Ohio detective punished for book on crime — An Akron police detective faces three months without pay and a new assignment for writing a book that his superiors see as critical of the police investigation of the Jeff Zack murder. Vince Felber, a 16-year veteran, was one of the lead detectives on the case. The 90-day unpaid suspension follows a four-month internal investigation into Felber’s work on the book Perfect Beauty. The investigation alleges that he violated several departmental rules, including ridiculing an order or supervisor, divulging confidential information and participating in conduct that brings disrepute to the department. Felber’s union president said an appeal is imminent.
Perfect Beauty, written by Felber and Keith Elliot Greenberg, chronicles the 2001 murder of businessman Jeff Zack and the subsequent arrests of his lover, Cynthia George, and her other lover, John Zaffino. Felber gives readers a candid look into the investigation and its ups and downs. He also offers criticisms of the department, himself and some supervisors. Zaffino and George were convicted, but an appeals court overturned George’s conviction for lack of evidence.
“This was an important case and I felt the public had a right to know what happened and why it happened,” Felber said. Union president, Paul Hlynsky, said Felber’s suspension might evolve into a First Amendment battle. He said Felber told his superiors he was writing the book, he did so on his own time and he did not reveal any information that is not part of a public record. “Vince basically wrote a book about a closed case, which he has a right to do.” (The Akron Beacon Journal, September 5, 2008)
One-third of airport police jobs vacant, off-duty officers filling gap on overtime pay — More than one-third of the Chicago police positions at the city’s two major airports are vacant, but police officials say cops are helping to filling most of the gap by working overtime. Of O’Hare’s 177 budgeted positions, 66 are vacant, officials said. At Midway, 11 of the 57 budgeted positions are vacant. Officials said public safety is not being compromised because of the vacancies. Chicago’s Chief Financial Officer Paul Volpe suggested that police officers were transferred out of the airports to fill shortages in Chicago neighborhoods. The salaries of airport police are paid for with airport revenues. Neighborhood officers are paid for through the city’s financially strapped corporate fund. The Mayor’s proposed 2009 budget eliminates 3,000 vacant positions, including 329 sworn police officers and 424 police civilians, as well as police civilians. (Chicago Sun-Times, October 8, 2008)
Cop saved by bullet-proof vest in ’94 ambush — Michael Robbins, a former Chicago Police officer who addressed the 1996 Democratic convention about gun violence, died at age 57. Fourteen years ago, Robbins and his partner were ambushed while investigating a gang shooting. He was shot 13 times and saved by his bullet-proof vest — or “divine intervention” as he told delegates in 1996. “I still have three bullets in me — one near my lower spine that doctors say I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life,” Robbins told the convention. “I can’t change that. But I can help save others by standing up for a president who’s fighting to make sure there are fewer stories like mine.” Robbins had been on medical disability since the shooting and spent his later years as a gun control activist and helping survivors of children killed by gun violence to lobby for stronger gun-control laws.
On Sept. 10, 1994, Robbins and his partner, Talmitch Jackson, got a call of “shots fired” in an alley on of South Langley. Robbins had been a police officer for eight years. As they drove slowly down the dark alley in an unmarked police car, looking for gang members, one appeared by Robbins’ open car window and stuck a gun in his face. Robbins grabbed for the pistol. The men wrestled for control of the gun, the gang member squeezed the trigger and unloaded 13 shots. Robbins’ bullet-proof vest stopped three of them, but he was shot in the chest, abdomen, both arms and legs and once in the back. His partner was shot several times (Chicago Sun-TImes, September 17, 2008)
Investigators find gaps in port security program — A Department of Homeland Security program to strengthen port security has gaps that terrorists could exploit to smuggle weapons of mass destruction in cargo containers, congressional investigators have found.
The report by the Government Accountability Office assesses the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a federal program established after 9/11 to deter a potential terrorist strike via cargo passing through 326 of the nation’s airports, seaports and designated land borders.
Under the program, roughly 8,000 importers, port authorities and air, sea and land carriers are granted benefits such as reduced scrutiny of their cargo. In exchange, the companies submit a security plan that must meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s minimum standards and allow officials to verify that their measures are being followed.
A 2005 GAO report found many of the companies were receiving the reduced
cargo scrutiny without the required full vetting by U.S. Customs. The agency
has since made some improvements, but the new report found Customs officials
still couldn’t provide guarantees that companies were in compliance.
Among the problems:
• A company is generally certified as safe based on its self-reported security information that Customs employees use to determine if minimum government criteria are met. But due partly to limited resources, the agency does not typically test the member company’s supply chain security practices and thus is “challenged to know that members’ security measures are reliable, accurate and effective.”
• Customs employees are not required to utilize third-party or other audits of a company's security measures as an alternative to the agency's direct testing, even if such audits exist.
• Companies can get certified for reduced Customs inspections before they fully implement any additional security improvements requested by the U.S. government. Under the program, Customs also does not require its employees to systematically follow up to make sure the requested improvements were made and that security practices remain consistent with the minimum criteria.
“Until Customs overcomes these collective challenges, Customs will
be unable to assure Congress and others that C-TPAT member companies that
have been granted reduced scrutiny of their U.S.-bound containerized shipments
actually employ adequate security practices,” investigators wrote. “It
is vital that Customs maintain adequate internal controls to ensure that member
companies deserve these benefits.”
The GAO urged Customs and Border Protection to require consideration of third-party
and other outside audits and take steps to make certain companies comply with
any additional security improvements requested. The report also calls for
some technological improvements to help improve consistency and better information-gathering
in Customs’ security checks.
The independent 9/11 Commission cited the potential dangers in its 2004 final report, saying that compared with commercial aviation, “opportunities to do harm are as great, or greater, in maritime or surface transportation.” (Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2008)
THE GOOD FOLKS, A FEW OF MANY
• Wheaton honors heroic actions — Lori Kulczyki turned back early from a morning bike ride this summer, making a seemingly innocuous decision that proved monumental. Just after she headed for home, she saw a man who had collapsed on the Illinois Prairie Path. The former nurse reacted. She dialed 911, gave her cell phone to a passing runner, Rich Calvario, and asked him to provide crucial information to emergency services about their location and the victim. Kulczycki hopped off her bike, felt for the man’s pulse and started CPR. In no time at all, some color returned to the man’s ashen face. Off-duty firefighter Kevin Long, who happened to be using the Prairie Path at the time, ran over to offer encouragement and moral support as she continued delivering CPR. Police officer Joseph Dimas arrived before the rescue trucks and shocked the man with a portable defibrillator, making his heart start beating again. Kulczycki, Calvario, King and Dimas were given awards from city officials for their actions. (Daily Herald)
• Two officers honored, eight sworn in — In the line of duty, a police officer can lose his or her life, take a life and sometimes save a life. The latter applied to Rockford Police Officers Eric Boettcher and Jordan Stedman. On April 3, the officers responded to a report of a man down at a bus stop. They arrived to find a 65-year-old man unconscious and suffering from a heart attack. Both officers performed CPR until firefighters arrived. Timothy Fitzmaurice, the recipient of the officers’ quick actions, was in the hospital for two weeks, had bypass surgery and is on the road to recovery. Boettcher’s and Stedman’s peers presented them with the “Medal of Life Saving Award” during a swearing-in ceremony for eight new recruits. Rockford police officers are required to undergo eight hours of annual CPR and hazardous material training. (Rockford Register Star)
• Police officers buy supplies for dozens of children — After a successful back-to-school program, the McHenry County Police Charities is raising funds for the next Shop With a Cop event in December. Sixty-four underprivileged children each were able to buy $200 worth of school supplies and clothes while accompanied by a local law enforcement or correctional officer. The Donut Run, an 88-mile motorcycle tour through McHenry and Boone counties raised over $12,000 to support Shop With a Cop. (Northwest Herald)
• Iraqis
name police station for soldier — During his tour of
duty, Army Capt. Travis Patriquin grew close to the Iraqis. He spoke their
language. He understood their culture. Now some there have honored the slain
officer by naming their new police station after him. Patriquin, 32, formerly
of Lockport, was killed by a roadside bomb in December. Before he died, Patriquin
built a relationship with Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, a key Sunni Arab ally
of the U.S. and Iraqi governments. Patriquin was serving in Tikrit when he
was killed. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his combat valor in Afghanistan.
In Lockport, a portion of Summit Drive has been named Honorary Capt. Travis
Patriquin Parkway. Now a police station in Iraq bears his name, too. (Chicago
Sun-Times)
In August 2007, Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent, State Fire Marshal David Foreman and Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Milton Sees held a press conference to remind motorists of the importance of Scott’s Law. The law is designed to protect emergency response and law enforcement personnel as well as highway workers from errant drivers who pose a risk to their lives.
To demonstrate the risks involved, a squad car that had been hit by a semi was displayed at the Illinois State Fair. The squad had been parked on the shoulder with its emergency lights activated while the trooper assisted a tow truck driver in the removal of a disabled vehicle. Remarkably, the trooper, who was inside the squad, is back at work.
Since the legislation was enacted in 2002, the ISP has issued tens of thousands of tickets to motorists for non-compliance with Scott’s Law. The statute was enacted in memory of Lieutenant Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department who was struck and killed in 2000 by an intoxicated driver on the Dan Ryan Expressway.
Scott’s Law, otherwise known as the “Move Over Law,” requires motorists to yield to moving emergency vehicles and to change lanes (if safe to do so) or reduce speed and proceed with caution when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying flashing warning lights.
The Move Over Law is in effect in many states across the country, but 71% of Americans have never heard of it according to an article in American Police Beat (March 2008). Once people know about it, the public reportedly supports the law by huge margins and is widely aware that traffic stops and roadside emergencies are dangerous for law enforcement and first responders.
With traffic deaths and injuries on the increase, our public officials need to keep plugging to get the public to learn about the Move Over Law and to Move Over!
