http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/07/14/20110714quartzsite-editorial.html
Jul. 14, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Late Sunday night, the Quartzsite Town Council declared a "state of emergency" in the community as a series of conflicts, several of them long-simmering, came to a head. Some residents, including Mayor Ed Foster, fear the chief of police and others are targeting their political opponents with arrests and harassment.
On the other side, Police Chief Jeff Gilbert and some Town Council members say they fear reprisals following the release of a YouTube video depicting a local activist being arrested at a town meeting.
The video depicts the activist, Jennifer Jones, doing nothing more outlandish than exercising her citizen's right to petition the government. Yet she was arrested for "disorderly conduct." Numerous other Quartzsite residents, including Foster, claim they, too, have been arrested, some several times, on similar charges.
The controversy doesn't end there. The state Department of Public Safety says it is investigating Chief Gilbert, in response to a letter signed by at least 10 of his 14 sworn officers, declaring "no confidence" in the leadership of their boss.
Some of the concerns raised by the Quartzsite officers sound very much like those raised by Foster and Jones. They contend Gilbert is ordering his patrol officers to stop, cite and even arrest people who oppose his policies and political points of view, and that he has prevented allies from being served with court warrants. Those are serious charges.
In an address to the Quartzsite Town Council on June 14, an official for the Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs said it is standard procedure for a police official accused of such malfeasance to step down, on paid leave, until investigations run their course. That is the matter DPS is now investigating, yet Gilbert remains on the job. And that is a primary source of much of the tension in Quartzsite.
It's time someone stepped in.
The controlling authority would appear to be the La Paz County Board of Supervisors, which can direct the state police to assert some measure of civil order in Quartzsite. If the supervisors decline to take these simmering conflicts seriously, the governor's office needs to consider acting.
Some legitimate authority needs to enforce the peace in Quartzsite. And they need to act before somebody gets hurt.
I guess that they don't know that Dan Field ,now in Parker,used to work for the town of Quartzsite.
ReplyDeleteYou're really boogying on todays freedomsphoenix.com
ReplyDeletethe council are a bunch of fascist pigs!
ReplyDeleteThis is very good news that Oathkeepers is sending their best legal expert to assist the Honorable Mayor Foster and Jennifer Jones in this struggle against tyranny and injustice.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Quartzsite need to rally behind these good folks and also the honorable and courageous “Quartzsite 10” Police Officers who put integrity before their job security.
It is further evidence of collusion between the Chief of Police, Town Council, Town Manager and the Vice Mayor by their actions. Corruption and tyranny for personal monetary and political gain are illegal and unacceptable.
Even “Russia Today” news called the actions by the Council and Police Chief “disgraceful” and a “police state”, who should know better than the Russians about corruption and tyranny.
(Video at link below, worth watching (3:57):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brPbB5YN018
Why is the Chief of Police still walking around “on duty” with a Glock firearm on his hip? He should be immediately placed on administrative leave until the long list of allegations is resolved.
Why do the sworn and signed testimonies of the “Quartzsite 10” not bear any weight here? When 10 honorable Police Officers write that a long list of illegal actions by the Chief of Police have occurred and based on recent videos are still occurring, why no one on the Town Council, Town Manager and Vice Mayor takes this testimony seriously?
Any one of these fine Officers has the power to arrest a person suspected of a crime based on his testimony alone, but yet the Chief of Police is immune from arrest, even when 10 Officers (80% of the force) testify to significant criminal activity, even under threats from the Chief of Police.
WHAT IS WRONG HERE FOLKS?
There is an immediate danger to the town of Quartzsite from the cabal of criminals usurping the rights of citizens. We are proud to see people of high character openly speaking on the issues, such as Mayor Foster, Jennifer Jones, Sgt. Ponce and the others.
Bless and support each and every one of them!
In my state the sheriff can arrest anyone
ReplyDeleteIncluding the chief of police.
This situation has now escalated to a huge legal issue with all kinds of international media attention. Fortunately, the Mayor and Jennifer have outstanding legal counsel to rightfully represent them. I am certain they will receive more high quality legal help than they can use.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, there are two sides to this battle and who will pay the cost to defend the Chief of Police and Town Council?
There are only two possible answers the question:
- Citizens of Quartzsite
- The Defendants
The citizens of Quartzsite should not be forced to pay for the illegal actions of the Chief of Police and Council, etc. It is clear they were not legally performing actions for the good of the public and only illegally acting for their own for enrichment and power. For example, if Councilman “X” robs a liquor store on his way home from a Town Council meeting, should the people of Quartzsite pay for his legal defense? The answer is “of course not”.
The citizens of Quartzsite should never pay for the legal defense of officials acting outside the scope of their office. The City of Quartzsite and the officials personally are going to be sued for large sums of money. There will also be charges for the violation of Federal, State and local laws. The legal costs will be astronomical and Town of Quartzsite cannot afford these costs, nor should Quartzsite be responsible for one red penny.
Let the defendants (Town Council, Town Manager, Vice Mayor, etc.) pay their own legal costs. It was not the actions of the people of Quartzsite that caused this legal disaster. It was the illegal actions of individuals at the Town Council Meeting and we should not make Quartzsite liable for massive legal fees, etc. It was the willful disregard for the Constitution and other laws by the officials and they alone should be held legally accountable.
The only expenses the Town of Quartzsite should be liable for are the Booking fees and “3 Hots and a Cot” in the City Jail for the criminals. Perhaps, the next secret Town Council Meeting can be held in adjoining Jail Cells.
Shouldn't be too much longer now before da' Chief is looking at a federal indictment for misuse of the NCIC/III terminal in the office. Word is that at least three fed grand jury subpoenas were served in town Thursday and more are being served today. Jeffy, can ya say "buhh byeee?" Hope they put one of those fed SWAT teams in your bedroom at 4AM.
ReplyDeleteIzzat true? Fed Grand Jury inquiries? Wow, that is something! Bad news for the chief!
ReplyDelete