Officer Down

Officer Nathan Taylor
California Highway Patrol, California
End of Watch: Sunday, March 13, 2016
Age: 35
Tour: 6 years
Badge # 20154
Incident Date: 3/12/2016

Officer Nathan Taylor succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when he was struck by a vehicle on I-80, near Donnor Summit.

He was directing traffic at the scene of a previous accident when a vehicle suddenly changed lanes and accelerated past slowing traffic. The vehicle struck Officer Taylor, causing him to be thrown into the median. He suffered two broken legs and internal injuries. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Officer Taylor had served with the California Highway Patrol for six years. He is survived by his wife, three sons, parents, sister, and three brothers. One of his brothers also serves with the California Highway Patrol.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

K9 Down

K9 Betcha
Rutland County Sheriff's Office, Vermont
End of Watch: Friday, January 29, 2016
Breed: Australian Cattle Dog
Age: 2
Gender: M

K9 Betcha was accidentally struck and killed by his handler's cruiser in Danby, Vermont.

His handler was moving the patrol car forward when Betcha ran in front of it and was struck.

Betcha had served with the Rutland County Sheriff's Office for one year.

Rest in Peace Betcha…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Field Notes: In Search of the Islamic State in Georgia, July 30, 2016

As you drive northeast out of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, you enter a different world. While the nation as a whole is more than 80 percent Orthodox Christian, the Pankisi Gorge in the Greater Caucasus Mountains just 161 kilometers (100 miles) from the capital is home to 8,000 Sunni Muslims from the Kist ethnic group. Instead of the iconic church bells of Tbilisi, you hear the call to prayer five times a day.

Historically, the region was a paragon of religious harmony, with Kists living alongside Christian Georgians and Ossetians. This held even through the 19th century when Orthodox Russia squared off against recalcitrant Muslim Chechens — a conflict that often took on the character of a holy war.

But things changed in the early 1990s when Chechen separatists declared independence. The Kists have strong cultural ties with both the Chechens and Ingush groups across the border. Chechen fighters and refugees fleeing the conflict flocked to Georgia and into the Muslim communities of the Pankisi Gorge. For several years, militants staged regular raids back into Chechnya and other Caucasus republics belonging to the Russian Federation. Christian Ossetians began to abandon their homes because of the influx, leaving for other parts of the country.

On entering the tiny village of Jokolo in the Pankisi Gorge, the first thing you notice is a large mosque alongside the only paved road, which runs through the gorge along the Alazani River up into the mountains. The mosque is clearly the center of life here, flanked by a single line of desolate shops and market stalls. There is one restaurant that is open only on special occasions. Young men with red and black beards milled around the entrance to the mosque, seemingly with little else to do.

With the arrival of the Chechens in the 1990s, the area saw major inroads by a once-alien form of Islam: Wahhabism. In recent years, the Pankisi Gorge has become infamous as a fertile recruiting ground for the Islamic State, which seeks to swell its ranks (and prestige) by bringing in foreign fighters to wage jihad in Syria and Iraq.
Islamic State leader Abu Omar al-Shishani hailed from the region. Born in the village of Birkiani as Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, al-Shishani fought against Russia in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and became radicalized soon after. I went to find the home of his father, 72-year-old Temur Batirashvili. Georgian TV channels that week were broadcasting reports of al-Shishani's death, and I wondered how his father was reacting to this news. Rumors of his son's death have been circulating since at least 2014 but have proved wrong time and again. Each time, his father declined to comment to the media. But as I passed his father's house, I saw that the gates had been flung open and people were pouring in, undeniable proof that Temur had received confirmation of his son's death, corroborated by the Islamic State shortly after on July 13.

With the Islamic State fighting for its continued existence in Syria, it is doubtful that al-Shishani will be the last native of the Pankisi Gorge to die. Other, less celebrated sons and daughters have followed al-Shishani to the killing fields of Iraq and Syria. Driving through the region gave me a clue as to why. In addition to the desire for glory, there is another, simpler reason for their exodus: economic stagnation. There is little for the youth of the region to do. Communities look as if they are dying. The internet is the only thing that offers young people possibilities outside of their village — and all too often the internet offers a doorway to transnational jihad.

Residents have repeatedly reported this problem to authorities. Many allege that the Islamic State has done more than recruit online, insisting that the group has sent an agent to the gorge to make connections in person. The government, however, denies that the Islamic State has sent a recruiter to the Pankisi Gorge and downplays how many Chechens and Kists have joined to the self-proclaimed caliphate. (The government officially puts the number at 50, but local estimates suggest it is actually 200 or more.)

Finding the family of a foreign fighter was not difficult. The village of Dumasturi, for example, is typical of the region. The main economic activity there is raising livestock, including cattle, sheep and some buffalo. Most of the village, however, is abandoned, roofs and walls collapsing after years of neglect. I met a woman named Tina Alkhanishvili in the village. She told me her husband had abandoned her and moved to Grozny, the Chechen capital, where he started a new family. She and her children live in poverty.

Her son, Ramzan Alkhanishvili, was just 18 years old when he disappeared to join the Islamic State in April. His mother dropped him off at school in the morning, as she normally did. A few hours later, around noon, he left and never returned. His mother waited until evening, and then she and relatives began to search for him, asking friends and acquaintances if they knew what had happened. No one knew anything. That night they went to the closest police station, located in the center of a nearby village. I passed by the police station, which was so brightly lit that it looked like a UFO around the poor Georgian houses, built from stone and covered with circular tiles. Ramzan was accompanied by a 16-year-old boy. Tina was left wondering how a 16-year-old managed to purchase tickets and board an airplane in Tbilisi bound for Turkey. She implied this could not have been organized independently by her son; he must have had the hands-on assistance of Islamic State agents.

Her life is emblematic of many in the Pankisi Gorge — waiting to see what will happen next, as the youth they love disappear and their communities crumble. And all for conflicts outside of their isolated river valley.

In Search of the Islamic State in Georgia is republished with permission of Stratfor.

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff John Robert Kotfila, Jr.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch: Saturday, March 12, 2016
Age: 30
Tour: 6 years

Deputy Sheriff John Kotfila was killed in a head-on collision with a vehicle that was driving the wrong direction on the Selmon Expressway, at the Brandon Express exit near I-75, at approximately 3:00 am.

He was returning to the station after investigating an unrelated traffic accident when a drunk driver entered the expressway heading west in the eastbound lanes, causing a head-on collision. The drunk driver died at the scene. Deputy Kotfila was transported to Tampa General Hospital where he later died.

Deputy Kotfila had served with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for six years. He is survived by his parents, sister, and two brothers. His father, one brother, and both of his grandfathers served in law enforcement in Massachusetts.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Someone call BLM or the DOJ...

K9 Down

K9 Kobus
Omaha Police Department, Nebraska
End of Watch: Saturday, January 23, 2016
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Age: 9
Gender: M

K9 Kobus was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a subject who had barricaded himself inside of his home, near the intersection of North 83rd Street and Keystone Drive, for over 24 hours.

The standoff started when Douglas County sheriff's deputies attempted to take the man into custody following on a mental health warrant. The subject fired at deputies who had gone into the residence to retrieve a robot that became stuck inside.

K9 Kobus was deployed into the house to apprehend the subject but was shot and killed. The man surrendered a short time later and was taken into custody.

K9 Kobus had served with the Omaha Police Department for six years and was due to be retired in the coming months.

Rest in Peace Kobus…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Iran upgrades its air defense.

Maybe we shouldn't have let off the sanctions...



 For more in depth analysis on this topic, read Iran Beefs up Its Air Defenses

 Satellite Images: Iran Builds S-300 Missiles Sites is republished with permission of Stratfor.

Officer Down

Trooper Sean E. Cullen
New Jersey State Police, New Jersey
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Age: 31
Tour: 2 years
Badge # 7594
Incident Date: 3/7/2016

Trooper Sean Cullen was struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting at the scene of a vehicle fire.

Trooper Cullen had responded to a vehicle fire with injuries that occurred near milepost 23 on the southbound lanes of I-295 in Deptford Township. He was outside of his cruiser and walking near the scene of the fire when he was struck by a passing vehicle. Trooper Cullen was transported to Cooper University Hospital, in Camden, where he died from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle who struck Trooper Cullen remained at the scene.

Trooper Cullen had served with the New Jersey State Police for 18 months and was assigned to the Bellmawr Station. He had previously served with the Westampton Police Department. He is survived by his 9-month-old son and fiancee.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

K9 Down

K9 Jag
Twin Rivers Unified School District Police Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Origin: Mexico
Age: 8
Gender: M
Tour: 5 years
Cause: Struck by vehicle

K9 Jag was struck by a vehicle while participating in his annual state certification in the area of 1115 Shore Street, in West Sacramento.

Another handler performed CPR on Jag as he was transported to a local veterinary hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

K9 Jag had served with the Twin Rivers Police Department for five years and served as a narcotics and apprehension canine.

Rest in Peace Jag…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Officer Down

Police Officer Scot Fitzgerald
South Jacksonville Police Department, Illinois
South Jacksonville Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Friday, March 4, 2016
Age: 32
Tour: 1 year, 5 months
Badge # 561

Police Officer Scot Fitzgerald was killed when his patrol car and an ambulance collided while en route to a medical call shortly before 9:00 pm.

The ambulance was driving behind his patrol on Route 267, approximately one mile north of Nortonville Road, as they attempted to locate the address for the call. Officer Fitzgerald pulled to the right shoulder and then attempted to make a U-turn, but pulled into the path of the ambulance.

He and the three EMTs in the ambulance were transported to area hospitals. Officer Fitzgerald succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Officer Fitzgerald had served with the South Jacksonville Police Department for 17 months. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

K9 Down

K9 Ogar
Smith County Constable's Office - Precinct 5, Texas
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Age: 1
Gender: M

K9 Ogar was shot and killed while attempting an apprehension of a subject who was in a stolen automobile that was abandoned near the intersection of I-20 and FM 849, near Lindale.

Ogar was tracking one of three subjects in a wooded area when he was shot.

Two other subjects were taken into custody. The subject who shot K9 Ogar remains at large.

Rest in Peace Ogar…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

McMachines....

I've had many heated arguments over artificially raising the minimum wage. A point I've always made is business, which has a limited amount of funding, and normally labor is the largest part of its cost, will work around unfunded mandates. Here we go again:

Starbucks baristas say lines are getting longer for one troubling reason

Workers around the country are complaining that the chain's streamlined scheduling system is giving them fewer hours than they would normally receive, reports Venessa Wong at BuzzFeed Business.

"The change came with no warning or explanation from executives; some staff say their schedules were cut in advance, while others have been sent home during their shifts," Wong writes. "Many have taken to social media to complain, with some threatening to quit..."

...Starbucks denies making changes to its scheduling.

But BuzzFeed published an internal company memo asking field leaders to use a new forecasting tool to prevent "an overspend in labor."

While many Starbucks baristas aren't happy with their hours, the brand did recently change its dress code to be more lenient...

Now Starbucks is a very liberal business and they are getting their heads out of their ass. Look how another company is reacting to the artificial raising of low skill/no skilled labor:

THE NEW MCDONALD’S IN PHOENIX ARIZONA IS RAN ENTIRELY BY ROBOTS

...People have heard about McDonald’s being all over the news for problems with their employees wanting fifteen dollars and an hour and the protests that have followed.

A McDonald’s in Phoenix decided to solve this problem by thinking completely outside of the box and coming up with a solution that no one has ever thought of before.

McDonald’s has taken a huge step into the future and now the things that have only happened before in movies and TV will actually become a reality and you can finally say that you have been served by a robot.

That’s right, we said a robot! It is a truly out of this world experience that you will have to see to believe. McDonald’s had a choice; they could have either went and paid workers more or they could just invest in technology. We can’t say we blame them either.

The store is set to open July 4th in Phoenix, Arizona once the state-of-the-art robot remodel is complete. The restaurant will still employ a small team of human employees to insure all of the robots are working correctly, the food and cleaning supplies remain stocked along with removing the money collected by the robots. Visitors to the restaurant will see these new robots working in harmony at a speed of 50 times faster than the average McDonald’s employee, with no chance of error. If the test launch for the store is a success, people can expect to see robots working in McDonald’s restaurants all over the country and the world...

..“These things are great! They get their work done in a fast and orderly manner, plus they don’t ask for cigarette breaks.”

37-year-old Paul Horner, a spokesman for McDonald’s told reporters that because of the demand for a $15/hr minimum wage, the company has been playing with the idea of a restaurant run entirely by robots for years and believes their “McRobots” are the answer.

“With the high demand for a wage of $15/hr and theprotests getting worse every day, this is something we had to implement. Plus with the tremendous margin of human error, poor hygiene, lack of education, laziness, as well as the recent advancements in artificial intelligence it just make sense to automate our restaurants now rather than later.”

Local Phoenix resident, 52-year-old Tom Downey, who has been unemployed for the last 3 years, was excited about the opening of a nearby McDonald’s until he heard about the robots.

“Now that they hire only robots, I don’t know what I can even do. I don’t have an education, a car, and now I’m not gonna even be able to get a burger job.”

Shareholders can finally expect to see their stocks on the rise once again since employee salaries are not only cut, but eliminated. By cutting employees, McDonald’s says it is projecting to make a full financial turnaround and see their stock return to $105/share which was originally set back in 2014.

“Robots are the future of McDonald’s in the United States and around the world,” Horner said, “Human workers want more pay and this has created giant protests which need our attention now before it is too late. Robots will decrease prices, increase productivity and make for better food.

This article is a little self contradictory in that McDonald's (and other fast food industries) have been looking at automation to replace human labor for years. A kiosk cost a lot initially, but it doesn't call in, take breaks or lunch, and will not be disrespectful to the staff or customers. And with non-market forces pushing up the cost of labor, something has to give. Then again, the peopler really pushing this are not concerned about the low wage worker, they are after the union labor vote. Many unions have their wages set to the minimum wage. A McDonald's worker gets a raise, you the SEIU work get's his. The fact thousands loose entry level labor is of no consequence to liberals.

Officer Down

Police Officer David Stefan Hofer
Euless Police Department, Texas
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Age: 29
Tour: 7 years
Badge # 554

Police Officer David Hofer was shot and killed after he and his partner responded to a report of suspicious activity at J.A. Carr Park at approximately 2:45 pm.

As he and his partner approached the park they were fired upon by a subject. Officer Hofer was shot and mortally wounded. His partner was able to return fire, killing the man.

Officer Hofer was taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center where he died from his wounds

Officer Hofer had served with the Euless Police Department for two years and previously served with the New York City Police Department for five years.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

K9 Down

K9 Krijger
Norfolk Police Department, Virginia
End of Watch: Monday, January 11, 2016
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Age: 4
Gender: M
Tour: 3 years

K9 Krijger was shot and killed by an armed subject following a violent barricade situation at a home in the 1100 block of Land Street.

Officers had responded to the home earlier in the evening for a domestic violence call. The male subject barricaded himself inside the home, while holding his wife hostage, as negotiators attempted to talk the man into coming outside and surrendering.

After remaining barricaded inside his home for approximately seven hours, the man exited the home and disobeyed officers' commands to drop his gun. The man opened fire on officers, fatally wounding K9 Krijger. Officers returned fire and wounded the subject. The subject died from his wounds in the hospital the following day.

Rest in Peace Krijger…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

The real Reset Button!

I don't need to comment! :)

There are Trekkies and there are Trekers...

There they're these guys.

I've often had to explain the difference between a Trekers and Trekkies. A Treker obviously likes the series, may go to the conventions dressed up as Kirk or Picard and even stupid Hamlet in the Original Klingon. But come Monday the costume if in the closet, the costume in the closet, he's in the officer supporting 2.3 children, etc. A Trekkies, on the other hand, at 43, still lives with mom and day, is working at the CVS photo lab part time, hasn't seen a woman's breast since he found his uncles's Playboy, his only plan for the future is to save his money for the VUL-CON Convention in three months.

Now we have these guys who are making their own movies, short, stores, etc. Interesting watch.

I'm a libertarian at heart. While I would never see myself doing this (think Shatner overacts, you should see me on the center stage! :<) ) and CBS, if they are not trying to sell it against your own product, let them do it. It's not like they will really be eating into your bottom line (hint, the nerds who watch this will watch both) and they may give your writers some ideas.

LLAP guys!

Officer Down

Police Officer Scot Fitzgerald
South Jacksonville Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Friday, March 4, 2016
Bio & Incident Details
Age: 32
Tour: 1 year, 5 months
Badge # 561

Police Officer Scot Fitzgerald was killed when his patrol car and an ambulance collided while en route to a medical call shortly before 9:00 pm.

The ambulance was driving behind his patrol on Route 267, approximately one mile north of Nortonville Road, as they attempted to locate the address for the call. Officer Fitzgerald pulled to the right shoulder and then attempted to make a U-turn, but pulled into the path of the ambulance.

He and the three EMTs in the ambulance were transported to area hospitals. Officer Fitzgerald succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Officer Fitzgerald had served with the South Jacksonville Police Department for 17 months. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

K9 Down

K9 Jethro
Canton Police Department, Ohio
End of Watch: Sunday, January 10, 2016
Gender: M
Incident Date: 1/9/2016

K9 Jethro succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained early the previous morning while attempting to apprehend a burglar inside a grocery store at 1272 Harrison Avenue SW.

Officers had responded to an alarm activation at approximately 1:15 am and located the subject inside. The subject disobeyed officers' commands and Jethro was deployed. The subject opened fire, striking Jethro three times. The man then fled and continued firing at officers, who returned fire.

The man was taken into custody a short time later after he was found and suffering a gunshot wound to his leg.

K9 Jethro was transported to Stark County Veterinary Emergency Clinic but died as a result of the wounds.

Rest in Peace Jethro…till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Officer Down

Deputy Sheriff Travis Russell
Las Animas County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Age: 44
Tour: 20 years

Deputy Sheriff Travis Russell was killed in a vehicle crash on Stonewall Avenue, near Prospect Street in Trinidad, while on patrol.

His patrol vehicle crossed the center line and struck a parked vehicle at approximately 11:30 am.

Deputy Russell had served with the Las Animas County Sheriff's Office for 20 years.

Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

K9 Down

K9 Jojo
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Breed: German Shepherd
Origin: Czech Republic
Age: 4
Gender: M

K9 Jojo died after choking on an object that became accidentally lodged in his throat while he and his handler were conducting a search of a warehouse.

In his attempt to dislodge the object, his handler's right pinky finger was amputated.

K9 Jojo was a the agency's explosives detecting canine and had assisted searching for explosive devices for over 10 hours straight following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino on December 2nd, 2015.

Jojo had served with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for three years.

Rest in Peace Jojo …till our next roll call at the Rainbow Bridge!

In Memory of all Police Dogs

They handled themselves with beauty & grace

And who could ever forget that beautiful face

Whether at work; or at home; whatever the test

They always worked hard; and did their best

They were real champions; at work or at play

But their lives were cut short; suddenly one day

While working on the job with their partner one day

They put themselves out on a limb; out into harms way

They gave the ultimate sacrifice; any dog can give

They gave up their life; so someone could live

The best of their breed; as his partner and anyone would say

Many hearts are now broken; that he had to prove it this way

Now as the trees are blowing in the gentle breeze

The sun is shining; thru the leaves on the trees

The meadows are green; and the grass grows tall

Off in the distance they can see a waterfall

As they look over the falls; down through the creek

The water flows gently; as a rabbit sneaks a peek

Far up above; in the deep blue sky

They see the birds soar high; as they fly by

They see animals playing; at the bridge by a waterfall

Chasing each other; and just having a ball

They play all day; from morning to night

There's no more rain; just warm sunlight

Off in the distance; they hear trumpets blow

Then all the animals look up; and notice a bright glow

The harps would play and the angels would sing

As they know they've come home; they've earned their wings

We remember that they died; in the line of duty

And are now with the Lord; sharing in heaven's beauty

Off to the meadows now; where they can play and roam free

With an occasional rest stop; under a tall oak tree

No more bad guys to chase; or bullets to take

Just a run through the meadow; down to the lake

A quick splash in the water; then back to the shore

Then it's off to the forest; to go play some more

These special dogs are back home; up in heaven above

They're cradled in God's arm's; and covered with His love

We'll light a candle for all of them; in the dark of night

In loving memory of all; these very special knights

By John Quealy

Stratfor Editor Margaret Fox and Vice President of Intelligence Fred Burton discuss the recent plane hijacking in Egypt and the international community's response.

For more in depth analysis on this topic, read Behind the Scenes of an Aircraft Hijacking

Conversation: Preventing Aircraft Hijackings is republished with permission of Stratfor.

The Feds’ Security Theater

American Thinker was good enough to publish one of my article yesterday.  Please enjoy, and comments are always welcome.


The Fed's Security Theater

By Michael A. Thiac

I’ve subscribed Strategic Forecasting (STRATFOR) for the better part of two decades. I’ve often described them as America’s versions of Jane’s and told their vice-president that their reports were “intel-porn” for geeks like me during the Iraq War.

Yesterday, I was looking at the Security Weekly report,

It Takes a Village to Stop a Lone Wolf
By Scott Stewart
The recent attacks in Dallas, Nice, Baton Rouge and Wurzburg have again raised public awareness of lone attackers unaffiliated with an organized terrorist group. I am constantly asked how governments can defend against this new threat. But that question is misguided: Lone attackers operating under a model of leaderless resistance is not a new phenomenon. Stratfor has been tracking the devolution of the jihadist movement from a hierarchical structure to a more grassroots one for more than a decade. Though leaderless resistance is by design more difficult for authorities to detect and deter, those who practice it are still bound by the vulnerabilities in the terrorist planning cycle…

Now I found this paragraph really interesting (emphasis mine):

…Though the vast majority of police officers are not assigned primarily to investigate terrorism, they often encounter grassroots militants who make operational security errors or who are in the process of committing crimes in advance of an attack, such as document fraud, illegally obtaining weapons or illegally raising funds for an attack. Cops simply doing their jobs have thwarted a number of terrorist plots, and police officers need to be trained to spot indicators of pre-operational terrorist activity. But police are not the only grassroots defenders. Other people, such as neighbors, store clerks, landlords and motel managers, can also notice operational planning activities, including people conducting pre-operational surveillance, creating improvised explosive mixtures, and purchasing bombmaking components and firearms.
In July 2011, an alert gun store clerk in Killeen, Texas, alerted police after a man who exhibited unusual behavior came into the store to buy smokeless gunpowder. Police officers found him and, after questioning, learned he was planning to detonate a pressure cooker bomb and conduct an armed assault at a restaurant popular with soldiers from nearby Fort Hood. The clerk's situational awareness and decision to call the police likely saved many lives….

Gee, you mean the federal assets, which we spend a fortune on, didn’t help?  Who would have thought that:

Boston police weren’t told of Russian warning on brother
Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis III said Thursday that his department was unaware that the Russian security service sent a query to the FBI about one of two brothers suspected in the Boston Marathon bombing long before the attack.
When asked whether he would have given the suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a second look had he known, Davis told a congressional committee: “We would certainly look at the information. We would certainly talk to the individual…”
…“I can’t say that I would have come to a different conclusion based upon the information that was known at that particular time,” said Davis, adding that he should have known of information that “affects the safety of my community.”
The Boston police chief also said his department was unaware of a later notice that Tsarnaev had spent six months last year in Dagestan, the site of an Islamist insurgency in southern Russia. Information about his travel was sent to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer with the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Boston, Davis said, but the officer did not notify four Boston police officers assigned to the group.

Or this more recent example of federal efficiency:

FBI had closely scrutinized the Orlando shooter before dropping investigation
The FBI investigated the Orlando shooter for 10 months beginning in 2013, putting him under surveillance, recording his calls and using confidential informants to gauge whether he had been radicalized after the suspect talked at work about his connections with al-Qaeda and dying as a martyr.
As part of the investigation, Omar Mateen, who was killed in a shootout with police on Sunday morning, was placed on a terrorism watch list and interviewed twice before the probe was closed in March 2014 because agents concluded he was not a threat, FBI Director James B. Comey said Monday in an interview with reporters at bureau headquarters.
Several months later, in July 2014, Mateen surfaced in another investigation into the first American to die as a suicide bomber in Syria, a fellow Floridian. And, again, investigators moved on….

In July 2010 the Department of Homeland Security (another Bush holdover which should have never seen the light of day, but that’s a different issue for another post) announced the “If you see something, say something” program, encouraging people to spy, oh, yes, “report suspicious activity.”  I suggest another program for DHS and the Justice Department, “If you know something, do something!”

I recently finished my master’s in Intelligence Studies (please, no snickering :<) ) with a focus on homeland security.  I’m also a 23-year veteran of Army intelligence (ok, get yourself off the floor, enough laughing at that grand contradiction in terms) and had access to Top-Secret and above material for over two decades.  In the beginning of my career, the guidance for releasing classified information was does the recipient have a “Need to Know”?  Arguably that hindered “connecting the dots” over several radicalized Muslim extremists learning how to fly large aircraft (but not wanting to know how to land) and a decision was made, during the Bush administration, to switch from “Need to Know” to “Need to Share.”  But this still hasn’t made it through the intelligence/law enforcement bureaucracy, especially at the federal level. 

As we see with Mateen and the Tsarnaev brothers, federal law enforcement and intelligence assets had knowledge of potential terrorists but took no action to inform local law enforcement.  These are the men and women who actually have to deal most directly with the threat. 

There is a reason police agencies are taking Active Shooter training all over the nation.  Not knocking the feds, but it was the local law that handled the racist assassinations in Dallas earlier this month.  Don’t forget it was local law enforcement that handled the Muslim extremists in San Bernardino, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik.  Or remember back in 2013, an alert citizen noticed smoke in a SUV, notified a NYPD officer who evacuated the area and no one was hurt. 
We are approaching the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and there is still a massive amount of work to be done in the intelligence and law enforcement areas to insure information flows as needed.  If the FBI had warned the Boston PD, would it have prevented the Marathon Bombing?  God only knows.  But we cannot only react to a threat now.  The federal agencies must be more sharing with threat data to allow local/state law enforcement to investigate, prepare for and handle the threat.  We can collect a lot of data on our adversaries, but if it’s not in the right hands, it’s completely worthless.

Michael A. Thiac is a police patrol sergeant and a retired Army intelligence officer. When not patrolling the streets, he can be found on A Cop’s Watch.

Officer Down

Officer Ashley Marie Guindon
Prince William County Police Department, Virginia
End of Watch: Saturday, February 27, 2016
Bio & Incident Details
Age: 28
Tour: 2 days
Badge # 1145

Officer Ashley Guindon was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in the 13000 block of Lashmere Court in the Lake Ridge area.

The male subject at the home murdered his wife and then opened fire on the officers with a rifle as they approached the home. Officer Guindon was fatally wounded and two other officers, including her training officer, were wounded. All three officers were flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where Officer Guindon passed away.

The man who shot them was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with capital murder, first degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding of a police officer, and three counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Officer Guindon had been sworn in the previous day and was working her first day on the street with her training officer. She was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Rest in Peace Sis…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Another example of Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics.....

Leftist media loves to use statistics to show how ugly, unfair, etc life in America is. And in this article, a B Hussein Obama sycophant in the Washington Post on policer murder by pistol in the last few decades. Here are excerpts, with commentary:

By Christopher Ingraham July 9

Police are safer under Obama than they have been in decades

In the aftermath of the mass shooting of a dozen police officers in Dallas this week, some conservatives rushed to lay blame for the incident at the feet of the Obama administration.

Former Republican congressman Joe Walsh said on Twitter that "Obama's words & [Black Lives Matter]'s deeds have gotten cops killed." Rep. Roger Williams (R-Tex.) said, "the spread of misinformation and constant instigation by prominent leaders, including our president" contributed to the killings. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said the shooting had "roots" in the "anti-white/cop events illuminated by Obama."

These statements are part of a broader narrative of a "war on cops" carried out by the Obama administration and/or the Black Lives Matter movement, depending on whom you ask. It's certainly true that some shooters of police, such as the Dallas attacker, appear to be motivated by a hatred of white police officers or a twisted urge to seek revenge for police shootings of black Americans. But the simplistic and inflammatory notion of a "war on cops" is completely undercut by one fundamental data point: Intentional attacks on police officers are at historically low levels under President Obama...

No Mr. Ingraham, he wanted to murder whites, especially white officers. From your own newspaper, the Washington Post, the day before you published this article, so you had time to read it.:

...The gunfire was followed by a standoff that lasted for hours when the attacker told authorities “he was upset about the recent police shootings” and “said he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers,” according to Dallas Police Chief David Brown....

Data from the Officers Down Memorial Page, which tracks law enforcement officer fatalities in real time, illustrates the point. During the Reagan years, for instance, an average of 101 police officers were intentionally killed each year. Under George H.W. Bush that number fell to 90. It fell further, to 81 deaths per year, under Bill Clinton, and to 72 deaths per year under George W. Bush.

Under Obama, the average number of police intentionally killed each year has fallen to its lowest level yet — an average of 62 deaths annually through 2015. If you include the 2016 police officer shootings year-to-date and project it out to a full year, that average of 62 deaths doesn't change.

It's worth pointing out that in 2016, year-to-date officer fatalities via shooting only are up 44 percent over last year, according to the numbers compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial Fund. But that's partially an illustration of how sensitive these numbers are to individual incidents: If you set the Dallas shootings aside, the year-over-year increase is only 17 percent. And as Eugene Volokh points out, the 2016 numbers are roughly on par with the numbers for the past 10 years.

Mr Ingraham, like many a leftist you take out some a factor that distort statistics.In the years since the 1970s, the deployment of Kevlar and ceramic vest have saved thousands of officers. A cop fired upon, hit, and not killed because the vest stopped the bullet (or made the difference) is not counted as dead. You do rightly credit the advent of trauma centers throughout the nation, especially in large cities, has made a cop's chance (or any person's chance, for that matter) of living through a shooting much greater.

...These figures in the chart above include all incidents in which a suspect intended to kill a police officer — shootings, stabbings, assaults, bombings and vehicular assaults. They exclude such things as accidental shootings, job-related illnesses and traffic accidents. If you were to narrow it down to just shootings, the overall trend would be roughly the same: from 80 deaths annually under Reagan to 48 annually under Obama. Again, factoring in the 2016 shooting numbers, including Dallas, has a negligible effect on the average under Obama.

These falling fatality numbers aren't simply a function of better medical care for injured officers. Overall assaults on officers are down, too. In 1988, the last year of the Reagan administration, there were 15.9 assaults for every 100 sworn law enforcement officers according to the FBI. In 2000, at the end of the Clinton administration, there were 12.7 assaults for every 100 officers. By the end of the Bush administration that number fell further to 11.3. Under Obama in 2014, the most recent year for which the FBI has data, that number further fell to 9.0....

Mr Ingraham, here are the numbers from the ODMP, including Dallas and Baton Rouge. The number of officers murdered by gunfire by this date is up %82 compared to this time last year.

Some non-statistical points to make. One, the motive of both shooters in Dallas and Baton Rouge are well know, they wanted to revenge the shooting by police of black thugs.

Two, the difference is the current president is doing his best to encourage, excuse and embrace the shooters. He brought leaders of Black Lives Matter to the White House and called them better community organizers then he was. He is lying about people, encouraging others to riot and trying to federalize police, ala the Third Reich.

Any drop in fatalities of police is good news. However, it is spite of O Hussein Obama, in no reason because of him.