Tuesday, April 28, 2015


News Clips For The Day


BALTIMORE UPDATE – TWO ARTICLES


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/baltimore-unrest-naacp-president-cornell-williams-brooks-one-in-a-series-of-tragedies/

NAACP president: Baltimore "one in a series of tragedies"
CBS NEWS
April 28, 2015


Video – How the Baltimore protests escalated into violence

The minority community in Baltimore setting fire to cars and buildings and attacking cops is about more than just the death of a man in police custody, the NAACP president said Tuesday.

Freddie Gray's death merely let loose the frustration of the whole African-American community, and is just one "in a series of tragedies," Cornell William Brooks said Tuesday.

Brooks said on "CBS This Morning" that his organization has "to make this clear that this individual tragedy is part of a larger narrative in terms of police accountability that stretches from Staten Island to Cleveland to Ferguson - all across the length and breadth of this country."

The NAACP president said that this should draw renewed attention to the problem of police unfairly targeting minorities across the U.S.

Brooks defended Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, saying that second guessing her decision to wait to call for the National Guard, "doesn't do anything to restore these buildings or to console a grieving family or to bring about healing to a broken and bruised community. There is much to be done going forward."

At a press conference in Baltimore on Tuesday, Brooks laid out three things his organization wants to see happen: First, they want a national "end racial profiling" act, so that there is a federal means to protect citizens from police excesses; second, they want body cameras on all cops, to both protect the public and the officers themselves from unfair claims and excesses; and finally, they want to change the way police view the communities they work in to something less adversarial and more cooperative.

Above all, Brooks and other community leaders said the violence of Monday evening must not continue.

"This problem won't be solved with Molotov cocktails," Brooks said. "Burning businesses and homes and buildings in your own community is like putting a gun to your own head."




"Freddie Gray's death merely let loose the frustration of the whole African-American community, and is just one "in a series of tragedies," Cornell William Brooks said Tuesday. Brooks said on "CBS This Morning" that his organization has "to make this clear that this individual tragedy is part of a larger narrative in terms of police accountability that stretches from Staten Island to Cleveland to Ferguson - all across the length and breadth of this country." The NAACP president said that this should draw renewed attention to the problem of police unfairly targeting minorities across the U.S. …. At a press conference in Baltimore on Tuesday, Brooks laid out three things his organization wants to see happen: First, they want a national "end racial profiling" act, so that there is a federal means to protect citizens from police excesses; second, they want body cameras on all cops, to both protect the public and the officers themselves from unfair claims and excesses; and finally, they want to change the way police view the communities they work in to something less adversarial and more cooperative. …. "This problem won't be solved with Molotov cocktails," Brooks said. "Burning businesses and homes and buildings in your own community is like putting a gun to your own head."

I want to see respected and well-organized peaceful minority organizations like the NAACP become more active in city neighborhoods around the country to see that police are made to pay legally if they kill or injure someone when they are not really endangered. Many times now the policeman in question has claimed that he or she “feared for his life.” If every officer wears a body cam which he is required to turn on every time he interacts with the public, receives training in respectful ways to talk to people even if he thinks they are criminals or “thugs,” is punished strongly for unnecessary violence and verbal abuse, patrols with a partner rather than alone, is prosecuted for planting evidence, refrains from escalating a minor traffic stop for something like a broken taillight into a dangerous car chase or a violent take down. Several of these deadly incidents started with an aggressive interaction at a traffic stop.

In addition to reforming police interactions, there is a great need for full voter registration in all minority communities and setting up neighborhood based activities to work with the young people to pry them out of the clutches of violent street gangs. Black neighborhoods also should have their own Neighborhood Watch organizations to report drug activity, home break-ins in progress, aggressive confrontations by anyone whether white or black to innocent people going out and about their personal business, prostitution, clean up neighborhood eyesores such as abandoned buildings and broken street lights, and of course police activity wherever it is occurring. There is an ongoing need for public surveillance of the police, unfortunately. When violence from police is no longer occurring then the people can relax more. Finally, minorities need to get proof of what they have seen and call the PD when they are needed. Much of the crime is black on black crime. If police don't know about crime and the culprits, they can do nothing to actually protect the citizens.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/right-after-freddie-gray-funeral-protests-turn-violent-in-baltimore-again/

State of emergency declared in Baltimore as violence ensues
CBS/AP April 27, 2015

Photograph – A police car was set on fire as protests in violence gave way to violence.
 CBS NEWS

BALTIMORE -- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency in Baltimore and activated the state's National Guard Monday after demonstrations over the death of Freddy Gray gave way to violent crowds damaging several businesses, burning cars and injuring several police officers.

The action took place several hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old who died from unexplained spinal injuries suffered during police custody.

Gray's family had appealed for peace after demonstrations against police brutality and Gray's death turned violent Saturday evening. They asked protesters to hold off on demonstrating until Gray could be laid to rest.

But demonstrations soon gave way to a volatile crowd of apparently mostly high school age youths, as helicopters began capturing footage of groups of varying size hurling bricks and bottles at lines of heavily armored officers in multiple locations.

A flier circulated on social media called for a protest Monday afternoon to begin among high schoolers at the Mondawmin Mall and move downtown toward City Hall. It was intended to be peaceful but turned to violence before long, CBS Baltimore reported.

An official with the Baltimore Police Department said Monday afternoon that seven officers have been severely injured so far, including one who was rendered unconscious.

"We have been able to get our injured officers out of the area and they are now receiving medical treatment," according to a Twitter post from the Baltimore PD.

Hogan released a statement saying he was in close touch with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and was continuing to monitor the situation.

"I strongly condemn the actions of the offenders who are engaged in direct attacks against innocent civilians, businesses and law enforcement officers."

The group in the area of Gwynns Falls & Liberty Heights has become very aggressive and violent. We are continuing to deploy resources.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) April 27, 2015

Despite having rocks, bricks, and other items thrown at us - officers are using fire extinguishers to put out small fires in the area.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) April 27, 2015

A large group has surrounded a police car at North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue. The group is destroying the police car
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) April 27, 2015

Numerous police officers in riot gear responded to a mall in northwest Baltimore, which was closed.

CBS Baltimore reports that a line of officers with helmets and face shields blocking off the mall's parking lot. Some people were throwing objects at officers and a police armored vehicle.

The violence eventually led to looting in at least one spot as a crowd broke into a CVS store and began taking items, CBS Baltimore said. The company said it would be closing other nearby stores as a precaution.

Nearby, a police car was set on fire. Motorists were advised to avoid several areas where groups have become aggressive toward police.

A group also looted a check-cashing business and other stores in Baltimore, busting through the windows and climbing inside to take items.

As people arrived home from work, some yelled at the youths to stop causing trouble.

"I never thought I'd see something like this happen in my neighborhood," said Ted Bushrod, 32, who's lived in the area all his life.

Bushrod, who said his father died in an officer-involved shooting involving the Baltimore Police Department, criticized the violence.

"It's disappointing. I understand the kids' frustration. We go through this every day," he added, referring to black people being targeted for their race in Baltimore.

Other businesses closed early to let employees avoid any violence, and as a precaution the Baltimore Orioles tweeted that they had postponed their evening game against the Chicago White Sox.

After consultation with Baltimore City Police Department, tonight’s game between the Orioles & White Sox at Oriole Park has been postponed.
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 27, 2015

The University of Maryland campus in downtown Baltimore shut down its campus at 2 p.m., saying it was warned by the Baltimore Police Department that "activities" in the area may turn violent.

In an alert to students and staff, the university says "the safety of our students and employees is of paramount importance. Please vacate the campus as soon as possible."

School spokesman Alex Likowski said he didn't know what type of activity might be passing through campus or what prompted the warning from police.

The university's main campus is in College Park, about 30 miles south of Baltimore.

Late Monday afternoon, police tweeted openly to parents to find their children and take them off the streets and out of danger.

Several juveniles are part of these aggressive groups. WE ARE ASKING ALL PARENTS TO LOCATE THEIR CHILDREN AND BRING THEM HOME.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) April 27, 2015




“Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency in Baltimore and activated the state's National Guard Monday …. But demonstrations soon gave way to a volatile crowd of apparently mostly high school age youths, as helicopters began capturing footage of groups of varying size hurling bricks and bottles at lines of heavily armored officers in multiple locations. A flier circulated on social media called for a protest Monday afternoon to begin among high schoolers at the Mondawmin Mall and move downtown toward City Hall. It was intended to be peaceful but turned to violence before long, CBS Baltimore reported. An official with the Baltimore Police Department said Monday afternoon that seven officers have been severely injured so far, including one who was rendered unconscious. …. As people arrived home from work, some yelled at the youths to stop causing trouble. "I never thought I'd see something like this happen in my neighborhood," said Ted Bushrod, 32, who's lived in the area all his life. …. Other businesses closed early to let employees avoid any violence, and as a precaution the Baltimore Orioles tweeted that they had postponed their evening game against the Chicago White Sox. …. Late Monday afternoon, police tweeted openly to parents to find their children and take them off the streets and out of danger. Several juveniles are part of these aggressive groups. WE ARE ASKING ALL PARENTS TO LOCATE THEIR CHILDREN AND BRING THEM HOME.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) April 27, 2015”

One interesting news clip yesterday was of a black mother slapping and hitting her son as he tried to get away from her. He was one of the rioters and she was trying to get him off the street. The trouble with being young and male is that their idea of something to do when they are angry is to become violent. That's true of white boys too, of course, and to some degree true of girls. It takes years for some kids to become thoughtful and controlled rather than reactive. Also the stresses of poverty puts the whole community on edge, and if gross disrespect and harrassnment from police is going on, there will be hatred and violence against them. All US city governments from the top down, need to look to the poverty situation and develop a peaceful and helpful relationship with the citizens rather than assuming they are “thugs” and treating them as such. When I was young the word “thug” had no racial meaning, but was rather a description of an abusive and violent person – a bully. It now is being used by too many whites to refer specifically to black people. It's a new racial slur that is popping up all over the Internet and in literature. An abusive white person is no less a thug, after all, and they should be arrested for their aggression as well as blacks.





STATE LAWS MADE TO LIMIT PUBLIC ACCESS TO BODY CAMERAS – FLORIDA – TWO ARTICLES


http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/senate-bill-revision-limits-reasons-to-hide-body-camera-video/2225507?fb_action_ids=1608565829385117&fb_action_types=og.shares

Senate bill revision limits reasons to hide body camera video
Michael Austen, Times Staff WRiter
April 14, 2015

Photograph – SKIP O’ROURKE | Times
A revised Senate bill to hide the video taken by law enforcement body cameras now allows recordings of medical emergencies, including incidents of police brutality, to be available to the public.

A plan to shield the release of video taken from police body cameras is moving through the Senate. But it's been scaled back amid some criticism.

SB 248 would still shield videos taken in private places from disclosure under open records laws. Sponsor Sen.Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, said this is necessary to protect people's privacy, especially in their own homes.

However, after being amended by the Senate on Tuesday, it no longer applies to all medical emergencies, including incidents of police brutality that have endeared body cameras to reformers.

"That would have been overly broad because technically a lot of circumstances that you need to see a video sometimes involves injury," Smith said Tuesday.

Barbara Petersen of the First Amendment Foundation said Monday that the exemptions would be too broad and prevent journalists or members of the public from accessing video evidence in cases of police use of force, such as the shooting in North Charleston, S.C., last week.

Despite these changes, Petersen said Tuesday that the foundation remains opposed to the bill.

"If privacy is a concern," she wrote in an email, "the bill should be amended to protect any information that would identify a person in the video by obscuring faces, house numbers, etc."

Adam C. Smith and the News Service of Florida contributed.



http://floridafaf.org/florida-could-limit-access-to-police-camera-videos-cbs-12-news/

Florida Could Limit Access To Police Camera Videos – CBS 12 News
By florida
24 April, 2015

Florida could place limits on who can access police officer body camera videos under a bill passed by the Florida Senate.

The Senate voted 36-2 for the bill that would keep confidential police videos that are shot inside a house, a health care facility or any place that a “reasonable person would expect to be private.”

Supporters of the measure contend it would encourage police agencies to have their police officers use body cameras. They also said it would guarantee the privacy rights of those caught on video.

The First Amendment Foundation, which advocates for open records, is opposed to the bill (SB 248).

Florida is one of several states considering limits on access to body camera videos at the same time there is a push to require police to have the cameras.




“A plan to shield the release of video taken from police body cameras is moving through the Senate. But it's been scaled back amid some criticism. SB 248 would still shield videos taken in private places from disclosure under open records laws. Sponsor Sen.Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, said this is necessary to protect people's privacy, especially in their own homes. However, after being amended by the Senate on Tuesday, it no longer applies to all medical emergencies, including incidents of police brutality that have endeared body cameras to reformers.”

Yes, “conservatives” are trying to limit public awareness of legitimate concerns over police violence. Florida isn't the only state doing this. I was pleased to see, however, that “criticism” of the bill caused Congress to amend it so that it no longer shields violent police officers. It appears that there enough benign and fair-minded citizens in Florida that some of these flagrant abuses of our democracy will not be voted in. Of course, Florida is not like Texas, Arizona and Mississippi. We have a black Democratic mayor here in Jacksonville who is liked so well that he has lead the vote last month against Republican Lenny Curry, despite heavy support from the national party and smear ads against Alvin Brown. It was close enough to force a runoff, so in May we will vote again. I'll have to be sure to go early and vote.





http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2015/04/28/402585105/on-their-own-the-afghan-army-takes-the-fight-to-the-taliban

On Its Own, The Afghan Army Takes The Fight To The Taliban
Tom Bowman
April 28, 2015

Photograph – An artillery gun fires a round at Taliban fighters in the hills of Nangahar Province.
David Gilkey/NPR

The call comes into the Afghan battalion headquarters, a small concrete building that once housed American Green Berets. The Taliban are attacking a police checkpoint under construction in the foothills of Nangahar Province in eastern Afghanistan, a short distance from the border with Pakistan.

The Afghan soldiers gather in a line, lifting their palms and praying for a safe mission. They hop in their trucks and head up a winding dirt road. The unfinished checkpoint can be seen in the hazy distance.

It's not long before they hear gunfire. The Taliban are attacking from two sides. Earlier on this day, the Afghan troops said the Taliban were closer and ready to overtake this checkpoint that's under construction.

The U.S. wrapped up combat operations in Afghanistan last year. About 10,000 U.S. military personnel remain in the country, but they have pulled back to their large bases and are advising the Afghans at the headquarters level. None are present as the Afghan army wages this fight on its eastern frontier.

An Afghan army front end loader digs into the hillside and fills large sandbags for the checkpoint. The Taliban have been pushed back, but they continue their harassing fire.

That's what concerns Zakirullah, the head of the local police. Like many Afghans, he goes by one name. He's a short, squat man with a heavy beard, clutching a radio. His village is spread out in the valley below, a patchwork of green fields and mud brick compounds. Zakirullah doubts the Afghan army can help his village.

"When the Americans were here, this area was very secure, it was safe. After they left, Taliban replaced them," he says.

Now the few signs of America include the Ford Ranger pickups the Afghan soldiers drive and the M-4 assault rifles they carry. American-made armored Humvees drive toward the Taliban on the sloping hill, firing their machine guns.

Back in the trucks, Maj. Aqa of the Afghan army says he doesn't trust the local police chief, claiming the chief used to be part of the Taliban.

This shows the shifting loyalties here and the difficulty in fighting a stubborn Taliban foe. Many insurgent fighters slip over the mountains from Pakistan. That's why this checkpoint is being set up.

The Afghan soldiers stop a small pickup truck coming from the direction of Pakistan with five men and two small children. They make everyone get out of the car so they can search it. Inside, they find a loaded AK-47.

One man from the car insists he's a policeman, and therefore is allowed to travel with the gun. As he argues with the army soldiers, his brother stands by the car with a small boy, just 5 years old with wide eyes.

The child is sick, the man says, so they're traveling to town to see a doctor. The soldiers finally let the car pass.

Afghan officers say the Taliban not only cross the border, they hide in the villages, dropping their weapons and picking up a shovels when the soldiers appear.

Maj. Aqa leaves the soldiers and heads back down the dirt road to the battalion headquarters.

The major and the other army officers are convinced they can handle the security now that the Americans have taken a back seat. And the man in charge of the battalion here is Afghan army Lt. Col. Ghani Khel.

Back at headquarters, he sits behind a large wooden desk. Aides scurry in and out. The colonel says they've been successful in pushing back the Taliban on their recent missions.

But there are complaints among some soldiers that they lack the aircraft and surveillance drones the Americans used to overwhelm the Taliban. Khel agrees that if they don't get more forces and air support, their gains may be lost.

"If we had the air support, Taliban could not take away their heavy weapons from the villages," he says.

Still, the Afghan military is much more active in the fight compared to a couple of years ago, when troops hung back on patrols and let the Americans lead.

Khel hears that his men need help up on the mountain, so he heads out of the building and orders his soldiers to fire artillery rounds into the Taliban positions, dug in on a hillside.

The soldiers work out the coordinates on a wooden table, set in a large vacant lot surrounded by sandbags.

They fire a shell from the old Soviet-era artillery piece.
The soldiers on the mountain road radio back. The round fell nearly a mile short, so they work the coordinates again ... and fire.

Khel climbs atop a massive generator to get a better view. A cellphone is pressed to his ear. He reports that the second round landed square on a Taliban truck with a mounted rocket launcher. It was destroyed, and several insurgents were killed.

The Afghan army has only one casualty, he says, a soldier shot in the foot.

The lieutenant colonel hops off the generator. The remaining Taliban just melt back into the hills.




“About 10,000 U.S. military personnel remain in the country, but they have pulled back to their large bases and are advising the Afghans at the headquarters level. None are present as the Afghan army wages this fight on its eastern frontier. …. Back in the trucks, Maj. Aqa of the Afghan army says he doesn't trust the local police chief, claiming the chief used to be part of the Taliban. This shows the shifting loyalties here and the difficulty in fighting a stubborn Taliban foe. Many insurgent fighters slip over the mountains from Pakistan. That's why this checkpoint is being set up. …. "If we had the air support, Taliban could not take away their heavy weapons from the villages," he says. Still, the Afghan military is much more active in the fight compared to a couple of years ago, when troops hung back on patrols and let the Americans lead.”

I am glad to see that the Afghan army units are more successful nowadays. For years they were basically ineffective. The same thing is true of the Iraqi army, though more recent news reports claim that they are improving against ISIS, too. I don't understand why the citizens in either country would just sit back and allow their lands to be overrun by such groups. Passivity has never impressed me, though aggressiveness doesn't either. Of course in a country where the central government is weak the common people are unable to protect themselves.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cannibuster-device-could-test-motorists-for-marijuana/

"Cannibuster" device could test motorists for marijuana
CBS/AP 
April 27, 2015

Photograph – There is currently no way for police to test drivers for marijuana on the spot, but a new device invented by grad students at the University of Akron could make instant saliva testing possible.  WILLIAM BURLINGHAM

AKRON, Ohio -- Two Ohio graduate students have invented a device that could allow law enforcement officers to determine whether motorists have used marijuana.

The Plain Dealer reports that two biomedical engineering graduate students at the University of Akron, Mariam Crow and Kathleen Stitzlein, developed a saliva test to determine the concentration of pot's active chemical, THC, in the bloodstream.

The students say that while states have set legal limits for levels of THC in drivers (less than 5 nanograms), they have not had the technology to accurately measure levels of the chemical during roadside police stops.

"Today if a driver is suspected of impaired driving due to marijuana, law enforcement officers must call an Emergency Medical Squad to the scene or take the driver to a local hospital for blood work," Stitzlein explained in a university press release. "Lab results can take up to six weeks to come back, which is clearly not ideal."

The two women dubbed their invention "the Cannibuster." They received a $10,000 inventors' award and are hoping to market the testing device to states where marijuana use has been legalized.

Federal safety officials say driving under the influence of marijuana is a a growing problem. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration survey, conducted in 2013 and 2014, found that the number of drivers with marijuana in their systemsrose from 8.6 percent in 2007 to 12.6 percent in 2014 -- an increase of nearly 50 percent.

The report cited "evidence that marijuana use impairs psychomotor skills, divided attention, lane tracking, and cognitive functions" -- all essential skills for safe driving.





I'm glad to see this article. We need tools to spot marijuana users, because though it isn't as dangerous as cocaine or opiate drugs, Mary Jane as it used to be affectionately called, has a psychotrophic effect that is very much like an hallucination. Supporters say it isn't a “gateway” drug and should be decriminalized. I agree that it shouldn't carry the same penalties as LSD or other very strong drugs, and certainly not for the simple possession of a small amount, especially as young lives are being ruined by a stiff prison sentence for an offense that isn't really too very harmful. I do not consider a drug that changes the thought and perceptual patterns in the brain to be harmless, however, and driving under the influence is just as dangerous as driving with alcohol in the system. What I would really like to see is a change in the laws which mandates mental health counseling for a sufficiently long time period for the person to undergo a change in their viewpoints and attitudes. I am very unhappy with the craze among so many states nowadays, that are often conservative in their citizenry, to legalize it for recreational use. I want to see people be alert, healthy and active mentally, not sitting veged out on the couch watching TV and doing nothing useful. We are too passive already in this country. Such people are easily duped and ruled.