SoyYo
05-07-2004, 05:09 PM
Greetings,
I was told of this site causing me to expend much to much time reading all the logic mixed with emotion and venom. For what it is worth I have done "real policing" big city style and appreciate the need for "boots on the ground" to snoop and talk before the "who dun-it's" are solved. I have Great respect for those working at Lexington County and what I consider the sacrifices, economic and otherwise, of those who serve here.
My experiences as a "customer" caused me to believe some of the many Day Lord positions need returned to the street in vehicles with equipment that is competent for the job. What follows is my experience as consumer of police services and why I am supporting Harrison. :arrow:
6 May 2004
Mr. Harrision,
I thought I might tell you why I support you for the position of Sheriff of Lexington County. The convoluted rational directly tracks your primary observation that ‘the Sheriff’s budget has increased 60% yet there still are not enough Deputies to take care of primary responsibilities of identifying and eliminating crime. I believe much of that 60% increase was forced on County Council who is afraid to be viewed as ‘soft on crime’ so forcing taxpayers to support big city fad programs when their Federal grant money terminates. There are just too many Day Lords and not enough grunts to do the work.
By way of background, I completed more than thirty years municipal and federal law enforcement service, the last ten or more assigned to multi-jurisdictional narcotics task forces. As does the Sheriff, I have advanced formal education in Police Administration with letters I could tack on at the end of my name. I have some basis for my opinions.
A few years ago I retired to this warmer Midlands climate. I had no desire to bother anybody, only pay the inevitable taxes and go fishing with my grandchildren. I tried to survive the cultural shock of
‘personal property’ taxes but failed. In reading the Lexington Chronicle, I was fascinated with how the Sheriff managed to have little programs mimicking each newest and best “advances” in policing as
developed in the big cities. I wondered at how the County could staff and fund all those programs. I thought, “good for him, good for us”.
Last summer I was honored to attend the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy. That experience left me with deep appreciation of the skills and immense dedication of the many under-compensated Deputies. The long program was thought provoking. I was curious about things like:
the relative youth of the commander of the jail .... there must be really high turnover; Why the Sheriff must allocate three full time positions for polygraph operators doing mostly internal investigations when the FBI allocated one operator to service 360+ agents and a whole State; How can three full time positions be allocated to “intelligence” yet there is no surveillance crew with time/duty to follow up on the data produced; Are there budgetary concerns fully equipping all the take home cars?; I saw the fleet of very tired cars auctioned off, each with over 250,000 miles [were they safe to operate?]; What management/ public safety considerations might be involved in the apparently large number of these
patrol cars breaking down because the transmission failure?; (There is no “preventative patrol” by the Sheriff’s department.) What of taxpayer liability and questions of good business practices in allowing employees to have outside jobs not to mention using the company car and gas (?) to drive two hours each way for outside employment; Why are calls for officers ‘backed or stacked up’ awaiting dispatcher assignment so early in the afternoon [5-6pm] rather than the normal bar closing time?
How do response time statistics compare nationally and regionally? {I am used to 7 minute response time in the city not 45 - 90 minute County time} [Dispatchers kept returning calls to those requesting service reporting they have no one available until the callers told them to ‘forget it’. I would want to ignore a "my neighbor's cat is coming on my lot to pee" run also. :twisted: ]
Why in sixteen years were the only new detective positions added those gained in grants and reserved for child abuse (4) and domestic violence (2) cases?. [From 1990 to 1998 the county claimed 37,600 new residents - were there no calls for investigations from that many folk? How about from new businesses?] How can these deputies be so energized in the face of such limited resources? These and other questions were and are thought provoking but “whatever works”.
THEN I found myself in need of police services. Last May I returned from a fishing trip. Little did I realize the old man in the trailer just over the hill from me had moved out and rented it to crack heads. I found my shed had been entered and fishing equipment stolen. I found more equipment taken the night it was unloaded. I dutifully filed a police report.
I reside at the end of a two track road behind a locked cable with a “stay out” sign overhead. I like it that way. This turn of events forced me to do what I had previously resisted. I started up the street talking to neighbors. The first one was the occupant of the old man’s trailer. In talking to him I came to realize he and his “cousin” were the ones who no doubt broke into my shed stealing my stuff. He talked of his problems working with drug addicts and how he was on first name basis with the owner of a pawn shop known as “Boss Bull” because of all the drug related pawning activity.
I gathered ample information to allow quick “investigation” and intervention with the goal of preventing thefts from others on my streets. At the bare minimum I thought the “intelligence” crew would want to identify these people in order to determine if they were the cause of local crimes, past or future. Thirty years of police work told me the first move is to identify potential suspects. It is very basic but not to happen. Parenthetically, at this time there apparently were warrants outstanding
for the arrest of this person for non-support. His arrest would have quickly taken care of the problem.
I wrote down the information including individual and vehicle descriptions with first names and license plate numbers. I learned [the] Resident Deputy[s] area of responsibility is all of West Columbia as well as the area approaching Red Bank. It is an impossible task. I gave him copies of the information. He affirmed my case was never assigned to a detective because of the tremendous backlog of assigned cases and an initial lack of “solve-ability factors”. I can understand the logic but
not the failure to give at least one phone call to victims leaving a name and phone number “if anything new turns up”. [The R D] let me know that several of the cars frequenting the house were newly purchased from car lots on recorded credit, but had improper residence addresses. The registration names were different from those known to me. In other States that is a crime. [The R D] talked to the “intelligence” unit obtaining crime report information and made multiple inquiries to the narcotics
units. None of the units reported any knowledge of or apparent interest in the crooks.
All it would have taken would have been a young pup deputy with a bit of time on his or her hands to do semi-surveillance and a few traffic stops to fully identify these crooks. No doubt a traffic stop would have exposed licensing violations and contraband discovery. I waited and waited for action.
Nothing happened. Later, the Resident Deputy apologized that he couldn’t do more as he had been assigned to investigate a bunch of middle school kids breaking into an abandoned factory. I believe him.
About two weeks later I continued my way up the neighborhood talking to all the residents. My message, without specifics, was that there was a crime problem and that the neighbors should take care to mark and secure their property. I learned of six separate larceny’s or burglaries within the previous several months, none of which had been reported to authorities. They remain unreported.
I was able to affirm the high probability that the women in the rented trailer were not only using but dealing drugs. I identified one man from court records who openly brags of all the homes he has broken into over the years. I reduced all of this to writing. I gave it to the dispatcher for the resident deputy.
Nothing happened. Now, several months later, these guys hung around the trailer most days. Huge parties were held at night. One day I sat with the neighbor across the street as he showed me how many cars drive to the trailer early each afternoon. Most stay only minutes.
I could wait no longer. I called for an appointment with the Sheriff. Imagine my excitement when I received a telephone call the next day from a Detective Lieutenant advising me that [a] Detective [deleted] had been assigned my case. There was still time for action. He came over. We commiserated over the unmanageable case load. I gave him more copies of the information. He told me of unpublicized successful arrests of a nearby organized group stealing lawn tractors. I was and am impressed. Too bad there was no time for my crooks.
I had my meeting with the Sheriff. I provided copies of my previous information as well as a letter similar to this. Perhaps there was cause for hope. Nothing happened.
Some four months later (I lost interest and count) - late last month - I was overjoyed to learn that (a) the neighbor had “called the cops” threatening to take his shot gun over and clean out the nest if
they didn’t do something; that (b) the drug squad raided the trailer as the original man I told them about was cooking methamphetamine. That guy remains in jail partly because of a $56,000 or more warrant for non-support and the drug charges. The police action lead to (c) the old man evicting the people the police did not take.
I can not tell you how absolutely WONDERFUL it feels to drive past that place and see it vacant. Apparently the Deputies enforced litter ordinances because the old man has returned to clean the place up. He has towed or hauled out many dozens of loads of trash. What a JOY.
Back to the realities of this election cycle. You understand the lack of “service” I received, especially considering I know how to develop and present information in a method allowing law enforcement officers do their job as efficiently as possible. The department had all the information needed for a “slam bam” mini-caper that would have avoided all of the mess if it were properly deployed.. What service does John Q Public receive? Does it take threats of neighbor violence for action?
Let me tell you about two more irritations. First is the aforementioned failure by Deputies to interview and record the six burglaries on my block. That neglect helped insure those re-elect the Sheriff because of “reduced crime” banners I see. Secondly, The Sheriff is running all around the county getting his voter support groups, excuse me, “crime watch committees” organized. The Sheriff tells each member of these committees that they are special [and they are] and that he has people
awaiting their calls when something suspicious happens in their communities. The Sheriff tells each one to call their resident deputy and/or central dispatch. There isn’t a chance in heck that those calls
can have response in a timely manner. There simply are not enough assets in the field. It is simply not right to make false promises.
Sincerely,
signed
T. C. Houghtaling
PS:
I talked to Jim Breazelle (sic). I was disappointed. He told me he (a) just wants to be a public servant and that he has no idea of anything that needs fixed or improved; that he will wait until he gets the job to check it out. I found his “platform” could use a little thought. He did talk of ‘voodoo accounting’ methods by the Sheriff’s Department which may be worthy of inquiry.
I was told of this site causing me to expend much to much time reading all the logic mixed with emotion and venom. For what it is worth I have done "real policing" big city style and appreciate the need for "boots on the ground" to snoop and talk before the "who dun-it's" are solved. I have Great respect for those working at Lexington County and what I consider the sacrifices, economic and otherwise, of those who serve here.
My experiences as a "customer" caused me to believe some of the many Day Lord positions need returned to the street in vehicles with equipment that is competent for the job. What follows is my experience as consumer of police services and why I am supporting Harrison. :arrow:
6 May 2004
Mr. Harrision,
I thought I might tell you why I support you for the position of Sheriff of Lexington County. The convoluted rational directly tracks your primary observation that ‘the Sheriff’s budget has increased 60% yet there still are not enough Deputies to take care of primary responsibilities of identifying and eliminating crime. I believe much of that 60% increase was forced on County Council who is afraid to be viewed as ‘soft on crime’ so forcing taxpayers to support big city fad programs when their Federal grant money terminates. There are just too many Day Lords and not enough grunts to do the work.
By way of background, I completed more than thirty years municipal and federal law enforcement service, the last ten or more assigned to multi-jurisdictional narcotics task forces. As does the Sheriff, I have advanced formal education in Police Administration with letters I could tack on at the end of my name. I have some basis for my opinions.
A few years ago I retired to this warmer Midlands climate. I had no desire to bother anybody, only pay the inevitable taxes and go fishing with my grandchildren. I tried to survive the cultural shock of
‘personal property’ taxes but failed. In reading the Lexington Chronicle, I was fascinated with how the Sheriff managed to have little programs mimicking each newest and best “advances” in policing as
developed in the big cities. I wondered at how the County could staff and fund all those programs. I thought, “good for him, good for us”.
Last summer I was honored to attend the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy. That experience left me with deep appreciation of the skills and immense dedication of the many under-compensated Deputies. The long program was thought provoking. I was curious about things like:
the relative youth of the commander of the jail .... there must be really high turnover; Why the Sheriff must allocate three full time positions for polygraph operators doing mostly internal investigations when the FBI allocated one operator to service 360+ agents and a whole State; How can three full time positions be allocated to “intelligence” yet there is no surveillance crew with time/duty to follow up on the data produced; Are there budgetary concerns fully equipping all the take home cars?; I saw the fleet of very tired cars auctioned off, each with over 250,000 miles [were they safe to operate?]; What management/ public safety considerations might be involved in the apparently large number of these
patrol cars breaking down because the transmission failure?; (There is no “preventative patrol” by the Sheriff’s department.) What of taxpayer liability and questions of good business practices in allowing employees to have outside jobs not to mention using the company car and gas (?) to drive two hours each way for outside employment; Why are calls for officers ‘backed or stacked up’ awaiting dispatcher assignment so early in the afternoon [5-6pm] rather than the normal bar closing time?
How do response time statistics compare nationally and regionally? {I am used to 7 minute response time in the city not 45 - 90 minute County time} [Dispatchers kept returning calls to those requesting service reporting they have no one available until the callers told them to ‘forget it’. I would want to ignore a "my neighbor's cat is coming on my lot to pee" run also. :twisted: ]
Why in sixteen years were the only new detective positions added those gained in grants and reserved for child abuse (4) and domestic violence (2) cases?. [From 1990 to 1998 the county claimed 37,600 new residents - were there no calls for investigations from that many folk? How about from new businesses?] How can these deputies be so energized in the face of such limited resources? These and other questions were and are thought provoking but “whatever works”.
THEN I found myself in need of police services. Last May I returned from a fishing trip. Little did I realize the old man in the trailer just over the hill from me had moved out and rented it to crack heads. I found my shed had been entered and fishing equipment stolen. I found more equipment taken the night it was unloaded. I dutifully filed a police report.
I reside at the end of a two track road behind a locked cable with a “stay out” sign overhead. I like it that way. This turn of events forced me to do what I had previously resisted. I started up the street talking to neighbors. The first one was the occupant of the old man’s trailer. In talking to him I came to realize he and his “cousin” were the ones who no doubt broke into my shed stealing my stuff. He talked of his problems working with drug addicts and how he was on first name basis with the owner of a pawn shop known as “Boss Bull” because of all the drug related pawning activity.
I gathered ample information to allow quick “investigation” and intervention with the goal of preventing thefts from others on my streets. At the bare minimum I thought the “intelligence” crew would want to identify these people in order to determine if they were the cause of local crimes, past or future. Thirty years of police work told me the first move is to identify potential suspects. It is very basic but not to happen. Parenthetically, at this time there apparently were warrants outstanding
for the arrest of this person for non-support. His arrest would have quickly taken care of the problem.
I wrote down the information including individual and vehicle descriptions with first names and license plate numbers. I learned [the] Resident Deputy[s] area of responsibility is all of West Columbia as well as the area approaching Red Bank. It is an impossible task. I gave him copies of the information. He affirmed my case was never assigned to a detective because of the tremendous backlog of assigned cases and an initial lack of “solve-ability factors”. I can understand the logic but
not the failure to give at least one phone call to victims leaving a name and phone number “if anything new turns up”. [The R D] let me know that several of the cars frequenting the house were newly purchased from car lots on recorded credit, but had improper residence addresses. The registration names were different from those known to me. In other States that is a crime. [The R D] talked to the “intelligence” unit obtaining crime report information and made multiple inquiries to the narcotics
units. None of the units reported any knowledge of or apparent interest in the crooks.
All it would have taken would have been a young pup deputy with a bit of time on his or her hands to do semi-surveillance and a few traffic stops to fully identify these crooks. No doubt a traffic stop would have exposed licensing violations and contraband discovery. I waited and waited for action.
Nothing happened. Later, the Resident Deputy apologized that he couldn’t do more as he had been assigned to investigate a bunch of middle school kids breaking into an abandoned factory. I believe him.
About two weeks later I continued my way up the neighborhood talking to all the residents. My message, without specifics, was that there was a crime problem and that the neighbors should take care to mark and secure their property. I learned of six separate larceny’s or burglaries within the previous several months, none of which had been reported to authorities. They remain unreported.
I was able to affirm the high probability that the women in the rented trailer were not only using but dealing drugs. I identified one man from court records who openly brags of all the homes he has broken into over the years. I reduced all of this to writing. I gave it to the dispatcher for the resident deputy.
Nothing happened. Now, several months later, these guys hung around the trailer most days. Huge parties were held at night. One day I sat with the neighbor across the street as he showed me how many cars drive to the trailer early each afternoon. Most stay only minutes.
I could wait no longer. I called for an appointment with the Sheriff. Imagine my excitement when I received a telephone call the next day from a Detective Lieutenant advising me that [a] Detective [deleted] had been assigned my case. There was still time for action. He came over. We commiserated over the unmanageable case load. I gave him more copies of the information. He told me of unpublicized successful arrests of a nearby organized group stealing lawn tractors. I was and am impressed. Too bad there was no time for my crooks.
I had my meeting with the Sheriff. I provided copies of my previous information as well as a letter similar to this. Perhaps there was cause for hope. Nothing happened.
Some four months later (I lost interest and count) - late last month - I was overjoyed to learn that (a) the neighbor had “called the cops” threatening to take his shot gun over and clean out the nest if
they didn’t do something; that (b) the drug squad raided the trailer as the original man I told them about was cooking methamphetamine. That guy remains in jail partly because of a $56,000 or more warrant for non-support and the drug charges. The police action lead to (c) the old man evicting the people the police did not take.
I can not tell you how absolutely WONDERFUL it feels to drive past that place and see it vacant. Apparently the Deputies enforced litter ordinances because the old man has returned to clean the place up. He has towed or hauled out many dozens of loads of trash. What a JOY.
Back to the realities of this election cycle. You understand the lack of “service” I received, especially considering I know how to develop and present information in a method allowing law enforcement officers do their job as efficiently as possible. The department had all the information needed for a “slam bam” mini-caper that would have avoided all of the mess if it were properly deployed.. What service does John Q Public receive? Does it take threats of neighbor violence for action?
Let me tell you about two more irritations. First is the aforementioned failure by Deputies to interview and record the six burglaries on my block. That neglect helped insure those re-elect the Sheriff because of “reduced crime” banners I see. Secondly, The Sheriff is running all around the county getting his voter support groups, excuse me, “crime watch committees” organized. The Sheriff tells each member of these committees that they are special [and they are] and that he has people
awaiting their calls when something suspicious happens in their communities. The Sheriff tells each one to call their resident deputy and/or central dispatch. There isn’t a chance in heck that those calls
can have response in a timely manner. There simply are not enough assets in the field. It is simply not right to make false promises.
Sincerely,
signed
T. C. Houghtaling
PS:
I talked to Jim Breazelle (sic). I was disappointed. He told me he (a) just wants to be a public servant and that he has no idea of anything that needs fixed or improved; that he will wait until he gets the job to check it out. I found his “platform” could use a little thought. He did talk of ‘voodoo accounting’ methods by the Sheriff’s Department which may be worthy of inquiry.