211 In Progress

Posted Monday, September 10, 2007, at 9:33 AM

RECOGNIZING A HERO? After a security guard Richard Jewell reported a suspiscious package at the Atlanta Olympics that later turned out to be a bomb, an FBI employee unprofessionally leaked to the press that the Jewell was under investigation. Instead of apologizing and emphasizing the importance of thorough investigation to rule out suspects, they left Jewell in unemployable limbo for nearly three months. The next person who sees a crime in progress may think twice about reporting it.
-- Posted by rebel4ever37 on Sun, Sep 9, 2007, at 8:41 PM

This recent comment on Thom Williamson's blog Thom Williamson's blog brought back a memory of a past experience that I had with the Shelbyville Police Department in 1996.

I used to live with a friend at an apartment complex here in Shelbyville. One night, a couple of our friends were over and we were all watching tv and generally just hanging out. At around 1:30 a.m. one us looked through the sliding door window and saw a man prying open the coinbox on one of the machines in the complex's laundromat with a crowbar . One of my visitors was even able to identify the perpetrator by name. We promptly called the Shelbyville Police Department and reported the crime and told them where we live and who we think the person is. Thirty minutes later an officer drove through the parking lot, saw that no one was in there, and drove on without even getting out of his car. Early the next morning two detectives knocked on our door and asked us what we saw and we told them. Here is where my story gets weird. The detectives then tell us that they think that we did it and that we called the law ourselves to make it look like we didn't. Needless to say, I got agitated. The detectives left and we went back inside. Five minutes later we got another knock on our door. It was the property manager and she told us that we had five days to get out that we were evicted. To this day I avoid contact with law enforcement and I remain reluctant to report crimes.

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Richard Jewell suffered from diabetes, severe heart disease and kidney disease, which contributed to his death on August 29, 2007, from a heart attack, aged 44. He was never able to shake the stigma of being falsely accused and basically convicted in the court of public opinion due to the leaks to the media from the justice department. He won several lawsuits and still has others pending. His attorney vows to continue fighting them for his estate. I hope that Mr. Jewell has found a place where he can be at peace and he can hear his name called with pride again.

-- Posted by rebel4ever37 on Mon, Sep 10, 2007, at 12:03 PM

I agree in the higher pay for Police Officers. Nothing against other types of work, but its a shame when police officers don't make as much money as a plumber or power company worker. Where are our priorities? Granted these services are needed also, but who do you call when you life is on the line?

-- Posted by cordell on Tue, Sep 11, 2007, at 11:48 AM

-- Posted by cordell on Tue, Sep 11, 2007, at 11:48 AM

I call Smith & Wesson. I disagree with higher pay for cops to sit on their butts and eat doughnuts or to be chasing down those dangerous pot smokers or non seat belt wearing folks. Cops know the payscale when they take the job, so let em live with it.

-- Posted by Buck Fama on Tue, Sep 11, 2007, at 2:28 PM

Buck Fama,

I feel sorry for you with that type of attitude. You are apparently a law breaker instead of a law abider by the comments you made. I can also tell that by you username.

-- Posted by cordell on Tue, Sep 11, 2007, at 3:45 PM

Cordell: Now ask me if I give a flying Argentine Frick what you think. You don't know the first thing about me and I can't tell anything about you by your username, but by your assumptions I can tell you are an ignorant so & so.

-- Posted by Buck Fama on Tue, Sep 11, 2007, at 4:00 PM

Your comments are not worth a response. Goodbye!!

-- Posted by cordell on Tue, Sep 11, 2007, at 8:39 PM

Most police officers don't take the job b/c the pay is good. If they did they would be in a world of trouble. Most of them take the job b/c it is a job they love, a job they feel is respected by many. It is respected be me. I do not have the patience to be a police officer.

-- Posted by LauraSFT on Fri, Sep 14, 2007, at 4:02 PM

Nathan Evans

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