LETTERS

Henderson police working under low standards

To the editor:

So, unresponsive Adam Greene is lying on the pavement when Henderson police Sgt. Brett Seekatz "enters the (camera) frame and kicks Greene five times in the head" (Review Journal, Feb. 9).

As a retired Air Force master sergeant, I feel safe in saying that if any Air Force member -- security or law enforcement personnel in the performance of duty or not -- had done that to anyone else, military or civilian, in a non-combat or other non-life threatening situation, he would have been court-martialed and sent to the he U.S. disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth to do a few years of hard labor. It would have been public record for the world to know.

What punishment was served on Sgt. Seekatz?

In comparison, I cannot decide if that means the Air Force is living to a higher standard, or the Henderson police to a lower one.

In my opinion, kicking someone five times in the head is like rear-ending another car -- it is nearly impossible to weasel out of responsibility.

I truly hope that the U.S. Marine Corps in which our young son serves lives to the Air Force standard and not that of the Henderson police.

Don Dieckmann

Henderson

Isolated incident?

To the editor:

Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen has tried to justify his cops beating a man having a diabetic seizure (Friday Review-Journal). The mayor is saddened and says the incident is isolated and does not represent the police force.

Really?You could have fooled me, as I remember another incident a couple of years ago. Remember the ice cream lady who was on her way to help her elderly husband? He was having a medical problem and his wife was rushing to his side to help. A Henderson cop shot her to death, saying she had a knife in her hand.

I've always wondered why several cops couldn't take a knife away from an elderly lady without shooting her to death.

The point here is that the Henderson cop who kicked the diabetic man should be fired on the spot and prosecuted in court. Will that happen? No way. We still have a "good old boy network" going on here and always will.

I don't live in Henderson anymore as it just didn't appeal to me, traffic and other things, etc. Just be careful, very careful, when driving through Henderson.

Leon Brooks

Pahurmp

Crime rate

To the editor:

In response to your story last week about the falling crime rate:

I am always a bit surprised that the most important contributing factor to the reduction in crime is seldom mentioned. It is much more difficult to be a criminal today.

A very small percentage of the population commit crimes. With the technology being utilized by police departments today it is almost impossible to evade detection by the use of aliases, etc. The enhanced fingerprinting system used by police departments reveals an arrestee's true identity today.

Most criminals have a specific modus operandi that is detectable to investigators. Car thieves usually steal cars using the same tactics. Breaking and entering men do the same. So when a series of crimes occur, patterns develop. In an area plagued by car theft, for instance, once the perps are arrested that generally stops the activity.

The use of computers makes it much more difficult for the courts to under-sentence the guilty. And the time convicts actually serve is now more consistent.

So I am not the least bit surprised at the reduction in the crime statistics. This is where the old adage -- you can't see the forest from the trees -- can be nicely inserted.

William Dwyer

Las Vegas

Greek to him

To the editor:

The problem of Greece's massive debt has plagued the entire world's economy for more than two years. Each time the issue surfaces, the stock market tanks.

The European Union has exhausted every measure to bail out Greece. So far, none has succeeded. Austerity plans by the Greek government were confronted with enormous protest from the people, some 80 percent of whom were receiving some kind of entitlement from the Greek government. It is of no surprise that their debt problem is not fugacious, it is insurmountable. It is an impossible task for Greece to pay its debt.

Greece is like a terminally ill patient who continues to receive resuscitative treatment. It should be allowed to die a natural death and let the entire world economy move on. There is little doubt in the mind of most economists that Greece will default sooner instead of later.

Alfonso Tiu

Henderson

Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. Cherokee.Mankiller Feb. 12, 2012 | 8:57 p.m. Report Abuse

   Chief Chambers actions don't make any sense. I knew her professionally, and found her to be very capable and professional. Unlike Dizzy Gillespie, she doesn't have to face voters, so culling favor with the union for votes isn't part of the equation. Harsh disciplinary actions, as well as public disclosure of those actions needs to take place. For the apologetics who want to cry foul because "you wouldn't want your personnel issues aired" is Bravo Sierra since we are dealing with public officials. When they screw up, we deserve to know what correction has taken place.

2. Scotwith1t Feb. 12, 2012 | 7:20 p.m. Report Abuse

   As shocking as this may sound, generalizing is easy to do and does nothing to make anything better. Are there police officers who disregard safety, training, and protocol? Obviously, by the tape, there is (Sgt. Seekatz). Are there officers that go beyond their training allowing adrenaline and emotions to get them? Yes (the unnamed officer that was kneeing the suspect in the side, trying to get the air out of his chest so the man would lay down on his stomach instead of staying on his knees). Sgt. Seekatz needs to be disciplined harshly for kicking Mr. Green in the face while he was restrained, I would even advocate the Henderson Police department fire the individual. The unnamed officer needs to go back to training to learn the correct way to use force when restraining a suspect and be removed from public contact until said retraining is complete. But the fact is, not all police officers are bad or thugs as many are saying, not even in Henderson. Just as with EVERY JOB IN THE WORLD, you have bad people and good people, and it seems that generalizing that so many of you are doing, you're willing to punish those police officers who do their job with honor and service to the public in mind, not just the ones that overstep the bounds of their training. Oh, and can we stop the spin, diabetic shock does not mean the man could not and was not resisting (anyone who paid attention can be see that the man was resisting, and not unresponsive). One of the common side effects to diabetic shock, which I have personally seen, is that the person can become argumentative, combative, aggressive, or even violent. The fact that the man was going through diabetic shock has no bearing on the story at all.

3. tl.lane Feb. 12, 2012 | 6:02 p.m. Report Abuse

   i too have lost all respect for cops.....if Henderson wants to act like they should on this matter they should dismiss that head kicking cop or at least take him off the streets....and to say he's been reprimanded but they wont say how is as phony as it gets, either he hasn't been reprimanded or the reprimand itself is a joke that really isn't much of a reprimand at all, and if so they know that there would be endless criticism-----and rightously so. The police around southern Nevada have taken a considerable turn for the worse the last 20 tears or so....i submit that the problems begin at the police academy where they treat the recruits like garbage, scream in their faces, abuse them physically, and implement marine corp drill instructor types to berate and degrade them. Any self respecting and worthwhile person would drop out as many do leaving behind the gluttons for punishment, brown nosers, and those desperate to be a cop no matter what the cost.....i question the quality of such recruits and cant help but wonder how many potentially good cops they scare away with their sicko boot camp police academy.

4. DUKE Feb. 12, 2012 | 3:28 p.m. Report Abuse

   I HAVE LOST ALL RESPECT FOR COPS,BUT I DO FEAR THEM.

5. GARY D Feb. 12, 2012 | 1:25 p.m. Report Abuse

   Why has Henderson Police Chief Jutta Chambers said "NOTHING" about Henderson Police abuses ????? ------ She's probably more interested in her "INFLATED PENSION". Bad cops usually have bad leaders, obviously Chief Chambers fits the bill on this one.

6. MEANGENE Feb. 12, 2012 | 9:20 a.m. Report Abuse

   In my opinion, the Henderson police incidents parallel the tragic events at Penn State. Although the actions are very different, the management of the fallout are very similar. First try to cover up, second deny there is a problem and finally admit inappropriate behavior. The difference is that at Penn State the President and their football hero were fired and the perpatrator will stand trial. In Henderson there has been an apology, unknown discipline for those involved and a relatively small financial settlement.
   
   Only if the Henderson City Council take a stand will justice possibly be served. A good first step may be firing the police chief and recalling the mayor. If the council can't take appropriate action, they should resign after calling for a new election.
   
   For an elected entity to serve it must have the respect of its constituents. My guess is the current approval rating of Henderson's leadership is lower than the U.S. Congress. That ain't easy.

7. Allen.Samuels Feb. 12, 2012 | 8:40 a.m. Report Abuse

   Maybe Andy Hafen can get HoHouse Harry GReids son to defend the abusive cop. I am sure he would be aquitted of any wrongdoing. Thank you Andy Hafen bought and paid for by Harry Greid.

8. Harry.Kochman Feb. 12, 2012 | 8:05 a.m. Report Abuse

   Mr Tiu. I agree with your assessment of Greece but you are wasting your time trying to explain the situation to the readers of the RJ. Remember, this state ranks at the bottom in level of education. The people of this state elected a president that envies the Greek model of government and is doing everything in his power to take the country there. He knows that taking the country into unsustainable debt and then using it to anesthetize the masses with handouts is a surefire way for him to be re-elected. Unfortunately, BO will be re-elected and like Greece, this country will continue its march towards a slow economic death.