Police Chief Nabs One of Americas Most Wanted

Chief Albert McCarthy has been in police work for nearly 40 years. His most recent arrest is sure to be one of his best. Chief McCarthy, who is 60 years old, chased down and apprehended a 20 year old fugitive who'd been featured on Americas Most Wanted

Chief McCarthy has sons who are also in law enforcement. They could learn th thing or two from their old man.

Way to go Chief!

Full story

Supreme Court Justice Issued Traffic Ticket

Antonin Scalia, the 75 year old conservative Supreme Court Justice was issued a traffic citation for following too closely. He was on his was to work a few days ago, when he crashed his car into a car in front of him, causing a four car accident. I guess even one of the most powerful people in the world isn't immune to the (traffic) law.

Story here from The Associated Press

New Philadelphia Police Horses Named After Fallen Officers

In a ceremony last week, The Philadelphia Police Mounted Unit named five new horses after recently fallen Philadelphia Police Officers.  (Full story here)  As far as I'm concerned police horses are really cool.  These five just got a little cooler! 

Local Officer to Be Recognized

Congratulations to Timothy Brooks, the Philadelphia Police Detective who jumped into the Delaware River last year after the Duck Boat sunk.  He saved four people that day, and on Friday he is to be awarded the Citizen Service Before Self Honors, an honor bestowed on just three people  in the United States this year.

Way to go Tim!

That's Not Mine!

Interesting story from Scranton. A woman arrested by police was founding possession of Heroine and cash. The intersting thing is WHERE she was hiding it. Click here to find out

A colleague of mine once arrested a woman and lodged her in a holding cell only o find put later that she'd hidden an electric hair clipper in the same place.

You really can't make up stuff like this.

Dispute Between Two Delco PDs

Anyone familiar with Delaware County's Darby Borough has heard of Chief Smythe. Now, a dispute between Darby's chief and an officer from neighboring Colwyn Borough is being investigated by the county's criminal investigation division. Click here for full story

When this ones over, I'm afraid if will only be embarrassing - as if Delaware County police officers haven't been in the news enough lately (see cheating scandal)

Convicted Child Killer to be Released From Prison.

Ah yes, it seems that only here in our great country could an accused cannibal and convicted murderer of a 5 year old child be released from prison for "good behavior" more that 12 years before the end of his 40 year prison sentence.    Click here to be disgusted by the current events concerning convicted murderer Michael Woodmanese.

I've blogged about it several times before, but I still don't understand why we as a country are ok with murderers and other violent criminals being released from prison before the end of their sentences.  In this case, the victim's father, John Foreman, has stated that he'd like to kill Woodmanese if he's released early.  Are there any loving parents in the world that could blame Mr. Foreman?  The system is clearly failing here.  The government is failing to do its job.

My best wishes go to the family of the victim.     

Officer Involved Shooting in Coatesville

Friday morning at around 1:30am, officers in Coatesville City shot at a vehicle that attempted to run them over.  The incident occurred in the area of Chester Ave and Merchant Street, an area known for its drug and violent activity.  Chester County District Attorney Joe Carroll and his investigators have determined that the use or force was justified, although the investigation is ongoing. 

The names of the officers have not yet been released.  As a fellow law enforcement officer, I am happy to know that the officers are ok. 


Full story here at  the Daily Local News

Mix-Up in Missouri Hotel

Read the story linked here, and then let me know what you think.  There are no specifics, but authorities in Missouri say that Dan Hughes, of Conshohocken, molested a 9 year old girl he mistakenly got into bed with.  Apparently he was so drunk, he didn't know what room he was staying in and the hotel clerk gave him the wrong key.  I'm sure more will come to light as more details are released, if they ever make their way to the headlines. 

Supreme Court...From Good to Bad

After reading about what I thought was one of the best rulings from the Supreme Court recently (see prior post), I read today about one of the worst ones.  (In my opinion, of course)  The Suprme Court ruled 8 to 1 that protestors are protected by theFirst Ammendent when it comes to protesting military funerals.  The Westboro baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, has been in the habit of protesting military funerals.  Apparently the Wingnuts from Westboro believe that god kills military personnell in Iraq and Aphganistan as punishment for our tolerance of homosexuality.  The Supreme Court agreed with their right of free speech.  Only Justice Sam Alito disagreed. Click here for more coverage. 

Probably Boring for You But...

 This is probably not interesting for most of my readers, but it is quite interesting to me.   Little known fact about John Q. Police: He is interested in and follows criminal cases that are before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The most recent case and ruling that I find interesting, and of particular interest for police, and maybe even some of my readers, has to do with witness statements.  Particularly, it deals with "dying declarations", and a defendant's right to cross examine, or "confront his accusers".  In this case, Michigan v. Bryant, the defendant was convicted based on a dying declaration made by the victim in the case, who did eventually die and, therefore, was not available at trial.  Instead, police officers testified to what the victim told them (he told them the name of the person who shot him).  This is an example of hearsay, which is typically not allowed as evidence.  There are, however, a few exceptions to the hearsay rule, one of which is the dying declaration.

Of particular interest in this case to Supreme Court enthusiasts is Justice Scalia's and Justice Ginberg's dissenting opinions.  Neither Justice agreed with the decision of The Court.  Antonin Scalia is one of the most conservative people ever, and Ginsberg normally sides with the liberal Justices.  Scalia's colorful and cutting.  He all but calls the majority of The Court a bunch of idiots.

Anyway, if anyone has an hour to spare and you are interested, click the link to read the ruling of The Court, along with the dissenting opinions.  If you're anything like me, you'll have to read it two or three times to actually make sense of it.   To just get the gist of it, click here to go to cnn.com's coverage.

RIP Frank Buckles

Frank Buckles, the last surviving World War I veteran, died on Sunday.  He was 110 years old.  While its not really on the topic of this blog, its the most interesting and compelling thing I've read lately so I decided to share it.  Click here to visit the Frank Buckles wikipedia page.

Thank you to Mr. Buckles and all other U.S. military veterans. 

Funny True Story

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> In briefing yesterday, another officer tells me this story. He's sitting at an intersection, watching traffic when he hears this car coming down the road, traveling about 20 miles per hour over the 25 mile per hour speed limit. Sure enough, the cars runs through the stop sign without even slowing down. The officer chases after and eventually gets the motorist stopped. When the officer approaches the driver window, the driver finishes scribbling a note and hands it to the officer. The note reads "I'm deaf". The officer asks, "are you blind?" The driver mutters, "good point" and graciously accepts his ticket.

Homeless West Chester Man Does " The Right Thing"

Click here for video.  John Kavanaugh, a homeless West Chester man, found $1500 in cash on the street, and turned it into police, rather than keeping it for himself.  Way to go Mr. Kavanaugh.  I commend your honesty.

Happy Presidents' Day

Happy Presidents' Day. Let's also not forget the Police Officers who gave their lives protecting our presidents. click here

Civics Leson One and a Half

For entertainment purposes only, click the link or press play.

Civics Lesson One: Your Right to a Phone Call

In the spirit of ranting, I decided to start a semi-regular theme here on the Fuzz Buzz.  I will give brief civics lessons, from the police officer's point of view.

Lesson number one:  You do NOT have the right to a phone call.  I don't know where this started - probably with TV cop shows.  After you are arrested, you do have certain rights.  You do have the right to remain silent. (also often misunderstood, we'll cover it in another post)  You do have the right to face your accusers (in court).  You do have the right to be represented by an attorney.  You DO NOT have an automatic right to "one phone call" immediately after you're arrested.  That said, 90% of the drunks that get arrested for public drunkenness, and related nuisance offenses, demand to be allowed to make their one phone call.  Almost without exception, they exclaim that they know their rights and will "have [my] badge" if I don't let them make a phone call.   They proclaim that a phone call is a constitutional right.  And the thing about drunk people is that they cannot be reasoned with.  When I try to explain that they are not entitled to a phone call, that it's 4 in the morning, and even the pope could not get them out of jail until they are sober, they don't listen.  They don't believe me when I tell them that the word telephone isn't even in the constitution or any of its amendments. They just get louder, more obnoxious, and claim to know more and more intimate details about my wife and family. Side note - while a criminal or a drunk insulting my family doesn't bother me, it certainly doesn't earn them any favors.  If you ever get locked up, or for that matter have any run in with the law, courtesy goes a long way.

What Took Years to Screw Up Can't be Fixed in Minutes...

What took years to screw up can't be fixed in minutes.  This statement is a truth known by most all police.  For example:

If you and your husband (or wife) have been married for 10 years and miserable for nine of those years, that's not my fault.  If you are both fall down drunks, and you beat each other up like you are competing on Ultimate Fighter, that's not my fault.  If you lost you job because you choose alcohol over alarm clocks, that's not my fault.  If you are upset that you 17 year old son (or daughter) is on the corner more that he's in school, that's not my fault.  If the last time you sat down and ate a meal with your child was when Bill Clinton was in office, that's not my fault.

Now, when you've "finally had enough" and call the cop on your "no good son, daughter, husband, wife," I cannot fix in five minutes what took you years to mess up.

I know the above does not apply to any of the Fuzz Buzz's loyal readers, I'm just venting.

Chester Twp. Mother Should be Strung Up

The title says it all; need I say more?  Click here to read the story of a Chester Township, Delaware County mother who duct taped her two-year old to a chair and then had her photo taken with the child.  Somehow, the photo was posted and the internet and discovered by police.  The mother, Caira Ferguson, was charged with Unlawful Restraint and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  As I write, she is where she belongs - prison.

Philadelphia Man Apprehends NYC Murder Suspect

Joseph Lozito, a 40 year old Philadelphian, tackled and apprehended a man wanted for the stabbing deaths of three people.  Read more here at Philly.com.  I commend Lozito for his heroism.  He said that he used martial arts skills he saw on TV to take down the suspect.  While struggling with the suspect, Lozito suffered severe lacerations to his head and arm.  He was treated and released from a NYC hospital. 

Lozito appeared on Good Morning America this morning.