Texas group derides K-9 scent IDs as 'junk science'

By Jeff Carlton Associated Press
Related Article:Lawsuits target Texas K-9 'scent lineups'

DALLAS — The Innocence Project of Texas said Friday that scent identification lineups, in which trained dogs determine if a suspect's smell matches the smell of crime scene evidence, are based on faulty science and have led to a number of wrongful convictions.

The group, which tries to free the wrongly convicted, said it will release a report next week detailing at least five cases in which innocent people were arrested following scent ID lineups conducted by a Fort Bend sheriff's deputy who trains dogs. Two of the five were jailed for capital murder before the charges against them were dropped.

Deputy Keith Pikett has spent about 20 years training dogs named Clue, James Bond and Columbo to sniff out possible criminals in more than 2,000 scent identification lineups. But the lineups have come under attack from some in the legal community, and Pikett is being sued by two people who claim they were wrongly implicated in crimes because of Pikett's scent lineups.
Trained dogs are routinely at border checkpoints and airports to smell for drugs, bombs or other contraband. They're used by search and rescue teams and in other police work, such as to chase suspects.

But what Pikett does amounts to "dog whispering," the innocence group said.
"This is exactly the kind of down-home voodoo that jurors like because, hey, everybody likes a dog," said Jeff Blackburn, chief counsel for the Innocence Project of Texas. "Why don't they just have a guy who says he has a unicorn that can figure out who criminals are?"

Texas and Florida are the only states that regularly use scent identifications, Blackburn said. The Innocence Project of Florida is reviewing about 20 cases involving a now dead dog handler who worked on three cases that later resulted in exonerations. Florida has since begun to restrict the use of scent lineups.

During a scent lineup, an officer wipes individual pieces of gauze or cloth on a suspect and several other people, and then places them in separate coffee cans, according to the lawsuits against Pikett. A trained dog is presented a piece of crime scene evidence, and is then led by Pikett to each can for a whiff. The dog is supposed to signal Pikett if it sniffs a match.

Proponents of scent lineups argue that each person has a unique smell, and that dogs are capable of distinguishing among the subtlest of differences.

But critics say the method lacks the scientific validity of other court-approved identification methods, including DNA and fingerprint testing.

"This should not be in court," said Rex Easley, the attorney who filed both lawsuits. "It is junk, absolute junk. It's unreliable. There is no methodology and no science."

Pikett's attorney, Randall Morse, said his client denies any wrongdoing. He described him as a well-respected law enforcement official who has consulted for the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Texas Attorney General's Office and several Texas police and sheriff's departments.

Pikett has testified as an expert witness in more than 40 cases, Morse said. In at least three cases, defense attorneys lost appeals arguing that Pikett's testimony should be inadmissible.
Pikett spent about nine years as a dog expert-for-hire while working as a high school science teacher before joining the sheriff's department full-time about 11 years ago, Morse said.
"There is a whole criminal defense bar who would tell you he is not reliable. One reason is that he does a good job of putting people away," said Morse, an assistant Fort Bend County attorney.
Doug Lowry, the president of the National Police Bloodhound Association, a nonprofit group that holds seminars on using bloodhounds in police work, said in an affidavit that he watched video of Pikett's lineups and found them "disturbing." Pikett's dogs appeared to be "just taking a walk in the park instead of conducting scent lineups."

The association stopped training police to do scent lineups several years ago because "very few bloodhound teams were found to be consistently proficient" and there were "too many variables involved," Lowry said.

In the lawsuits, the plaintiffs accuse Pikett of manufacturing evidence and say his scent lineups are merely an "elaborate performance." Pikett denies the allegations.

The lawsuits aren't the first time someone took action against Pikett. In 2008, a now former Harris County assistant prosecutor e-mailed his colleagues to warn them about the "unreliable evidence" that came from Pikett's work with Houston police, according to an affidavit.
Dr. Alejandro del Carmen, the chairman of the University of Texas at Arlington's criminology and criminal justice department, compared scent identification to primitive criminology theories that identified suspects by body type. The once-accepted theory was that skinny people were too shy and heavy people too lazy to commit crimes.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

"As a trained criminologist and a Ph.D., I find it nerve-racking that the justice system would rely on the ability of a dog to predict someone's guilt or innocence," del Carmen said.

CRAPPER UPDATING IN PROGRESS!

Hey all, sorry for the lag of posts this last week. We are updating and working on our new invite (password) crapper website for law enforcement and we are about to unroll out discount card program.

We currently have 18 businesses signed up! So, thanks for sticking in there. We will be back posting shortly. The invite site will be open on 10/4/09. If you would like access to it, please send us an e-mail at wicburycrapper@gmail.com with your e-mail address where we can send an invite to. We must verify who you are so please provide us with a name and department in the e-mail (since the new crapper site is open to law enforcement only). This site will also remain open to the public as we post crap on top of crap!

HOME SWEET HOME: BIRTHDAY BASHES AND A NEW HYPOTHETICAL

It's late on a Friday night. Officers get a call to respond to a house in a rural part of the county with reported shots fired and upon arrival, the officers hear numerous shots going off from inside of the house. Upon entry to the house, officers discover that it's just a typical, traditional birthday celebration for one of the family members who just turned 18 years old. Since they're shooting up their own property, officers clear the call because there's no law against maliciously destroying your own property.

An hour later a call comes through 911 requesting an ambulance because a baby in a crib upstairs has been struck by gunfire during the drunken celebration. EMS personnel arrive and rush the child to the hospital, where the baby is immediately pronounced dead.

The same officers respond back, thoroughly irritated at this point about not taking action earlier and perhaps saving a child's life. EMS personnel have cleared the scene to transport the child to the hospital. The officers seize the weapons for their safety, and then say the hell with it and rip apart the entire house where they locate marijuana, cocaine, an automatic weapon and several other shotguns and handguns, all located in a hidden area within the attic. The officers take everyone into custody at that point and charge all with every imaginable offense.

Homicide detectives arrive a short time later after all of these actions have already been taken. What should the detectives do at this point? Are the items already seized admissible against one and/or all of the persons in the house? What about any statements taken while the responding officers are in the house? If the gunshot wound that killed the child was inflicted unintentionally during the "fireworks" birthday celebration, is the shooter guilty of any crime?

Answer to come over the weekend.

Working on stuff...

Just to let everyone know, the crapper has not gone underground! We are working to improve your crapping experience. So, we will be back up and running Wednesday with our password protected site (or invite site) online for cops. This site will continue to function.

• Our discount card program is in the works!

Thanks to the 14 that attended the crap chat last night! We talked about everything from retirement to administrative leadership to vehicles, etc. It was a great discussion. The next Crap Chat will be on the schedule online.

Remember, station 7 is having a benefit for Chad Spicer's daughter today starting at around 5PM. Please show up and make a donation.

Thanks,
The WicBury Crapper

AS TIME GOES BY: HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING THE CONFESSION GROWS WEAKER

Maryland Rule 4-212 (e) provides that "a defendant shall be taken before a judicial officer of the District Court without unnecessary delay and in no event later than 24 hours after arrest." All that really means is that "deliberate and unnecessary delay must be given heavy weight in determining whether a resulting confession is voluntary." However, that's not the only factor to be considered. The same factors that are normally considered in determining voluntariness of a confession are also taken into consideration when a court determines whether or not to admit a confession when there's an issue of prompt presentment.

Generally, the time before the extradition is undertaken is not taken into consideration as a factor in the voluntariness of a confession; it's only starts upon a defendant's return to Maryland. However, in the hypothetical, a defendant had been back within the State of Maryland for 36-48 hours before he was taken before a District Court Commissioner to have his rights explained. That period of time weighs very, very heavily against the State in arguing for its admission as a voluntary statement. All of the other factors would have to outweigh the time delay, and in the hypothetical there are many positive factors that can be argued, that the defendant was well fed, allowed to worship, taken to brunch, given lots of rest, etc. The State would be very hard pressed to show that the delay as outlined was necessary and required, and while the State might well win at a suppression hearing, there are no guarantees what a Maryland appellate court might do on appeal.

There is a very simple solution to this problem. Anytime that an officer believes that there will be a substantial (more than several hours) delay in taking a suspect before a Commissioner, the officer can simply request the suspect to read and sign a "Waiver of Prompt Presentment". Just as with Miranda warnings, a defendant may voluntarily waive his "right" under Maryland statute and rule to go before a judicial officer in a timely fashion. Since the suspect was so very cooperative with the officers in the hypothetical, the odds are very high that he would have waived "prompt presentment."

The bottom line is that this one's a very, very close call, and one which could go either way. At the very least when the officers were approaching the 12 hour mark, consideration should have been given to having the suspect waive any rights to appear before a commissioner in a timely fashion.

Chat directly with the crapper!

Now you can chat directly with the crapper when we are online, just like an instant messanger service. Just log into the blogsite and look to the right for the yahoo chat function. This will function like an instant messenger, just like yahoo or AIM chat. It will not be a "group" chat so your messages will only appear to us.

Crap Chat will still be a public chat on scheduled days and will appear only on those scheduled days.

Crapper Discount Cards

Crapper discount cards are being printed as we speak! We will be listing local businesses with their discount rates shortly. Stay tuned!

You will be able to purchase discount cards directly from the manufacture. All profits will go to benefit police charities.

Questions for a Cop?

Dear Crapper,

Does anyone have questions for "Le Crapper"? If you have a question for a cop, no matter how stupid, please feel free to ask. Or, if you would like the "Crapper's" opinion on a situation or personal problem, we are here to help with our brand of a load of crap! Fire away!

Tribute to 9-11

Across America people seem to forget the entire idea that 9-11 actually happened. They remember that something happened but it seems foggy and in the distance.

On 9-11-01, which was only eight years ago, over 3000 people died in four coordinated attacks in the United States. Three of which were successful in killing thousands of innocent men, women, and children that woke up that morning thinking it was just another warm day. Two large air liners struck each tower of the world trade center, causing them both to collapse. Millions watched as hundreds of people threw themselves from the building into a burning pit of mangled concrete and steel to avoid being burned alive by the jet fuel that poured into their offices, setting them ablaze. Hundreds more died when a plane slammed into the Pentagon and then into Pennsylvania land where the plan was foiled when passengers bravely overtook the plane in an attempt to fort the criminals efforts.

Some even now assert that 9-11 was some type of government conspiracy and that the buildings were imploded from explosive charges from the inside rather than the planes striking the buildings or that 9-11 was staged and never actually occurred.

Here, on today's hollowed ground, we pay respect to all those who died on that day. We wear our badges with honor to all those public servants who lost their lives attempting to save others. And we honor those who continue to this day to struggle with the horrors of the past. To the criminals that caused this mass destruction and murder we say... to all due respect to our women readers... fuck you. You can't and won't kill our pride and spirit. Fuck you. Ignore the liberal bullshit because there are Americans, like us, that will visit the carnage you placed upon us back upon you and your criminal enterprise ten fold. So, sit there in your cold, wet, caves feeling content with what you have accomplished for now. But realize we are the United States Of America and you screw with us, we squash you like a bug.

Let today be a reminder that these murders can and will strike again. Be ready, be prepared, carry extra ammunition, and remember to take them out if they are taking you out.

Keys to surviving high-risk traffic stops

By Dave Smith, Senior Street Survival Instructor & Betsy-Brantner Smith, Street Survival Instructor

On September 1st, 2009 Patrolman Chad Spicer and Corporal Shawn Brittingham of the Georgetown, (Del.) Police Department were on patrol when they heard a general broadcast detailing a shooting that had just occurred in the parking lot of a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.
They quickly located a Chrysler Sebring with 20-year-old Christopher Reeves at the wheel and initiated a short pursuit before the vehicle abruptly stopped in the Kimmeytown neighborhood of Georgetown. According to news reports, Brittingham and Spicer’s cruiser stopped alongside the suspect vehicle with the passenger door of the squad car next to the driver-side door of the Chrysler.

Reeves fled on foot but sitting in the rear passenger seat was Derrick J. Powell, armed with a handgun. Neither officer had time to exit the cruiser before Powell began firing on them, striking Chad Spicer in the cheek. The round exited below Spicer’s left ear and bullet fragments struck Brittingham in the neck.

Powell then fled on foot while a third passenger, Luis Flores, reportedly stayed at the scene and attempted to render aid to Patrolman Spicer, who later succumbed to his injuries after being transported to the hospital. Chad Spicer is the first Georgetown police officer to die in the line of duty and he leaves behind a young daughter, his parents, and a community in mourning.
Thankfully, Corporal Brittingham is expected to make a full recovery.

High risk traffic stops are extremely dangerous. Four other American police officers have been killed this year during traffic stops, two of them during known to be high-risk situations. One of the best ways to honor these heroes is to review them with the intention of remembering how we can keep ourselves safe under the worst circumstances.

• Criminals are unpredictable, so recognize that any high-risk stop is going to be an extremely fluid situation. As detailed in Chuck Remsburg’s book Street Survival: Tactics for Armed Encounters, when stopping a vehicle occupied by known or suspected felons, call for back up, even if you’re in a two-man car. Try to advise dispatch of your exact location, direction of travel, and where you want the other units positioned.
• The positioning of your own vehicle is critical. Because the suspect vehicle may suddenly turn, leave the roadway, or abruptly stop, you need to maintain enough distance to safely maneuver or stop your vehicle while maintaining a visual on the suspect’s car if they begin to flee. If the suspect does hit the brakes suddenly, you should also stop and be prepared to reverse quickly, staying at least 30 feet back.
• Get your weapon (handgun, shotgun, or rifle) ready before you come to a stop and try to pull the car over in a place of your choosing. If you’re in a two officer vehicle, it’s the driver’s responsibility to position that cruiser to give each officer the equal opportunity to use that vehicle as effectively as possible for cover.
• If you’re by yourself, it’s a good idea to cant the vehicle to put as much of the engine block as possible between you and the suspect’s vehicle.
• Don’t get sucked into the thrill and the momentum of the situation; use time and distance to your advantage.
• Get to and maintain cover (which may mean staying in your patrol car) and be prepared to back up even further to keep distance between you and the threat. It’s our instinct to want to rush in, but don’t. And above all, don’t get trapped. As back up arrives, if lighting and cover allow, consider the use of a flanking officer to create a classic L-ambush situation.
• Use strong, powerful verbal commands to get the suspects to leave cover and come to you or a designated colleague. Once you think you have everyone in custody, have a tactical plan to safely clear the vehicle, including commands to unknown hidden suspects who may still be in the vehicle. Remember that time is generally on your side at this point, again, don’t rush in.

It’s been 39 years since the senseless murder of four young CHP officers during a high risk traffic stop in a restaurant parking lot near Newhall, CA. Remember the lessons learned from that terrible day and honor the sacrifice of all law enforcement heroes, past and present, by training, sharing, and working hard to keep each other safe.

Crap Chat 9/13/09 at 7:00 PM Online

There is a crap chat, for all those who would like to attend, online on Sunday 9/13/09 at 7:00 PM. Just be on the blogsite for the crap chat (click reload if you are on the site prior to 7:00 PM.) Although we will be discussing various topics online, feel free to send us your ideas for chat topics!

Check our new online calender for details on up coming events!

How is the economy affecting you?

Over the next several months the county executive for Wicomico, Rick Pilott has announced that paycuts and furloughs will be placed into effect for all Wicomico County government employees, including "24/7" employees such as jail staff and the Sheriff's office. How is this effecting you? Have you had to make any changes to your daily life?

AS TIME GOES BY: HYPOTHETICAL

On a Friday afternoon, a defendant is extradited from the Great and Sovereign State of Mississippi to Wicomico County, State of Maryland to stand trial for a string of Armed Robberies. Upon arrival at our local agency, the defendant is advised of his Miranda Warnings, waives same and is pleased to talk with any and all officers. He's fed, watered, and allowed to use any and all crappers. Since it's now Friday night, the officers think that he's very comfortable staying right where he is overnight in a holding cell. The officers and the defendant both get great night's sleep, and start the interviews over on Saturday. The suspect then decides to take the officers to the various locations where he's committed the robberies, with the officers providing all the food, drink and cigarettes that the defendant desires. By the time they finish, it's Saturday evening and every one's still happy. The officers put the suspect back in the holding cell for the night, but return again on Sunday morning to take the suspect to his favorite place of worship, where the suspect makes a nice offering to the Church. Feeling the rapport is still great, the officers take the suspect out to Sunday buffet, talk some more about other offenses committed in other states and decide that it's too late on a Sunday to take care of all of the paperwork. First think Monday morning, the officers decide that all have had enough fun, they serve the warrants on the defendant and take the suspect to the District Court Commissioner for his initial appearance. Are the statements admissible? Are the travels of the defendant admissible? Are the statements about the out of state offenses admissible? Why or Why not? Counsel will post its answer over the weekend - thanks for the favorable remarks about these hypothetical questions.

El Paso police officer tasered by police

El Paso Times via YellowBrix
September 07, 2009

EL PASO, TX – A 49-year-old El Paso police officer was arrested Friday evening for allegedly assaulting his wife and step-daughter then threatening police officers called to the incident.
Fouina Mauga, a patrol officer for the past two years with the police department’s Mission Valley Regional Command Center, has been relieved of duty. He was charged with four counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and two counts of assault family violence.

The incident occurred at about 11:20 p.m. Friday at a home in the 12200 block of Via Granada.
Police tasered Mauga after he threatened the patrol officers with a pair of knives.
An Internal Affairs investigation will determine what will happen to Mauga’s job.

Deleware Residents Showed Respect to All Law Enforcement...

During a memorial tribute to fallen police officer Chad Spicer, DSP reportedly did very well organizing personnel and the motorcade to the burial site.

One of our seven board members commented, "It was nice to see all law enforcement officers from the area getting together like this. It's too bad it has to be under this circumstance. If we stuck together in this type of brotherhood everyday, law enforcement would be a different animal."

Reportedly, a large funeral procession followed the service at a local church where citizens literally lined the streets with flags, signs, taking their hats off, and paying tribute to both the fallen officer and the officer's passing. Police officers saluted as Chad passed by and citizens shouted words of encouragement, holding American flags, as police officers followed the funeral procession. Citizens lined the streets for miles leading to the burial site.

There were thousands of officer's in attendance from departments as far as Los Angles and New Jersey, Washington DC, and more.

Chad Spicer - RIP

Ofc. Chad Spicer will be put to rest today. Out of respect we will not be posting today in order to maintain a day of silence. Comments will still be approved for posting.

Don't want people to know who you are?

If you don't want anyone to find out who you are when posting comments we recommend that you use an IP jamming program such as Hide My Ass available at www.hidemyass.com. You can use it free online or for a fee download their VPN system.

Someone disagree's with the crapper...

The following was a message posted from a reader following up on an article we posted about constitutionality viewable here http://wicburycrapper2.blogspot.com/2009/08/oath-keepers-followup-interview-with.html.

Anonymous said...

Crapper you're way off on the second amendment. In the Heller case the SCOTUS addressed the issue stating that the 2nd amendment right IS an individual right rather than a collective right.

Also, the N/G no longer fits the definition of militia since it is under the control of the federal government. As Thomas Jefferson stated "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

Also, the 10th amendment says that unless powers are specifically given to he federal government by the constitution, they fall under the authority of the state or the people. How in Gods name can that mean they are "up for grabs"? That's absolute nonsense. The federal government violates this amendment to the constitution on so many fronts it's ridiculous. Technically it means that if the constitution doesn't give the feds the authority to do something, iy doesn't have the authority to do it. Period. If a state decides not to address something, it becomes a matter between the voters of the states and their elected state officials. In no way does it by default give the authority to the federal government.

September 6, 2009 7:27 PM

The Grinch Back on the Air!

Looks like the Salisbury Grinch is back on the airwaves people! He's site now says he has password protected (?) himself from viewing other blog sites in order to keep himself in check essentially. He also says that you can't comment on his blogsite unless you have a google user name, which makes no sense because anyone can grab a google name, doesn't mean you have identified who it is.. but hey, whateva! Welcome back Grinchy to the party!

"Old" WicBury Crapper Site to Turn Password Protected

By vote of the WicBury Crapper Board of Directors... (Prop. 107A, dated 9/7/09 09:02 hrs
6 Board members in attendance (voted yes), one abstaining from vote.

Our "old" WicBury Crapper site will shortly be password protected for use for board members and legitimate members of law enforcement who wish to view this password protected area.


In order to view the password protected blog you will have to provide us with your real name and department and will have to verify your identity as indicated through electronic means. The password protected blog will include information for law enforcement officers only (such as officer safety issues, etc) and will not contain general information that is currently being posted on the WicBury Crapper II blogsite, which will still remain public and still contain similar information that is being posted now.


Information on the password protected site will be "slower" because it may not include opinions being presented on the public blog but will include information only for cops.

Dollar Store Robbed for Dollars?

Apparently on 9/4/09 the dollar store, at north salisbury, was entered by no less then eight armed robbery suspects who made off with an amount of cash. Several of the suspects were wearing masks and were armed with either a sawed off shotgun and/or handguns.

The entry of a business with eight persons presents a problem to law enforcement officers in the following ways. Bear these in mind:

1. Eight suspects present a formidable threat. You may be unaware of who is actually armed. If in this situation try to rapidly determine who readily presents an obvious threat (armed). Targeting the wrong suspects and firing may lead to problems if they are in fact not armed.


2. Eight persons entering a store represents a "take over" of that location. An event such as this shows that suspects are becoming substantially bolder in their approach.


3. Carry your firearm off-duty. It is not a bad idea to also carry handcuffs and an extra magazine and always a cell phone.


4. If engaging suspects, remember the secret signal if the police arrive and announce yourself loudly.


5. Watch your background when firing. This includes what's beyond the internal perimeter (i.e. through the glass into the parking lot).


6. Get to a defensible location prior to firing if possible. Defensible locations may include building stanchions or pylons (cover) or racks of products (concealment). Do not confuse cover and concealment.


7. Aim for locations that will cause serious injury to stop the threat. Good locations for engaging targets are head, center mass, and groin.


8. If hit or taking fire, shoot to kill.


9. Do not give up. You are in a fight for your life. It's you or them and you are going to win.


10. Count your rounds if not carrying another magazine. Make your rounds count.


11. Shooting is a perishable skill. Go target shooting once a month if possible. Utilize FATS or simunitions training whenever possible.

Cartel pot farms getting closer to popular U.S. tourist spots

09/06/2009
Cartel pot farms getting closer to popular U.S. tourist spots

By Ashley Fantz CNN.com


Park rangers chop down some of the 10,000 marijuana plants discovered inside the Sequoia National Park in California. Law enforcement officials see the sale, use and cultivation of drugs inside national parks as a root of many other problems for the parks. (AP Photo)



Related Articles:Calif. pot farm fire reveals a troubling trendSuspects who sparked Calif. fire may be linked to cartelsIdaho officers seize $20.5M in pot farm operationLEOs pressure rail companies to stop drug smuggling aboard trainsMexico's new drug use law worries U.S. police



Drug traffickers are planting millions of marijuana plants on U.S. public lands ever closer to tourist sites, guarding their plots with heavy weaponry, federal authorities say.
"We destroy their plants and they come back, sometimes to the same spot, and replant," said U.S. Forest Service Special Agent Russ Arthur.

"It's definitely possible that hikers and campers are going to find themselves in the middle of a field facing some very dangerous, armed bad guys, because this problem is everywhere, and it's only getting worse."

Across the nation, pot sites linked to cartels have been found in 15 states as far north as Washington, Arthur said.

Last week, a portion of Sequoia National Park in the Sierra Nevada was closed to visitors while rangers dropped from helicopters into a marijuana farm a half-mile away from Crystal Cave, popular among tourists.

Officials said there were five sites in the Yucca Creek Canyon where investigators recovered tons of trash, netting, chemicals and camping materials, a discovery that suggested the growers had been there, or planned to stay, for a long time.
Though authorities destroyed the patch, whoever wanted to profit probably got what they wanted. Seventy-five percent of the plants had been harvested, said park spokeswoman Adrienne Freeman.

"Last week for six days, instead of having families and children walking down to Crystal Cave, we were flying helicopters to do a law enforcement operation," she said. "That's not fair. You should be able to come to the park and enjoy it."
Freeman cautioned that there is a steep cliff near the site and most visitors wouldn't be skilled enough to trek into the area.

But some might. In Idaho earlier this summer, hikers came upon 12,545 marijuana plants valued at $6.3 million, officials said.
This week, the Forest Service was working to eradicate plants at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, beloved by fishermen, where one year ago the agency brought out six dump trucks full of marijuana -- 10,000 plants -- valued at $8.5 million, according to chief ranger Mike Bremer.

And on Friday, the Drug Enforcement Administration said it had found 14,500 marijuana plants growing in a patch of forest land 40 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado, where campers have ventured.

The Forest Service has stepped up its efforts to raid forest areas in Georgia and Tennessee, including areas near the Chattahoochee River, a favorite among hikers, campers and adventure racers. The agency has started podcasting and posting signs on public land, trying to describe to regular folks what a pot field looks like and how to get away from it quickly.
Though traffickers have been planting on public lands for years, figures from the U.S. Forest Service indicate the sheer volume of marijuana plants on public land has increased every year since 2005 -- by millions. And those are just the plants that the government knows about and has destroyed.

Most pot farms are cultivated by low-level cartel workers, many who are working to pay off smugglers who helped them cross the border, officials have said. Campsites are sophisticated and well hidden, with foxholes and sniper nests, Arthur told CNN.
The workers plant four to five farms at a time to get one bountiful crop, reckoning that two might be destroyed by law enforcement, one might fail because of weather, and another could be pilfered by what officers call "pot pirates," Americans who risk getting close to traffickers to score free pot, Arthur said.

Dean Growdon, an assistant sheriff and commander of the Lassen County, California, Narcotics Task Force, said he's especially concerned about pot farm violence now because hunting season is about to start.

"We get more reports this time of year from hunters who've stumbled onto sites," he said. "We had a guy who discovered they were growing on the back portion of his property."
The sheriff's department knows firsthand of the dangers. Two deputies are still recovering from being shot in June when they stumbled on a pot field, Sheriff Steven Warren said.
In the encounter, one of the deputies shot and killed a grower, Warren said, and the surviving growers are being prosecuted, he said.

"Our guys saw the field and were trying to make their way back to get help when they ran into the growers. There were two [suspected growers] laying back on a rock and when our guys saw them, there was a moment when everyone just froze," said Warren. "There was a guy in a tent that had an AK-47 and our guys have a gun on him.

"To me, that grower, he was on a suicide mission. He could have never believed he would live through that," the sheriff said.

Although federal agents have stepped up raids on sites across the country, arrests are tough to make because growers know the terrain like the backs of their hands.
When authorities surprise them by dropping into their camps, growers dart off to hiding places or through the thick woods, making foot chases difficult.

In July, a multi-agency sting in California's Fresno County -- the largest ever nationwide -- netted 420,000 plants, worth $1.6 billion, and the arrests of 100 people.

As many as 82 Mexican nationals were taken into custody and deported, the Fresno County state attorney's office told CNN. So far, the U.S. attorney's office has charged 16 people. If convicted, those without prior drug charges would face 10 years to life and a $4 million fine; those with drug records could get double that sentence.



But little intelligence is gleaned from growers. They don't want to talk, fearful of the consequences their families could face back in Mexico. It's still mostly a mystery how growers keep their camps going, how they transport their food, and where and how they move their finished product. It's also mostly unclear how they are managing to carry so much equipment -- piping, chemicals and basic living necessities -- into the deep woods. But it's clear they are causing expensive and irreversible damage to the ecosystem.



Growers often dam up natural waterways with PVC pipe to redirect water to their plants, or poison the land and animals with insecticides. Many poach for food. Tons of trash is found scattered on the sites.

In Sequoia National Park, $1 million has been spent since 2006 on marijuana plantation cleanup alone, and the damage done to Crystal Cave will be felt for years to come, said the park spokeswoman, Adrienne Freeman.

"We are continually discovering new species in that cave, and we are letting Mexican cartels threaten to wipe that out," she said.

A HYPOTHETICAL ANSWER TO A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION

Please note that the Counsel's answer to this question would have been entirely different had the Officer seen something in the hand of the person who gave the $20 to the "dealer." Had the officer seen a rock, white powder or a baggie corner, Counsel would have advised that the Officer had probable cause to make an arrest under those circumstances. In this situation, the Officer knew that the Church Street area is a high crime, high drug area. It is arguable that the Officer had articulable suspicion to believe that criminal activity was underway which would have justified a stop and frisk for weapons. However, here the Officer completely deprived both "persons" of their freedom by forcing them up again the wall. With respect to the one who ran, there is no doubt that he was under arrest by virtue of being physically forced into the wall during the initial confrontation. While articulable suspicious might rise to the level of probable cause by virtue of the exchange between the person and the Officer, here the initial restraint is the trigger point. At that point, probable cause did not exist to arrest the individual, and the subsequent flight can't "bootstrap" the initial arrest to the level of probable cause.

It is arguable that the second person, the one who stayed in place, was not initially in custody and therefore was not arrested. However, upon the Officer's return, there is no indication that the Officer sought consent or that any other justifiable exception to the warrant requirement existed. If "stupidity" were a crime, the second person was as guilty as guilty can be.

Unfortunately, this one is a loss for the Officer as to the suppression issue. However, the good thing is that the crack cocaine is off the street (unless the second person is stupid enough to go to the PD and request a return of his property, in which case he could be charged with Possession of Cocaine and the crack would still be off the street), and the dealer lost his $20. Maybe both will think a second time before standing on the Church Street Corner buying and selling.

And obviously, the best thing is that no one was hurt in this confrontation.

By comment, please advise whether you think Counsel's hypotheticals are helpful to the readers. If so, Counsel will continue to post. If they're a waste of time . . . Counsel may continue to post anyway . . .

Every Baltimore patrol officer to get a BlackBerry

09/05/2009
Every Baltimore patrol officer to get a BlackBerry
By Justin FentonBaltimore Sun

Baltimore Police Sgt. Shawn Edwards displays a Blackberry Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009, in Baltimore. According to city officials, Baltimore's police department will become one of the first agencies in the nation to issue every patrol officer a Blackberry, also known as "Pocket Cops," that allow for instant warrant checks. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Related Articles:Shortcuts for your Blackberry PDAP1 Tech Help: Precis of Pocket PCs and PDAs Got P25? Great, but don’t forget your phoneStay ChargedPolice using cell phones' silent data to nab criminals Cell phone as surveillance: Technology bytes into crime

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BALTIMORE —
The Baltimore Police Department plans to equip more than 2,000 officers with sophisticated smart phones allowing them to check warrants, retrieve driver's license photos and conduct background checks on hand-held devices, an initiative designed to get police out of patrol cars and walking the beat.

The city Board of Estimates approved on Tuesday spending $3.5 million in federal stimulus money on the new technology, expected to be in place by the end of the year. City Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III called it the most extensive program of its kind in the country.

In the next few months, nearly all of the department's patrol officers will receive BlackBerrys equipped with an application called PocketCop, which allows for rapid access to critical databases.

The phones' built-in GPS function will also let the department track movements and deployment patterns of police, a feature that is making some officers wary.

Bealefeld said that the previous generation of technological advances "made the vehicle a mobile office, except now [officers] don't leave the office." The smart phones "will help break that tether," he said, allowing police to carry vital information "right on their belt."

Smart-phone technology tailored for police is gaining popularity, with law enforcement agencies from Soldotna, Alaska - which won an award this year for its effort - to the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office putting it to use. But city officials believe the Baltimore initiative appears to be the most far-reaching of its kind.

Bealefeld said the program will be "cost effective," but it is unclear how the cash-strapped department will pay for the phones beyond next year. The stimulus money is a one-time infusion, and the initiative will significantly expand the number of officers with department-issued phones.

Bealefeld acknowledged that many officers will likely use the phones for personal calls and to send text messages, though he said the department would seek to limit such uses. The city will also have to hire a technical specialist to oversee the rollout.
The program has been a top priority for Bealefeld, who grew up listening to stories from his grandfather, an officer who patrolled on foot for 25 years around Greenmount Avenue, and he has often emphasized a desire to increase interaction between residents and officers, who often complain that they are already stretched too thin to handle the incessant stream of 911 calls.
The Police Department gave out 80 software-loaded phones in the Western District for a three-month trial earlier this year and said those officers appeared to be more productive, making more arrests and serving more outstanding warrants.

Lt. Ian Dombroski and Sgt. Shawn Edwards, detectives assigned to the department's Violent Crimes Impact Division, said they've been using the phones since last year. By using the phones, they said, police questioning a suspect can instantly pull a photograph from the Motor Vehicle Administration, calling his bluff if he gives a fake name. "In the past, we'd get a description from the dispatcher, and you might never know if the person you're dealing with was a criminal or a regular citizen," Dombroski said.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the new phones could be the ability to track officers. Robert F. Cherry, the president of the city police union, said on at least one occasion during the trial, commanders pulled up GPS data from the officers' phones after a shooting to determine where they were in the moments before the shots were fired.
"They said the officers weren't in the area, but does that mean they weren't doing their jobs?" said Cherry, who also questioned whether the devices would deliver the benefits Bealefeld believes they will.

"The PocketCop has the potential to be a good tool, but it's not going to get an officer out of the car," Cherry said. "They'll get out of the car because they're well paid and have the support of the police commissioner and the mayor."

The GPS records could also become a target for defense attorneys, who have increasingly used technological advances like surveillance cameras to scrutinize officers' accounts.
Bealefeld said he's excited about the GPS tracking capability, because it should give the department the most precise tool to date for studying the effectiveness of deployment patterns. In fact, during the Western District trial, the GPS devices were set to refresh their location so often that it drained the battery life, leading the department to upgrade to a stronger, 10-hour battery.

He also noted that the location of an officer who calls for a Signal 13, or an officer in distress, can also be quickly pinpointed.

"Officers who aren't where they're supposed to be - that is, on their post doing their job - they ought to be worried about it, because we'll hold them accountable," Bealefeld said. "But I think 99.9 percent of the good men and women in this police department have no trepidation whatsoever about GPS and think it's a very good tool."

Edwards, the violent-crimes detective, said he has figured out how to save pictures of suspects or known gang members and create new files to include additional information about them. He can then send that file to colleagues so they have the same information.
Donny Moses, a Police Department spokesman, said purchasing phones, installing the application and training officers should be completed around the holiday season.
Some officers took to the department's official Facebook page to criticize the initiative.
"The officers do not have enough workin [sic] batteries for their radios, they do not have enough cars to go out on patrol, manpower is at it's lowest. ... so hey! let's buy blackberries!!! what is wrong with this picture????" one wrote.

Bealefeld said he expects some bumps in the implementation of the PocketCop program, from older officers unfamiliar with the technology to younger officers using them as toys.
The commissioner said the new phones are a better value than the $7,800 hand-me-down laptop computers they could eventually replace. He also points to the broader advantage of getting city officers onto the cutting edge of police technology, which he thinks will expand over the next five to 10 years to include facial recognition software and fingerprinting on mobile devices.

"I think this [program] puts us ahead of what anyone else in the country is doing on this issue," Bealefeld said.

The Grinch on the Fritz...

Well, apparently, according to Sbynews.com the Grinch has been charged with some either criminal or civil crap and has shut his website down. We attempted to check the website out but we got a message that it was only accessible to invited guest.. which I guess the WicBury Crapper is not.

In any event, looks like the proverbial shoe is again on the other foot (Joe Albero) as he is now happy that Johnathan Taylor is embroiled in some type of legal battle because of either his blogging or some other type of actions which he did. Seems like just last week Johnathan Taylor was posting pictures of Joe walking out of the jail for an arrest so we guess turn about is fair play.

But there does not seem to be any arrests on record for Taylor at this point... Anyways... who cares, we are all crappy blogs.. none of us are "MSM" come on. Who the hell is MSM anyway? Who came up with this term?? We are crappy blogs. Seriously. We are crappy.

But there is a difference between a blog operator or owner (or board of 7 as is our case) posting stuff articles and allowing people to comment on those articles over that of posting random crazy crap of people that resemble dookie with a camera and a head. Come on. WTF?! In general, public officials are fair game (any public official).

Oh and to the poor bastards getting still accused of being "the crapper", tough crap. We are sorry for your issues but we are not accusing you of crap. We are just trying to run a productive blogsite that is law enforcement based. So, suck it up and quit whining.

So we leave you with this thought...

"It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming. ~John Steinbeck"

Dirtbag arrested.

The dirtbag turned himself in to authorities. Unfortunate for rapid criminal justice trial tax avoidance.

Strides being made?

Are improvements and/or strides being made at your local department? We have been receiving word through the proverbial grapevine that improvements in treatment of officers and personnel have been occurring at several departments. Some patrol personnel are getting some new toys at various agencies and some departments have cut back on messing with personnel and have increased opportunities. Are more shotguns, tasers, and/or rifles being issued? Is your department's administration paying better attention to concerns by peons? Do you feel better about how you are being treated? Are there any steps being made in your department for peon success?

What do you think?

Furloughs Coming...Just in time for the Holidays!!

In a story posted on September 2, 2009 it seems that furloughs are coming to Wicomico County. Areas have already been hit with furloughs, some seriously. In a quote by the Daily Slime Wicomico County Executive Rick Pilot stated, "The first goal is to try to save jobs and lessen the impact to who's left," Pollitt said."

You can read about the story here http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20090902/NEWS01/909020398/1002/NEWS17/-No-way-around--Wicomico-furloughs--cuts

Pollitt, who last week broached the possibility of layoffs, said of them that "everything is on the table." For one, Pollitt is concerned what effect further cuts he said he expects Maryland to make to county aid will have on the budget.

"Nothing is ruled out. As always, our highest priorities are public safety and education. Each department is going to be reviewed," Pollitt said....However, employees who are classified as "24/7 employees" can't take unpaid leave without it threatening public safety, Petersen said. For this reason, they will simply be forced to take a pay cut. But their loss in salary will be less than those taking furlough days since the 24/7 employees aren't being compensated with time off.

Maryland v. Kenneth Alvira - Murderer Convicted

Sentencing was held this morning in the case of State of Maryland v. Kenneth Alvira. Judge W. Newton Jackson imposed the following sentences:

1. First Degree Murder - Life Without Parole

2. Armed Carjacking - 30 Years Consecutive to Life Without Parole

3. Grand Theft - 15 Years DOC concurrent to the 30 Years consecutive to Life Without Parole.

Alvira is 16 years of age. Anitra's family was both pleased and relieved that the first case has been concluded.

Brittany Barkley's trial starts on September 28th, and sentencing for Brianna Brinkley's First Degree Murder Conviction is scheduled for October 23rd.

The WicBury Crapper would like to thank WBI and MSP Homicide for working together and who did a tremendous job in this case, as well as the Wicomico State's Attorney's Office and Davis Ruark for prosecuting this case. A special honor goes to lead investigator is TFC. Sabrina Metzger of WBI/MSP.

Peices of Shit

This shithead (right) is considered armed and dangerous, he has the word "Chris" tattooed on the right side of his shit holder (neck).

Above we have two pieces of shit that should be drug behind a wild pack of boar and then pooped on as shown. Shown left is the one that got caught Derrick Powell (a.k.a. shithead). Right is the one still on the loose Christopher Reeves (a.k.a. soon to be hopefully 6 foot under). The marks on Powell were reportedly because of Powell resisting arrest once located when he was to be taken into custody. A report advised that the police were "looking into" the marks he sustained during his arrest. Poop on that. He looks remarkably healthy from our point of view.

Chad Spicer Trust Fund for Daughter

"Officer Spicer lost his life doing his job of protecting the citizens of my state and I am proud of him, he is a hero. He left behind a 3 year old daughter and there has been a trust in her name that I am hoping some angels here can donate to.

One of the suspects is still on the run, so also, if anyone knows the whereabouts of Christopher Reeves, please contact the Delaware State Police.Here is a link to the news article:"

http://www.wboc.com/global/story.asp?s=11030309

And here is the Trust information for Aubrey Spicer, daughter of Chad Spicer:

Aubrey Spicer Trust, c/o Norman E. Spicer

Wilmington Trust Bank

139 S. State St.

Dover DE 19901

or any Wilmington Trust Bank.

www.wboc.com/global/story.asp?s=11030309

News Sells...

The Daily Times prostitutes itself again.

To the left you see our mascot "Hop-a-long Poopy" makes good use of the daily times at WicBury Crapper HQ.

We all know the extra ordinary loss of our fallen brother Chad Spicer and the impact it has had on the entire shore law enforcement community as well as the residents of the area. It is touching to see a community come together in order to mourn the loss of this hero with a badge.

However, lets all bear in mind that even though the story should get top and front page billing. The Daily Times is selling newspapers plain and simple. It's interesting how the Daily Slime publishes a plethora of negative articles about law enforcement officers whenever it can and "scandals" occurring with the Salisbury City Police Chief and a city council woman. But, isn't it also interesting how now they give front page billing to a fallen hero of police work.


Do you think this is because they all of a sudden care about police officers and those around them? Or how dangerous a police officer's job is? No.


It's to sell more newspapers. Again, while we of course mourn the loss of a brother in blue it's a shame that the Daily Slime uses whatever tactics it can to sell newspapers at the cost of our law enforcement officers that put their lives on the line every day.

Lets now move on to several comments posted by persons to the daily times articles to the effect that if a "regular" person was killed the police would not dedicate such an effort to finding the murder. You jackass, every person murdered deserves a proper and complete investigation to catch the murders. However, a law enforcement officer is societies outward arm of protection from itself. The badge is a symbol of society's trust and power in that individual to protect society from criminals. When the badge is assaulted or murdered, it is an assault against society itself and it's ability to provide protection from the criminal element.

So, kiss our asses you shitbirds. We poop on you.

Increasing crime on the shore...

The shore has over the past several years seen an increase in serious crimes. Although, different politicians may have you believe that "crime is on the decrease", the severity of crime is no doubt on the increase, exponentially.

One theory behind this is that crime has to do with several factors including predominately environmental. It is likened to the have vs. the have nots. In one remote sense, it is like personnel that are on the golden list and do not get advantages that some others yet. The personnel may want badly the finer things but it is denied to them so they feel disenfranchised.

In a similar sense, the poor feel disenfranchised of the middle class and the upper class and get pissed off. Really pissed off. The upper class actually is foreign to them which is why you rarely will see a person from the lower classes of society at the, for instance, opera. The environment is totally alien to them where as middle class is just across the proverbial river and much more accessible. They rub elbows with the middle class in normal situations in public therefore, psychologically they can build the bridge.

With a worsening economic outlook daily people become more desperate by the minute. As they see their house foreclosed on and their car repossessed even the middle class of society start to rob banks. This is not an excuse but crime is definitely on the rapid increase.

So, what do we do about it? One thing society does not want to do is cut policing services. Currently all government, including policing agencies nationwide, are taking budget cuts. But at what cost? In paramount a persons immediate safety is at the second to lowest level of Maslows hierarchy of needs. Cutting funding to non-essential programs and excessive waste of government spending is paramount while cutting funding to public safety is an indication of serious times ahead.

What do you think?

Police Officer Dies In Line of Duty - Georgetown, DE.

Georgetown, Del. - Delaware State Police confirm Georgetown patrolman Chad Spicer is dead after being shot Tuesday night.

Police also confirm another Georgetown police officer, Shawn Brittingham, was also shot. According to police, two men are in custody and one suspect remains at large.

Police also say the shooting happened at a traffic stop off Kimmey Street, after officers responded to a car leaving the scene of a shooting at a McDonald's. One of the suspects is reported to be Christopher Reeves, with a last known address in Ellendale, according to police.

Chad Spicer, whom lost his life today in the line of duty while protecting the community, we honor you with the golden shield of Maryland Fallen Police Officers. Shawn Brittingham, we honor you in risking your life in the line of duty in order to protect the community.

We respectfully request an minute of personal silence and reflection and radio silence occur with all law enforcement personnel, in all departments on 9/02/09 at 1200 hours to honor our fallen brother. God an peace be with you brother.

Out of respect for our fallen brother, we will not be posting any new items on 09/02/09 for the duration of the day unless it directly affects this incident or an officer safety issue. Comments on existing posts will be permitted.

New Legaleze...

You will notice that we have published new legalize to the website to bolster the legalize under the graphic at the top as well as on the comments section. This legalize is plainly what is required to operate safely. We at the "Crapper" will not track IP addresses of persons who are commenting nor do are we trying to figure out who's posting what comments. It is however legalize that we are posting in order to protect our readers, commenters, you and us. Other then that, nothing has changed in our posting or reading of this blog! :)

Thanks for understanding.

-The WicBury Crapper

WTF?!?!?!?!!! Makes you want to run out and buy one!

ANOTHER HYPOTHETICAL

You are the only officer walking down Church Street. You turn a corner and see what you believe is a drug deal, specifically a person hand an item you can't see to another and who receives a $20 bill in exchange. Immediately you order them up against the wall and start to conduct a search of both. One turns his head, but is forced back to the wall. He then turns the other way and bolts down the street. The officer calls backup, but no one is available. He tells the one who stays against the wall to stay there, and the officer chases down the one who bolted, placing him in handcuffs and drags him back. Amazingly, upon returning to the location where it started, the one who was ordered to stay at that location is still there, and even more amazingly, upon searching him, suspected crack cocaine is found. A $20 bill is located on the one who was chased down. Are the searches legal? With what offenses could each defendant be charged?

Fla. cops use cash to trick suspects, arrest 76 people

By Joel Marino Sun-Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Convinced they were picking up money being given away by a government agency, 76 people were instead picked up by police when they arrived to collect their prize.

There was no cash and no agency: It was all an elaborate setup by Fort Lauderdale police to arrest suspects wanted on various warrants.

"These are individuals who were running away from the law, but they came to us freely," said Sgt. Frank Sousa, a police spokesman. "They were coming for one reason only: money."
Dubbed "Operation Show Me the Money," the undercover sting took place Wednesday and Thursday at the War Memorial Auditorium.

The arrests ranged from the petty (more than 10 people wanted for failure to provide child support) to more serious offenses (Benjamin Battle, 29, arrested on a charge of attempted second-degree murder). All the suspects were Fort Lauderdale residents.
"We're always looking for creative ways to reduce crime, and this is one of the most creative operations I've seen," Sousa said.

Using a bogus agency called the South Florida Stimulus Coalition, police sent out letters promising recipients hundreds of dollars in stimulus money. All the suspects had to do was call a number and set up an appointment to meet at the auditorium's lobby.

Officials would not say how many letters were sent out. More than 100 people made appointments and 82 showed up, though only the 76 were arrested, Sousa said.
The ones who did make it to the auditorium were met with a very convincing set. Large banners bearing the fake agency's name flanked the walls while American flags and balloons were sprinkled around the lobby. A table held fliers and business cards complete with an agency slogan: "Helping jump-start the economy."

Undercover officers then verified their identities and made sure the warrants under their names were still standing before taking them into custody, Sousa said.

Though most of the suspects showed up at their appointed times, one man who identified himself only as Rob walked in shortly after a news conference held to announce the sting.
"I'm surprised they did this, and really, I feel humiliated," said Rob, 21. He wasn't arrested because the warrant against him had been dropped, he said.

"I knew it was something shady, but I've got kids to feed, I needed the money," he said. He'd been promised $653, according to the coalition's letter.

Staff Researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

Cop Awards for September, 2009!

We are now taking nominations for TOP COP award for September, 2009.

We are changing up our award procedures...

Please include the name of a top cop that you wish to support along with why you feel they are the best for the award, cite specific situations or interactions, or general good crap, for September, '09! We will be reviewing each submission, drawing on personal experiences with the nominated people, researching case histories, and drawing from other information in order for the board to make the determination. You may either submit your pics for favorite cop by posting online or e-mailing us at wicburycrapper@gmail.com.

Negative crap won't be published. Don't waste both our times by submitting e-crap to us, craphead.

Please have all entries in by Sept. 15, 2009.

Md. delegate pays police $300 for proposal stunt

We, at the crapper, would like to indicate that this politician takes responsibility for his actions publicly and defends the police officers involved who, we are sure, did the following as a favor to a friend. We applaud him for his forthright attitude and honesty.

By Brian Witte Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland lawmaker reimbursed the city of Baltimore $300 Thursday for a marriage proposal stunt that involved police, writing on his Web site he hopes officers won't be blamed.

On Aug. 7, police boarded a boat Delegate Jon Cardin and his fiancee were on with friends in the Inner Harbor and pretended to search for contraband until Cardin popped the question. A police helicopter flew overhead. In an earlier posting, Cardin said he and his best friend dreamed up the scenario.

"I take full responsibility for initiating this incident," wrote the Baltimore County Democrat. He also wrote that he has made a separate contribution to the city's 121-year-old mounted police unit, whose existence has been threatened by budget woes.

Cardin said he "should have been sensitive enough to realize that these are extraordinarily difficult times in Baltimore, both financially and from a public safety perspective."
"In that context, I realize how inappropriate my request was," Cardin wrote.

He also apologized to his intended, Megan Homer, of Rockville, who did accept his proposal.

"Finally, I hope that my fiancee will be able to forgive the fact that I brought this unexpected and undesired public attention to what should have been a special moment in our lives," Cardin wrote.

The episode has embarrassed Cardin, who has posted three successive statements on his site after the proposal grabbed headlines.

Cardin has been criticized for everything from bad taste to the misuse of resources in a city hit hard by violent crime, especially near the Inner Harbor shopping and entertainment district, where recent beatings and shootings have scared tourists and residents alike.
Police are conducting an internal investigation.

"I certainly hope that the blame for this is placed on me, and none of it is given to any of the brave officers of the Baltimore City Police Department," Cardin wrote.

Anthony Guglielmi, a police spokesman, confirmed that Cardin's check had been received. The department decided on the figure, based on the hourly rate paid to the officers in the stunt, which lasted about 13 minutes. Fuel for the helicopter also was included, Guglielmi said.
Guglielmi noted the helicopter already was patrolling the harbor area.

"It's not like he was just caught up in this incident," Guglielmi said.

Gigi Wirtz, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Community Foundation that accepts donations on behalf of the mounted police unit, confirmed Cardin gave some money, but she declined to say how much.