Harbor Country Cop Watch

The Purpose

2007-12-31T12:03:00.000-05:00

I will try to explain the purpose of this blog as clearly and simply as possible. The purpose of this blog is to expose unprofessional conduct of police officers; not to complain about officers doing their job correctly. This blog is an avenue for the public to legitimately complain about officers breaking the law, acting unprofessionally, and putting us in danger. If you have broken the law and were pulled over by the police and were treated professionally, this blog is not the place to post your complaints. This blog is also not the place to defend the proper conduct of police officers. This blog has one objective, to provide an avenue to expose improper conduct of an officer or department.

REASONS TO POST IN THIS BLOG:
Law Enforcement breaks the law
Law Enforcement behaves in an unprofessional manner, even when you’ve broken the law
Law Enforcement infringes upon your civil rights by pulling you over without true probable cause, or demanding information they have no legal right to demand.

REASONS NOT TO POST IN THIS BLOG:
To complain about proper police conduct – if you break the law and are treated professionally, this is not the place to complain about it.
Defending proper police conduct.

Watchful I respects and supports police officers who conduct themselves as public servants and demands such conduct from all officers.

Postings that do not reflect the objective of this blog will be deleted.

Accountable says

2007-12-26T18:33:00.000-05:00

I don't understand how some people can be so NARROW minded that they can't realize the objective of this blog. To those of you defending the officers, your intent is commended. You are right in that officers and their families make tremendous sacrifices and put their lives on the line daily. No one here is denying that. However, can you please be open minded and logical enough to realize that others still have a right to expect and demand courtesy from law enforcement? Democracy only thrives because of accountability. Our forefathers fashioned the system of checks and balances to hold public servants accountable. It’s only human nature to lean towards abusing power and if you were honest you cannot deny that some officers have abused their power by using the same condescending tone toward the public that SGT has used on this blog. This blog is simply following our democratic example and holding officers accountable in hopes that they will cease to abuse power. If you know of an officer who does not abuse his/her power (and I know a couple), then this blog is not referring to that officer. You can be proud of that officer. However, you should NOT want to silence those who are asking every officer to behave like the officer you know. If you are an officer that truly respects and serves the public; than you should be happy for this blog. You also should appreciate that the public is demanding the same behavior from your co-workers that you work hard to display each day. EVERY AMERICAN should praise a website that follows the example set by our founding fathers and uses the democratic virtue of accountability to restrain the abuse of power. Please be open-minded and logical enough to realize that THIS BLOG IS NOT BASHING OFFICERS, IT’S SIMPLY EXPOSING ABUSE OF POWER. And NO ONE should be against exposing abuse.

Mr. Luciano says

2007-12-20T17:30:00.001-05:00

I would have to say that I have never really had any problem's with the our local law enforcement. I have a weekend home in New Buffalo Twp and when I am in town the local Sheriff's car always drives by my home and the deputy always waves (and it's not always the same one). I think that like anything else you can always have a "bad apple" in every group but my dealing with our local Sheriff's has been fine. I have been stopped in the city of New Buffalo by the the local officers for speeding, and I think those guys are bored or something so I must have gave them something to do. I have even seen more Sheriff's on police Harley's than ever this year and my kids loved it. One day when we were walking down to the beach two Sheriff's stopped on their Harley's just to say hi to us and to show our kids their bikes, my hat's off to those officers because they made my kids day. I not real sure about our small local departments but I think the Sheriff in Berrien is doing a fine job whith his people(sorry I'm not sure of his name). As for the bad officers I hope that you can learn something from the nice ones that I have dealt with over the past year that I'v been coming to this area....And good job on this Harbor Country Cop Watch site, I hope it makes people feel better....

Off the ground

2007-12-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

I would first like to thank and show my great appreciation for all of the positive feedback and encouragement we've seen here in the past week or so. The fact that a number of people have felt so inclined as to leave comments on the H.C.C.W. just goes to show that such things are necessary in these crazy times (times- are of course- crazy everywhere), but the fact that most felt the need to not only comment anonymously (which is encouraged), but to also actually omit the specific instances which brought them here speaks volumes on its own. I do, however, understand completely. This alone just goes to show how out of control things have gotten.
I do feel the need to point out that a police force is indeed an extremely essential component of any properly functioning society- no matter how quiet such a society may be. Also, it should be noted that anyone who voluntarily takes it upon themselves to uphold and enforce the law at a potential risk to their own well-being should of course be greatly commended. A very influential person in my past once told me "You don't have to like the man (or woman), but you should always respect their position." Meaning, one may not like their local mayor, or their boss, or the president for instance, but the title and the rank must be respected. With that being said, we should all respect the idea and the authority of a law enforcement official. However, such things are most certainly not a free pass to "bully", "intimidate", and "abuse" their constituents. Most of the officers I have encountered in my day-to-day life have been civil, seemingly decent people- and I would hope that they have good intentions as police officers. But such trust and faith can easily be taken for granted and quickly wiped away. I, for one know that I have only a fraction of the admiration for police that I had as child (and that's a sad statement to make). It's scary to think that folks would rather not even bother to ask the police for assistance when needed, mostly due to either unpleasant experiences in the past, or outright lack of faith in their skill and willingness to do their job to the best of their ability.
That being said, I'm sure that most would have nothing but respect and admiration for the local law, but only if the feeling was mutual.

A new low standard in Law Enforcement

2007-12-03T18:19:00.000-05:00

Are we, the good people of Harbor Country tired of our very own sub-par group of law enforcement officials? Tired of lack of results when the local police are called upon to provide their services? Tired of the gross abuses of the badge? Lack of respect? Police harassment? Entrapment? Squad car tailgating? Excessive use of force? Unnecessary attention? Less than probable "probable causes" for stops, searches, and seizures? Are we tired of reporting and complaining about these injustices to the higher-ups and superiors with little or no results?
The time for change has come. This is our new forum to speak up and speak loud. It is a sad day when such things as this are necessary. But as far as the "Watchful I" is concerned , when a public servant fails to serve the public- someone else should be appointed to do so. These men and women are picked to PROTECT and SERVE! Not to harass and abuse! If your income and earnings are collected via the local taxpayers, then you are expected to respect and assist the local populous. Law enforcement officials are supposed to be of respectable moral character, not lazy layabouts.
Well, enough is enough Harbor Country! This is OUR forum, this is YOUR forum, your mouthpiece, your microphone, your megaphone, your soapbox, your podium, and your pulpit, all in one. Shout it loud from the basements to the rooftops!
We encourage you to be as vocal as possible in voicing your complaints and concerns regarding the area's "finest". Here is your place to report these incidents of injustice. If an officer is so sure about his/her motives for stopping or questioning we the people, then we the people should have no hesitation as to whether or not we should openly report and discuss these incidents. Let's keep it clean, decent, and honest. If one is in violation of the law, then one shouldn't expect otherwise. They haven't taken away our Freedom of Speech yet!
I shudder to think that things such as this are needed, but I'm no longer so sure. Maybe if we can get things back to a respectable standard...