From the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch
I have been advised of two alleged burglaries that took place on Maple Avenue in Patchogue. Do not leave your house or car doors unlocked. An alleged Burglar actually walked into a house on Maple Avenue, while the residents were in the house. This report came from a Neighborhood Watch member; I am hoping that we get one of the usual PD notification from the Fifth Precinct, with more details. In any case it is always a good idea to lock your doors, and pay attention to who is walking down your block.
Please pay attention to strangers; especially if they are acting suspicious. As usual take photos of suspicious individuals using your telephoto lenses. Don't forget to turn off the Flash! It might be a good idea to check if your security camera is indeed recording images. If you have any video clips of suspicious individuals please advise the PD; also advise the Neighborhood Watch.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
911 Boat Rescue
Must see!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDOrzF7B2Kg
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Must see!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDOrzF7B2Kg
Comments? (Left click "Comments," below) * Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Live Patchogue Board Meeting TV Broadcast
The possibility of having our Patchogue Village Board Meetings televised has once again become an active issue. I would like to mention that this idea is not new; members of the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch Group have suggested a Patchogue Village Television Channel, as far back as 2001.
The following is a re-print of my 2001 article in the Maple Avenue Gazette, asking for a village TV Channel.
Our Own Village TV Station!
(May 2001 Issue of the Maple Avenue Gazette)
A small community in Brooksville Florida, called Cloverleaf, has their own cable TV channel. On this channel they "air" their own community related material such as, up-coming events, special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, etc. When the local residents simply do not want to look at TV, they just set their dial to channel 52, which is the "Town Crier TV Channel." The locals, simply love their own personal TV Channel.
In an attempt to promote a sense of family and community, in our village, I suggested to our village government, the adoption of a "PatchogueVillage Cable TV Channel." A single TV channel would display pages of text, informing our residents of upcoming events, birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions, to the background of some soft music. Our village representatives have been negotiating with the cable TV Company for a long term contract. This is the ideal time to negotiate our own TV Channel, with the cable company. As it turned out, our village government did not implement my idea! The contract is signed, and we do not get our own, village cable TV channel.
I have a feeling that we may not need to bother our village government, because of "Public Access TV." If anyone would like to help, implement, or discuss this issue, please send an email to XXXX@email.com I could think of no better way to create a sense of community, and family.
My suggestion for a Patchogue Village Television Channel was rejected in 2001, hopefully we could get our TV Station in 2012.
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The possibility of having our Patchogue Village Board Meetings televised has once again become an active issue. I would like to mention that this idea is not new; members of the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch Group have suggested a Patchogue Village Television Channel, as far back as 2001.
The following is a re-print of my 2001 article in the Maple Avenue Gazette, asking for a village TV Channel.
Our Own Village TV Station!
(May 2001 Issue of the Maple Avenue Gazette)
A small community in Brooksville Florida, called Cloverleaf, has their own cable TV channel. On this channel they "air" their own community related material such as, up-coming events, special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, etc. When the local residents simply do not want to look at TV, they just set their dial to channel 52, which is the "Town Crier TV Channel." The locals, simply love their own personal TV Channel.
In an attempt to promote a sense of family and community, in our village, I suggested to our village government, the adoption of a "PatchogueVillage Cable TV Channel." A single TV channel would display pages of text, informing our residents of upcoming events, birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions, to the background of some soft music. Our village representatives have been negotiating with the cable TV Company for a long term contract. This is the ideal time to negotiate our own TV Channel, with the cable company. As it turned out, our village government did not implement my idea! The contract is signed, and we do not get our own, village cable TV channel.
I have a feeling that we may not need to bother our village government, because of "Public Access TV." If anyone would like to help, implement, or discuss this issue, please send an email to XXXX@email.com I could think of no better way to create a sense of community, and family.
My suggestion for a Patchogue Village Television Channel was rejected in 2001, hopefully we could get our TV Station in 2012.
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Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Lighthouse Mission needs your help
Ben Vitale
"Oh Yeah, I know the Lighthouse Mission (LM), they help people." Until a few days ago I did not actually know what the Mission did! The lighthouse Mission has been in our area for years, but I never bothered to pay attention. By some strange sequence of events I found myself donating clothes to the LM at their current location in Bellport.
By virtue of time, many people have learned to experience a casual conversation, as opposed to just hearing the words that are spoken. I walked into the Lighthouse Mission, in Bellport, to get some information. I was greeted by "Pastor Jim," and I said, do you accept donations of clothes? The Pastor's words, went directly from my ears; to my heart! Yes I heard the words but I immediately perceived a sense of urgency. "Yes, we need Winter clothes, jackets, gloves, jeans, sweaters; warm clothes!" Pastor Jim also said that the most critical need is always for food.
The words poor, homeless, underprivileged, and unemployed, have taken on new meaning. Not too many years ago, unemployed and homeless, were words that referred to someone else. In recent years, these words have hovered over all of us! After 40 years, I just retired from my last place of employment. Thirty days after my retirement I was shocked to find out that company management, had closed down the last support facility, with the intention of outsourcing support services. This could have happened to me; what if I was 30 years old with small children? Three men were laid off. The unpredictable projectile of unemployment, passed through the space that I once occupied, and hit three men and their families!
Pastor Jim brought my wife Marie and I on a personal guided tour through his Bellport facility. I was amazed to learn that the Lighthouse Mission, has since 1992 been delivering food, on a weekly basis to 3,000 people in our area. The LM has three trucks and delivers food, to locations in Coram, Lake Ronkonkoma, Wyandanch, Central Islip, Bellport, Shirley, Port Jefferson Station, Patchogue, and Riverhead.
The Mission also hosts programs for children as well as young adults. The facility in Bellport is used as a place the youth can go to after school. They can play table games or even receive help with their homework! The Lighthouse Mission is a Christian Group, and has Bible studies. Pastor Mike, the Youth Director, made a profound observation; "They see we care about what's going on in their lives, hearts, and minds, these days!"
I must admit that I am compelled to stand beside myself! I had no idea that the Lighthouse Mission did so much for so many, without any means of support except donations. Please let these words go to your heart! If you are one of the more fortunate among us, please consider donating Food, Clothes, Money, Equipment and or Services to this worthy organization.
Call Pastor Jim and ask him what he needs! 631 758 7584
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Patchogue Village Election 2012
This upcoming Patchogue Village election, on March 20, 2012, could possibly be the most important election in the history of our village. I have been evaluating the two political parties that are currently involved with the upcoming Patchogue Village election.
The Nu Village Civic Association is currently trying to smooth out what has been a rough election campaign. The "Nu Village Civic Association," in their "Declaration of Principles" statement, are in favor of a Citizens Advisory Board, maximum input from the residents, public referendums, and term limits. The "Nu Village Civic Association," does not have a slate of candidates. I did see one stated principal that in my opinion could possibly cause problems. As stated, "If any law is not currently and specifically held by the village, it is automatically deemed a right of the "people." Could this mean that I automatically get the right to display my Sherman Tank on my front lawn, because the village does not currently have a law precluding me from such an action? This statement could use some clarification. This group seems to be headed by David Kennedy, a respected community leader.
Mayor Pontieri is currently running for re-election with his "Patchogue 2012," political party; his platform is his previous track record. Mayor Pontieri and his slate of trustees have in the past, done an exemplary job at running our village. Paul Pontieri's current slate of officials consists of Lori Devlin, and Jack Krieger; Tom Ferb being a new candidate. In recent months Paul Pontieri has been accused of many alleged improprieties, which we are all familiar with. I can rationalize most of the alleged offenses to myself , but I cannot rationalize approval of the Four Corners Tritec project, without a multi-tier garage, a tower, a reception room, and a hotel. To this day I keep hoping that Tritec would either terminate the project, or provide us with the amenities that were offered to us in their original presentation.
The "Residents First," political party has introduced Lisa Ihne, and Gregory P. Powers for trustee, Stephen Mc Giff being an incumbent. Elizabeth L. Mc Guire is running for mayor. The opposition has questioned Elizabeth's qualifications to hold the office of Mayor. Elizabeth is an Executive Vice President for a major corporation. It is obvious that she is qualified for the position of Patchogue Village Mayor. Lisa Ihne is also highly qualified; she is a School Principal with a Doctorate Degree.
I do have reservations about putting new people into office, that have not lived through the crime and violence that once plagued our village, many years ago. To this day members of the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch are forever grateful to Paul Pontieri and the trustees for taking our village back from the criminals. I do fear governmental changes with regard to this issue; previous Patchogue Village administrations did not know how to deal with crime. It might be a good idea for any newly elected Patchogue Village Official to have a casual meeting with a few members of the local Neighborhood Watch, so that they may be made aware of what has been done in the past to discourage crime in our village.
The "Residents First," political party stated their intent to have, "Equal enforcement of Village Code," and to "Aggressively enforce the law with a fair and even hand." With a change in local government comes an uncertainty in how the law and code will be interpreted. The last thing that I want for Patchogue Village is a "Stalag 17" environment. I do not believe that village codes should be enforced dogmatically. In the past our village has allegedly been accused of being overly aggressive in its enforcement of code issues.
I can recall a neighbor complaining to the Patchogue Village Building Department, that her neighbors house was in dire need of maintenance, only to discover that the house was owned by an old lady, who barely had enough money to buy food. This issue was handled in a humane way, by redirecting this problem to the proper social institution.
I personally would rather have six people living in a two bedroom apartment, who are good neighbors, as opposed to having that apartment occupied by criminals! We have had and still do have a few over occupied apartments; but we do not have any problems with the occupants. If we don't have problems, don't try to fix it! I personally do not believe in dogmatic implementation of the law. Loud parties and trash in the street; go after them! Peace and serenity; don't try and fix it! (This does not in any way represent Patchogue Village policy; but is a statement of my personal opinion.)
I am in favor of the "Residents First Party's," policy of "resident participation." It is absolutely imperative that newly elected officials be aware of past Patchogue Village problems; I also have great hopes for the Village "Board of Ethics," which has been proposed by The "Residents First" party, the "Patchogue 2012" party, and the "Nu Village Civic Association."
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Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
This upcoming Patchogue Village election, on March 20, 2012, could possibly be the most important election in the history of our village. I have been evaluating the two political parties that are currently involved with the upcoming Patchogue Village election.
The Nu Village Civic Association is currently trying to smooth out what has been a rough election campaign. The "Nu Village Civic Association," in their "Declaration of Principles" statement, are in favor of a Citizens Advisory Board, maximum input from the residents, public referendums, and term limits. The "Nu Village Civic Association," does not have a slate of candidates. I did see one stated principal that in my opinion could possibly cause problems. As stated, "If any law is not currently and specifically held by the village, it is automatically deemed a right of the "people." Could this mean that I automatically get the right to display my Sherman Tank on my front lawn, because the village does not currently have a law precluding me from such an action? This statement could use some clarification. This group seems to be headed by David Kennedy, a respected community leader.
Mayor Pontieri is currently running for re-election with his "Patchogue 2012," political party; his platform is his previous track record. Mayor Pontieri and his slate of trustees have in the past, done an exemplary job at running our village. Paul Pontieri's current slate of officials consists of Lori Devlin, and Jack Krieger; Tom Ferb being a new candidate. In recent months Paul Pontieri has been accused of many alleged improprieties, which we are all familiar with. I can rationalize most of the alleged offenses to myself , but I cannot rationalize approval of the Four Corners Tritec project, without a multi-tier garage, a tower, a reception room, and a hotel. To this day I keep hoping that Tritec would either terminate the project, or provide us with the amenities that were offered to us in their original presentation.
The "Residents First," political party has introduced Lisa Ihne, and Gregory P. Powers for trustee, Stephen Mc Giff being an incumbent. Elizabeth L. Mc Guire is running for mayor. The opposition has questioned Elizabeth's qualifications to hold the office of Mayor. Elizabeth is an Executive Vice President for a major corporation. It is obvious that she is qualified for the position of Patchogue Village Mayor. Lisa Ihne is also highly qualified; she is a School Principal with a Doctorate Degree.
I do have reservations about putting new people into office, that have not lived through the crime and violence that once plagued our village, many years ago. To this day members of the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch are forever grateful to Paul Pontieri and the trustees for taking our village back from the criminals. I do fear governmental changes with regard to this issue; previous Patchogue Village administrations did not know how to deal with crime. It might be a good idea for any newly elected Patchogue Village Official to have a casual meeting with a few members of the local Neighborhood Watch, so that they may be made aware of what has been done in the past to discourage crime in our village.
The "Residents First," political party stated their intent to have, "Equal enforcement of Village Code," and to "Aggressively enforce the law with a fair and even hand." With a change in local government comes an uncertainty in how the law and code will be interpreted. The last thing that I want for Patchogue Village is a "Stalag 17" environment. I do not believe that village codes should be enforced dogmatically. In the past our village has allegedly been accused of being overly aggressive in its enforcement of code issues.
I can recall a neighbor complaining to the Patchogue Village Building Department, that her neighbors house was in dire need of maintenance, only to discover that the house was owned by an old lady, who barely had enough money to buy food. This issue was handled in a humane way, by redirecting this problem to the proper social institution.
I personally would rather have six people living in a two bedroom apartment, who are good neighbors, as opposed to having that apartment occupied by criminals! We have had and still do have a few over occupied apartments; but we do not have any problems with the occupants. If we don't have problems, don't try to fix it! I personally do not believe in dogmatic implementation of the law. Loud parties and trash in the street; go after them! Peace and serenity; don't try and fix it! (This does not in any way represent Patchogue Village policy; but is a statement of my personal opinion.)
I am in favor of the "Residents First Party's," policy of "resident participation." It is absolutely imperative that newly elected officials be aware of past Patchogue Village problems; I also have great hopes for the Village "Board of Ethics," which has been proposed by The "Residents First" party, the "Patchogue 2012" party, and the "Nu Village Civic Association."
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Thursday, January 12, 2012
Crime Pattern Alert
January 12, 2012
Fifth Precinct Community Newsletter
The following information should be of interest to anybody or any organization that has a stake in the hamlet of Bayport:
The Fifth Precinct has received eight reports of residential burglaries in the Bayport area within the last month. This represents a significant uptick from the long run general trend in the Bayport community. These burglaries have generally occurred during the day with entry being made into empty homes by a back door window or door.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Suffolk County Police Department’s 911 call center to report any suspicious persons, vehicles, or circumstances that you may observe in your travels in and about the hamlet of Bayport. When you help us, you help us to help you.
Aristides Mojica, Inspector
Commanding Officer, Fifth Precinct
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January 12, 2012
Fifth Precinct Community Newsletter
The following information should be of interest to anybody or any organization that has a stake in the hamlet of Bayport:
The Fifth Precinct has received eight reports of residential burglaries in the Bayport area within the last month. This represents a significant uptick from the long run general trend in the Bayport community. These burglaries have generally occurred during the day with entry being made into empty homes by a back door window or door.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Suffolk County Police Department’s 911 call center to report any suspicious persons, vehicles, or circumstances that you may observe in your travels in and about the hamlet of Bayport. When you help us, you help us to help you.
Aristides Mojica, Inspector
Commanding Officer, Fifth Precinct
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Tuesday, January 03, 2012
From the SCPD Fifth Precinct:
The source of the following Article is PoliceOne.com
Reminder: The next Fifth Precinct Open Community Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Fifth Precinct, 125 Waverly Avenue , Patchogue.
The source of the following article is PoliceOne.com. I hope you find this article and its related links informative and helpful to understanding the challenges in both enduring an event requiring the use of deadly physical force (DPF) by a police officer and answering the inquiries that rightfully seek to acquire facts and determine if the use of DPF is justified.
Destroying Myths & Discovering Cold Facts
with The Force Science Research Center
New video combats public myths about police shootings
In a unique production assisted by the Force Science Institute, law enforcement authorities in an Oregon county have created an online video that explains to civilians the realities of officer-involved shootings and counters prevalent myths fostered by Hollywood fantasies.
In 17 minutes, the program ranges from addressing why officers don’t try to shoot knives out of the hands of attackers to how cell phone and dash-cam recordings can significantly distort impressions of deadly force encounters. In all, the production tackles seven persistent misconceptions that often lead to unjust accusations of wrongdoing regarding police use of force and provides scientific insights into the true dynamics of life-or-death confrontations.
The video, called “ Hollywood vs. Reality: Officer-Involved Shootings,” can be viewed online by clicking here. http://lcpubw04.lanecounty.org/information/yourlanevideos/LaneCountyDistrictAttorney_and_LawEnforcementAgencies.wmv (DVD copies are also available. See below.)Officials who posted it for public viewing are willing to share it with other agencies as a valuable educational tool.
Backstory
Several years ago, after a series of hotly protested police shootings in Portland, the state’s major metropolitan area, the Oregon legislature mandated that each county devise a “more standardized and transparent” system for “managing” OISs. Included was a directive that each county conduct annual “community outreach and education” on law enforcement’s use of deadly force.
Lane County , whose seat is the city of Eugene , was “among the first to respond with a protocol,” according to DA Alex Gardner. Among other things, law enforcement agencies in the county, plus the Oregon State Police, organized an Interagency Deadly Force Investigative Team to probe each OIS and forward evidence gathered to the DA’s office for assessment.
To fulfill the public education requirement, the county launched a series of high-profile events, beginning with daylong instruction and exercises that involved exposing local reporters and politicians to shoot/don’t shoot scenario training.
“Running civilians through scenarios is expensive, and in this area there’s considerable turnover among news reporters, so the effective benefit is not always lasting,” says Melinda McLaughlin Kletzok, the PIO for Eugene PD and a reserve deputy for the Lane County SO.
For 2011’s community education, she told Force Science News, it was decided to produce a video that “could always be online” for public access — ” something that would counter the kind of misinformation that seems to commonly arise after any OIS.” This, she says, would allow basic facts about deadly force to be communicated even when officials couldn’t comment publicly on the specifics of an ongoing investigation.
Dr. Bill Lewinski, executive director of the Force Science Institute, was in Eugene last January for a two-day Force Science training seminar and agreed to appear on camera to deliver pertinent findings emerging from FSI research. At about the same time, Dr. Alexis Artwohl, a Force Science board advisor and certification course faculty member known for her work in police behavioral science, was participating in a training program elsewhere in the state. She joined in the video production also. Kletzok coordinated the project, which was filmed and edited by the professional production company Attic Media.
In the finished program, other contributors — Eugene Ofcr. Joe Kidd, Oregon State Police Sgt. Alan Gilbert, and DA Gardner — offer their particular perspectives on OISs. But the most extensive content comes from Lewinski and Artwohl.
HollywoodBrainwashing
In the opening minutes, Artwohl points out three ironies about the public perception of OISs:
1.) civilians commonly expect “these events to defy the laws of physics”
2.) officers are expected “to defy the limits of human performance” by having “perfect memories and perfect decision-making, when research clearly shows” that to be impossible
3.) “the judgment of police officers is often based on myths, assumptions, and personal opinions that may not necessarily be true”
Gardner then suggests that these critical misconceptions stem in large part from brainwashing of the public mind by Hollywood . Our “video culture” conveys “a tremendous amount of misinformation” about police operations and behavior, he says. “The extent to which the public relies on what they see on TV and in the movies,” often without being fully aware of it, “makes it very difficult for people to evaluate whether an officer has behaved appropriately in a use-of-force application.”
BustingMyths
The bulk of the video, then focuses on myths about OISs, phrased in the form of naive but potentially inflammatory questions that Kletzok and Gardner say frequently arise from the media and community activists after offenders are shot by police.
Here’s an abridged sampling. In some cases, the online video includes real-life dash-cam footage to help illustrate the problems discussed.
“Why didn’t the police talk the aggressor down?”
Most of the time, officers do talk people down, using their communication and persuasion skills, Artwohl points out. Research shows that “only about one percent of all calls for service result in any use of force, and only a very small percentage of those result in use of deadly force....
“Not all offenders can be talked out of what they’re getting ready to do. At that point, the only thing an officer can do is use force to protect his life and protect the public.”
Sometimes because of chemical, emotional, or other issues, subjects are “unable to listen to anything,” Lewinski adds. “That means they are in control of the situation. The officer is the reactor and has to respond to what the person is doing.
“It’s not the officer’s choice, usually, to avoid using verbal skills. It’s the person being unable to listen or attend or being unwilling to do what the officer is saying....”
“It was just a knife and the officer had a gun. Why didn’t the officer just disarm the subject?”
“Some people think an individual armed with a knife is not a dangerous threat to an officer,” Lewinski says. “From our research and the research of others, we know that not to be true. Knives can actually be more dangerous than a gun....
Force Science studies show that “a young person in reasonably good shape can cover as much as 31 feet in the time it takes an officer to draw his gun, point, and fire one round. If a person is seven feet away, the officer could even have his gun in the low-ready position, and by the time he raises the gun and fires even once, he could be stabbed.
“A stab from a knife or a stab and upward cut can be extremely quick. Each cut or slash can occur at less than one-quarter second, and any one could be lethal for the officer....”
“Why not shoot the gun or knife out of their hand? Why not shoot to wound the subject?”
Lewinski recalls TV and movie westerns in which the hero defeats an attacker with this kind of precision shooting. “It’s one of those Hollywood myths,” he says. “It looks good on film but doesn’t work in the real world. Officers do not have the ability to fire and hit that accurately in a dynamic encounter.”
Even if officers aim for center mass, they “tend not to be as accurate as they might be on the range because the dynamics by which people move in a real-world encounter are such that center mass is a constantly changing target....”
To stop the threat, the goal of police deadly force, “the best place an officer can aim for is center mass,” Lewinski explains. “Even then it’s not a guarantee,” but it’s more realistic than the extraordinary challenge of intentionally hitting only an arm or a leg.
“Why were they shot in the back?”
In framing an answer to this nettlesome question, Lewinski describes a shooting in which he served as an expert witness. When the officer made the decision to shoot, the threatening suspect was facing him full-on. Yet when the smoke cleared, the officer’s rounds were found to have struck in the suspect’s side and back, making it appear that the officer had not been in jeopardy when he fired.
“By the time I can say ‘1,000-and,’ the officer had fired 4 rounds,” discharging a bullet every quarter-second, “shooting to save his life,” Lewinski says. In that eye-blink, the suspect had begun to turn away, a movement the officer would not have had time to detect and react to. Inevitably, the subject’s side and back were exposed in the process to the line of fire.
“Very true, shots did go into the back,” Lewinski says. But in the time span involved, “there was nothing the officer could have done to stop from shooting the subject in the back.” In the video, Lewinski demonstrates the twisting-and-turning movement involved.
“Doesn’t a video of an event tell the whole story?”
In a word, No. A video camera, Lewinski explains, records action “from a particular perspective,” and that’s “very limiting in its ability” to tell the full story. “Look at the number of cameras necessary for referees to look at during a football game” in attempting to “accurately and completely” judge an action under scrutiny, he says.
In a video recording, which “people tend to think is an accurate reporter of any particular incident,” some action may be missing entirely, and what’s shown can be significantly skewed. Lewinski references a camera some officers now wear that sits just in front of an officer’s ear.
“This reportedly has the view of the officer, but it does not. If you close your left eye, for instance, you will see what your right eye sees. Your right eye sees a different field of view than your left eye. Now imagine a camera far behind your right eye. What does that see? No camera records things as an officer’s eyes and brain record it.”
After the myth-busting segments, which also include reaction-time realities and less-lethal devices, the video concentrates on a walk-through of investigative procedures, given by Gardner and Gilbert. Among other things, they explain how the deadly force investigative team operates and why investigations sometimes take months to complete.
Gilbert expresses empathy “with the public and media being frustrated because a lot of information isn’t released immediately. It’s frustrating for the police, too. We want to get the story out, especially when an officer has done something heroic. But we need to wait so as not to taint the investigation.”
Artwohl notes in conclusion, “Most officers will tell you that by far the most stressful part of the event is what happens afterwards. We need to refrain from a rush to judgment. The least we can do is provide officers the benefit of the doubt while the investigation is going on.”
Public feedback on the video has been “very positive,” Gardner says, “but where we’ll get the most is on the heels of the next shooting.” Meanwhile, he and Kletzok encourage other policing agencies to benefit from the production, which Gardner describes as “a lasting tool to help educate people who are unfamiliar with law enforcement use of deadly force and how it is investigated. Officers deserve that community understanding. They’ve earned it.”
Kletzok agrees. The video, with its expert observations on the subtleties of OISs, can be accessible “for years to come, whenever questions come up about shootings,” she says. “At times when an agency might be unable to comment directly on a lethal force event, the video can speak for the agency about controversial or misunderstood issues.”
If you’d like a copy in DVD format, contact Gardner at: alex.gardner@co.lane.or.us and reference Force Science News.
About the author
The FSRC was launched in 2004 by Executive Director Bill Lewinski, PhD. - a specialist in police psychology -- to conduct unique lethal-force experiments. The non-profit FSRC, based at Minnesota State University-Mankato, uses sophisticated time-and-motion measurements to document-for the first time-critical hidden truths about the physical and mental dynamics of life-threatening events, particularly officer-involved shootings. Its startling findings profoundly impact on officer training and safety and on the public's naive perceptions.
For more information, visit http://www.forcescience.org/ or e-mail info@forcescience.org. If you would benefit from receiving updates on the FSRC's findings as well as a variety of other use-of-force related articles, please visit www.forcesciencenews.com and click on the "Please sign up for our newsletter" link at the front of the site. Subscriptions are free
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The source of the following Article is PoliceOne.com
Reminder: The next Fifth Precinct Open Community Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Fifth Precinct, 125 Waverly Avenue , Patchogue.
The source of the following article is PoliceOne.com. I hope you find this article and its related links informative and helpful to understanding the challenges in both enduring an event requiring the use of deadly physical force (DPF) by a police officer and answering the inquiries that rightfully seek to acquire facts and determine if the use of DPF is justified.
Destroying Myths & Discovering Cold Facts
with The Force Science Research Center
New video combats public myths about police shootings
In a unique production assisted by the Force Science Institute, law enforcement authorities in an Oregon county have created an online video that explains to civilians the realities of officer-involved shootings and counters prevalent myths fostered by Hollywood fantasies.
In 17 minutes, the program ranges from addressing why officers don’t try to shoot knives out of the hands of attackers to how cell phone and dash-cam recordings can significantly distort impressions of deadly force encounters. In all, the production tackles seven persistent misconceptions that often lead to unjust accusations of wrongdoing regarding police use of force and provides scientific insights into the true dynamics of life-or-death confrontations.
The video, called “ Hollywood vs. Reality: Officer-Involved Shootings,” can be viewed online by clicking here. http://lcpubw04.lanecounty.org/information/yourlanevideos/LaneCountyDistrictAttorney_and_LawEnforcementAgencies.wmv (DVD copies are also available. See below.)Officials who posted it for public viewing are willing to share it with other agencies as a valuable educational tool.
Backstory
Several years ago, after a series of hotly protested police shootings in Portland, the state’s major metropolitan area, the Oregon legislature mandated that each county devise a “more standardized and transparent” system for “managing” OISs. Included was a directive that each county conduct annual “community outreach and education” on law enforcement’s use of deadly force.
Lane County , whose seat is the city of Eugene , was “among the first to respond with a protocol,” according to DA Alex Gardner. Among other things, law enforcement agencies in the county, plus the Oregon State Police, organized an Interagency Deadly Force Investigative Team to probe each OIS and forward evidence gathered to the DA’s office for assessment.
To fulfill the public education requirement, the county launched a series of high-profile events, beginning with daylong instruction and exercises that involved exposing local reporters and politicians to shoot/don’t shoot scenario training.
“Running civilians through scenarios is expensive, and in this area there’s considerable turnover among news reporters, so the effective benefit is not always lasting,” says Melinda McLaughlin Kletzok, the PIO for Eugene PD and a reserve deputy for the Lane County SO.
For 2011’s community education, she told Force Science News, it was decided to produce a video that “could always be online” for public access — ” something that would counter the kind of misinformation that seems to commonly arise after any OIS.” This, she says, would allow basic facts about deadly force to be communicated even when officials couldn’t comment publicly on the specifics of an ongoing investigation.
Dr. Bill Lewinski, executive director of the Force Science Institute, was in Eugene last January for a two-day Force Science training seminar and agreed to appear on camera to deliver pertinent findings emerging from FSI research. At about the same time, Dr. Alexis Artwohl, a Force Science board advisor and certification course faculty member known for her work in police behavioral science, was participating in a training program elsewhere in the state. She joined in the video production also. Kletzok coordinated the project, which was filmed and edited by the professional production company Attic Media.
In the finished program, other contributors — Eugene Ofcr. Joe Kidd, Oregon State Police Sgt. Alan Gilbert, and DA Gardner — offer their particular perspectives on OISs. But the most extensive content comes from Lewinski and Artwohl.
HollywoodBrainwashing
In the opening minutes, Artwohl points out three ironies about the public perception of OISs:
1.) civilians commonly expect “these events to defy the laws of physics”
2.) officers are expected “to defy the limits of human performance” by having “perfect memories and perfect decision-making, when research clearly shows” that to be impossible
3.) “the judgment of police officers is often based on myths, assumptions, and personal opinions that may not necessarily be true”
Gardner then suggests that these critical misconceptions stem in large part from brainwashing of the public mind by Hollywood . Our “video culture” conveys “a tremendous amount of misinformation” about police operations and behavior, he says. “The extent to which the public relies on what they see on TV and in the movies,” often without being fully aware of it, “makes it very difficult for people to evaluate whether an officer has behaved appropriately in a use-of-force application.”
BustingMyths
The bulk of the video, then focuses on myths about OISs, phrased in the form of naive but potentially inflammatory questions that Kletzok and Gardner say frequently arise from the media and community activists after offenders are shot by police.
Here’s an abridged sampling. In some cases, the online video includes real-life dash-cam footage to help illustrate the problems discussed.
“Why didn’t the police talk the aggressor down?”
Most of the time, officers do talk people down, using their communication and persuasion skills, Artwohl points out. Research shows that “only about one percent of all calls for service result in any use of force, and only a very small percentage of those result in use of deadly force....
“Not all offenders can be talked out of what they’re getting ready to do. At that point, the only thing an officer can do is use force to protect his life and protect the public.”
Sometimes because of chemical, emotional, or other issues, subjects are “unable to listen to anything,” Lewinski adds. “That means they are in control of the situation. The officer is the reactor and has to respond to what the person is doing.
“It’s not the officer’s choice, usually, to avoid using verbal skills. It’s the person being unable to listen or attend or being unwilling to do what the officer is saying....”
“It was just a knife and the officer had a gun. Why didn’t the officer just disarm the subject?”
“Some people think an individual armed with a knife is not a dangerous threat to an officer,” Lewinski says. “From our research and the research of others, we know that not to be true. Knives can actually be more dangerous than a gun....
Force Science studies show that “a young person in reasonably good shape can cover as much as 31 feet in the time it takes an officer to draw his gun, point, and fire one round. If a person is seven feet away, the officer could even have his gun in the low-ready position, and by the time he raises the gun and fires even once, he could be stabbed.
“A stab from a knife or a stab and upward cut can be extremely quick. Each cut or slash can occur at less than one-quarter second, and any one could be lethal for the officer....”
“Why not shoot the gun or knife out of their hand? Why not shoot to wound the subject?”
Lewinski recalls TV and movie westerns in which the hero defeats an attacker with this kind of precision shooting. “It’s one of those Hollywood myths,” he says. “It looks good on film but doesn’t work in the real world. Officers do not have the ability to fire and hit that accurately in a dynamic encounter.”
Even if officers aim for center mass, they “tend not to be as accurate as they might be on the range because the dynamics by which people move in a real-world encounter are such that center mass is a constantly changing target....”
To stop the threat, the goal of police deadly force, “the best place an officer can aim for is center mass,” Lewinski explains. “Even then it’s not a guarantee,” but it’s more realistic than the extraordinary challenge of intentionally hitting only an arm or a leg.
“Why were they shot in the back?”
In framing an answer to this nettlesome question, Lewinski describes a shooting in which he served as an expert witness. When the officer made the decision to shoot, the threatening suspect was facing him full-on. Yet when the smoke cleared, the officer’s rounds were found to have struck in the suspect’s side and back, making it appear that the officer had not been in jeopardy when he fired.
“By the time I can say ‘1,000-and,’ the officer had fired 4 rounds,” discharging a bullet every quarter-second, “shooting to save his life,” Lewinski says. In that eye-blink, the suspect had begun to turn away, a movement the officer would not have had time to detect and react to. Inevitably, the subject’s side and back were exposed in the process to the line of fire.
“Very true, shots did go into the back,” Lewinski says. But in the time span involved, “there was nothing the officer could have done to stop from shooting the subject in the back.” In the video, Lewinski demonstrates the twisting-and-turning movement involved.
“Doesn’t a video of an event tell the whole story?”
In a word, No. A video camera, Lewinski explains, records action “from a particular perspective,” and that’s “very limiting in its ability” to tell the full story. “Look at the number of cameras necessary for referees to look at during a football game” in attempting to “accurately and completely” judge an action under scrutiny, he says.
In a video recording, which “people tend to think is an accurate reporter of any particular incident,” some action may be missing entirely, and what’s shown can be significantly skewed. Lewinski references a camera some officers now wear that sits just in front of an officer’s ear.
“This reportedly has the view of the officer, but it does not. If you close your left eye, for instance, you will see what your right eye sees. Your right eye sees a different field of view than your left eye. Now imagine a camera far behind your right eye. What does that see? No camera records things as an officer’s eyes and brain record it.”
After the myth-busting segments, which also include reaction-time realities and less-lethal devices, the video concentrates on a walk-through of investigative procedures, given by Gardner and Gilbert. Among other things, they explain how the deadly force investigative team operates and why investigations sometimes take months to complete.
Gilbert expresses empathy “with the public and media being frustrated because a lot of information isn’t released immediately. It’s frustrating for the police, too. We want to get the story out, especially when an officer has done something heroic. But we need to wait so as not to taint the investigation.”
Artwohl notes in conclusion, “Most officers will tell you that by far the most stressful part of the event is what happens afterwards. We need to refrain from a rush to judgment. The least we can do is provide officers the benefit of the doubt while the investigation is going on.”
Public feedback on the video has been “very positive,” Gardner says, “but where we’ll get the most is on the heels of the next shooting.” Meanwhile, he and Kletzok encourage other policing agencies to benefit from the production, which Gardner describes as “a lasting tool to help educate people who are unfamiliar with law enforcement use of deadly force and how it is investigated. Officers deserve that community understanding. They’ve earned it.”
Kletzok agrees. The video, with its expert observations on the subtleties of OISs, can be accessible “for years to come, whenever questions come up about shootings,” she says. “At times when an agency might be unable to comment directly on a lethal force event, the video can speak for the agency about controversial or misunderstood issues.”
If you’d like a copy in DVD format, contact Gardner at: alex.gardner@co.lane.or.us and reference Force Science News.
About the author
The FSRC was launched in 2004 by Executive Director Bill Lewinski, PhD. - a specialist in police psychology -- to conduct unique lethal-force experiments. The non-profit FSRC, based at Minnesota State University-Mankato, uses sophisticated time-and-motion measurements to document-for the first time-critical hidden truths about the physical and mental dynamics of life-threatening events, particularly officer-involved shootings. Its startling findings profoundly impact on officer training and safety and on the public's naive perceptions.
For more information, visit http://www.forcescience.org/ or e-mail info@forcescience.org. If you would benefit from receiving updates on the FSRC's findings as well as a variety of other use-of-force related articles, please visit www.forcesciencenews.com and click on the "Please sign up for our newsletter" link at the front of the site. Subscriptions are free
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Friday, December 23, 2011
Santa is Getting Ready for Christmas
Santa is working very hard making toys for children of all ages. The children always get toys from Santa, but as I have been told Santa may also give a few toys to adults. With this in mind I would like to ask Santa for a new GPS. Hope Santa is reading this article!
I have been searching the Internet for a webcam video stream, of Santa's workshop; in spite of my extensive research I was not able to find a live Web Video Stream of Santa's Workshop. I guess that the location is secret, and Santa is very busy.
I did hear of a few people that are currently on the north pole, that are trying to take a video of Santa using an Internet Web Cam, but they have been unable to find the secret location of Santa's workshop. Keep watching this site; if the videographers at the North Pole manage to find Santa's Workshop, I will provide the link.
When I was young boy, I was never able to get information about Santa, because the internet did not exist. A company that normally sells security cameras, set up a camera outside of the "Santa Clause Office," in Finland. It is this office and the United States Postal Service that sorts and directs all of the mail that is sent to Santa. I would not guarantee that Santa could be at this location, but it is possible! Please let us know if you actually get a glimpse of Santa Clause!
(Please left click the link below this line)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/santaclauslive-outside-cam
I was able to find a live Video feed of the barn where Santa keeps his Reindeers. I believe that Santa feeds his Reindeer twice a day, at 10 AM EST and 5 PM EST. I have not seen Santa yet but I will keep looking.
(Please left click the link below this line to view the Reindeer)
http://reindeercam.com/
This is a very important issue to many people, so we should all share our information about possible sightings of Santa! Please report any sighting of Santa Clause in the Comments box!
Merry Christmas everybody!
Comments? (Left click "Comments," below)
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Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
Santa is working very hard making toys for children of all ages. The children always get toys from Santa, but as I have been told Santa may also give a few toys to adults. With this in mind I would like to ask Santa for a new GPS. Hope Santa is reading this article!
I have been searching the Internet for a webcam video stream, of Santa's workshop; in spite of my extensive research I was not able to find a live Web Video Stream of Santa's Workshop. I guess that the location is secret, and Santa is very busy.
I did hear of a few people that are currently on the north pole, that are trying to take a video of Santa using an Internet Web Cam, but they have been unable to find the secret location of Santa's workshop. Keep watching this site; if the videographers at the North Pole manage to find Santa's Workshop, I will provide the link.
When I was young boy, I was never able to get information about Santa, because the internet did not exist. A company that normally sells security cameras, set up a camera outside of the "Santa Clause Office," in Finland. It is this office and the United States Postal Service that sorts and directs all of the mail that is sent to Santa. I would not guarantee that Santa could be at this location, but it is possible! Please let us know if you actually get a glimpse of Santa Clause!
(Please left click the link below this line)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/santaclauslive-outside-cam
I was able to find a live Video feed of the barn where Santa keeps his Reindeers. I believe that Santa feeds his Reindeer twice a day, at 10 AM EST and 5 PM EST. I have not seen Santa yet but I will keep looking.
(Please left click the link below this line to view the Reindeer)
http://reindeercam.com/
This is a very important issue to many people, so we should all share our information about possible sightings of Santa! Please report any sighting of Santa Clause in the Comments box!
Merry Christmas everybody!
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Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The "I Can Do Attitude" is Contagious!
Have you ever seen the "Stage Crew," at a school concert or theatrical performance get a round of applause from the audience? On December 10, 2011, I had the privilege and surprise of attending a "school Christmas Concert," at Saint Anthony's High School, in South Huntington, Long Island, NY. Two of my grand daughters were performing in that concert.
A school Christmas Concert, and I am looking at the stage crew, instead of the Orchestra, and Chorus! Hemmm; "What planet is this guy from.?" When I attend a performance I always look at the entire package. Everyone knows, including college admissions officers, that teamwork, and the "I can do Attitude," is the key to success in life! We as parents are often overwhelmed with the daily problems of survival, and cannot make the time to stop and smell the Roses!
The simple but most important corollary to success of a young adult is to have experienced the "I can Do It," phenomenon, just once. Yes, just once is enough to change the life of a young adult! Once a person has succeeded to master any task, he will then reapply the faith in his ability to succeed, to other disciplines! If you believe in yourself, you can move mountains; absolutely! Simple but profound, self confidence is highly contagious, it will spread like wildfire.
Exactly what did I see when I watched this concert! The entire production was executed with military precision, but most importantly, the students were totally involved, as a team. The chorus alone had about 600 members, and the Orchestra and Bands had almost that many members.
Here is the most important observation that I have made at this concert; over 600 musicians and singers, and not one was "bored." Before I actually focused on the actual music and choral parts, I noticed that the "I can do it Attitude," was beaming from every musician and singer! The most beautiful thing on the planet is to see over 600 young adults, totally focused as a team, savoring their accomplishment. The entire Auditorium was flooded with a spirit that made every parent proud!
The stage crew performed "miracles in their own right;" Bleachers that would normally be used at a football game were repeatedly moved on and off stage, with military precision. 150 feet of Bleachers were set-up and broken down, at least Four times, by a mixed group of male and Female stage hands. Each assembly/ disassembly operation took less than Two minutes. The parents were absolutely awestruck! With emotion filled faces, the parents were applauding in awe, as if to say "I can't believe it, this is not what happened the last time I asked my child to throw out the "Garbage." Here lies the power in the "I can do attitude."
All of my grandchildren, two of which performed in this concert, have adapted the "I can do it," mindset. Success in one area has indeed, migrate to every other area of their lives.
The musicians were all outstanding. When a listen to music I always pay attention to where the music is coming from; the fingers, or the Heart! A musician who is "true to the art" always plays from his heart! I was so impressed with the Orchestra and Bands, because they were playing from the Heart.
The videos of this year's concert have not yet been made available to the general public, on YouTube, however the video of last year's concert shows the same Orchestra and Chorus playing and singing the same songs. The quality of both concerts is excellent!
Please look at the following Choral video presentation.
(Left click the URL below)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTvMxTjYvlE
Saint Anthony's Orchestra, Barcelona performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMKVQo0Odco&feature=related
Please take some time to look at the Roses! You must slow down long enough actually see our environment. That's the problem with living today; the pace of life often reduces our ability to both "look and see." We look at things that are happening around us, but we often do not see, because we are moving through life at Warp speed. Real meaning is often diluted or lost.
Some segment of our population seems to question the drive and resolve, of our young adults to submit to hard work, and show real dedication. The videos above should have already answered the preceding question. I see our young people living in a totally complex world with astronomical expectations. Put our youth in the occupation of their choice and they will flourish. I would not expect enthusiastic performance from a recent college grad, who accepts a job working behind the counter at 7-11. The real culprit is the economy; and this too will pass!
Our young adults are smarter than we ever were; I do expect only the best from this new generation, because they nurture the coveted "I can do attitude".
Comments?
(Left click "Comments," below)
*
Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
Have you ever seen the "Stage Crew," at a school concert or theatrical performance get a round of applause from the audience? On December 10, 2011, I had the privilege and surprise of attending a "school Christmas Concert," at Saint Anthony's High School, in South Huntington, Long Island, NY. Two of my grand daughters were performing in that concert.
A school Christmas Concert, and I am looking at the stage crew, instead of the Orchestra, and Chorus! Hemmm; "What planet is this guy from.?" When I attend a performance I always look at the entire package. Everyone knows, including college admissions officers, that teamwork, and the "I can do Attitude," is the key to success in life! We as parents are often overwhelmed with the daily problems of survival, and cannot make the time to stop and smell the Roses!
The simple but most important corollary to success of a young adult is to have experienced the "I can Do It," phenomenon, just once. Yes, just once is enough to change the life of a young adult! Once a person has succeeded to master any task, he will then reapply the faith in his ability to succeed, to other disciplines! If you believe in yourself, you can move mountains; absolutely! Simple but profound, self confidence is highly contagious, it will spread like wildfire.
Exactly what did I see when I watched this concert! The entire production was executed with military precision, but most importantly, the students were totally involved, as a team. The chorus alone had about 600 members, and the Orchestra and Bands had almost that many members.
Here is the most important observation that I have made at this concert; over 600 musicians and singers, and not one was "bored." Before I actually focused on the actual music and choral parts, I noticed that the "I can do it Attitude," was beaming from every musician and singer! The most beautiful thing on the planet is to see over 600 young adults, totally focused as a team, savoring their accomplishment. The entire Auditorium was flooded with a spirit that made every parent proud!
The stage crew performed "miracles in their own right;" Bleachers that would normally be used at a football game were repeatedly moved on and off stage, with military precision. 150 feet of Bleachers were set-up and broken down, at least Four times, by a mixed group of male and Female stage hands. Each assembly/ disassembly operation took less than Two minutes. The parents were absolutely awestruck! With emotion filled faces, the parents were applauding in awe, as if to say "I can't believe it, this is not what happened the last time I asked my child to throw out the "Garbage." Here lies the power in the "I can do attitude."
All of my grandchildren, two of which performed in this concert, have adapted the "I can do it," mindset. Success in one area has indeed, migrate to every other area of their lives.
The musicians were all outstanding. When a listen to music I always pay attention to where the music is coming from; the fingers, or the Heart! A musician who is "true to the art" always plays from his heart! I was so impressed with the Orchestra and Bands, because they were playing from the Heart.
The videos of this year's concert have not yet been made available to the general public, on YouTube, however the video of last year's concert shows the same Orchestra and Chorus playing and singing the same songs. The quality of both concerts is excellent!
Please look at the following Choral video presentation.
(Left click the URL below)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTvMxTjYvlE
Saint Anthony's Orchestra, Barcelona performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMKVQo0Odco&feature=related
Please take some time to look at the Roses! You must slow down long enough actually see our environment. That's the problem with living today; the pace of life often reduces our ability to both "look and see." We look at things that are happening around us, but we often do not see, because we are moving through life at Warp speed. Real meaning is often diluted or lost.
Some segment of our population seems to question the drive and resolve, of our young adults to submit to hard work, and show real dedication. The videos above should have already answered the preceding question. I see our young people living in a totally complex world with astronomical expectations. Put our youth in the occupation of their choice and they will flourish. I would not expect enthusiastic performance from a recent college grad, who accepts a job working behind the counter at 7-11. The real culprit is the economy; and this too will pass!
Our young adults are smarter than we ever were; I do expect only the best from this new generation, because they nurture the coveted "I can do attitude".
Comments?
(Left click "Comments," below)
*
Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
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