when I was doing computer work," he said. "That also helped me out as a police officer, just the experience of dealing with other people." As an example of Jones's creativity and doggedness in investigating cases, Keith recalled a complaint that Jones was assigned to follow up that involved a man who was harassing female clerks at a local 7-Eleven. The man flashed a badge and handcuffs and bragged that he was a federal drug enforcement agent.
The man also appeared to be wearing a gun, which was later found to be a pellet gun. At one point, the impersonator gave one of the clerks a piece of paper with his phone number and part of his name on it. With this tidbit and quite a few hours of subsequent investigation, Jones came up with a possible suspect - a man who had previously been arrested for impersonating a police officer and illegally possessing a handgun.

Using mug shots from the subsequent arrest, Jones put together "a photo show" of the suspect. He showed it to the store clerks who confirmed that he'd found their impersonator. A subsequent search of the suspect's home turned up a bullet-proof vest, handcuffs, a badge, a police-style "raid jacket" and a pellet gun in a holster.

Jones said he took that case personally, just as he does with most of his cases. "The two clerks at that store were scared to death by this guy," he said. "That made me want to pursue the case even more." More recently, Jones played a key role in the investigation into the rape of a 90-year-old Cockeysville woman in March. That case was solved when a county police officer happened to spot and recover a red sweatshirt that had been discarded along the roadside a few blocks from the rape scene.

The sweatshirt contained the minuscule DNA sample that led to the arrest of a suspect in the rape. The officer who found it? Jones. In his report, Keith said that he wouldn't mind having a few more officers with Jones's dedication.

"He uses every resource at his disposal, as well as a great deal of teamwork to bring cases to successful conclusions," Keith said. "The example that he sets with his work ethic is one that should be emulated by others striving to be exceptional officers."

E-mail Bob Allen at Bob Allen@patuxent.com

Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=659&NewsID=739372&CategoryID=1840&on=1

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 03:29 PM | Permalink

Aug 7, 2006
 
DeKalb Count, Georgia - A DeKalb County Schools resource officer was given national honors for saving a boy's life.

Jeremy Tims says it was one of the scariest days of his young life. "There's this boy named Zachary. And sometimes I like to play with him. And if I died, I wouldn't get to play with him again," said Tims.

Tims choked on a large piece of candy on March 9th while sitting in his third grade classroom at Crossville School. "It went down in my throat and then I was struggling because it was hard for me to breathe," said Tims. Luckily, Deputy Chip Richards was just across the hall. "Yes, it was scary. When you see a child choking and you're out of breath, can't get your breath, or for whatever reason. Yeah, it would be scary. It'd be scary for anybody," said Richards.

Richards kept his cool and jumped into action. "He did the thing where he grabs a hold of your belly and then jerks it," said Tims. Richards performed the Heimlich Maneuver on Tims. He says he didn't think much about it until Tims' father made sure the proper authorities knew Richards saved his boy's life. "Words can't express the feelings that I have for Chip Richards," said Bobbie Long, Tims' father.

Richards was given a very special honor at the DeKalb County Teachers In-Service Meeting on Monday. He received a National Medal of Valor from the National Association of School Resource Officers for his heroic actions. "I'm overwhelmed by this. I never thought anything like this would ever come of an incident that happened with Jeremy. It's overwhelming. I'm humbled and honored," said Richards. Richards is one of four people honored with National Medal of Valor.

WorldNow and WAFF, a Raycom Media station.
Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=5250617
 

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 03:22 PM | Permalink

By Rachel Myers, rmyers@news-press.com
The News-Press, August 11, 2006
 
Cape Coral, Florida - The Cape Coral police officer who fired his gun June 23 at the scene of a double homicide was awarded a Medal of Valor on Thursday and named Officer of the Month.

Josh Silko said he was overwhelmed to receive the medal. Silko, 23, was the first officer to arrive at 1021 Southwest 18th Terrace after a 911 call from Amy Ciesla, 27. When he arrived, police said, he heard gunshots inside the home. Ciesla's estranged husband, Thomas Ciesla, 28, a former Collier County corrections officer, had killed his wife's father, Thomas Podejko, 63, and aunt Carol Lindner, 62, before turning a gun on himself, police said. Ciesla was unharmed and her uncle, Thomas Lindner, 62, escaped with a gunshot to the arm.

Police said Silko fired one shot at Thomas Ciesla. The shot missed, but police said his bravery saved the lives of Amy Ciesla and Thomas Lindner. He was placed on paid leave while the state attorney's office investigated, but has been back on active duty for some time, police spokeswoman Dyan Zedeker said.

The Medal of Valor is the department's second-highest honor. "Upon arrival, Officer Silko heard gunshots coming from inside the home," Zedeker wrote in a release. "He moved toward the threat, despite the inherent danger." Silko is the fifth officer in the department's history to have fired a gun at a person. Although his personnel file doesn't contain any performance reviews, Silko was considered an exemplary candidate when he was hired July 18, 2005. Sgt. Quentin Robinson, of the police department in Lafayette, Ind., where Silko did a summer internship in 2004, described him as, "smart, serious, respectful and motivated." Zedeker said the full report on the shootings hasn't been released because police are waiting for the medical examiner's report.

Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060811/NEWS0101/608110408/1075
 

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 03:13 PM | Permalink

By Kristin Bender, San Mateo County Times, Inside Bay Area. August 11, 2006 
 
Concord, California — There were at least 1,000 CHP officers, friends and relatives at CHP Officer Brent Clearman's funeral at an open air Concord amphitheater Thursday, but when the slain officer's voice was broadcast — for a last time — the pavilion was silent. Many sobbed and sat stonefaced as a recording of Clearman's voice, captured from his police radio, was broadcast saying he was going "10-10." That's police code for shift over and this time, the mournerstried to absorb that his watch was over for good.

"We've come here to remember Brent Clearman not just for how he died, but for how he lived," said CHP Chief of the Golden Gate Division Teresa Becher, who said she respected Clearman for his "quiet strength and dignity." Friends came to say goodbye to a military man turned police officer who lived life to its fullest, sought challenges and served his family, the state and the nation. As a U.S. Marine, Clearman had jumped out of helicopters, scaled mountains, led sniper platoons and fought the war on terrorism in Iraq.

As a CHP officer, he wanted to work in either Oakland or Los Angeles because he knew those were the places to "catch some action," a friend said of the 33-year-old who was killed by a hit-and-run driver last weekend.

"He had a theory — if you sweat more in training, you bleed less in war," said CHP Officer Mario Galvaz, who met Clearman 15 years ago in the Marines. "He always wanted to train harder and make the training more dangerous so he would be ready for any situation."

Clearman, a Concord resident, died Sunday after being struck Saturday night on Oakland's 66th Avenue onramp to northbound Interstate 880, where he was helping a taxicab driver with a tire blowout. He had worked with the CHP for two years after serving with the U.S. Marines for 12 years, and retiring as a staff sergeant.

Russell David Rodrigues, 47 of Oakland, was charged Wednesday with felony hit-and-run in connection with Clearman's death. He remains jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail. He will enter a plea in the case on Aug. 23. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison.

Inside the pavilion, the service began with a montage of Clearman photos set to country music. There was Clearman riding his bike in a triathlon, backpacking with his wife, Cathy, skiing and posing with his dog. And there was Clearman stern-faced in his military blues and proud in his CHP uniform. There was Clearman on the ground with his weapon in the Middle East.

And friends called him an amazingly self-disciplined and respectful gentleman who was so thankful to be given a job with the CHP that he set up sharpshooting exercises for colleagues on his own time and with his own equipment.

"If Brent were here to tell us what he'd like his legacy to be, he'd say to not settle for mediocrity," said FBI Agent Art Scotto, who called Clearman an "adopted brother." "When my kids asked me who my heroes in my life have been, Brent Clearman will be at the top of the list," Scotto said. Scotto said he admired Clearman for teaching others and sharing his knowledge about sharpshooting and military tactics. While in the Marines, Clearman was a mountaineering instructor, who taught rope work, skiing, climbing and avalanche safety.

"If you were in the presence of Brent Clearman, it was guaranteed that you would learn something," Scotto said. In fact, Clearman even taught Scotto's 6-year-old a valuable lesson. Scotto came home from work one day to find his son had fallen down and scraped himself. But he wasn't whimpering or crying like Scotto had seen him do in the past. Instead, he was stoic and silent, his fists clenched. Scotto asked his son what was going on. "Brent Clearman told me that if I make the meanest face I can and growl as loudly as I can, the pain will go away," Scotto recalled. "It will take an awful lot of growling to take away the pain today."

Following the service, two dozen officers on motorcycles led the motorcade as it passed through a giant American flag suspended by two cranes. Motorcycle officers and patrol cars from agencies across the Bay Area streamed out for at least 20 minutes.

In addition to his wife, Clearman is survived by his father, William and his mother, Carol, and sisters, Anna, Tara, Julie and Amy. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the CHP 11-99 Foundation, which provides scholarships to the children of CHP officers who die in the line of duty. To make a donation, send checks to P.O. Box 3537, La Habra 90632.
MediaNews staff writer Dogen Hannah contributed to this report.

Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_4166893

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 03:00 PM | Permalink

Phoenix, Arizona - May 25, 2006 

Offender: Francisco P. Santiago-Estrada

On January 27, 2006, Francisco Santiago-Estrada, a 24 year old unemployed married man, was arrested by members of the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and charged with luring a minor for sexual exploitation. The arrest occurred in Phoenix.

Santiago-Estrada came to the attention of law enforcement  when he used the Internet with the intention of meeing a minor for sex.  

On his profile page, Santiago-Estrada had listed his true name as "master". He listed his favorite quote as: "You wouldnt know it to look at me, but I have a soul darker than the deepest pits of hell."

During Internet chat conversations, while using the screen name: “dark_true_lord” he made  sexually explicit statements including (expletives deleted):

"Looking to have some fun?"
"I mean u, me and a bed"
"You wanna play yet?"
"Like some hot wild sex"
"Cuz I love to teach"
"We could make out and if you were willing I would lay you down undress you and   (expletive) on you for about an hour."
"Then I would make love to you as gentle and as long as you like"

After the chat conversations, intent upon meeting a minor for sex, Santiago-Estrada drove from Gilbert, Arizona to Phoenix for the planned meeting.

The former marine arrived to meet the minor dressed in a black t-shirt with the words "Department  6f Homeland Security" printed on the front.

He was arrested and confessed to the crime. His unsuspecting wife was surprised by the officers who later appeared at his Gilbert, Arizona residence to serve a search warrant.

Santiago-Estrada was booked into the Maricopa County jail and the case was handled by the Maricopa County Attorneys Office.

Santiago-Estrada served 116 days in jail before pleading guilty to one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation. On May 25, 2006 he was sentenced by Judge Warren J. Granville to a  suspended sentence and probation. He will serve lifetime probation but is not required to register  as a sex offender. If he violates probation he will serve the remainder of the one-year sentence on a work- furlough program. The court ordered that he is not to operate a computer for personal use.

Superior Court of Arizona - Maricopa County - case number: CR2006-104902

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 09:56 PM | Permalink

Dr. Kardasz -

Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?

Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html

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Class of police recruits is fired - Cobb group caught in cheating scandal

By Jennifer Brett, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 08/08/06

An entire class of Cobb County police recruits was fired Monday after they cheated on a test, authorities said. "Not much shocks me after 35 years in this business, but I was shocked," said Mickey Lloyd, Cobb's public safety director.

A police academy instructor caught two recruits comparing answers during a written exam last week, Lloyd said. After the academy alerted Lloyd on Friday, he ordered an inquest and soon learned that all 20 recruits had cheated, he said.

Most of the recruits admitted to cheating when asked about it, Lloyd said. "They'd gotten together and decided none of them was going to fail," said Lloyd. It's not clear how the recruits cheated, though Lloyd said they did not steal the test.

The news "dismayed" Cobb County Commissioner Helen Goreham, but she praised the swift response in drumming out the recruits suspected of cheating."Integrity with our police officers is something we do not skimp on," said Goreham, the commissioners' public safety liaison. "The level of service our officers provide the citizenry is top-notch. We will not tolerate an incident of this type."

Investigators do not plan to file criminal charges against any class members — a mix of men and women of various backgrounds — but they might not ever wear a law enforcement badge in Georgia, Lloyd said. Authorities did not release the recruits' names.

Cobb officials plan to report the dismissals to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which oversees the training and certification of law enforcement officers. To get into the class, recruits had to have at least a high school diploma and pass a background check as well as psychiatric and polygraph tests — measures intended to weed out certain would-be cops.
"You'd think you'd have the cream of the crop," Lloyd said.

The recruits were county employees training to become sworn police officers. They were in the fifth week of a 22-week training period required to join about 600 officers on Cobb's police force, where salaries start around $34,600. Instructors stress the importance of honesty with recruits. Police officers are often key witnesses in criminal trials.

"If you cheat, steal or lie, you lose your credibility in court," Lloyd said. Commission Chairman Sam Olens said, "Our police officers need to be beyond reproach."

Lloyd sounded weary and disappointed Monday but stressed his confidence in Cobb County's thin blue line. "The Cobb County Police Department is among the best in the state," he said. "There are a lot of fine officers out there. They work hard and they're honest. This had to be done in order to maintain this reputation."

News of the incident was rippling through the police department and Retcounty administration Monday. "Everybody's very disturbed about it," said police spokesman Dana Pierce. "It's a disappointment to all of us."

Retrieved August 9, 2006 from http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/0808metpolice.html?imw=Y

Posted by Dr. Kardasz at 12:11 AM | Permalink

August 8, 2006

Dr. Frank Kardasz:
I was honored to be invited to address a group of law enforcement officers and prosecutors at a seminar sponsored by the National Law Center for Children and Families in Phoenix.

Here is my speech.

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Thank you for inviting me today. The AZ ICAC Task Force is one of 46 similar groups across the country, covering every state. Within AZ we have 44 memorandums of understanding with law enforcement agencies across the state and we will try to assist you with your needs when it comes to cases involving child pornography, luring and community and employee education.

I reviewed the list of subjects that you are learning about during this conference and I saw child pornography, online enticement and obscenity on the agenda. I never had a real appreciation for the importance of those subjects until I first began working in the field six years ago. Like a lot of cops I once had the attitude that I could never work these kinds of crimes and that the criminals who violate against children are the scum of the earth. And while my low opinion of the criminals and the defense attorneys who represent them has not changed, I now have a much higher appreciation of you men and women in law enforcement who investigate and prosecute these difficult crimes.

This type of law enforcement work is still in its infancy. Computers still scare some old-school cops and lawyers. Some seventh graders have more computer skills than we do. So we are constantly trying to catch up. Getting our law enforcement arms around the growing problem of Internet crime is a monumental task. By way of analogy, some days I feel like we are trying to restrain King Kong with a tiny rubber band.

The Internet provides an unparalleled opportunity for criminals to unearth themselves and victimize unsuspecting young people. Research indicates that of the estimated 24 million child Internet users, one in five may have received a unwanted sexual solicitation, but only one in four told a parent.

Curious and innocent youngsters are flocking to the Internet seeking friendship and information but are instead finding sexual deviants and predators. My undercover investigators and I have witnessed no shortage of adults chatting on the Internet with the stated intention of sexually victimizing minors.

There are systemic challenges. Law enforcement resources are often absorbed by those crimes for which there is a public outcry. Overall, there is less of a public outcry for the enforcement of Internet crimes against children than there is for many other crimes. In recent years Federal resources are drawn to terrorism, drug enforcement and border control, all of which have nationwide importance. Local resources are drawn to homicides, sex assaults, gangs, drugs, burglaries, and other offenses of great local importance. Consequently, we who fight Internet crime are often understaffed.

Unlike spectacular crimes and events involving crashes, explosions, shootings and widespread newsworthy bloodletting, the evil crimes against children are committed in dark and private places by offenders who often psychologically control or humiliate their victims into silence. In cases involving predators who use social networking sites, the psychological grooming and control process begins with the offenders carefully constructed web page. They may pose as harmless friendly adults and mentors, or as other children of the same age, or they may just anonymously browse and search and stalk the millions of web pages for hours on end until they find just the right target and gather just enough information to permit them to locate and capture a victim.

I am of the opinion that the quiet crimes committed when an adult sexual predator meets a curious unsupervised teen to engage in sex acts are usually unreported. Often, I suspect, the teen returns without his or her parents ever finding out. We learned of one such case in Arizona when an undercover officer from my task force arrested a predator and learned that the offender had met several actual minors who he had victimized and to whom he had given sexually transmitted diseases. In their shame, the girls had never notified their parents of the crimes. The distraught parents only learned of the offenses when my detectives informed them of the suspects confessions.

We must keep working to protect curious but innocent teens from the predators who quietly entice them. In many cases, the teens who are lured by sexual predators will never come forward due to fear or a misplaced sense of guilt. A few of them, like 13 year old Kasie Woody of Arkansas, and 13 year old Christina Long of Connecticut, were forever silenced by Internet sexual predators who lured them, sexually victimized them and killed them.

Some will say, its not that big a problem, the crime statistics are not large. And that will seem to be true because these crimes are underreported. Defenders of free speech and privacy will demand numbers and statistics to justify change. How many incidents? How many sexual assaults? How many children? How many deaths?
But you have to ask yourselves, what is an acceptable number of children lost to Internet sexual predators and child pornography traffickers? For me, the answer is none.

These are not easy investigations to work. Sometimes the child pornography we see is so devastatingly surreal that we cannot wrap our logical minds around the possibility that anyone would do such things to a child.

Some of the most hardened and cynical cops I know cannot work Internet crimes against children because they cannot endure the attendant emotional hardship that comes with witnessing the inhumane suffering of innocent children.

Child Pornography
I want to talk a little about child pornography and tell you welcome to Arizona where the mandatory minimum sentencing range for one single image of child pornography is from 10-24 years prison. Probably the toughest sentencing in the country.

One of our AZ ICAC investigations involved an Schoolteacher named Morton Berger. I testified at his trial which was prosecuted by the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Berger was found guilty and  appealed his 200 year child pornography sentence based on arguments of equal protection under the law and cruel and unusual punishment. Attorneys from the Arizona Attorney Generals Office argued the states case.

I want to read some of the comments of Arizona appellate court Justices Susan Ehrlich and Philip Hall that I have taken from the opinion of the court:

It is evident beyond the need for elaboration that a State's interest in safeguarding the physical and psychological well-being of a minor is compelling.

...the possession of child pornography inflames the desires of child molesters, pedophiles and child pornographers.

The State has more than a passing interest in forestalling the damage caused by child pornography: preventing harm to children is one of its most important interests.

...we cannot fault the State for attempting to stamp out this vice at all levels in the distribution chain.

(Morton) Berger downloaded images from the Internet, and every time he visited a website, he demonstrated to the producers and sellers of child pornography that there was a demand for their product. Berger's demand served to drive the industry.

About the images, the justices said,
…the victimization of a child continues when (a sexual act) is memorialized in an image. The materials produced are a permanent record of the children's participation and the harm to the child is exacerbated by their circulation. The victimization of the children involved does not end when the pornographer's camera is put away.

And about the argument that a mere possessor of child pornography is no danger the justices said,
…the possession of child pornography drives that industry and…the production of child pornography will decrease if those who possess the product are punished equally with those who produce it.

Berger maintains also that, because his possession of the pornographic images was passive and because he did not use threats or violence in the commission of his crimes, his sentence is grossly disproportionate