GEORGE WASHINGTON STATED

Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty teeth.



First Inaugural Address of George Washington...April 30, 1789

The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Abraham Lincoln said:

"In this age, and in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it nothing can suceed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions."

James Madison Declared

The adversaries of the Constitution seem to have lost sight of the PEOPLE altogether in their reasonings on this subject; and to have viewed these different establishments not only as mutual rivals and enemies, but as uncontrolled by any common superior in their efforts to usurp the authorities of each other. These gentlemen must be reminded of their error. They must be told that the ULTIMATE AUTHORITY, wherever the derivative may be found, RESIDES IN THE PEOPLE ALONE. (Federalist Papers, No. 46, p.294; emphasis added.)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

WOODSTOCK ILLINOIS..MAN WITH GUN..NO PROBLEM?

Finally some 60 or more citizens of Woodstock Illinois are not only going to "Coffee with the Chief, Robert W. Lowen Jr, Program" on Monday nights just to drink some free coffee and chat with the Chief but according to the Northwest Herald article by Northwest Herald reporter Tim Kane "to vent their frustrations" to him in regards to how a report of a man with a gun report was handled. The report was telephoned into the Woodstock Police Department by a lady in the 200 block of Fremont Street at about 9:15 am last Thursday. The lady went into her yard to fetch some wood from a wood pile and found a man hiding behind it with a handgun in his hand; now how often has that happened to you? The man told the lady that he was going to use the gun for his cat....sure! So what was he going to do...discharge a firearm within the city limits? Some officers were sent out to patrol the area and look for the suspect and when they found someone who matched the description the lady could not identify him for certain. So far so good it appears that they did what they, the police, could up to this point.

From this point on however I question the judgment of whomever made the final decision. Common sense would dictate that most Patrol Sergeants would have contacted a superior, either a Deputy Chief or the Chief and filled him in on the situation. That and armed man has been reported and that the police had not been able to apprehend or find and contain him and that all of this was happening not very far from Dean Street School. As a prudent Sergeant he should have called and let someone who was in a "higher pay grade" make the decision as to whether we notify and secure the Dean Street School and post a patrol officer there for the day just to be on the safe side or walk away and do none of the above.

The principal of the school did not find out about all of this until the following Monday. Some example of community policing and communicating potential threats to the civilian community. Ultimately the Chief is responsible for the Police Department and the buck and responsibility and final decisions should end in his lap.

Thank God nothing happened and maybe the only injury was to that cat....hmmmm. But this could have also turned into a real nightmare.
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1 comment:

Biblioteca Chica said...

The woman "could not" identify the man b/c she was afraid! Here was a man in HER backyard w/a gun. He knows WHERE she lives and WHAT she LOOKS like. The police bring her face to face w/the perp and ask her to identify him while she is standing a few yards from him. Since his offense is "trespassing," he'll be out by that evening. Put yourself in her shoes. Would you make yourself a target like that? Just poor, poor judgement on the part of the police! Then the guy goes and rapes the lady at the laundromat the next day. The police department has no one to blame but themselves.

October 1, 2008 at 5:42 PM

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