Local law enforcement agencies have their hands out for federal stimulus funds to help de-stimulate crime.
Commerce will ask for almost $21,000 for its drug interdiction effort, Jefferson will seek almost $27,000 for updated technology and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office will seek $33,000 for yet-to-be determined purposes.
All of the agencies will submit requests under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program administered by the Department of Justice with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Money is made available based on a formula of population and violent crime. Sixty percent goes to the state governments and 40 percent will be allocated to local jurisdictions.
Commerce qualifies for $20,993, Jefferson for $26,909 and the sheriff’s office for $33,016.
“The funds have to support a specific program,” explained Commerce chief of police John W. Gaissert. “We only have two bona fide programs, our school resource officers and drug interdiction. The way the grant is written, to qualify you have to be supporting a particular program, and we’re supposed to link it to measurable, quantifiable data to show it (the money) will improve the program.”
Jefferson chief Joe Wirthman said his agency will seek funds to put laptop computers in officers’ cars and to create a “docking station” where officers can download their reports so they don’t have to come to the police station.
Both Jefferson and Commerce also hope to tap the COPS Hiring Recovery Program grant funds that are also part of the federal stimulus package.
Commerce will go after a second school resource officer (SRO), Gaissert said.
Major David Cochran of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says his department is mulling its options, but will definitely apply for stimulus funds.
“We’ve talked about updating our mobile laptops with GIS,” Cochran said. “We’ve talked about maybe some crime scene equipment or personnel. We really haven’t made the decision, but we’re going to apply for those funds.”
There are funds available to hire non-sworn personnel, to improve school security and to facilitate community oriented policing.
“It helps in today’s economy,” Cochran notes. “Money is tight everywhere. Twenty-five to thirty-five thousand goes a long way as far as equipment goes.”
Regarding profiling, I travel from Maysville to Atlanta 6 days a week so I frequently see the police searching vehicles. The majority, not all, of the people that I see pulled over are young black males and Latino males. I have read many articles about the police taking money and not making any arrest. As a former law enforcement officer, I know how to say that a vehicle crossed the center line or was weaving in order to make a traffic stop.
J. Edgar Hoover refused to allow the FBI to get involved in drug investigations because he knew that would lead to the corruption of his agents.
I would love to find out how many vehicles are stopped weekly by local police officers out on interstate 85 in Jackson County. Maybe it's time to file a freedon of information request with the local police departments in Jackson County! There's plenty of work for local police in town. They should not be out on the interstate harrassing motorist who are bypassing Commerce and Jefferson.
And I don't harass anyone. I am politically a Libertarian/Constitutionalist. I do my job to the point that my conscience will allow, and ensure that I follow and uphold The Constitution. After all, my oath is to uphold The Constitution. I never took an oath to harass people for drugs or drug money, and I never will. Have you seen what is happening in Mexico? Do you want that here? I don't. (Though it is ALREADY here in a sense) Trafficking is just simply a problem that needs to be addressed. We are doing so to the best of our abilities. Patrol officers are not working interdiction on the interstate, and this does not hinder the department's ability to handle calls closer to the city center.
What these people (traffickers) are doing is highly illegal, and the Gwinnett county ICE members (for example) are out on the interstate trying to keep drugs out of Braselton / Jefferson / Commerce.
Essentially, you're complaining about something you don't understand the fluidity or dynamics of. Its a symbiotic effort, if you will. To me, it sounds like you are blindly complaining about the police, which is fine, as that is your right. It's not like we're not used to that. However, it would benefit you to form an informed opinion, rather than a knee-jerk opinion of specious conjecture.
We need to work together, and not have such an "us against them" mentality, as we, as Americans, are trained and conditioned into on a daily basis- "Police are bad, police are against us". We are not. You need to start thinking for yourself. We are citizens too, and in my mind, we are on the same side. I will never stand against the rights of or repress any citizen. And I certainly won't harass them. My job just dictates that I arrest you if you are engaging in criminal activity. And I WILL work to develop probable cause to arrest you if I suspect that you are (or are about to be) engaged in criminal activity, but I will NEVER step outside the frameworks afforded to YOU, or deprive you of your rights while I am working under the color of law.
Enforcing laws helps society to function, simply. It is necessary. Rest assured, for me, this will never include going against The Constitution or any of your unalienable legal rights. If I am instructed to do otherwise, you will see me at McDonald's, flipping your burgers. I refuse to be a puppet or a governmental tool of repression. Most officers feel that way. I understand that some officers do not fully comprehend the awesome responsibility they face, or potential power they wield; and exercise it improperly. I agree that they should be removed. However, I work with a very conscientious group of guys, and I know for a fact that we have let drugs go from a traffic stop because we could not legally develop probable cause to search. That does not constitute harassment. It is quite the opposite. We are an ethically sound unit, and I take great pride in that. However, there will always be nay-sayers and detractors, saying we do not work in the city limits. I recall the amount of in-town drug warrants we served, and how we were still a bunch of cronies and harassers. I'm well-aware of the fact that we have a thankless job. But, sometimes I feel that there is no pleasing people.
For being such a politically oriented populace, as Commerce seems to be, I feel that you sometimes don't understand exactly what your complaint is, just that you have one. Wake up, brothers!
Assumptions are made when you see a man in a police uniform. But I will be the first to say that you don't know how I think, and you have not the slightest clue as to my opinions, level of education, mores or morals. Stop and talk to us and your opinion might change. Fight the knee-jerk.
This being said, I personally disagree with accepting Federal funds, but that is a whole other can of worms (both literally and figuratively), and I have absolutely no control of that.
For your first request: Commerce and Jefferson City limits span to both sides, east and west, of the interstate, so therefore that is how the interstate goes through the cities. You should know that. If you drive from Maysville to Atlanta, if you take Hwy 98 to I85, you come into Commerce city limits before you get to the interstate.
And yes, ICE, on a federal level is Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, ICE on a local or state level, is Interstate Criminal Enforcement. I did not realize that had to be clarified for a former law enforcement officer.
In regards to your comment about police "taking" money and not making an arrest: It is not illegal to have a large amount of money, that is why there is no arrest made. Although, if an officer is able to articulate reasons that he believes that money is used for drugs or was obtained illegally, then that officer can seize that money. The subject that the money was seized from will have an opportunity with a Judge to prove that the money was obtained legally. If he can prove it, then the money is returned. Most people never take that opportunity, usually because it was drug money.
NWO slave: I thank you for your hard work, and I am sure many others do as well.