The new hosting address is:

http://policescannerguru.blogspot.com/

This blog here will remain for archive purposes.

Several weeks ago I heard a call over the scanner about a male that was seen with a gun at a local bar & grill. The suspect, accompanied by a another male and two females, was seen placing a gun into the purse of one of the females. When responding officers made contact with the suspect, he identified himself as an off-duty LAPD officer. According to radio traffic, the off-duty officer was HBD (Has Been Drinking) and became extremely irate and combative with the officers and was subsequently arrested for drunk in public.

Now, that said, it’s always been common practice for an officer to give “professional courtesy” or “overlook” an off-duty officer’s “miss-behaving” while drinking or even while driving so this guy must have really pissed off officers . We civilians would call this “special treatment,” a practice that looks to soon be over. 

+ Alcohol a Growing Problem in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, Report Says - 4/16/09
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sheriffs-misconduct16-2009apr16,3,7060796.story

Liquor-related arrests of department employees have nearly tripled since 2004, watchdog agency finds. Baca and unions are at odds on new policy barring drunk deputies from carrying guns.

There has been a dramatic upswing in the number of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrested for alcohol-related offenses in recent years, suggesting a growing drinking problem within the department, a county watchdog agency reported Wednesday.

Last year, 70 sworn and civilian employees of the Sheriff’s Department were arrested. The majority of those arrests involved employees driving off-duty while under the influence of alcohol, according to an annual report produced by the county Office of Independent Review. In many cases, drunk deputies were carrying firearms at the time of their arrests.

Michael Gennaco, the head of the office, said alcohol-related arrests have nearly tripled since 2004. Alcohol-related incidents in 2009 are at the same pace as last year, he said. In one case last year, an off-duty deputy who drank heavily at a New Year’s party inadvertently shot his cousin in the lower abdomen while showing off his new holster.

“From one point of view, this incident was a fluke, an accident that could have been much worse if the bullet had struck a vital area,” Gennaco wrote in his report. “But the investigation of the incident made it clear that the event would likely not have happened if either the deputy had not been intoxicated or he had not had his firearm on him.”

As a result of that incident, Sheriff Lee Baca sought to implement one of the nation’s toughest policies barring deputies from carrying firearms while under the influence of alcohol. The unions have opposed the policy, saying that it would endanger deputies. The matter is now with the county’s employee relations commission.

Gennaco’s report also cited two cases in which deputies drew their guns after coming out of bars. In one case, a deputy followed a bar hostess to her car, flashed his badge, told her he’d “like to molest her” and kissed her on the neck. He displayed his handgun before kissing her again, according to the report. The deputy pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace and was suspended for 15 days, the report said.

In the other case, an intoxicated deputy got into an argument with bar patrons and waved his handgun to prove he was an officer, the report stated. That deputy received a “significant suspension,” according to the report.

Gennaco said the department, which in the past had been reluctant to talk about alcohol abuse with its employees, has recently taken steps to educate them about the problem.

For example, Undersheriff Larry Waldie now e-mails employees, describing the conduct of deputies involved in alcohol-related arrests, Gennaco said. In one e-mail, Waldie revealed that a nine-year veteran was arrested for driving under the influence after being involved in a traffic collision. The deputy went into a “long tirade of verbal abuse and profanity toward police officers,” Waldie said. The deputy’s companion, who was also a deputy, was arrested for being drunk in public. That deputy was vomiting at the scene and paramedics feared he had alcohol poisoning, according to the report.

In the past, Gennaco said, officers may have overlooked the transgressions of a colleague who drank too much and got into trouble. But today, law enforcement attitudes toward excessive drinking have changed, he said.

“The era of professional courtesy is over. In the old days officers from other departments would stop a drunk deputy’s car and as courtesy drive them home. That has gone away, and I am not sure all deputies understand that,” he said. “In a lot of cases the stopping officer now reports the deputy is angry they are not being given special treatment.”

Baca acknowledged Wednesday that the number of alcohol-related arrests indicated that some deputies have a drinking problem.

“This is a personal failure that has public consequences,” Baca said. “I don’t know how they can look anyone from Mothers Against Drunk Driving in the face.”

Gennaco’s report praised the department for improving its policies on the use of stun guns and on removing an unruly inmate from a jail cell. The reforms followed a February 2007 incident in which a deputy stunned an inmate who was standing on top of a bunk bed in his cell. The inmate fell to the floor and was left paralyzed from the chest down.

Gennaco’s report, however, expressed concern that deputies in field assignments were being transferred to work in the jails as a punishment for misconduct.

This article appears courtesy of LATimes.com

RELATED ARTCLES:

+ More Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies arrested in alcohol cases - 4/16/09
http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_12154412

+ L.A. County sheriff’s deputies are told to unwind unarmed - 4/20/09
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-sheriff20-2009apr20,0,1317642.story

12/15/08, 9:20PM PST - It is with great sadness that another officer has been added to the Officer Down Memorial Page that I featured on my previous post the other day. A California Highway Patrol Officer was struck and killed early this morning while directing traffic at the scene of an accident on a freeway during heavy rain. I gotta say, having several family members and friends in law enforcement, it always strike close to home for me when I hear about an officer killed in the line of duty. 

This one even more so as I heard the call go out over my scanner while working on updates for Police-Scanner.info. The call went out as a “vehicle vs. pedestrian” and was quickly updated to “CHP Officer Struck by Vehicle” which gave me a deep chill down my spine and an empty feeling inside. 

The officer was identified as Joseph Sanders, 29, who had been with the CHP for 14 months. He is survived by an expectant wife and three young children.

Related Links:

+  Officer Down Memorial Page: Officer Joseph Sanders

+ Scanner Audio Recording of Event
Pt.1 (5:21,629K) - Pt.2 (5:26, 639K)
Note About Recording: The audio picks up after the call has already gone out and units are rolling “Code-3″ (lights & siren) to the scene. Also, the audio quality is kind of scratchy and a bit high pitched as I had to record from my handheld scanner. 

+ NBC4LA: Officials Identify CHP Officer Struck, Killed by Motorist

+ California Highway Patrol (CHP) Website
http://www.chp.ca.gov/index.html

The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc., (ODMP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring America’s fallen law enforcement heroes. More than 19,000 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the United States and it is with great honor that the ODMP pays a lasting tribute to each of these officers by preserving their memories within its pages.

All who visit the ODMP will be deeply moved by the countless stories of selfless courage and heroism exhibited by officers who lost their lives while serving and protecting the citizens of this great nation.

2008 Line of Duty Deaths (LODD) By the Numbers:
(as of 12/11/08)

+ Top-3 Line of Duty Death by Cause: 

38 - LODD by Automobile Accident
35 - LODD by Gunfire
11 - LODD by Vehicular Assault

+ Top-3 Line of Duty Deaths by Month:

19 - LODD in September
14 - LODD in January, June, August, & October
12 - LODD in November

+ Top-3 Line of Duty Deaths by State

13 - LODD in Texas
10 - LODD in California
 8  - LODD in Florida

+ More By the Numbers:

11 - Number of Average Tour of Duty Years
39 - Number of Average Officer’s Age
14 - Number of Female Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
 1  - Number of “911 Related Illness” Deaths (new entry added this year)

 
Officer Down Memorial Page - http://www.odmp.org/

Related Links:

+ National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

+ KNBC4LA.com - Complete Coverage

+ Yahoo! Photo Slide Show (100+ pics)

+ Metrolink Annoucements

09/12/08, 5:44PM PT - A Metrolink passenger train has collided head-on into a freight train. Several people have been killed and dozens injured. I been watching this live since just after the call came out on my scanner around 4:23PM PT. There are hundreds of firefighter and police officers on scene and extrication on victims is ongoing as I write this. Click the links below (scroll down) for live video streams:

+ ABC7.com Live Video Stream  

+ KCAL9.com Live Video Stream

+ KNBC4 Live Video Stream 

*Photo courtesy of CBS2.com

09/11/08, 2:12PM PT - Just seen on CNN: Hurricane Ike’s trajectory has changed in a northerly direction and now looks like it will make landfall in Galveston, TX and slam the Houston metro area shortly after that. Still gathering live feeds and webcams, check back later this evening…    

09/11/08, 12:07PM PT - Hurricane Gustav is just a memory for those of us not living in the affected area, but for those living in the affected area, they are still dealing with the aftermath of destruction caused by Gustav. Although Gustav was not the “Storm of the Century” as Mayor Ray Nagin predicted, it did leave a path of destruction typical of a Category-2 Hurricane. Even though the levees held, Hurricane Gustav’s damage is expected to cost up to $7 billion, $65 million alone just for evacuating nearly two-million residents out of Louisiana and $372 million so far in agricultural damage. At the time of this writing there were still more than 140,000 homes still without power and the power company says that it may take up to several more weeks to get power completely restored. That sucks!

FAST-FORWARD to today and now we have HURRICANE IKE (currently a Category-2 w/100+mph winds), which just finished pounding Cuba and the Caribbean is currently in the Gulf heading for a landfall strike along the Texas coastline, most likely Corpus Christi, sometime in the early hours of Saturday morning. 

Hurricane Ike Projected Path / National Hurricane Center

Ike is predicted to be a Category-3 or 4 at landfall. Texas has declared a state of emergency and mandatory evacuations are under way along the Texas gulf coast in what will is the first mass-evacuation in South Texas history with an estimated one-million people being relocated.

Ike has already killed an estimated 81 people in it’s wake after pounding Haiti (75 deaths), the Dominican Republic (1 deaths) and Cuba (5 deaths). This does not look good for the Texas coast line. I will be updating this page with live scanner feeds and webcams from the affected area so stay tuned!   

IF YOU HAVE A SCANNER, MONITOR YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY FREQUENCIES AND/OR THE WEATHER FREQUENCIES AT THE LINK BELOW FOR THE LATEST WEATHER ADVISORIES! IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SCANNER, MONITOR YOUR LOCAL TV OR NEWS RADIO FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND/OR ADVISORIES! Make sure you have extra batteries for your portable scanner or portable radio. 

For preparedness information see: Police Scanners & Emergency Preparedness and NOAA Weather Service & SKYWARN Severe Weather Frequencies

 Links of Interest: 

——————————————————-
Hurricane Ike Information
——————————————————-

+ Hurricane Ike Latest Public Advisory

+ National Hurricane Center - Hurricane Ike

+ Live Radar Loop for Southeast Texas 

+ NOAA National Hurricane Center 

+ Hurricane Ike Interactive Trajectory Map

+ Hurricane Ike Wiki

+ National Weather Service (NWS)

+ US Doppler Radar Sites

+ Weather Channel Online

+ Intellicast Weather

+ AccuWeather.com 

——————————————————-
Live Scanner Feeds
——————————————————-

+ Texas - Galveston Police & Fire Live Scanner Feed
Note: Would not work with WinMedia, but worked fine with WinAmp. includes Amateur Radio.

+ Texas - Houston Fire Department Scanner Feed 
Note: Would not work with WinMedia, but worked fine with WinAmp.

+ Texas - Dallas/Fort Worth Police & Fire Scanner Feed  

+ Texas - Killeen & Fort Hood Police & Fire Scanner Feed 
(Approx. 212 miles NW of Galveston, TX)

+ Texas - SKYWARN Hurricane Net

——————————————————-
Live Web Cam Feeds
——————————————————-  

+ LiveNewsCameras.com - Up to 12 Live News Video Feed on One Page

+ MyFoxHouston - Live Streaming News Videos in the Houston Area

+ KHOU TV Live News Video & Updates

+ KTRH 740 AM News Radio Live Stream

+ ABC 13 Live Streaming Video

+ Evacuation Route: IH-10 @ SH-71 in Columbus, Texas       

+ Man sentenced to 75 hours community service for having police scanner
The director of a church-security ministry in Virginia says he was treated unfairly by the Tallahassee Police Department when he was arrested three months ago on misdemeanor charges of having a police scanner and blue lights installed in his car.
Read full story…

+ 32 federally-funded computers head for Bay County patrol cars
A once-indispensable tool of police on patrol may soon be a relic of the past. With laptop computers rapidly gaining in popularity, the old-fashioned police radio may soon go the way of the horse-drawn paddywagon.  That’s bad news for folks who love listening to police scanners at home, but good news for law enforcement. 
Read full story…

+ EPD sees largest cocaine bust in its history
During a search of a home police recovered a stolen handgun taken in a 2001 burglary, several hundred rounds of ammunition, digital scales and a police scanner. 
Read full story…

+ Two arrested, pit bull killed during drug raid 
During a search of a home, police found marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a shotgun and rifle, a police scanner and cash. One man was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and use of a police scanner during the commission of a felony.
Read full story…

+ Lakewood police suspect impersonator made stops
Police arrested a man with a gun, handcuffs, badges in a vehicle equipped with flashing lights, police scanner and public address system.
Read full story…

+ Spitz: Cops speak their own language
The GOA fox didn’t make the cut. Neither did the DK in need of a good PC. Or the female party who was sectioned. That’s the way it goes with police scanner talk.
Read full story…

09/01/08, 3:47AM PT - So, I’m sitting here in Southern California working on my site, watching live coverage on CNN, MSNBC, the Weather Channel and listening to the live feed of the Louisiana Statewide EOC (Emer. Ops. Center) Comms and I just heard the command post let field units that they just lost power and the generator kicked on but then kicked off and that they are on back-up UPS power and don’t know how long they can stay operational. Hear the EOC comms yourself by following the links on the following page:

+ Cat-4 Hurricane Gustav vs. Louisiana

Also, MSNBC News is reporting a tornado on the ground North of Gulfport, MS moving West at 70mpr…more to follow…   

Just days after the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (8/29), one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, once again Louisiana (& New Orleans) is in the crosshairs of yet another major hurricane as Category 4 Gustav heads for US after pounding Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba. Hurricane Gustav is predicted to remain a Category-4, possibly Cat-5 hurricane when it slams into the Gulf Coast of Louisiana on Monday morning around 11:00AM.

Both Louisiana and Mississippi have declared a state of emergency and mandatory evacuations are already under way in Louisiana. Gustav already has killed 85 people in it’s wake after pounding Haiti (66 deaths), the Dominican Republic (8 deaths), Jamaica (11 deaths) and Cuba (unknown number of deaths).

Links of Interest:

—————————————
Live Scanner Feeds
—————————————

+ New Orleans PD, Fire, EMS, Public Safety Feed - WinAmp Required
http://www.radioreference.com:8000/nola_ps.mp3.m3u

+ Louisiana Statewide EOC (Emer. Ops. Center) Operations - WinAmp Required
http://www.radioreference.com:8000/nola.mp3.m3u

+ NOLA Police Streamed on Ustream
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hurricane-gustav-communications—new-orleans

+ Mississippi Public Broadcasting Online Live Feed
http://www.mpbonline.org/

+ WWL-AM870/FM105.3 Audio Feed Radio Broadcast for Louisiana
http://www.wwl.com/

—————————————
Live Web Cam Feeds
—————————————

NOLA.com Camera Central
Several Webcam feeds from New Orleans
http://www.nola.com/bourbocam/

+ Bourbon Street Live Cam
http://www.icorp.net/carnival/live.html

+ LiveNewsCamera.com
Here you will find live video feeds of several news channels in the Gulf coast area.
http://www.livenewscameras.com/map.html

+ WebCamPlaza.net Hurricane Webcam List
A list of many webcams which are streaming video in the areas affected by the hurricane.
http://www.webcamplaza.net/cams/hurricane1.html

+ Gustav Live Video Coverage
Here you will find live video feeds of four tv news stations (WGNO, WWLTV, WDSU and WVUE) from the New Orleans area.
http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/gustav.html

+ WWLTV.com Video Feed from New Orleans Area
http://www.wwltv.com/video/?nvid=57429&live=yes

+ WDSU Live Video Feed from New Orleans Area
http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

+ KALB NBC Video Feed
Video feed from Alexandria, LA
http://www.kalb.com/

+ WBRZ Video Feed
Video feed from Baton Rouge, LA
http://www.2theadvocate.com/wbrz/videos/live/27725044.html

+ ABC 33/40 Birmingham
Live News Video from Birmingham, Alabama
http://www.abc3340.com/

+ WKRG News 5 Mobile
Live News Video from Mobile, Alabama
http://wkrg.com/

+ Fox10 TV Mobile
Live News Video from Mobile, Alabama
http://www.fox10tv.com/

—————————————
Hurricane Information
—————————————

+ Live Radar Loop for New Orleans, LA http://www.intellicast.com/National/Radar/Current.aspx?location=USLA0338&enlarge=true&animate=true

+ National Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

+ National Hurricane Center - Hurricane GUSTAV
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?5day#contents

+ Hurricane Gustav Interactive Map
http://www.stormpulse.com/

+ Yahoo! Full Coverage - Hurricane Gustav
http://news.yahoo.com/topics/hurricane-gustav

+ Hurricane Gustav Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gustav_(2008)

+ Police Scanners & Emergency Preparedness
http://www.police-scanner.info/emergency-preparedness/

That said, there are some great things to come in mid-September and early October. This includes a huge Bulletin Board Discussion Forum for police scanner and public safety scanning topics. There will also be a “Police Scanning Community” page that will include Police Scanner Yahoo Groups!, Police Scanner Newsgroups, Police Scanner Webrings, Police Scanner Magazines, Regional Scanner Meeting Clubs, Police Scanner Repair Services, Scanning-related Books and more! 

In addition, this scanner blog with be updated on a regular basis with scanner-related articles, news, and other police scanner-related information and topics, the way I originally intended. So stick around cause there is much more to come!

That’s it for now, as always, stay safe!

Ruben Flores
Your “happy to be back!” Webmaster