XARA GRAPHICS SOFTWARE, Among the best http://www.xara.com

“TopCops van over de hele wereld sturen hun groeten, vriendschap en wensen voor vrede aan hun broeders en zusters, waar ook ter wereld”

More Pleasant images in Kansas

Belmont Fatality - Teens, Driving and Drugs This was a fatality accident, two teenagers on alcohol and marijuana lost control at about 80 miles per hour and rolled for over 450 feet. the youths were ejected, one was killed by crushing of the skull, the other is in serious condition. This accident was Jan 30, 2000

Photos contributed by Glen Soldan of Kansas & TopCops-L ( Glen's webpage http://netspaceonline.com/~ggsoldan/Kirwin.htm)

Founder/Owner: Deborah Gulley LawWoman@topcops.com Publishers Deborah Gulley LawWoman@topcops.com Mike Wood mgwood@dlcwest.com Editors: Deborah Gulley lawwoman@topcops.com Jason Bunch (bunchaj@enetis.net) Co-Editor & Feature Writer, Norman Woollons N.Woollons@topcops.com OR norman@woollons.co.uk Advisor: Bob Foy Bob.Foy@topcops.com (Publisher/Founder, Copsonline Magazine) Distributors: Mike Wood mgwood@dlcwest.com Deborah Gulley LawWoman@TopCops.com Web master: Detv. D Coarsey detdc83@HENDERSONVILLE-PD.ORG Web Mistress: NiteOwl^ TopCops.WebLady@niteowl.org OR NiteOwl@topcops.com Notice: TopCops newsletter is now available by email, on line at the TopCops home page or by regular mail services. To subscribe to the TopCops newsletter visit the TopCops home page. There is no cost for the email version of the TopCops newsletter, however if you wish to receive a printed copy of the newsletter by regular mail service there is an annual subscription cost of $25..00 to cover the costs of mailing. The TopCops newsletter is published monthly and is open to submission of articles by any of our readers. If you have an article you wish to see published or an interested bit of information please feel free to submit it to LawWoman (LawWoman@topcops.com) TopCops is privately owned and operated by Deborah Gulley. TopCops WebPages http://www.topcops.com By NiteOWL^ Designs http://www.niteowl.org/

Join our Restricted Email Discussion List, TopCops-L Submit email to: Listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com OR LawWoman@topcops.com Deborah Gulley TopCops On The Internet Post Office Box 531 Flushing, New York 11367 Fax 718-820-0857

TOPCOPS INTERNATIONAL NEWS MAGAZINE (A Global Experience) Volume 3 issue 3 - dated March, 2000

1. Feature Items - The family issues members of Law Enforcement would rather not discuss ("Friendly Fire" & Suicide)

1. Derwin Pannell - retired NYPD (Survivor of Friendly Fire)

2. Phil Roberts - Police Officer (Suicide)

3. Norman Woollans – Letters to the Colonies

2. Contents

• Police Justify 49 Rounds Fired at Man Saturday http://magazine.topcops.com/march/news.html

• Miami mom kept boy's body in a box, police say

• N.J. officers suspended for arresting 11-year-old girl http://magazine.topcops.com/march/news1.html

• Death sought in police killing

• Los Angeles officers seek police recruits in WMass http://magazine.topcops.com/march/news2.html

• DA finds police justified in shooting covered live on TV

• Inquest Jury Rules Against Oshkosh Police http://magazine.topcops.com/march/news3.html

• The verdict: not guilty

• Police agencies across nation embark on gauging racial bias http://magazine.topcops.com/march/news4.html

3. Line of Duty

4. Focus of Interest

ParoleProbation Discussion List, CopNet and LawOfficer on onelist

5. Humor

Derwin in a recent photo

Hello my name is Derwin Pannell. I'm 35 years old and I'm a Retired NYC Police Officer. I'm also a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.

I first began my career in law enforcement with the N.Y.C.

Sheriffs Department where I was a Deputy Sheriff. I left the N.Y.C. Sheriffs Department and went into the N.Y.C. Police Department Police Academy and became a Police Officer. The experience I had with the poilce department was good up intil November 17, l992.

On November 17, l992 I was shot. I want people to remember and not forget what happened. I was shot at 21 times by other police officers. It hurts in my heart that it happened to me.

It hurts in my heart to have learned it happened before me. And it hurts in my heart that it still happens and knowing it will happen again. In the

known history of New York City in happened 18 times. I was number 19. From 1941-1994 there have been 20 such cases that had happened.

An undercover, plainclothes police officer being mistaken, shot at and shot by another police officer. They call it "Friendly Fire". There could be a number of reasons why this happens. What is there perception? What do these police officers see? What is in there minds? Whatever the reason the focus should be on prevention and making sure it does not happen at all.

I never thought I would be shot by other police officers. My whole world has been turned upside down. I have lost everything as a result of the shooting. But at the same time I have grown spiritually and I have a personal relationship with God.

I see how things can be in a police department. But as a whole I still find police work and the law enforcement community interesting. For more details visit my webpage at http://home.att.net/~ddp44/ It is very informative. Take care and be safe.

Resume of Derwin Pannell

New York City Transit Police Department 1992 - 1995 Medically retired 1995. November 17, 1992 - Shot at 21 times by "friendly fire" while working undercover.

NYPD Police Academy Jan 1992 - July 1992

New York City Sheriffs Department 1991 - 1992

John Jay College of Crimminal Justice, CUNY 1990, B.A. Deviant Behavior & Social Control

New York City Police Cadet Corps 1987 - 1989

Tuskegee University 1983 - 1986

Derwin Pannell Ret. N.Y.C. Police Officer

And Even Today: even today :

It is with both a sad and heavy heart that I must advise of the death of Cornel Young, Jr. from Providence.

This is the son of Providence PD Major Cornel Young. While information at this time is both sketchy and not publicly released, he was shot and killed early this morning while off-duty.

Circumstances surrounding the shooting appear to indicate that he was shot by other police officers who were reported to have made a traffic stop of a vehicle with an armed suspect inside.

The armed suspect was not Off. Young, however he is reported to have been attempting to assist while in plainclothes.

OFFICER YOUNG - Haunts Rhode Island PoliceProvidence Journal: 1/30/00

Haunts Rhode Island PoliceProvidence Journal: 1/30/00

Patrolman Cornel Young Jr. was the second city police officer to be killed in the line of duty in more than 65 years, but he was the first in memory in Rhode Island to succumb to gunfire from one of his own.

The eldest son of one of the state's most prominent black police officers, Young, 29, is now part of a fraternity that haunts law-enforcement officials everywhere: the terrible, gut-wrenching mistakes, the victims of ``friendly fire.''

It is a small group, drawn from police departments of every size, urban and rural alike. According to the FBI, 28 officers were accidentally shot by their colleagues in the United States and territories between 1989 and 1998. Five were killed during training exercises; the rest were mistaken for suspects or struck by stray bullets.

Several of the fatal shootings occurred during tense, high-risk assignments that involved both the victim and the shooter. In Charleston, S.C., for example, Officer Perrin Richard Love, 26, was shot by his partner last May as they both tried to subdue a man with a knife in a pitch-dark room. But some of the most devastating incidents

Between 1941 and 1994, there have been twenty shooting incidences of white officers shooting black officers in New York City. Every time there is an altercation between a white officer and a black officer, the black officer is shot. This is a picture of the 19th officer that was shot.

To date, five black officers have been killed. No white officer has ever been punished for these deaths.

have involved off-duty officers who stepped in to stop a crime but were mistaken for criminals when their colleagues arrived at the scene.

In February 1995, Officer James McGee Jr., 26, pulled out his gun at a street corner in Washington, D.C., and stopped the robbery of a cab driver. When Officer Mark A. Baker drove up and saw McGee detaining one of the robbers at gunpoint, he presumed him to be a suspect and ordered him to drop his weapon. As McGee turned toward him, Baker shot him.

Three years later, another off-duty police officer was slain in Washington, this time by an off-duty officer. Thomas F. Hamlette Jr., 24, got into an argument with another man outside a nightclub and took out his handgun. The men began to struggle, and the gun went off. Another off-duty officer, William F. Hyatt, intervened and ordered Hamlette to drop his weapon. Hamlette did not comply, and Hyatt shot him, not knowing who he was.

It was the third time in less than four years that a black officer had been shot by a white officer. Ten months after McGee was killed, Lani Jackson-Pinckney, 33, who was pregnant, had been mistaken for a suspect and left paralyzed. The D.C. police, already under fire for using excessive force, was torn apart. Chief Charles H. Ramsey called it a ``lose-lose situation.''

The Hamlette case shows how difficult it can be to sort out a ``friendly fire'' incident, especially when race is a factor.

An internal review found that Hyatt's actions were justified, but it also said Hamlette had died in the line of duty. Hamlette's name was inscribed in the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. This month, the District of Columbia agreed to pay at least $1 million to his family to settle a lawsuit, but it admitted no wrongdoing.

THE PROVIDENCE POLICE have released few details about the final moments of Cornel Young Jr.'s

life, but enough information is available to draw a rough sketch. A friend has said they had gone to Gerardo's, a local nightclub, and then Young went alone to grab a sandwich at Fidas Restaurant, an all-night diner at 270 Valley St.

While Young was inside, two women got into a fight and then their boyfriends became involved. The police say one of the men, Aldrin Diaz, 29, of Providence, took out a gun and waved it around. A rowdy crowd poured out of the diner, and the manager called the police. Two minutes later, Patrolmen Carlos A. Saraiva and Michael Solitro III pulled up in a cruiser. Young ran out to assist them.

The officers ordered everyone to drop their weapons, and Diaz discarded his gun. Then Saraiva and Solitro saw Young -- dressed in plainclothes, with a thick coat and a baseball hat -- coming toward them, wielding his gun. One witness said he heard Young identify himself as a police officer, but sixteen others did not. Young kept his gun; Saraiva and Solitro repeated their commands, then fired. Young was struck three times.

The cruiser was dispatched at 1:43 a.m.; the rescue that would take Young to Rhode Island Hospital was requested at 1:44. Col. Urbano Prignano Jr., the police chief, declared Friday that Diaz is responsible for the tragedy, because he introduced a firearm into the disturbance. Diaz has been charged with felony murder.

But even if Diaz pays the consequences in criminal court, that does not mean that the actions taken by the officers at the scene -- Young as well as Solitro and Saraiva -- will not be scrutinized by the community, the attorney general's office, and their colleagues.

A TYPICAL CONFRONTATION between the police and a gunman is over within seconds, according to David Ricciarelli, an instructor at the Municipal Police Academy and former Cumberland police officer.

In that time, the suspect will either surrender, try to flee, or open fire. One wrong move and someone can end up dead. The difference between containing a threat and starting a shootout can come down to ``milliseconds.''

The Providence police have an ``exemplary'' firearms training program to prepare officers for those situations, Ricciarelli said. Not only do they practice marksmanship, but they conduct extensive ``judgment training.''

Part of the instruction is role-playing with ``Simunition,'' blanks filled with colored soap. In the basement of the Police Academy, officers simulate their response to a barroom fight or a domestic situation; they raid an apartment and confront dangerous ``suspects.'' Range 2000, a $70,000 high-tech program, allows officers to insert themselves into different scenarios to see the possible consequences of their every move.

The scene is projected, life-sized, onto a large screen, with realistic sound effects. The officer gets a gun with a laser beam instead of bullets, and an electronic eye reads the ``shots'' and determines what they strike. An instructor controls the program on a computer, altering the situation in response to the officer's actions.

One scenario, for example, involves a call for teenagers apparently selling drugs at a corner in a suburb. When the officer arrives, he finds two youths. Their behavior will vary depending on what commands the officer shouts, whether he takes cover, and whether he gives them a chance to draw their guns.

If there is imminent danger, they are told to shoot to kill, aiming at the suspect's torso, the largest target. The most important thing to watch, officers are taught, is the weapon. Where is it aimed? How fast could the suspect strike? Can he get to the officers? Could he take a hostage or shoot someone else?

That is why police officials interviewed for this story said it is understandable that Saraiva, who graduated from the academy with Young, did not realize he was facing his classmate. ``You're not looking at the face -- you're looking at the gun,'' said Sgt. Detective Margot Hill, spokeswoman for the Boston police.

And whether or not Young was more likely to be perceived as a threat because he was black -- the police emphatically deny that -- Young did fit the most important characteristic of the textbook suspect profile: He was wielding a gun, and he didn't drop it when he was told to.

``To be honest, even if these officers were both awful racists, it wouldn't matter,'' said Prof. Karen M. Blum, at the Suffolk University Law School, who teaches a course on police misconduct litigation. What matters, Blum said, is ``whether their conduct was objectively reasonable based on the totality of circumstances,'' and in this case, it would be difficult to prove otherwise.

Saraiva's involvement in a shooting last September is also irrelevant, Blum added. Many judges have ruled that even if a particular officer's motivation is questioned, if ``a reasonable, well-trained officer'' could have done the same thing, it's okay.

WHILE NO ONE questioned the heroism of Young's intentions on Friday, Blum and some law-enforcement officials outside Providence expressed concern about the risk he took when he stepped out of the diner.

Providence police officers are required to carry their guns 24 hours a day, every day, except during vacation or sick leave, said Capt. John J. Ryan, a spokesman for the police administration. ``We're expected to take instant action, especially when there's a threat to a life or serious bodily harm to someone,'' Ryan said. ``At the point that we make that decision to take action, we go on duty.''

That is why Young is considered to have died in the line of duty. But he was killed like an ordinary suspect because Saraiva and Solitro did not realize he was on their side. The New York City Police Department, which has dealt with several police-on-police shootings, encourages officers who face a dangerous situation to call 911 and alert the dispatcher to their presence at the scene.

And every police department encourages plainclothes and off-duty officers to flash their badges if they can. If there's any question about their identity, they are advised to obey all commands. ``If you're off duty and you have an on-duty police officer approach you, of course he's the one you have to listen to,'' said Officer Kervin Johnson, spokesman for the D.C. police.

Blum, of Suffolk University, said the fact that Young was carrying a gun in the first place was a liability, and the Providence police might want to reconsider their rules. The Rhode Island State Police and the Pawtucket,

Cranston and Warwick police -- the largest departments in the state, along with Providence -- do not require officers to carry guns while off duty. Neither do Boston, D.C. and New York City. In D.C., if officers do carry a gun, they are advised to carry their radios as well.

Blum said that if the Providence police feel the benefits of mandatory gun-toting outweigh the liabilities, they should ``do some serious training'' to ensure that officers know what to do in situations like the one on Friday.

Ryan said a review of some policies, and of the training the officers receive, is likely, though it's too soon to tell what changes might be considered. ``Anytime we have a tragedy like this, we try to learn from it,'' Ryan said. ``Certainly the price that Cornel Young paid will be an investment for every officer who ever walks in his shoes and in the shoes of the two officers who were there.''

Established in memory of Police Officer Phil Roberts Police Officer Phil Roberts

September 26, 1941 - December 12, 1999

What Happened? In Officer Robert's widows own words: Karen Roberts

In December of 1999 we lost one of our members to Suicide. In hopes of doing something, anything to help prevent something like this from happening again, our members have offered to "BE THERE" for any member of law enforcement who needs someone. Someone to talk to, someone to care, someone to listen, someone to lean on, a shoulder to rest upon. Just someone to be there. We are here for any officer from any branch of law enforcement anywhere in the world.

This support forum comprised of concerned and caring members of law enforcement is appropriately called "Lean on Me"

List are those members available for contact:

What Happened? In Officer Robert's widows own words:

Catrina Asbury, Police Officer-United States - OfcCat@TopCops.com

J. Ryk Traeger, Ret. Senior Constable - South Australia - R.Traeger@topcops.com

Harry Kouwenhoven, Police Officer - Holland - Tiptoe@topcops.com

Mike Wood, Ret. Detective - Canada - mgwood@dlcwest.com

Dan Menko, Police Officer - United States - d.menko@topcops.com

Volkmar Miehling, Police Officer - Germany - volkmar@volkmar-miehling.de

Mike Martin, Ret. Police Officer - United States - M.Martin@topcops.com

Sean Ross, Former Police Officer - Hawaii - seanross@lava.net

Craig Faulstich, Police Officer - United States - c.faulstich@topcops.com

Jorge Martinez, Ret. Correction Officer - United States - natkrys@frontiernet.net

Lee Ann Schlueter, Chief of Police - United States - lapiggy@htcnet.com

Roy Thornton, Ret. Det'v - United States - LordRoy@aol.com

Jim Sammons, Correction officer - United States - sammons@muscanet.com

Bill Pikes, Police Officer - United States - whpike@INDY.NET

Matt Tuttle, Police Officer - United States - nbpdtran@connix.com

Support of Family, Friends and Wives

Peggy Sweeney Rainone, civilian - hugs@iswt.com

Marina , civilian - Beachkytyn@aol.com

Karen Roberts, Widow of Officer Phil Roberts - LeeRob44@aol.com

"On December 12th he left the house and told me he would be back later as he just needed to get some fresh air and that was 1030 p.m saturday night. He never returned home and I worried my self sick about him beeping him every 30 minutes....waiting for him to call as he always called back. Only to find his detectives from the Police Dept. and his close friend knocking at my door to tell me that Phil had pulled into a Truck Weigh station and took his own life."

Correspondence between Karen Roberts, widow of Police Officer Phil Roberts and Constable Randall Perry, administrator of TopCops Condolence Card Program:

Dear Mr. Perry, my name is Karen Roberts and I am the wife of Phil Roberts who has been recieivng your mail from Top Cops. Phil died on December 12, 1999 and it is a hard situation for anyone to go thru. I read your letter concerning cards and may I just say that after a few months, we are trying to put closure to our lives. I received cards for a month after Phil's death. And everytime you open that mail box and see “Officer Phil Roberts” another card it is just another reminder of what happened, but it also is a reminder of how much people care. That is very important in our lives at this critical time in our lives.

I just wanted to tell you how we felt from our end. I hope that you do not mind me writing to you. Phil loved his job very much as a Police Officer and his 3 daughters and I miss him very much. This is a very very hard time in our lives. Thank you for listening. A police officer to us is a most caring and wonderful person and no one, not one of them get paid enough to go out and put their lives on the line for others every single day of their lives. Karen Roberts

*************************** Dear Mrs. Roberts,

Until the receipt of your message, I was unaware of Phil's untimely death. If it had been known at that time, proper respects would have been paid and a Condolence Card on behalf of TopCops would have been sent immediately.

Phil was an active participant on the list and also supported the Condolence Card program to which he donated money. He will be sorely missed by all of us. As you can understand, some members may start to ask what happened to Phil. I am asking you if you would like me to post a message to TopCops advising them of your husband's passing. As you can understand, some list members may want to know how he died and they may wish to communicate with you to express their sympathy either by e-mail or cards.

On another note, I do appreciate your input concerning my question about the time frame within which, cards should be sent. Your answer gives me a perspective, from a recipient's point of view. Since most of the cards I do send are for deaths "In The Line Of Duty," cards and sympathies may be received by the families for a longer period of time. I will put a limit, of 60 to 90 days on sending cards, depending on the circumstances.

Karen, on behalf of all TopCops list members and myself, please accept my deepest and most heartfelt condolences. I will be sending you a Condolence Card, not to open wounds or to cause you or your family any pain, but to show you the wonderful program that your husband supported and how it has comforted families of Police Officers all over the world. It may do the same for you.

Respectfully, Randall PERRY Coordinator TopCops Condolence Cards Program condolences@topcops.com - http://www.topcops.com/condolence.htm

Randall, I got your message tonight and fully understand what you are saying. I felt that in some small way my feelings would help to support others and help you in deciding what you should do.

I do have my own email address and I keep Phil's open because he still receives much mail thru it. You can write to me or anyone else can at LeeRob44@aol.com if they so wish. Phil loved his job and supported a lot of different committees and other functions involving police. He was very dedicated to his job and loved helping people.

He like most of you complained about this or that, but deep down inside he loved it and loved being out there no matter what. He wanted to help people. I will briefly tell you our story and I will leave it up to you to decide what to do as you know your people better than I.

Phil was on administrative leave because of something that happened at work...Normal procedure when this happens is for him or anyone else to go to a psychiatrist which he went to two and had one more to go to. Phil was under a lot of pressure from work, from problems with his mom and just worrying about his family and everything going on.

On December 12th he left the house and told me he would be back later as he just needed to get some fresh air and that was 1030 p.m saturday night. He never returned home and I worried my self sick about him beeping him every 30 minutes...waiting for him to call as he always called back.

Only to find his detectives from the Police Dept. and his close friend knocking at my door to tell me that Phil had pulled into a Truck Weigh station and took his own life. This has been very hard for me. I know that all of you are under a lot of pressure. I knew things were bothering him and he knew better than anyone that he needed to talk to someone, but he just couldn't talk to anyone.

One psychatrist told him he was fine to go back to work and the other one didn't give any notation of anything until he took another 3 hour test with them. I feel that had the Police Department not tried to get into our personal life that this would not have happened. I think they knew they were wrong in doing what they did and they are all sorry for it know. His shift have very mixed feelings and there is a lot of animosity there.

I just can't tell you everything that happened, but feel that you will probably get most of the picture. So Randall, I will leave it up to you to do what youhave to do. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that would like to write me because of Phil. I loved him very much and he is missed very much. If there is anything that the girls or I can do for you, we would be more than happy to do it. I know it wasn't an "on duty loss", but he was still part of the police force everywhere.

His feelings may be feelings of many of you. It needs to be told that if you or any others have that much stress or hurt inside of you, that you do need to seek counciling or the ability to talk to someone to get relief of that tension and that stress that you all get with that job.

None of you get paid enough to put your lives on line each and every day that you are out there. And I hope that all of you wear your vests. That was always so important to me that he left every single day with that vest on. Thank you for caring enough to write back. And please if there is any input or help that I can give you, Please don't hesitate to ask. I know that this is a bit different since Phil took his own life, but all in all it was still police related. Thank you again, Karen Roberts

http://tribute.niteowl.org/coppadre-awards.html

Following the death of CopPadre, John W. Rixham, Jr., Kathy Rixham, John's wife, and myself wanted John's memory, compassion and service to Law Enforcement to continue. Therefore, the awards will never be issued posthumously. The purpose of the awards is to inspire our Officer to serve their brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement with "Dignity, Honor and Compassion". Yes, all of us attend the funerals of our fallen LEO friends, however, few bother to serve and support the LEO before his or her death.

Kathy Rixham picked the "Tribute Program" to be entrusted, with this task. The decision was made to issue three awards, in John's memory each year. The awards would bear the title;

John W. Rixham, Jr. "CopPadre" Memorial Award For: * Compassion in Law Enforcement * Selfless Service to Law Enforcement and * Officer of the Year

The award winners will be announced each year in early January and posted to the Web Pages. The hardwood plaques will be mailed early enough to arrive on the anniversary of CopPadre's death. A miniature graphic of each award will be supplied to the winners for posting to their Web Pages.

Special "Non-annual" awards may be issued in "John's Memory" for "Exceptional Service or Sacrifice." An International committee of five Officers will be appointed each year to choose the winners. Application is being made to copyright these awards, to insure that they will never be issued by anyone else.

As the founder of "The Tribute Program", I agreed to administer this "Tribute to CopPadre" with the understanding that I would "Never be a recipient." Anyone wishing to link to "The Tribute Program" Web page is welcome to do so.

THE WINNERS FOR 1999

The winners for 1999 are truly special! 1999 was the year of CopPadre's death. Each of the winners was picked with the approval of Kathy Rixham. Please note each award bears the signature of Kathy Rixham. Respectfully, Lt. Bill Wilson

The 1999 Officer of the Year was easy to pick. Much like the Padre, Sgt. Sal Torelli stands firm in his fight for "Law and Order." Sal is a proud Officer that fights crime on his feet, however, he is humble enough to pray to God on his knees. Congratulations Sergeant Torelli, rest assured I knew the Padre well enough to know you receive this award with his blessing

http://tribute.niteowl.org/coppadre-awards.html

Any time an Officer is killed in LOD or a notice of sickness is posted, Officer Sean Ross is always there with words of comfort. Anyone on TopCops or OffDuty knows the caring heart and compassion Officer Sean Ross is famous for. This retired HPD Officer spends a considerable amount of time on his knees praying for his fellow officers. In addition to his prayers, Sean is always there with E-mails of comfort and encouragement. Many of Sean's E-mails are simply words of cheer and support. Personally, I have never known Officer Ross to pass judgment, instead, his hand of friendship is always extended. To Officer Sean Ross congratulations, like CopPadre, you serve Law Enforcement with action and truth not excuses and promises.

http://tribute.niteowl.org/coppadre-awards.html

http://tribute.niteowl.org/coppadre-awards.html

Constable Randall Perry of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police spends his time offering comfort to the families of our fallen brothers and sisters. Each time you hear of an "Officer Down" or LOD, you can be sure that Randall Perry is sending a "TopCops Condolence Card. Accepting "No Pay" for endless hours of service and dedication. In addition to the cards Randall is always there to extend a hand of friendship.

Having handled many funerals, I can attest to the comfort felt by the families of the fallen LEOs when Randall has worked his magic and the card is received. During the time CopPadre was in the hospital and after his death, Randall Perry, like Sean Ross, kept in touch with Mrs. Rixham. The day before the CopPadre entered the hospital, the last check written was to Constable Randall Perry for the card program. Randall was shaken by the fact that the Padre's check arrived the day after the death of our beloved "CopPadre".

Congratulations Randall. You make Law Enforcement, the RCMP and TopCops proud.

Yesterday Yesterday is history and tomorrows a mystery, but today is a is history and tomorrows a mystery, but today is a gift.gift.

etter to the Colonies So, what have you been doing during the last month? Me? Well, it has been that horrid four letter word, work. With a healthy helping of redecoration, working in the garden, repairing the pool and doing all those jobs around the house which seem to build up over time, and then of course there is Work work, which pays the bills.

But this is one time of year that I really enjoy. It is getting noticeably warmer. The days are drawing out, and driving back from a conference in Cambridge today, the Blackthorn is in blossom, the hedge rows are turning green, and the mallard that usually come in the spring to nest on the pond in my garden have arrived and are demanding to be fed.

They get regular helpings of bread and oranges throughout the spring and summer……………..

Have you noticed how the light changes with each passing season? I am told that this happens where ever you are in the world, whether you have just a wet and a dry season, or marked contrasts between frigid winters and baking summers, or in the temperate latitudes a gentle amble from winter into spring, into summer, into autumn and back to winter again. I’m not a true photographer, because I don’t carry a camera absolutely everywhere I go, however, the development of digital imagery means that I take many more photographs than I ever used to do with wet process film. I try to keep one with me most times though.

It is remarkably easy now to incorporate photographs into Emails, documents, letters, to make your own calendars, gift cards and such as that using digital photography.

There is much less technical effort required to achieve a result that you can be happy with. Take perspective for example. With a traditional through the lens view camera, to get the snowdrops in the foreground and the church tower in the background, in focus, together, takes some skill and knowledge. All this picture took, was a slightly damp knee, while I got down to insect level, to create a picture of an unusual grave stone in the churchyard of my village Church,

against an azure spring sky. Then of course there are the quirky signs that you happen to see – and if you just have your camera…. I have no idea what a loaded Brute is, it certainly never featured in Imperial weights and measures, and there is nothing like it in the Metric scale. I asked around nearby, but no one knew. Whilst the sighn is a little weathered, the script is a modern sans-serif. But clearly, the gantry over this door was limited, to just one fully loaded brute!

There is a vast amount of social history around and about us, there are pictures of members of the service from long ago, pictures of old badges, patches, cars and motors. I have an archive of some 1000 negatives of 19th and early 20th century police officers from the area in which I now live and serve, which are slowly being converted to digital images on CD’s. So, how about digging out that camera this weekend, or better still, go treat yourself to one of the new digital kind, and do something really fun, with your partner, kids, parents or friends. In years to come, you will be pleased you did. It doesn’t matter whether you are in the heart of the city or the midst of the country, there are ALWAYS things that can be photographed. Bright landscapes and brilliant sunsets to you all. Norman Woollons

Speeding Tickets: GOOD: A policeman had a perfect spot to watch for speeders, but wasn't getting many. Then he discovered the problem-a 10 year old boy was standing up the road with a hand painted sign which read "RADAR TRAP AHEAD". The officer then found a young accomplice down the road with a sign reading "TIPS" and a bucket full of change. And we used to just sell lemonade.)

BETTER: A motorist was mailed a picture of his car speeding through an automated radar. A $40 speeding ticket was included. Being cute, he sent the police department a picture of $40. The police responded with another mailed photo of Handcuffs.

BEST: A young woman was pulled over for speeding. As the motorcycle officer walked to her car window, flipping open his ticket book, she said, "I bet you are going to sell me a ticket to the Highway Patrolmen's Ball." He replied, "Highway patrolmen don't have balls." There was a moment of silence while she smiled, and he realized what he'd just said. He then closed his book, got back on his motorcycle and left. She was laughing too hard to start her car for several minutes.

******************* A little boy came down to breakfast. Since he lived on a farm, his mother asked if he had done his chores. "Not yet," said the little boy. His mother tells him he can't have any breakfast until he does his chores.

Well, he's a little pissed so he goes out to feed the chickens and kicks one of them. He goes over to feed the cows and he kicks a cow. Then he goes to feed the pigs, and kicks one of the pigs.

He goes back into the house for breakfast and his mother gives him a bowl of dry cereal. "How come I don't get any eggs and bacon? Why don't I have any milk in my cereal?" he asks.

"Well," his mother says, "I saw you kick a chicken so you don't get any eggs. I saw you kick the pig so you don't get any bacon, either. I also saw you kick the cow, so you aren't getting any milk this morning."

Just about then, his father comes down for breakfast and he kicks the cat as he's walking into the kitchen. The little boy looks up at his mother with a smile and says, "Are you gonna to tell him, or should I?"

*******************

A Chinese couple gets married - and she's a virgin. On the wedding night, she cowers naked under the bed sheets as her husband undresses. He climbs in next to her and tries to be reassuring: "My darring, I know dis you firs time and you flighten. I plomise you, I give you anyting you want,I do anyting you want. What you want?". "I wanna numma 69", she replies. He looks at her very puzzled and says, "You wanna beef wit bloccolli?"

A man and wife were playing in their club's annual "Guys and Dolls" tournament. The man was not happy about having to play, but his wife had insisted.

On the 12th tee, his patience had reached its limit. While his wife wasted time on the ladies tee, he decided to go ahead and hit his drive from the men's.

Unfortunately, he misjudged his shot and his ball hit his wife in the back of the head, killing her instantly. At the hospital the doctor came to talk to the husband. "Mr. Davies, we found a golf ball lodged 3 inches into your wife's brain, which was the the cause of death.

But, we have found something else that really puzzles us." "What is it?" asked Mr. Davies. "Well," said the doctor, "we also found a golf ball lodged 6 inches into her anal cavity." The husband dismissed the doctor with a wave of his hand "Oh, that was just my Mulligan!"

A doctor at an insane asylum decided to take his inmates to a baseball game. For weeks in advance, he coached his patients to respond to his commands. When the day of the game arrived, everything seemed to be going well. As the national anthem started, the doctor yelled, "Up Nuts!" and the inmates complied by standing up.

After the anthem, he yelled, "Down Nuts!" and they all sat. After a home run he yelled, "Cheer Nuts!" and they all broke into applause and cheers. Thinking things were going very well, he decided to go get a beer and a hot dog, leaving his assistant in charge.

When he returned there was a riot in progress. Finding his assistant, he asked what happened. The assistant replied, "Well... everything was fine until some guy walked by and yelled, "PEANUTS!"

Top 10 Police Comeback Lines:

1. I'm sorry Ma'am, but with the unlicensed gun in your purse plus the DWI, you ARE a real criminal.

2. Hey John, get out of the cruiser and come over here to say "Thank You." We stopped the guy who pays OUR salary!

3. Yeah, I do have bank robbers to catch, but that might be dangerous, so I'm going to play it safe and write you this ticket.

4. Hurry it up? Sure, I'll just go back to the cruiser and write the citation. Do you have food and water in the car? This shouldn't take more than six hours.

5. Do you know why I stopped you, or do you THINK like you Drive?

TOP 11 REASONS TO GO TO WORK NAKED

1. Your boss is always yelling, "I wanna see your ass in here by 8:00!" 2. Can take advantage of computer monitor radiation to work on your tan. 3. Inventive way to finally meet that hunk in Human Resources. 4. "I'd love to chip in, but I left my wallet in my pants." 5. To stop those creepy guys in Engineering from looking down your blouse. 6. You want to see if it's like the dream. 7. So that-with a little help from Muzak-you can add "Exotic Dancer" to your exaggerated resume. 8. People stop stealing your pens after they've seen where you keep them. 9. Diverts attention from the fact that you also came to work drunk. 10. Gives "bad hair day" a whole new meaning. 11. No one steals your chair.

A woman takes her 16-year-old daughter to the doctor. The doctor says, "Okay, Mrs. Jones, what's the problem?" The mother says, "It's my daughter, Debbie. She keeps getting these cravings, she's putting on weight, and is sick most mornings." The doctor gives Debbie a good examination, then turns to the mother and says, "Well, I don't know how to tell you this, but your Debbie is pregnant - about 4 months, would be my guess." The mother says, "Pregnant?! She can't be, she has never ever been left alone with a man! Have you, Debbie?" Debbie says, "No mother! I've never even kissed a man!" The doctor walked over to the window and just stares out it. About five minutes pass and finally the mother says, "Is there something wrong out there doctor?" The doctor replies, "No, not really, it's just that the last time anything like this happened, a star appeared in the east and three wise men came over the hill. I'll be darned if I'm going to miss it!"

6. What do you mean I won't believe you? Just because you've got three kilos of smack and two bodies in the trunk doesn't mean there isn't a perfectly reasonable explanation.

7. No, you've got that WRONG. I'm even TOUGHER without the badge and gun.

8. Of course you didn't DO it. You just happened to start your wind sprints in front of the department store, the VCR is extra weight, and the security guards were providing MOTIVATION.

9. She STARTED it? That's the best you can do? My four-year-old does better than that when I ask why his sister is crying.

10. HAVE A NICE DAY.

Submit your jokes, articles and Stories to TopCops Newsmagazine to share with our

membership and readers. Email LawWoman@TopCops.com

TopCops Web Based NewsMagazine - http://magazine.topcops.com/march/marchcover.html

This is an actual job application a 17 year old boy submitted to a McDonald's fast-food establishment in Florida. He was hired, because he was so honest and funny!

NAME: Greg Bulmash SEX: Not yet. Still waiting for the right person. DESIRED POSITION: Company's President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place. DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz-style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle. EDUCATION: Yes. LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility. SALARY: Less than I'm worth. MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes. REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked. HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any. PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment. MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here? DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?: Of what? DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be, "Do you have a car that runs?" HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Pub-lishers Clearing house Sweepstakes. DO YOU SMOKE?: On the job no, on my breaks yes. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy, dumb, sexy, blonde, super model who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now. DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Yes. Absolutely. SIGN HERE: Aries.

The Penis Poem

My nookie days are over

My pilot light is out What used to be my sex appeal

Is now my water spout.

Time was when, on its own accord From my trousers it would spring But now I've got a full-time job

To find the blasted thing.

It used to be embarrassing The way it would behave For every single morning

It would stand and watch me shave.

Now as old age approaches It sure gives me the blues

To see it hang its little head And watch me tie my shoes

Submit your Jokes to TopCops Newsmagaazine to LawWoman@TopCops.com

http://www.topcops.com/

A NEW EMAIL DISCUSSION FORUM

ParoleProbation-Subscribe@Onelist.com

Attention Parole and Probation Officers! Have you tried joining Internet discussion lists, only to find that your issues and concerns are lost in the "Cop-Talk"? Well, those days are over. There is now a discussion list just for you and your fellow professionals. I have been an Illinois State Parole Agent, and Gang Crime Specialist for over three years now, and have yet to find a place to share my experiences, and get other's opinions. Therefore, I have created ParoleProbation, an Onelist community specifically for the challenges you face on a daily basis. It is an excellent way to develop contacts in other states, discuss your job, network resources, and simply banter about the "gripes” of the day. I strongly encourage anyone employed with a Parole and/or Probation Agency to join. Together we can improve our ability to perform in our profession by the simple act of sharing information, and it's FREE!!! You can't beat that. I hope to see you all there. Simply send an email to: ParoleProbation-subscribe@onelist.com once your request for membership has been approved, a whole world of Parole/Probation experience will be at your fingertips!! Mark A. Salsberry email at salsberry@tbcnet.com

You've heard of Cops on TV, now there are cops on the radio. "COPNET" is a nationally syndicated police talk show that is hosted and produced by cops. It is a 2-hour show that is heard by over 2 million listeners weekly. The hosts of the show are Chief Bill Berger of the North Miami Beach Police Dept and Lt. Bill Erfurth

of the Metro-Dade Police Department. Along with them, other officers from around the country contribute each week to give the show that national feel of what is going on in the world of police work. Ok, I know you are thinking, what’s so special about this show. Well, when a cop is approached by a reporter to tell his or her story, they are apprehensive. However, if a cop came up to them and asked them the same question, they would be more likely to answer. A cop trusts another cop, they know that another cop is only going to try and bring the positive points out and make him or her look as good as possible. That’s our catch. We are cops and we want to portray a positive image of policing. Show what it is really like, show the emotion and heartache that goes into what we do every day. "COPNET" provides an excellent forum for law enforcement agencies to educate the public on police issues and community concerns. Topics deal with police issues, crime prevention, police-community relations and brings real life events and police issues to our listeners. We feel that by using the media of radio, we can reach out to an unlimited number of listeners and create a forum of community-orientated policing on the radio. The public gets a false image of police work when they watch, NYPD Blue, Nash Bridges and Walker Texas Ranger. "COPNET" shows the real deal. Since I have been involved with the show, I have talked to Mark Furhman, Dean LaPadula, an officer who was shot and the head and lived to talk to me about it on the show. Deborah Gulley of "TopCops" was one of my favorite and most enjoyable guests. I talked with the Texas Ranger who captured the "Railway Killer" and Dr. Michael Baden from the HBO's "Autopsy". These do not even scratch the surface of the topics "COPNET" deals with on a weekly basis. Craig Floyd, the chairman of the Police Memorial Foundation down in D.C. is a weekly contributor, talking to family, friends and partners of our fallen brethren. It is difficult to get through one of his segments with out getting choked

up. However, Craig’s segments are important because they show just how precious and special we really are for what we do every day.

The show has various segments including, "In The Line Of Duty", "Beyond The Badge"," The Best of the Best in Law Enforcement", "Heroes Amongst Us", and "Be on the Lookout” So, look for the show in your area each week. If you can't find the show please call Jarad Broadcasting at 516-222-1466 and they can tell you where you can hear it. If it is not in your area you can catch it on the web at www.COPNET.org. Or you can call your local station and request that they put it on the air. If you have any stories or segment ideas. Please feel free to contact me:

Steun ons in ons streven naar eenheid tussen politiemensen in respect voor de mensen in de dorpen en steden, die wij gezworen hebben te dienen en te beschermen.

Tim Harten 1103 Stewart Ave. 3fl Garden City, NY 11530 office: 516-222-1466 x610 fax: 516-328-2077 email: COPNETNY@JUNO.COM

TopCops on the Internet, http://www.topcops.com/

I am proud to inform our friends and supporters that TopCops on the Internet has experienced some major changes over the past few months. The most significant of these changes are our new domain location http://www.topcops.com/ , our new TopCops t-shirt design, our revamped web page and my new email address (LawWoman@TopCops.com) TopCops has experienced steady growth and development over the past year with our email discussion list currently at 400 members and our TopCops Condolence Card program expanding to include injured and seriously ill officers, as well as, K-9 partners.

Paris via Jean-Francois of TopCops-L " TopCops dans le monde entier, envoie ses amitiés ainsi que l'amour et la paix à tous nos frères et soeurs. Associez-vous à notre famille internationale de membres des forces de l'ordre et à notre lutte pour nous unir et au respect des citoyens et des communautés que nous avons juré de servir et de protéger. TopCops présent partout est une expérience mondiale. "

Hawaii via Sean Ross of TopCops-L Aole pilikia aikane nui wahine. Malama pono e a hui ho. Aloha no ka kou

Spain via RoboCop of TopCops-L This is the literal translation in Spanish language “ Los mejores policias de todo el Mundo envia saludos, paz y amor a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas de todas partes. Unete a nuestra familia de Agentes de la Ley por todo el Mundo en nuestr esfuerzo por unirnos entre nosotros mismo y respeto de los ciudadanos y las comunidades que hemos jurado servir y proteger.TopCops alrrededor del Mundo es una Experiencia Mundial”

AND-

"TopCops from Around the World" envia saludos, paz y amor a todos nuestros compañeros y compañeras de todas partes, sea cual sea su nacionalidad . Unete a nuestra grupo de Agentes de la Ley en todo el Mundo, en nuestro esfuerzo por la Unidad entre nosotros mismos y el respeto de los ciudadanos y los colectivos que hemos jurado Servir y Proteger. TopCops alrededor del Mundo es una Experiencia Mundial”

Werner Glassess, Dutch ("Top agenten Wereldwijd") "Topcops from Around the World" zenden groeten, liefde en vrede aan al onze broeders en zusters op aarde. Wordt lid van onze wereldwijde familie van politie-agenten en help ons in onze strijd voor samenhorigheid in ons beroep en voor het respect van de burgers en de gemeenschappen die we gezworen hebben te dienen en te beschermen. "Topcops from Around the World" is een globale belevenis." Swedish via Jan Hermansson of TopCops-L

"TopCops från hela världen erbjuder ett välkomnande, mänsklig värme till alla våra bröder och systrar världen över. Kom med i vår stora världsomspännande familj av professionella poliser i vår kamp för ett homogenare polisiärt tänkande och respekt för allmänheten och det allmänna som vi har lovat att skydda- och hjälpa. TopCops från hela världen, är en världsomspännande erfarenhet.” Saludos di envia di Los mejores policias de todo el Mundo, amor del paz y partes di y hermanas de un todas di hermanos di nuestros di todos. Unete un proteger temporaneo del servir y di jurado di hemos del que dei comunidades di las di y respeto de los ciudadanos y di mismo di nosotros del entre di unirnos di por di esfuerzo del nuestr dell' en di EL Mundo di todo di por della La del de Agentes de di familia di nuestra. Una Experiencia Mundial del del Mundo es di alrrededor di TopCops

Award honorees for 1999

Sal Torelli, Sean Ross & Randall Perry http://tribute.niteowl.org/coppadre-awards.html

TopCops Web Base Newsmagazine

http://magazine.topcops.com/march/marchcover.html

Police Justify 49 Rounds Fired at Man Saturday, February 26, 2000 By JENNA DEOPERE

The Ledger LAKELAND -- Four Lakeland police officers fired 49 rounds from their handguns at Robert Wesley Laird III on Dec. 16 and a dozen bullets hit him. An internal investigation by the Lakeland Police Department released that finding Friday and also said the four officers were justified in unloading their .45-caliber handguns in the middle of a West Lakeland mobile home park.

The four officers, Ed Cain, Richard Kachadurian, David Woolverton and Ron Bowling Jr., acted appropriately when they killed Laird, 21, in Elim Mobile Home Park, the investigation determined. Four mobile homes near where Laird was killed were hit by stray bullets. The investigation revealed a total of 29 bullet holes in the four homes.

The findings came from an internal investigation and a review by the department's 13-member Lethal Force Review Board. "The Board found that there was an immediate threat to the lives of officers Cain and Kachadurian when Mr. Laird pointed a Walther .380 PPKS, semi-automatic handgun at them," the report said. "The officers discharged their firearms in order to protects themselves from death or great bodily harm." But the board recommended more training for officers to reduce the possibility that bystanders and property would be struck by gunfire. The four officers had all passed the semi-annual firearms training required by the department in October.

The training requires a score of 80 percent or higher to pass. According to the internal investigation, even though 37 bullets didn't hit their target on Dec. 16, that's still a higher accuracy than in most life-threatening shootouts. "According to an article in (the magazine) Firearms Instructor surveys indicate that, in life-threatening situations, bullets fired by police officers only strike their intended target 15 to 18 percent of the time," the report said. "In this case, a total of 49 shots were fired by the officers.

Assuming that 12 rounds struck the offender, the officers' accuracy exceeded that reflected by the surveys." The report noted that lighting was poor in the mobile home park on the night police chased Laird after he robbed a restaurant at gunpoint. An autopsy found Laird was high on powerful drugs.

Only five rounds were recovered in the autopsy of Laird, implying that some of the bullets that hit the mobile homes could have passed through Laird first. Laird's father, Robert Wesley Laird Jr. said he's not surprised the internal investigation cleared the officers, but he remains convinced Lakeland police acted recklessly.

The younger Laird never fired his weapon, a handgun stolen from his father, according to the police investigation and earlier investigations by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the State Attorney's Office that also concluded the officers acted properly. "Something went wrong that night and the bottom line is (the police) went crazy," the elder Laird said. "They showed no regard for anybody's life inside the trailer park. I think they just had hot-pursuit anxiety.

The amount of force was not justified that night." Laird's father promises the report won't end his own inquiry into his son's death. Nicholas Matassini, a Tampa attorney representing Laird's father, said he is investigating the possibility of a civil lawsuit. "I'm going to obtain all the reports and investigation that have been done by Lakeland police and the Sheriff's Office and the State Attorney's Office," Matassini said. "Then we're going to review them along with the results of our own investigation and make a determination as to what we will do." Lakeland Police spokesman Jack Gillen said the department could not comment on the investigation because of the possibility of a civil lawsuit.

According to police reports, on the night of the shooting Laird had robbed the McDonald's at Interstate 4 and U.S. 98 North at gunpoint about 11 p.m. and police soon spotted him at a gas station nearby. He led police on a chase through Lakeland to Memorial Boulevard where he entered I-4 via an eastbound exit ramp.

After traveling east in the westbound lanes of the interstate for about one half mile, Laird abandoned his car and ran into woods abutting the Elim Mobile Home Park. According to the report Cain, Cain's police dog, Bowling and two other officers followed Laird into the woods.

Kachadurian and Wolverton entered the mobile home park at other points. Reports said Laird ran into the mobile home park where he was cornered between two trailers by Cain's dog. Laird ran onto Mathew Road where the gunfire started, reports said. Several of the officers' statements said they believed Laird fired first at the officers and continued to wave his gun as he ran 52 feet before falling to the ground.

But all the investigations concluded Laird never fired his gun and none of the investigations have determined which officer fired first. According to their statements included in the investigation Woolverton fired 15 or 16 shots, reloading twice; Bowling said he fired eight to 10 shots, reloading once; Cain fired 15 shots, reloading twice; and Kachadurian fired eight shots, reloading once.

However, the .380-caliber handgun Laird carried, was never fired. The gun was disabled when one of the bullets fired by the officers hit Laird in the hand and shot the trigger off the gun, police said.

Police said they believe that was one of the first shots fired. However the investigation by the Medical Examiner's Office reported that the order in which Laird suffered the 12 gunshot wounds could not be determined.

A report by Dr. Stephen Nelson, medical examiner, said Laird's blood showed an alcohol level consistent with about 1 1/2 drinks, a near lethal level of a chemical known as MDMA, or ecstacy, and a level of Benadryl over 10 times the therapeutic concentration.

The investigation determined that the level of ecstacy, a drug known to produce psychiatric disturbances, found in Laird's blood would help explain his "irrational behavior during the armed robbery, the pursuit, and the abandonment of his vehicle on Interstate 4."

The medical examiner's report also said Laird suffered 12 gunshot wounds -- in the right forearm, right shoulder, sternum, upper left chest, left arm, two in the left forearm, left chest, right buttock, posterior thorax, right thumb and the right arm.

The Lethal Force Review Board did recommend Lakeland police be given more training to reduce the amount of "collateral damage caused by the use of lethal defensive action." The board listed the following recommendations:

· Keeping in mind that officer safety must not be compromised, firearm instructors should remind officers about the collateral damage which lethal defensive action can cause.

· The department should engage in more frequent night-time firearms training. · The training unit should explore the use of three-dimensional firearms training.

· The training unit should take advantage of the firearms simulation training software recently acquired by the Criminal Justice Academy at Polk Community College

THE BOARDA Lethal Force Review Board convened Jan. 27 to review the investigation into the shooting deathof Robert Wesley Laird III on Dec. 16 by three Lakeland police officers. The board, which determined the shooting was justified, was made up of the following Lakeland police officials:· Deputy Chief Deborah Henson· Capt. Roger Boatner· Capt. Chip Brown· Lt. John Ingrassia· Sgt. Herbert Koeffler· Detective Brad Grice· Officer Jeff Gary· Officer Michael Catalano· Sgt. Michael Ivancevich· Detective Michael Moran· Ted Jacobsen, legal adviser.

Richard Jennings, K9Reno ( TopCops T-shirts http://www.topcops.com/tshirt/ts.htm )

“TopCops van over de hele wereld sturen hun groeten, vriendschap en wensen voor vrede aan hun broeders en zusters, waar ook ter wereld”

Miami mom kept boy’s body in a box, police say By SHANNON O’BOYE - Feb. 25, 2000

A woman who allegedly killed her 11/2-year-old son, then carried him around in a cardboard box for three months was arrested Thursday night, Miami-Dade police said. The woman, Marta Baquero, 39, of the 17500 block of Northwest 68th Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Dimitri Martinez.

Baquero told police that in mid-November she neglected to give her son essential medication and he died, police said. She placed the corpse in a cardboard box and carried it around in her car for several months, police said.

In January, she rented a storage room at a warehouse and put the body there. Police closed in on the woman on Wednesday after she placed a phone call to her estranged husband, Tomas Martinez, asking for money. Martinez had contacted the Department of Children & Families after his wife and son disappeared, but the woman had moved and the agency could not find her.

When she called on Wednesday, Baquero told Martinez his son was fine. Martinez, who had caller ID, traced Baquero’s call to a Miami Beach hotel, then called DCF. Baquero directed investigators to a storage center in the 5100 block of Northwest 167th Street, where they recovered the child’s remains.

N.J. police officers suspended for arresting 11-year-old girl - Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. (February 26, 2000 )- Three police supervisors have been suspended after they charged an 11-year-old girl with assault and weapons violations for using a pair of scissorsto cut a lock of another girl’s hair.

After the mother of the girl whose hair was cut filed a complaint, Raquyda Nichole Harris was arrested Thursday, handcuffed and held for two hours until she was released to her mother.

”It is clear that the officers involved did not follow proper procedures and the complaint did not warrant the actions of the officers involved,” said police Director Joseph Santiago. Santiago extended “sincere regrets” to the Harris family. Lt. Gary D. Vickers, Sgt. Noemio Oliveria and Sgt. Amilkar Velez were suspended Friday.

The incident occurred Tuesday during a gym class at the Rafael Hernandez school. “We were sitting in gym, and these girls were telling me to cut her hair,” Raquyda said. “One girl gave me the scissors and I cut a little bit of her hair. It was just a joke.” Raquyda was suspended from school for five days.

Death sought in police killing Debbie Salamone Wickham - of The Sentinel Staff / Published in The Orlando Sentinel on February 19, 2000 .

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for a man indicted Friday in the fatal shooting of an Orlando police officer. Grand jurors charged Emmanuel Jimmy Saint Nattis, 21, with first-degree murder in the Feb. 3 killing of Officer George DeSalvia during a routine traffic stop on John Young Parkway in Orlando.

Nattis also faces an attempted first-degree murder charge in the shooting of officer Edward Diaz during the same traffic stop. In a separate case, grand jurors indicted Estela Menna, 57, in the Jan. 21 shooting death of her husband, Orlando plastic surgeon Glauco Menna, 63. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar said the killing of DeSalvia, 29, was a tragedy that calls for the ultimate punishment.

”Nothing less could do justice,” said Lamar, who said he was appalled by Saint Nattis’ explanation of events. ”The stated reason of ‘I lost my cool’ is absolutely outrageous.” The shooting happened as the officers detained a passenger, Salomon Desrivieres, because there was a warrant for his arrest. Saint Nattis also was ordered out of the car and had one hand cuffed before he grabbed a gun and started firing, investigators said.

“By the time the officer (DeSalvia) had the opportunity to observe the gun, there was in no way time for him to save himself,” Lamar said. Police say Saint Nattis and Desrivieres were armed with guns stolen days earlier during a pawn-shop robbery. After firing, Saint Nattis fled but was captured in a massive manhunt later in the day, police said. He also is charged with armed escape. Desrivieres was not charged in the killing. Neither was a female passenger who has helped investigators.

Diaz, 28, had wanted to testify before the grand jury but was sent to Atlanta on Monday for several weeks of treatment at Shepherd Center, one of the nation’s top spinal-cord rehabilitation hospitals. He is recovering from gunshot damage to his lower back. In the Menna case, prosecutors said they had enough evidence to indict the doctor’s wife, but they still are figuring out details of what happened. Investigators say Glauco Menna was gunned down in the parking lot of his Orange County office as he talked on a cellular telephone to his mistress.

Several personal items and .357-caliber bullet casings were seized from the couple’s Windermere home. Estela Menna admitted talking to her husband in the parking lot at the time of the shooting, investigators say. Friends have rallied in support of Estela Menna and have organized a fund-raising garage sale to help her sons, both medical students, pay their bills. Saint Nattis and Estela Menna are being held without bail at the Orange County Jail.

Los Angeles officers seek police recruits in WMass Thursday, March 2, 2000 By KEVIN HODGSON WESTFIELD

• Officer Tracy McClanahan, a nine-year veteran of the Los Angeles police force, winced when asked what effect an unfolding corruption scandal is having on her job as a recruiter. “It has taken a lot of us in the department by surprise,” McClanahan said yesterday, as she stood next to a booth in the campus center of Westfield State College.

Throughout the morning, she visited criminal justice classes to tout a $41,000 starting salary, extensive benefits and plenty of job opportunities as part of an intensive national recruiting tour of universities with major criminal justice programs. At Westfield State, criminal justice is the largest and most popular among 24 disciplines, with approximately 600 students in the program and more than a dozen faculty members teaching classes ranging from “Crime in the City” to “Organized White Collar Crime.”

The scandal exposing corrupt police officers “actually helps, because it brings people up to me, asking questions and trying to get information,” she said. “And, to be honest, if you want to be a police officer, truly

want to be a police officer, than that (scandal) won’t deter you.” Heather Hite, 20, of Longmeadow certainly wasn’t deterred. Hite learned about the visit to Westfield by Los Angeles recruiters after seeing a flier.

The Pennsylvania native attends Bay Path College, where she is pursuing a dual major in both elementary education and criminal justice. “I really want to be able to work with disadvantaged kids,” Hite said of her interest in becoming a police officer in an urban environment. “And I think L.A. could be fun.” Grabbing a few fliers and asking a few questions, Hite started to leave before turning back to McClanahan. “I’ll see you on March 4,” she said confidently, referring to a round of initial screening tests in Boston this Saturday.

There are about 1,000 job openings in the department, which has more than 9,000 employees. “We’ve had a lot of interest here today,” McClanahan said, although she could not say how many of those asking for information would follow through to the next step. The selection process includes written

tests, interviews, medical and psychological examinations, and criminal background checks. The scandal now unfolding in Los Angeles, however, shows a darker side of police work.

According to news reports, an officer in one of the inner city police bureaus, who was caught allegedly stealing six pounds of cocaine, has turned informer on fellow officers, exposing a network of routine illegal shakedowns, planting of evidence on suspects and extreme violence.

His testimony is being used to overturn convictions and setting the stage for major lawsuits against the city. “That doesn’t bother me,” Steven J. Carlson, 22, of Windsor Locks, Conn., said yesterday of his interest. “When you have that many people in a department, you have to expect something out of the ordinary might take place.”

DA finds police justified in shooting covered live on TV ASSOCIATED PRESS February 25, 2000 SAN DIEGO -- Officers were legally justified in the

fatal shooting of a man who led authorities on a high-speed, 200-mile chase and then pointed a starter's pistol at them, the district attorney said.

The Nov. 26 shooting of Michael Alan Thayer, 49, which was aired live by Southern California television news stations, was "reasonable under the circumstances," San Diego County District Attorney Paul Pfingst wrote in a letter to Police Chief David Bejarano. Thayer was shot 17 times by three San Diego Police and three California Highway Patrol officers. A note found in Thayer's car indicated he wanted to provoke police into killing him to avoid returning to prison and the police had no way of knowing the pistol wasn't real, Pfingst wrote in a letter dated Wednesday. The letter was made public Friday. "The officers reasonably feared for their own safety, as well as the other drivers on the freeway," the district attorney wrote. Thayer of Riverside led police on the three-hour chase, at times driving 90 mph, after a sheriff's deputy tried to stop him in Rancho Cucamonga for having expired registration tags. He pulled to the side of Interstate 805 after CHP officers flattened his tires with a spike strip placed in the highway. Southern California television stations covered the four-county chase live, with cameras zooming in to show him smoking a cigarette, checking his pager and scribbling a note. In a note found inside a day planner, Thayer said goodbye to his family and asked relatives to give his car and final paycheck to his children. "Well guys my luck finally ran out," he wrote. "I was just trying to go to work and some cop decided to pull me over. You all know I can't go back to prison ... I'd rather die than put you through that again." With his tires punctured, Thayer stepped out of the car carrying a starter's gun. When he turned toward the officers, they opened fire.

San Diego and Los Angeles television stations aired the entire shooting. Some used a wide-angle shot from a distance as Thayer was shot and others broadcast tighter images of the shooting before panning out to show him on the ground.

Oshkosh February 26, 2000 - Inquest Jury Rules Against Oshkosh Police

For the past three days, an Oshkosh jury heard evidence to decide if police used unjust force in the arrest of Walter Pagel. After six-and-a-half hours of deliberations, the jury of six came out with a verdict at 11 o'clock Thursday night. They found probable cause for criminal wrongdoing by police officers. In August 1998, officers responded to a domestic call at Pagel's home. It was not the first time they had to, but this time Pagel charged them with a large knife. Police say in order to defend themselves, they fired 135 rounds of rubber and beanbag ammunition. It's estimated at least 100 of those rounds struck Pagel, who slipped into a coma and died last month. An expert testified Thursday that Oshkosh police showed restraint for not using real bullets, but the jury apparently felt exactly the opposite. The jury recommended a charge of criminal homicide by negligent use of a firearm. The six members of the police force included in the recommendation are four officers, a sergeant, and a detective. This was a coroner's inquest, not a trial. The jury's decision is non-binding, but is one factor the district attorney will have to look at when deciding if criminal charges should be filed. Many people in the courtroom sat in disbelief when the jury's verdict was announced. Police officers and their families poured out of the courtroom, many of them wiping tears from their faces. It was tough for the people who know and

work with the officers to keep their composure. "They are on the whole a great bunch of officers, a great bunch of guys," coroner Barry Busby said. Police Chief David Erickson said, "They tried their best. They were faced with a horrendous situation and they tried their best, and they don't deserve this. They don't deserve it." Walter Pagel's relatives were not in the courtroom as the judge read the verdict, but their attorney was. He commended the jury. Mark Thomsen said, "This really sends a statement in terms of what standards Wisconsin police officers should follow, and it was very, very brave on their part." "It's certainly not a pleasant thing by any stretch of the imagination. It's a tragedy for Mr. Pagel and his family as well," DistrictAttorney Joe Paulus said after the verdict. Paulus says he'll make a decision whether to file charges in the next couple days. He does not have to do so, if he thinks there isn't a strong enough case

Award honorees for 1999

Sal Torelli, Sean Ross & Randall Perry http://tribute.niteowl.org/coppadre-awards.html

TopCops Web Base Newsmagazine

http://magazine.topcops.com/march/marchcover.html

The verdict: not guilty New York cops cleared in the Diallo shooting

By Kit R. Roane

NEW YORK–After 23 hours of jury deliberation and a year of tense controversy, the four New York City police officers who shot and killed unarmed street vendor Amadou Diallo in a hail of 41 bullets left an Albany courthouse on Friday as free men.

The verdict for all was the same: not guilty of murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, or reckless endangerment to human life. Two of the defendants closed their eyes and wept with relief. Finally, Judge Joseph Teresi told the jury that they "need answer to no man, no woman, considering your deliberations . . . the book is closed on this case."

The Diallo murder trial was over. And the jury had agreed with defense lawyers that the February 1999 Bronx shooting was a regrettable, yet reasonable, mistake. But the verdict marked an end only to one chapter in the lives of the four officers. It did not end their legal woes or silence the angry questioning that has surrounded them since the shooting of the 22-year-old African immigrant.The cops–Sean Carroll, Edward McMellon, Kenneth Boss, and Richard

Murphy–still must pass a police review to return to active duty. They also are likely to face a civil suit by Diallo's family, a federal investigation, and renewed fire from those who feel the verdict was unjust.

Anger. The judge delayed reading the jury's decision for several minutes so that police officers, on standby in the Bronx, could be rushed to any trouble spots. "Let not one brick be thrown," said black activist Rev. Al Sharpton, urging calm in the wake of the verdict. And, at least initially, the streets of New York were quiet as a light rain fell. But the shock and anger of some protesters was palpable. Even in Albany, more than 130 miles upstate, a crowd wielding placards proclaiming "killer cops" shouted down the officers' lawyers as they spoke to reporters outside the courthouse.

Cries of "41 shots," which helped kindle a national debate over aggressive law enforcement, will continue to reverberate. As Sharpton told the protesters following the verdict: "This is not the end, it is only the beginning."

Police agencies across nation embark on gauging racial bias Some departments and state agencies monitor police actions as first step toward stamping out racial profiling By ROBERT TANNER, The Associated Press A Congress and the states debate how to root out racial profiling, many of the nation’s police departments are moving ahead on their own, requiring officers to record the race of all drivers they stop and question.

From Washington state to Oregon to Missouri to Texas, small departments and state agencies are scrutinizing their officers’ actions in a first step toward gauging how widespread racial bias among police might be. While many police see little evidence of racism, they acknowledge the fears.

"We have to deal with perception as much as reality," Michigan State Police Col. Michael Robinson said Wednesday. "If data helps us assure some that we are not engaged in inappropriate behavior – and it gives us information to discuss openly what is occurring out there in the community – then it’s appropriate."

Two years ago, many police officials dismissed the worries. Then there were prominent allegations of profiling among the New Jersey State Police and in Florida. A Gallup poll last year found majorities of both whites and blacks convinced it exists. President Clinton required federal law-enforcement agencies to record race and gender in all stops. Now, police officials are moving faster than lawmakers.

A year ago, no agencies were voluntarily monitoring the skin color of those they stopped, said John Crew, who heads the American Civil Liberties Union’s racial profiling project. Now, there are well over 100. "We can’t keep up." North Carolina and Connecticut are the only states that require police in their states to keep track of race in their traffic stops. At least 18 other states are considering similar legislation.

State police are already monitoring stops or are taking steps to do so in California, Washington, Ohio, Michigan and Florida. Houston, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Jose, San Diego and several other California cities all announced similar plans.

On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee sent to a floor vote a bill for a federal study of police statistics to investigate racial profiling. Some officials argue that requiring police to check on race can create more tension in police stops. Arlington, Va., Police Chief Ed Flynn said gathering numbers won’t solve the problem.

"If the data somehow statistically proves this is not an issue, this won’t stop how people feel," Flynn said. "I think it distracts us. All it does is give us ammunition to throw at each other, and doesn’t solve the problem." Instead, he said, police need to focus on better relations with the communities they protect.

Robinson, as head of the Michigan police and president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, also advocates videotaping traffic stops, better training for officers and classes to teach young drivers how to respond if pulled over. Crew expects data on profiling to help expose a problem that many are unwilling to acknowledge. "It’s that we live in a society – and police are part of a society – where there’s a lot of unconscious racism," he said. "People aren’t even aware they’re doing it."

Officer George S. DeSalvia Orlando Police Department, FL

Cause of Death: Gunfire End of Watch: February 3, 2000 Date of Incident: February 3, 2000 Time of Incident: 0130 hours Age: 29 Tour of Duty: 8 mo Suspect Info: Three suspects arrested Weapon Used: Handgun; .40 caliber

Officer DeSalvia was shot and killed while backing up another officer during a traffic stop. The second officer had arrested one of the occupants of the vehicle on an outstanding warrant. As Officer DeSalvia and the second officer attempted to remove the driver of the vehicle he pulled out a .40 caliber Glock handgun and shot officer DeSalvia in the head. He then began shooting at the second officer, who was between the cruiser and the suspect's vehicle, striking him several times. Neither officer was able to return fire before the suspect fled the scene.

Officer DeSalvia was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The second officer was admitted to a local hospital in critical condition. The suspect was arrested several hours later after a manhunt involving several hundred police officers from several jurisdictions. A third occupant of the car was also

arrested. The shooter was charged with first-degree murder of a police officer and several other charges. Officer DeSalvia had been with the agency for eight months and is survived by his wife and three young children.

Officer Burt LeBlanc Jennings Police Department, LA

Cause of Death: Gunfire End of Watch: February 5, 2000 Date of Incident: February 5, 2000 Time of Incident: 2130 hours Age: Unknown Tour of Duty: Unknown Suspect Info: Arrested after standoff Weapon Used: Handgun

Officer LeBlanc was shot and killed after responding to a 911 call for a medical emergency. As officer LeBlanc and two other responding officers approached the door in the carport the suspect approached from inside and opened fire with a revolver. Officer LeBlanc, who was not wearing a vest, was shot in the arm and chest. The two other officers, who were wearing vests, were also shot and wounded. Officer LeBlanc was transported to a local hospital where he pronounced dead. The shooting suspect was a former police officer for the same agency and had just killed another former officer and the former officer's wife. The incident took place at the former officer's home. The suspect was arrested after a standoff and charged with several counts of murder and attempted murder. Officer LeBlanc had been with the agency for seven years.

Sergeant Bruce A. Prothero Baltimore County Police Department, MD

Cause of Death: Gunfire End of Watch: February 7, 2000 Date of Incident: February 7, 2000 Time of Incident: 1100 hours Age: 35 Tour of Duty: 13 yr Suspect Info: Two arrested; Two at large Weapon Used: Handgun

Sergeant Prothero was shot and killed while moonlighting as a security guard at a local jewelry store. Two suspects had entered the store and displayed handguns. After taking jewelry, they exited the store and were pursued by Sergeant Prothero. The suspects shot at Sergeant Prothero in the parking lot, striking him twice. They entered a getaway car driven by a third suspect and fled the scene. Two suspects were arrested several days later, and two more are at large. Sergeant Prothero was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had been with the agency for 13 years and is survived by his wife and five young children, including triplets.

Lieutenant Thomas S. Rettberg Utah Department of Public Safety, UT

Cause of Death: Aircraft accident End of Watch: February 11, 2000 Date of Incident: February 11, 2000 Time of Incident: Unknown Age: 59 Tour of Duty: 35 yr Suspect Info: n/a Weapon Used: No weapon

Lieutenant Rettberg was killed when the helicopter he was piloting crashed during a routine maintenance flight. Witnesses claimed that the tail rotor fell off of the helicopter immediately before the crash. The helicopter then landed on its side in a field. A mechanic onboard was also killed. Lieutenant Rettberg had been with the agency for 35 years and had been a pilot for 22 years.

Sergeant Gary G. Scott Sylvania Police Department, GA

Cause of Death: Automobile accident End of Watch: February 12, 2000 Date of Incident: February 12, 2000 Time of Incident: 2340 hours Age: Unknown Tour of Duty: 18 yr Suspect Info: Arrested the next day Weapon Used: Automobile

Sergeant Scott was killed in an accident while in a vehicle pursuit on U.S. 301. The suspect vehicle fled the scene but wrecked several miles away. Two suspects were taken into custody the next day. Sergeant Scott had been with the agency for 18 years and is survived by his wife, daughter, and son, who is a deputy for a neighboring agency.

Captain John Garlington Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, LA

Cause of Death: Drowned End of Watch: February 10, 2000 Date of Incident: February 10, 2000 Time of Incident: 0400 hours Age: Unknown Tour of Duty: 14 yr Suspect Info: Unknown Weapon Used: No weapon

Captain Garlington drowned while investigating a report of illegal gill net fishing near his home on the Mill Creek Reservoir in Bienville Parish. Captain Garlington responded to the report at approximately 0300 hours, approximately 100 yards from his home. Other officers became concerned after not hearing back from him for several hours. They began a search of the area and located his body four days later, approximately 150 yards from his home. Before beginning his career in law enforcement Captain Garlington played professional football for the Cleveland Browns. He had been with the agency for 14 years.

Officer Floyd J. Fink Arizona Department of Public Safety, AZ

Cause of Death: Automobile accident End of Watch: February 18, 2000 Date of Incident: February 18, 2000 Time of Incident: 0545 hours Age: 53 Tour of Duty: 28 yr Suspect Info: Arrested after fleeing scene Weapon Used: Automobile

Officer Fink was killed when his cruiser was rear-ended while he was stopped behind another vehicle on the shoulder of U.S. 60 near Tempe, Arizona. Upon impact, Officer Fink's cruiser was consumed in flames, trapping him inside. Passing motorists were able to extract him and he was flown to a local hospital where he pronounced dead a short time later. The driver who struck Officer Fink's cruiser fled the scene on foot but was captured a short time later. Officer Fink had been with the agency for 28 years and is survived by his wife and four adult children.

Officer Darryl Drehman Parsons Police Department, TN

Cause of Death: Accident (Unclassified) End of Watch: February 8, 2000 Date of Incident: February 1, 2000 Time of Incident: Unknown Age: 62 Tour of Duty: 15 yr Suspect Info: n/a Weapon Used: No weapon

Officer Drehman was killed after a being struck by a falling utility pole. Officer Drehman was directing traffic at the scene of an accident in which a fleeing felon struck the utility pole. As Officer Drehman was directing traffic a passing tractor trailer caught the wires on the pole, pulling it down. The falling utility pole struck Officer Drehman on the head, causing severe injuries. He was transported to a local hospital where he remained on life support for seven days before passing away. He had been with the agency for 15 years.

A few days ago, a police officer of the town of paris was run up against by a car on the 19th district. He was a prefecture's officer in uniform. The car circulated in prohibited direction. After a few days in the coma, the police officer died in the hospital. He leaves behind him a woman and two children. The author was not challenged, alas. The car was wrongfully registered. The investigation was entrusted to the murder squad of the national police force .

Name: VAR Nicolas Rank: ASP Date of death: 26/01/00 Agency: préfecture de police

jean-françois

It is remiss of me but I have been very busy at work this month. I have to report that a New South Wales officer lost his life. On 7 January, Constable Matthew Potter, 27 was accidentally shot to death at his station, Eagle Vale, south western Sydney. He was shot in the stomach by a Glock when he and another Constable 21 were finishing work and changing. Details were very sketchy since then but it has now been reported that the fellow constable's gun let off the round. Enquiries are continuing. Constable Potter left a wife and two children aged 10 and 6.

Warwick Brown Det Sgt Rose Bay, Sydney

Get Well cards were sent to: NOPD Police officers Christopher Hart and Christopher Ahner.

Gulfport Police Officer Arrested in Accident Injuring 2 NOPD Officers

February 12, 2000, 04:15 PM, CDT

New Orleans Police arrested a 28 year old Gulfport police officer on 2 counts of Vehicular Negligent Injuring. Two New Orleans officers are in guarded condition at Charity Hospital as a result of the accident which led to the charges.

Initially, according to investigators, NOPD Police officers Christopher Hart and Jake arrested Eugene Cyr on drug violations on the eastbound I-10 between the Bullard Rd. and Little Woods exits; they were joined shortly thereafter by Officer Christopher Ahner. While they were on the right shoulder of the interstate, sources say a 1995 Mercury Mystique driven by Gulfport Police Officer Mark Hatfield left the eastbound roadway and struck both police cruisers.

Hart, who was sitting in one of the cruisers, sustained apparent fractures to both legs, while Ahner, who was standing nearby, has severe trauma to both legs (which are crushed, as well as head and neck injuries. Schnapp, Cyr and Hatfield all suffered minor injuries; only Schnapp did not require immediate medical treatment. A female travelling with Hatfield was unhurt. Hatfield has been placed on administrative leave by the Gulfport Police Department.

The eastbound I-10 was closed until 6 am while investigators cleared debris and reconstructed the accident.

-----------------------------------------

A Get Well and a Condolence Card were sent to:

Johnny Sneed of the Batesville Police Department who lost his son in a house fire and sufferred burns himself on Jan.26.

My thoughts and prayers go to the Family, Friends and Colleagues of those who have laid down their

lives and to those who are recovering, both physically and emotionally.

Respectfully, Randall PERRY - Coordinator

condolences@topcops.com http://www.topcops.com/condolence.htm TopCops Condolence Cards Program

Membership Screeners for TopCops-L

http://topcops.com/news/topcopsl.htm

Below is a list of current membership screeners. Please feel free to contact them and request a membership to TopCops-L. These screeners will be able to approve your membership after verifying your peace officer status/employment status. All list screeners are members of TopCops-L in good standing and are dedicated to the honor and integrity of TopCops on the Internet.

Feel free to contact Deborah Gulley at LawWoman@TopCops.com OR Mike Wood mgwood@dlcwest.com if you have any questions or problems.

LIST SCREENERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD:

Jean-françois, Paris, France – jfr@club-internet.fr Mike Wood, Regina, Saskatchewan Canada - mgwood@dlcwest.com

Warwick Brown, Sydney, Australia – WJBrown@topcops.com Norman Woollons, England – N.Woollons@topcops.com

Lawrie Newell, Queensland, Australia - nlawrie@mail.cth.com.au Carl Cutler, New Zealand – C.Cutler@topcops.com

Volkmar Miehling, Germany - Volkmar.Miehling@t-online.de Steve Livingston, Columbus, Ohio Police –

S.Livingston@topcops.com or Campus16B@aol.com Dale Grimwood, Australia – D.Grimwood@topcops.com Ryk Traeger, South Australia – R.Trager@topcops.com

Scott M. Wilson FSA Scot, Scotland - scott.wilson@sol.co.uk Michael Passig – Minnesota - depmike@USWEST.NET

Harry Kouwenhoven - Germany - harry.kouwenhoven@wxs.nl Glen Tankard – Sdyney, Australia - AussieFed@topcops.com

Craig Cobern – Western Australia - cobernswa@BIGPOND.COM Michael Kelley - NYPD, CityWIDE - FOP028@aol.com Rick Wiley – NYPD, CityWIDE - R.Wiley@topcops.com

Geoffrey B.W.Little, The Smiling Policeman – Australia - polepfor@onaustralia.com.au Mauro M. L. Silva, Regina, Brazil - cop@dialdata.com.br

Lt. Bill Wilson, Georgia - CSO3534@aol.com Al Sheppard, NC - nypd1177@AOL.COM

Craig Faulstich, Hayward, WI P.D. - c.faulstich@topcops.com