Chopper, Captain, Clancy, Mumbo, Agnes, Shorty, Dillie, Pellie, Camden, Brooklyn, Jacob, Jasper, Monty, and the nine officers and one sergeant who comprise the Boston Police Department’s Horse Mounted Unit (BPD HMU) may soon be singing the lyrics of Neil Sedaka’s song, “Breakin’ Up Is Hard To Do” if the dismal outlook for their unit does not change rapidly. Like many other major cities and localities throughout the country, Boston is also confronted with significant economic woes. Though the unit’s operating budget is received through the city, it is not a huge budget. (more…)

Undoubtedly, present economic times are tough. Employees are being furloughed, people are losing their jobs, businesses are cutting back, and some are even closing their doors for good. Even those customers who frequented local coffee shops for the splurge of a daily latte are curtailing their spending, and some of the major coffee chains, including Starbucks, have decided to diminish the number of their store holdings in various parts of the country. It’s not good when even the coffee shops begin to suffer. (more…)

Amidst their grief, the Levy family has undergone a long and grueling time period waiting for any bit of news concerning the identity of who killed their daughter. Though the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department has undergone a change in leadership, the department has continued to be committed to this investigation The fact that Chandra Levy was involved in an affair with a Congressman certainly has made it a high profile case and that fact alone can complicate matters due to the press attention and increased pressure that is levied upon finding the killer. Though the basics of an investigation remain constant, law enforcement officers conduct their duties as required and their job often becomes more difficult simply by the continual pressure and presence of the limelight. (more…)

The state of Virginia has put its marker on the map as being a political hotbed for politics these days. President Barack Obama was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the race since 1964, and a great deal of attention has been focused on Virginia. Now, more than ever, Virginia is in the spotlight for the governor’s race. The Democratic candidates vying for victory in the state’s primary are being closely observed. The primary is expected to be intense. The three Democratic candidates—Brian Moran, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, State Senator Terry McAuliffe, the former National Democratic Chairman, and State Senator Creigh Deeds, are vying for a final place on the Democratic ticket and hoping to be Obama-like change agents for the outcome of the state’s gubernatorial race. (more…)

His Blackberry means a lot to him and, luckily, President Barack Obama is being allowed to keep it despite added and enhanced security coupled with a limited number group of contacts he can maintain on the device. As the President and leader of our great nation, along with living in the fast-paced nation’s capitol, being one among a group who can email him with a quick hello, some urgent business, or a fast question will put one in a rather elite position. As avidly as a number of people were angling to get tickets to his Inauguration, there will be those who will be doing the same to get on his exclusive contact list for various reasons. (more…)

Those of us who are professionals in the criminal justice system but who are not sworn law enforcement officers interact with cops frequently and some of us do so on a daily basis. Cops become not only our colleagues but, in many cases, our close and treasured friends. We come to understand their frustrations, their challenges, their stressors, and the obstacles they face in dealing with the public who looks at them from different eyes and with a different slant on how they conduct their duties. It is not uncommon for individual officers—and even entire departments—to be criticized for their approaches and strategies, and the outcomes that may ensue as a result of them. Moreover, heaven forbid if a citizen gets injured—or even killed by a cop—the instantaneous response, more often than not, is to lay blame directly on the individual officer and the department as a whole before the real facts are determined. (more…)

Known as America’s Toughest Sheriff, Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is no- nonsense, practical, and determined law enforcement leader. He does not placate criminals, pander to his critics, and he does not back down when threatened with inquiries, lawsuits, or tactics of intimidation by those who don’t agree with his practices or policies. Sheriff Arpaio is definitely no wimp, and he runs his department the way he sees fit. He does not allow himself to be swayed or manipulated by others who constantly find fault with his strategies and condemn him for his philosophy. Obviously, for the residents of his county, he has lasting appeal because they overwhelmingly elect him term after term. (more…)

The famous pin-up model, Bettie Page, is now 85-years-old and is hospitalized after suffering a heart attack and is rumored to be in comatose state. Page, a former secretary became an acclaimed celebrity when she modeled for a pin-up shoot. From that point on, she became revered as the famous pin-up gal who posed with an air of sensuality, provided alluring looks to men who crossed her path, and graced her mesmerizing legs with a pair of sexy, high-heeled stilettos. (more…)

President Elect Barack Obama’s choice of Eric H. Holder, Jr. for the position of Attorney General is an outstanding one. Mr. Holder is an accomplished attorney with demonstrated achievements and highly regarded by legal veterans, like myself, who work in the law enforcement arena and criminal justice system. Despite any criticism that is now floating around concerning his alleged failure to prevent the pardon of Mr. Marc Rich, he likely was caught between a rock and a hard place–particularly if he was an “at will” employee at the time. It is highly probable he had to walk a fine line in the decision-making process and may not have been the ultimate decider despite being tagged as the recipient of blame. (more…)

Perhaps Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) is so elated over President-Elect Barack Obama’s victory that he cannot think clearly let alone recognize how ridiculous his comparative thought about the Fairness Doctrine even equates with pornography. “The very same people who don’t want the Fairness Doctrine want the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to limit pornography on the air. I am for that…But you can’t say government hands off in one area to a commercial enterprise but you are allowed to intervene in another. That’s not consistent,” said Schumer. (more…)