Posted on 03/19/2009 3:33:00 AM PDT by Evil Slayer
The mystery over who ordered U.S. Army forces to patrol the streets of the south Alabama town where 11 people were killed in a shooting spree last week has been solved. WND confirmed troops from nearby Ft. Rucker provided limited assistance after a request from the police chief of Samson, Ala.
Multiple news agencies reported the Army was launching an investigation into why the troops were sent to the town, a possible violation of the law. The Associated Press reported uncertainty over who requested the assistance, noting it didn't come from Republican Gov. Bob Riley or the White House.
"Under the authority of a mutual aid agreement which Fort Rutgers has with local law enforcement community in Samson, Alabama, the Samson city police chief requested support from military police after the shooting," Lt. Col. Almarah Belk, an Air Force officer working for the Department of Defense press office, told WND in a telephone interview.
"Fort Rutgers provided 22 military police personnel, and five vehicles were sent into Samson to provide non-law
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
“Fort Rutgers provided 22 military police personnel, and five vehicles were sent into Samson to provide non-law enforcement support in the town of Samson, Alabama,” Belk said”
If that is true, why were the Soldiers wearing vests with ‘Police’ printed on them?
Because those may have been the only safety reflective vests they had, I guess?
On the surface this sounds like an innocent screw-up, but I’ll be interested in keeping an eye on it and seeing what the fallout is.
}:-)4
Heads will roll before this is over... in and out of the Military.
LLS
Who knew Rutgers University was in Alabama? My Aunt was the school nurse there for years, and she lived in New Jersey!
Because that's what they had. "Non LE support" in a small town could mean manning the local jail while the local PD went out, or manning the radios on checkpoints, all kinds of stuff.
My town, Columbus, GA, has the same kind of deal with Ft. Benning -- most military towns do. Asking the local MPs to help in a crisis isn't exactly the same thing as putting an infantry battalion on the streets. '
Fort Rutgers? They can’t even get that right.
I have heard of Fort Rucker in Alabama.
“Fort Rutgers? They can’t even get that right.”
More evidence of the utter worthlessness of the MSN.
In 20 years, I was never in a unit that did not have an ample supply of reflective vests for use during PT. We called them "roadguard vests".
Ft. Benning cooperates with Columbus to an amazing degree.
And in the early 90’s at least the word on the base was, you might mess up as a soldier, but don’t do it in Columbus. Not because of the local police, but because the locals would turn you over to the MP’s and the base commander would take a personal interest in your indescretion. Bases try to be an asset to the community, not a drain..... Now Phenix City... that’s another story.
Is Fort Rutgers where all those nappy-headed ho’s live?
In 2007, BusinessWeek named Phenix City the nation's #1 Best Affordable Suburb to raise a family.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act
How far is the nearest National Guard Armory? Response time? I'm thinking they (the Army) and this town have an agreement much like our tribes up here have with local police. When the situation warrants more boots on the ground than the tribal police have, the locals are called in, even tho they are technically operating on Federal land and technically operating out of their jurisdiction. There's a legal word for it that I don't have enough caffeine in my system to remember, but I think it starts with an "e". It's what allows a cop from county A to continue to chase a suspect into county B and make a valid arrest.
And as for the soldiers wearing "police" vests, what better way to make a statement to the general public that they are there to perform police duties, not soldier duties.
Yes. This article doesn’t explain anything. It just introduces moree questions. What’s going on and who’s in charge???
Sure could and spot on.
Also 100% totally illegal under any circumstance short of martial law. - 100%
Consider the sources: WND and Jerome Corsi - neither ever met a fact they couldn't screw up somehow.
Right. Why not use state troopers or some Federal agency?
What was the Police chief really worried about?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.