Cash

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 2:21 p.m.

@David Briegel, Agreed. He was caught, written up multiple times in the local media, got fired, soon to be sentenced. Unless the judge sentences him to a public flogging by posters at A2.com, I don't feel obliged to jump on his back. I also want to know what happened at the dealers house. What happened?? Big raid? Confiscated drugs and weapons? Was there a struggle? Gunfire? Hmmmm....Why is there no mention? I think we know why. The whole point of this operation was to say "gotcha" to this man. The parade going into the house buying drugs continues.

David Briegel

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 1:29 p.m.

I see no defense of his actions. Merely the hypocrisy and futility of our war on sanity! He already paid severely by losing his job and his career. Police officers are stuck enforcing foolish laws only against some people, (the poor and disadvantaged). Laws with which a vast number of citizens disagree and don't respect. I would find it difficult to respect my work and my superiors in these circumstances. I had a friend who was a narcotics officer for LAWNET a long time ago and he hated the fact they weren't allowed to build the case against the large dealers. Billions and billions of dollars of illegal drugs in America and we only bust the little guys. We are led by fools!!

Cash

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 10:21 a.m.

EyeHeartA2, Why are you "sure that somebody who takes his job as a law enforcement agent this seriously would never be impared (sic) on the job."?

Davidian

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 9:38 a.m.

When I was 14 I bought this pin that said "Stop the war on drugs...the war against the Amercian People." I had this figured out when I was a kid. Progressive countries around the world have it figured out. Yet somehow, our leadership is clinging to this bizarre idea that winning a "war on drugs" is somehow possible. Decriminalize drugs: street dealers and most gangs will be instantly obsolete. We will practically eliminate the black market and the violent turf wars. We will be able to punish real criminals (i.e. sex offenders, murderers, white and blue collar scammers, etc.) We can collect taxes on a multi-billion dollar industry. Where is our leadership? Mars? This has got to end.

Homeland Conspiracy

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 5:52 a.m.

@ stunhsif Thou shalt not kill...right? Who would start killing next? & for what reason?

tdw

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 5:36 a.m.

Man...I hate it when I agree with Briegel and Cash

Cash

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 4:31 a.m.

@David Briegel, I agree with all of your points. I also add that for someone reason people put police and fire workers on a pedestal and seem horrified and ready to condemn when they are found to be human. Right or wrong, workers in every profession will be found to be drug users, and much worse. @racerx, Excellent points!!! Were they only out to "gotcha" this man, or were they out to stop the sale of narcotics?

stunhsif

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 4:29 a.m.

I rarely agree with DB but do in this case. We are spending far too much money on busting drug users and small time dealers. Bust the big dealers and put in the death penalty for anyone caught with massive amounts of hard drugs.

racerx

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 3:40 a.m.

@trepass-you started a debate, probably not for this thread, but I think another community, or even a Federal court, is looking into the use of GPS tracking without a warrent as being either legal or illegal. Should be an interesting outcome. From previous A2.com reports, a GPS tracking device was placed on the officer's vehicle and this is how they found where he was going most often. Gee. I wonder what happen to the house that he was purchasing from. Is it still in business?

fishjamaica

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 1:53 a.m.

42 is too old to be doing cocaine! grow up or die.

David Briegel

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 9:07 p.m.

All this expense for probation. He needs help! He needs counselling. Only now can he get the help that he needs! Many in our community know of all levels of professionals who use without adverse effects. It is selective enforcement at best and at worst, selective prosecution.

trespass

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:59 p.m.

If you look at the police reports and the GPS tracking data, as I have, you will see that he went to the house where he was suspected to be buying cocaine, 9 times in just over 4 weeks. He was arrested in the car with two other friends and there was cocaine residue on the console. The car smelled stongly of alchohol and they had been parked for more than an hour. So the fact that only one gram of cocaine was found in his possession does not mean that that was all he and his friends started with. According to the State Police, the original tip was not only that he used cocaine but that he was dealing it to his friends. That is why they invested 6 weeks into surveilling him. They were not able to confirm that he was selling cocaine. "Studies on cocaine abusers in clinical settings report that more than half of such individuals experience paranoia and hallucinations" http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/528487_5 Anytime an armed police officer is using enough cocaine that he visits his supplier twice a week, he should be considered significantly impaired and a danger to the community that he is sworn to protect. Legalization is not the issue. We do not want a police officer using cocaine even if it were legal. University of Michigan policy requires that all construction workers should be subject to random drug testing but police officers are not. What does this say about the UM administration's common sense? Because of this policy, we cannot feel reassured that there are not other officers that are similarly impaired. Sleep tight!

Gorc

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:54 p.m.

Rehab is for quitters

David Briegel

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:49 p.m.

Legalize! Prohibition is futile! Billions wasted. Millions of lives ruined. For what? We worship at the alter of ignorance!!

breadman

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:40 p.m.

Thank You Milton! you head the nail on the head, It had going on for years. Just he was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Former WCSD Wife!

Milton Shift

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:04 p.m.

For each that's caught, how many weren't?

Slick

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 6:09 p.m.

What a disgrace to public trust.

Sandman

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 5:39 p.m.

So he took a little hit or two; how else would he know why it's illegal? Let them experiment, what could possibly go wrong? Police Officers should be illegal in Ann Arbor. If that were true, then there would be no bad press about police officers. Our officers get far too much bad press and that makes our utopian society look unprofessional. Ban the cops, the flat roof so no one can climb on them and ban the couches.

Lokalisierung

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 4:55 p.m.

A little coke and drinking a brew aren't the absolute worst thing you can do in a car. It's certainly not the right thing for a police officer to be doing though.