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http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=133951&catid=3
Ashtabula County: Judge tells residents to "Arm themselves"
Jeff Maynor
JEFFERSON -- In the ongoing financial crisis in Ashtabula County, the Sheriff's Department has been cut from 112 to 49 deputies. With deputies assigned to transport prisoners, serve warrants and other duties, only one patrol car is assigned to patrol the entire county of 720 square miles.
"I did the best with what they (the county commissioners) gave me. If it wasn't enough, don't blame me, don't blame this department," said Sheriff Billy Johnson.
Johnson said he is suing the commissioners to get a determination of whether he should use his limited budget to carry out obligations defined by law or put more patrol cars on the streets.
"I just can't do it anymore," he said. "I have to have the court explain to the commissioners and to me what my statutory duties are."
The Ashtabula County Jail has confined as many as 140 prisoners. It now houses only 30 because of reductions in the staff of corrections officers.
All told, 700 accused criminals are on a waiting list to serve time in the jail.
Are there dangerous people free among the 700 who cannot be locked up?
"There probably are," Sheriff Johnson said, "but I'm telling you, any known violent criminal, we're housing them. We've got murderers in there."
Ashtabula County is the largest county in Ohio by land area.
Ashtabula County Common Pleas Judge Alfred Mackey was asked what residents should do to protect themselves and their families with the severe cutback in law enforcement.
"Arm themselves," the judge said. "Be very careful, be vigilant, get in touch with your neighbors, because we're going to have to look after each other."
Ashtabula County gun dealers and firearms instructors tell WKYC their business has really picked up since the Sheriff's Department cutbacks began some months ago.
"That's exactly why they are coming, so that they can protect themselves," says Tracy Williams, a certified firearms instructor in Jefferson. "They don't feel that they are protected. They want to be able to protect themselves."
Williams says interest in his classes has doubled recently, and many of those coming are people who he would not normally expect to have interest in obtaining a concealed carry permit.
"And as far as him (Judge Mackey) telling you to arm yourselves and protect yourselves, you don't have any other option," Williams told WKYC. "We don't have the law enforcement out here to handle it right now."
Ashtabula County, where unemployment is higher than the state average, is asking voters to approve a one half per cent sales tax increase in May.
The tax hike would raise the tax in the county to seven percent.
...And yet theres plenty of revenue to be had in white glove law enforcement upon hapless motorists-jack them for court fines, fees, increased insurance payouts. Enduring some jackass judge as he holds up the most gruesome accident photo as justification for victimizing you. Who protects us from the Oath Traitors?!
http://rense.com/general90/rav.htm
Broke Cities Ravage Motorists
With Speeding Tickets
By Scott Teeters
4-9-10
GOCHA!!! That'll be $500, sir. Have a nice day and drive safely.
Recently, I was listening to Gerald Celente on The Jeff Rense Program on the internet, and Gerald mentioned that the previous weekend in the State of Virginia, almost 7,000 traffic tickets were issued in ONE WEEKEND!
Townships and states all across the Union are feeling the pressure of this Depression, so they are turning to police to help raise money through vehicle or traffic citations. Towns are installing surveillance cameras at intersections to catch drivers cutting a fast yellow light, running a red, not coming to a full stop, not stopping behind the line, etc. A camera catches license plate numbers and a computer sends the ticket in the mail. Pretty soon they'll just debit your checking account.
BEARS ARE MANNING THE SPEED TRAPS
Some townships, such as Medford Township, where I live in Southern
New Jersey, have lowered the speed limit on certain stretches of road, turning those roads into cash cows. I live very near one such road. Taunton Blvd in Medford, NJ has a 2-mile stretch that used to have 35-MPH posted. Now the speed limit is a crawl at 30-MPH. One morning around 9:15, I was sitting at the corner gas station at the intersection of Taunton Blvd and Tuckerton Rd and saw that the other three corners of the intersection had police cars with lights flashing like crazy while drivers were getting ticketed. The gas station owner said, "This has been going on since 7AM when I got here. One, right after another"
It is very obvious that, the local law is using traffic tickets to make up for loss of state and federal revenues. Last week I saw that my town will be raising school taxes because of a huge shortage of money from the State and Federal government. To make it up, the average local taxes will go up $300 per year about $25 a month.
The very same day that I read about my real estate taxes going up, I saw this headline in USA Today
"Speeding 'cushion' may dwindle due to recession"
Here's the USA Today link
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-30-speeding-cushion_N.htm
The story has a lot of interesting statistics, but here's the bottom line. When you see a sign that says, "SPEED LIMIT" the word "LIMIT" means just that, "LIMIT" It doesn't mean 3-MPH, or 7, or 8-MPH over the limit. The "LIMIT" is THE LIMIT! The ticket book is coming out
and being used!
END OF ARGUMENT.
Where I live in New Jersey, a 45-minute drive could easily take me through 10 townships, each one with its police task force looking for the SLIGHTEST infraction of the law. ANY infraction of the law by the passing motorist!
FIRST TICKET IN 65 YEARS!
Here's a good one for you. My Mom and Dad live in a retirement community in rural Florida. It's quite common for the main road to have very little traffic. Dad's 81 years old, sharper than a tack, with excellent motor skills. He still thinks he's 41. They went to the grocery store one day and on the way out of the parking lot (with NO traffic in sight, BOTH ways), Dad didn't come to a FULL and COMPLETE STOP. Less that 1/4-mile down the road as they were turning into their community, all the sirens and lights were in his rear-view mirror. "What's the problem officer?" he asked. "You failed to come to a full stop sir. Here's your citation." This was his SECOND ticket in 65 years of driving. I said, "Well Dad, you were just overdue."
So, between the fine, court costs and a class he had to take to keep from getting points on his record, (if you get points, the insurance company wants to punish you too, even at 81-years of age) Dad made a $200 donation to his town. I said, "Gee Dad, that was VERY nice of you." He replied, "Yea, I'm SO nice."
"WELL, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO BE SAFE..."
Now if you're thinking, "Well, if that's what it takes to make things safer on the roads for everybody, maybe it's a good thing." Look, I know that car crashes can be devastating. But nailing drivers for minor infractions is nothing more than a regressive TAX. This is the same "logic" I hear concerning everything we have to do today to get on an airplane. Where does it end? REAL strip searches? Maybe we should be shackled to our seats? There was one plan I read about a few years ago that would have required passengers to wear RFID bracelets with a built in Taser device. "Well, if it keeps us safe" Over ten years ago I read that cars would one day be equipped with a camera that aimed at your eyes that would report to the authorities if your eyes weren't looking straight ahead and listening devices that will make sure your not arguing with someone. Can't have distractions, you know. For those with GM's OnStar systems, police can shut off your car if they choose. So where does it end?
And unfortunately the lower your income, the larger the impact will be for simply not coming to a full stop or being 3 MPH over the limit. A $200 fine for someone with an average income is a minor nuisance. The same fine for someone just eking by could mean not being able to buy groceries or medication. And you BETTER pay the fine or they'll put a warrant out for your arrest.
Having a Tough Time Financially? TOO BAD!
As this Depression continues on, and more and more townships struggle with their budgets, they WILL turn to this kind of regressive tax into income generation. And have you ever noticed that when government gets bigger, or new rules or fines are imposed, they never go away? They're permanent. So, if and when we ever get out of this Depression, don't expect townships to lower those fines. No way! They're going to start liking that extra money and they ain't about to stop that gravy train.
BE CAREFUL and PAY ATTENTION!
Look, times are tough and they are probably going to get tougher. Unless you are housebound or live in the city and only ever use public transportation, you have to use a car to get around. So when you're out going here and there, BE CAREFUL. PAY ATTENTION because your local police officers are no longer just "Keeping the Peace." Their Commanders have instructed them, "WRITE MORE TICKETS!" That means they're looking FOR YOU AND ME.
Who knew the "To Serve & protect" would
one day mean, "To Serve & Collect"?
To Serve & Protect
There's a common saying that's painted on many police cars that says, "To Serve and Protect." Perhaps it should be changed to, "To Serve and Collect." Police now have a new duty, to participate in tax collection. They start the process with a little piece of paper.
And one last thing. If you do get pulled over, you're GETTING A TICKET. Don't talk, don't try to explain or argue, unless you'd like a Taser experience. So, MOTORIST BEWARE! This is the only warning you're going to get!
Be careful out there,
K. Scott Teeters
www.FreeThinkingZone.com
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