Ms Hess at it again...

[littlemom]

TexCan you wrote that Cops will ask ya if they need to know, otherwise it's their call of the law. I've worked in a law office and the law is the law not someones's interpretation of it. Most of the police officers here are not college educated and usually the power of the badge, gun and uniform goes to their head. I understand if necessary to search when BOOKING but not 4 hours after your there and by a jailer not a officer. I have a clean past and no record and so did everyone that evening. We had too many people to witness what went down and ask for a jury trial to let people know. That is why everything was dropped and or thrown out.

[TexKan]

My intention was not to offend you lil Mom............. it's just that when things are heated and an officer is doing what he gets paid to do........ investigate a complaint.......... it is interferring when the complaintant or the perp has already decided what the right thing is. The law is the law but it is the officers job to determine what the story actually is based on what he asks of those involved and what he hears. When he has heard your story enough and you aren't willing to "take your turn"........ then that my friend is interferring. If you know how many officers are hurt answering domestic calls you would understand. I believe your call was a domestic if it's the same story. Wasn't there a daughter involved?.......... perhaps not the same story. But the point is that unless you are the officer investigating the complaint it's always best to just wait till they ask you what's goin on.

We didn't search inmates prior to booking. Some that were gonna bond out anyhow just sat in the cell till it was thier turn to get dressed out or get booked. I have seen that take hours. The searches were done by the arresting officer. Course that's at county level. They could have sat in city for up to 3 or 4 days before getting to us at county.

I just find it strange that you have the view you do of officers that run TO danger when you are running from it.............. think about it......... not one bad officer makes the force a bad one................. just a humble thought...

[littlemom]

TexCan you didn't offend me but two people would not have went to jail that night if the officer wearing leather gloves and being overly forcefull would have listened to by standers. As far as the search there was no reason for one and it was a jailer having fun feeling two women out. I purchased a gun a long time ago and this farm girl can shoot. I will not call the police to ask for help. I called in about a CD player being stolen from my car and the officer that showed up had such a big chew in he couldn't hardly speak. I guess my main point was we need better guidelines and better qualifications for them to become a officer. I also know of a situation where a officer is lying about how many times he tasered a person. (Pictures don't lie.) I wouldn't want to be a police officer. (low pay high risk) To be a jailer you only need to be a high school graduate without a record.

[TexKan]

With that in mind............. did ya get anyone to take the case?

Over tasering???? Pictures of the officer actually triggering the gun? I say if the perp is on crack, and won't sit down or lie down...... then tazer till he does. Just cause your stupid don't give ya the right to put my son in danger. Folks don't ususally get tazered unless they think they are exempt from the instructions given by the officer...........

[littlemom]

I'm thinking Leslie Hess. As far as the tasering incident it was two men fighting over their children. The older man was tasered 3 times and has a heart condition. When the investigation started the officer said he tasered him 1 time and now they are finding out that there are pictures that show the officer lied. I'm not saying and you may be thinking that I am saying all officers are bad. There are older ones that are good, they are not these young hot shots that feel bigger and badder than anyone else. I am saying that the quality of officers has gone way down.

[Bubba]

Dodge City cops have a history of being shady and lying...I know of an incident where a cop was caught trying to break into and/or plant something in somebodys vehicle at the cowtown club. People came out of the club and saw the officer and brought it to his attention he just can't get into somebodys vehicle without probable cause, especially if the owner isn't present. While the person was confronting the police officer about his wrongdoing his sister called 911 and asked that a supervisor be sent there to sort it out. Then all kinds of policemen showed up, yet NOBODY actually talked to the person that called 911. They took the word of the crooked cop and the citizen that stopped an injustice wound up with a ticket for obstruction which he took to court and then the Dodge City "good ole boy" network kicked in to protect the crooked cop and the citizen that actually stood up for the Constituion of the US against a cop was fined $500.

Well, what comes around goes around, since the cop in question recently was charged with domestic abuse or something to that effect and he is no longer a cop in DC. For that story I think it is also somewhere else on Dodgeboard.

[TexKan]

Oh I know there are bad cops....... there is bad in any profession. Around here the younger cops are usually more lenient. Older cops (most) are just waitin for retirement tryin not to get shot before they can retire. Most of them are on days. Younger cops are on evenings and nights. My son started on nights, went to evenings, and now is on days. Took him 5 years to get there. But he prefers evenings. My DIL prefers nights. She likes the scum that come out at night............ course she's more kick ass than my son. He's just kinda laid back.

I know there are crummy cops........ it's just sad that folks only can recall the crummy ones. That's life tho........ it's easier to remember a wrong than a right. If what you describe had happened to me - you bet I would remember it. From what I remember bout DC....... I would hire Hess as well. The story has always been if ya wanna win....... get Hess. Course with a reputation like that - ya gotta be a girl that's not scared and not afraid to play the games the big boys play.

I didn't think you were all negative about cops........ no one is ALL negative. I admit there are cops that shouldn't be on the force and the other cops usually know who they are - it takes citizens a little longer to "get the scoop". I wish you luck with your case and I wish you better interactions in the future. Actually I wish you NO interactions in the future........LOL

[Jolly Rancher]

Originally Posted by littlemom

I have had a run in with our local police department and I also got to experience our fine jail. I was arrested for Disorderly Conduct for trying to tell a officer what had taken place at a incident and the officer did not want to listen.

I was taken to jail and let sit for six hours before being released.

While there a JAILER came to the cell to do a search. I am a woman and a woman should have been present. This was 4 hours after I showed up there.

I was allowed a phone call but my friend was not until 8 hours later.

Just trying to get it right. How long were you there?

[Flying Dutchman]

Some misconceptions about jails, especially ours.......

Myth: You have a right to a phone call.
Fact: You have the right to CONSULT with an attorney prior to answering questions if you are detained. This is based on the Miranda rights. People confuse consult with phone calls. We used to provide paper, pen, envelopes and two stamps a week which legally covers that right. You do not have a right to not answer questions pertaining to booking. You cannot be released until you are booked, and you cannot be booked without certain information. Tghis hardball tactic was rarely used unless the person being booked was uncooperative.

Myth: Females work with female inmates, males with males.
Fact: This violates anti-discrimination laws. It was always policy, though, to have females search females out of common sense. Detention officers, while not sworn law enforcement, are the responsible and authority in a jail.

Myth: Jails are full of criminals.
Fact: A jail is a temporary holding facility for those who are either: awaiting trial, sentenced to the jail or awaiting transport to other facilities. Most inmates in a jail are there because they cannot afford the bail to get out. They are ACCUSED of a crime, which does not make them GUILTY of the crime. This is why jails are not held to the same standards as prisons. In Kansas there is no set standard for jails, each county can establish their own as long as it follows certain Federal guidelines, which are not much nor are they enforced.

[NoLongerInRadioGuy]

If you feel the quality of officers has gone down, what is the reason behind it? Could it be that our starting salary is not competitive enough to attract veteran, older officers from other departments? Is it because a certain ex-police chief caused such internal turmoil in the department that a lot of the "good" officers left?

I consider myself, and the guys on my shift, to be good officers. I have friends on other shifts that I have worked with that are also good officers. However, this is a profession where one bad apple spoils the bunch. Just because you had a bad run in with one officer doesnt mean another officer might have handled the situation in the same way. Remember...we have the unenviable positions sometimes to entire a very volatile situation, try to gather factual information from witnesses (and it is strange how 10 people see the problem and no one can relate the same story), and then take necessary action.

I am glad you feel comfortable enough to have a gun, and I pray you have been trained on how to shoot it. But remember...in order for you to use deadly force, deadly force must be presented to you. We have to live by the same rules. And it doesnt matter if you think you are a good shot - I know officers that have shot 1000's of rounds through their Glocks, but when the situation arises with adrenalin, tunnel vision, and the threat itself, it is a whole new ball game.

A comment on the person who got tazed...if the situation escalates to the point where someone needs tazed, we wont take the time to ask if he has any medical conditions that we need to know about before doing so. If he does have a heart condition that is so serious, then he shouldnt be acting the way he is that would prompt an officer to use physical force.

I could go on and on, but, I should get to bed instead. I have court in 7 hours - where I DONT lie....

Bottom line...anywhere you go, there are good and bad people. Life is just like that. But you can be sure I do not know of any cops on our force that plant evidence, use force unnecessarily, or intentionally go into situations looking to treat someone unfairly. If you encounter one, I suggest you go to the Chief or any other Admin with the PD and request the incident be looked into. If we do have bad cops, us good ones would rather have them pointed out and dealt with than have to work side by side with them.