Pants Pissing People Prefer Pricey Police Powers
That’s what this front pager in the NJ boils down to. There are some old farts in Sussex County who are just FREAKING OUT about all the crime and home invasions and loud neighbors and rap music and get offa my lawn!!!! So much so, that Jeff Christopher should get $1 million dollars to make like the Dark Knight on all the miscreants.
Amazingly, the comments are running 10 to 1 AGAINST Christopher and his posse plans.
Methinks James Fisher (Twitter @JamesFisherTNJ or jfisher@delawareonline.com) didn’t work very hard on this story.
Sounds like a story assigned by some upstate editor: “Go find out what people on the street – I mean, back road and dirt lane – think about this.” Dumb.
I know. Either the NJ editors set out to make this about stupid hicks, or the reporter just picked the easiest story line. Anyway…Journalism fail.
Interesting article. Wish that the reporter would have noticed that he was talking to a bunch of people who claim to not want more government who are asking for -wait for it- more government. The one guy at the end had a glimmer of a clue. But after he went through the litany of dangers these people think they are facing, I was stunned. I mean, according to most people, this crazyness happens only in Wilmington and the rest of the state if perfect.
On the serious, I would think that this episode should give the county leadership a hint that perhaps they should think about their own county PD.
LOL now the Constitution Pary is DEMANDING from the GA!
http://www.lpdelconvention.com/home/resolutions/resolution-supporting-the-constitutional-authority-of-sheriff
sure, and I “demand” that I can drive any damn speed I want to
I demand not to pay any more taxes
I demand that OJbe 100% fresh squeezed by “little people” on the Sundays in the months with blue moons
I demand the Cnstitution Party and the T-baggers go away
think I will get it??
That’s not the Constitution Party. You should work on your reading comprehension. I don’t expect the General Assembly or the Governor to do it, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?
Maybe this one is more your speed.
http://www.lpdelconvention.com/home/resolutions/resolution-condemning-the-2012-ndaa
Thx for linking it though. 😀
Regarding the Libertarian Party’s resolution about the sheriff:
“The Libertarian Party of Delaware defends the constitutional authority of the office of sheriff”
The office has no constitutional authority in Delaware to act as a law enforcement official. Whatever sheriffs do in Arizona or Texas or Maine doesn’t matter. I think the courts have spoken more than once about the duties of a sheriff and his posse in Delaware.
“We furthermore oppose the actions of the Delaware General Assembly to limit this authority and reduce the role of local law enforcement in supplementing and overseeing other law enforcement agencies”
No. 1, they are not limiting his authority because HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY. No. 2, the phrase “supplementing or overseeing other law enforcement agencies” implies that the sheriff’s department is a law enforcement agency, which it is most certainly not.
“the ability of the sheriff to keep law enforcement officials from exceeding their mandate is critical to the maintenance of a free society”
Really? Perhaps you’ve forgotten that Sheriff Crazy has asked in his lawsuit that no one have the ability to keep him from exceeding his mandate, whatever that is.
I question whether lawmakers who oppose HB325 deserve to remain in office.
Constitution Party =earl Lofland
Libertarian Party = the McVays
IS there a DIFFERENCE really??
I mean no one can shut up Lofland OR you – you both have mouth run on and make vast sweeping (also errouneous statements) on a routine basis – actually more than I do
AND I have seen you both in action. not a pretty sight – you being younger have more teeth than ole Earl tho
but then again – neither of you believe in state sponsored healthcare – so there you go – you can look like him when you are older
“reduce the role of local law enforcement”
just what the hell IS the Sussex Sheriff but LOCAL (and trying to be law enforcement)
cant get any more local than a County sheriff – only rung on the ladder down into more local is municipal law enforcement
do you people read this shit before you publish it??
Cassandra, You’re right. How hard would it have been for the reporter to make that connection. I don’t know James Fisher is a lazy reporter, but this was a lazy story.
What good is a Libertarian Party that backs pro life, anti gay marriage candidates and wants to expand the police state that the USA is rapidly becoming? You’ve got to do more to separate yourselves from Republicans than just being pro legalized reefer, Hell, even Pat Robertson is for legalizing pot now, so you’ve basically got nothing.
Can we finally dispense with the fantasy that libertarians are anything other than embarrassed Republicans?
Aoine – you forgot to mention IPoD=Wolfgang von Bombast and his dirty khakis.
oh my – talk about someone who pisses his pants
then doesnt change them either! well thats what he smells like
never never get that close again!!
yeah. libertarians. because the two and a half party system works so well.
“yeah. libertarians. because the two and a half party system works so well.” LOL Love it.
Perhaps the “hicks” should to go all totally sovereign and incorporate Long Neck, Oak Orchard, etc. into town(s) and get their own po-po. Laurel has 15 police officers with an annual budget of over $1 million.
Want law enforcement to answer directly to you? Make a town and hire your own.
ah, SussexAnon, but then there would be taxation. Taxes would pay for the service, certainly, but it still comes down to taxation. Boston harbor was a demonstration against taxes, right? yeah, yeah. shut the hell up about representation. don’t tread on my regret to have but one life to live free or enforce my religious beliefs on you.
Yes, the McVays, and the 14 other candidates we nominated, and the ~40 other people who were there, and the ~800 registered members that give us ballot access.
http://www.lpdelconvention.com/home/candidates
Honestly, I left my favored draft at home, it was a little less heavy on the “constitutional authority” stuff and a little more on the “local law enforcement should be accountable to the electorate” stuff. I support Sheriff Christopher, but I think his lawsuit is a bit far. The Sheriff SHOULD have the ability to arrest people, especially law enforcement agents who have exceeded their mandate, but that doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be checks and balances on county executive authority just as there are on federal executive authority. If I manage to find the draft I wrote and didn’t properly load on the computer that day, I’ll post it some time.
Overall, the convention went well, can’t expect NO screw ups. We ARE the LP after all…
As for the incredibly brave anonymous individual who says we support pro-life, anti gay marriage candidates, who on that list linked above fits that description? Andy Groff? The Green Party nominee we endorsed? Gary Johnson? The former Governor whose nomination motivated Barack Obama’s “evolution” on the subject?
I mean, yes, if I were ever really a Republican, I would be embarrassed by my Party, but in the few periods where I have ever been registered as such, it was with the specific purpose of promoting the libertarian cause within it. I tried the same with the Democratic Party, for many more years and from a much younger age. I’ve got a few years still before I catch up to Earl, so I’ve got a few more tries in me.
Hopefully I can impress Aoine more, since (s?)he wants me to run for president. I think we’re getting to be best friends seeing how many of Aoine’s posts are about me lately. If you’d like to support my campaign for state rep, you can go to my website whenever. It can be our little secret as long as you give less than $100.
Also, Steve Newton’s back.
http://delawarelibertarian.blogspot.com/
More police is not inconsistent with libertarian values. Don’t confuse libertarians with anarchists. Libertarians accept the legitimacy of (limited) government. And, the protection of people from crime falls within the generally-accepted roles of government.
In general, libertarians (like Milton Friedman) are Republicans because they view economic freedom as a precondition for liberty and political freedom, and they plead expediency. In contrast, Democrats view economic equality as a precondition for liberty and political freedom.
yeah. uh, got any party members that make any sense?
“The Sheriff SHOULD have the ability to arrest people, especially law enforcement agents who have exceeded their mandate”
ok Will – let me get this right – you are advocating for two armed groups arresting each other??? really??
last time I checked that looked like Ruby Ridge and Waco and several other places and the Hutarte Militia or whatever they were called – each side feels they have a mandate, each side feels they are justified in what ever they do
usually, that is called a WAR!
thet is what you are supporting – pared down to its common demoninator
as for that $100 bucks? – don’t worry about keeping a secret – I’d rather spend it on parking fines and undermining that freak – the Sheriff of Nuttingham
@SussexWatcher – I so LOVE that comment – yes, absolutely, let Long Neck and Oak Orchard band together and become a municipality – most of them resented the recycling fees inposed several years ago on trash pick up – well, I resent them coming to this nice State and bringing their high taxes and whining with them
They KNEW they were buying/renting in a rural area, they knew what law enforcement/first reponders were available – now thay want to change it and they want other taxpayers to pay for it
in short, they want to make Sussex just like the ruined place they came from with high taxes.
what a bunch of cry babies – look assh***s, buy a gun, get a big dog, cut down your bushes from around your house, install outside motion detector lights – its your problem – you bought your property there – you fix your own problems
in that way I am very much Libertarian minded
I hear about old folks – ok – move in the Cadbury in Lewes or the assissted living in Rehoboth or the subsidised senior apartments on Kings Hwy and in other locations
Widows living alone – MOVE!! if you can’t handle it – get a condo somewhere in a private gated community if you are so scared of the crime wave in Sussex – there are PLENTY of places available in this market. Or just a condo in town somewhere.
I have a crappy neighbor as well, would fit in way better in Long Neck or Oak Orchard – I wish they’d move thre – but they wont – so for 10 years I have sucessfully ignored them and their tall grass, unkempt house, peeling facia boards, loose dogs, loose children, feral cats,yelling and screaming like a fishwife,junk cars that have not moved in years and scamming the tax-payers with unemployment fraud.
Grow the F up people and deal with it. you want low taxes – this is what you have to do to have that – or go the hell back to whereever you came from.
What do you think Internal Affairs does? Only difference is that they’re ultimately part of the same agency and don’t have the same interest in keeping a check on the authority of policing agents on the ground. How many police brutality complaints result in “internal investigations” that result in the STATE rather than the officer responsible being held liable, and therefore getting the AG involved in the defense and usually leading to some out of court settlement that solves nothing? Checks and balances…checks and balances…
Or are you trying to defend law enforcement agents that exceed their mandate on the basis that trying to stop them would be mean?
Davy, that seems to reasonably accurately summarize the distinction, but the contradiction that I’ve never understood with the Democratic Party’s approach is that enforcing economic equality is typically done at the expense of liberty and political freedom, while that same loss of liberty and political freedom fails to address economic inequality and actually tends to exacerbate it.
If you are speaking to me WIll – IA typically goes after 1rogue cop at a time
there have been times (Serpico and the NYPD) where major corruption with in a Dept is uncovered – this does not usually involve armed groups slinging bullets
If the Fed – say IRS agents or FBI or US MArshalls came into Sussex for whatever reason (say to arrest a tax-evader or sovereign citizen group) and the Sheriff just happened to owe his elected poistion to support from thise particular group – what do you forsee happening??
Come on Will – play along here – the Sheriff says – I’m the elected law enforcement official that stands against tyranny and YOU (federal agents) are the representative of the Tyrant and/or/ tyrannical goverment and I dont recognize your right to impose taxes and the IRS is un-Constitutional
Now, you tell me what happens next……..
the Sheriff caves in to superior fire power – which in that case what point is there is having one if his mandate to stop tyrannical governement never happens.
Or
we have open warfare with the Feds and how many will be injured or killed
THAT is where Sussex is headed with that nut job Sheriff – face it them man is unstable – you all picked the wrong guy to be the figure-head for this fight, little intelligence and less integrity.
personally, Jeff Christopher would piss his pants and run the other way, tail between his legs, because ultimately, he is the consumate coward and is never anywhere without his entourage in tow
Someday – someone will point out that that Emperor has no clothes
try talking with his former bosses and co-workers – THAT is eye-opening indeed….
plus Will – you dont have a dog in this fight – its not your taxes that will increase – unless you have bought property in Sussex in the last week
I do have a dog in the fight – and thousands like me do as well.
I dont go to Kent and tell you all how to run your County – dont come to my County and tell me what I need – or what MY tax dollars should be spent on – if you do, how are you any different from the type of goverment you say you dislike
after all – isnt self-determination what the Libertarian movement is all about???
Let’s start with one rogue cop at a time and go from there. I think Sheriff Christopher overreached with this lawsuit, myself. I get where he’s coming from, but from what I’ve read in the complaint, he’s pushing too hard. There needs to be checks and balances on all government authority. Standing up to the federal government isn’t something that’s likely to happen soon, but isn’t it something we should start doing more of? Are we really happy with the way they do things? Is their process really that trustworthy anymore?
This does affect me at this point because the GA is taking away all sheriffs’ arrest authority. Sheriff Wood may be disinclined to exercise his authority, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think he and his successors should have the option.
I do think that Sheriff Christopher has made some missteps here, and the county government should be able to exercise some budgetary and removal authority over his office. I just don’t think we should be moving further away from locally accountable law enforcement. We should be trying to move closer to it. I don’t like centralization.
yeah Will. we stand up the the feds every 2,4 and 6 years. There’s your tyranny, bright eyes.
I think Sheriff Wood and Sheriff Navarro are doing the right thing
Holding down costs and bringing in revenue and not embarassing your respective counties
You are not looking at a 300-400% increase in taxes – OR monies being spent on frivilous law suits – which Sussex is
You would be the first one SCREAMING about it if it was happening to you – and all these T-partiers would be screaming if it was a Democrat Sheriff doing this
They want more police protection – fine – go F*** ing provide it yourselves – better yest, go hire a provte security force if you are tht scared – that would create some jobs!
Im so sick of hearing about the federalist papers and the Constitution ad nauseum – PLEASE!! – talk about standing armies – well the Founding Fathers didnt account for a standing AirForce either (as another poster on another blog pointed out, rightly) did they – does this mean we should get rid of it??
Or cars or motorized munitions etc etc etc – these t-bagging idiots twist it all to suit their own needs – they cherry pick and spout what is spoon fed to them by puppet masters.
UGH – I am sooo over it – and from what I can tell so is most of America
‘This does affect me at this point because the GA is taking away all sheriffs’ arrest authority”
oh for Pete’s sake
when the Sheriff had Constable certs they could arrest and Christopher let it expire last year
the GA did not take away his arrest powers – he has NO inherehnt Arrest powers – his powers are determined first by common law, way back when, then by statutory law (as in now)
but that stupid amtuer wants a fight – now he has one, and neophytes like you are buying the Kool-Aid – either you support him – the man AND the office or you dont – right now the two are tied together
remove your support from the man – and work on the office and its powers AFTER we get this nut job out of office.
Then you have better chance of getting what you ultimately want – its timing Will, timing.
I’m not sure I follow how letting the sheriff arrest people that need arresting increases costs like that. Who’s getting sued for what that drives up your taxes?
like I said – you are a neophyte and you have proven it.
extensive training, constitutional law, methods of restraint, deaing with 10-81 subjects, training in PFA and domestic situations, the ability to detain and hold a subject that is within accepted industry standards, certifications from accreditated instructors etc etc etc training in DELJIS – that all costs $$$$ – lots of it
Look son, one does not just sweep folks up off the street and hold them, warrant or no warrant – there is a lot that goes in to it – you, as a Libertarian should already know all this…
read the 4th and 5th ammendments – free from unlawful search and seizure
Recently,the sheriff arrested someone that had a drug warrent – the charges against the individual were dropped due to the defendants constitutional rights being violated as he was arrested by someone that did not have the authority to do so.
That my Libertarian friend, is a violation of their Consitutinal rights – IF you have read the report issued by Sussex County in early April you would know that – Constitutional Rights violated usually = a BIG FAT LAWSUIT just ask Sheriff Joe Arpiao and DOJ – to date Maricopa county has spent 22 million dollars on his DEFENSE only – and the insurance promiums are not even affordable any more
AND whats more – the County now has to defend the lawsuit he filed in Superior COurt
still wondering how taxes can go up due to his illegal actions???
School’s out child – do your own research – Im tired of trying to learn you
“Sheriff Wood may be disinclined to exercise his authority” – what authority are you referring to, Will? The non-existent authority to act like a cop?
The Libertarians are more than just the McVays….if you happened to look at the link Will posted.
Anyway, the sheriff is elected by us. Why shouldn’t he have arrest power? He is law enforcement agent we have a say over.
“Recently,the sheriff arrested someone that had a drug warrent – the charges against the individual were dropped due to the defendants constitutional rights being violated as he was arrested by someone that did not have the authority to do so.”
That seems a little thin. Especially since the GA is in the process of REWRITING THE LAW to make it so he doesn’t have the authority to do so. You’re making a bunch of statements that you’re not really backing up, then calling everyone who asks you for an explanation a neophyte. Sounds like someone chose to drop the charges. Either that or the situation is significantly more complicated than the charges being dropped because of who did the arresting.
MJ, if he didn’t have the authority, why does the GA need to rewrite the law? Same with HB11. If the courts ruled properly in ’10, then changing the law should have been unnecessary. If they’re rewriting the law to remove a sheriff’s arrest authority, then there must be some kind of authority there to remove.
All that training sounds like it might be necessary if the sheriff is looking to establish his own full service law enforcement agency. None of it is an actual precondition to having the statutory authority to arrest people. The status quo is that sheriffs have it, even if they have not recently exercised it. HB325 removes it. I think that’s a mistake.
OMG- you r THICK! Will THICK
Obviously by your statement you have NOT even read H B 325. If you had actually done your homework you would :
1 k ow why the charges were dropped in the drug case – read the sussex report – i am mot your own personal cliff’s notes and u will see why
And
2. Read HB 325- the whole thing- including the ammendment- all of it
You will never learn government if u persist on black and white- its all shades of grey
You r either too young or too immature to get it
Its subtle. But the subtleties are what makes all the difference
When you r finished reading and doing your homework then maybe we can discuss but i cannot discuss an issue with someone that doesnt know All the ins and outs or is too la y to learn them.
YOu have shown me thus far laziness in research and a willingness to simply read the blogs instead of reasearching documents and critical thinking amd analysis skills.
No wonder people snicker when uou jump up to speak- you shoot from the hip and use memes the rest of us have discovered holes in.
Good luck next time.
How strange that the the sussex report wasn’t mentioned in the lazy NJ article.
http://www.legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis146.nsf/vwLegislation/HB+325/$file/legis.html?open
http://www.legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis146.nsf/vwLegislation/HA+1+to+HB+325/$file/legis.html?open
Adding language explicitly saying he has no authority. Removing any language saying he does. What am I missing?
How is my view black and white? I think there should be local law enforcement. I’m willing to take steps to get it. HB325 is a step in the wrong direction, away from it. I will look for the report and read it carefully, but if the justification for dropping the charges was lack of authority to arrest, that doesn’t seem to fit.
http://www.wgmd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/SuxCntyReport-HB290.pdf
Working on it. From what I’ve seen so far, it was actually that the suspect was arrested on a warrant by the sheriff, but the additional drug charge could not be filed because the duty judge relied on the AG opinion that the sheriff and his deputies couldn’t arrest people. My understanding is that that’s what this is all about…
In Fairfax County,Northern Virginia, a county with well over 1,000,000 people, we had a county police force. Several cities in Fairfax County have their own police force, but by and large, the county police provide services for the entire county.
In a state like Delaware (current population – 907,135), our law enforcement is provided by the Delaware State Police. In my view, the DSP is my local law enforcement. They live in my community. Their barracks are here and they go my church (usually the Rookery, but one finds God in many places!).
They are a professional police force that adheres to standards and are trained in accordance with the Council of Police Training. They are certified officers who have gone through background and other checks to ensure that they are not only qualified but suitable for the position of responsibility and authority. They have an office of professional responsiblity that provides oversight and chain of command that reaches to the governors office, who is elected by the people. The General Assembly, with members elected by the people provide constraint and oversight of the Governor and executive branches.
For some reason Will, you believe and want others to be believe that all of that is less important than having law enforcement which has none of those checks and balances, qualifications, and standards. Instead asserting that the only check and balance necessary is one provided by the people every four years.
Having witnessed the travesty in elections, even in your short life, you amazingly depend on the people to do the right thing. In the face of the outlandish claims, statements, and actions by those you purport to trust (the citizens and the sheriff) you continue to express the conviction that a local sheriff is the best answer. You hold this position even as you know full well that were this particular sheriff given those kinds of authorities and responsibilities, he would not use them for the good of all the citizens but, as evidence as shown (the Posse for example), for the good of the few.
Additionally, by hiring deputies who are uncertifiable, the sheriff has demonstrated that either he does not comprehend the requirements and conditions or did not begin with the end in mind. Either way, from both a service perspective and qualification perspective, a county law enforcement capability is not necessary today and this sheriff does not possess the qualities necesary to execute those authorities and responsibilities if it were necessary today.
If the sheriff desires to be in law enforcement, the DSP has openings and is hiring. As a former officer in Maryland, I am certain he can meet the background criteria and other qualifications necessary.
My weekly sheriff rant.
Jason – there was a story specifically on the report a few weeks ago.
Will obviously does NOT understand CONTEXT nor JURISDICTION
This is not the Wild West of 1880 – we dont hand out guns to any ole dude who’ll do the job of cleaning up the riff-raff in town.
The GA is trying to clear up any and all ambiguity in the DE CODE pertaining to the Sheriff and his duties and responsibilities
He can arrest – within the context of his duties as a Sheriff, connected to the courts or on the direction of a Judge.
What he cannot do is crime prevention, crime investigation nor can he go out willy-nilly and arrest someone unless SPECIFICALY ORDERED TO DO SO BY A JUDGE
His duties are tied to the court, he is am arm of the court and has been so for quite some time.
He begs to differ and obviously feels he is above the Executive Branch, the Juducial Branch and the Legislative Branch – above the law – he feels he IS the law.
he has shown tremendous disregard for the people of Sussex, the truth and their tax dollars, and his supporters are thugs – I have heard them and seen them behave – it is NOT pleasant. They have no couth and less decorum.
He has shown BAD JUDGEMENT in the personnel he has hired, decertified and disgraced former police officers and as Dave says – could not meet the mental, physical and psycological standards to be certifed as a police officer in Delaware
Would you want a surgeon who lost his medical license for misfeseance or malfeseance operating on you?? – if you do you’re way stupid.
Cops take their calling and the job VERY VERY seriously, they hold themselves and other cops to a very high standard – they MUST in order to preserve the pubic trust and confidence in them.
and there is nothing they dispise more than a cop gone rogue
Jeff Christopher embodies that which is dispised.
@jason – here is the link to the report – I refuse to link to TNJ – lazy reporting – at the bottom of the story as a .PDF
http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/news/story/report-police-court-critical-of-sheriffs-office/815873
So the solution is to get them trained, get better deputies, elect a better sheriff, and establish a statutory system of checks and balances, not outright neuter the office. I guess I just like smaller and more localized law enforcement agencies than you do. I understand context just fine, and this bill seems like an overreaction. I think local law enforcement is good, the smaller and more local the better. I think centralized and larger police agencies are dangerous. That’s what’s really relevant here. That’s the conversation we should be having.
Dave is cool with the DSP being local enough, and thinks that the people electing a governor who then selects the head of the DSP is sufficient electoral accountability. He’s entitled to his opinion. I think more local is better. I think more direct local control is better.
Aoine just seems mad at Jeff Christopher, mad at anyone who dares to defend any of his views, and is eager to centralize police power because of it. I’m not telling you to give in to all of Christopher’s demands and have your taxes jacked up. I’m suggesting that you find a better solution than HB325.
… or, Will, we could just use the same system we’ve been using for decade after decade. Why break the system when the system works?
The office was neutered ages ago when DSP was formed. In all those years, only two people have bitched & moaned: Robert Reed and Jeff Christopher. That might say something more about what’s in the water around Greenwood than it does anything else.
I’m opposed to the sheriff’s agenda because it is part of an extreme right wing movement that I oppose. But I have to say, some of the comments above by the anti-sheriff side are making me more sympathetic to the pro-sheriff arguments.
People who are concerned about crime should move? OK if you can afford it and aren’t attached to your neighborhood, but really, why should they have to move? Is the implication that they are imagining a threat that doesn’t exist? (Oh right, they are “pants pissers,” nice.)
Also the idea of people hiring private security if they are afraid, that is actually a libertarian position — Robert Nozick’s position anyway; he does opposed police on a libertarian basis — and seems to be totally opposed to the idea that we can have public safety for all.
It is true that right now the DE sheriffs don’t have police powers, but they could, and there is really nothing wrong with that per se. It’s the other agenda that Christopher is trying to advance that is the problem and the empowerment of the people who support that agenda.
Wow Will, I have read your posts, and you are obviously from lower slower, but competent folks still need to control the administation of justice. You are entitled to your opinions, but thankfully not county government. Please keep the crazzzzzy coming, I love your insane rants!
how can you get more local then a state like Delaware ?? there are cities with more people than the entire state!
would you suggest that a city police dept is not local??
what do you want a chief and the duplication of police departments on every city block?
Ok then you want a police dept for every individual housing development?? OH for Pete’s sake!! when is enough! enough
I mad at the sheriff – yep – again will its MY tax dollars and an inordinate waste of time and effort that is going to the aggrandizemant of one man’s ego – we have bigger things to argue and pass laws over – like JOBS!
well two people’s really – coz you argue just to argue – another point that highlights your immaturity – and you get off on the argument and the attention/notariety it brings you
Just remember not all attention is good attention
@WM “I think more local is better. I think more direct local control is better.”
This isn’t always true. A few years back in the NH lakes region, there was a rash of seasonal home break-ins. The local police seemed stymied. They couldn’t catch the bad guys. State sent in some investigators without consulting locals. The locals were caught red handed. Yep… The very guys hired to protect these expensive homes off-season were breaking into them, and brazenly (personal note: one of these homes was one of my interests — some wonderful old things are gone).
So my opinion of the most local of locals is rather low. A larger organization structure, such as at the county or state level is good for accountability.
Simply put, it’s just too easy to be corrupt when there is no boss and there is no accountability.
You mean like, gated communities? Those are probably safer, but I’m not advocating that. I’m advocating decentralization, checks and balances, and local control. Municipal police are great. Redundant and overlapping jurisdictions are a good idea too, so they can keep each other in check as well as help each other out. I feel safer when there’s someone watching the watchers.
I think we should work out all the issues that bother you about cost, Sheriff Christopher’s personal accountability, even some of the ways in which he’s behaved that brought us to this point. None of that means we should officially, permanently, and statutorily neuter the sheriff entirely.
Yes, I enjoy discussing these issues, you clearly do too. Is there something wrong with that?
@WM “You mean like, gated communities?”
Gated?? We’re talking about the lakes and the woods. No gates, no fences,…
The regular local town police were arrested and hauled off. All of them.
Will McVay, your campaign signs on Rt. 1 leaving Dover are illegally placed. If you cannot grasp the basic concept of where and when to place campaign signs in an election year, why should anyone listen to you on an issue as important as what the Sheriff’s office should or should not be able to do under the law.
“I enjoy discussing these issues, you clearly do too. Is there something wrong with that?”
you might think you are discussing – I’m not discussing – Im teaching and frankly, Im tired of it
“I think we should work out all the issues that bother you about cost”
when you know as much about policing and the law as I do then we can talk – might take you the next 20 years – I dont have time to wait – neither do the citizens of Sussex
I basically agree with Will. All of the diversions away from discussing his points are meaningless. He is right that local police are an important part of the matrix of liberty. Having a state police organization is fine, but having it replace local community police accountable to the local community is wrong headed.
Take Sussex, many people are concerned about school bullying. Sheriff Christopher has a plan modeled after some of the Sheriff’s offices in Maryland. Council won’t even look at it. Why not. The state police will never be able to be a community police agency with school resource officers and community police units unless we spend a boat load of money. Local people can deal a lot better with local situations. The state can be there for back up or more complicated crimes.
As for the legalities, the law gives most everyone else who has arrest powers said powers based upon those maintained by the sheriff. Either the sheriff has it inherently or no one has them.
David,
Has the sheriff come before the council to present his plan? No. That’s the best way to make sure the council pays attention. If they wont put it on the agenda, he can address then during public comment. If he hasn’t done that, he should stop whining.
Especially since the council has nothing to do with schools. Dumbass.
Things cost money. That’s what the Christopher boosters are missing here. All the teabags want smaller government – except not really.
No, they’re not. They’re perfectly legal, thanks. One thing I’m confident I understand is Clear Zone Laws.
If you’re so tired of “teaching” (poorly), you can stop whenever you’d like. I’m going to continue supporting decentralized policing. If you think I’m missing details, then speak up or shut up, but you’re not doing any good if you think you’re “teaching” anyone that centralized police authority without checks and balances is a good thing.
Given all the corruption, racism, and militarized, thug-like behavior of police all over the country, let’s not go too far down the path of how great police are. Community policing, increased accountability, and local control are good things in general.
The issue with Christopher is simply that he is assuming powers that county sheriffs in DE do not have. That has to be resolved. It’s not that sheriffs in general are bad and police are good. I am not sure anyone wants to argue that, but it sure seems like it from a lot of the exchanges above.
Valentine, if he’s assuming powers he doesn’t have, why does the General Assembly feel the need to amend the law to declare that he doesn’t have them? A superior court judge and a writ of mandamus should be perfectly sufficient if he is acting outside the law, otherwise he’d be acting in contempt of court and would be subject to arrest himself. Somehow the GA feels the need to pass HB325. That says to me that even they’re not sure they’re right that the sheriff doesn’t have this authority. Unless Aoine would like to “teach” us all why the GA needs to “clarify” anything if I’m so wrong again.
It is precisely the concerns about corruption and militarization that make me want a law enforcement agency empowered to arrest corrupt police, and so far outside their regular chain of command as to be answering to a different electorate.
Well, there is obviously disagreement about his powers, in that many are arguing that he has police powers under the “conservator of the peace” phrase. The GA wants to make his lack of powers perfectly clear via legislation. I am sure it will be litigated and probably should be, so it can be settled once and for all by the Court. I think there is a case to be made by his supporters, so it will be interesting to see what happens when it gets to Court. Do you disagree with this analysis?
Constitution worshippers aside, nobody cares, Will. The only interest outside Sussex is in pointing and laughing at Constitution worshippers.
“He is right that local police are an important part of the matrix of liberty.”
Says who? You? LOL.
“Having a state police organization is fine, but having it replace local community police accountable to the local community is wrong headed.”
If a majority agreed with you — and it should be noted you don’t even live there — a police force could be started by the county. Obviously that’s not a majority view, so the Constitution worshippers are trying an end-around.
@Will, Do sheriffs usually take the role of policing the police? That seems odd. Law enforcement types generally hang together.
If the goal is to hold the police accountable, citizen boards are a better way to go.
Valentine, I do not disagree with that analysis at all. I personally think the constitutional argument is ultimately frivolous. Obviously the government should follow the constitution, but the General Assembly can easily change the constitution with the kind of margins they’re getting on these votes.
As far as “the majority”…the majority elected Sheriff Christopher. We’ll see what happens to him in 2014, but I think it goes beyond the constitutional phrase “conservator of the peace” if HB325 needs to remove a bunch of references to the sheriff in bits of code that talk about arresting people.
All that aside, I still think that we SHOULD have local police, and that if they have distinct chains of command and separate organizations, they might still hang out together, but they won’t “hang” together. The corruption in one organization won’t reflect poorly on the other organization unless they fail to police it. If it’s all one police department, corruption delegitimizes the entire agency, so corruption is often swept under a rug. Tell me that’s never happened in Delaware.
I don’t think civilian boards necessarily have the expertise or the political accountability to substitute for a locally accountable law enforcement agency and a state accountable law enforcement agency in friendly competition to best serve the public, ready to catch each other when they make mistakes.
This isn’t about constitution worship or the tea party. This is about what’s best for the community. Maybe I WANT that kind of law enforcement arrangement in Kent County, in some form, maybe in 20 years when I can be as clever as Aoine, and because you guys have screwed the whole thing up in a certain way and passed HB325 over it, it will make it that much harder for me to achieve in the county where I live.
Will, your political campaign signs are NOT exempt from the clear zone laws until 30 days before the election, or, according to DelDOT, specifically August 12, 2012:
DelDOT is enforcing laws designed to keep the State’s Rights-Of-Way clear from illegal and dangerous signs.
•DelDOT must remove any sign posted in the Clear Zone (in medians and approx. 10′ from the edge of the pavement), including those attached to utility poles anywhere along the roadway.
•Any sign in the State’s Rights-of-Way that is not in the Clear Zone will also be removed.
•Exemptions apply outside the Clear Zone only for signs posted during a period of 30-days prior to and 30-days after an election, in a district in which an election is held.
•Sign owners are subject to fines of $25 per sign and a recovery fee of $15 per sign.
•Confiscated signs will be disposed of after 30 days. The fines still apply.
http://www.deldot.gov/information/media_gallery/2005/illegal_signs/index.shtml
Will, if you want a county police force in Kent, BE READY TO PAY FOR IT. Look at NCCOs budget to get an idea of the cost of a county wide police force.
Is there a crime problem here in pockets of Sussex? Yes.
Is County Council doing anything to address the issue? Not really.
The sheriff may not be the answer to this problem. But he is making an issue of crime in unincorporated areas. And it is a real issue.
As I said before, Long Neck should incorporate and get their own police. Short of that, citizens of Long Neck, Oak Orchard, County Council, the AG, and the GOV should demand a task force to find ways to solve these problems.
If there is any tyranny, its the State Police looking like they are not doing enough to quell these problems.
Rather than take some wingnut’s overheated anecdotes about the utter lawlessness and general shittyness of Sussex County at face value, I’m sure actual reports exist.
Since vi9olent crime has been going down around the country, I’d be surprised to find out that Sussex County has a significant violent crime problem.
“As far as “the majority”…the majority elected Sheriff Christopher.”
Which means nothing. Most people do not follow politics closely enough to know that Christopher intended to go rogue.
“If it’s all one police department, corruption delegitimizes the entire agency, so corruption is often swept under a rug. Tell me that’s never happened in Delaware.”
Lord, what naive fools you political newbies are. Guess what? That all gets swept under the rug even when different departments are involved. The blue line extends even to the guys wearing brown uniforms.
“I don’t think civilian boards necessarily have the expertise or the political accountability to substitute for a locally accountable law enforcement agency and a state accountable law enforcement agency in friendly competition to best serve the public, ready to catch each other when they make mistakes.”
Dear sweet Jesus on a pogo stick. Why don’t you spend your time building a unicorn trap instead of treating us all to your libertarian fantasy porn? First of all, they don’t “compete.” They cooperate. They have different jurisdictions. If you’re going to run for office, please learn how government actually works.
And the last thing I want the police to do is “expertly” judge each other. THEY work for US. That’s the message that needs to be sent, repeatedly, to all police departments, and most especially this horse’s ass in Sussex.
And while it might not be constitution worship on your part, Will, it certainly is for most of the wingnuts at Delaware Politics.
@Jason: “Doctor” John Stapleford has examined this at Caesar Rodney Institute (aptly named, as its financial supporters are all hidden behind face veils): There’s some slight increase if you decide “home invasion” is a new crime (sounds so much scarier than “breaking and entering”), but even Stapleford couldn’t turn it into an argument for anything conservative.
If even the CRI could not testify to the need, and since Christopher’s whole argument is based on the erroneous assertion that Sussex is a goddamn hellhole, end of conversation…right?
30 days before and 30 days after an election. There was an election on May 8th. I’m good until June 7th. DERP.
Don’t lump me in with the people on Delaware Politics. I’m on the other side of arguments with them as often as here (almost always). They’re definitely not competing with each other when they answer to the same people. There’s at least a chance they will otherwise.
I find these remarks about my choice not to wear dentures interesting, and totally baseless to the topic.
Funny how my decisions to wear dentures seems to be such well known by some of the commentors disagreeing with the constitutional powers and authority of county elected sheriff’s offices.
I wonder if those who know about my decsions not to wear dentures also know what caused me to have to get dentures in the first place? And why I choose not to wear my dentures all the time? (Since that seems to be the hot topic that bases these far left reasons for my position on the topic of common law and the definition of a Conservator of the Peace.
I suppose by these remarks being made about having dentures some also would believe the State needs pass more laws making wearing dentures or deciding not to wear them illegal as well. (The State already imposes so many other irronious laws that infring upon rights protected by the Constitions what is one more right?)
From all the comments here on the core topic; (not dentures), the rights of voters to be represented by an elected executive office- conservator of the peace, in their county, to preserve safety. (also defined explicitly in several federal and State Court decisions), as well as Blacks Law Dictionay 2d Edition.
I find it little more than entertaining to see how misinformed some people actually are, and their inabilty to debate more than on 9th grade level. (The inabilty to debate on this topic without redirecting the subject on to something that has no basis in the legalize of what defines a Conservator of the Peace and what the office of a Conserverator of the Peace is established for. ( I reserve sounding redundant on the Sheriff and Powers of that office since some said they already know me.)
Those who oppose a county sheriff having the authority to arrest and investigate felonious crimes actually are more suppotive to allowing bigger and more oppressive government to decide if unmanned Drones should be used against CItizens in their county, armed with Tear gas, rubber bullets, cameras, and capable of using lethal force as is being planned today in many areas all across the United States by appointed police departments.
Those who oppose a county sheriff of having the executive power to be the mitigator between the people and the government, whenever the government decides (as it has done in the past), that certain powers and rights be expunged, irraticated or denied that are protected buy the Constituiton to the people in their county. Including those protecting elected officials of Court sysstem legislative system and executive system who would be arrested by a president when they disagree with each other in regards to State rights and the rights of the people protected in Amendments I, II, III, IV,V,IV,VII VIII IX X XI, and VIX (especiall the equal protection of the law clause in 14.
And maybe this issue has a far deeper ability to preserve peace in your county by acknowledging that people have has seen too often their government has over extended its authority and violated the rights of the people of the States Counties and US.
Yet with an elected Sheriff who intereprets the Constitution properly they can actually provide more abilty of preserving peace and preventing the potential of criminal activites taking place and being overlooked by some even in government, as has occured in the past when officials and agents of the state have decided to side on emotion and not on the rule of law.
Earl Lofland
I wonder how many here who don’t like me because I don’t have teeth also voted for Ruth Ann Miner? She too is someone who does not have teeth.
Your critique is toothless. (metaphor!) Why doesn’t Christopher “conserve the peace” by doing the job he was elected to do? If he doesn’t see any merit is running sheriff sales he shouldn’t have run.
Teeth can be fixed but stupid is forever.
Obviously, Stupid is forever, Today it is called Behavioral Voting and Psycological Denial.
Just like all the times in Delaware’s history of the Psycological Denial from voters.
Fisker: Who approved tax dollars and grant funding and sought to bring that albatrose into Delaware?
“A federal judge’s ruling could allow many more plaintiffs to join a lawsuit challenging the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy”
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/judge-allows-class-action-status-in-stop-and-frisk-lawsuit/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Judge Allows Class-Action Status in Stop-and-Frisk Lawsuit
cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com
And let not forget about those wonderful Carper years when he was Governor. Bring Jobs to Delaware, and promising construction workers the contract for the Bill Roth Bridge? Who ended up getting that contract and where were they based out of?
And let’s not forget about Bluewater and NRG projects. A contract that was awarded to a New zealand Company that their shares were suspended trading in their own country because of financial problems? A real Einstein moment there! (NOT).
And how did that Tagani “Delaware Way” thing play out for Delaware Democrats (And Republicans)? They Play while you paid! Dearly.
Earl Bradley: swept under the covers dating back to the Jane Brady Years Even the Lefts beloved Beau fumbled on that one!
Now just out!
April, 2012 labor market data for Delaware has just been released.
Compared to April of 2008, four years ago, total employment in Delaware is down by 20,000. Construction jobs are down 40%, manufacturing off 22%, and finance jobs down 6%. Government, of course, is up 2%.
Although compared to four years ago the civilian labor force in Delaware is off by 5,000 people, the number of folks unemploye…d is up by 68%.
Delaware personal income is essentially unchanged and real total wages have dropped 4%. And, unsurprisingly, the state’s real personal income tax revenue is flat.
the state has raised taxes on business, including the gross receipts tax and corporate franchise tax. It has kicked the top personal income tax rate up to almost 7% and reinstated the estate tax. Taxes have been raised on alcohol and cigarettes.
An increase in the public utility tax hiked the cost of living and doing business in Delaware.
After receiving substantial Federal money and moving the chairs around on the education deck in various ways, public school test scores remain mediocre. State debt relative to personal income is at a twenty year high. Fisker Automotive received $21 million of grants and loans for an electric car that might set a house on fire.
Perhaps the state voters should try a different approach
Like Facebooks billions of friends, American voters also friends of the Democrat and Republian party’ are in denial
“Behavioral voting” is the new “psychology of denial.” Yes, it’s like falling in love. You can’t hear, can’t see the warning signs. Till after. After months of hype building up to this or that candidae from either party, you’re convinced either one of the party…’s is your soul mate, that not getting involved in that party would leave you devastated, rejected by your true love. And nothing anyone says about the risks will change your mind. That’s the “psychology of denial.”
There are four main reasons for this pervasive psychology of denial among Main Street’s voters: First, voters hate admitting we’re irrational and ill-informed, so they cling to the fiction they’re rational. Second, optimism is the voters worst nightmare, but Americans still act optimistic no matter the odds. Third, Wall Street loves investors in the Demcorat and Republican Party who are irrational, uninformed and optimistic; they’re easy to manipulate. Fourth, American voters are by nature trusting folks who want to believe their party is telling the truth, even though most of the time that’s not the case.
So let me get this right. You are saying that the glass is half-full?
Mr. Lofland-
The money for Fisker was approved by the Council on Development Finance, they approve all funding from the Delaware Strategic Fund. These are the members:
Andrew Lubin, Delaware Financial Group
Steven Biener, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania
Nancy Cook, Former Senator, State of Delaware
Thomas Gilligan, Horty & Horty
Jack Riddle, Community Bank
Representative Darryl Scott, State of Delaware
Fred Sears, II, Delaware Community Foundation
Richelle Vible, Catholic Charities
The state hasn’t even come close to giving Fisker the $21 million set aside for operations, and if they don’t hire 1,500 workers in Delaware, whatever money they have received comes back to the state.
What did AG Beau Biden “fumble” with the Bradley case? Bradley is serving 4 back to back life sentences, he will never see the light of day. If I recall correctly, not ONE MEMBER of the Constitution Party was involved in the reporting, arrest or prosecution of Earl Bradley.
The BlueWater Wind contract was awarded after a BIDDING PROCESS where BlueWater Wind won. They were chosen by the Public Service Commission. The other two bidders, by the way, also sought service contracts that exactly mirrored the Bluewater contract, and the other two bidders sought MORE money in State and Federal grants, loans and straight out government funding.
This administration also managed to resell and restart an oil refinery in Delaware City, putting over a thousand people back to work who never thought they would walk into that facility again. I would like to see one of the clueless shitheads in the Constitution Party pull off something like that.
Its no wonder why the Constitution Party was unable to round up the 600 voters necessary to get on the 2010 ballot. If you want to see an “uninformed” voter, look in the mirror.
The handling and retrieval of evidence of the Bradley case is one issue.
Actually the ballot status you stated was a violation of Due Process of Law and the voter Rights Act. Which the AG office determined would cost the State millions of dollars in legal fees if they GA did not reverse HB 245.
What you suggest on that issue is baseles
As for the other issues. The contract of NRG was awarded after the State had knowledge of their financial problems. A very poor decision at best of State officials
As for Fisker. Again a very poor decision on behalf of state appointed officers that were appointed by Who?
Misimformed? Our very own Gov. Markell, who has been known to be a supporter of the Fisker fiasco, expressed his feeling this way, “We are frustrated that Fisker and the DOE have been unable to come to terms on revisions to their loan agreement in time to avoid this,”
So it would seem as if Gov. Markell is more concerned with giving more tax dollars to a company that is showing poor signs of being able to sell its product, than he is with protecting tax payers from being robbed of their hard-earned money.
So when Delaware is kicking in $21.5 Million along with Washington’s $529 Million we can see that Gov. Markell can now call the Fisker fiasco his own Solyndra.
So run the numbers. $550.5 Million in promised loans from both Delaware and D.C., and what do we have to show for it ? Well we had somewhere around one hundred jobs, that is until Fisker announced that they were laying off twenty-six people. We have not a single car produced in Delaware.
In the end, who is hurt by this? The Delaware (and American) taxpayers for one as hundreds of millions of dollars are once again squandered on yet another massive government failure.
So a bike-riding tootheless wonder is the Messiah that Delaware needs to lead us into the future
Who knew??
funny how its so easy to sit back and point fingers after the fact
on the one hand we have – Earl Lofland -a has been
on the other – Will McVay – a never will be
WOW – think I will stay with the main stream
both these clowns have exposed their incredible inability to understand ho government works – and even what the law says
now – both of you – go home and stay out of Sussex County politics – its not LOCAL to where you live – and you are all for LOCAL people having LOCAL control right??
well, then that would not include either of you – funny how that works
“Police and prosecutors have said that before Bradley was arrested, they vigorously pursued complaints against him. Attorney General Beau Biden would not agree to be interviewed Wednesday, but in a written statement said that in hopes of arresting Bradley more than a year ago, investigators sought a search warrant for Bradley’s office in December 2008.
Biden wrote to The News Journal that a judge denied the request, and “determined there was not sufficient probable cause to move forward.” Biden did not elaborate or identify the judge.”
So is it the JUDGE’S fault that BIDEN’S OFFICE couldn’t put together an adiquite search warrant with “sufficient probable cause”? anyone with even a 2d year law school education can answer that one. NO!.
That was the AG’s FAILURE.
They teach “probable cause” and how to get a search warrant in law school. How many childrens parents filed complaints with the State Medical Board and other government officials Dating back to Jane Brady? I can assure you it was more than just one complaint!
Again, 3 YEARS in office with a man who was ALREADY on the AG office’s pedophile radar and it took a 3 year old girl and her parents to take this monster down.
BIDEN HAS PROVEN TO BE FAILURE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN HE NOW IS BACK PADDLING TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK GOOD.
One other issue. He was not in the State for how long serving a tour with the DNG? How was he able to manage duties of properly representing the people in DELAWARE as THEIR ELECTED Conservator of The Peace while he was deployed with the DNG overseas serving as an assistant Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer?
Aoine Your 3rd grade debating skills are almost entertaining.
So you also believe that Motorcyclists have no rights and are not capable of being elected in office.
That is interesting. Ever hear of Richard M. Lester? or How about Ben Nighthorse the Democrat US Senator from Colorado. And then there is Arizonas Democrat Favorite Gabrielle Giffords. She rode her motorcycle.
And meanwhile you have proven your inabilty to have an intellectual conversation– above a elementary grade maturity level.
Aoine You may have misspelled, but you did make a very factual comment about “ho government works”
HO GOVERNMENT WORKS? A ho government obviously prostitutes out rights and doles out tax dollars and special interest perks to the highest bidder. and Aoine. You are not the one they are catering to either (unless you are a major financial donor).
As for your comment “its not LOCAL to where you live”.
You again prove you lack understanding State statutes And the Constitutions.
We are a three county state with 3 respective county sheriff officesn where voters are protected under the “equal protection of law” in the US Constitution, (and due process of law).
Mr Lofland, as a man who professes to be a constitutionalist you have a frightening view of Constitutional Rights. The AG followed the Constitution and was denied warrants, the victim who came forward, who was 12 incidentally, was the evidence the AG needed to GET the warrant. What would you have the AG do? Break into Bradley’s office after being denied a warrant and set up illegal surveillance? Aren’t you the same Earl Lofland that was whining about “drones” right here on this site at 2:45pm today/
Biden followed the Constitution and Bradley will spend the rest of his life behind bars. If you can tell us exactly what evidence should have been included in the AGs 2008 court proceeding that he refused to include because of (insert evil intent here) I would love to hear about it.
You disgust me, trying to capitalize on the suffering and pain of my friends and neighbors and their children to further the goals of your pathetic little party. Fuck you, Mr Lofland.