Cops and the Constitution

by | Jul 8, 2010 | 17 comments

Find a police officer out in public and ask them what the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution is.  After that, ask them about the 6th.  Just for kicks, ask them how many rights the 1st Amendment restricts the government from infringing on.

I guarantee you that ninety percent (plus) of the police officers you ask wont know the answers.  Why?  Well, the police academy does not teach the entirety of the US Constitution or the NH Constitution.  Doesn’t this seem like an important thing to teach the people who are the “boots on the ground” portion of the government?

I’ve attended both the New Hampshire full-time and part-time police academies and neither taught anything more about the US or NH constitutions other than the basics about searching and seizing.  Were I able to re-attend the police academy I’d love to ask the instructors from the Attorney General’s office what my responsibility is to Part I, Article 10 of the New Hampshire Constitution.  Clearly, these words on paper combined with my required oath to defend them mean something, don’t they?

Question:  How can someone take an oath to uphold and defend something that they know almost nothing about?

(the oath to uphold it is almost as much of a joke as the law enforcement officer’s code of ethics is …  nothing more than a PR trick.)

“Right-To-Travel” NH Native Sparks Anti-FSP Vitriol

by | Jul 8, 2010 | 9 comments

The Union Leader is running an article about an individual who was arrested by the Rockingham County Sheriffs Department for driving without state permission:

“A Nottingham man was ordered held without bail after he argued that the county sheriff’s department had no constitutional right to arrest him for driving from the courthouse without a license.”

Drive, without state permission, eventually what happens?

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NH Court Security Gets Pay Increase

by | Jul 7, 2010 | 5 comments

Perhaps this means the quality of people attracted to such employment will improve.  You know, so there aren’t guys like this intentionally hurting people who only want to exercise their so-called “freedom of the press” by filming in a public building.

Court security officers were getting $65 for a full day and $35 for a half day.  According to the new law, they’re now going to be paid $80 for a full day and $40 for a half day.

We can only hope this pay increase marks a new era of respect for the rights of individuals.

(the legal-eeze is here)

If Police Really Wanted To Make Communities Safer

by | Jul 7, 2010 | 12 comments

… they would strike at the root of the cause of so much crime that plagues their communities: drug prohibition.

In Farmington, NH there has been a rash of burglaries:

“Police have nabbed three men and continue to make headway on an investigation into a burglary and theft spree plaguing the town.”

“Farmington is a town that averages 35 to 40 burglaries annually, Willey said, but in a monthlong period from early June to early July, there were nine reported break-ins, he said. Between June 1 and June 6, there were additionally 15 reported thefts from motor vehicles, he said.“

I feel I must repeat myself continuously here for the truth to hopefully one day sink in: Why, oh why, are these innocent people being victimized?

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Write to Capuzzo in Jail!

by | Jul 6, 2010 | 25 comments

CapuzzoLocal-turned-activist leader Mark Capuzzo is still jailed in Massachusetts on drug charges. You can send mail to him courtesy of Mail-to-Jail.com. Mail-to-jail makes it easy. Write your letter or pick a postcard and MTJ takes the time to print, address, and mail it. You don’t even have to pay the postage, though MTJ would appreciate a donation – look for the chipin in the right column of their site.

If you want to do it the old-fashioned way, here’s the current address where he can be reached. Visit this thread on the Free Keene forum for the latest.