"Old cops know that the best performance of their duty is to prove innocence." (first spoken by avatar 'PB' in commentary in early October, 2010)
“It’s an indictment on this whole community, lifestyle and philosophies,” DiSalvo said. “Corrupt is not the word I would use to describe this office. Enlightened, compassionate and caring is how I would describe it.” (Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo, Aspen Daily March 27, 2012)
That statement by Sheriff DiSalvo is deeply disturbing. How can it be that someone who has worked in the Pitkin County Sheriff's Dept. for 27 years be so far out of touch with the majority of his communities within his county?
Thank goodness that the DEA, FBI and all other agencies who participated in the drug bust in May of 2011 are looking hard at the community, lifestyle and philosophy of Pitkin County and the City of Aspen.
It's about time.
'Pandora's Box' was the label a few placed on the bust within hours of word getting out on 'how' the bust was executed. A feeling of shock swept over the folks because to their knowledge no one had ever had the courage to openly stand up to the status quo of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley
Within weeks, word of other big busts all over the Western Slope came to the front of the news. As the months passed we learned of the presence of Mexican drug cartels and gangs of the most violent origins actually operating as close as Grand Junction and with presence in El Jebel, Glenwood Springs and the Aspen area.
The early stages of the courage to speak up against known corruption, intimidation by powerful individuals, oppression, represssion and power abuses within communities running from Aspen through Glenwood Springs was in its mid-strength stages in May 2011.
Within those early months we saw more voices grow stronger, more citizens thanking the participating agencies. We saw a very prominent Skico exec literally step down because of his support and personal, ethical and moral standards. We saw local opinion columnists speak openly with blunt language in a wide range of viewpoints and many of them in favor of change to end the abuses of power and retaliation to others by a few. We listened to the whispers of folks who felt better because they had sent emails and letters of encouragement, thanks and hopes for the future to DEA Agent Schrant.
When the vile Michael Cleverly and cohorts engaged in alleged federal witness intimidation and tampering against the informant in the busts we even saw for the first time ever; federal law enforcement and outlying agency law enforcement step up and enforce the law. Something unheard of in this area when it comes to intimidation and bullying.
We've watched federal prosecutors show decisive action that has produced results. No fumbling, no power abusing and no coverups. There has not been one 'Big Money' or socially dominating person receive special treatment at their hands.
Yes, Sheriff Joe. Thank goodness the community, lifestyle and philosophies of the past are being heavily scrutinized.
It's about time.
Our thanks here on SandBox goes out again to all the agents, agencies, deputies and officers who are participating in the continuing operation. We now can add our local and state FBI led by Special Agent Robert Gaskamp.
Will they 'get it'? That elusive 'something' that really is not elusive at all? Will more 'anonymous father' types keep droppin dimes on the dopeman? Will the politics of justice in the 9th Judicial District, City of Aspen and a few of our major employers and revenue generators in the Valley finally be deeply looked into? Will the apathy of a number of our elected officials along with blind eyes finally be stopped enough to balance out the harm that comes to the folks as the results of that apathy come to pass in their everyday lives?
The answer should be affirmative as all of these problems stem from that core root of systemic and corrosive decay that has run for so very long throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and west I-70 corridor.
Pandora's Box.
Yes, thank goodness we have law enforcement presence. Stay the course.
(Read the article? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
6 comments:
Are there actual deputies on the take? Probably not. But there is no way that denial of selective performance under the guise of discretionary choice by law enforcement is taking place and has for years. There's no denying that cops in this valley know that there is one standard of performance for every social set there is. DiSalvo speaks B.S. This will be super tough to ferret out because it's more of discretion, blinders on deliberately and it just not being worth it to fight the mega power of a few. We try to elect into office the ones that are strong enough to clean house. But in election campaigns like Leonard and DiSalvo, DiSalvo was the annointed one. And the worst one for the job. Cops won't be able to hold that blue line if they really want to get to the bottom. Or should I say the top because the top is in the politics.
The comment and microblog tip thing is working. Lots of places to post up. More of a liberal feeling your wish? The Con Man is all for a good scrub of Pitco Sheriff and the drug culture. Conniff is wide open for comments and posts.
http://congames.net/latest-posts/
No core strength is how I'd describe it.
What kind of a message does it send when people know if they speak up on what they know they're going to be handled instead of helped? If you have something to say about illegal visas, power abuse, corruption, drugs, somebody being intimidated or hurt and you take it in in this valley, you're going to be handled if the person or group you're speaking up against is influential or has influence in the right places. Anybody who trys to say otherwise is not telling the truth.
It's safe to be anonymous. But you won't get your problem enforced or get your tip investigated unless you push it. People see right through it anymore and DiSalvo needs to pay attention. So do O'Connor, Pryor, Schilling, Wilson and Vallario. With law enforcement and prosecutors it started and stays fueled as a culture in Aspen and Pitkin. But the trickle down effect for the generations of cops downvalley who are early trained to adapt to that culture walk a line that no matter how bad they may want to do a better job for all the people they really can't. This kind of decay at the core is in every municipality in the valley in some form or the other, more so in some. It is perception and it gets tweaked when we get a cop like Dalessandri running the show like the Pitkin cops. All that money and flow that enables the abuses and drug culture run the entire corridor and valley. Most of the Aspen wealth holds real estate investments, developments and does business down valley on the side.
This thing is everywhere and where the feds need to really get a clue is to watch all the weaving in and out of the problems and find the common names and money. I've said it many times on this blog, the old PI and the Times. Start with development and tourism and all roads lead to various parts of Rome.
The culture of that decay affects everything in an average persons life in this area. When the people don't have the law to depend on then the elected officials they put in place have no accountability. Since when is there an entitlement under the disguise of philosophy and enlightened thinking? Nobody tracks the patterns of how deep this goes and has gone on for years. It's going to take a long time and good old fashioned police work on who knows who and where the power and money intersect. nails is right that construction and development, tourism and big money, local and national politics is the foundation for all of it. Here's a news tip to Pitkin commissioners. Go ahead and write your letters protesting and asking if there is a probe. The real news is that they are the law and they don't have to answer you. I'll agree with Nanny that we can all be grateful that times have changed and we've got agents that will go the distance. Here's to them staying around for a long time.
Riddle me this:
If anonymous father would have given the tip on Simmons to Pitco sheriff instead of city cops would the DA even know about Thomas Simmons and Max Puders source?
No.
Why is that?
The Aspen Daily is always appreciated for honest, detailed and balanced reporting. Leaving the gray to the opinion columnists and community letters they remain the local favorite.
Everyone can now rest easy knowing that the Daily is on the stories surrounding the 'Pandora's Box' that's now open.
Time to let the Feds do their job now, comment ability on the FBI story is closed.
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