Free Republic

AURORA, Colo. – Police have a “person of interest” in custody in connection with the robbery of the Wells Fargo back at 15301 E. Hampden Avenue Saturday afternoon. Immediately following the robbery, police closed the intersection of Iliff and Buckley after reports the suspect might have taken hostages. According to our crew on the scene, police stopped and searched nearly two dozen cars. The adult occupants of the vehicles were handcuffed during the investigation.

Investigators discovered FDOT was covering speed limit signs with plastic bags -- an apparent violation of federal guidelines that suggest speed limit signs be posted after every major intersection. Drivers pulling onto SR-60 westbound at SR-39 go nearly three miles without seeing a posted speed limit. Similarly, there are no signs posted for miles for drivers pulling onto SR-60 eastbound at Turkey Creek Rd. FHP wrote over 200 citations in the area from Nov. 25 to Dec. 22, but claims it is being lenient in enforcement. It wrote 225 warnings over the same time period.

A Pennsylvania teen who stored intimate photos of herself on her cell phone — but never e-mailed or shared them with anyone other than her longtime boyfriend — settled her federal privacy case against high school officials who had seized the phone without a warrant and turned it over to prosecutors. Still unsettled, however, is the question of how far educators can go when it comes to fulfilling their obligation to keep sexually explicit images, audio and text from reaching the eyes and ears of minors while on school grounds. "I hope this settlement will lead school officials in the...

Rene Lozano Jr. once lost control of his patrol car while chasing a traffic violator. The vehicle slammed into a utility pole, fatally injuring a rookie officer riding with him. A bullet narrowly missed another officer's head when Lozano's pistol accidentally discharged. He was the passenger in a stolen Mercedes-Benz driven by a friend. The bolt cutters used to steal the car were stashed under the seat. And he once was fired for making false statements about his arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated, a case that ultimately was dismissed because the arresting officer was unable to testify. That...

It's no secret that HCC and its police department are going through some tough times. Well, throw another log on the fire. Two HCC employees have filed a lawsuit against the college claiming that officials authorized hidden cameras in a room used by female police officers to change in and out of their uniforms. "The hidden cameras' location reveal the intention behind their installation was not security," the federal lawsuit states, "but fit more in line with spying for spying's sake or designed to please the prurient interest" of those watching and listening to the videos. HCC security officer Alfreda...

I’ve commented repeatedly in the past about how DUI roadblocks (MADD prefers the less oppressive term "sobriety checkpoints") are inefficient at apprehending drunk drivers. See Do DUI Roadblocks Work?, Do DUI Roadblocks Work (Part II), As a means of apprehending drunk drivers, even law enforcement admits they are only effective as a deterrent — i.e., keeping people off the streets. See DUI Logic: Roadblocks Effective – Because They’re Inefective, Purpose of DUI Roadblocks: "Shock and Awe". So why are cops using more and more DUI roadblocks? Simple: They are goldmines. See DUI: Government’s Cash Cow, What if the Cash Cow...

Hundreds of cases could be dropped Prosecutors say they will throw out pending cases in which 2 police officers facing charges played a major role. By Gary L. Wright gwright@charlotteobserver.com Mecklenburg prosecutors say they'll dismiss a “substantial” number of criminal cases made by two police officers now facing drug conspiracy charges. District Attorney Peter Gilchrist said Friday he'll dismiss any pending cases in which Charlotte-Mecklenburg officers Jason Ross and Gerald Holas played a crucial role. Gilchrist might also agree with defense lawyers to set aside some convictions if it can be shown that the cases substantially hinged on the two...