2008

 

Thanks to everyone, contributors and readers, who’ve helped to make The Graveyard Shift a success. Each day we receive thousands of hits from all over the world. It’s overwhelming at times.

Please feel free to send me topic ideas. After all, I do this for you guys. I hope 2009 brings you all much joy.

Looking back one last time…

 

 

Please join us on Monday for an new year of cops, crooks, and crime scene scene investigation! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to include photos of every guest blogger. There were simply too many. Readers with dial up service are already cursing me for their slow download time.


Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

Officer Mason Samborski, 28

Oak Park Michigan Police Department

 

Officer Samborski was shot and killed on December 28, 2008, during a post-traffic stop investigation. The car was driven by a juvenile who fought with the officer, took his service weapon, and fatally shot him.

Officer Samborski leaves behind a wife and child.

– Thanks to ODMP

* 140 police officers died in the line of duty in 2008. That’s more than the total number of officers in the entire Hamilton, Ohio Police Department. Hamilton is a city of over 60,000 people.

2008-2

 

One really bright ray of sunshine in what was a pretty dismal year was all the wonderful friends who stopped by The Graveyard Shift. May 2009 be kind to you all. Thanks to each of you.

Chris Grabenstein

My brother (the one on the right).

Michelle Gagnon

Kate Flora

Jessa Nicholson

Eleanor Cummings

Yvonne Mason

Jane Friedman

FBI Special Agent Clint Van Zandt

Denene Lofland

Alison Gaylin

Lt. Dave Swords

Hallie Ephron

Michele Martinez, Judge Ken Freeman, Me, and Lee Child

Hallie Ephron, Jan Burke, and me

Me and Lori Lake

Me, Chris Reich, DP Lyle, MD, and Tod Goldberg

SJ Rozan and me

Chris Grabenstein and Rebecca Drake

The Graveyard Shift’s own Jonathan Hayes with Sgt. Mike Black

Publisher Ben LeRoy

Bill Cameron

Donna Andrews

Lawrence Block

Literary agent/author Lucienne Diver and Hank Phillippi Ryan

Rebecca Drake

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To be continued Saturday 1-3-09

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2008-2

 

I’d like to take this time to thank to all the police and forensics experts who make this site possible. Without their time, effort, and dedication there would be no Graveyard Shift, and the world would be a very scary place to live. You guys are the best.

arrest-and-patrol-car.jpg

* More tomorrow. For now…

 

“Happy New Year, everyone. Please don’t drink and drive!”

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Don’t forget To enter the new 200 word contest. The winner will receive a three DVD set of the entire first series of Crime 360! Details here.

(DVDs courtesy of A&E Television)

Language of Crooks, Thugs and Gangsters

 

Happy Holidays to all of you from The Graveyard Shift! See you again on December 26, 2008.

Please take a moment to remember the police officers who are working tonight and tomorrow to keep us safe and sound so that we may enjoy our holidays. They don’t have that option. Instead, they’ll be braving danger, the elements, and lack of rest while their families are home alone. The officers assigned to work during the holidays are not able to tuck in their little ones, or to see the excitement in their kid’s eyes when they’re trying so hard to sleep so Santa can arrive.

Officers drag in on Christmas morning, sleepy and exhausted from dealing with the worst of the worst all night long, but they stay awake savoring what little time they have with their family. Then it’s off to bed on Christmas Day, attempting to rest and regenerate their tired bodies for another long winter’s night. Suddenly, squeals and laughter combined with bells and whistles erupt outside the bedroom door as little Sammy and Sally begin to play with their brand new toys. The scents of hot turkey and dressing creep beneath the door. The voices of family and friends reach tired ears. Finally, the fatigued officer joins the excitement. After all, he can sleep tomorrow. Christmas only comes once each year.

Be careful out there, guys. Your families want you home. Wear your vests, stay safe, and shoot low, they might be riding Shetland ponies.

 

*    *    *

Don’t forget To enter the new 200 word contest. The winner will receive a DVD of the entire first series of Crime 360! Details here.

(DVDs courtesy of A&E Television)

Tasers: Are they killers?

 

Tasers were designed for use as an alternative to deadly force, and as a means of self-defense for officers. The use of these “non-lethal” weapons has been the focus of many investigations and news stories.

Can these brightly colored weapons cause death when used properly? Or, are officers using them when they shouldn’t. Is it possible that some officers are improperly trained to use Tasers?

 

Cops are trained repetitively so they’ll react instinctively in the field. The old saying is, “Cops will revert to their training when faced with life-threatening situations.” I agree. I’ve been there and it works, and that’s a good thing. But…

These officers are having a grand old time shooting their buddy during training exercises, but Is it really funny to shoot someone with a Taser? Does that humor transfer to the field, too? Does the “fun” aspect make some officers too quick on the draw? Hey, I’m just asking.

Here are a few news reports from the past two months alone. You be the judge.

 

The Associated Press – San Jose to pay $70K in Taser death settlement
12/17/2008 – SAN JOSE, Calif.-The city of San Jose will pay $70,000 to the family of a man who died after police used a Taser stun gun on him.

– SAN JOSE, Calif.-The city of San Jose will pay $70,000 to the family of a man who died after police used a Taser stun gun on him.

Officers said 38-year-old Jose Rios defied repeated attempts to subdue him when they responded to a domestic dispute in November 2005, prompting them to strike him with batons and shock him with Tasers.

Rios’ family claimed officers continued stunning him even after he was subdued. He later was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The coroner found that Rios died of a heart attack from a combination of the violent struggle, cocaine and the Taser.

San Jose officials agreed Tuesday to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Rios’ wife and son, the city’s first settlement over a death linked to Tasers. The weapons have come under increasing scrutiny for causing unintended deaths by law enforcement.

The Associated Press – Canada cops won’t face charges in Taser death case
12/12/2008 – Vancouver, British Columbia-Four federal police officers will not face charges for using a Taser gun on an agitated Polish traveler in a confrontation that ended with the man dying at a Canadian airport, prosecutors said Friday.

– Vancouver, British Columbia-Four federal police officers will not face charges for using a Taser gun on an agitated Polish traveler in a confrontation that ended with the man dying at a Canadian airport, prosecutors said Friday.

Prosecutor Stan Lowe said Robert Dziekanski was jolted five times by the Taser, but they said the cause of death was determined to be “sudden death following restraint” not directly caused by the stun gun.

Police said they used the Taser after Dziekanski began acting erratically at Vancouver’s airport in October 2007. Dziekanski, who spoke only Polish, apparently had become upset after waiting 10 hours at the airport for his mother, who was supposed to pick him up.

The man was hit three times with the Taser while standing and twice while he lay on the ground, still struggling with officers. He died on the floor a short while later.

A video shot by a bystander of Dziekanski dying was released several weeks later and was widely seen around the world on the Internet and TV, prompting public scrutiny of the weapon.

Twenty people in Canada have died after being shot with a stun gun, which the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have used more than 4,000 times since 2001. Canadian police forces consider stun guns a safer alternative to regular firearms.

The autopsy of Dziekanski found no drugs or alcohol in his system but showed signs of chronic alcoholism. Prosecutors said he may have been in the grips of alcohol withdrawal, dehydrated and hysterical. A pathologist speculated those factors caused delirium that may have contributed to his heart stopping, along with being hit by the Taser and being restrained.

The Associated Press – Man dies after police shoot him with Taser
12/21/2008 – SANTA ROSA (AP) – A man died Saturday after sheriff’s deputies shot him three times with a Taser stun gun, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said.

– SANTA ROSA (AP) – A man died Saturday after sheriff’s deputies shot him three times with a Taser stun gun, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said.

The department responded to a 911 call on Saturday from a woman who said she and her husband were being assaulted by their son.

“During the call, Mrs. Vaughn became increasingly frantic as she reported that Nathan was ‘destroying the house’ and ‘hitting his dad,’ ” the department said in a press release.

When deputies arrived, they were confronted by a combative, 39-year-old Nathan Vaughn. A deputy fired a Taser gun once at Vaughn, who they say continued to resist. The sheriff’s department says the deputy fired the stun gun twice more at Vaughn.

Authorities say after Vaughn was subdued, he showed signs of medical distress after being put in handcuffs. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Authorities say that Vaughn had a long criminal history, and that he had served time in state prison previously for burglary.

Also, Vaughn had been cited and released on Friday after he called 911 repeatedly, telling deputies he would continue making the calls unless they arrested him.

The incident will be investigated by the Petaluma Police Department and members of the Sonoma County district attorney’s office.

 

The Associated Press – Vegas police officers sue makers of Taser weapons
11/23/2008 – LAS VEGAS-Two Las Vegas police officers who were seriously hurt after being shocked by Taser weapons in 2003 have sued its makers, saying the company failed to properly warn the department about the potential for injury.

– LAS VEGAS-Two Las Vegas police officers who were seriously hurt after being shocked by Taser weapons in 2003 have sued its makers, saying the company failed to properly warn the department about the potential for injury.

About a dozen officers around the country have made similar claims in suing Taser International Inc., questioning the company’s safety claims.

A third Las Vegas officer sued Taser but settled last year. Terms were not disclosed.

The Las Vegas police department has stopped a practice of shocking officers during training. During training, officers had been told that they couldn’t truly understand the weapon until they had been shocked by it.

“I have to tell you that I have a different understanding of that weapon than folks that have never been Tased,” said police detective Marcus Martin, the department’s lead Taser instructor. “But as training went on what started occurring is we started having officers getting hurt. So it was a policy decision that was made at the higher levels of the agency as to should we allow folks to be Tased and get hurt. It’s a cost-benefit analysis.”

According to court filings, the officers suing believe that Taser International understated to police the risks of being shocked.

Taser warns that its device can cause burns that can become infected. It also says people who are shocked by the weapons can suffer bone fractures, dislocations, ruptures and hernias. The company suggests that officers shocked during training lie face-down on the floor to minimize threats of falling and of being shocked in the eyes. Taser says the injury risk is comparable to athletic injuries.

In a suit filed earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Nevada, lawyers for officer Lisa Peterson said she suffered “life-changing injuries to her neck, jaw, shoulder and back” when she was shocked with a Taser during mandatory training.

Las Vegas police officers fired Tasers 432 times in the field in 2007.

The Associated Press – NC undercover officers use Taser on pallbearer
11/19/2008 – WILMINGTON, N.C.-Five sheriff’s deputies will be disciplined after they used a Taser while serving an arrest warrant on a man at his father’s funeral, a North Carolina sheriff said Wednesday.

– WILMINGTON, N.C.-Five sheriff’s deputies will be disciplined after they used a Taser while serving an arrest warrant on a man at his father’s funeral, a North Carolina sheriff said Wednesday.

Gladwyn Taft Russ III was serving as a pallbearer at the Saturday service and was loading his father’s casket into a hearse when the undercover deputies approached him.

Relatives said two deputies dressed in coats and ties grabbed Russ and kneed him in his back before using a Taser on him. One deputy’s gun fell out of its holster.

“Everybody was so scared. We thought it was a drug deal gone bad,” said Ronnie Simmons, another pallbearer and Russ’ brother-in-law. “We almost dropped the casket.”

New Hanover County Sheriff Sid Causey told The Star-News of Wilmington that five of the officers involved would be disciplined, although he wouldn’t say what punishment they would face.

“I apologize to anyone that was there,” Causey said. “Family, friends, relatives. … That was a bad decision.”

Russ, 42, had failed to surrender after being charged with threatening his ex-wife, who lives in another state. After his father died on Nov. 11, Russ agreed to surrender to authorities after the funeral.

When deputies approached Russ, he “went wild” and spat on the officers, Chief Deputy Ed McMahon said.

Russ was charged with assault on a government official, resisting an officer, disorderly conduct and felony malicious conduct by a prisoner. A call to Russ’s home went unanswered Wednesday night and it was not yet known if he had retained an attorney.

The Associated Press – Man dies from Taser after traffic stop
11/03/2008 – MEXIA, Texas-A man died early Monday after being stunned with a Taser gun following a scuffle with police who had pulled his car over, authorities said.

– MEXIA, Texas-A man died early Monday after being stunned with a Taser gun following a scuffle with police who had pulled his car over, authorities said.

Mexia police officers had received several calls about a suspicious man near a business and pulled over Adren Maurice Turner, 44, of Teague just after 4 a.m., authorities said.

As officers tried to take Turner into custody, a scuffle broke out and an officer used his Taser, Waco television station KXXV reported Monday.

Authorities said emergency personnel arrived but did not say exactly what had happened or why Turner needed to be transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities ordered an autopsy to be performed on his body.

Mexia Police Chief Richard Hawthorne said none of the three officers involved were injured, but he declined further comment. He referred questions to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, one of the agencies investigating.

The officers will remain on active duty, according to the sheriff’s office.

Mexia police had received two calls earlier that evening about Turner, who was driving a different vehicle, and he showed no signs of resistance when an officer previously stopped him, the sheriff’s office said.

The Limestone County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers in Waco also are investigating.

Mexia is a 6,900-resident town about 40 miles east of Waco.

The Associated Press – San Jose man dies after police use Taser on him
12/19/2008 – SAN JOSE, Calif.-Police are investigating the death of a San Jose man who passed away after authorities used a Taser to try to control him.

– SAN JOSE, Calif.-Police are investigating the death of a San Jose man who passed away after authorities used a Taser to try to control him.

Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies say they responded to a report of a disturbance from the Valley Medical Center campus in San Jose Thursday. When they arrived, authorities say they struggled with 26-year-old Edwin Rodriguez before Gary Berg, an officer with the Campbell Police Department, used a Taser on him.

Authorities say Rodriguez was then taken into custody and found to be unresponsive. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was later pronounced dead.

Berg has been placed on paid administrative leave, which authorities say is standard in such cases.

* Note – The family of the deceased man stated he was ill, not violent. They also stated that Rodriguez was handcuffed and restrained by several officers when Officer Berg used the Taser on him.

The Associated Press – OC sheriff’s deputy charged with illegal Taser use
10/10/2008 – SANTA ANA, Calif.-An Orange County sheriff’s deputy has pleaded not guilty to illegally using a Taser on a handcuffed suspect in the back of a patrol car.

– SANTA ANA, Calif.-An Orange County sheriff’s deputy has pleaded not guilty to illegally using a Taser on a handcuffed suspect in the back of a patrol car.

Prosecutors say Christopher Hibbs of Corona is charged with felony assault or battery by a public officer and assault with a Taser.

Prosecutors allege Hibbs used the Taser on Ignacio Gomez Lares on Sept. 13, 2007, when the man didn’t give Hibbs his full name.

Hibbs’ defense attorney, Robert Gazley, says his client was within the law when he used the Taser. Hibbs, who is on unpaid leave, faces up to three years in prison if convicted.

Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino says the charges mark the first time a deputy has been accused of illegal use of a Taser since the department started using them about four years ago.


*    *    *

Don’t forget To enter the new 200 word contest. The winner will receive a DVD of the entire first series of Crime 360! Details on yesterday’s post.

(DVDs courtesy of A&E Television)

snow-street

 

Due to the rather large amount of snowfall we received in Boston I didn’t have the time or energy (after shoveling and snow blowing since late Friday night to stay ahead of the storm) to write a new police-type blog for today. Instead, I’m posting the information about the new 200 word contest.

The contest information and rules are posted below. In the meantime, have a peek at our snow. The photo above was taken on our street before the second round of snow arrived. By the way, have I mentioned that I hate snow and cold weather?

The rear corner of our yard on Saturday morning. Sunday’s storm doubled what you see here.

200 Word Contest: Body By the Yard

The Graveyard Shift is pleased to announce our second 200 word short story contest. The rules are simple. Write a story about the photograph above using no more than 200 words, including the title (Use your own title). All stories must be polished and complete, meaning they must have a beginning, middle, and a twisted ending that would make my friend Jeffery Deaver proud.

The judge for this contest is literary agent Verna Dresibach of Dresibach Literary Management. The contest winner will receive a DVD of the entire first season of A&E Television’s hit show Crime 360. (All entries will be screened by a panel of authors. Only the ten best stories will be passed to the judge for her review).

*This contest is presented solely by The Graveyard Shift blog. Other than providing the DVDs, A&E TV is not affiliated with The Graveyard Shift blog in any way.

 

Contest rules:

– One entry per person.

– Send all entries to lofland32@msn.com in the body of the email ONLY. No Word Docs, photos, or attachments please.

– Emails must include the phrase ‘200 Word Contest’ in the subject line. If not, they will be deleted.

– Each entry must be 200 words or less (all entries over 200 words will be disqualified).

– Entries must be received by 8am on Wednesday December 31, 2008. The contest winner will be announced on January 9, 2009.

– Please, no profanity, horror, or erotica. The Graveyard Shift is often viewed by school children who someday hope to become police officers, forensic professionals, and perhaps writers.

– The top five entries will be posted on The Graveyard Shift at a date to be determined.

– By submitting an entry to this contest authors agree to allow The Graveyard Shift/Lee Lofland to publish the story as a part of The Graveyard Shift blog and as advertisement for the Graveyard Shift blog.

*This contest is for amusement only. All rights to all work shall remain the property of the author. The Graveyard Shift/Lee Lofland reserves the right to exclude or delete any entry without cause, reason, or explanation.

I look forward to reading your entries. By the way, there are exactly 200 words in the above listed contest rules. Oh, and please, no fancy fonts, tiny text, or other hard-to-read print. My eyes almost exploded last time trying to read some of the entries. And please make it clear where you want a new paragraph to begin.

Have fun!

Body by the yard

The Graveyard Shift is pleased to announce our second 200 word short story contest. The rules are simple. Write a story about the photograph above using no more than 200 words, including the title (Use your own title). All stories must be polished and complete, meaning they must have a beginning, middle, and a twisted ending that would make my friend Jeffery Deaver proud.

The judge for this contest is literary agent Verna Dresibach of Dresibach Literary Management. The contest winner will receive a DVD of the entire first season of A&E Television’s hit show Crime 360. (All entries will be screened by a panel of authors. Only the ten best stories will be passed to the judge for her review).

*This contest is presented solely by The Graveyard Shift blog. Other than providing the DVDs, A&E TV is not affiliated with The Graveyard Shift blog in any way.

Contest rules:

– One entry per person.

– Send all entries to lofland32@msn.com in the body of the email ONLY. No Word Docs, photos, or attachments please.

– Emails must include the phrase ‘200 Word Contest’ in the subject line. If not, they will be deleted.

– Each entry must be 200 words or less (all entries over 200 words will be disqualified).

– Entries must be received by 8am on Wednesday December 31, 2008. The contest winner will be announced on January 9, 2009.

– Please, no profanity, horror, or erotica. The Graveyard Shift is often viewed by school children who someday hope to become police officers, forensic professionals, and perhaps writers.

– The top five entries will be posted on The Graveyard Shift at a date to be determined.

– By submitting an entry to this contest authors agree to allow The Graveyard Shift/Lee Lofland to publish the story as a part of The Graveyard Shift blog and as advertisement for the Graveyard Shift blog.

*This contest is for amusement only. All rights to all work shall remain the property of the author. The Graveyard Shift/Lee Lofland reserves the right to exclude or delete any entry without cause, reason, or explanation.

I look forward to reading your entries. By the way, there are exactly 200 words in the above listed contest rules. Oh, and please, no fancy fonts, tiny text, or other hard-to-read print. My eyes almost exploded last time trying to read some of the entries. And please make it clear where you want a new paragraph to begin.

Have fun!

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The duties of a county (or city) sheriff differ a bit than those of a police chief. In fact, not all sheriffs are responsible for street-type law enforcement, such as patrol. Remember, this may vary somewhat from one jurisdiction to another. In many areas the sheriff is the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the county.

Who is a sheriff?

1) Sheriffs are constitutional officers, meaning they are all elected into office by popular vote.

2) Sheriffs do not have a supervisor. They don’t have to answer to a board of supervisors or county administrator. However, any extra funding that’s not mandated by law is controlled by county government.

Sheriffs are responsible for:

1) Executing and returning process, meaning they serve all civil papers, such as divorce papers, eviction notices, lien notices, etc. They must also return a copy of the executed paperwork to the clerk of court.

2) Attending and protecting all court proceedings in the jurisdiction. A sheriff may appoint deputies to assist with all duties.

3) Preserve order at public polling places.

4) Publish announcements regarding sale of foreclosed property. The sheriff is also responsible for conducting public auctions of foreclosed property.

5) Serving eviction notices. The sheriff must sometimes forcibly remove tenants and their property from their homes or businesses.

6) Maintain the county jail and transport prisoners to and from court. The sheriff is also responsible for transporting county prisoners to state prison after they’re been sentenced by the court.

7) In many areas the sheriff is responsible for all law enforcement of their jurisdiction. Some towns do not have police departments, but all jurisdictions (with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut) must have a sheriff’s office.

Sheriffs and their deputies have arrest powers in all areas of the county where they were elected, including all cities, towns, and villages located within the county.



 

Police jargon (since I’m in Boston, that’s pronounced “jahgon”) is like an accent. It varies across the country. I urge you writers to do a little homework before you inject dialogue in your books that doesn’t ring true. A quick phone call to a police department’s public affairs office will normally provide you with the necessary information.

Public Affairs Officer David Crawford

When I was conducting the research for my  book on police procedure I had the opportunity to speak with police officers all across the country about this very topic. Here are a few examples of what I learned:

1) Perp – Not many police officers use the shortened form of the word perpetrator. In fact, most cops don’t even say perpetrator. Instead, they use the more common terms, suspect or ***hole. Listen to newscasts. You rarely ever hear an officer say, “We apprehended the perp at 0100 hours.” It’s always, “”We apprehended the suspect at 0100 hours.”

 

2) Vic – This is another one I’ve seen in books countless times. Again, not all cops use Vic when referring to the victim of a crime. Well, TV cops do, but not all real-life cops. Actually, some real-life cops refer to their police cars, if they’re driving a Crown Victoria, as a Vic.

What word do cops use when referring to a victim? That’s an easy one. They say victim, or dead guy.

 

3) Juvie – This is a nickname given to a place of detention for juvenile offenders, or to the actual troublesome kids. Again, not all members of law enforcement use this term. Many simply say juvenile.

The Bulletin Board

– Sgt. Josh Moulin, a regular contributor to The Graveyard Shift (high-tech and computer crimes), was featured on last Saturday night’s episode of Tru TV’s Most Shocking series.

– A&E Television’s 360 Crime Executive Producer, Laura Fleury, will be guest blogging on The Graveyard Shift this week. Please see yesterday’s post for details.

– Later in the week we will be announcing ways to win DVDs of Crime 360s entire first season!

– NYC Medical Examiner/Author Jonathan Hayes will be returning to The Graveyard Shift this week.

– Norfolk, Virginia’s police department just added 41 new recruits to their force of 772 sworn officers. Among the new officers are a 20 year-old mother who stands at an even 5 feet tall, and a 21 year veteran of the NYC Police department who came out of a 3 1/2 year retirement to sign up with the Norfolk department.

– San Diego Chief medical Examiner, Dr. Glenn Wagner answered the following question for VoiceofSandiego.org:

Forensic science has gained a higher profile over the last decade thanks to TV shows like “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Has that changed expectations?
“It comes up in court, certainly with the jury, the public and the press.

I end up doing a lot of public presentations, and the “CSI” issue is there. What I tell them is that what they see is largely representing technology that’s available, but none of us have the ability to solve crimes in 24 hours, and none of us have access, as far as I know, to holograms and some of the fancy stuff.

There’s also what’s described as the “CSI effect.” It refers to perceptions by the public sometimes, and juries in particular, about the level of evidence that needs to be presented in order to get a conviction.”