Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Officer Geoffrey Breitkopf, 40

Nassau County New York Police Department

March 12, 2011 – Officer Geoffrey Breitkopf, a plainclothes officer, responded to assist officers who were dealing with a man armed with several knives. A transit officer saw Officer Breitkopf approach holding a rifle and mistakenly thought that he, too, was a suspect and shot and killed him. Officer Breitkopf is survived by his wife and two children.

Officer Alain Schaberger, 42

New York City Police Department

March 13, 2011 – Officer Schaberger, along with other officers, responded to a domestic dispute involving a man who’d threatened to kill his girlfriend.  While attempting to handcuff the suspect, the man pushed Officer Schaberger off the front stoop, causing him to fall nine feet onto the concrete pavement. He struck his head, fracturing his skull and neck, and died as a result of the injuries.

Deputy Sheriff Cameron Neil Justus, 41

Buchanan County Virginia Sheriff’s Office

Deputy Sheriff William Ezra Stiltner, 46

Buchanan County Virginia Sheriff’s Office

March 13, 2011 – Deputy Cameron Neil Justice and Deputy William Ezra Stilner were shot and killed by a sniper as they responded to assist other deputies at a larceny-in-progress call. The shooter had positioned himself on a ridge above the scene and used a high-powered rifle to kill the two deputies. The suspect was later killed by officers when he drew a handgun on them as they approached to make the arrest.

Deputy Stilner is survived by his wife, two children, and two grandchildren.

Officer Stephanie Brown, 27

San Antonio Texas Police Department

March 15, 2011 – Officer Stephanie Brown was killed in an automobile crash when a driver traveling in the wrong lane struck her patrol car head-on. Officer Brown was responding to a call when the crash occurred. She is survived by her 7-month-old daughter and her father, who is also a San Antonio police officer.

Deputy Sheriff Sebastian Diana, 40

Orange County Sheriff’s Office

March 12, 2011 – Deputy Sheriff Sebastian Diana responded to a child-not-breathing call and, upon arrival, found a 3-month-old infant in need of CPR. He began the procedure immediately and, unfortunately, contracted a bacterial infection from contacting the child’s body fluids. Deputy Diana eventually suffered heart failure as a result of the infection. He is survived by his wife and four children.

 

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10 Youngest Murderers in History

10 Youngest Murderers In History

Murders happen every day, but very rarely are they committed by people who can’t see over the witness stand. According to the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, juvenile offenders were involved in approximately 1,043 murders in 2006, which accounts for 10 percent of all murders. Children may commit a small percentage of all murders in the United States overall, but they aren’t a demographic that we can afford to ignore. Here are the 10 youngest murderers in history:

1. Carl Newton Mahan: Carl Newton Mahan was six years old when he killed his friend Cecil Van Hoose, 8, over a piece of scrap iron on May 18, 1929 in eastern Kentucky. Since times were tough, the two young boys were out looking for scrap metal to sell to a junk dealer for money. They began fighting over a piece of scrap iron, and Cecil hit Carl in the face with it. Carl ran all the way home with Cecil in tow. He grabbed his father’s shotgun and threatened to shoot Cecil — and he did. Carl went to trial for the murder of Van Hoose. The original sentencing was 15 years in reform school, but it was later turned over and the judge issued a “writ of prohibition” that kept him from going to reform school. At that time, Carl was the youngest murder defendant in the state of Kentucky and possibly in the country.

2. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables: Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were both 10 years old when they abducted and killed two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. The young boys snatched the toddler from a shopping mall while his mother was inside a store, and took him on a 2.5-mile walk across Liverpool. The boys were seen walking by approximately 38 people, but many assumed he was their younger brother. Venables and Thompson took Bulger to a railway line where they tortured and brutally attacked the toddler. Bulger suffered multiple skull fractures from blows to the head, and was sexually abused by the two older boys. After the beatings, they left Bulger’s lifeless body across the railway tracks so that his body would be cut in half. Police were able to pin Venables and Thompson because of video images that captured Bulger’s abduction from the mall. DNA testing matched the blood found on the boys’ shoes to Bulger. Thompson and Venables were arrested and controversially tried and convicted in an adult court. They were both found guilty of murder and sentenced to custody until the age of 18.

3. Lionel Tate: In 2001, Lionel Tate, 14, was convicted of first-degree murder for brutally beating 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick in 1999. Tate became the youngest person ever sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. On the night of the murder, Lionel’s mother Kathleen Grossett-Tate was babysitting the kids. She let 12-year-old Tate and 6-year-old Eunick play downstairs while she went upstairs to take a nap in preparation for her overnight shift as a Florida State Trooper. About 45 minutes later, Tate told his mother that the young girl wasn’t breathing. Tiffany was pronounced dead at the hospital. Tate, who was nearly 6 feet tall and 166 pounds, admitted to wrestling with the 48-pound girl and holding her in a headlock and slamming her head into a table, but the autopsy showed more serious injuries inflicted by Tate, including a crushed skull, broken ribs and a shredded liver that had been pushed through her rib cage. The Broward State Attorney’s Office tried Lionel as an adult and punished him with a severe sentence to life in prison without parole. The conviction and sentencing shocked the nation and spurred discussion about the prosecution of children in America.

4. Mary Bell: In 1968, 11-year-old Mary Bell was convicted of killing two young boys, 4-year-old Martin Brown and 3-year-old Brian Howe. Bell strangled Martin Brown and left his lifeless body in an abandoned house in Newcastle, England. Two weeks later, she and her 13-year-old friend Norma Bell (no relation) strangled Brian Howe, carved the letter M into his stomach with scissors and disposed of his body on waste ground. Howe’s hair had been cut and his genitals were mutilated. The girls were tried and convicted of manslaughter, but Norma was acquitted. Bell received life in detention, but only served 12 years before she was released and given lifelong anonymity.

5. Andrew Golden and Mitchell Johnson: Andrew Golden, 11, and Mitchell Johnson, 13, were responsible for killing four students and one teacher and wounding 10 others at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas on March 24, 1998. The incident became known worldwide as the Westside Middle School Massacre. Golden and Johnson had carefully planned the attack. On the morning of the shooting, the boys snuck into Andrew’s grandparent’s house and stole several guns and ammo from his grandfather’s collection and loaded their weaponry into Mitchell’s parents’ minivan. Mitchell was marked absent from school that day, but Andrew attended so that he could pull the fire alarm and meet up with Mitchell in the woods to prepare for their ambush. As soon as students and teachers started filing out of the school for the fire drill, the boys started the shooting spree. Police captured the boys in the woods and took them into custody. Under Arkansas law, the boys couldn’t be tried as adults because of their age, but they were charged for five accounts of murder in Juvenile Court and held as juvenile delinquents until age 18 and served an additional three years for federal gun charges.

6. Jordan Brown: In 2009, 11-year-old Jordan Brown shot and killed his father’s pregnant fiancé Kenzie Houk and her unborn son as well. According to police reports, Jordan walked into his father’s room and shot Houk with a hunting rifle while she was sleeping, and boarded a school bus like normal. Houk’s body was discovered by her 4-year-old daughter Adalynn. Police have reason to believe Jordan is the killer after discovering gun residue on his shirt, a fresh shell casting outside and Houk’s oldest daughter’s testimony that she saw Jordan holding the gun. Brown was arrested and charged as an adult for the murder of his soon-to-be stepmom. The case hasn’t gone to trial yet, but Jordan’s father stands by his son’s innocence. The state of Pennsylvania is tough on crime laws and considers any kid charged with murder an adult in court. In order to move Jordan’s case to juvenile court, a judge will have to overturn the rule. If convicted as an adult, Jordan could become the youngest person in U.S. history to be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

7. 8-Year-Old Boy Kills Father and Friend: In 2008, an 8-year-old boy, whose name was not released, was arrested and charged with shooting and killing his father and his father’s friend in their St. Johns, Arizona home. The young boy confessed to shooting both men with a .22 caliber rifle, but police felt something bigger caused the boy to commit such a premeditated murder. The boy also kept a tally of spankings he received from his father, but there was not enough evidence to support the possibility of abuse. He was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, but the charges for his father’s death were dropped by his plea deal. Two years later, the 10-year-old was sentenced to a residential treatment facility and intensive probation until 18 years of age.

8. Eric Smith: Eric Smith was 13 years old when he sexually abused and murdered four-year-old Derrick Robie on August 2, 1993 in Steuben County, New York. Eric and Derrick lived in different parts of town, but attended the same recreation program a block away from the Robie household. Derrick’s mother was tending to her youngest son and wasn’t able to walk Derrick to the end of the driveway like she normally did. That day, she let her son walk one block alone for the first time. Within those short five minutes, Derrick was lured from the sidewalk into the woods and strangled by Eric. Derrick was sexually abused and his belongings were strewn around his body. Even the contents of his lunchbox were poured out and smashed near him. As details unfolded, Smith became police’s number one suspect. The innocent looking redhead with thick glasses admitted to killing Derrick, but never gave any real reason why he did it. In 1994, Smith was tried and convicted of second-degree murder and received a sentencing of nine years to life in prison, which was the maximum term given to juvenile murderers.

9. 9-Year-Old Girl Kills Playmate: In 2005, a 9-year-old girl, whose name wasn’t released, was responsible for stabbing 11-year-old Queen Washington during a fight over a ball. They were playing at the 9-year-old’s home in Brooklyn during a Memorial Day barbeque, and when her mother stepped out of the house, the fight ensued. When the mother returned, the 9-year-old had stabbed Washington in the chest with a steak knife. She collapsed in the hallway and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The killer is likely the youngest person in New York City to commit a murder. The girl was charged with manslaughter and the case will go to family court because she is younger than 14.

10. Andrew Wurst: Andrew Wurst was 14 years old when he entered his 8th grade graduation dance and opened fire, killing John Gillette and wounding another teacher and two students. Wurst showed up late to the Parker Middle School dance held at a restaurant in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, carrying his father’s .25 caliber pistol. According to Wurst’s suicide note, he was going to kill only himself, but he decided to shoot Gillette and open fire on the crowd. He was detained by the owner of the restaurant, who held him on the ground and searched him for weapons. Wurst pled guilty in a plea bargain to third-degree murder and attempted murder to avoid trial, but was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.

Today’s article courtesy of our good friends at Criminaljusticedegreesguide.com.

 

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DNA: Are The Police Going Too Far?

DNA: Going too Far?

In 2009, Ruben Mitchell, a Stockton, California resident was arrested for trafficking drugs from California to Pittsburgh. Authorities alleged that Mitchell filed a claim for a lost bag on a Southwest airline flight bound for Pittsburgh. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but Mitchell’s bag contained 19 kilos of cocaine.

Ruben Mitchell

Mitchell, upon arrest, refused to provide a DNA sample, arguing that authorities needed a search warrant to obtain that sample. Later, a federal judge in Pittsburgh agreed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Irwin claims that taking a DNA sample is no different than fingerprinting someone at the time of their arrest. But is swabbing the inside of someone’s mouth really the same as taking fingerprints? Or, is that step actually a body cavity search that would normally require a search warrant? The difference could be that DNA contains a person’s genetic code, not just a bunch of ridges that’re used to identify that person. And, to stick something inside a person’s mouth to retrieve a sample, well, that’s certainly much more invasive than holding a finger over a glass screen to electronically record a fingerprint.

Either way, the case is going to an appeals court for a ruling on the matter. But it won’t end there. Nope. This is a 4th Amendment issue (unreasonable search and seizure). So we’ll definitely see this case before the U.S. Supreme Court because neither side will give in.

So how will all this play out for departments like the Palm Bay Florida Police Department that currently uses DNA to solve many of their cases, including property crimes?

Palm Bay PD has built an in-house DNA database by collecting samples (150 per month, or so. Nearly 13,000 in four years) from any arrestee who agrees to submit one, not just convicted felons. In fact, PBPD detectives even collect samples from soda cans, doorknobs, cigarette butts, or anything else a person may have discarded or touched in a public place.

Then officers collect and enter that person’s DNA into the department’s local DNA databasing system (LODIS).

Palm Bay officials say their DNA database has paid off big time. Within a period of two years they’ve reduced property losses by a staggering $6 million. And they’ve done so by getting the burglars off the street by using DNA to identify them.

One particular Palm Bay DNA case that made the news was interesting, to say the least. But was it a case where DNA should have been used to find the suspect? Well, you be the judge. Remember, to process each sample the costs range between $100 – $800. And that doesn’t include police manpower, vehicle costs, dispatcher’s time, paperwork, court time, overtime, investigation time, follow up time, transportation to the lab, etc.

Anyway, police officers were called to a burglary scene where they discovered a broken piggy bank and knife lying on the bed beside it. Officers took DNA samples and 30 days later they arrested 19-year-old Jerome Jordan for breaking the bank and stealing the $121 he’d found inside.

Officers were able to identify Jordan as the suspect because his DNA profile was in the local database for an unrelated sample collection, possibly from a soda can he’d tossed in a mall garbage can in front of a police detective who decided it might be a good idea to collect it.

What do you think? Should the police be allowed to collect DNA samples from items collected in public places? Should authorities even be allowed to collect DNA samples from everyone who’s been arrested, but not yet convicted of a crime? Is this over-reaching? A violation of search and seizure according to the 4th amendment?

 

 

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Murder: Locating The Smallest Of Clues

Murder: Locating The Smallest Of Clues

 

Sure, anybody can pick up a bullet casing and toss it into a plastic bag. But what about the tricky, hard to find evidence? What do the pros use to collect that stuff?

Self-saturating foam swabs are ideal for the collection of trace DNA, such as shed skin cells. The investigator breaks the isopropanol-filled handle by giving it a squeeze, which causes the foam tip to become saturated with the 91% isopropanol solution. The foam tip is then wiped across the target surface to collect the DNA evidence.

Cuticle sticks for retrieving evidence from the cuticles and other hard-to-reach places.

Swab Shields provide a physical barrier that protects against evidence contamination, mixing with other samples, and they prevent transferring your sample to another surface.

Trace evidence tape is a great tool for locating and picking up items such as, hair, glass particles, and fibers. Simply touch the “sticky side” of the tape to a surface and then lift. Any item on that surface will cling to the tape. To remove the item/evidence place the tape in water (the adhesive is water soluble), then pour the water through a filter. Your evidence can then be retrieved from the filter.

Tacky MatTM is used to collect trace evidence from the bottom of shoes. Have your suspect step on one and you’ve just collected samples from places he’s walked. The Mat can also be placed at the entrance of a crime scene to remove items from the bottoms of officer’s shoes to prevent contaminating the scene with foreign material.

Hand sifters are used to screen out dirt and debris, leaving behind bone fragments and/or other small evidence (shirt buttons, teeth, etc.).

 

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Registration is open for the 2011 Writers’ Police Academy!

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Please Pass The Peas. But Hold The Handcuffs

Please pass the peas

 

While many police and sheriff’s departments face layoffs and budget cuts, Ellis County, Texas Sheriff Johnny Brown has decided to be creative when it comes to feeding the inmates housed in his jail.

Sheriff Johnny Brown (on right) and Sgt. Bobby Cooper

No more canned peas, corn, or store-bought onions for his prisoners. No sir. It’s fresh vegetables or nothing. That’s right, Sheriff Brown decided to break ground on the back forty (actually, it’s more like three acres at the old jail farm) using inmate labor for the tilling, planting, and harvesting.

Sgt. Cooper is in charge of overseeing the farm operation

Each morning, a group of non-violent inmates stand in line to be shackled and transported the three miles to the farm where they put in a full day working the 188 rows of vegetables. Sheriff Brown hopes to save the taxpayers of his jurisdiction a lot of money by growing the crops. And, as a bonus, the inmates learn as they work. They’re also tired at the end of the day (less trouble), and the food they’ll consume after harvest will be much better for them than canned produce. Let’s face it, jail food is usually horrible.

An inmate examines English peas prior to planting

Planting peas


To further save money, Sheriff Brown even collects rainwater runoff from the roof at the jail.

The water is funneled into barrels and is then transported to the farm to water the gardens.

WFAA TV photos

Sheriff B.J. Barnes

*Jail farms are not a new concept. In fact, Guilford County N.C. Sheriff B.J. Barnes operates a massive prison farm—the only one in the state of North Carolina—consisting of 806 acres that’s manned by 134 inmates. Inmates even built the original dormitory at the farm using rocks found on the grounds.

Those of you who attended the 2010 Writers’ Police Academy will remember Sheriff Barnes from the Sunday debriefing panel. He was also responsible for most of the police equipment you toured and visited on Friday.

And, it was Sheriff Barnes’ team who provided the live demonstration of the school shooting/hostage situation.

This year, Sheriff Barnes has graciously offered to allow attendees of the 2011 Writers’ Police Academy an opportunity to tour the county jail. Ride-a-long’s with Guilford County deputies will also be offered as part of the WPA program.

Registration for the 2011 Writers’ Police Academy is open. Reserve your spot today. Space is limited!

 

 

 

 

 

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An Alaska Adventure: It’s All About The Dogs

Alaska: All about the dogs

 

Our friend, Monica, decided to follow a lifelong dream and head to Alaska to live and work with sled dogs. She left behind a very comfortable life in sunny California to trek to a very remote area where, for three months, she now resides in a one room cabin with no running water, and the only heat is supplied by a wood-burning barrel fed with wood she splits by hand. Monica’s duties include feeding, watering, cleaning, and exercising 60 dogs, all in temperatures that sometimes dip to -40F. And she couldn’t be happier.

The dogs are owned by Zoya DeNure (a former International fashion runway model who also followed her dream of working with sled dogs) and John Schandelmeier, a legendary sled dog racer.

So here’s a taste of  living the life with 60 champion dogs in the wilds of Alaska:

Camping along a river with the dogs

Loading straw for the dogs (it keeps them warm)

An October trip

Smiling for the camera!

In addition to the daily supplies of Eukanuba dog food, the dogs receive salmon for additional protein. The salmon is chopped and cut by hand.

Training

Time to get up, already?

Leaving the lodge for a bit of exercise

2005 Quest

A long way from California

Ready to race!

Zoya DeNure

*You can see additional photos and learn more about Zoya, John, and the dogs at http://dogsleddenali.com/index.html

* Read more about Monica’s adventure here.

 

 

 

 

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of these brave officers.

Deputy Sheriff Willie Amos Cammon, 59

Heard County Georgia Sheriff’s Office

March 3, 2011 – Deputy Willie Amos Cammon was killed in an automobile crash when his patrol car was struck head-on by another vehicle that was illegally passing a car.

Officer Donald Joshua Newman, 30

Jemison Alabama Police Department

March 5, 2011 – Officer Joshua Newman was responding to a head-on crash when his patrol car hit water and began to hydroplane, causing it to strike a utility pole. He was killed in the accident. Officer Newman is survived by his wife and four-year-old son.

District Administrator Debra K. Collins, 55

Missouri Department of Corrections

March 4, 2011 – Administrator Debra K. Collins was killed in an automobile crash when her vehicle left the highway and overturned. She is survived by her husband and two sons.

Deputy Marshal John Perry, 48

United States Marshals – Missouri

March 8, 2011 – Deputy Marshal John Perry was shot and killed while serving a felony warrant on a suspect for assault on an officer. During the exchange of gunfire, a second marshal and a St. Louis police officer were also shot, but survived. The suspect was killed.

Officer Jay Sheridan, 27

Limon Colorado Police Department

March 9, 2011 – Officer Jay Sherman was shot and killed while serving a fugitive arrest warrant. As he and other officers entered the suspect’s mobile home, the suspect began firing, fatally wounding Officer Sheridan. The remaining officers called for SWAT assistance and later found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. Officer Sheridan is survived by his wife and child.

 

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A New, Safe Method of Applying and Removing Handcuffs

A New, Safe Method of Applying and Removing Handcuffs

How many times have you been punched in the face while removing the cuffs from your prisoner? I know, once was enough, right? Well, the folks over at Cuffsafe Industries have come up with a handy solution to the problem—the Cuffsafe Device.

The Cuffsafe Device is specifically designed to assist law enforcement and corrections officers with the safe removal of handcuffs from prisoners. It also works when applying cuffs.

Cuffsafe provides a physical barrier between the officer and the suspect, which provides a safety zone.

Cuffs are securely locked into the device, allowing the officer to safely search the suspect. Even with only one hand cuffed and locked, it makes it impossible to use the cuffs as a weapon.

It only takes one time of having a prisoner hook you in the face with an open cuff to know you’ll never want to experience that again. Imagine the “hook” catching the cheek, or an eye.

 

The Cuffsafe jaws are adaptable to either chain-link or hinged cuffs. The keyed lock deadbolts the cuffs in place. There’s no getting out of this thing!

*Cuffsafe images

 

 

 

 

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Southland: Graduation Day – A Review

Southland: Graduation Day

“All cops know, and Officer Ben Sherman is beginning to understand that sometimes you can’t think about it, you just gotta make that leap.”

Well, after a season packed with gut-wrenching scenes, nerves plucked like banjo strings, and a cast that knows how to bring real police work into our living rooms each and every week, it’s over. Southland’s season ended with a handful of cliffhangers and a bag full of unanswered questions.

Last night’s episode, Graduation Day, brought an end to Ben Sherman’s field training. And what an action-packed last day it was. But first things first.

The show opened with Cooper lying in bed facing yet another day of pain and pills. And anyone who’s ever experienced the agony of a herniated disk and pinched nerves (me for one – surgery three years ago) knows exactly what Cooper is going through. But combine all that pain and suffering with a cop’s job, well, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. There’s no way to defend yourself, or anyone else, either. A cop in that situation is nearly helpless, and he’s a danger to everyone (especially other officers) around him. But John rolls out of bed to begin the day…after eating a wad of painkillers.

– Lydia, on the other hand, is in bed, but she’s not rolling out of it. At least not for the moment. In her opening scene she’s giving Mama a little taste of what she’s been dishing out…having to listen to Lydia’s between-the-sheets action. And that action was with her partner’s 20-something-year-old son. Whew! Sparks would fly later about that match-up, and Josie was the one igniting the fire. Nope. She was not happy. In fact, she called Lydia a cradle-robber.

– It’s graduation day for the boots. The day you finish your field training and are finally able to face the streets alone, without your FTO (field training officer), is one of the happiest days in an officer’s career. And that joy was clearly seen on the rookie’s faces when the announcement was made to the shift that this was indeed their last day of training. The seasoned veterans displayed their own happiness by stuffing the a/c vent on Ben’s side of the car with baby powder. Yep, when John fired up the engine Ben was dusted with the white stuff, like a newborn baby’s bottom. Good scene here. Cops love to play practical jokes, and that’s a side the public rarely sees. Like spraying a toilet seat with pepperspray a few minutes before an unsuspecting officer catches the urge for a little bathroom break. Yep, picture that same officer thirty minutes later after his body temp begins to warm up (sweating a little opens the pores and sends that chemical into high gear). A “hot” seat would be putting it mildly.

– Ben has to deal with a nut in a wheelchair who insists on playing in traffic. Again, these are the sort of calls you don’t see, but happen many times during a shift. It’s not all car chases and shootouts. Sometimes it’s all about crazies and weirdos.

– Ben and John respond to a domestic, where the father (a gang member) has just given his young son a gang tattoo on his tiny chest. He’s also been teaching the kid to hate cops and the kid proves that by pointing a finger at Cooper, pretending to shoot him, twice. Cooper responds by affectionately rubbing the kid’s head and walking away. Cooper knows the kid doesn’t stand much of a chance in the world, but also knows the fight to save him is nearly a lost cause. I’ve seen this sort of thing many times over the years, parents teaching their kids to hate cops. In fact, when I used to drive through some neighborhoods, the children—little kids—yelled, “Five Oh,” and then ran away to hide. That’s not something they picked up on their own.

– Dewey and Chickie are together again. Chickie’s moving on to another assignment, and tells Dewey so. Dewey, not really caring about Chickie’s decision, spends his shift attempting to save a prostitute from herself. She’s a self-destructing crackhead who’s quickly heading for the bottom of the pit. Many people think that cops simply react to crimes in progress, but that’s a long ways from being accurate. Believe it or not, cops do care for people, and sometimes they try to save them from the perils of life, one crackhead at a time. It doesn’t always work, but they try. And those who do try, often use their own life experiences as tools to help others who are in trouble, like Dewey and his substance abuse troubles. So good stuff here.

– Ben and John engage in a vehicle pursuit. John’s driving, so Ben assumes control of the radio (did you notice he buckled up as soon as the pursuit began?), constantly providing their location. He also watched for traffic and other hazards, announcing, “Clear left,” or, “Clear right,” as they approached intersections. This let Cooper know it was okay to proceed.

– Same thing when the van crashed. Ben yelled, “Passenger side clear,” meaning that no one was there. Excellent procedure.

– Cooper’s driving along the streets when a man gestures toward him with an extended middle finger. Cooper mumbles to himself, “Ah, the warm embrace of the grateful populace we serve.” That’s sort of the feeling cops get after a dealing with people, day after day, who hit them, spit on them, and bite, scratch, and kick them. Oh, and give them the finger for no reason at all other than the fact that they’re cops. BUT, when someone breaks into those same people’s homes and steals their TV or their prized family heirlooms, suddenly the cops become heroes.

– A radio call…”Shots fired. Officer down.” Everyone who’s available heads that way to assist. And that’s how it is in real life, too. When a fellow officer is injured the brethren respond to help their own.

And guess who shot the officer? Yep, it was Leprechaun, the guy who Sammy thinks killed Nate. Well, the little tatted-up gang member points a gun at the entourage of cops who cornered him and quickly finds himself on the receiving end of a huge dose of “lead poisoning.” And Sammy makes sure the last thing the cop-killer hears before dying is Nate’s name. How fitting it was for Sammy’s face to be the last thing Leprechaun saw before closing his eyes for the final time. But, was he really the guy who killed Nate? Hmm…

– Sammy’s baby entered the world last night. Tammy gave birth to a boy and Sammy was there to hold him shortly after he cried for the first time. Naming the child Nathaniel was a nice tribute to his former partner. But what role will Sammy be allowed to play in his child’s life? Will Tammy let him see the baby as often as he wants? And, Sammy’s going back in uniform to teach rookies how to stay safe. Both of these events are life-changing. Are Sammy’s emotions stable enough to handle it? Another hmm…

Ben and John encounter the kidnapper (the guy in the earlier pursuit) and he runs. Of course, Ben chases on foot while Cooper follows in the patrol car. Now, Cooper didn’t do that simply because of his bad back. No. If, and when, the guy is caught they’ll need the car on the scene. You don’t want to be in the position of dragging a fighting man twenty blocks back to your vehicle. Besides, rookies always do the running! Been there, done that…both the running and, in later years, the driving.

Well, the pursuit is tough. Through alleys, over a fence, up a fire escape, across rooftops, a HUGE jump from one building to another, and finally the struggle where Ben winds up fighting for his life. By the way, Ben McKenzie actually made that jump. There was no stunt double. However, he did wear a wire. Still…

Cooper, bless his heart (a universal southern expression for…that kid is really ugly, or you really didn’t do such a hot job with…) tried to follow Ben, knowing he needed to back up his partner. But his bad back got him there after the fight was over. And the fight, well, it was pretty doggone realistic. And why not? Ben was fighting with a real-life mixed martial arts dude who played the role of bad guy for this episode.

Ben’s struggle with the suspect was great. He had to switch from trying to arrest the guy to fighting for survival. Finally, the suspect decided it was time to make his escape and again attempted to jump from one building to another, but didn’t make it the second time. And the fall was simply fantastic. The guy’s legs pumped and wriggled as if he were trying to run away from what was waiting for him at the bottom. A really good scene. Great job, Ben.

I have to say again just how great the camera work and directing are in this show. The camera really seems like another character. This stuff is so good.

Okay, I know war stories get old, but Ben’s fight scene reminded me of the time when I worked for the sheriff’s office and answered a domestic call way out in the far corner of the county. It was just after shift change and I was working the graveyard shift, alone. I knocked on the door and an obviously battered and bruised woman answered the door. She said her husband had left and that she was alone. Well, I didn’t believe her and asked her to step outside. Suddenly her husband, a man approximately 6’6″ and 320lbs stepped from behind the door and pushed her to the floor, and then lunged at me. Needless to say, it was on!

The two us rolled around inside that house, fighting, until there was absolutely not one single piece of furniture left standing. We even knocked down pictures from the walls. Soon, the man clutched my throat with both hands and began choking me. The only weapon I managed to find was my flashlight, so I began hitting the behemoth on his head with all my might. Well, the flashlight broke and batteries flew everywhere. And, of course, without the weight of the batteries, the flashlight was nearly useless as a weapon.

Suddenly, the man released his grip and fell to the floor. And, miraculously, I saw a flash of a brown uniform fall on top of him. The cavalry had arrived! One of the deputies who had worked the previous shift heard me when I signed off on the call and decided to head my way in case things didn’t go so well. And thank goodness he did. The two of us managed to get the guy cuffed and seated in the police car. We did, however, have to stop by the hospital on the way to the jail so the doctor could stitch up a few nasty cuts on the suspect’s head. I guess my flashlight had found its mark a few times after all.

– Finally there was the emotional scene where Ben confronted Cooper about his drug problem. In fact, he used his big toe to draw a line in the sand, saying, “You’ve got two options. Either I drive you to rehab or I go to the watch commander and tell him to give you a piss test.”

The season ended with Ben driving his mentor to rehab, where Cooper steps out of the car and then turns back to face Ben, and says, “Hey, Boot. Thank you.”

John Cooper then sucks it up and goes inside and confesses to the nurse that he is indeed a drug addict. But he makes it clear that he is also a cop.

*There has been no announcement of a season four for Soutland. We can only hope that TNT sees fit to bring back the most realistic cop show that’s ever been on television. I know I hope to see another season. After all, what else is there for me to review? American Idol??

Also, I’d like to thank Michael Cudlitz (Cooper), C. Thomas Howell (Dewey), and Shawn Hatosy (Sammy) for allowing me to join them on the live chats with their fans. It was fun answering fan questions regarding the accuracy of the police procedure on the show. Of course, it was an easy task since the show is incredibly accurate.

Hey, guys…How about a walk-on part for me next year? I know the way to L.A.!

 

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Planting Bugs Inside Bugs: Now That’s Sneaky!

Planting bugs inside bugs

The pentagon has gotten serious about the spy game. And it looks like the goofy glasses and fake mustaches may be on their way out.

Yep, shoe phones and the cone of silence may also soon be a thing of the past. So move over Maxwell Smart and Agent 99. Step aside Spy v. Spy. James Bond, open the window for…The Hummingbird.

Weighing less than a AA battery, this tiny spy drone is capable of flying in all directions, rotate, and climb and descend. And the best part is that it can do all that while a miniature camera records all it “sees.” Oh, I guess I should mention that the hummingbird’s flight is propelled solely by flapping it’s wings.

 

A California company, AeroVironment, developed the “bird” at a cost of $4 million over a period of 5 years. But it’s not their first attempt at creating this sort of thing. Not at all. They’ve also developed a flying reptile that’s been around for a while now.

And then there’s that whirling maple leaf seed (the whirly bird) developed by Lockheed Martin. At .07 ounces, this tiny spy plane is packed full of imaging and navigation equipment.

And it doesn’t stop there. The US government’s research group, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA) has plans to implant live insects with video cameras or sensors during their metamorphosis stage and then control them by applying electrical stimulation to their wings. Now that’s a bug!

I guess it’s just a matter of time before insects begin to play a vital role in law enforcement intelligence gathering…

 

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