CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE AND STAY AT HOME ORDERS...

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that is currently plaguing majority of the world, a lot of countries and states have issued either “Lockdowns” or “Stay at Home Orders” to prevent the spread of the virus.

These methods are goal oriented at limiting the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) by means of limiting social interactions, thus the opportunity for the virus to infect more people. Majority of the countries that are severely affected by the virus have completely shut down or heavily restricted access to their boarders to only “essential” personnel or current citizens. 

Throughout the country multiple states have issued “Stay at Home Orders” restricting businesses and social gatherings throughout the state. Majority of businesses are shut down unless they provide an essential function to society (i.e. waste management, supermarkets, gas stations, etc.). All levels of education services have been highly restricted, most collages are modifying their requirements to allow for students to submit all assignments online, and lower levels of education have completely closed out for the academic year entirely. 

People have been mandated to their residences unless they have to go outside for essential reason (i.e. food, gas, healthcare, etc.). With a lot of businesses shutdown a lot of people have been furloughed or laid off because their employers can afford to pay them due to the business being shut down. All parks, trails, and camp grounds have been closed to the public until further notice. 

Law Enforcement Officials have given briefings, trainings, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the best of their abilities. Mandates have been issued in reference to enforcing the “Stay at Home Order” and how to deal with any violation of law in reference to it. LEOs have been instructed to limit proactive behaviors dealing with the public in attempt to stay healthy and to be available to respond to emergency calls for service when reported. 

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has truly affected every entity operating throughout the country, people have become sick and died as a result of the virus so I truly that everyone chooses to obey the order to stay home. 

To my brothers and sisters in uniform, stay safe, stay healthy, and if you do feel as if you are sick report it immediately and then go home…

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update and Stay at Home Orders…     

CREDIT CARD FRAUD, THEFT, AND IDENTITY THEFT...

One of the most common crimes that Law Enforcement Officers handle is fraud, specifically Credit card fraud, Credit card theft, conspiracy to commit fraud, and most commonly identity theft. A lot of people get these criminal offenses mixed up, they are different, and charging them requires knowledge of how the law applies when it comes to the action of fraud. 

Credit card fraud is normally associated with the fraudulent utilization of someone’s credit card or account without the owner’s permission to do so. This criminal offense is always a felony, no matter the value utilized during the fraud. 

This offense is not only designated for “credit” cards, it also covers “debit” cards as well, and in the eyes the law the two are interchangeable. Credit card fraud is commonly associated with people who lose their wallet/purse/etc. or are victim of criminal actions where their possessions are taken. 

Criminals usually attempt to utilize the credit cards for fraud as soon as possible because they are against the clock, the victim will eventually report the cards as stolen and they will be shut down as a result. 

Credit card theft is simply the taking of someone else’s credit card with the intent to defraud them permanently of that credit card or the ability to utilize that credit card. This offense is charged when the suspect has stolen the victim’s credit card(s) but have not utilized them, hence they haven’t committed fraud at that point, just theft. This criminal offense is always a felony, it also tends to be associated with identity theft as well.

Identity theft is known as the fraudulent taking of another person’s personal identifiers with the intent to utilize them to act as that person in committing criminal actions or acquiring goods or services. This can be either a misdemeanor or felony depending on the amount of damage done by the suspect. 

Identity theft is very common, scams occur every day via phone where people are manipulated into giving out crucial information under false pretenses. 

All of these are together under the fraud umbrella, majority of LEOs handle call for services pertaining to them on the regular basis.

When it comes to which one is charged and how each are applied when it comes to the law that will be addressed in the next post…for now this will serve as introduction to the topic and a general overview of each criminal offense. 

Credit Card Fraud, Theft, and Identity Theft…

THE RICO ACT...

Law Enforcement tends to evolve at the same rate as criminal actions, it is forever changing because it has to in order to continue to fight for those that cannot fight for themselves. 

The topic of discussion today will be surrounding a major change when it came to Law Enforcement, specifically a law that was passed as a result of so many criminal organizations operating at a time where the country was recovering from prohibition and building the foundations for the society we live in today. 

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) act was passed in 1970 in response to the rise in organized criminal factions throughout the country. The RICO act is a federal law that was passed in order to fight against the growing racket issues bearing down on businesses throughout the country. 

Organized crime would basically intimidate businesses by means of violence majority of the time, then they would extort those same businesses for money or favors in exchange for protection from the initial intimidation. That is the racket, if the business didn’t pay or support the organization…that business would be destroyed or burned down in response. 

The Organized crime members known to be involved with the racket are identified and labeled in the eyes of Law Enforcement as Racketeers. Hence, the birth of the legal turn racketeering. 

The RICO statue allowed for Law Enforcement to change everyone involved with a racket, all parties would be civilly and criminally accountable for the actions taken place during the extortion of the businesses. The Organized crime members also would become known as a criminal enterprise throughout the legal system, thus making anything or anyone that is found to be connected to them harder to suppress when incident arise involving the legal system.  

Obviously, the RICO act carries a lot of time in prison associated with it and that was the point of its passing. This act served as the statement that society has had enough of Organized crime extorting the businesses and limiting the process of society as a whole. 

If convicted under the RICO act…the subject(s) can be sentenced up to twenty (20) years imprisonment and twenty-five thousand (20.000) dollars in fines. Convictions obviously take a long time to occur, however when it does happen everyone associated with the crime will be held accountable for the actions. 

That about does it when it comes to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) act, local Law Enforcement usually only assist federal agencies when it comes to this offense. It isn’t charged on the regular basis… 

The RICO Act? 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) QUARANTINE? MARTIAL LAW? OR JUST ISOLATION?

A coworker and I had a conversation concerning the right and wrong ways to protect the public in times of epidemic and/or pandemic outbreaks when it came to viruses. 

Obviously, our conversation lend to zombies inevitably…however it did get me thinking about some of the ways that countries try to limit the spread of viruses throughout the world. 

The conversation came about because of the current pandemic known as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that is slowly spreading around the world and the limitations that are beginning to develop in countries to attempt to limit its spread. 

Before we move on, due note that my opinion is exactly that…I do not represent anyone else when writing on this blog and everything should obviously be taken as such. 

I think it is completely appropriate to close the borders when it comes to preventing the spread of potential dangerous diseases or viruses throughout the world. It is the duty of the countries to look out for the wellbeing of the citizens in times of crisis and I believe limiting travel is a good means of doing so. 

It isn’t permanent, just until the situation can be resolved and an effective means to battle the virus or disease can be implemented throughout the world. When I say limiting travel I mean both leaving and entering of the countries throughout the world. 

Quarantining people can be seen as wrong, to some extent it is wrong, but only if the conditions that those that are quarantined are being held in aren’t suitable for comfortable living. Although the subject(s) may be carriers of the virus or disease that doesn’t mean that they aren’t allowed to be comfortable, or allowed to be kept in living conditions where their health is in danger further than that of the virus or disease in question. 

Quarantining people can be beneficial at limiting the spread of diseases and viruses as long as it is done correctly. 

I don’t agree with the martial law approach when it comes to protecting the public from viruses and diseases. If you don’t know what martial law is, it basically grants governments ultimate powers when in times of war or imminent crisis situations. 

During martial law, civil rights are heavily limited and the power of the government is increased. I don’t agree with this method because it can be manipulated into something that extorts the public, while enhancing certain government entities. 

Protecting the public is always the number one goal when it comes to dealing with viruses and diseases that have gotten to the point where they have spread throughout multiple countries without an answer in sight. 

There is the right way and the wrong way about going about limiting the spread of viruses and diseases, but before it gets to that point it can be said that those that are sick or feeling ill should do their parts to limit the spread of any kind of sickness. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Quarantine? Martial Law? Or Just Isolation?   

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19), SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT, PREVENTIONS...

I am sure everyone knows about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) via from the internet, social media, or the local news. 

For those that know little about the virus, it is basically an advanced version of the flu that is currently making its way around the world. No one is immune, and everyone is on alert concerning the virus. 

Obviously the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are aware of the virus and are attempting to battle it appropriately. However, when it comes to Law Enforcement no matter what happens or the status of the subject(s) involved LEOs will still respond to assist. 

Law Enforcement Agencies aren’t unaware of the virus going around, most agencies have reinforced trainings pertaining to universal pre-cautions when dealing with the public and when/where it would be appropriate to put on any personal protective equipment (PPE) the agency has issued. 

That being the case, AGAIN…even if an incident occurs where a known subject is infected with the virus…LEOs will still respond and resolve the incident appropriately. 

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) triggers symptoms up to two (2) weeks after entering the body, the virus triggers similar symptoms to that of the flu (i.e. Fever, Cough, and Shortness of Breath) because the virus derives from the flu. 

There is no vaccine to prevent the virus, however it is recommended that the infected subject seek further medical care. Per the CDC, majority of those that catch the virus will recover as if it was the flu. However, those subjects with a compromised immune system or that of a severe medical condition can be more danger than those without, hence why they are recommended to seek further medical care. 

Just like every other sickness, if the subject is unwell then they should remain home and away from anyone they could potentially infect. If that subject has to go into the public, they should wear a mask and keep their distance when interacting with the public. Return home immediately, get plenty of rest, and the virus should pass without issue. 

Society definitely isn’t overreacting with the Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is contagious at certain points during infection and has been labeled a pandemic because of how many countries have been exposed to the virus. 

For my brothers & sisters in uniform, be wary when dealing with the public, wash your hands often, and clean all the surfaces that more than one person have access to. The worse will pass and society will continue to thrive…

Coronavirus (COVID-19), Symptoms, Treatment, Preventions…

ESSENTIAL AGENCIES THAT WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT...

Law Enforcement Agencies work with just about every other government agency working in majority of the fields offering public services, when an incident occurs where Law Enforcement gets involved more than likely additional entities are contacted to assist in resolving said incident. The topic of discussion today will be surrounding the different agencies that assist in resolving incident where Law Enforcement is involved. The agencies may differ in name via states but all tend to provide the same or very similar services to the public. 

The Department of Transportation is responsible for the physical roadway, the signage that is posted, the utility poles, etc. This is the entity that clears the roadway when it comes to snow, debris, or high rise water. In addition, all the makings you see on the roadway are handled by this agency. They are literally the entity that governs the roadways, so majority of the time if any issue arises concerning the roadways…the Department of Transportation is notified to assist in a resolution. 

The Department of Transportation has resources and teams to deploy to any and all incidents related to the roadways. They work very closely with LEOs and maintain a stable relationship when it comes to helping one another during problem resolutions. 

Child and Adult Protective Services are responsible for the wellbeing of Children and/or Adults when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are established minimum standards of living when it comes to both adults and children, this is the entity that assist when an incident arises where those minimums are being met. In addition to that, this entity maintains the authority to command a child be removed from the care of their parents with or without said parents’ consent. 

Child and Adult Protective Services work with LEOs all the time, any incident where child abuse or neglect is suspected is reported to them for further investigation. When it comes to adult abuse it is normally oriented towards the elderly or mentally incapacitated subjects that are subject to possible abuse or neglect when it comes to their care. Nevertheless, this entity works with LEOs all the time when children or adults are involved in incidents where their safety may be in jeopardy. 

Power and Telecommunications, these entities vary by state but every state has some entity that manages the power supply and electric communication networks. These entities are responsible for the power, so the lines, transformers, transmitters, etc. are governed by them. Attached to majority of power poles are also telecommunication lines as well. They work together to maintain a network system to govern power distribution and communication capabilities for everyone to utilize. 

When it comes to Law Enforcement the power companies are notified whenever an incident arises where there is a possibility of live power lines or communication lines not be properly manages. 

This usually is associated with damage to poles, lines, or transformers in the area and as a result normally comes with major power loss in the areas associated. The ultimate goal when it comes to Law Enforcement is resuming a safe status when it comes to electric power associated with any kind of incident. Both power and telecommunication companies will be notified in the event of incident associated with either arises and LEOs work with them to get to plausible resolution as quickly as possible. 

Those are just three (3), however there many more entities that work with Law Enforcement Agencies, these entities are essential to making the system work and resolving any issues that arise with having a system in place that provides services to the public at large. Everyone works hard to keep the system working in a way where services can be maintained and the livelihoods of people can thrive as a result. 

Essential Agencies that Work with Law Enforcement…

MAKE THE ARREST? NO...WHY NOT?

Law Enforcement Officers have a different type of job, it is different every day, and majority of the time we are operating based off the assigned call for service. That being said, recently I have noticed that the newer generation of LEOs aren’t as confident when it comes to decision making. Specifically, when it comes to deciding on whether to arrest or not.

I assisted with a call for service involving a juvenile and his/her parents where the juvenile was claiming that the parents weren’t allowing him/her to go to school. I arrived at the household to assist another unit that was already at the house, I gathered that the juvenile was not allowed to go to school because of suspension and that the juvenile clearly had some sort of mental instability. Before I could give my two cents on the matter the other unit told me to roll out and that he’d take care of it. I departed as asked to.

A few hours later, the juvenile went to the doctor and claimed that he/she was being abused at home and that the father was beating them all the time. The doctor takes of custody of the juvenile and contact Law Enforcement for assistance.

Upon learning that the call for service was involving the same people from earlier, I jumped on it and headed down to the doctor’s office to see what was going on. When I get there the situation is calm and the parents are claiming that they never abused the juvenile. I assist with the interviews, then contact Child Protective Services concerning the incident and see what they want to do.

Child Protective Services determines that the juvenile can be released into custody of the parents because there was no evidence of the allegations being made against them. This is where the incident goes off the rails and where I believe an arrest should have been made.

So Child Protective Services authorized the juvenile to be releasing back to his/hers parents, however the doctors at the office refused to let the juvenile leave with the parents. They went as far as standing in front of the exit door in protest stating they weren’t going to let the juvenile leave with the parents. I pulled the LEO aside and stated that if they didn’t move that would constitute criminal action, specifically abduction and they could be arrested.   

The doctor and his assistant continued to stand block the exit to the building in protest, I was not the lead when it came to this incident, but after the parents and the doctors argued over being released from the facility. Plus, Law enforcement telling the doctors to move and let the parents depart with the juvenile. I would have arrested both of them and charged them appropriately.

The lead LEO didn’t do that though, he utilized an emergency exit and allowed the family to depart the facility that way instead of through the front door. I asked the LEO why he didn’t arrest them and he was truthful in that he didn’t feel like they had abducted the juvenile….although they did in the eyes of the law. I didn’t press the issue, but the duty Sergeant did….

The point is that if a LEO observes a violation of the law, they shall make the arrest, simple as that…

Make the Arrest? No…Why Not?