The Clouding Of Police Officers

As children we are taught to be trusting of police officers.  We are told that is we ever need help, if we are lost, or are in danger, that a police officer can be of great help when we are in our time of need.  However, as time goes on, skepticism clouds the minds of many people.  What we are taught as children becomes something to be mocked, dismissed, and ignored.  Through this cloud of skepticism, the police officer falls from the role of protector, aide, and friend into the role of a simple human, a drain on our resources, and a potential threat.  Unfortunately, some police department reinforce this clouded viewpoint.

Recent years have not been kind to the West Valley City Police Department.  From their perceived ineptitude in the investigation of the Susan Powell case, the tossing of dozens of drug cases investigated by this department, and the continued questions surrounding the Danielle Willard case, the WVCPD is in need of some good PR, and it appears that this department got some of that this morning.

West Valley City police help evacuate two families from burning home

This morning, several members of the West Valley City Police Department assisted in getting several family members out of their burning home.  While this may seem like a basic thing for police to do, when the public has little to no trust in you, little things like this can help build up at least a small sense of competency in the public eye.  Sure these officers have a long way to go, but small steps like can lead to many great things.  Let's just hope that things continue to move forward for this department, because any small stumble could cause any progress to evaporate.

WARNING: Training Day Spoilers

First of all, if you haven't seen Training Day, what the fuck is wrong with you?  Go see it, NOW!

There's a part in Training Day where a drug dealer named Roger gets busted.  Roger is a dealer who Alonzo, played by Denzel Washington, has been aware of for some time but has been waiting for Roger to retire so Alonzo, and several other members of the LAPD, can kill Roger and steal the large stash of cash hidden under the floor in Roger's kitchen.  The concept of a movie depicting a police officer knowing about a drug dealer's actions and waiting for some grand event to bust them makes me wonder how many situations like this exist?  How many police officers are waiting to bust someone potentially dealing lethal amounts of dangerous drugs?

Arrests Made In Possible Connection To Philip Seymour Hoffman's Death

Why couldn't these cops makes this arrest a week ago?

Questioning The Legality Of Police Using GPS Tracker Cannons

Police firing GPS tracking 'bullets' at cars during chases

At first glance this seems like a really cool story: Cops using GPS trackers to track a car they are pursuing instead of engaging in a high speed pursuit.  This technology could save lives, prevent property loss, and even prevent that bastard who stole my high end sports car from wrecking it in a place that I would never, and will never, go to.  But, once again, the skeptic in me rears his ugly head.  Sure the police can fire GPS trackers at a fleeing vehicle, but is it legal for them to do so?

In Unites States v. Jones, the Supreme Court dealt with whether police can put a GPS tracker on a suspect's car, deciding that the placement of such a device constituted a search of private property, and that keeping the GPS tracker on the car for an extended amount of time constituted a unreasonable search of a person's private property.  While that decision deals with a person that is suspected a crime, how does this decision affect whether the police can shoot a GPS tracker on the car of a person they know has committed a crime?  Does public safety affect the legality of such a decision?  What about length of time?  If the GPS tracker is placed and the car is not found for a couple of days, does the length of time it took to find the car affect whether or not the police can use this technology in this manner?

When contacted by this reporter for this story, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said, "What the fuck are you doing on my property?  Get the fuck out of here, you fucking liberal."

When queried, the public relations department for the West Valley City Police Department said, in a statement, "Why can't you journalistic types just leave us alone?!?  We were just fine before you people started poking around in our business, and now- and now- Look at us!  We're a police force in shambles.  Just get out.  Get out!"

I have yet to receive a clear answer about the legality of GPS trackers being shot from police vehicles at suspect vehicles.  One thing is clear though, I know who I don't trust with this technology.