...just livin' the dream.

Wow

2008-06-25T12:58:00.001-05:00

I saw this on Officer.com... I am highly impressed.

Flood

2008-06-14T15:35:00.022-05:00

This is looking west on "The Strip" in Coralville. Usually, this is 4 lanes of solid traffic during the day.

This is an apartment complex on 4th Avenue in Coralville. This is about 6 city blocks from the river bank.

This is of the Coralville Dam's spillway. Normally, it is dry. Now, combining the water coming over the spillway and through the floodgates, there are an estimated 50,000 cubic feet of water per second going down stream toward Coralville and Iowa City.

3rd Avenue in Downtown Cedar Rapids

This railroad bridge is Downtown Cedar Rapids near I380. The things hung up on the bridge are houseboats that are usually docked at the Ellis Docks several miles away.

The last photo is of downtown Cedar Rapids. Interstate 380 goes through the middle of the photo and Quaker Oats can be seen just below it.

This is the Vinton Fire Department. Vinton is about 30 miles Northwest of Cedar Rapids. It sits right on the Cedar River. They've had flooding there before, such as in 1993, but nothing like this year. This picture was taken Tuesday, just as the river started to rise. At crest, the water was about halfway up the large doors.

Also, here are some photos from the Iowa DOT of some of the rural areas. The pictures are a few days old and the water in most of the places, especially Coralville, is much higher today. Vinton is my hometown, and it's something else. They have a max security jail there that is totally flooded. They had to move inmates out in a boat and get them to other jails in the area. I think many ended up at the prison in Anamosa or Oakdale.

There has been record-setting flooding in Eastern Iowa the past few days. about 500 city blocks in Cedar Rapids are under several feet of water. Several main highways, such as Interstates 80 and 380 have been closed because the rivers they cross - the Iowa and Cedar, have covered bridges over them.

No one here has seen flooding of this magnitude. We had "record setting" floods in 1993, but the levels this year have already surpassed the totals for 1993. The water in Cedar Rapids has crested, but the Iowa river that goes through Iowa City and Coralville isn't expected to crest until Tuesday or Wednesday.

So, I've been sandbagging for the past few days. I have about an hour drive to work, but I can't go because every possible route to get me there is closed, so I'm on a kind of vacation. My house sits on the high ground, so I'm not worried about my property, but my neighbors are being flooded, so I've been helping them.

This is a crazy time - the rain only stopped for about 24 hours, and now I hear thunder approaching, again. Apparently we have very severe weather headed our way and I can hear the tornado sirens. Great.

Speaking of tornadoes, we've had two deadly tornadoes in the state. Recently, a tornado in the Parkersburg area killed 7 and a few days ago, a tornado in Northwest Iowa killed 4 boyscouts in injured several more. Here is a picture sent to me by a friend. It was taken as the tornado passed by a farm in Northwest Iowa. Click here for media coverage of Parkersburg and The Boy Scouts.

So, all in all, it's nuts here.

2008-06-02T14:31:00.002-05:00

For those few that had read it, I had posted an email I received from another officer. Unfortunately, someone had plagarized another retired officer's work before forwarding it out. That retired officer contacted me, and I removed it at his request. He offered to send me his original, and of course, I'll put it up right away once I get it.

I'd like to apologize to the author and thank them for letting me know what was going on.

Finally!

2008-05-21T12:28:00.003-05:00

Finally - a judge with some creativity!! Click here to see what this woman was sentenced to for OWI and vehicular homicide. I'm not happy with the jail time, but the other "extras" are very interesting.

Immigration raid in Postville, Iowa

2008-05-19T19:06:00.005-05:00

So, ICE raided AgriProcessors in Postville, Iowa. For those who don't know (which is probably most of you), Postville is a small town in north central Iowa. The odd thing about Postville is the fact that a large population of Hasidic (sp?) Jews live there. Some of those Jews own AgriProcessors, which is a kosher slaughterhouse, one of the only, if not THE only kosher slaughterhouse in the US.

There has also been a large influx of illegal immigrants coming to Postville over recent years. Apparently, the company aided these people in obtaining the paperwork necessary to "legally" work in the US. Many times, this meant using the same Social Security Number for a large number of employees. Other times, the employees would steal someone else's identity to be able to work.

Last week, ICE conducted what has been called the largest raid in US Immigration history in Postville. Many of the detainees have been temporarily housed in the National Cattle Congress, which is basically a fair grounds. Those that have been charged have been shipped to jails all over the state and midwest. Some have been charged and released because they are the only caregiver for children at home.

Nothing has been reported about what, if anything, is going to be done to the owners/administrators at AgriProcessors.

Of course, there was a protest about all of this, as well. All in all, it looks to me to be a circus. Click here if you're interested in some of the press coverage.

LAPD

2008-05-19T19:00:00.003-05:00

I got this picture in an email from another cop... I believe this was taken at the corner of 74th and Figueroa in LA.

Proof that cops don't get paid enough.

Marine in Iraq

2008-05-19T13:31:00.005-05:00

I was just on Fox News and I saw these pics of a Marine's near-miss. He was uninjured, but came about as close as someone can come to getting shot in the face without actually getting hit. Click here to see the photos.

God bless our troops.

On another note, my husband tore up his knee in a fight at work a few weeks back. He ruptured his ACL and had to have surgery this past Friday. This is the same surgery I had 4 years ago, almost to the day. I also had the surgery a month after delivering our daughter. While in recovery Friday (and still a little doped up), my husband looked at me and said "I have a lot more respect for how tough you are after this. And I thought you were a bad ass before".

Nothing like a little pain to help him see the light

;)

Off duty carry

2008-05-13T19:56:00.009-05:00

I was browsing on Officer.com when I came across this article. It's long, so I just pasted the link here, in case you're interested:

The article is about carrying off duty and why some people don't. It references an article written by the FOP while Congress was considering H.R. 218. I pasted that link here:

Very interesting reading. The FOP article only references officers killed, not those who were injured. I know one officer personally from the Des Moines area that observed a man driving recklessly through the officer's neighborhood while the officer was outside. He had decided to let it go, but when the man came tearing back through his neighborhood again, the officer decided to follow the man to find out what was going on.

He began to follow the driver, who tried to get away by driving down a bike path. The officer knew where the path came out, so he cut the man off. When the car stopped, the officer got out to confront the other driver. That is when the other driver shot the officer. When the officer was lying on the ground, the man shot him in the back at close range.

The officer didn't die, but he was paralyzed from the mid-chest down.

When the bad guy was caught, it was found that he was wanted for several things, the most concerning warrant being for murder.

We all might second-guess the officers decision to insert himself into the situation when it was not necessary (in some people's opinion). Hindsight is 20/20. It definitely got me thinking... I carry off-duty when I leave home to go somewhere. I don't carry in my front yard, mowing or throwing a ball for the dogs. Would I chase after someone in that situation? I don't know... I might, I might not. I could see it going both ways. I think the deciding factor for me would be if my family was home or not. I can definitely understand both decisions.

I think that, no matter which choice you would make, it's vital that cops consider the possibility that they will end up in a confrontation off-duty at some point in their careers and form some kind of plan for what you will do in the event something goes down. Let your family know what to do if something should happen, too. The last thing you want are your wife and kids standing frozen in panic in the middle of the mall as you go charging off after some active shooter.

Just food for thought.

*********************************
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On another, more humorous note, check these morons out:

Men charged after skull dug up, used as bong

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Authorities in Texas have filed corpse-abuse charges against two men who allegedly removed a skull from a grave and used it as a bong.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office confirmed on Thursday that misdemeanor abuse of corpse charges have been filed in the case.

One of the men allegedly told police they dug up a grave in an abandoned cemetery in the woods, removed a head from a body and smoked marijuana using the skull as a bong.

Police found the cemetery and a grave that had been disturbed but are still investigating the rest of the story, officials said.

(Reporting by Bruce Nichols)

WOW.

Retard...

2008-05-12T19:44:00.000-05:00

Man Arrested For Throwing M&Ms at Officer

Story Created: May 12, 2008

Story Updated: May 12, 2008

DES MOINES (AP) - A 20-year-old Des Moines man is charged with assaulting a police officer - with candy.

Officials say Sean McGuire, a student at Drake University, was arrested early Sunday at a convenience store. He allegedly threw several M&M's at a Des Moines police officer, who was investigating a hit-and-run accident involving an intoxicated man.

Police reports say Drake security guards on the scene noticed M&M candies falling on the ground around the officer. When the officer turned around one of the candies hit his shoulder.

McGuire claimed he threw the candy because he was "sticking up for his friend," who apparently was the man suspected in the accident.

*****
What a moron.

Police Memorial Week

2008-05-12T16:36:00.000-05:00

I got this in an email today and thought it was good:

OUR HERO POLICE OFFICERS RISK THEIR LIVES EVERY DAY TO

PROTECT AND SERVE US. AND THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO STRESSES,

PRESSURES, AND DANGERS THAT FEW OF US COULD EVEN IMAGINE.'

THEY ARE FATHERS, BROTHERS, SON'S, UNCLES.....

THEY ARE MOTHERS, SISTERS, DAUGHTER'S, AUNT'S.....

YOU GO TO WORK IN A SUIT AND TIE AND CARRY A BRIEF CASE....
THEY GO TO WORK WITH A BULLET PROOF VEST , PEPPER SPRAY,

AND GLOCKS STRAPPED TO THEIR WAIST.....

YOU WORK AT A DESK WITH A NICE COMFORTABLE CHAIR WITH A CORNER

WINDOW ON THE 5TH FLOOR....
THEIR OFFICE HAS 4 WHEELS,4 DOORS, LIGHTS AND SIRENS....

POLICE OFFICERS ARE HUMAN JUST LIKE THE REST OF US..THEY HAVE FAMILIES

THEY COME HOME TO AND CHILDREN WAITING FOR THEM AT THE DOOR....

WHEN THE WEATHER IS AWFUL AND YOU STAY IN SIDE DRINKING COFFEE

OR HOT COCCO....
THEY ARE OUT THERE PROTECTING OTHERS LIVES AND HELPING WHOMEVER

IS IN NEED...PUTTING THEIR OWN SAFETY AT RISK.....

IN THE RAIN....

OR THE SNOW....

EVEN HURRICANES...THEY ARE THERE...

THEY ARE THERE TO COMFORT YOU WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES....

THEY ARE THERE TO COMFORT A LITTLE GIRL WHO'S MOTHER WAS JUST

ARRESTED FOR SELLING HERSELF ON A STREET CORNER, JUST SO SHE

CAN PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE....

THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SAFE ON YOUR WAY TO

YOUR VACATION IN CANCUN ....

YET SOME OFFICERS MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE....THEY RISK IT ALL

TO SAVE ANOTHER...OR A FELLOW BROTHER....

'OFFICER DOWN, OFFICER NEEDS HELP' ARE WORDS THAT CAN CHANGE LIVES FOREVER.WORDS THAT REMAIN EVER PRESENT AND IRREMOVABLE IN THE

MINDS AND HEARTS OF THE POLICE FAMILY.

WE WILL FOREVER BE THANKFUL FOR ALL THEY HAVE DONE....

WE SALUTE YOU....

Rookie

2008-05-10T10:47:00.005-05:00

My department is in the process of hiring some rookies and sending them through the Academy. Our Academy is not a vacation - it's 20 weeks of militaristic fun... inspections, PT, yelling, more yelling, all the good things one imagines when thinking about what boot camp must be like.

Anyway, I apparently "volunteered" to be a mentor to a new recruit. I have no recollection of this spirit of volunteerism. But, I got an email from the Big Boss, telling me that she appreciates my effort and telling me which recruit is now mine to mentor for the next 22 weeks (the Academy starts in 2 weeks). I'll be responsible for making sure she's ready to pass the PT test on the first day of the Academy, getting her mentally prepared for the rigors of the Academy, and secretly providing her with all kinds of random information that will hopefully keep her out of the front leaning rest as much as possible. Great.

So, I invite the rookie, hereafter referred to as HH, to my house for dinner. I should confess that I already know her. She was an intern at one time and we have some mutual friends. Up until last night, however, we've never had a one-on-one conversation.

Also making things interesting was the issue of our mutual friend, Ed. Ed and I worked together at a City department for 6 years. We were pretty tight. I trusted him and I thought he trusted me. Our families had dinner together, threw Super Bowl parties together, etc...

When he was considering moving over to my current department, he asked me to introduce him to a influential friend of mine, SJ. SJ and I have been pretty tight for nearly 10 years. We work closely together as expert witnesses and train other new experts on a yearly basis. SJ is one of the very few people in this world that I trust almost 100%.

Before I did the introduction, I spoke to SJ about Ed and he asked me very specifically about Ed's worthiness. I vouched for Ed and SJ worked hard behind the scenes to get him hired and placed where Ed wanted to be. Up to that point, Ed had been a good friend, and I expected nothing in return for the favor I did for him. I never got a thank you from him, nor did I expect one, because I simply did what friends do for each other.

Fast forward a year, when I was being hired with my current department. Apparently, Ed decided that I was a threat to him and began dogging me behind my back at every opportunity. When it got back to me, I basically cut him out and haven't spoken to him since. Of course, his chief complaint is that I didn't "properly thank" him for all the "hard work" he did to get my hired. Which, of course, is bullshit. The one person that he has really made an effort to turn against me is SJ because he knows how influential SJ is. Fortunately, SJ has repeatedly proven himself to be loyal to me.

Fast forward yet another year, and now HH is hired. After Ed and I stopped speaking, he started "grooming" HH to get hired. She's a very beautiful young woman and very intelligent, just a little trusting when maybe she shouldn't be (but we've all had that issue). I'm sure Ed entertained some fantasies of just how HH would "thank" him when all was said and done.

HH did all of the leg work, however. She passed the PT test, the polygraph, the oral boards, etc... The only thing Ed did was introduce her to some FBI, IRS, and Secret Service agents who work in our area. He also allowed her to job shadow him on a couple of occasions. Honestly, if you were to take out everything he did for her, she would've still been hired.

When she got hired, it was like deja vu all over again for me. He freaked out on her, accusing her of the exact same things he accused me of.

So, HH and I discussed this over steak last night. One thing she said really struck me, and actually impressed me a little bit. HH said the one thing that really "breaks" her heart is that, for the past year or so, she has been believing everything Ed said about me and how evil and disloyal I was for not thanking him appropriately. But now, she said, she sees what really happened and then apologized to me for not seeing it before.

I don't know about you, but in my experience, this has never happened to me before. Usually, if I don't hit it off with someone early, that's it. But she really humbled herself and we had a good talk.

As unhappy as I was for my phantom volunteerism early on, I'm actually glad that I got assigned because I don't know if she and I would've invited her over for dinner or had that conversation.

Sorry for the long-winded post...

Update

2008-05-04T13:29:00.002-05:00

A quick update - the coward that killed the Texas Trooper that I had written about killed himself. Unfortunately, he took the coward's way out.

Texas Trooper killed

2008-05-01T11:02:00.002-05:00

We got this as an informational release today... I hope he gets what is coming to him.

For those of you who are unaware, a DPS Trooper was shot and killed last night in Marion County subsequent a traffic stop. The suspect has been identified as Brandon Wayne Robertson, W/M, DOB: 03/04/71, 6'2" 250 lbs, Red hair, Green eyes. Robertson is a former Texas police officer, believed to be armed with high caliber weapons and over 1000 rounds of ammunition. I would think it safe to assume he could quite possibly have body armor as well. DPS cautioned he apparently initiates pursuit, then without warning abruptly stops and exits his vehicle and opens fire. The Trooper killed yesterday evening was still in his seatbelt. In addition Robertson took the time to shoot the video camera in the patrol unit. Intel shows Robertson's cell phone may have hit a tower in the Shreveport area, however, Texas DPS believes he is still in Texas. Robertson was last driving a 1997 Blue Dodge Intrepid, Texas License #039LCG.

Security directors, please disseminate this information as soon as possible to your security personnel, check your player tracking, hotels, etc. for any information on the suspect. Intel officers, be advised sufficient time has passed for the suspect to have made it to your areas as well. Use extreme caution if/when you find the suspect as he is definitely armed and dangerous.

Courthouse shooting

2008-04-30T08:42:00.003-05:00

In the area where I live and work, many of the judges have made the ruling that police officers will not be allowed to carry a weapon into their courtroom. A few have even gone so far as to force an officer to disarm, WHILE IN UNIFORM, before allowing their testimony. And, of course, the County Attorneys are too chickenshit to do anything about it, so it's either disarm or be held in contempt and look like an asshole in front of the jury. This is also one of the reasons I ALWAYS wore a .380 on my vest, under my uniform shirt.

In addition, the courthouse I spent so many hours in only has two uniformed deputies assigned there. These two deputies, while being very nice people, suck at being deputies. The only reason they were given the positions they have is because they've been with the Sheriff's Office longer than God himself. There are no metal detectors (not that they did any good in the California case) or any other security measures to speak of.

While I would never wish the following upon anyone, if it had to happen, I hope it goes down like this one in California. Maybe then the idiot judges that disarm officers will think twice.

Deputies shoot, kill man with knives at Fresno court
By GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writer Mon Apr 28, 10:35 PM ETFRESNO, Calif. --

A man with a history of mental illness burst into a packed Merced County courtroom Monday wielding two carving knives, and was shot to death as he threatened a judge he may have blamed for his misfortune, authorities said.A year earlier, 40-year-old Robert Eaton had been arrested for felony vandalism for ramming his car into the downtown courthouse.

On Monday, Eaton drove straight back there in a silver Toyota Camry he hijacked from someone who was hired to take him to a doctor's appointment. He ran past guards and through a set of metal detectors at the front door holding a knife in each hand, Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said.

Attorneys and witnesses standing in the hallway cried out as he approached Courtroom 2, but he charged through the courtroom doors and into the well where lawyers were standing in the midst of court proceedings, Chief Deputy District Attorney Harold Nutt said."As soon as he hit the inside doors, I was behind him and I started yelling that he had a knife," said Nutt, who saw Eaton approach as he stood in the hallway talking with a colleague. "The officers started yelling at him, and yelling at everybody else to get down and at that point it was rather chaotic. People started screaming, people started heading for the door, and I just ran back outside."

As Judge Brian McCabe tried to hurry his court clerks out the back through his chambers, Eaton held the knives aloft in a stabbing position about 30 feet away, Nutt said.When Eaton refused to drop the weapons, several officers fired directly at him, and the man died on the courtroom floor, in front of a few dozen lawyers, law enforcement officers and others doing business in the court, Pazin said.No other injuries were immediately reported, but the courthouse remained on lockdown for hours as investigators interviewed witnesses and officers involved in the incident, said sheriff's spokesman Tom MacKenzie.

Nutt said a public defender told him he recognized the suspect as a previous client with a history of mental illness.A woman who works for a nonprofit mental health agency that takes patients to medical appointments told authorities that she picked up Eaton in Atwater on Monday afternoon. After a few minutes, he asked the woman to pull over so he could take off his jacket and produced the two kitchen knives, according to MacKenzie."He said 'I'm not going to hurt you. I need your car, get out,'" Mackenzie said the woman told authorities. "He gave her her phone and her purse and drove off."

Merced police were investigating the reported carjacking when they got another call about the commotion at the courthouse, MacKenzie said.

Eaton, of Atwater, had an arrest record dating back nearly two decades for car theft, vandalism and other charges, authorities said.

When he crashed into the courthouse in April 2007, Eaton had been angry that he was refused treatment by a local mental health facility."There is a likelihood that he and Judge McCabe may have crossed paths in his courtroom," Pazin said at a news conference Monday evening. "He had the knives in tow and literally left the vehicle running and came straight over to the courthouse."

Dartagnan Hutcherson, who watched Eaton burst into Courtroom 2 and get gunned down by deputies, described a traumatic scene."He just came in. He was out of breath," Hutcherson told the Merced Sun-Star after the shooting. "He had blood all over him."I'm sure he was just getting his life together and he wouldn't hurt a flea....

Which leads me to this, which I ran across on Bitter Average White Person's blog......

I don’t carry a gun……to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don’t carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don’t carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m angry. I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don’t carry a gun because my sex organs are too small. I carry a gun because I want to continue to use those sex organs for the purpose for which they were intended for a good long time to come.

I don’t carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don’t carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don’t carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don’t carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Breakfast

2008-04-27T18:02:00.003-05:00

I changed jobs about a year ago, moving from working the street to being in plain clothes, working investigations with another department. It's kind of a tradition in my old department that the late night crew from that department and a couple of surrounding departments eat breakfast together at 0400 at a local all-night restaurant.

Two nights ago, I was driving home from working late and I stopped to eat with the fellas. It's been over a year since I've eaten with them, and I didn't realize how much I missed it. Don't misunderstand, I really enjoy my new job, especially the hours. Even when I work late, I'm done in time to get home, get some sleep, and get up with my kid without feeling like death warmed over. That could not be said after over 6 years working as a late night patrol officer.

I never really realized before I left how much I would miss certain things. I DO NOT miss the bullshit; "Why aren't you writing more tickets?"... "Forget about drugs, go find some seatbelt tickets to write"... and so on and so on.

But I really do miss the adrenaline rush that could be had almost every night. I really do miss not knowing what I'm going to do at work that night. And I really do miss sitting around the breakfast table, bullshitting and telling stories.

So, anyway, about 6 uniformed cops and I (in my business suit) were sitting around the table, laughing and joking away. We were reminiscing about lots of "good" memories - the time I started a pursuit about 15 miles outside my jurisdiction, for example. In addition to being WAY out of town, we also had a strict "no-chase" policy. Oops.

Or the first time each of us tasered someone. I was the first in my deparment and I still hold the record for most tasings. I love that little thing!

As we were finishing up, a few younger males approached us. These guys looked like your typical stoners... shaggy hair, unshaven, long sideburns, big earrings that leave big holes in your ears, baggy jeans, etc...

You all know how much cops hate getting interrupted while eating. I think these young men saw our irritation when they spoke and it looked like they were ready to turn and run. But one of them stepped forward and handed me an entire chocolate pie that he had just bought at the counter for us. He thanked us, said he appreciates our hard work, and then they all left.

Of course, we all assumed he had taken the pie into the bathroom and did all kinds of bad things to it before he gave it to us. But several employees vouched for him, saying that he paid for it and walked straight to us.

As we each took a piece to eat, one young patrol cop sitting across from me said, "And as we sit here eating his pie, he drives off with 100 pounds of dope".

It was good pie.

Day off..

2008-03-28T10:06:00.005-05:00

Ahhhhh..... a day off. I can't help but continue to watch whatever coverage I can find about the multiple murder/suicide in Iowa City earlier this week. It's amazing what pride and narcissism will do to a person.

I have added a couple of links to the page - I especially enjoy the Anti-Mumia blog. I hope that cop killer rots through a long and miserable life in prison.

I put a link to "Injustice in Seattle" because it's always good to know what one's enemies are up to.

I have also checked out the RateMyCop.com website. So far, none of the officers that I know have ratings. But it also looks like other cops are getting on there and writing about co-workers. Everything from compliments to Rat accusations. I'm not sure the website is a good idea. It screams of an opportunity to bash people anonymously, with no repercussions. At least with this blog, anyone who knows me will be able to figure out, pretty quickly, who I am.

Tragedy in Iowa City

2008-03-24T17:58:00.010-05:00

IOWA CITY - One woman and four children were found dead this morning at a southeast Iowa City home of a former bank official accused of embezzling money from the bank.

At 6:31am, Iowa City Police received an emergency call from a cell phone. The caller said that police needed to immediately respond to 629 Barrington Rd. and then disconnected. A dispatcher was unable to make contact on call-back.

Responding officers found the house unlocked. Officers made entry out of concern for the safety of the occupants. Officers located five dead inside, the adult female resident and four children.

Iowa City Police Chief Sam Hargardine said there is nothing to indicate a firearm was involved. He wouldn’t say what may have be used.

“We believe them to be the Sueppel family,” he said of the victims. Positive identification won’t come until the autopsies are performed.
Officers did not locate the adult male resident, Steven Sueppel. One of the family’s vehicles, a tan Toyota Sienna minivan, Iowa license 501BLO, was missing.

Iowa City police notified area law enforcement agencies and the University of Iowa issued a Hawk-Alert. The Iowa City school district ordered a school lockdown for a brief period of time but lifted that at 9:45 a.m.

A Toyota Sienna minivan involved in the single-vehicle crash on I-80 at the 251 mile-marker has been positively identified as Steven Sueppel’s vehicle, which was being sought by law enforcement.

The vehicle’s driver and sole occupant died in the fiery crash.

Law enforcement has not been able to positively identify the deceased driver due to the fire. An autopsy on the driver has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Additionally, autopsies have been scheduled for Tuesday the five victims from the 629 Barrington Rd.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are assisting Iowa City police with the investigation.
Jessica Lown, spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Public safety, said she could not give further details until DCI investigators had a chance to review the scene.

Sueppel, a former Hills Bank & Trust executive, recently was charged with stealing nearly $560,000 from his former employer. His trial is scheduled for April 21. The bank closed its offices and lobbies today but kept some drive-up windows open, bank spokesman John Benson said. "There was a security concern," he said this afternoon. "Toward the end of the day it ended up being more out of respect for the situation."

Sueppel was released at his arraignment last month in U.S. District Court on $250,000 personal bond, which he would pay only if he violated terms set for his release. The judge noted that Sueppel didn't have a criminal history and government officials didn’t consider him a flight risk.

The judge forbid Sueppel from possessing any firearms, narcotics, controlled substances or drugs without a prescription.

Sueppel told the judge he worked at Superior Concrete in Iowa City. A man who answered the phone at Superior Concrete Monday morning said company officials would have no comment.

Iowa City police Sgt. Troy Kelsay said, "Lots of family needs to be contacted.” Police have wrapped the scene with police tape. Two Johnson County ambulances were in the driveway this morning.

There were no signs of movement at the house. The front door was open at 9 a.m., Gazette reporter Jennifer Hemmingsen reported from the scene.

Kelsay declined to describe what police found at the home. A search warrant was being written. He said family members of the Sueppels came to the scene.

A woman who lives near the Sueppels said neighbors still were unsure what happened but that the family is well-liked. “They’re real sweet and caring people, and everybody thought the world of them,” said the woman, who did not want to be identified.

The accident happend between 6:30 and 7 a.m., troopers said.

Leon Spies of Iowa City, Sueppel’s attorney, declined to comment, saying he was still gathering information himself. He said he’s talked to the U.S. attorney’s office.

The embezzlement charge Sueppel faces carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail and a $1 million fine. Each money laundering charge is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the funds allegedly stolen.

The government also is seeking the forfeiture of the $559,040 Sueppel is accused of stealing.

*****

The first photo in this post was of the crash this morning on I80 that involved Sueppel's van. It was taken by another motorist on his cell phone after he called 911.

Death by fiery, high-speed car crash was too good for Steve Sueppel. I don't care what crime I'm out on bail for and what kind of prison sentence I'm looking at, I could never murder my child. I hope there's a cozy spot in the 9th Circle of Hell for Steve.

The reason I love being a cop...

2008-03-11T22:48:00.003-05:00

When I was interviewing for my first job in law enforcement, the interview board asked the inevitable "why do you want to be a cop"? I don't remember my exact answer, but I do remember preparing my answer for several days prior to the interview so that I didn't give the typical "because I want to help people" line of garbage.

Fast forward a few years... in one of my previous lives, I was a street cop in a small city. During a particular sports season (we'll say baseball for the sake of anonymity), traffic is absolutely nuts. Gridlocked at 0700 on game day. Crazy.

Anyway, on a particular Saturday night following a game, I was working the side of town with the heaviest post-game traffic. It had been dark only a short time and the streets were packed with cars. I was approaching the largest, busiest intersection in town as the light turned green to allow traffic to proceed through the intersection toward where I was.

At the same time, I saw a small child with her mom and older brother, walk out of a store to my right. This child was about 3 or 4 years old. Mom had her hands completely full. Without warning, the little girl bolted away from Mom and into the street, crossing about 10 yards in front of me.

The next thing I can recall (I don't remember putting the car in park, taking off my seat belt, opening the door, or running into traffic) is catching up to her in the middle of on-coming lanes, scooping her up from behind, and getting tapped hard enough in the right thigh by a car that had slammed on the brakes in time to avoid mowing us over to plop me down on the hood with a little force.

As I got up off the hood of the car, the little girl looked up at me with a grin. I was grateful that she didn't start screaming.

I walked the little girl back to Mom, who had made it to the concrete median when I met her. She was sobbing and hugged her little girl tightly. She thanked me (I think, she was speaking Spanish) and I walked away. I was too shaken to really speak to Mom, even though I have roughly 7 years of Spanish education and can communicate okay, if I have to.

As I walked back to my car, I saw that my top lights were not on. Apparently, I didn't have time to get that little switch flipped as I was bailing out. I got back into my squad and drove for a couple of blocks, where I parked behind a building in one of my hidy-holes.

I can't really explain why, but I began shaking, teared up, and got sick to my stomach all pretty much at the same time. I had to lean out and evacuate my stomach contents before I could pull myself together.

After getting a grip, I went back to patrol, thinking about how horrible it would've been had I not gotten to the little girl before that car did. I kept picturing her getting hit and the emergency medical care I would've given her had it happened.

Several days later, I was picking up Code 7 (chow) from my favorite Sub Shop when a woman approached me. She asked if I had been working the previous Saturday night. I had a mental groan - the conversations that start this way generally don't end up great.

I told her I was and she said that she saw me grab that little girl. She said she was in the car behind the car that had tapped me. She said that she didn't even see the little girl until she was in the middle of the road and she was terrified that she was going to be run over. The woman thanked me and left.

Suffice to say I was a bit surprised. I didn't have time to call it out on the radio when it happened and I thought it was a waste of time to do it after the fact. I figured that Mom, the driver of the car, and I would really be the only ones that knew about it, and that was okay with me. But, after that woman approached me, it kind of sunk in how close it really was to turning out badly.

This is one of the handful of incidents that haunt me to this day. The rest are negative experiences - assaults, deaths, other violent stuff - but this one is the lone positive. The funny thing is that this has stuck with me more vividly than just about anything else. Even to this instant, I still get goosebumps when I think about it. On occasion, I'll dream about it, except the little girl in the dream is my daughter, and it doesn't end as nicely. Maybe that's why it sticks with me. Who knows?

Tagging

2008-03-11T21:25:00.004-05:00

So I got “tagged” and had no idea what that meant; Apparently, the rules are…

1. Link to the person who tagged you for this MeMe.
2. List the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things/quirks/habits about yourself.
4. Tag six people to do this MeMe.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged.

O.K...here goes...
1- I hate writing traffic tickets to anyone other than dirtbags. I don't care if Mrs. Soccer Mom was doing 15 over. I'll stop her, but as soon as I can see that she's not a sh*^head, I'll give her a warning.
2- I rarely wear underwear.
3- I surf the internet at work - shhhh! don't tell!
4- I eat peanut butter and marshmallow creme from the jar w/a spoon.
5- I drink milk from the jug - my husband hates it.
6- I refuse to fold my socks - they're all just thrown in my underwear drawer with no rhyme or reason.

Since I’m so new to blogging the only person I can think to could care less, so I didn't follow rule #4. Oops.

Mike Mette - Chicago PD

2008-03-11T02:33:00.005-05:00

I have to quickly post something here about the information I recently learned about Chicago PD Officer Mike Mette.

Officer Mette visited his younger brother in Dubuque, Iowa, in 2005, where his brother was attending college. They were celebrating his brother's birthday, and, after leaving the bar, they went to a house party. They quickly saw that the house party sucked and left before drinking or paying the $5 bootlegging - er - I mean cup fee.

When Mette and his group were leaving, the host and his buddy - a 6'8" basketball player - confronted them and eventually threatened to call the police. Someone in Mette's group took the host's cell phone and put it in his mailbox.

The host and his buddy continued to harang Mette's group as the left, walking a few blocks to his brother's house. When they got to his brother's house, a confrontation ensued. Ultimately, the host punched Mette in the chest with closed fists three times. As he wound up for number four, Mette clocked him with one punch, knocking the kid out. Everyone stayed on scene and Mette was the one that suggested the police/ambulance be called.

Mette's brother and the host's friend were arrested for public intoxication and Mette was arrested for Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury. I guess the kid that he hit had to be intubated and had a small brain bleed - probably from whacking his head on the sidewalk.

Fast forward to 2007. Mette pled not guilty and had a bench trial in Dubuque County. In her decision, the Judge wrote that Mette was clearly not the aggressor, but found him guilty because, essentially, he did not retreat enough. Apparently, Mette was not entitled to defend himself. Read her ruling here

http://mikemettedefensefund.com/DOCUMENT/RULING.pdf

Currently, Mette is in prison in Iowa and his first parole hearing will be in April.

You can read all about this clusterfu*k at http://www.mikemettedefensefund.com/

Personally, I am sickened by the way this whole thing went down. I'm from Iowa and I am a cop in Iowa and I am ashamed of how this was handled. It seems to me, at the most, Mette should've been cited for Disorderly Conduct for his participation in "mutual combat" and released. Of course, I would've also charged the wonderful party host with the same thing. In reality, he wasn't charged with anything.

And, due to Iowa's sentencing laws, the Judge was obligated to sentence him to a 5 year prison term. She actually stated that a deferred judgement was a better option for this case, but her hands were tied.

I wish someone would have warned Mette before he got into this mess, but if you aren't from Dubuque, you're a bum. The people that are born and raised there have a strange cult-like belief in their town and how awesome it is. Of course, this is the same town that still has KKK ties to this day.

Anyway, please visit his website and read for yourself.

Stupid, drunk college kids.

2008-03-11T02:00:00.005-05:00

POLICE FILE HOST OF CHARGES AGAINST TRIO

Iowa City Press Citizen

It was a wild time early Thursday for an Iowa City police officer who tried to write an underage drinking citation to a University of Iowa student.Police said officer Ryan Wood was writing a possession of alcohol under the legal age ticket for Michael Roy Schroeder outside of One-Eyed Jakes. While doing so, two friends of Schroeder ran up to the scene.

Police say one of them, Michael Stanley Fabinski, 19, grabbed the ticket book from Wood and the other man, identified as Michael Alexander Bakerdjis, 20, pushed the officer. Police say both men ran south on Clinton Street.Wood caught Fabinski after he fell at the corner of Clinton and Washington streets. As Wood tried to place him into custody, police say Bakerdjis grabbed the officer to try to get him off Fabinski. Police say Bakerdjis also tried to pull the ticket book away.Police say both men were then able to get away temporarily.

According to police, Bakerdjis ran south on Clinton Street but Fabinski fell again while running across Clinton Street.Wood placed Fabinski into custody, and while he was filling out the paperwork, police say Bakerdjis walked by and was spotted by another officer. Bakerdjis attempted to hide behind some bushes but was arrested.Police say while the officer was occupied with Fabinski and Bakerdjis, Schroeder fled the area. He was later found and arrested at Currier Hall, where he lives.

Sgt. Troy Kelsay said the three men weren’t exactly wearing their thinking caps when they commited the crime.“It was extremely poor judgement,” Kelsay said. Schroeder, who will be 20 next Thursday, was charged with PAULA, public intoxication and escape from custody, which is a serious misdemeanor. Kelsay said had Schroeder simply accepted the PAULA ticket and pleaded guilty to the charge, he would have only faced at $314 fine.Kelsay said the actions of the men turned a routine and basically harmless interaction with the officer into a potentially dangerous situation, noting the potential for injury when the men were fleeing on icy surfaces and Bakerdjis trying to grab Wood close to his firearm.“You introduce all sorts of recipes for disaster for somebody getting seriously hurt or more,” Kelsay said.

Bakerdjis, of 302 South Gilbert St., No. 1226, is charged with two counts of interference with official acts, assault on a peace officer, obstruct prosecution and second-degree robbery. Assault on a peace officer is a serious misdemeanor; obstruct prosecution is an aggravated misdemeanor; second-degree robbery is a class C felony.Fabinski, of 201 E. Burlington St., No. 1531, was charged with public intoxication, two counts of interference with official acts, obstruct prosecution and second-degree robbery. One of the interference with official acts charges is a serious misdemeanor.

The three are originally from Bloomingdale, Ill., and have been friends since childhood, police said.Kelsay said Wood suffered minor injuries that were mostly scrapes and bruises. He finished his shift after documenting his injuries with the watch commander, Kelsay said.

Appeared in the Iowa City Press Citizen February 28, 2008.

What a bunch of morons. Gotta love Fabiniski's face, though.

My first time...

2008-03-10T23:06:00.005-05:00

This is my first ever blog and I'm hoping that I don't screw it up. I've been reading all kinds of blogs and finally decided to give it a try. I don't have anything really important to say, but I got some entertainment out of reading about other people's day-to-day existence, so I thought someone might see some humor in mine. I suppose I'm going to end up using this as a kind of journal... it doesn't really matter if anyone else reads it or not, I guess.

About the title and address (commonsensehasnoplacehere). I am a law enforcement officer in Iowa, and, as most cops know, common sense is ruthlessly stamped out by our bosses. And, of course, I'm just livin' the dream ;)

I won't say where I work or what capacity I work in - I don't want this to get back to my bosses or friends. I will change names and places so that I can't be identified, but no so much that the stories lose their basic truthfulness.

A little bit about me - I'm married to a cop (we don't work for the same department) and we have 1 young daughter. Because we work crazy hours, we can go for long stretches where we don't need a sitter and then go into times where I don't see her for three or four days because she stays with my parents or his.

I've been a cop for about 10 years and sometimes I think I've seen it all. Of course, that's when something nuts happens and reminds me of the depths of stupidity the human race sinks into on occasion.

Being a female in this profession has been an eye-opener. I'm not the kind of woman that expects to be handed things because I'm a member of a protected class. I'm the kind that passes all of the physical fitness tests by the male standards because, in my opinion, that is the one truly fair way to measure all of us. We all do the same job, we should have the same standards.