"Few turning to civilians’ police board; Report finds public wary of appeal system" by Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | October 23, 2009
Five years after an Emerson College junior was shot and killed by a Boston police officer firing a pepper-pellet gun into a crowd at a Red Sox pennant celebration, the civilian review board established to examine allegations of police brutality and misconduct is seldom used and deeply mistrusted by the public it was designed to serve, according to a new report by Harvard University researchers.
Related: The Night the Celtics Won the Championship
The report paints a portrait of a civilian review board that is languishing in obscurity and falling woefully short of its mission to build trust in the Boston Police Department....
Isn't that a sad statement, Boston?
You can't trust your cops?
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The State Police union has urged Governor Deval Patrick to order an independent audit of the agency to investigate its complaint that the force is top heavy, with too many highly paid superior officers and not enough troopers.
In a report submitted to Patrick in March and obtained by the Globe last week, the union, which represents sergeants and troopers, said State Police management has swelled since the 1990s. It estimated that the state could save $1 million to $7 million annually through “the reduction of patronage ranks, elimination of redundant positions, or the downgrading of certain positions.’’
“If there is any waste at the top with overstaffing of management, then I’d like to find that out,’’ said Richard R. Brown, president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts, during an interview last week. “That money could be used to put more boots on the street. We shouldn’t be laying off any troopers if there is waste at the top.’’
The State Police narrowly averted massive layoffs last month and had to scrap plans to add more troopers this year because of budget cuts. The department, which presently has 2,278 sworn officers, has not hired any new recruits in three years. It has lost 261 sworn officers during that time due to attrition....
Terrel Harris, a spokesman for the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, released a statement Friday saying, “While we appreciate the union’s effort to help us find efficiencies, we disagree with the methodology used to assess our ranks and the recommendations for saving taxpayer dollars.
“We are satisifed we have the appropriate blend of managers and troopers within each division to support the changing mission of the State Police which have seen increases in the demand for crime scene services, tactical operations and support, intelligence (fusion) services and anti-terrorism services, and support to urban crime areas (CA/T teams and the Gang Units),’’ the statement said....
Yup, ALL the TYRANNY traces back to that DAMN DAY!!!
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Yup, can't count on the cops fer nuthin'!
"Victim’s parents target violent-offender laws; Launch nonprofit to analyze recidivism" by Maria Cramer, Globe Staff | August 12, 2009
The partnership between the Ally Foundation and the RAND Corporation, the global policy think tank, comes as several laws and measures that target released sexual and violent offenders are facing criticism.
Yeah, let's PROTECT the PERVERTS!
Either let loose the non-violent drug offenders and keep the sickies in jail or execute there asses! I'm tired of this crap!
Advocates say such laws, which impose a variety of regulations on sex offenders, help residents stay on guard for convicted predators whose behavior is difficult to predict once they are freed.
Others have criticized the restrictions, for example, limits on where offenders can live, rules that stay in place even if the offender never commits another crime. Often, measures do not distinguish between criminals who are at high risk for reoffending and those who are not. Under some laws, a teenager caught having sex with an underage partner may be forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Since when were perverts afforded such sympathy, huh?
Through the partnership, Andrea Casanova, the mother of Alexandra Zapp, a 30-year-old sailing enthusiast who was murdered by a sex offender at a rest stop in Bridgewater, said she hopes to provide a clearinghouse that will disseminate reliable research to both legislators and other citizens who want to know whether the laws in their own state or county are effective.
Greg Ridgeway, RAND’s director of safety and justice research, said the plan is to raise about $2 million a year to analyze existing research and conduct new research. The Ally Foundation will help raise funds and raise awareness about the effort....
I don't know; some GLOBAL THINK TANK behind the idea?!
Thumbs down!
