Barbara Mcmahon wrote on August 21, 2008 05:56 PM: I have family that live near the Calvo's. Prince George's County cops are some of the most brutal and trigger happy cops in all of Maryland. All you have to do to verify this is do a Maryland FReedom of INformation act request to see al of the DEpt of Justice investigations and all of the millions of dollars in taxpayer money spent to settle lawsuits for police brutality, botched raids that killed innocent people, confirmed and founded internal affairs disciplinary actions, etc. Its all there, and its public record. Go see for yourself...it will scare you. So get metal doors and armo red deadbolts and door braces and shotguns, and safeguard your dogs, wives and children...not from the criminals so much as from the police.

Jill Acco wrote on August 21, 2008 08:17 AM: why did they have to sghoot a harmless labrador retriever, who was scared and running away from them, in the back?

Brian wrote on August 21, 2008 03:08 AM: As a former chief of police, I am aware that after-action reports about an incident can be very distorted. However, there seems to be little doubt that there were serious problems with this raid on several different levels, beginning with the necessity for the no-knock entry, to say nothing of its legality.

Always a staunch supporter of law enforcement, I am nonetheless eagerly awaiting the outcome of the FBI probe that seems to have been opened into possible civil rights violations, which in this situation would be both criminal and civil since the use of official police powers were involved.

If the probe does, as it seems it must, conclude there were such violations, it is my fervent hope that those primarily responsible will be prosecuted in federal court, and that the county has the forthright integrity to review its procedures and replace the top executives of the agency.

Mark Anderson wrote on August 20, 2008 05:50 PM: joe
It seems that from the responses posted today, the majority of people that responded to your post don't seem to think that you are nearly as brilliant as you think you are. Just an observation.

muah wrote on August 20, 2008 03:55 PM: Another great (to get your anger going) reference is "American Drug War: The Last White Hope" that is airing recently on premium cable. All that money being funneled to paramilitary operations, mostly against our own citizens, would make even the most ardent Monday-morning, armchair "drug warrior" think twice. 'Tis a wonderful thing to see a person's own words used against them, but a d@mned shame when nothing is done but increase their budgets.

ralph wrote on August 20, 2008 03:31 PM: Great reference Warren. Eerily similar to what I have personally witnessed the Henderson PD do, which is using paramilitary force for routine police work. In the case of HPD, I believe it's due in part to them having, literally, nothing better to do on any given day. They're all dressed up and nowhere to go. Consequently, "let's roll on this one" is what happens instead of "let's send an officer over to investigate".

Warren Bonesteel wrote on August 20, 2008 02:57 PM: Google: 'Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America' By Radley Balko. A CATO Institute white paper.

ralph wrote on August 20, 2008 01:04 PM: JH the Hendertucky police are just as bad as the ones described in the above story. Unless you have personally experienced their unbridled violation of your 4th amendment rights you would have no idea. Like you, I always had a healthy respect for the police and the job they do. Not anymore. I have personally seen their underbelly and it's sickening. They lie, they abuse, they bully and they have no respect for the constituency they are supposed to serve.

Kat wrote on August 20, 2008 12:47 PM: Good! A former county officer was sentenced to 45 years in prison for shooting. Now if they can only get those terrorist hiding behind the badge in Henderson, we might be able to sleep at night.

This abuse by a county officer sounds just like something Henderson cops would do.

We need to see HPD Luke Morrison behind bars before we remotely begin to start trusting any cop in the State of Nevada.

Their record. Their unprofessionalism.
What a waste of taxpayers money.

Jon H. wrote on August 20, 2008 12:13 PM: allen cathey wrote:

“I'm sick of hearing most cops are good, I say most are lousy jack booted thugs.”

Allen, the police are only doing their job, based on how they are currently being trained. The police are enforcing laws, and following procedure that are put in place by our local and federal governments. If we have someone to blame for this, we need to blame who ever is responsible for the laws that we currently have on the books, and whom ever is responsible for setting police policy, training and an effective unbiased internal affairs unit at a police department. In the end, it is we the voters that are responsible for voting in every law and order politician that have used fear tactics, so very effectively, to get elected and stay in power. The police are good people, trying to do a job. It is their training that makes them the jack booted thugs that you speak of. May I also say that if a police man didn’t follow police department policy that policeman would be fired from his/her job. A policeman’s discretion only goes so far, and even the strongest of us can be bent.

From my previous posts I think most persons here know my positions on civil liberties. The point that I am attempting to make is that I also know that to make a scapegoat of every police officer over these issues will not solve the root problem, that being problems in our existing laws, and police policies as related to our civil liberties in this country.

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