Dallas Police Officer Indicted for Murder for Shooting Man in His Own Home

A white former Dallas police officer was indicted on murder charges Friday, nearly three months after she fatally shot an unarmed black neighbor whose apartment she said she entered by mistake, believing it to be her own.

Amber Guyger told fellow officers that she opened fire when Botham Jean appeared in the darkness.
After finishing her shift, Guyger told investigators , she returned home in uniform and parked on the fourth floor of her apartment complex's garage, rather than the third floor, where her unit was located, according to an affidavit prepared by the Texas Rangers.

She said she got to what she thought was her apartment — Jean's was directly above hers — and found the door ajar. She opened it to find a figure standing in the darkness. She said she pulled her gun and fired twice after the person ignored her commands. (The Olympian, November 30, 2018)
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It's important to realize that, in Texas, you can't use force on others for a simple act of trespassing. To shoot in Texas, you must fear for your safety when someone is breaking in or attempting to break in to your home, occupied vehicle, or workplace.

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:

A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Tacoma Has An Unusually Low Number of Hate-Crime Reports

Statistics say Tacoma has a relatively small number of hate crimes. In 2017, the record shows only eight crimes were motivated by bias against a race or ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, according to newly released FBI figures.

That makes five straight years in single digits. This year Tacoma is on pace to have even fewer incidents, according to Results253, the city’s online database.

While these offenses seem to have plateaued in Tacoma, they zoomed to new heights in Washington’s two other largest cities. Seattle reported 232 incidents in 2017, up from 118 a year earlier. Spokane logged 28 incidents last year, more than triple the 8 it saw in 2016.

Hate crimes are historically underreported, often because victims grow accustomed to abusive treatment, fear a backlash or don’t trust authorities. You can bet Tacoma is no exception.

Nor are its suburban neighbors, though statistically they appear to be hate-free utopias. Over the last three years, a total of zero hate crimes were reported to the FBI by Bonney Lake, Buckley, Eatonville, Edgewood, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Sumner and University Place. Eight communities, with a combined population topping 100,000.

FBI statistics don’t tell the whole story. Hate crimes are not devouring Seattle, and they’re not detouring around Tacoma. But in 2018, this much should be clear: None of us lives in Pleasantville. (Tacoma News Tribune, November 27, 2018)
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So, is Tacoma reporting only single digit hate crimes for five straight years because of fear of backlash, or lack of trust in local authorities? That doesn't seem to be a good answer, since Seattle and Spokane are seeing significant increases in hate crime reporting.

Sure, there may be some hate crimes in Tacoma that go unreported, but when a statistic is consistent over five years it is likely that the statistic is accurate (or Tacoma has a completely different way of defining hate crimes than does Seattle and Spokane). But then we have to account for the complete lack of hate crimes reported in cities around Tacoma (i.e. Bonney Lake, Buckley, Eatonville, Edgewood, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Sumner and University Place).

Might it be that the anomaly in data is not Tacoma and the surrounding area with its low hate crime reporting, but Seattle with its exceptionally high number of hate crimes?

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Seattle Mayor and City Attorney Want to Vacate 208 Misdemeanor Arrest Warrants

Mayor Jenny Durkan, during a news conference Tuesday, said the move would address racial and social inequities as well as let law enforcement place a heavier focus on more serious offenses.

The city is asking Seattle Municipal Court judges to quash many warrants involving prostitution, driving with a suspended license in the third-degree, minor in possession of alcohol, graffiti and other low-level crimes.

“Think about where you were five, and 20 years ago? Some of these warrants, people literally don’t know they were issued,” Durkan said.

Durkan said more than 40 percent of the 208 defendants are people of color. While 101 of the defendants are white, 73 are African-American, according to the city.

Many of the cases, Durkan said, were for driving with a suspended license.

“They were issued for, literally, crimes of poverty,” Durkan said.

The warrants were filed between February 1996 and July 2013.

“The warrants will go away,” Holmes said during the news conference. “They will no longer, if someone is pulled over, pop up as an outstanding warrant; that then subjects someone to an arrest.”

This is the second time Mayor Durkan has sought to have cases vacated from Seattle Municipal Court. Earlier this year the city asked the court to toss out all convictions and dismiss charges for all misdemeanor marijuana possession cases filed before 2010 – the court agreed to.  (KOMO 4 News, November 28, 2018)
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Getting rid of old warrants for old, minor offenses is a good idea. Not only does this benefit the individual who missed a court date years ago, but it relieves the police from having to deal with old warrants which have sat in the system for years - allowing the police to focus on current and actual crimes (not administrative and procedural errors, such as missing a court date).

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:

A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Portland Mayor Pushes Forward Plan To Use Unarmed Police Officers

The mayor of Portland has plans to start a pilot program where non-sworn officers will not carry weapons and be used on non-emergency calls. The non-sworn officers are called Public Safety Support Specialists and will be utilized on property crimes and break-ins, according to Wheeler.

Proponents of hiring the Public Safety Support Specialists said they could build more trust with citizens. "When you bring your gun and a badge into a situation, it can make some people uneasy," says Sam Sachs, a former Portland park ranger, according to the Williamette Week. "If you're not wearing a gun, it kind of changes things."

The mayor cut the city’s mounted police from the budget so he could fund the Public Safety Support Specialists, which could be hired in January, according to the Williamette Week (November 29, 2018).
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Unarmed police is not an idea unique to Portland. The United Kingdom, Norway, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, and twelve of 16 Pacific island nations do not allow most police officers to carry firearms.

Would this concept work in the United States? Will having unarmed police officers build more trust with the community, or just put these officers at increased risk?
 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.



Portland - FBI Meet To Discuss Withdrawal From Terrorism Task Force

Portland could be the next major city to withdraw its police from a key partnership with federal law enforcement agencies that investigate terrorism and domestic extremism.

Mayor Ted Wheeler held talks with the FBI in November 2018 to discuss how to handle the city’s withdrawal from the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), public records released by the mayor’s office show.

Records show that Renn Cannon, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Portland division, arranged to meet with the mayor and his staff Nov. 8, to discuss the fate of the JTTF.

In addition to federal law enforcement agencies, the local terrorism task force includes representatives from the Oregon State Police, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and the Port of Portland Police Department.

Opposition to the JTTF runs deep in Portland. Mayor Tom Potter, a former Portland police chief, voted to remove the city’s officers from the task force in 2005 out of concern that it lacked adequate civilian oversight. The city rejoined under Mayor Sam Adams in 2010 on an “as-needed basis” after the FBI announced it had arrested a teenager for plotting to bomb Pioneer Courthouse Square. The council then voted to fully rejoin in 2015. (Oregon Public Broadcasting, November 28, 2018)
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The JTTF works to combat domestic terrorism and violent extremism, and I believe overall does good work while respecting the civil rights and liberties of American citizens. However, past patterns false arrests and detentions, attacks on homes and friendships, and attempting to impede members of political organizations from peacefully assembling and demonstrating anywhere, at any time, cause many to question the overall value of anti-terrorism officers within law enforcement agencies.


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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:

A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

 

Marriott Data Breach

The data stolen from the Marriott hotel empire in a massive breach is so rich and specific it could be used for espionage, identity theft, reputational attacks and even home burglaries, security experts say.

Hackers stole data on as many as 500 million guests of former Starwood chain properties over four years including credit card and passport numbers, birthdates, phone numbers and hotel arrival and departure dates.

It is one of the biggest data breaches on record. By comparison, last year's Equifax hack affected more than 145 million people. A Target breach in 2013 affected more than 41 million payment card accounts and exposed contact information for more than 60 million customers. (KOMO 4 News)
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The stolen information included:

• name
• address
• phone number
• email address
• passport number
• account information
• date of birth
• gender
• arrival and departure information

Some records also included encrypted payment card information, but Marriott could not rule out the possibility that the encryption keys had also been stolen.





If you travel overseas, you should read this book:

Federal Air Marshals Accused of More Than 200 Gun Mishaps

When a passenger found a federal air marshal's loaded service weapon in the bathroom during a trans-Atlantic flight last year, the blunder became headline news. It sparked public outrage, prompted an investigation and led to calls for reform.

But the misplaced gun debacle was hardly an isolated incident, according to documents recently obtained by CNN.

The Transportation Security Administration's Office of Inspection has documented more than 200 cases of air marshals allegedly misusing firearms or misbehaving with guns between roughly 2005 and 2017, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

In 19 of the cases, air marshals allegedly fired their weapons accidentally. For example, the documents state that in 2017 an agent based in Charlotte, North Carolina, "unintentionally discharged a personally owned firearm resulting in a gunshot wound to his right foot."

A 2013 case described an air marshal mistakenly firing his weapon inside a hotel room and damaging a television in an adjoining room.

More than 70 of the incidents relate to lost, misplaced or stolen weapons. At least three of those cases involved air marshals forgetting their firearms in airplane bathrooms. Two others involved weapons misplaced in airports.

At least 13 of the cases involved alcohol, including a 2012 case in which an armed air marshal allegedly flew on a plane while drunk and another in 2014 in which an agent was accused of being intoxicated during a firearms training session.

John Mueller, a political science professor at Ohio State University who has assessed the efficiencies of various forms of aviation security, argues that the costs of air marshals outweigh their benefits. He recommends training and arming more pilots to resist hijackers and adding secondary cockpit barriers.

Referring to air marshals, Mueller said, "They deliver about 5 cents or maybe 10 cents of benefit for every dollar that's spent on them. There are much less expensive security measures, which could replace them and save lots of money." (CNN, November 19, 2018)
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OK, in any group of people there are going to be mistakes and errors over time. When that group of people (i.e. Federal Air Marshals) all carry guns some of those mistakes and errors will involve guns.

Between 2005 and 2017 there were 200+ "gun mishaps" reported involving Federal Air Marshals - or around 17 incidents per year. If you work for an agency where people carry guns, how many reported "gun mishaps" does your agency have per year? Are 17 errors with firearms per year just the cost of doing business?

What do you think?

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:

A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.