Not trying to be snarky Kevin but I have a question. At what meeting were you elected or appointed to be the online voice for the select board and town? You comment all the time as though you are, thats why I'm curious about it
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/voices/medred/8264-palins-response-to-the-... Again I plead with anyone who thinks Sarah could lead the nation, find out about her time as mayor and governor of Alaska. I'm not just talking about her popularity...popularity got Obama elected. Look at her records, whats she actually did during her time in office. Use logic and common sense in electing our leaders....not emotion.
Both of you are kind of over exaggerating the map. I really doubt if the map had much to do with the killer in Arizona. I do however believe it is helping to fuel others, including militia groups. You can doubt me but do some research on these groups and see who they want as their queen...its Sarah. Do a little more research and see the properganda they are pushing...civil war. Where law enforcement and their families are considered collateral damage in a fight to win the country back. These groups exist and in larger numbers than you would like to think. Matt your right Sarah didn't put a target over Giffords face....she put a target over the district and included Giffords and hit list of other policiticans underneath the map. Some details on both sides are being left out and it ticks me off to no end. It like persons who take clips from bible verses to prove their point but totally miss the message of the passage they took it from. Heres a better thought, there is a group of us up here who have discussed making T-shirts with "Sarah Who?" on them. Lets make her a mute point and move on to more legitimate politicans on both sides of the fence.
Like I've said before, get to know the real Sarah. Ask people who know her...who knew her before her VP run. I know Sarah, her dad, mom, sister....I've was in Wasilla when she was mayor and worked as a city employee. A lot of us up here have a very different few of her than most. Alaska Dispatch, Mud Flats, Shannyn Moore......all good people to follow if you want to know more.
Oh don't knock down the defense they are making by brining out facts and details Pericles. Sarah said it best during her campaign run for governor during a debate with Andrew Halcro "
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers and yet when asked questions you spout off facts, figures and policies and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask myself, 'Does any of this really matter?" She said herself facts, figures and policies don't matter.
I agree with almost everything you said except "the percent that take it literally are minute". KKK is not a minute group, milita members are growing in numbers in every state, we are having more and more persons in America thinking that the way to take back America is by starting a civil war. Sarah has repeatedly cashed in on this demographic. They do take what many of their precieved kings and queens say literal. Before you jump to stand up for her consider this. Sarah has over and over again talked about how she trusts, listens, and learns from her husband. She trusts so much in his council that during her time as Governor he often sat in on meeting and was able to voice his opinion freely with state heads. Todd was a part of a group of Alaskans that were pushing for the state to succeed from the United States. Both of them attended meetings of the Alaska Independence Party. A group that was mainly made up of militia members. If you read into any of their properganda you can see an a close resemblence to groups who have bred violence in other states. Learn more about her and her past rather than just going off her sound bites and Facebook page.
Agreed on that taxpayer. My opposition is with the fact that she will now use this to gain more sympathy and followers. Sarah likes to play the vicitim and always had. Its a huge ball of crap that was started by people opposing her and will end in her using it to benefit her and her alone.
Ummmm I was talking about Sarah trying to pretend like she stands on the high ground after an election. Not about the blame placed on her about the shooting. Although I find it funny she talks of how great American history is about vigirious debates and pistol duels. If you want to parade behind her maybe you should do some research on her past political ventures in Alaska. The twit couldn't lead a pack of sheep if she tried.
"In the video, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate said vigorous debates are a cherished tradition. But she said after the election, both sides find common ground, even though they disagree."
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah....shall we pull out the old political history of Wasilla and your Alaska governership to show how little common ground you tried to obtain? I know most of my friends on the East Coast don't know where to look or are even aware of your ways. However, some of us living here in Alaska have yet to forget. I don't believe all sides in the debate about the shooting or tying it to you alone, but I still don't agree with the crap you spew either. Choose your words carefully Sarah, they can come back to bite you in the butt.
Have you ever picked up a history book, or are you just going off what you've read on the internet since its invention in the 90's? American politics has always been a place of controversy, hate speech, nut jobs, militia groups, etc. We've had attempted assassination and assassinations of political figures since the birth of the country. Please give me more specific dates of the utopia time of America
We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions."
-Ronald Reagan
Frank please explain how you cover a department with only eight persons for 24/7 coverage. That means no one gets a day off, no one gets vacation time, no one can get sick. It also means one officer working alone on shift. Would you like to respond to a fight in progress at one of the bars with ten guys involved by yourself with backup maybe 20 minutes out. Lets stop pretending Rumford is Mayberry and be realistic here. The only way to have an 8 person force is to have dual coverage with the sherrifs department and rely on mutual aid from Mexico which eventually costs the same if not more than hiring two more officers. Seriously Frank go back and do some more studying before you run for town office again. It might do you some good.
He wants a seat as a Law Maker, while he has no respect for the law. This is just speeding tickets, hes not paying registration and inspection fees too. Its the same as a police officer, the public expects that because an officer will fine someone and is part of the law process that he will obey the same law. Its not fair to the citizen to be expected to pay the fees associated with driving a vehicle and expected to drive the speed limit when officers don't. This is an argument you see every time in the papers under any police involved article. Guess what, our legislature is part of that law process. They are the ones who decide the laws of the land that the cops have to enforce. So if I have to pay the damn fees and obey the law so shouldn't he. I can over look a few speeding tickets but when its blatant disregard it makes me wonder would he have blatant disregard for the people he wants to represent.
He wants a seat as a Law Maker, while he has no respect for the law. This is just speeding tickets, hes not paying registration and inspection fees too. Its the same as a police officer, the public expects that because an officer will fine someone and is part of the law process that he will obey the same law. Its not fair to the citizen to be expected to pay the fees associated with driving a vehicle and expected to drive the speed limit when officers don't. This is an argument you see every time in the papers under any police involved article. Guess what, our legislature is part of that law process. They are the ones who decide the laws of the land that the cops have to enforce. So if I have to pay the damn fees and obey the law so shouldn't he. I can over look a few speeding tickets but when its blatant disregard it makes me wonder would he have blatant disregard for the people he wants to represent.
Ok so I was born in Farmington but spent my entire life in Peru.....so I'm now a native of Farmington. I don't freaking think so. He was born in Lewiston, grew up and lived in Buckfield and attended 3 years of high school in Turner while still living in.....BUCKFIELD!
Wow so what your saying his a man well into adulthood finally caught onto his driving habits and cleaned up within the past 6 months.......right around the same time he was trying to run an election. Kind of sounds like to politican who hates little kids but holds the baby and smiles for the photo op
On the whole speeding/traffic violations and peoples defense that everyone speeds or makes mistakes. It hasn't been printed that all the violations were in fact speed. There are well over 300 different traffic violations that he could have been written for. Also I'm not a hypocrite, I'll be the first to admit I've gotten a ticket before. However here is the difference between Kevin and I....I learned from my mistake. Yes I'd love to have a seasoned candidate, one with life experiences as governor. I'd also like to have a governor that has a little common sense and can learn after 35 traffic violations and 21 vehicle suspensions that he might want to change his driving habits. Everyone bitches about Dirigo Health and various other things in government. How we should learn from those "mistakes" and come up with a better solution. With Kevins "life experience" how has he proven hes going to be able to change the tide at the blaine house?
hmmmmmm I hear a chain saw Frank, familiar sound to you isn't it???????? You'd be able to get further in your political career if you got off the damn high horse you've ridden since I was a child.
Kind of like calling the kettle black don't ya think Frank. When you served, how many ordinances and charter rules did you break? Shall we list them all? I find it utterly hiliarious when you call people out on the same games you played. Heres a definition you should learn HYPROCRITE: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
Three of the cows disappeared during the fire, one returned tonight at 6:30pm. The cow was burned but I didn't ask how bad. The other two are still missing.
Not sure if they are doing anything but I would talk to the Norlands/Washburn Living History Center in Livermore. The community and surrounding towns have been more than generous in the past with our family and giving help where its needed and I'm sure things will be restored.
This was my brother-in-laws barn. It was his and my sisters dream to restore the house and barn to its original 1800's state. My sister passed from cancer in 2006 and Ray has been taking care of the barn and house by himself since then. Before they purchased it the woman who owned it had lived in since birth, her parents had orignally built the house. I think the date was 1839? So sorry about the animals Ray, glad the horses and cows made it out though.
Where did you get this information on her statement about the brakes failing. Town rumor? I'm curious Kevin because I know your ties to certain agencies and places you may or may not currently work/volunteer at. I would hate to think in that line of work you would be on a website/newspaper giving confidental information that could hinder and ongoing investigation. Can you please let us know how you heard this? Maybe the officers aren't aware of this and you should share the information if you were at the scene. It could help her out maybe.
If you guys had followed this case from the get go you would have realized why he was given a lesser charge. His attorney made a smart move complaining about why it took so long for this case to move forward. The DA held out in hopes that the death of the driver, well after the accident I might add, was not a result of the accident. Once the DA had the autopsy results and it was deemed not a result of the accident he went ahead in trying to charge him with an OUI. Which orginally the guy had plans on pleading guilty to that charge also. However his attorney asked for a lesser charge due to it taking so long for the hearing. This would have happened for any Joe Blow out there who had an attorney. You all really need to stop watcing Training Day, CSI, etc etc.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mitchell-sweetser/16/590/129 seriously Tron a piece of advice, get some education in law enforcement before you go on a bashing ramage with uneducated, ignornant misinformation. I think we can use the word Assume and its true meaning when you break it down......ASS/U/ME. I know your next complaint too, that he still has a job in a related field right? I believe every citizen has the right, after going through the court process, to learn from their mistakes and make their life better, cop, baker, or candle stick maker.
Thats the point you missed. Lay off the low man on the totem poll for doing his job. If you don't like it change the law, get involved in government, make a difference. Don't sit behind a key board and bitch at those earning a pay check. Ever think cops pay taxes too?
Okay a few things you guys are failing to see. One officers did not create this law, so if you don't like the idea of being forced to wear your seat belt take it up with the state legislature. Stop blamming officers for doing what they are suppose to be doing. Its kind of like "don't kill the messenger". Second this is a federal grant, not something that comes out of the police budget, so those stating the police budget needs to be cut should consider that even though an officer is on grant over time they are still on the street and able to respond to emergency calls if needed without coming out of the town budget. You can argue that its still tax dollars till you are blue in the face, fact is its not blaming our officers for this you need to place the blame where it belongs which is on our federal government for issuing these grants. Third and last the people who like to micro manage everything an officer does on shift, where their time is spent and how I offer this suggestion. Let me come to YOUR work, of which I probably have no experience in, and micro manage every detail of YOUR work day and tell you how to do YOUR job.....doesn't make much sense for me to act like your boss when I have little knowledge on the ins and outs of what you do now does it?
Ummm I believe he will be criminally charged for the incident thats where he will be held accountable as would anyone eluding from police officers. You are missing the point. Police all over the country use incidents like this one to create better standard operating procedures, as they should. This accident was preventable both by the criminal and the sheriff involved. Please take some time and question a few people in Law Enforcement and see if their stance is chase down the criminal at all possible points, rather than weigh the safety and lability of themselves and others. Like I said before there is a balance, people need to meet in the middle and stop this being so one sided/blind sided it does nothing positive for the community or for Law Enforcement in general
No one is saying the deputy intentionally hurt anyone or saying how undedicated or less of an officer he is. Matter of fact I would give him kudos for doing proactive work in trying to catch a career criminal. Whats being asked is should this pursuit have been called off or not. As I am sure this deputy, being the outstanding law enforcement officer he is, hopefully is questioning this incident to see if there is anything he can learn from it. I'm sure he can tell you stories from being at the academy where they use videos from other officers pursuits to learn and train off from, good and bad pursuits. It is a hard job to be in law enforcement especially when so many second guess every move you make, but a good officer also is constantly looking at his experience and how he can learn from it.
I'm going to state this again. I've been in law enforcement for over six years now and each department has a different policy when it comes to pursuit and for good reason. I've seen some pursuits in Maine with comments from Tron and other cop bashers that state the chase was uncalled for, such as a recent one involving a DUI. I've also seen police supporters such in this case who will go to all lengths saying police did the right thing. There is a balance to everything and it seems like those lines are getting futher and further apart in EVERYONES eyes. Personally from my experience this prusuit was not warranted once certain speeds were reached, the spike strips failed, and the amount of traffic increased. There is always a time when judgement is needed to say ok we should hold off. There is also a reason for a chain of command. Someone with more authority should have been monitioring the radio, especially given it was a work week in the middle of the day, and had gone on the radio and called the pursuit off at a certain point. You'll find in most states a pit stop, made famous by California police and media helicopters that broadcast chases, are not allowed. They cause serious harm and even death to innocent bystanders. Like I said there is a balance. This is the question I pose to the SunJournal to find out. What is the sheriffs office specific policy on pursuits? Is there on each shift a Sergeant or higher up that makes these calls or is the decision left to the officer. Is the sheriffs office looking at this case to help improve there current policy or do they feel it was justified? I don't like to second guess other officers, because I was not there. What I would like to see is how are they learning from this incident. I also hate to say this but the female in the other car has a perfect law suit on her hand that could create a case precedent for traffic pursuits for every police department in the state.
I almost never agree with Tron, but having a Law Enforcement background I will agree to a point with him on this. Unless this man was considered a violent offender or known to be armed and dangerous the pursuit should have been called off. Blaming the officer involved in the pursuit or saying he was out getting his jollies is out of line. Lack of experience, training, and someone with more stripes on his shirt to call of the pursuit is the question. Question I have is was there a higher up on duty making these types of decisions? In most agencies a staff Sgt. is on duty for each shift and required to monitor the radio, or at least being mid week day time some type of brass should have been on duty. IMHO
Admitted in 2004 to raping 3 girls and sexually abusing two others and served less than five years. Has racked up multiple other sexual abuse charges against children since then and has shown to be in violation of parole by committing more acts of sexual abuse on children (sexually texting or sexting a 15 year old girl is considered a crime) and now he only has to serve 18 months? I urge Maine residents to start looking at other states who take crimes against children seriously and compare sentencing in similar cases. Its sad to see Maine become a breeding ground for sexual predators because they know they can either get away with it, or get off with a slap on the wrist. Some one needs to wake up the DA, Legislatures and Judges in this damn state.
Seriously T I wouldn't want him as a selectman. You can see how passionate (note of sarcasim) and the amount of effort he put into this 15 minutes of fame. His shirt screams teabagger, but he seriously fails at the rest. It took him a total of maybe ten minutes to find a piece of cardboard and a stick. Trying to carry a flag, a mark of patriosim and symbol of America, while almost letting it touch the ground is sad. Did he fail to get friends on board to join him, theres a thing called force in numbers. He gets a C- in my book for his overall performance and I would assume as selectman you wouldn't get much better of an effort out of him. While we are at it, what would he like to see cut from the budget? Road maintainence? Peru has some of the worst road conditions around and does minimal with what they do have. School funding? The new school is now funded by multiple towns and Peru is reaping the benefits from it. Peru doesn't have its own police force or EMS service. Its fire department is a volunteer staff. So where exactly are these cuts suppose to be made? I've got an idea Jim, if your so concerned about your property tax rate maybe you should give up that plush waterfront property and choose something out on Dickvale Rd. I hear a lady next to George Turner has a huge lot for sale.
"My handwritings not perfect but I graduated and I'm very smart!"
If you are going to claim to be "very smart" you might want to proof read your posts for grammar and spelling and possibly take a course on essay writing (normally taught freshman year) on how to argue a point. Just a helpful hint.
fairandliar you should know cops are required to carry voice recorders on their person during contacts. I would consider what statements you are making now, as most likely then can be proven right or wrong.
Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch over this issue let looks at some realistic out comes. One she was wrong for looking the other way when the 20 year old was drinking in her home. She deserved the summons no doubt about that. One thing people need to realize just because you are a potential victim of a crime does not mean the police will look the other way for your transgressions. With that said, any liberal Maine judge will throw this summons out. Lee should have also been charged not only for providing the alcohol but for violating conditions of release stemming from the previous domestic violence case. I believe there was a no contact order in place, meaning he can't have contact with the victim. In the laws eyes it doesn't matter if Jen let him back in, he was still violating that condition and they are in place and inforced to protect victims, even if those victims fail to protect themselves. Second the RPD went for a more serious charge with the minor then comsuming alcohol. With the pot at the residence they would have had proable cause to search the house or at least secure it and apply for a search warrant. With Jens history and posts on her many blogs and social media pages I would not be surprised if they found more in the house. They also could have taken her to jail for the night instead of doing whats called a paper arrest. So yes Jen they were cutting you some breaks, ligthen up a little. Bottom line is this charge will be thrown out and Jen will feel vindicated, brag about it for weeks, and used it every time she feels she was treated unfairly by any police department. So does it really seem plausable to either side to argue this much about it?
This is kind of ironic, a Maine paper writing a editiorial on the success of programs helping decline sexual abuse, especially of minors, when its nationally known as one of the worst states for the crime. Too bad law makers and judges don't see this severity of this crime as the rest of the nation does. The saying As Maine Goes So Goes the Nation doesn't exactly hold true.
With the idea of hiring someone to suggest efficency efforts and now a survey to the citizens on cutting positions this is what I am seeing....selectman trying to find a scapegoat (and wasting money doing it). Politics is a hard business boys. You have to do what is right for the town but at the same time you have to guarantee you'll get votes for the next election. Instead of wasting time trying to find someone to blame when the citizens cry foul, why not use that energy to research facts and figures to find the best option. Bite the bullet and do your job boys, Rumord needs leaders not cowards.
Really? What was she exactly, an officer, a clerk? Wait didn't she say she taught all over Maine in Law Enforcement and did case studies? So shes an expert of some kind then right? Can I ask on clarification from her on what her title was, cause I'm not finding anything.
Yes Sandra2 because everyone drives the vehicle that is registered to them and never drives someone elses vehicle. Knowing who the driver was, in this instance, would help in a decision to pursue how? Please don't tell me you'd suggest letting them drive home and contacting them later, especially when the driver war reported to be driving irratically or in a dangerous way before hand. I'm sure an instant bystander wouldn't have mind the officers allowing her to run over one of them. Damned if you do, Damned if you don't. Stop with the sterotypes all ready and realize CSI is not real life.
Nice how Candiceanne can give us a full synopsis of what the Officers should have done in this incident. All traffic stops are text book perfect aren't they Candicanne. Amazing how you already have drawn diagrams of where all vehicles were located and positioned, where all officers were positioned while the vehicle was still moving. You must either have a crystal ball or was onscene during the incident (both of which I highly doubt). I'll give you credit, you've done some research online. Yes an officer during routine traffic stops never approaches a vehicle from the front or back but up along the side with hand on holster ready to draw...but wait this wasn't a routine traffic stop was it? She was fleeing from the get go. Can I also ask Candicanne whats LPD pursuit policy? Your research, as you claim, to only follow in a pursuit if its a violent offender is wrong. Majority of departments have a pursuit policy for speeds, types of offenses committed for a pursuit, weather conditions, road conditions and amount of traffic on a roadway. Most of the time officers have no way to identify who is behind the wheel until they actually stop the vehicle, unless they have your magic crystal ball. Its kind of hard to know if the driver is a violent offender in every stop. Its also funny how you give the offender due process and time to gather facts about the incident but have already passed verdict on the officers involved, who possibly were following training and standard operating procedures put in place by their department. Heres a clue next time you want to claim to be some kind of professional...know your facts.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but Tron is correct about Amber Alerts. They have strict criteria that must be met before a broadcast can be issued. One being that the child is in immediate danger. So yes it can be used in custodial fights if the parent shows intent on hurting the child. I don't know all the details to this case, and neither does the majority of readers, so I can't judge on the time frame the alert was issued. What I can tell you coming from a law enforcement background is that this program is one of the only ones that is not bowing to liabilty suits and sticking to its main goal. Which is why the program is sucessful. When domestic violence restraining orders were first created they had a good purpose and were treated with urgency. Over time and fear of being held liable judges began awarding them to frivilous cases without much merit. They have gotten out of hand in America to the point if someone calls me a name I can get one. Quite literally they are a joke. This is a tragedy because there are still persons who need this program to work.
SJ is right the flow of information can be greatly improved. However at the same time I applaud the Amber Alert system for keeping to its standards.
Lets look at Johns actual crime then. He was convicted in 1997 which would have made him 31 at the time. He was convicted of unlawful sexual contact with someone under the age of 14. So at best he was 31 having had some kind of sexual contact with at best a 13 year old. Now as a survior and someone who has dealt with investigations and sentencing of pedophiles I can tell you that this conviction is not something they easily give out. There normally has to be some damning evidence or witnesses to the incident. Persons are not convicted soley on hearsay or testimony. Maine also has some of the lowest standards of sentencing when it comes to sex offenders. National studies show that most sex offenders have multiple victims especially when they involve children. You should also know as a survivor that most sex crimes against children are never reported and worse tolerated by family members who look the other way. The registry was formed to help bring light to an epedmic problem and to force those who would otherwise continue to violate be held accountable. The registry is not about punishing those offenders, IT IS ABOUT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE
Actually Tron I'd be glad to answer those questions. One I am not the female deputy officer you are referring to. I am a 911 emergency dispatcher for over five years now. In those five years I have recieved accrediation from Emergency Medical Dispatch, Emergency Police Dispatch, and Emergency Fire Dispatch (NAED), Suicide prevention and aftermath training, Incident Command and Management training, along with many other various programs. I am also the wife of a 13 year State Trooper. I would suggest for you, because you seem to be lacking an understanding of what training, protocol, and hiring practices are that you invest time in researching them. This way you can be more informed when you make an argument. I also suggest since you have taken such an interest in this article and other law enforcement articles on SJ you possibly consider trying a ride along with EMS/Fire/Police and attend a citizens academy which is hosted by numerous departments in Maine. You would learn there is quite a bit of training that goes into preparing a first responder or officer for the tramatic incidents that may occur on the job (remember I'm talking present day not 30 years ago). Like with anything you can prepare and train but till you are in the moment you have no idea how you will react during and after.
Can I also add that "he didn't have the chops to be an officer"......thats why hes been in the career field for over 30 years, cause he couldn't hack it
Tron I realize that details escape you often in articles but his first fatality was 30 years ago. The article clearly states over and over by different persons that times have changed and things like COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS and couseling are PRESENTLY completed in law enforcement agencies. I'd find a new argument because this one has been proven wrong.
Tron lets repeat this again for you because you seem to be missing the point.....COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS are preformed on police officers, let me repeat it one more time COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS are preformed on police officers. You also missed the articles point. Counseling after a tramatic incident has shown to improve the stability of an officer and first responders, their ability to come back to work sooner, and the departments ability to retain employees. So please explain to me how this is a negative in your eyes, other than wanting zombies to work law enforcement?
Nope I know you have that right, as I have the right to rebute it....its called debate. Also coming from a military and law enforcement background I can tell you its not an easy or even sought after decision to take a life. You imply by the "good ole boy will take care of it" that it is. I can tell you first hand that is not correct no matter how crappy of an officer is on the street. Like you we are all humans and we all make judgement calls, some split second and life changing judgement calls. Blatent disregard is one thing, and not something you often find in law enforcement. Human mistakes yes. No one is perfect, not even a retired Marine.
Ummm no what they are saying is you comparing this and other situations without having all the facts is wrong. You playing judge and jury because you once were a Marine (nothing like Law Enforcement) gives you this right. This Trooper showed he was very capable of his job, as did the other Law Enforcement Officers in the other cases you mentioned. They were able to protect the community and came home to their family.
Being a US Marine and a Law Enforcement Officer is like apples and oranges. Unless you have all the facts in front of you, and unless you are the AG you don't, you have no justification to be the judge and jury on these cases. If you have issues with how the State of Maine or the AG handles cases you can file a complaint with the FBI. As a citizen that is your right. If you knew much about Law Enforcement and have all the training you claim you know that fire control and judgement and you also know recognition, response, and survival is less than a one second window.
I'm sorry but you guys keep using the Dixfield fire as a scape goat for money for whats called NG911 (Next Generation 911). When in truth that specific call had more to do with lack of trianing, inconsistency between departments, and all around common sense. Plus a few things that were swept under the rug. Maine dispatch centers really need to focus more on training, educating the public, and a complete overall of regionalized centers and their operations. The dispatchers had conflicting information and knew that the GPS was off. Proper training and experience would have told them to rely on brain power rather than techonolgy to find the location. Asking correct questions from the caller, such as can you verbally drive me to the location? Also money spent on proper staffing would be nice. Two dispatchers covering 12 departments leaves room for a lot of mistakes in such a time critical position.
I hate playing Monday morning quarterback but there are a few things from this story that I want to address. First I want to say in most dispatch centers there are five hundred other things going on that never show up on the 911 transcripts. Just because a journalist or citizen can sit and listen to a 911 call it does not mean they are getting a clear picture of what is happening. To do that you would have to add in the radio traffic and other phone lines that were happening at the same time. I also give added credit to the 26 dispatch centers in Maine because most are covering more agencies than they have adequate staffing for. I know of some departments that cover up to 12 Fire Departments along with multiple Police Departments and only staff two to three persons per shift. Although there are many benefits to regionalization, there are down sides, such as proper staffing.
Ok now I'm going to be really harsh here.......
Direct from the 911 transcript the first thing said was "911 what is your emergency?" I can tell you from working in numerous departments, EMD training, and multiple 911 training seminars the first question should ALWAYS be "911 what is the ADDRESSS of your emergency?" How much help is it going to be to know what the emergency is when you have no clue where to send responders? If it’s a bad connection at least with the location first you can send the cavalry (Police/Fire/EMS). Knowing it’s a fire does no good unless you know where it’s at.
Next after assuming they were in Carthage the operator tells the caller to hang on a minute then the caller hears ringing. If you were the caller, would you be confused as to what was going on? Would you think you had lost the connection and hung up? It happens all the time. That’s why the dispatcher should have advised the caller they were transferring them to a different department. Keep your caller informed at all times and never leave air space (no talking for more than 5 seconds) without advising the caller.
Next the caller says "I'm showing you in Wells" (possible transcript error, may have said Weld). Never give the caller a chance to say "yes" to a location. This person usually is in a stressful situation that they have never been in before. Most will always say yes even if the information is incorrect because they want a response. Instead the dispatcher should have asked the caller to confirm what town they were in, or better yet what was the last know street or landmark they remember passing. How about asking the caller to verbally drive them to the location? Not all, but most callers are capable of doing this.
Also some common sense and training comes into play here. They are talking about checking for a mailbox number which is good, but are there vehicles in the driveway? According to the transcript the caller talks about a vehicle in the driveway. A license plate run through the DMV system will show an address for the registered owner, although not accurate this could have played an important role in the call.
More than complaining about the E911 system and its lacking GPS technology it seems to me that the dispatch centers in Maine need to look at better training, better SOP's (Standard Operating Practices), and consistency within the departments. It’s not just Maine either; there are many cases across the nation where centers have minimal training for such a vital job.
Also we have become a society too reliant on technology rather than brain power. Technology can be beneficial but only to the point where it keeps us from becoming non thinkers. We still need to train and learn how to operate without technology because there will be times when we will be on our own. During minor incidents such as power outages and system failures but more importantly during major incidents of natural and man made disasters.
Recent Comments
Congrats Charlie :)
Congrats Charlie :)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ev
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=185320731511851&index=1
Not trying to be snarky Kevin
Not trying to be snarky Kevin but I have a question. At what meeting were you elected or appointed to be the online voice for the select board and town? You comment all the time as though you are, thats why I'm curious about it
http://www.alaskadispatch.com
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/voices/medred/8264-palins-response-to-the-... Again I plead with anyone who thinks Sarah could lead the nation, find out about her time as mayor and governor of Alaska. I'm not just talking about her popularity...popularity got Obama elected. Look at her records, whats she actually did during her time in office. Use logic and common sense in electing our leaders....not emotion.
Tom he posted on Facebook
Tom he posted on Facebook today saying he was fine and thanked the rescue workers who assisted him.
Both of you are kind of over
Both of you are kind of over exaggerating the map. I really doubt if the map had much to do with the killer in Arizona. I do however believe it is helping to fuel others, including militia groups. You can doubt me but do some research on these groups and see who they want as their queen...its Sarah. Do a little more research and see the properganda they are pushing...civil war. Where law enforcement and their families are considered collateral damage in a fight to win the country back. These groups exist and in larger numbers than you would like to think. Matt your right Sarah didn't put a target over Giffords face....she put a target over the district and included Giffords and hit list of other policiticans underneath the map. Some details on both sides are being left out and it ticks me off to no end. It like persons who take clips from bible verses to prove their point but totally miss the message of the passage they took it from. Heres a better thought, there is a group of us up here who have discussed making T-shirts with "Sarah Who?" on them. Lets make her a mute point and move on to more legitimate politicans on both sides of the fence.
Like I've said before, get to
Like I've said before, get to know the real Sarah. Ask people who know her...who knew her before her VP run. I know Sarah, her dad, mom, sister....I've was in Wasilla when she was mayor and worked as a city employee. A lot of us up here have a very different few of her than most. Alaska Dispatch, Mud Flats, Shannyn Moore......all good people to follow if you want to know more.
Please read the link
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/voices/medred/8264-palins-response-to-the-...
This was the point I was trying to make but he said it better.
He would never, it goes
He would never, it goes against his core beliefs
Oh don't knock down the
Oh don't knock down the defense they are making by brining out facts and details Pericles. Sarah said it best during her campaign run for governor during a debate with Andrew Halcro "
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers and yet when asked questions you spout off facts, figures and policies and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask myself, 'Does any of this really matter?" She said herself facts, figures and policies don't matter.
I agree with almost
I agree with almost everything you said except "the percent that take it literally are minute". KKK is not a minute group, milita members are growing in numbers in every state, we are having more and more persons in America thinking that the way to take back America is by starting a civil war. Sarah has repeatedly cashed in on this demographic. They do take what many of their precieved kings and queens say literal. Before you jump to stand up for her consider this. Sarah has over and over again talked about how she trusts, listens, and learns from her husband. She trusts so much in his council that during her time as Governor he often sat in on meeting and was able to voice his opinion freely with state heads. Todd was a part of a group of Alaskans that were pushing for the state to succeed from the United States. Both of them attended meetings of the Alaska Independence Party. A group that was mainly made up of militia members. If you read into any of their properganda you can see an a close resemblence to groups who have bred violence in other states. Learn more about her and her past rather than just going off her sound bites and Facebook page.
Agreed on that taxpayer. My
Agreed on that taxpayer. My opposition is with the fact that she will now use this to gain more sympathy and followers. Sarah likes to play the vicitim and always had. Its a huge ball of crap that was started by people opposing her and will end in her using it to benefit her and her alone.
Ummmm I was talking about
Ummmm I was talking about Sarah trying to pretend like she stands on the high ground after an election. Not about the blame placed on her about the shooting. Although I find it funny she talks of how great American history is about vigirious debates and pistol duels. If you want to parade behind her maybe you should do some research on her past political ventures in Alaska. The twit couldn't lead a pack of sheep if she tried.
"In the video, the 2008 GOP
"In the video, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate said vigorous debates are a cherished tradition. But she said after the election, both sides find common ground, even though they disagree."
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah....shall we pull out the old political history of Wasilla and your Alaska governership to show how little common ground you tried to obtain? I know most of my friends on the East Coast don't know where to look or are even aware of your ways. However, some of us living here in Alaska have yet to forget. I don't believe all sides in the debate about the shooting or tying it to you alone, but I still don't agree with the crap you spew either. Choose your words carefully Sarah, they can come back to bite you in the butt.
Exactly when are we talking about?
Have you ever picked up a history book, or are you just going off what you've read on the internet since its invention in the 90's? American politics has always been a place of controversy, hate speech, nut jobs, militia groups, etc. We've had attempted assassination and assassinations of political figures since the birth of the country. Please give me more specific dates of the utopia time of America
We must reject the idea that
We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions."
-Ronald Reagan
Frank please explain how you
Frank please explain how you cover a department with only eight persons for 24/7 coverage. That means no one gets a day off, no one gets vacation time, no one can get sick. It also means one officer working alone on shift. Would you like to respond to a fight in progress at one of the bars with ten guys involved by yourself with backup maybe 20 minutes out. Lets stop pretending Rumford is Mayberry and be realistic here. The only way to have an 8 person force is to have dual coverage with the sherrifs department and rely on mutual aid from Mexico which eventually costs the same if not more than hiring two more officers. Seriously Frank go back and do some more studying before you run for town office again. It might do you some good.
Does the property they now
Does the property they now own include the area around little concord pond?
Heres the point you all are missing
He wants a seat as a Law Maker, while he has no respect for the law. This is just speeding tickets, hes not paying registration and inspection fees too. Its the same as a police officer, the public expects that because an officer will fine someone and is part of the law process that he will obey the same law. Its not fair to the citizen to be expected to pay the fees associated with driving a vehicle and expected to drive the speed limit when officers don't. This is an argument you see every time in the papers under any police involved article. Guess what, our legislature is part of that law process. They are the ones who decide the laws of the land that the cops have to enforce. So if I have to pay the damn fees and obey the law so shouldn't he. I can over look a few speeding tickets but when its blatant disregard it makes me wonder would he have blatant disregard for the people he wants to represent.
Heres the point you all are missing
He wants a seat as a Law Maker, while he has no respect for the law. This is just speeding tickets, hes not paying registration and inspection fees too. Its the same as a police officer, the public expects that because an officer will fine someone and is part of the law process that he will obey the same law. Its not fair to the citizen to be expected to pay the fees associated with driving a vehicle and expected to drive the speed limit when officers don't. This is an argument you see every time in the papers under any police involved article. Guess what, our legislature is part of that law process. They are the ones who decide the laws of the land that the cops have to enforce. So if I have to pay the damn fees and obey the law so shouldn't he. I can over look a few speeding tickets but when its blatant disregard it makes me wonder would he have blatant disregard for the people he wants to represent.
Ok so I was born in
Ok so I was born in Farmington but spent my entire life in Peru.....so I'm now a native of Farmington. I don't freaking think so. He was born in Lewiston, grew up and lived in Buckfield and attended 3 years of high school in Turner while still living in.....BUCKFIELD!
Why do we keep reporting that
Why do we keep reporting that hes a Lewiston native...hes from Buckfield.
on another note
My aunts name is Jackie Conant not Janet :)
Wow so what your saying his a
Wow so what your saying his a man well into adulthood finally caught onto his driving habits and cleaned up within the past 6 months.......right around the same time he was trying to run an election. Kind of sounds like to politican who hates little kids but holds the baby and smiles for the photo op
Heres my argument
On the whole speeding/traffic violations and peoples defense that everyone speeds or makes mistakes. It hasn't been printed that all the violations were in fact speed. There are well over 300 different traffic violations that he could have been written for. Also I'm not a hypocrite, I'll be the first to admit I've gotten a ticket before. However here is the difference between Kevin and I....I learned from my mistake. Yes I'd love to have a seasoned candidate, one with life experiences as governor. I'd also like to have a governor that has a little common sense and can learn after 35 traffic violations and 21 vehicle suspensions that he might want to change his driving habits. Everyone bitches about Dirigo Health and various other things in government. How we should learn from those "mistakes" and come up with a better solution. With Kevins "life experience" how has he proven hes going to be able to change the tide at the blaine house?
How about discussing a town
How about discussing a town employees medical condition through email to someone who isn't even in Rumford, oh wait thats not public knowledge yet.
hmmmmmm I hear a chain saw
hmmmmmm I hear a chain saw Frank, familiar sound to you isn't it???????? You'd be able to get further in your political career if you got off the damn high horse you've ridden since I was a child.
Point well made
Point well made
I still see black
Kind of like calling the kettle black don't ya think Frank. When you served, how many ordinances and charter rules did you break? Shall we list them all? I find it utterly hiliarious when you call people out on the same games you played. Heres a definition you should learn HYPROCRITE: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
Three of the cows disappeared
Three of the cows disappeared during the fire, one returned tonight at 6:30pm. The cow was burned but I didn't ask how bad. The other two are still missing.
Not sure if they are doing
Not sure if they are doing anything but I would talk to the Norlands/Washburn Living History Center in Livermore. The community and surrounding towns have been more than generous in the past with our family and giving help where its needed and I'm sure things will be restored.
This was my brother-in-laws
This was my brother-in-laws barn. It was his and my sisters dream to restore the house and barn to its original 1800's state. My sister passed from cancer in 2006 and Ray has been taking care of the barn and house by himself since then. Before they purchased it the woman who owned it had lived in since birth, her parents had orignally built the house. I think the date was 1839? So sorry about the animals Ray, glad the horses and cows made it out though.
question?
Where did you get this information on her statement about the brakes failing. Town rumor? I'm curious Kevin because I know your ties to certain agencies and places you may or may not currently work/volunteer at. I would hate to think in that line of work you would be on a website/newspaper giving confidental information that could hinder and ongoing investigation. Can you please let us know how you heard this? Maybe the officers aren't aware of this and you should share the information if you were at the scene. It could help her out maybe.
Dittman took back his
Dittman took back his statement, Stevens death is not confirmed yet, only rumor
Heres an easy solution to
Heres an easy solution to both problems, stop having kids ;)
WAIT!
I already know the argument to the child losing his home.......ITS THE GOVERNMENTS FAULT!!!
If you guys had followed this
If you guys had followed this case from the get go you would have realized why he was given a lesser charge. His attorney made a smart move complaining about why it took so long for this case to move forward. The DA held out in hopes that the death of the driver, well after the accident I might add, was not a result of the accident. Once the DA had the autopsy results and it was deemed not a result of the accident he went ahead in trying to charge him with an OUI. Which orginally the guy had plans on pleading guilty to that charge also. However his attorney asked for a lesser charge due to it taking so long for the hearing. This would have happened for any Joe Blow out there who had an attorney. You all really need to stop watcing Training Day, CSI, etc etc.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/m
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mitchell-sweetser/16/590/129 seriously Tron a piece of advice, get some education in law enforcement before you go on a bashing ramage with uneducated, ignornant misinformation. I think we can use the word Assume and its true meaning when you break it down......ASS/U/ME. I know your next complaint too, that he still has a job in a related field right? I believe every citizen has the right, after going through the court process, to learn from their mistakes and make their life better, cop, baker, or candle stick maker.
Well other than the fact that
Well other than the fact that she is a complete pathological liar?
Love Martha, she did so much
Love Martha, she did so much more than just medical care for the students. Hope you enjoy your retirement with Hal you both deserve it :)
Thats the point you missed.
Thats the point you missed. Lay off the low man on the totem poll for doing his job. If you don't like it change the law, get involved in government, make a difference. Don't sit behind a key board and bitch at those earning a pay check. Ever think cops pay taxes too?
Okay a few things you guys
Okay a few things you guys are failing to see. One officers did not create this law, so if you don't like the idea of being forced to wear your seat belt take it up with the state legislature. Stop blamming officers for doing what they are suppose to be doing. Its kind of like "don't kill the messenger". Second this is a federal grant, not something that comes out of the police budget, so those stating the police budget needs to be cut should consider that even though an officer is on grant over time they are still on the street and able to respond to emergency calls if needed without coming out of the town budget. You can argue that its still tax dollars till you are blue in the face, fact is its not blaming our officers for this you need to place the blame where it belongs which is on our federal government for issuing these grants. Third and last the people who like to micro manage everything an officer does on shift, where their time is spent and how I offer this suggestion. Let me come to YOUR work, of which I probably have no experience in, and micro manage every detail of YOUR work day and tell you how to do YOUR job.....doesn't make much sense for me to act like your boss when I have little knowledge on the ins and outs of what you do now does it?
Ummm I believe he will be
Ummm I believe he will be criminally charged for the incident thats where he will be held accountable as would anyone eluding from police officers. You are missing the point. Police all over the country use incidents like this one to create better standard operating procedures, as they should. This accident was preventable both by the criminal and the sheriff involved. Please take some time and question a few people in Law Enforcement and see if their stance is chase down the criminal at all possible points, rather than weigh the safety and lability of themselves and others. Like I said before there is a balance, people need to meet in the middle and stop this being so one sided/blind sided it does nothing positive for the community or for Law Enforcement in general
No one is saying the deputy
No one is saying the deputy intentionally hurt anyone or saying how undedicated or less of an officer he is. Matter of fact I would give him kudos for doing proactive work in trying to catch a career criminal. Whats being asked is should this pursuit have been called off or not. As I am sure this deputy, being the outstanding law enforcement officer he is, hopefully is questioning this incident to see if there is anything he can learn from it. I'm sure he can tell you stories from being at the academy where they use videos from other officers pursuits to learn and train off from, good and bad pursuits. It is a hard job to be in law enforcement especially when so many second guess every move you make, but a good officer also is constantly looking at his experience and how he can learn from it.
I'm going to state this
I'm going to state this again. I've been in law enforcement for over six years now and each department has a different policy when it comes to pursuit and for good reason. I've seen some pursuits in Maine with comments from Tron and other cop bashers that state the chase was uncalled for, such as a recent one involving a DUI. I've also seen police supporters such in this case who will go to all lengths saying police did the right thing. There is a balance to everything and it seems like those lines are getting futher and further apart in EVERYONES eyes. Personally from my experience this prusuit was not warranted once certain speeds were reached, the spike strips failed, and the amount of traffic increased. There is always a time when judgement is needed to say ok we should hold off. There is also a reason for a chain of command. Someone with more authority should have been monitioring the radio, especially given it was a work week in the middle of the day, and had gone on the radio and called the pursuit off at a certain point. You'll find in most states a pit stop, made famous by California police and media helicopters that broadcast chases, are not allowed. They cause serious harm and even death to innocent bystanders. Like I said there is a balance. This is the question I pose to the SunJournal to find out. What is the sheriffs office specific policy on pursuits? Is there on each shift a Sergeant or higher up that makes these calls or is the decision left to the officer. Is the sheriffs office looking at this case to help improve there current policy or do they feel it was justified? I don't like to second guess other officers, because I was not there. What I would like to see is how are they learning from this incident. I also hate to say this but the female in the other car has a perfect law suit on her hand that could create a case precedent for traffic pursuits for every police department in the state.
Trons right
I almost never agree with Tron, but having a Law Enforcement background I will agree to a point with him on this. Unless this man was considered a violent offender or known to be armed and dangerous the pursuit should have been called off. Blaming the officer involved in the pursuit or saying he was out getting his jollies is out of line. Lack of experience, training, and someone with more stripes on his shirt to call of the pursuit is the question. Question I have is was there a higher up on duty making these types of decisions? In most agencies a staff Sgt. is on duty for each shift and required to monitor the radio, or at least being mid week day time some type of brass should have been on duty. IMHO
Does no one see a problem with his sentencing?
Admitted in 2004 to raping 3 girls and sexually abusing two others and served less than five years. Has racked up multiple other sexual abuse charges against children since then and has shown to be in violation of parole by committing more acts of sexual abuse on children (sexually texting or sexting a 15 year old girl is considered a crime) and now he only has to serve 18 months? I urge Maine residents to start looking at other states who take crimes against children seriously and compare sentencing in similar cases. Its sad to see Maine become a breeding ground for sexual predators because they know they can either get away with it, or get off with a slap on the wrist. Some one needs to wake up the DA, Legislatures and Judges in this damn state.
C- grade for protesting
Seriously T I wouldn't want him as a selectman. You can see how passionate (note of sarcasim) and the amount of effort he put into this 15 minutes of fame. His shirt screams teabagger, but he seriously fails at the rest. It took him a total of maybe ten minutes to find a piece of cardboard and a stick. Trying to carry a flag, a mark of patriosim and symbol of America, while almost letting it touch the ground is sad. Did he fail to get friends on board to join him, theres a thing called force in numbers. He gets a C- in my book for his overall performance and I would assume as selectman you wouldn't get much better of an effort out of him. While we are at it, what would he like to see cut from the budget? Road maintainence? Peru has some of the worst road conditions around and does minimal with what they do have. School funding? The new school is now funded by multiple towns and Peru is reaping the benefits from it. Peru doesn't have its own police force or EMS service. Its fire department is a volunteer staff. So where exactly are these cuts suppose to be made? I've got an idea Jim, if your so concerned about your property tax rate maybe you should give up that plush waterfront property and choose something out on Dickvale Rd. I hear a lady next to George Turner has a huge lot for sale.
Very smart!
LoveofHisLife
"My handwritings not perfect but I graduated and I'm very smart!"
If you are going to claim to be "very smart" you might want to proof read your posts for grammar and spelling and possibly take a course on essay writing (normally taught freshman year) on how to argue a point. Just a helpful hint.
fairandliar you should know
fairandliar you should know cops are required to carry voice recorders on their person during contacts. I would consider what statements you are making now, as most likely then can be proven right or wrong.
Before everyone gets their
Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch over this issue let looks at some realistic out comes. One she was wrong for looking the other way when the 20 year old was drinking in her home. She deserved the summons no doubt about that. One thing people need to realize just because you are a potential victim of a crime does not mean the police will look the other way for your transgressions. With that said, any liberal Maine judge will throw this summons out. Lee should have also been charged not only for providing the alcohol but for violating conditions of release stemming from the previous domestic violence case. I believe there was a no contact order in place, meaning he can't have contact with the victim. In the laws eyes it doesn't matter if Jen let him back in, he was still violating that condition and they are in place and inforced to protect victims, even if those victims fail to protect themselves. Second the RPD went for a more serious charge with the minor then comsuming alcohol. With the pot at the residence they would have had proable cause to search the house or at least secure it and apply for a search warrant. With Jens history and posts on her many blogs and social media pages I would not be surprised if they found more in the house. They also could have taken her to jail for the night instead of doing whats called a paper arrest. So yes Jen they were cutting you some breaks, ligthen up a little. Bottom line is this charge will be thrown out and Jen will feel vindicated, brag about it for weeks, and used it every time she feels she was treated unfairly by any police department. So does it really seem plausable to either side to argue this much about it?
This is kind of ironic, a
This is kind of ironic, a Maine paper writing a editiorial on the success of programs helping decline sexual abuse, especially of minors, when its nationally known as one of the worst states for the crime. Too bad law makers and judges don't see this severity of this crime as the rest of the nation does. The saying As Maine Goes So Goes the Nation doesn't exactly hold true.
With the idea of hiring
With the idea of hiring someone to suggest efficency efforts and now a survey to the citizens on cutting positions this is what I am seeing....selectman trying to find a scapegoat (and wasting money doing it). Politics is a hard business boys. You have to do what is right for the town but at the same time you have to guarantee you'll get votes for the next election. Instead of wasting time trying to find someone to blame when the citizens cry foul, why not use that energy to research facts and figures to find the best option. Bite the bullet and do your job boys, Rumord needs leaders not cowards.
Matter of fact heres where I
Matter of fact heres where I call complete BS on her comment yesterday about pursuits, because you knew exactly what I was referring to.
http://www.omag.org/vertical/Sites/%7BA236071B-1605-46C2-93BA-811B452752...
Really? What was she
Really? What was she exactly, an officer, a clerk? Wait didn't she say she taught all over Maine in Law Enforcement and did case studies? So shes an expert of some kind then right? Can I ask on clarification from her on what her title was, cause I'm not finding anything.
At least he doesn't lie
At least he doesn't lie about his background or profession, there is integrity in that
Yes Sandra2 because everyone
Yes Sandra2 because everyone drives the vehicle that is registered to them and never drives someone elses vehicle. Knowing who the driver was, in this instance, would help in a decision to pursue how? Please don't tell me you'd suggest letting them drive home and contacting them later, especially when the driver war reported to be driving irratically or in a dangerous way before hand. I'm sure an instant bystander wouldn't have mind the officers allowing her to run over one of them. Damned if you do, Damned if you don't. Stop with the sterotypes all ready and realize CSI is not real life.
Nice how Candiceanne can
Nice how Candiceanne can give us a full synopsis of what the Officers should have done in this incident. All traffic stops are text book perfect aren't they Candicanne. Amazing how you already have drawn diagrams of where all vehicles were located and positioned, where all officers were positioned while the vehicle was still moving. You must either have a crystal ball or was onscene during the incident (both of which I highly doubt). I'll give you credit, you've done some research online. Yes an officer during routine traffic stops never approaches a vehicle from the front or back but up along the side with hand on holster ready to draw...but wait this wasn't a routine traffic stop was it? She was fleeing from the get go. Can I also ask Candicanne whats LPD pursuit policy? Your research, as you claim, to only follow in a pursuit if its a violent offender is wrong. Majority of departments have a pursuit policy for speeds, types of offenses committed for a pursuit, weather conditions, road conditions and amount of traffic on a roadway. Most of the time officers have no way to identify who is behind the wheel until they actually stop the vehicle, unless they have your magic crystal ball. Its kind of hard to know if the driver is a violent offender in every stop. Its also funny how you give the offender due process and time to gather facts about the incident but have already passed verdict on the officers involved, who possibly were following training and standard operating procedures put in place by their department. Heres a clue next time you want to claim to be some kind of professional...know your facts.
sorry double post.
sorry double post.
I can't believe I'm saying
I can't believe I'm saying this, but Tron is correct about Amber Alerts. They have strict criteria that must be met before a broadcast can be issued. One being that the child is in immediate danger. So yes it can be used in custodial fights if the parent shows intent on hurting the child. I don't know all the details to this case, and neither does the majority of readers, so I can't judge on the time frame the alert was issued. What I can tell you coming from a law enforcement background is that this program is one of the only ones that is not bowing to liabilty suits and sticking to its main goal. Which is why the program is sucessful. When domestic violence restraining orders were first created they had a good purpose and were treated with urgency. Over time and fear of being held liable judges began awarding them to frivilous cases without much merit. They have gotten out of hand in America to the point if someone calls me a name I can get one. Quite literally they are a joke. This is a tragedy because there are still persons who need this program to work.
SJ is right the flow of information can be greatly improved. However at the same time I applaud the Amber Alert system for keeping to its standards.
Lets look at Johns actual
Lets look at Johns actual crime then. He was convicted in 1997 which would have made him 31 at the time. He was convicted of unlawful sexual contact with someone under the age of 14. So at best he was 31 having had some kind of sexual contact with at best a 13 year old. Now as a survior and someone who has dealt with investigations and sentencing of pedophiles I can tell you that this conviction is not something they easily give out. There normally has to be some damning evidence or witnesses to the incident. Persons are not convicted soley on hearsay or testimony. Maine also has some of the lowest standards of sentencing when it comes to sex offenders. National studies show that most sex offenders have multiple victims especially when they involve children. You should also know as a survivor that most sex crimes against children are never reported and worse tolerated by family members who look the other way. The registry was formed to help bring light to an epedmic problem and to force those who would otherwise continue to violate be held accountable. The registry is not about punishing those offenders, IT IS ABOUT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE
Actually Tron I'd be glad to
Actually Tron I'd be glad to answer those questions. One I am not the female deputy officer you are referring to. I am a 911 emergency dispatcher for over five years now. In those five years I have recieved accrediation from Emergency Medical Dispatch, Emergency Police Dispatch, and Emergency Fire Dispatch (NAED), Suicide prevention and aftermath training, Incident Command and Management training, along with many other various programs. I am also the wife of a 13 year State Trooper. I would suggest for you, because you seem to be lacking an understanding of what training, protocol, and hiring practices are that you invest time in researching them. This way you can be more informed when you make an argument. I also suggest since you have taken such an interest in this article and other law enforcement articles on SJ you possibly consider trying a ride along with EMS/Fire/Police and attend a citizens academy which is hosted by numerous departments in Maine. You would learn there is quite a bit of training that goes into preparing a first responder or officer for the tramatic incidents that may occur on the job (remember I'm talking present day not 30 years ago). Like with anything you can prepare and train but till you are in the moment you have no idea how you will react during and after.
Can I also add that "he
Can I also add that "he didn't have the chops to be an officer"......thats why hes been in the career field for over 30 years, cause he couldn't hack it
Tron I realize that details
Tron I realize that details escape you often in articles but his first fatality was 30 years ago. The article clearly states over and over by different persons that times have changed and things like COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS and couseling are PRESENTLY completed in law enforcement agencies. I'd find a new argument because this one has been proven wrong.
Tron lets repeat this again
Tron lets repeat this again for you because you seem to be missing the point.....COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS are preformed on police officers, let me repeat it one more time COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS are preformed on police officers. You also missed the articles point. Counseling after a tramatic incident has shown to improve the stability of an officer and first responders, their ability to come back to work sooner, and the departments ability to retain employees. So please explain to me how this is a negative in your eyes, other than wanting zombies to work law enforcement?
HAHAHAHA....sorry inside
HAHAHAHA....sorry inside joke.
Nope I know you have that
Nope I know you have that right, as I have the right to rebute it....its called debate. Also coming from a military and law enforcement background I can tell you its not an easy or even sought after decision to take a life. You imply by the "good ole boy will take care of it" that it is. I can tell you first hand that is not correct no matter how crappy of an officer is on the street. Like you we are all humans and we all make judgement calls, some split second and life changing judgement calls. Blatent disregard is one thing, and not something you often find in law enforcement. Human mistakes yes. No one is perfect, not even a retired Marine.
Ummm no what they are saying
Ummm no what they are saying is you comparing this and other situations without having all the facts is wrong. You playing judge and jury because you once were a Marine (nothing like Law Enforcement) gives you this right. This Trooper showed he was very capable of his job, as did the other Law Enforcement Officers in the other cases you mentioned. They were able to protect the community and came home to their family.
Being a US Marine and a Law
Being a US Marine and a Law Enforcement Officer is like apples and oranges. Unless you have all the facts in front of you, and unless you are the AG you don't, you have no justification to be the judge and jury on these cases. If you have issues with how the State of Maine or the AG handles cases you can file a complaint with the FBI. As a citizen that is your right. If you knew much about Law Enforcement and have all the training you claim you know that fire control and judgement and you also know recognition, response, and survival is less than a one second window.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEbz6kvnQDA
I'm sorry but you guys keep
I'm sorry but you guys keep using the Dixfield fire as a scape goat for money for whats called NG911 (Next Generation 911). When in truth that specific call had more to do with lack of trianing, inconsistency between departments, and all around common sense. Plus a few things that were swept under the rug. Maine dispatch centers really need to focus more on training, educating the public, and a complete overall of regionalized centers and their operations. The dispatchers had conflicting information and knew that the GPS was off. Proper training and experience would have told them to rely on brain power rather than techonolgy to find the location. Asking correct questions from the caller, such as can you verbally drive me to the location? Also money spent on proper staffing would be nice. Two dispatchers covering 12 departments leaves room for a lot of mistakes in such a time critical position.
I hate playing Monday
I hate playing Monday morning quarterback but there are a few things from this story that I want to address. First I want to say in most dispatch centers there are five hundred other things going on that never show up on the 911 transcripts. Just because a journalist or citizen can sit and listen to a 911 call it does not mean they are getting a clear picture of what is happening. To do that you would have to add in the radio traffic and other phone lines that were happening at the same time. I also give added credit to the 26 dispatch centers in Maine because most are covering more agencies than they have adequate staffing for. I know of some departments that cover up to 12 Fire Departments along with multiple Police Departments and only staff two to three persons per shift. Although there are many benefits to regionalization, there are down sides, such as proper staffing.
Ok now I'm going to be really harsh here.......
Direct from the 911 transcript the first thing said was "911 what is your emergency?" I can tell you from working in numerous departments, EMD training, and multiple 911 training seminars the first question should ALWAYS be "911 what is the ADDRESSS of your emergency?" How much help is it going to be to know what the emergency is when you have no clue where to send responders? If it’s a bad connection at least with the location first you can send the cavalry (Police/Fire/EMS). Knowing it’s a fire does no good unless you know where it’s at.
Next after assuming they were in Carthage the operator tells the caller to hang on a minute then the caller hears ringing. If you were the caller, would you be confused as to what was going on? Would you think you had lost the connection and hung up? It happens all the time. That’s why the dispatcher should have advised the caller they were transferring them to a different department. Keep your caller informed at all times and never leave air space (no talking for more than 5 seconds) without advising the caller.
Next the caller says "I'm showing you in Wells" (possible transcript error, may have said Weld). Never give the caller a chance to say "yes" to a location. This person usually is in a stressful situation that they have never been in before. Most will always say yes even if the information is incorrect because they want a response. Instead the dispatcher should have asked the caller to confirm what town they were in, or better yet what was the last know street or landmark they remember passing. How about asking the caller to verbally drive them to the location? Not all, but most callers are capable of doing this.
Also some common sense and training comes into play here. They are talking about checking for a mailbox number which is good, but are there vehicles in the driveway? According to the transcript the caller talks about a vehicle in the driveway. A license plate run through the DMV system will show an address for the registered owner, although not accurate this could have played an important role in the call.
More than complaining about the E911 system and its lacking GPS technology it seems to me that the dispatch centers in Maine need to look at better training, better SOP's (Standard Operating Practices), and consistency within the departments. It’s not just Maine either; there are many cases across the nation where centers have minimal training for such a vital job.
Also we have become a society too reliant on technology rather than brain power. Technology can be beneficial but only to the point where it keeps us from becoming non thinkers. We still need to train and learn how to operate without technology because there will be times when we will be on our own. During minor incidents such as power outages and system failures but more importantly during major incidents of natural and man made disasters.