Tuesday, May 5, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-claims-responsibility-for-texas-muhammad-cartoon-contest-shooting/

ISIS claims responsibility for Texas attack
CBS NEWS
May 5, 2015

Photograph – Texas shooting suspect caught FBI's attention nearly a decade ago

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility Tuesday for the attack on a Texas art exhibit and contest featuring drawings of the Prophet Muhammad. It was the first attack ISIS has claimed inside the United States.

The terror group's official radio station made the claim without giving any details, and U.S officials have yet to confirm any actual involvement by the group. ISIS claimed in its statement Tuesday that "what's yet to come will be worse and more bitter," warning that the group would attempt further attacks in the U.S.

CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues reports Elton Simpson, one of the two gunman killed at the Texas art contest Sunday night, had previously expressed support for the terror group online and was under FBI watch long before the attack.

Law enforcement said there was no indication he was plotting violence, but a Twitter account often sympathetic to ISIS condemned the cartoon contest and warned of an attack just minutes before the shooting took place.

Simpson first surfaced in 2006 when the FBI began investigating his association with a person believed to be setting up a terror cell in Arizona.

There are recorded conversations between Simpson and an informant during which the two frequently discussed waging a holy war and the importance of going overseas to wage jihad. At that time, investigators believed Simpson wanted to go to Somalia to fight.

Court documents recount a conversation in May 2009 in which Simpson is quoted as saying, "It's time to go to Somalia, brother." "We gonna make it to the battlefield... it's time to roll."

In early 2010, FBI agents stopped Simpson from traveling to South Africa where he was allegedly going to study Islam. But according to court documents, investigators believed that his goal was actually go to South Africa and then on to Somalia. That was something Simpson denied. In 2011, he was found guilty of making materially false statements to the FBI and sentenced to three years' probation and a $500 fine.

The other gunman, Nadir Soofi, was not on law enforcement agencies' radar screens prior to the attack, says Pegues.

Soofi's mother, meanwhile, said Monday that she couldn't imagine what went through the mind of her son.

Sharon Soofi said her son was always deeply religious, but she never thought he would hurt anyone, reports CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca.

"He was a practicing Muslim, but not in the extreme sense," Soofi said. "He just tried to make people understand Islam."

Authorities said Soofi, 34, and Simpson, 30, arrived Sunday at the Dallas-area community center armed with body armor, assault rifles and a mission.

"They were there to shoot people," Garland Police Department public information office Joe Harn said. "We will continue to investigate. This is not going to be a real fast investigation."

Soofi's mother believes Simpson, her son's roommate, orchestrated the attack.

"He's an intelligent kid. I mean, but to be convinced to do something like this is beyond, is just beyond me," Soofi said.

Federal agents spent hours Monday combing through the Phoenix apartment that the men shared, looking for answers.

Back in Texas, authorities credited Bruce Joiner, a security officer normally assigned to traffic duty, with thwarting their plan.

"He did a very good job and probably saved lives," Harn said.

Soofi's mother said she doesn't hold the officer responsible.

"He was just doing his job. But when your child dies under these kinds of circumstances it just leaves you numb and empty," she said.

Simpson's family is also struggling to understand how this could have happened.

"We are sure many people in this country are curious to know if we had any idea of Elton's plans. To that we say, without question, we did not," they said in a statement.



http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shooting-outside-draw-muhammad-contest-texas-n352996

Excerpt:

“The contest was described as a "free speech" event by its sponsor, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, which is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an active anti-Muslim group. It offered a $10,000 top prize and featured Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who is known for his anti-Muslim views, as its speaker.

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott issued a statement late Sunday calling the shooting "senseless." He said Texas authorities were "actively investigating to determine the cause and scope" of the attack.

"This is a war. This is war on free speech. What are we going to do? Are we going to surrender to these monsters?" Pamela Geller, the executive director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative,wrote on her website. "The war is here."



“The terror group's official radio station made the claim without giving any details, and U.S officials have yet to confirm any actual involvement by the group. ISIS claimed in its statement Tuesday that "what's yet to come will be worse and more bitter," warning that the group would attempt further attacks in the U.S. CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues reports Elton Simpson, one of the two gunman killed at the Texas art contest Sunday night, had previously expressed support for the terror group online and was under FBI watch long before the attack. …. Soofi's mother believes Simpson, her son's roommate, orchestrated the attack. "He's an intelligent kid. I mean, but to be convinced to do something like this is beyond, is just beyond me," Soofi said. Federal agents spent hours Monday combing through the Phoenix apartment that the men shared, looking for answers. Back in Texas, authorities credited Bruce Joiner, a security officer normally assigned to traffic duty, with thwarting their plan. …. Soofi's mother said she doesn't hold the officer responsible. "He was just doing his job. But when your child dies under these kinds of circumstances it just leaves you numb and empty," she said. Simpson's family is also struggling to understand how this could have happened. "We are sure many people in this country are curious to know if we had any idea of Elton's plans. To that we say, without question, we did not," they said in a statement.”

Bruce Joiner, accompanied by a SWAT team, is the hero of the day for fatally shooting these two jihadists. I would like to read more detail about how he spotted the attackers and managed to shoot them. My last job was in the office of a security guard service. Our men and women were not encouraged to shoot or otherwise assault people, but to report problems to the police. One of our guards did follow his instincts, however, which led him to go toward the sounds of gunfire at his post at Hill Top Apartments, and he unfortunately was shot and severely injured when one of the bad guys saw him coming. I personally don't approve of purposeful provocation, which is what I think the art contest was, but I'm glad the two were killed. These jihadists didn't come to the US from Iraq, but rather recruited our local US bad apples to do their dirty work. While I don't want the FBI to be spying on Americans all the time, there is some use for it in times like these. Several times the FBI has infiltrated groups and intervened, preventing death at extremist's hands.




POLICING


http://www.npr.org/2015/05/04/403520815/with-baltimore-unrest-more-debate-over-broken-windows-policing

With Baltimore Unrest, More Debate Over 'Broken Windows' Policing
Joel Rose
May 4, 2015

Photograph – New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (center), City Police Commissioner William Bratton (second from right) and other NYPD officers address a news conference on Jan. 5. There is debate surrounding the citywide increase of low-level crime enforcement, otherwise known as the broken windows approach to policing.
Richard Drew/AP

Police departments across the country are under pressure to rethink their most aggressive tactics — and it's not just flashpoints like Ferguson and Baltimore. The New York Police Department is on the defensive about its long-standing approach known as "broken windows" policing.

Simply put, broken windows is the idea that police should aggressively crack down on low-level offenses to stop bigger crimes from happening. It's been copied all over the country, but now critics in New York say broken windows needs fixing.

"Our goal is a simple one: Make the system more just," City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito says. "Jumping a turnstile at 16 should not mark you for the rest of your life."

Detractors of the approach say far too many New Yorkers — mostly poor, and mostly people of color — are arrested or ticketed for so-called quality of life crimes. Such offenses include riding a bike on the sidewalk, drinking on the street, jumping a subway turnstile — or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Frandy August got a summons to appear in court just for hanging out in a park near his home in Brooklyn an hour after it closed at 6 p.m.

"I received a fine for staying in the park late," he says, "which I didn't know."

August's case was quickly dismissed. But he had to go to a special court in Manhattan and appear before a judge who hears lots of quality-of-life cases. Most of these cases get dismissed, or reduced to a small fine.

Dre Fearon, who was slapped with a $50 fine for possession of marijuana, doesn't think broken windows is working.

"It's focusing on minor things instead of solving major problems," he says. "It'd probably stop you from riding a bike on the sidewalk for a little while. That's probably it. Or like leaving your car from running while you're going to the store, I guess. But are those criminal activities? If you're talking about criminal activity, this isn't really making a difference with that. I'll say it's more harassing people."

But defenders of broken windows policing say the statistics are on their side. And so is the man who's largely responsible for making the approach famous in New York some 20 years ago: the city's police commissioner, William Bratton.

"I can assure you that quality-of-life policing will continue, and continue very assertively in this city," Bratton says. "It's what made this city safe in the first place."

Major crime of all kinds is down almost 80 percent in New York since the bad old days of the 1990s, during Bratton's first tour as police commissioner. Exactly why crime dropped so much is a matter of debate.

Still, Heather Mac Donald at the conservative Manhattan Institute thinks broken windows is a big reason.

"The rap against the police used to be that they ignored community requests for assistance in minority neighborhoods," she says. "The NYPD is now focused like a laser beam both on where violent crime is happening, and where people want help."

The NYPD says most quality-of-life enforcement is driven by community requests for help. But critics complain that police are much more likely to be aggressive in poor, minority neighborhoods.

Activists like Mark Griffith of the Brooklyn Movement Center say that drives a wedge between the people and the police.

"We all want a better quality of life," Griffith says. "What we're saying is the approach to it — the tactics that are used to arrive at that — are overly aggressive, and are ultimately on some level counterproductive to the very goals you're trying to achieve."

Part of the concern is that misdemeanor arrests and summonses can turn into real jail time for people who can't afford bail, or don't bother to show up in court at all. The NY City Council is now looking at two proposals to decriminalize some minor offenses.

The mayor and police commissioner have been getting more and more questions recently about broken windows. Commissioner Bratton has answered them this way: "The mayor and I have committed to working on the continuing evolution of broken windows, quality-of-life policing. It works, it's essential. And it will be continued here in New York City — modified, certainly."

Bratton says he's open to some revisions of the city's broken windows philosophy, including more warnings for first-time offenders. But his larger message seems to be: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.




“Police departments across the country are under pressure to rethink their most aggressive tactics — and it's not just flashpoints like Ferguson and Baltimore. The New York Police Department is on the defensive about its long-standing approach known as "broken windows" policing. Simply put, broken windows is the idea that police should aggressively crack down on low-level offenses to stop bigger crimes from happening. It's been copied all over the country, but now critics in New York say broken windows needs fixing. "Our goal is a simple one: Make the system more just," City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito says. "Jumping a turnstile at 16 should not mark you for the rest of your life." …. But are those criminal activities? If you're talking about criminal activity, this isn't really making a difference with that. I'll say it's more harassing people." …. Major crime of all kinds is down almost 80 percent in New York since the bad old days of the 1990s, during Bratton's first tour as police commissioner. Exactly why crime dropped so much is a matter of debate. Still, Heather Mac Donald at the conservative Manhattan Institute thinks broken windows is a big reason. …. The NYPD says most quality-of-life enforcement is driven by community requests for help. But critics complain that police are much more likely to be aggressive in poor, minority neighborhoods. Activists like Mark Griffith of the Brooklyn Movement Center say that drives a wedge between the people and the police. "We all want a better quality of life," Griffith says. "What we're saying is the approach to it — the tactics that are used to arrive at that — are overly aggressive, and are ultimately on some level counterproductive to the very goals you're trying to achieve." …. The NY City Council is now looking at two proposals to decriminalize some minor offenses. The mayor and police commissioner have been getting more and more questions recently about broken windows. Commissioner Bratton has answered them this way: "The mayor and I have committed to working on the continuing evolution of broken windows, quality-of-life policing. It works, it's essential. And it will be continued here in New York City — modified, certainly."

“Modified, certainly.” Yes, highly modified, that's what needs to occur. When the events at Ferguson happened there were a number of news articles about “broken window policing,” and I recognized it at once as police harassment and abuse. It's nothing but intimidation. Police need to spend volunteer time working with the people in all crime-ridden neighborhoods and establishing a relationship with the residents. They could spot eyesores, abandoned houses, broken street lights, etc. and work to get them cleaned up. They could also speak to community groups in places like churches or community centers about homelessness, wife abuse, gang activity, drug addiction, or prostitution, and work to establish Neighborhood Watch groups. Through the years I've heard of police officers mentoring at-risk youth and coaching ball teams. Now, to me, that is proper Neighborhood Policing. I would like to see the police being trusted rather than hated. Broken Windows as it is now being practiced widely around the country is purest garbage and deeply racist, in my view, a cover for bullying and criminality on the part of the police, while community interaction of positive kinds is very much needed. If police could be trained to approach people – all people – politely rather than threateningly, it would go a long way toward the goal of peaceful communities.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-news-new-york-times-poll-views-on-race-relations-hit-two-decade-low/

Views on race relations hit two-decade low, poll shows
CBS NEWS
Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Anthony Salvanto and Fred Backus
May 4, 2015

Photograph – Lorning Cornish celebrates at the corner of West North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue after Baltimore authorities released a report on the death of Freddie Gray while police in riot gear stand guard in Baltimore, May 1, 2015.  WIN MCNAMEE, GETTY IMAGES

Sixty-one percent of Americans now say race relations in the United States are bad, the highest percentage since 1992, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, which finds that majorities of both whites and blacks now view race relations negatively.

Meanwhile, 79 percent of African Americans think police are more likely to use deadly force against a black person than a white person, but 53 percent of whites say race does not play a role in such instances.

The survey found that blacks are more likely than whites to report that their local police make them feel anxious rather than safe.

Race Relations

In the wake of the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore and the unrest that followed, Americans' views on race relations in the U.S. have grown significantly more pessimistic. Sixty-one percent now say race relations are generally bad, up 23 points from earlier this year. It is the first time a majority has held this view since the 1990s. Just a third of Americans now say race relations are good. These opinions are the most negative this poll has found since 1992, when riots broke out in Los Angeles following the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King.

For the first time since 1997, majorities of both whites and blacks think race relations in the U.S. are bad. Opinions among white Americans have grown sharply more negative in this poll, and are the reverse of what they were earlier this year. Sixty-two percent of whites now say race relations are bad, compared to just 35 percent in February.

Historically, blacks have had a more negative view of race relations than whites -- but whites are now similarly pessimistic. Majorities of men, women and Americans of all age groups now say race relations are bad.

In addition, fewer than 1 in 5 Americans thinks race relations are improving in the U.S. Most either think they are getting worse (44 percent) or staying about the same (37 percent).

Baltimore and Freddie Gray

In the days after Freddie Gray's death, turmoil and unrest followed in Baltimore. Most Americans (61 percent), including blacks and whites, say that unrest was not justified.

As interviews for the poll were being conducted, charges were brought against six Baltimore police officers in connection with Freddie Gray's death, and the investigation is ongoing.

Six in 10 Americans have a lot or some confidence that the investigation into the death of Freddie Gray will be conducted fairly. Gray died days after being arrested by Baltimore police. But there are differences by race: 64 percent of whites have at least some confidence in a fair investigation, while 52 percent of blacks have little or no confidence.

While African-Americans are less confident than whites about a fair investigation, blacks express more confidence in the Freddie Gray investigation (46 percent) than they did in the Michael Brown investigation in Ferguson, Missouri last summer (35 percent).

Views of Police

More generally, when Americans are asked how police officers in their community make them feel, 3 in 4 say safe -- but whites are far more likely to say that than blacks. Eight in 10 whites say their local police officers make them feel mostly safe, but that figure drops to 51 percent among black Americans. Forty-two percent of blacks say their local police make them feel mostly anxious.

Even though majorities across all age groups say their local police make them feel safe, younger Americans are more likely than those who are older to say the police in their community make them feel anxious.

Whites and blacks also hold different views on the role race plays in the use of deadly force by the police. Seventy-nine percent of African-Americans think police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a black person than a white person, while a slim majority of whites - 53 percent - think race does not play a role.

There continues to be strong support for on-duty police officers to wear video cameras that would record actions and events as they occur.

This poll was conducted by telephone April 30-May 3, 2015 among a random sample of 1,027 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News and The New York Times by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. The margin of error for the sample of African Americans is 9 points. The margin of error for the sample of white Americans is four points. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.




“Just a third of Americans now say race relations are good. These opinions are the most negative this poll has found since 1992, when riots broke out in Los Angeles following the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King. …. Opinions among white Americans have grown sharply more negative in this poll, and are the reverse of what they were earlier this year. Sixty-two percent of whites now say race relations are bad, compared to just 35 percent in February. …. Majorities of men, women and Americans of all age groups now say race relations are bad. In addition, fewer than 1 in 5 Americans thinks race relations are improving in the U.S. Most either think they are getting worse (44 percent) or staying about the same (37 percent). …. Most Americans (61 percent), including blacks and whites, say that unrest was not justified. …. Six in 10 Americans have a lot or some confidence that the investigation into the death of Freddie Gray will be conducted fairly. …. Eight in 10 whites say their local police officers make them feel mostly safe, but that figure drops to 51 percent among black Americans. Forty-two percent of blacks say their local police make them feel mostly anxious. …. Whites and blacks also hold different views on the role race plays in the use of deadly force by the police. Seventy-nine percent of African-Americans think police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a black person than a white person, while a slim majority of whites - 53 percent - think race does not play a role. There continues to be strong support for on-duty police officers to wear video cameras that would record actions and events as they occur.”

“Most Americans (61 percent), including blacks and whites, say that unrest was not justified.” I don't want to see riots, but I do want to see a great deal of peaceful demonstration and related investigations of police tactics (Broken Windows, etc.) and racial bias. If this were only occurring in a few backwaters in the South and the West, I would say that the problem is being exaggerated, but it isn't. It's popping up everywhere. It is linked to the push by Tea Partiers, militias, white power groups, and the Dominionist movement, as these people are all related groups. It's a hate based political movement fostered by certain unscrupulous and very wealthy people who want to dismantle the Middle Class and the ethical center of our society. Most of these people are reacting in a knee-jerk way to blacks being recognized by the federal government, and to the election of that abomination, a black president. All this started around 2009.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-border-patrol-has-a-sex-abuse-problem-says-whistleblower/

​"Disturbing" sex abuse within agency that patrols U.S. border, says former top official
By ANNA WERNER CBS NEWS
May 4, 2015,

15 Photographs -- Alleged sex crimes of Customs and Border Patrol agents

WASHINGTON - A CBS News investigation has found sexual misconduct in the ranks of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is "significantly" higher than other federal law enforcement agencies, according to the agency's former head of internal affairs.

In April, one agent in Arizona was indicted for sexually assaulting a 5-year-old child off duty. The allegation is just the latest in a string of cases where agents -- on or off duty -- have been accused of sex crimes against women or children.

For eight years James Tomsheck handled sexual misconduct investigations as the Chief of Internal Affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. What he saw, he says, disturbed him.

Between 2012 and 2014, he found there was a "spike" of more than 35 sexual misconduct cases against agents, a rate he says was significantly higher than other law enforcement agencies.

"A problem that I believed was a significant and serious problem was perhaps even worse than I thought it was," said Tomsheck.

Last April Tomsheck emailed his boss, the head of the agency, Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, about the "disturbing" and "disproportionate" number of cases "in the agency's workforce."

Tomsheck says he didn't receive a response.

A CBS News investigation found in the last six years, at least 21 customs or border patrol agents have been indicted or pleaded guilty to sexual offenses -- both on and off duty -- ranging from sexual assault, to possession of child pornography and child molestation. Five agents were arrested in the past year.

Tomsheck says some of the people involved in the cases he found had the potential of being serial offenders.

"I believe they were persons who had likely offended before but their acts have gone undetected," said Tomsheck.

Tomsheck, a 23-year veteran of the Secret Service, blames the problems in part on a lack of screening for more than 15,000 agents hired between 2006 and 2012 who were never given polygraphs -- now standard procedure for new hires at the agency.

According to Tomsheck, one of those not polygraphed was agent Esteban Manzanares. Police believe Manzanares picked up a woman and two teenage girls trying to sneak into the U.S. at the border along the Rio Grande, sexually assaulted them and attempted to kill two of them. He later brought one of them back to an apartment and raped her. When the FBI knocked on his door, Manzanares committed suicide.

Tomsheck believes all agents should take a polygraph every five years - a requirement in the FBI.

"I believe there are many persons in the organization today that if subjected to periodic polygraph screening would be found to be unsuitable," said Tomsheck.

Tomsheck says after he brought this problem to light he was pressured to resign and retired early. CBP declined an on-camera interview but said the agency has received 285 documented complaints or allegations since 2009 related to sexual misconduct; 44 are still open ongoing investigations. The agency says last month it adopted a zero tolerance policy on sexual abuse.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Border_Patrol

United States Border Patrol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is an American federal law enforcement agency. Its mission is to detect and prevent illegal aliens, terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, and prevent illegal trafficking of people and contraband.[1] It is an agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

With over 21,000 agents, the U.S. Border Patrol is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the United States.[2]
Michael J. Fisher has been Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol since 2010.[3]

History

Mounted watchmen of theUnited States Immigration Service patrolled the border in an effort to prevent illegal crossings as early as 1904, but their efforts were irregular and undertaken only when resources permitted. The inspectors, usually called "mounted guards", operated out of El Paso, Texas. Though they never totaled more than 75, they patrolled as far west asCalifornia trying to restrict the flow of illegal Chinese immigration.

In March 1915, Congress authorized a separate group of mounted guards, often referred to as "mounted inspectors". Most rode on horseback, but a few operated automobiles, motorcycles and boats. Although these inspectors had broader arrest authority, they still largely pursued Chinese aliens trying to avoid the National Origins Act and Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. These patrolmen were Immigration Inspectors, assigned to inspection stations, and could not watch the border at all times. U.S. Armysoldiers along the southwest border performed intermittent border patrolling, but this was secondary to "the more serious work of military training." Aliens encountered illegally in the U.S. by the Army were directed to the immigration inspection stations. Texas Rangers were also sporadically assigned to patrol duties by the state, and their efforts were noted as "singularly effective".
. . . .
The U.S. Border Patrol was founded on May 28, 1924, as an agency of the United States Department of Labor to preventillegal entries along the Mexico–United States border and the United States-Canada border. The first Border Patrol station began operations in Detroit, Michigan in June of 1924.[4] A second station in El Paso, Texas began operations in July of 1924.[5

 INS was decommissioned in March 2003 when its operations were divided between CBP, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In the wake of the attacks of September 11, the Border Patrol was placed under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, and preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States was added to its mission. 

As of 2012, the U.S. Border Patrol employed 21,394 agents.[8] The 1,969 miles of Mexican international border was patrolled by 18,516 of those agents while 2,206 additional agents were responsible for patrolling the 5,525-mile Canadian international border; 224 agents were patrolling the coastal waters surrounding the Florida Peninsula and the island of Puerto Rico. Agents are assigned primarily to the Mexico–United States border, where they control drug trafficking and illegal immigration.[9]

In July 2004, the Livermore Sector of the United States Border Patrol was closed. Livermore Sector served Northern California and included stations at Dublin (Parks Reserve Forces Training Area), Sacramento, Stockton, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Fresno and Bakersfield. The Border Patrol also closed other stations in the interior of the United States including Roseburg, Oregon and Little Rock, Arkansas. The Border Patrol functions in these areas consisted largely of local jail and transportation terminal checks for illegal aliens. These functions were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.




“A CBS News investigation has found sexual misconduct in the ranks of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is "significantly" higher than other federal law enforcement agencies, according to the agency's former head of internal affairs. …. For eight years James Tomsheck handled sexual misconduct investigations as the Chief of Internal Affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. What he saw, he says, disturbed him. Between 2012 and 2014, he found there was a "spike" of more than 35 sexual misconduct cases against agents, a rate he says was significantly higher than other law enforcement agencies. "A problem that I believed was a significant and serious problem was perhaps even worse than I thought it was," said Tomsheck. …. Tomsheck, a 23-year veteran of the Secret Service, blames the problems in part on a lack of screening for more than 15,000 agents hired between 2006 and 2012 who were never given polygraphs -- now standard procedure for new hires at the agency. …. Tomsheck believes all agents should take a polygraph every five years - a requirement in the FBI. "I believe there are many persons in the organization today that if subjected to periodic polygraph screening would be found to be unsuitable," said Tomsheck. Tomsheck says after he brought this problem to light he was pressured to resign and retired early. CBP declined an on-camera interview but said the agency has received 285 documented complaints or allegations since 2009 related to sexual misconduct; 44 are still open ongoing investigations. The agency says last month it adopted a zero tolerance policy on sexual abuse.”

“Last April Tomsheck emailed his boss, the head of the agency, Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, about the "disturbing" and "disproportionate" number of cases "in the agency's workforce." Tomsheck says he didn't receive a response.” Tomsheck says after he brought this problem to light he was pressured to resign and retired early.” Is this another case of law enforcement people being under a lesser degree of observation by supervisors than those in the FBI for instance, and therefore freer to misbehave without being caught? I can see illegal immigrants as being relatively helpless against anyone who does wish to abuse them.

The good news is that new hires since 2012 are being given polygraph tests. It would be interesting to know what overall requirements there are for hiring with the Border Patrol. The FBI requires agents to be tested every five years. The spike of 35 cases observed between 2012 and 2014 is less alarming out of thousands of agents, than during the timespan between 2009 and the present, however, which saw 285 documented cases, so even before the spike there was a great increase. The article would have been more informative if the writer had given some numerical comparisons to other policing organizations and to the period before 2009.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/loretta-lynch-headed-to-baltimore/

Loretta Lynch headed to Baltimore
By REBECCA KAPLAN CBS NEWS
May 5, 2015

Photograph – Attorney General Loretta Lynch speaks about the recent violence in Baltimore during a news conference at the Justice Department April 29, 2015 in Washington, DC.  MARK WILSON, GETTY IMAGES

In one of her first acts as the new attorney general, Loretta Lynch will travel to Baltimore on Tuesday.

She has not yet visited the city in the wake of the riots and protests following the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who suffered a spinal injury and later died while in police custody.

Lynch, along with the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, Vanita Gupta, will meet with city officials, members of Congress, law enforcement officials, faith and community leaders and others. They will be joined by Ronald Davis, the director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and Grade Lum, the director of the Community Relations Service.

During a press conference last week, Lynch decried the violence in Baltimore and called for a "respectful conversation" there.

"It is easy to view Baltimore as a symbol of issues that we must all deal with. And of course, the difficult situation there highlights so many issues that are part of our national debate," she said. "But I'd ask that we remember that Baltimore is more than just a symbol. Baltimore is a city; it is a great city; it is a beautiful city; it is one of our cities. Like so many cities, Baltimore is struggling to balance great expectations and need with limited resources. It is dealing with balancing the challenges of public safety and community expression."

There is precedent for the attorney general to visit following a conflict like the one that was seen in Baltimore. President Obama dispatched former Attorney General Eric Holder to Ferguson, Missouri after an unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by police, sparking protests there that have been the model for other cities where black men have died after interactions with police. The Justice Department conducted a civil rights investigation after the incident that found the black population was routinely disproportionately subjected to excessive police force, baseless traffic stops and citations for infractions as petty as walking down the middle of the street.

Lynch's biggest challenge as the top law enforcement officer in the country will be striking the right balance between supporting the community while also supporting law enforcement. Holder was criticized for his trip to Ferguson where he seemed to "tip his hand" too far, but Lynch is likely going to try very hard to hear from both sides to avoid the same perception.

The Justice Department will is conducting a civil rights investigation into Gray's death and a review the city's police force, which has paid nearly $6 million since 2011 to settle claims of police brutality, according to a Baltimore Sun investigation.




“Lynch, along with the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, Vanita Gupta, will meet with city officials, members of Congress, law enforcement officials, faith and community leaders and others. They will be joined by Ronald Davis, the director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and Grade Lum, the director of the Community Relations Service. …. During a press conference last week, Lynch decried the violence in Baltimore and called for a "respectful conversation" there. "It is easy to view Baltimore as a symbol of issues that we must all deal with. And of course, the difficult situation there highlights so many issues that are part of our national debate," she said. …. The Justice Department conducted a civil rights investigation after the incident that found the black population was routinely disproportionately subjected to excessive police force, baseless traffic stops and citations for infractions as petty as walking down the middle of the street. …. Holder was criticized for his trip to Ferguson where he seemed to "tip his hand" too far, but Lynch is likely going to try very hard to hear from both sides to avoid the same perception.”

“... a review the city's police force, which has paid nearly $6 million since 2011 to settle claims of police brutality, according to a Baltimore Sun investigation.” I wonder how much money other cities spend to settle such cases. I would like for the DOJ to study and report on that. I'll bet NYC has spent more. The criticism at the hands of the right wing set of our population against Holder was unfair, I thought. He represented the federal government, and they have authority over civil rights issues. The complaints I'm hearing from police and ultra-conservatives are self-serving, as they want to get away unscathed with their abusive behavior. I'm sure Lynch will also be criticized. There will be other voices who support her authority, however. I am waiting with interest for her commentary after these meetings.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-seems-on-verge-of-banning-fracking-bans/

Texas seems on verge of banning fracking bans
CBS/AP
May 5, 2015

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas moved Monday to ban its own cities from imposing prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing and other potentially environmentally harmful oil and natural gas drilling activities within their boundaries - a major victory for industry groups and top conservatives who have decried rampant local "overregulation."

The bill last month overwhelmingly cleared the House, which Republicans control by a 2-to-1 margin, and passed the GOP-dominated Senate almost as easily Monday - sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law.

The issue has been among the most contentious in the new Republican governor's first legislative session, and while Abbott has stayed publicly out of the debate, he has criticized local regulations that he says limit individual liberty.

Lawmakers in America's largest oil-producing state scrambled to limit local energy exploration prohibitions after Denton, a university town near Dallas, passed an ordinance in November against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, attempting to keep encroaching drilling bonanzas outside their community.

The Denton ordinance is being challenged in court by the Texas Oil and Gas Association and the state's General Land Office, reports The Dallas Morning News, which adds that the Texas legislation would "probably make Denton's fracking ban impossible to enforce."

Fracking is the practice of blasting huge volumes of water and chemicals underground to release tight deposits of oil and gas.

Denton voters' opposition was driven by recurring small earthquakes and safety worries from gas wells that have become ubiquitous near urban area during the energy boom of the last few years.

A recent study linked a swarm of small earthquakes west of Fort Worth, Texas, to nearby natural gas wells and wastewater injection.

But energy lobbyists argued that local regulations shouldn't trump property rights and effectively choke off natural gas drilling underground.

The measure, by San Angelo Republican Rep. Drew Darby, chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee, allows local communities to regulate things above ground such as noise, traffic and lighting associated with fracking, drilling and other oil and gas activities.

But it forbids limits on any drilling or activity below the surface, except for some regulations, such as bans on exploration on Sundays, that are already in place. Any limits imposed by communities would have to be "commercially reasonable," which critics say gives the energy industry wide sway.

"The burden is laid upon the cities, and frankly we're handing the keys to the oil and gas industry to decide what's commercially reasonable," said Rita Beving, coordinator of Alliance for Clean Texas, a coalition of more than a dozen faith-based, policy and environmental groups.

Major municipal lobbies originally opposed Darby's bill, but changed their position after he softened it to allow some local regulation.

Supporters say it's necessary to prevent a patchwork of local rules from spreading around the state. As oil prices have sunk in recent months, they argue that ensuring energy interests aren't vexed is more important than ever.

The proposal "enjoys widespread support because the legislation provides cities with authority to reasonably regulate surface level oil and gas activities, while affirming that regulation of oil and gas operations like fracking and production is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state," Texas Oil and Gas Association President Todd Staples said in a statement Monday.

A former Texas agriculture commissioner, Staples added that the measure is "a fair bill that balances local control and property rights."

But Luke Metzger, director of the advocacy group Environment Texas, said he was "outraged by this assault on local control and the environment."

"Clearly, Big Oil got its money's worth this legislative session," Metzger said in a statement.

Drilling operations contributed more than $12 billion to Texas state coffers in 2013 alone, accounting for about 4.5 percent of the biannual budget. The oil and gas sector made more than $400 million in political contributions statewide during the last election cycle, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics.




“Texas moved Monday to ban its own cities from imposing prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing and other potentially environmentally harmful oil and natural gas drilling activities within their boundaries - a major victory for industry groups and top conservatives who have decried rampant local "overregulation." …. The issue has been among the most contentious in the new Republican governor's first legislative session, and while Abbott has stayed publicly out of the debate, he has criticized local regulations that he says limit individual liberty. Lawmakers in America's largest oil-producing state scrambled to limit local energy exploration prohibitions after Denton, a university town near Dallas, passed an ordinance in November against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, attempting to keep encroaching drilling bonanzas outside their community. …. Denton voters' opposition was driven by recurring small earthquakes and safety worries from gas wells that have become ubiquitous near urban area during the energy boom of the last few years. A recent study linked a swarm of small earthquakes west of Fort Worth, Texas, to nearby natural gas wells and wastewater injection. …. The measure, by San Angelo Republican Rep. Drew Darby, chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee, allows local communities to regulate things above ground such as noise, traffic and lighting associated with fracking, drilling and other oil and gas activities. But it forbids limits on any drilling or activity below the surface, except for some regulations, such as bans on exploration on Sundays, that are already in place. Any limits imposed by communities would have to be "commercially reasonable," which critics say gives the energy industry wide sway. …. Rita Beving, coordinator of Alliance for Clean Texas, a coalition of more than a dozen faith-based, policy and environmental groups. Major municipal lobbies originally opposed Darby's bill, but changed their position after he softened it to allow some local regulation. Supporters say it's necessary to prevent a patchwork of local rules from spreading around the state. As oil prices have sunk in recent months, they argue that ensuring energy interests aren't vexed is more important than ever. '

“The oil and gas sector made more than $400 million in political contributions statewide during the last election cycle, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics.” Pay to play is apparently the rule in Texas. Even many of the local groups were pacified when they were guaranteed control over events occurring above ground as long as any regulations imposed are "commercially reasonable." Supporters want to prevent “a patchwork” of regulations and “ensuring energy interests aren't vexed.” Yes, Massah!!