Mark's Views, Perhaps — from behind my eyeballs
Thank you!
When I saw these five officers in this picture:
I thought of these four on the other side of the country:
So, to the living: Thanks again!
And to the families and friends and colleagues of those killed in action in Oakland (and elsewhere): A special thanks to you as well. May you find God’s comfort, peace, and courage.
I was surprised to see the LAPD’s page for Fermin Omar Montenegro still unchanged since I first saw it back in early December and posted about it here.
It is my understanding that almost three months ago, Montenegro met in Nicaragua with Detective McKnight. In fact, here is a photo that a reliable witness claims to have taken of them at the end of their meeting:
I don’t know McKnight. I don’t know Montenegro. I’ve never met either of them. But I’m curious about what Montenegro’s official status is with the LAPD.
PS: I went to Interpol’s site but didn’t learn anything there either.
The UK Mail Online reports:
| Thousands of Mexican soldiers pour into the country’s most violent city in crackdown on drug gangs
Armed to the hilt, they came from land and air, determined to restore order to Mexico’s most violent city. Nearly 2,000 Mexican soldiers and armed federal police poured into the border town of Ciudad Juarez last weekend. The city – just across from El Paso in Texas – has been ravaged by drug gangs. Just this month 250 people were killed there by hitmen fighting for lucrative smuggling routes. The soldiers’ mandate is clear – and ambitious. ‘This is to reinforce the operation in general … to eradicate kidnappings, extortion, assaults and homicide,’ army spokesman Enrique Torres said. The soldiers are the first contingent of as many as 5,000 troops and federal police being sent to Juarez. President Felipe Calderon’s military operation is supported by the United States, which is concerned the violence could destabilize Mexico, a key trading partner, and spill over the border. Mexico has deployed some 45,000 troops across the country to try to crush drug gangs, but clashes between rival cartels and security forces killed around 6,000 people last year. |
Police look to hack citizens’ home PCs
| Police and state intelligence agencies from several countries may soon be working together to secretly hack into private citizens’ personal computers without their knowledge and without a warrant.
According to a London Times report, the police hacking process, called “remote searching,” enables law enforcement to gather information from e-mails, instant messages and Web browsers, even while hundreds of miles away. Furthermore, the Times reports, a new edict by the European Union’s council of ministers in Brussels has paved the way for international law enforcement agencies to begin remote searching and sharing the information with each other. According to the Times, the United Kingdom’s Home Office, the nation’s lead government department for immigration, drugs and counter-terrorism enforcement, has already quietly adopted a plan that would enable French, German and other European Union police forces to request remote searching be done on UK citizens’ computers. |
I haven’t much to say here except this: If you have DSL or some other form of “always on” broadband, disconnect your computer when you’re not online.
Updated with two more photos….
“Honour the king” says the Bible. As my way of doing that, I was going to be along the procession route. For various reasons, including our driveway and business, I didn’t make it. But I asked my sister (her business is next to 7-11) to take some pictures for me. Here are two.
Here’s a bit more I wrote on the matter earlier this morning: Faithful Dependability.
(Thanks for the photos, Karen!)
I posted the above early yesterday afternoon (12/19/08 @ 12:28 Pacific).
Here are two additional photos I received from my niece. Thanks, Karina!
I just read this:
Authorities arrested a suspect in the Salem area Sunday evening in the Woodburn bank bombing that killed two police explosives experts and injured the town’s police chief and a bank employee.
The name of the suspect, address of the arrest or any details about the investigation were not released “to protect the integrity of the investigation and the safety of officers continuing to investigate this crime,” a news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Those are the first two paragraphs of the story I just read at The Oregonian.
Good job!
Updated on Sunday, December 14, 2008 Please scroll to the end for the update.
Though I no longer live there (I don’t live in any town, for that matter), I still think of Woodburn as my home town (although Molalla is closer by four miles or so). Thus, last evening’s events seem particularly close to home.
From The Woodburn Independent:
The Woodburn Independent has learned through various sources that a Woodburn police officer has been killed and Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell was seriously injured in the bomb blast.
Newer info from The Oregonian:
The bomb detonated around 5:30 p.m. at the bank in the 2500 block of Oregon 214.
Oregon State Police authorities this morning confirmed the death of its bomb technician. Authorities have not released the names of the officers.
I wonder if the dead Woodburn officer is one of those I have thanked for his service. I’ll try to remember to thank law enforcement folks more often.
To all law enforcement personnel, thanks for your service! Likewise to all other first responders.
And may God be especially near those who have lost a loved one, a friend, a comrade.
And may He grant whole-being healing to the injured.
Original post date (for the above): December 13 at 7:58 am Pacific
The Oregon State Police released biographical information for Sr. Trooper William “Bill” Hakim and Woodburn Police Capt. Tom Tennant, who both died in a bomb explosion at West Coast Bank in Woodburn Friday, and Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell, who is in critical condition at OHSU Hospital.
What I’m interested in here isn’t each one’s bio, but his family.
Oregon State Senior Trooper William “Bill” Hakim (51) is survived by his wife and a 16-year old son and 18-year old daughter. (It had been over seven years since an Oregon State trooper died in the line of duty.)
Woodburn Police Captain Tom Tennant (51) is survived by his wife Mary and three children (Becky, Jennifer, Scott) 24, 22, and 17.
Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell (46) is married and has two daughters, ages 12 and 10.
Update source: The Oregonian