SandBoxBlogs: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel "Garfield sheriff: Hikers shouldn’t be deterred by exposure cases"

(See related SandBox post here)

It's with both dismay and a troubled awareness, that no matter how far over the line the same individuals go when commenting online and/or in their Letters to the Editor, authorities do absolutely nothing about the Anita Sherman's (see her comments today on Sheriff Vallrio's meeting here) aka 'JustAnita' aka 'MomMakingChange' who appear to be willfully hurting others to the point where there really is intimidation out here that prevents people from coming to public meetings and expressing themselves openly.  

There are only about a dozen or so of those types of bullies in our area communities, yet from the serious protection authorities and news media give them, one would think they were a majority.

As always, Sheriff Vallario's reaching out to the public over any issue is appreciated.

With that said, sooner or later regional law enforcement is going to have to address the problem that they just simply do not seem to want to admit to.

In Garfield, Pitkin and this side of Eagle county they really do have a widespread problem of anonymous voices that look to themselves for protective needs and who will not risk their way of life falling into the hands of the mentality of gang bullies by showing themselves publicly except in ways that don't tie them to their avatars and LTE's. 

Until that problem is addressed with more presence and more action, terrific meetings like this one will go largely unattended.  In very much the same as what took place publicly over the Strawberry  Days 2011 bust and the free reign of a "40 year old" drug culture in Aspen.

With the above said a shout out of thanks to GarCo Sheriff for the meeting and the cameras.    

We'll once again thank the few law enforcement we have in the Valley that don't put up with the extremes some go to and also rely on the trusted and respected pen of investigative journalist Dennis Webb for this story. 

Over on the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Dennis Webb:
"CARBONDALE—Recreationists shouldn’t let reports of naked men and indecent exposures stop them from enjoying local trails, Garfield County Lou Vallario assured some Carbondale-area residents Tuesday night.

“Be a little more prepared, be a little more aware, take some precautions, but you need to do what you enjoy in life,” Vallario said at a meeting designed to update people on the incidents and cover means of self-protection.

.....Vallario told those at the meeting, “You shouldn’t be afraid to do things in your life. You shouldn’t be afraid to do things in Garfield County.”.....

.....Sheriff officials say a spate of cases of indecent exposure on trails around Carbondale and in Glenwood Canyon began back in 2008. Several have been reported this spring on three Carbondale-area trails.
Authorities believe several men are involved, and are trying to determine if any of them are involved in multiple cases.....

....Vallario noted that none to date have involved crimes any worse than public indecency or indecent exposure.

“Right now we have no other reason to feel that we have anything more aggressive,” he said.
The sheriff’s office has been sending plain-clothed deputies on trails and using remote cameras as part of their investigation.....

....One camera produced a photo of an unclothed man and investigators released to the public an edited version showing him from the shoulders up. They since have identified him and have arranged to interview him.

The man, who also was seen walking, clothed, around Carbondale Tuesday, is only a suspect at this point and his name hasn’t been released.

.....Vallario said authorities aren’t ruling out the possibility that some of the incidents might involve some sort of ritualistic activity involving nakedness that hikers stumbled upon, but an indecency charge still would apply.... (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetic pursuit and tracking of patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "Show appreciation for our public servants"

Rev. Marie Gasau:
"“Pitkin County Commissioner Michael Owsley challenged the county Wednesday to come up with initiatives to assist U.S. military veterans locally,” reported The Aspen Times on Thursday. This is a timely challenge given the rising number of returning or currently serving military personnel who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The number of folks in first-responder professions (such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians, nurses, doctors, even social workers and school teachers) who struggle with PTSD also is climbing. In addition to long hours, difficult working circumstances, slashed budgets, suppressed wages and questionable job security, these folks report a real sense of calling to work that would leave most of us in a quivering heap....."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Tree of Mamre "“Bohemian Rhapsody”, As Sung By A Drunk, In The Back Of A Police Car (Video)"

After watching this video will you ever degrade a patrol cop for loss of patience with the human equation?

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Tree of Mamre "Word to Conservatives: Do Not Condemn Yourself By What You Approve"

John Scotus:
"If a policeman gets into a fight with a man who is unarmed and shoots and kills him, then in most cases the policeman will be punished quite severely. You simply cannot use lethal force against an unarmed man, even if he is beating you up. Now, many people in many jurisdictions are inclined to give the police a break on this issue, as generally, people in the US are pro-police. However, unless the policeman is able to prove that he honestly thought his life to be in danger or he would suffer great bodily harm, the policeman is in deep kimchi, as my father used to say. In the vast majority of cases, the policeman must have a reasonable belief that the man had a gun or a knife, and was intending to use it, in order to escape blame.

Imagine two men in a bar fight. One man gets the better of the other, and so the other man takes out a gun and shoots and kills him. This usually will result in a manslaughter if not a murder charge. Shooting an unarmed man is simply not done, as you rarely if ever have a reasonable expectation that he will kill you or cause you great bodily harm. Fear of getting beaten up or bruised is not enough to justify homicide. Take your lumps and have someone call an ambulance for you, but don’t draw a gun and expect that you will get off scot-free.

While we must decry the political grandstanding of President Obama and other Democratic rabble rousers, along with any tendency of some towards vigilantism, some conservatives have simply crossed the line on the matter of Trayvon Martin. The facts, as they are widely known, are that George Zimmerman called 911 about someone he thought was suspicious. The 911 operator–representing law enforcement–told him the police would handle it and advised him not to pursue or interact with the man. Zimmerman ignored this order...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel "Police investigate garbage bag of pot dumped at park"

For various reasons, one or two of them unwarranted and totally unrealistic, and the others likely because we put out great content and believe in showing gratitude and appreciation for our law enforcement and military officers and agents;  SandBox Commentators is followed by quite a few cops. 

How can we tell?  It's their keyword searches.  Who else googles full name, DOB, height, weight, last known vicinity and specific charges? Our full list of Twitter followers and feed subscribers is quite revealing as well.  Then again, it might not be our tantalizing content and may simply be our avatars who insist on "droppin dimes on the dope man" (Jeremy Madden) with all their anonymous tipster activity.

On this day before St. Paddy's day and the likelihood of a long weekend ahead of them, 'SandBox Nanny' is going to toss up a couple of posts that might give regional cops a laugh.  'Stranger than Fiction' and Roland Sweet's 'Curses, Foiled Again' is always a great one for drawing page views and it's coming up next.

What caught her eye (lol) in this post is the second line.

Enjoy St. Patrick's Day, everyone.  And remember to have fun while at the same time give a cop a break and stay safe out there.

AP via Grand Junction Daily Sentinel Breaking News:
DENVER — Denver police are trying to determine why someone dumped a garbage bag full of marijuana in a Denver park.

Police arrested five people after the marijuana was passed out free to park visitors...."
(Read more? Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News/Jeremy Madden "A cop car for the civilian"

Jeremy Madden?  Priceless.


"Just the sight of it sitting on the side of the road can slow even the speediest of cars. Viewing it in a rearview mirror can cause fear and panic. The rumble of its engine can make the ground shake.

It’s real and it’s all mine. It’s my new car and I’ve never driven anything like it.

Over the years I’ve had a plethora of pretty cool cars. Most notable are a 1973 Volkswagen Thing, my grandfather’s 1991 Buick Park Avenue, a precious 1984 American Eagle we called Smeagol, and the classic 1979 Dodge Aspen which is the car that made the town famous. However, as fun, dependable and historic as those vehicles may be, they aren’t anything like my new ride.

That’s because my newest ride is a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, aka CVPI or P71. And like Dan Aykroyd said in the classic 1980 film, “The Blues Brothers,” when describing the new Blues mobile which also was a former cop car, “It’s got a cop engine ... it’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks.”

But Elwood Blues was only covering the basics. It’s also got a cop transmission, cop frame, cop radiator, cop brakes, and perhaps the coolest feature of all is the cop spot light mounted on the driver’s door.

For decades, because of its dependability, handling, toughness, powerful engine, spacious interior and giant trunk, the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor has been the preferred vehicle for police forces around the country. These same features have also made it one of the most sought after cars for cab companies as well. The car is a hybrid that was built long before Toyota ever dreamed up the Prius. The only difference being that the Toyota hybrid combines an engine that uses an electric battery with a conventional gas motor, and the Ford combines a tank with a sports car.

The first thing one notices about the interior of the car is that it is extremely spacious. There’s room for at least three perps in the back seat and several dozen donuts in the front.

The car is also very basic. Other than the ballsy V8 4.6 liter engine the cars has no frills. It’s completely utilitarian. And I like that. One of the more appealing features is that it has gauges for everything. There are no mystery lights that suddenly spring on and tell you too late that your car is overheating or losing oil pressure. However, the most appealing aspect of the interior is the speedometer. It goes to 140 mph.

The real fun comes while driving the beast. The car is smooth, stable and accelerates like a rocket. When some German coined the term “fahrvernugen,” loosely translated as driving joy, he might as well have been talking about the Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor. It truly is a joy to drive. But the greatest pleasure of being behind the wheel is seeing how other folks react when they see me coming...."  (Read more?  Click title)


"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel "Fatal search illegal, judge rules"

Because they deserve our understanding and respect.  Because every day they put their lives on the line for each one of us.

Those are a couple of the reasons SandBox gathers stories like this one sparingly.  When our law enforcement officers get into trouble, they deserve respectful media coverage.

SandBox is troubled to hear this is the result of appeals filed by the lawyers representing  Kirk Firko and Ivan Lawyer.  With that said, it is now what they have to work within and we wish them the very best as they go forward to trial.
(Read the article?  Click title)


"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Delta County Independent "Advice for cops good for all '

'SandBox Nanny' wonders what the 'kids' have to give in career advice to these new law enforcement officers.

"Tom Chinn, Montrose chief of police, was the guest speaker at the ceremony.

His 38 years worth of career advice to the new peace officers had less to do with busting bad guys than with how officers can best handle themselves and their own lives – both professional and personal.

Chinn framed his advice as "suggestions" for successful career lives. "People have to believe in you and trust you in everything you do," he said. His suggestions included the following:

• The training and learning that new officers have just received at the Academy is only the beginning. Learning is a lifetime endeavor.


• Continue with formal education and get a college degree, and then keep building on that.


• Be proactive in career pursuits in order to be an effective officer.


• Don't watch the "cop shows" on TV. They don't portray the life or work of professional law enforcement officers.


• Always treat people with respect. There are a lot of arrogant, egotistical cops, and no one likes them.


• Always be honest and positive, both on and off the job. Always pay your bills on time and avoid unnecessary debt.


• Credibility is key. When you have lost your personal credibility you have lost your job.


• The new officers will see lots of death and abuse of all kinds in their careers. "It's a tough, demanding life," Chinn said. He advised, "Spouses, be patient."

Adding a personal anecdote, Chinn said he has known officers who had the attitude of, "This is what I do, but it's not who I am." He encouraged the graduates to cultivate a professional attitude of, "This is what I do and this is who I am...."
(Hank Lohmeyer)

(Read more?  Click title. Comment to discuss)

SandBox Comments: Greeley Tribune "Belongings of slain Weld deputy finally returned to family"

In respect for the Brownlee family, comment ability is turned off.

(Learn more?  Click title or comment to start discussion)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."