Suits And Badges

Western Rifle Shooters Association ^ | May 30, 2011 | Concerned American

[Travis McGee]

Anyone who has ever worked with cops understands not only their tribal nature, but where they actually fall in the hierarchy of government power.

It isn’t where you think.

Government power, contrary to popular and media belief, lies not with the badges, but with the elected and appointed suits to whom law enforcement officers report and from whom their agencies receive budgetary allocations.

Even in those relatively rare situations (e.g., county sheriffs) where there is direct election of the chief law enforcement officer in a jurisdiction, that agency still receives its funding via other organs of state power (e.g., the state legislature, the county legislature, Federal law enforcement and highway safety grants, etc.).

So as you review recent events and feel justifiable outrage at the conduct of uniformed officers, never forget the following:

Police officers always act in precisely and exactly the manner that they are permitted to act by the suits, be they in the management of their agency, its chain of command leading to the highest elected executive branch official in that jurisdiction, in the legislative branches that fund that agency, or any combination thereof.

I say again:

Police officers always act in precisely and exactly the manner that they are permitted to act by the suits, be they in the management of their agency, its chain of command leading to the highest elected executive branch official in that jurisdiction, in the legislative branches that fund that agency, or any combination thereof.

To use an example, how long do you think Officer Gilhooley will stay in his current traffic patrol assignment after he writes a sheaf of tickets against the local mayor’s wife, especially after she identifies herself as such?

If you guessed “not very effing long”, you advance to the next round.

So as you root through David’s “Only Ones” files or Balko’s paramilitary police raids, just remember that in every case, the badges are doing exactly what the legislative and executive suits permit and fund.

Once more, for emphasis:

The badges are doing exactly what the legislative and executive suits permit and fund.

The beatdowns, tazings, and grotesque murders happen because the suits want them to happen.

Understand that.

And the suits know that even if someone in the unwashed classes decides to push back, they’ll be stupid enough to push back against the guys with the guns, the body armor, and the nightsticks – in other words, the team that is actually trained and equipped to dispense deadly force.

Won’t they?

[stockpirate]

In early Germany thr police sided with the NAZI’s and did a lot of their dirty work. Some were promoted to top positions within the Riech.

No the police will not be on our side, it in fact will be just the opposite.

[archy]

Didn’t work out well for Senator Randolph.

Nor for Seattle U.S, Attorney Tom Wales.

[B4Ranch]

>>What effect will our debt regime in every level of government eventually have on civil rights policies?<<

Tell me if NSA’s budget gets trimmed. LOL That’s funny just thinking about it.

[archy]

Interesting commentary about the loyalty of the police during the upcoming unpleasantness.

It's also my bet that as the economy continues to crumble and othther social pressures worsen, there'll be a doubling, tripling, quadrupling increase in the numbers of private armed security personnel, ranging from licensed corporate security guards and bodyguards to mercenary security contractors in company and battalion-level strength.

Cross one of the folks in one such outfit, and you'll get to deal with them all. The choice of some police departments may be one to either let a couple of their lower level officers be strung up from a utility pole, or have the entire ball commence, to include multiple platoons of experienced and well-equipped combat veterans against squad-sized SWAT teams used to shooting unarmed folks in the wrong apartment or suspects already in handcuffs, along with being targeted day and night, in their stations, in their homes with their families and in between.

Two or there dead, or dozens. You figure out how long it'll take. Then, after that: cops get handguns only; anyone with a long weapon gets shot on sight, along with the mayor, the chief and a couple of city/county council members.

Why do you think SWAT cops like military-style uniforms and equipment so much? Having dishonered their own police uniforms and badges, they're hoping for undeserved respect and admiration from a public who increasingly see military or paramilitary forces as a more successful community protector than the corrupt and politicized bully cops who've failed us over the last few decades- and are getting worse.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” No rising tyranny has ever tried to suppress a nation where ten of millions of citizens own scoped deer rifles. It could get sporty. “

Sporty indeed ;-)

[familyop]

And a ping to george76 with the following (links regarding CO rancher case).

"Tell me if NSA’s budget gets trimmed. LOL That’s funny just thinking about it."

Well, if it comes to a choice for keeping funding for Security as high as it's been or continuing to pay those multitudes of pretty, political employees in social program offices,... I reckon the Government will try to keep Hillary's girls as happy and make-work busy as it can. The situation could end up like the following and probably will, eventually.

This may seem a little off of what we were talking about, but you might be interested, nonetheless.

First, a little background information from someone who was relatively impartial.
Regarding Vern Wagner's Cattle

From what I saw, the very few head that died were Holsteins from a contract with a third party in much lower country--not the Angus and Black Whiteface usually seen, which are better for high, cold country. Now there's another lessee rancher of Latin descent in the area and obviously much poorer cattle than Vern's (said yearlings look like overly skinny feeders on arrival, probably from the plains and probably will fatten up some while grazing in the area).

Here are a couple of videos: one a video of an interview with Vern, and the other, a little entertainment.

Interview with Rancher Vern Wagner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voMYC3TSTzg

Wes McKinley and Vern Wagner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqOQ_tvzb_0

The rest are news articles.

Judge denies motion to stay seizure of Vern Wagner cattle

Temporary restraining order granted against Vern Wagner

Hartsel-area rancher Vern Wagner's 2009 contempt order reversed

Hartsel-area rancher Vern Wagner's 2009 contempt order reversed

Vern Wagner's cattle being seized on May 14

Two styles of beef production: Is one criminal in Colorado?

Thanks, Vern Wagner

Court to determine if Wagner is fit owner

Contempt charges dropped against Vern Wagner

Hartsel-area rancher files Chapter 12 bankruptcy for company

Agreement reached before Nov. 23 Wagner contempt hearing

Wagner will keep most cows, at least for now

Wagner will keep most cows

Thanks from Wagners

Not for Judge Groome

Wagner advised of rights in contempt charge

Disagrees with judge

Fairplay Flume | What pictures say

The Flume's 2010 year in review

Questions linger in Wagner case

Wagner again jailed on contempt charges

Doubts on accusations versus rancher

Hartsel-area rancher being investigated for animal neglect

County cattle grazing

And BTW, Vern and his son have been rodeo champions.

[little jeremiah]

The Sheriff alone makes me not want to move. There is very little money in this county and OR is a leftist cess pit but rural areas are much more conservative. It’s like CA - there are two states, the rural state and the city parts.

[yarddog]

I too, like many others have noticed the militarization of the police. The SWAT teams sort of make me think of South or Central American countries where the police and the military are often the same thing.

I think a tiny bit of it is actual need. For instance when I was fairly young, the police went up against some of the domestic terrorist groups like the SLA, Weathermen Black Panthers etc.

The reason they now all dress like ninja warriors may have more to do with the success of various military elite outfits which have rescued hostages such as Entebbe, one in Germany which I forget the details, The British SAS in London and so on.

These guys turned out to be really good at their job and everyone admired them. Naturally if you are chosen to be part of a “special” group in a police dept. you want to look just like those guys.

The one thing which bothers me about groups like the FBI hostage rescue teams is they do little hostage rescuing and a lot more killing people or groups which the government does not like.

I will have to admit if I was young again and had the chance, it would be fun to have an MP-5, Custom .45s (which someone else pays for), AR-15 etc. and dress up like an SAS man and wear bullet resistant armor etc.

The difference is I just could not knock down the doors of citizens homes based on what is often weak evidence and start shooting anyone who quite reasonably tries to arm them self against people breaking into their home.

[familyop]

Another video of one of the last of the good cowboys and horse traders. He’s an honest man, FRiends. From business connections, documents of lawsuits, and the like, some guesses say that his foes are possibly a group of small corporations with names associated with artistic pursuits, one individual in a major city with a Greek name and a number of new ranchers from the ranks of officers of corporations, lawyers, and maybe even a movie star or two. The public officials involved sometimes do as more influential constituents demand.

vern wagner horses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd4vrFOVmOU

[familyop]

There might be a mention of the rancher’s name in the courthouse scene of this one, if you listen close enough.

Fairplay, Colorado
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmtc9pz7f88

[familyop]

He’s about 78, IIRC.

[B4Ranch]

The Colorado, Department of Agriculture has accomplished their goal as far as Vern Wagner is concerned. He’s flat ass broke and can’t fight worth a hoot anymore. Another family rancher down and almost out.

Whomever determined that Stephen Groome was qualified as a Judge sure hasn’t seen daylight in a long time.

[Dead Corpse]

The team that is actually trained and equipped to dispense deadly force - ex-military and hunters, the guys with well-used guns that go through body armor from several hundred yards - have not yet begun to organize and push back.

There's "organized" and then there's "organized".

http://alarmandmuster.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general

http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/

http://oathkeepers.net/

We're working on it...

[familyop]

Thank you very much for the reply, B4Ranch. As for the judges, there was recently a vote on retention (retention approved). Most of the residents probably carrying the vote are majority numbers of pensioned retirees on small lots in surrounding developments and those with second houses. Believe it or not, they’re mostly Republicans.

They like to be taken care of. They also prefer “open space” (cattle also excluded), wild animal worship, lots of social services, other services, safety for the trees, and the like. As for neighbors, they don’t like neighbors at all except for other regulating busybody types. They don’t like property rights, either, and the area has municipal style policies (including the Agenda 21 kind of land use regulations).

And that’s a big part of why I’m unaffiliated as of recent and cheering for a big default. That, and I didn’t leave one of the most corrupt cities in the East behind long ago to see anything other than peace, quiet and old fashioned policies on property rights.

Hartsel fire chief admitted to $17,000 in cash advances
http://theflume.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5512

Records sealed on Hutcheson case
http://www.theflume.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=7591&TM=5382

Hartsel chief ready to sacrifice new station for legal battle
http://theflume.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5512

And much in between.

[Fire Dept. “Impact fee:” nearly $800 before getting a new building permit.]

[B4Ranch]

Put a badge on some people and they go crazy. I doubt if the fire chief appreciates the flume.com website. LOL

[george76]

A liberal politician , who loves open space as defined by himself , recently told me that cemeteries are a terrible waste of open space. I did not—yet—ask him which national cemeteries he was going to publically lobby to be dug up.

He loves bike trails ( mechanized is ok with him but not motors ) but hates old historical dirt ranch and jeep roads...unless they go to his camping areas.

He drives a large suburban but wants everyone else to ride buses / trains so that the roads are empty for himself—alone—in his suburban.

[Chode]

i've said it before... the LEO's damn well better wake up and smell the coffee and decide which side they are on NOW, before the sh!t hits the fan, or believe you me, when it does, they will be left on their own to fend for themselves while those they abused in the preamble are all laughing at them whilst not lifting a finger to help them out while they get their azzes kicked, or worse...

do they want us on their side or do they just plan on fending for themselves and the public be damed???

[CodeToad]

Here in Colorado we have foothill areas the liberals infested. Once enough liberals moved in they all started proclaiming “Growth Control! Growth Control!” to keep everyone else out.

Liberals are the most hate-filled and selfish children ever.

[DTogo]

...do they want us on their side or do they just plan on fending for themselves and the public be damned???

Depending on where many LEOs live, they may have to defend their own households for survival, and the public could be on its own anyway.

Which would remove any pretenses between looting hordes and prepared Patriots.

[DuncanWaring]

I had plum forgot about him.