Harvard Professor Gates and Racial Profiling: Police Expert's Perspective

As a college criminal justice educator, police expert media commentator, and former police chief, I have commented extensively police situations and have done so before on everything from Taser to the Caylee Anthony case. In some cases I have defended officers on the scene and explained their perspective. But in others, I have eshewed the circle the wogon mentality. I call it for how I see it based on commonly accepted police practices and an eye on the big picture of policing in America.

The big story today: Professor Gates racial profiling case. I have read the Cambridge Police reports and have several thoughts on the matter.

Bottom line: while the officer was justified in investigating a crime, he stated in his report that he was satisfied that the occupant, Professor Gates, was legally allowed to be there and that no further danger was present. That, from a law enforcement perspective, is THE key phrase. It was at that point he should have left. This became a battle of competing egos.

I have walked away once my legal duty was done even with someone yelling. The courts have long ruled that people can yell at the police. Disorderly conduct is a stretch especially when you (order or ask) the person to step outside so that non-police folks can be exposed to that yelling and be "alarmed" as an element of disorderly conduct. Just the perception alone is bad.

We need to see the big picture in policing. Perception is reality. We as professionals need to be sensitive to other people and their reality. Here as Director of the Institute for Public Safety at Central Ohio Technical College (which includes the Basic Police Academies) and other places I've been before, we drive home the mantra of respect and understanding for other folks' perspectives.

While perhaps the Professor was overly agitated, it was the police presence that was creating the agitation. Remove the police presence, and the agitation is gone. This is not unlike the theory that Los Angeles Police and other police agencies are correctly gravitating to regarding police chases. Bring in a helicopter, stop chasing with ground units, and the fleeing driver will stop driving at the high rate of speed.

We in policing are supposed to be professional problem solvers. The courts have ruled that it is not illegal for officers to be called names. Doesn't make it pleasant, but it is part of the career of peace officer. We are supposed to deescalate situations even if it means walking away.

I even saw this a few years back while doing a ride along with constables of the London Metropolitan Police in the U.K. A marked police car I was riding in broke down. People riding by would give me and the two uniformed bobbies obscene genstures. The officers just laughed. They understood that it was not personal, just directed at the uniform. They also knew it was part of policing in a democratic society.

While I believe in officer discretion, I do not believe that it was executed wisely here. I feel that he should have seen that the big picture of what we do and why we are here was forgotten for the heat of the moment. We in law enforcement are supposed to be above that.

Having investigated numerous reported break ins in my career, having supervised and trained officers who do so, I can comment on accepted police practices at each stage in the call for police service and how the officer handled it based on his own report.

To say the least, this call was not handled well. My educated prediction is that the case against Professor Gates will go away. In the meantime, officers nationwide will have to contend with folks that have yet another seed of discontent with law enforcers. All because the big picture was not heeded here.

Officers, and I agree, are all about officer safety. Officer safety begins with respect and being a peace officer. Walking away when it is not worth it and the legal need to remain to investigate has been satisfied. That did not happen here.

Police Expert on Traffic Stop of NFL Player Ryan Moats by Dallas Police Officer

Like many folks in the criminal justice and law enforcement education and practitioner arenas, I was distreessed to see the video of NFL player Ryan Moats with Dallas Police officer Robert Powell during a traffic stop. As many people saw on countless youtube and television replays, Mr. Moats was enroute to a hospital in Plano, Texas, to try to see his mother in law before she passed away. Mr. Moats had his hazard lights on and went through a red light garnering the attention of Officer Powell. The Dallas law enforcer pursued Mr. Moats into the hospital emergency room parking lot and detained him for 13 minutes of a heated exchange.

This was an upsetting situation and a blow for law enforcement in the eyes of the community. As a former police chief, former full-time patrol officer, and law enforcement educator/trainer, I view this as contrary to our role in society. I made a video with my views on the situation. That video is featured here below on Blogger, as well as posted on my youtube.com, Facebook.com, Google Video, MySpace.com, Break.com, LiveLeak.com, Seesmic.com, Vimeo.com, Veoh.com, and DailyMotion.com pages. And I see that it has already been picked up by video sites in Asia and elsewhere.

The events as they transpired in the Moats traffic stop were just plain wrong. At the police academy I used to teach in and manage, just North of Orlando in Central Florida, I exhorted the students to remember what it was like before they pinned the badge. I told them to treat people as they would want their mother, father, brother, sister, wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc. to be treated.

The Moats family was in crisis. We are trained to handle people in crisis. As the mature, professional police officer, it is part of the job to deescalate situations and to see the big picture of what is happening. A simplistic view that is black and white (no pun intended here) is not the right path. This was a shade of grey.

To view this as simply go through light and get ticket is not right. Was the Moats family animated? Yes. So was the officer. Any veteran knows that yelling and being disrespectful only breeds more of the same from the motorist or civilian we are interacting with. If someone is agitated, we need to figure out why and calm them down.

If we as a society believe in simple cause an effect in terms of offense and punish, than we should do away with traffic officers and only have robotic, automatic red light cameras everywhere. But clearly we don't all agree that the camera route is the path to take. We need human beings as officers to deal with their fellow humans with compassion. Discretion is a key word here. We legally grant officers that latitude for a reason. It needs to exercised wisely.

Clearly, this was not the case of a lying motorist (which we all run into all to often). A nurse came out twice and a uniformed Plano Police officer came out once pleading for the Dallas Police officer to release Mr. Moats so he could see his mother in law before she passed away. Tragically, that did not happen.

In Florida and other states, you can mail the ticket. I commented on a similiar stoty for the news media a couple years ago involving a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff in Tampa, Florida, and offered the same solution.

This is also a tragedy for the Powell family (wife and kids too). A young officer has lost his career for what may be an unusual behavior. I have not obviously seen his personnel file, nor am I in the internal affairs/professional standards unit of the Dallas Police Department.

If it is a one-time occurence, and his apology and resignation is genuine, than I hope he learned and gets another position at a good, reputable law enforcement agency. If not, than it is better that he be doing something else. The stakes are too high in law emnforcement. We are not allowed to have a bad day. When we have a bad day, people can die.

PoliceOne.com column: What law enforcement can learn from the Caylee Anthony case

I have done numerous media interviews on the Caylee Anthony missing child case that is transpiring right here in Orlando, FL. I have strong feelings on how law enforcement agencies and experts need to be handling cases of this publicity laden magnitude. My latest "Weinblatt's Tips" column on law enforcement website www.PoliceOne.com came out yesterday (08/22/08) and reflects my multi-year call for law enforcement responiveness and partnership with the media. The article, "P1 Exclusive: What law enforcement can learn from the Caylee Anthony case," covers the need for law enforcement agencies and experts to interact with the media.

According to PoliceOne.com, the website, based in San Francisco, CA, has almost 700,000 unique visitors each month with more than 176,000 registered law enforcement members representing over 14,000 agencies.



The latest column is featured on the front of the website, as well as in the primary slot in today's PoliceOne.com email newsletter (which is emailed to 94,000 law enforcement professionals). It can be read by clicking the link: http://www.policeone.com/writers/columnists/Richard-Weinblatt/articles/1728471-P1-Exclusive-What-law-enforcement-can-learn-from-the-Caylee-Anthony-case/

The concepts in the column reflect my sentiments as documented even way back in a February 1992 media relations article I wrote for Law and Order: The Magazine for Police Management. As I mentioned in the latest PoliceOne.com column, the concepts I wrote about in 1992 are dated, but not outdated. The media storm swirling around law enforcement in the Caylee Anthony case are only going to become more frequent. It's time that we embrace this police-media partnership and fill up the airtime with accurate law enforcement generated information.

Weinblatt Police Training Videos: Driver Call Back Traffic Stops and Dealing with the Opposite Sex

Today I am blogging about two police training videos I created which were featured on the law enforcement website www.PoliceLink.com. I write regularly for PoliceLink. The videos are also up on my youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/richardweinblatt

I hosted, produced, directed, and edited, the videos with volunteer actor assistance from recent graduates from the Seminole Community College Police Academy that I manage here in Central Florida.

The February 18, 2008 video, "Dealing with the Opposite Sex," was based on my popular PoliceLink.com article "Ten Tips for Dealing with the Opposite Sex" published on November 26, 2007. I'm in the video as is Officer Nicole Gusaeff and Officer Daniel Barnard from our SCC Basic Law Enforcement Academy class #87. I even included some funny outtakes/bloopers at the end of the video. Nicole and Daniel were good sports and obviously had a lot of fun being featured in the video. I think the blooper part is more popular with folks than the serious section of the video.










The article can be read here: (http://www.policelink.com/training/articles/7528-ten-tips-for-dealing-with-the-opposite-sex)

This was a fun video and followed another, even more popular PoliceLink.com article (from October 10, 2007) that I wrote. The article was on a traffic stop concept not practiced by officers as much as driver's side or passenger side approach. My driver call back article can be read on PoliceLink.com here: http://www.policelink.com/training/articles/5883-safe-driver-call-backs

That first video, which I created on January 12, 2008, is based on my article. It starred me and my voluntary assistant, Officer Gabriel Garcia. Gabriel graduated from our SCC Basic Law Enforcement Academy class #90. He was a good sport and had fun acting in the video, although I did not incorporate an outtakes/bloopers section until the second video.

You can see the first video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dirc5wOFOgc

What surprises some people is the time it takes to shoot these videos. It takes three or four hours at least to set up the shots and do several takes. The multiple takes are needed to account for mistakes, as well as multiple camera angles. It then takes a couple hours to do the editing. I use iMovie HD 6 either on my Apple PowerMac G5 Quad Processor computer or my Apple MacBook Pro laptop to do the editing on my movies.

I've gotten tons of feedback from both current and aspiring law enforcement officers. Of course, as with any tactical training, you can get ten police instructors in a room and get ten different opinions on how to do things. With all my videos, I stress that they are only guides to general law enforcement situations. Specific legal and tactical guidance has to be sought from agency trainers and departmental policies.

Another type of video I've done has dealt with topical law enforcement issues of the day. Some examples of them were the Andrew Meyer University of Florida Taser incident, the Ohio police Taser situation, and the Paris Hilton lack of interest in being role model statement from her appearance on Late Night with David Letterman.

I am thinking of doing either more of these police training videos and/or more police expert opinion on the topical law enforcement issue of the day videos (prior examples of these can also be seen on my youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/richardweinblatt). What do you think?

Caylee Anthony Police Expert Analysis on News Interviews

You would have to be under a rock not to notice the large amount of coverage garnered by the Caylee Anthony missing child case. As someone with law enforcement and media interviewing experience, it came as no surprise that I've ended up doing quite a few interviews on the topic. Even more than before, this investigation has lead to an incredible number of people coming up to me seeking answers to their many questions.

As I told WESH2 News (the NBC affiliate) anchor/reporter Gail Paschall-Brown, I fear that this case will have a sad ending. In my experience, the longer a child is missing, the more grim the prospects become.

This is a tragic case for a number of reasons. This missing two-year-old, now turned three-year-old, may have already been located if law enforcement officials were able to get straight answers from the get go. Sadly, As a former police chief who has investigated homicides and missing persons cases as a sworn law enforcer, it does not surprise me that people will use deceptions and omissions when dealing with police investigators seeking to ascertain the well-being of their own family.

I have told many folks that the Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators here in Orlando, FL, handling this case, Sgt. John Allen and Cpl. Yuri Mellich (who just finished two years in OCSO homicide), are not new kids on the block. They know how to investigate these types of cases. They are experienced, diligent and highly trained.

As for the smell of old pizza and the smell of death in the Pontiac. As anyone who has smelled a dead body left for some time, there is no confusing the two. As I pointed out in a Central Florida News 13 in-studio interview I did on 7/24/08 with Anchor Ybeth Bruzual, even Cindy Anthony, the grandmother, stated that in one of the 911 calls she made.

In a video package of a 7/23/08 interview I did with top rated ABC affiliate WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News, her statements concerning the pizza and my contradictory statements refuting the chance of confusing the two distinct smells were played together. Experienced law enforcers especially would not be confused by the pizza presence. As I told WFTV reporter Eric Rasmussen, that is not a chance that the two could be interchanged.


If you add on top of that the positive hit indication of two cadaver dog teams, the direction becomes clearer. As I explained on the WOFL Fox 35 Morning News in two live on-set interviews with host Heidi Hatch on 7/23/08 and in a video package with WVEN Univision 26 Noticias (the Spanish language news) News Anchor/Producer Jimena Cortes on 7/24/08, these dogs are highly trained and have a keen sense of smell. They would not be confused by pizza. You could put a ham sandwich next to them and they would not be distracted.

As for their sense of smell, they can detect the smell of decomposition deep underground even with a concrete slab being present. I don't think the human and canine experts could get this wrong.

It does appear that the family is now cooperating a little more with the investigators. They have discussed the issue of the Anthony family shed burglary and gas can theft with them. I figured that it was worth looking at and I told WFTV Channel 9 in another interview on 7/29/08 that investigators would have to look at the gas can shed burglary and theft situation.


That is good that family is now talking with the OCSO investigators. They are the ones with the interviewing expertise. They are the ones with the big picture of all of the tips that have to be logged in and prioritized. Seemingly insignificant information might be relevant when coupled with other information known by investigators.

It takes a lot of experience and training to conduct these investigations and no one should undertake such an endeavor on their own. To do so risks the integrity of the investigation.

I have also been asked why investigators withhold information. As I told reporters and news directors, who understand this as they have covered crime stories for years, information is always held back especially in high profile cases. They do this to be able to test the veracity and credibility of those who might confess or come forward with information. People have been known to do so with false information.

Information is also held back in order to have more material to offer the news media at a later date in an effort to revive the story. As time passes, sometimes people become more comfortable coming forward. Media coverage later helps the investigators to get more tips.

All of this is being combined with the evidence that they have collected and submitted for analysis on several different forays. Such evidence includes the stain, hair, and dirt from the Pontiac's trunk, the shovel borrowed from the neighbor, and the clothes retrieved and cleaned by Cindy Anthony from the Pontiac and later taken by investigators from the Anthony home. As I explained to Central Florida News 13 reporter Stephanie Coueignoux on 8/6/08, the evidence has to be looked at and analyzed. The forensic evidence, combined with their interviews and document collections will help them to piece together what amounts to a giant jigsaw puzzle.

This saga is sure to continue for a little longer. However, unlike the Trenton Duckett missing little boy case, I think this one will be solved. Let's hope so that the Anthony family, friends and the community can get some answers and some closure. Something that I know that countless loved ones of other missing children across Florida and the nation are hoping for in their respective cases.

Below is my Fox 35 Morning News two live in-studio segments from 7/23/08. Other TV news interview clips are on youtube at www.youtube.com/user/richardweinblatt

My Morning with American Idol's Ace Young and July 4th Holiday Travel Safety Tips News Interviews

(Left to right) Fox 35 weatherman Jim Van Fleet, Seminole Community College Criminal Justice's Dr. Richard Weinblatt, and former American Idol contestant Ace Young in the Fox 35 studios.

Yesterday (July 3rd) was a fun day. Early in the morning I went over to the Lake Mary, FL, studios of WOFL Fox 35 to do another law enforcement-related interview for the Fox 35 Morning News. The cast, crew, and executives over the show were as friendly and gracious as they always are. It is really terrific to work with such a professional, reliable, and friendly TV station covering the Orlando TV market.

Both before and after my live on-set interview, I hung out in the studio and caught up with my friends there including the consummate show hosts Tom Johnson, Heidi Hatch, Lauren LaPonzina, and, of course, the weatherman and singer supremo, Jim Van Fleet.

American Idol's Ace Young

A nice bonus was spending some time with former American Idol contestant Ace Young. I've met a lot of celebrities, but Ace ranks as one of the nicest. I found him to be very down to earth. Of course it helped that my pal Jim Van Fleet (a buddy of Ace Young's) gave me an introduction to him that went like this: "Dr. Weinblatt's the man to know... he knows all of the law enforcement people." Thanks, Jim.


Ace and I joked about my business card not being a get out of jail free card. We also decided that a stint in jail would not be fun for either of us. Ace said he'd have to shave his head and bulk up if he went to the big house.

Ace Young has a killer schedule and I admire his work ethic. He had come into Orlando at 3:30 in the morning and was heading to Disney after the Fox 35 Morning News. After that, he said his plan was to get some sleep and then head to to perform at Red, Hot and Boom July 4th celebration in nearby Altamonte Springs, FL, (a bunch of my cop buddies are working this event on a mandatory basis and are going to be worn out themselves). Then it was off to Tennessee. Wow, what a schedule. As I said to Jim Van Fleet, "I guess you have to ride the wave while it lasts."

Ace has got a great memory and is smoother than most young rock stars out there. He told Jim that he had listened to his music on his myspace page. Later, he told me he was going to check out my website (www.policearticles.com). Not only can he sing, he can handle people very well. I was impressed.

Tom Johnson News Interview


Fox 35 Morning News host Tom Johnson (left) interviews Seminole Community College Criminal Justice's Dr. Richard Weinblatt live on the set.

As for my news interview itself, it went well. I had approx. two minutes live on the set with host and super nice guy Tom Johnson. We discussed July 4th holiday travel safety tips.

We covered such tips as: check out your car mechanically, plan your route, let another person know your route and car description (including license plate), and have plenty of food and water. I noted that a recent study found that two thirds of all crashes happen within five miles of the home. The shorter trip venues, caused by the rise in fuel prices, are no haven from crashes and other problems.

Behind the Scenes

For those who ask me what it's like to do these TV interviews, this may be of interest. We used three studio cameras and crew. It's pretty hard to look at the right camera at the right time and also at the host asking the questions. It takes some practice to follow the red lights on top of the camera that indicate they are the one feeding the image at the moment. All the meantime, you have to come with some good ad-lib based on the tips submitted previously. And you have to do this all smoothly without looking like it takes any effort. It is not as easy as it looks.


I've done interviews with both Tom and Heidi Hatch. They are both fun to work with. Tom was especially happy as he had plans this weekend to celebrate his eleventh wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Tom!

Jim Van Fleet's Music CDs and My Wife

I know I made my wife, Anne, happy when I hand delivered to her office three CDs of weatherman and music star Jim Van Fleet's artistry. Anne has met the charismatic Jim before and likes both him and his music. She was thrilled that Jim gave me the CDs for her. You can check out his music at www.jimvanfleet.net or www.myspace.com/jimvanfleet Anne told me that she already played his CDs with my six-year-old son Michael in the car on the way home yesterday.

The interview, as well as another one I did that afternoon at the downtown Orlando studios of Central Florida News 13, is below.

Reflections on SCC Leadership Academy

The above picture of me receiving my Seminole Community College (SCC) Leadership Academy diploma at the April graduation ceremony from Dr. E. Ann McGee, Seminole Community College president, is the culmination of my terrific experience as part of the fantastic bonding and educational vehicle at SCC. The year-long program was the brainchild of Dr. McGee and reflects her commitment to educational excellence. Many college presidents espouse the virtues of of educational excellence, but Dr. McGee, SCC Communications and Marketing guru Michael Garlich, and their team of Leadership Academy alumni proved it by their actions. Like most folks with a criminal justice background, I believe that actions speak louder than words.


I was honestly impressed as Dr. McGee and company brought together a diverse group of men and women from across Seminole Community College's multiple campuses here in Central Florida to learn, laugh, and share about each other, the college, and educational leadership. I found it fascinating and made some great contacts and friends in the process. We even attended an SCC Board meeting and spent some time with the SCC Board of Trustees including Board Chair and Florida State Representative Chris Dorworth.

The highlight of the Seminole Community College Leadership Academy was our two day visit in March 2008 to Tallahassee (Florida's state capitol) hosted by Dr. McGee. In the state capitol, we toured the governmental complexes and learned much of the legislative and budgetary process and how it all ties into the educational picture in our state. We also saw the guenuine respect that educational and political leaders have for Dr. McGee. I have to say I was impressed.




The members of the SCC Leadership Academy also met with a host of dignitaries including SCC board of trustees chairman and state representative Chris Dorworth, Rep. Joe Pickens, Florida State University president Dr. T.K. Wetherell, and Florida Division of Community Colleges chancellor Dr. Willis N. Holcombe. These leaders gave us much advice and candidly discussed pressing issues facing community colleges.

Another Viewer Gives Feedback

As I have posted for readers of my blog before, here is a nice email I received in my YouTube.com channel inbox. This email concerns the University of Florida student Taser incident involving Andrew Meyer...


lthobbes1
From one Officer to another, I thank you
May 06, 2008
Hello Richard,
I'm a Deputy in Greene County (Springfield) Mo.
After seeing your intelligent answer to the student taser incident I want to thank you.
Even since this event I have been arguing the exact same points that you have.

Ask them
Tell them
Make them

When someone does not comply we only really have two choices
1. Use physical force to make him comply which could result in numerous different injuries or even death to the offender or

or 2. They could deploy a taser, which is much safer for the officers and the offender.
ANYTIME an offender refuses to comply they must be forced. The only other option is to pull up a chair and talk about "feelings" for 12 hours and maybe he will comply:P
Most inexperienced liberals I talk to want to say "well they had three cops they could have hand cuffed him".

To these inexperienced folks- I have this to say: as a brand new rookie in corrections more than 3 years ago I took my first DT class .

At the end of class all formed two lines and went through the line taking turns having someone act as the resistor in the prone position with arms underneath them. Two officers would come up and force the person into the handcuff position. The resistor on bottom would use passive resistance only, but they would hold out as long as they could.

My MMA instructor and good friend who got me the job was also one of the DT instructors. When it was my turn to be the resistor, one of the officers to try and cuff me was a competitive power-lifter who at one time could bench over 500. The other was a large veteran C.O. female weighing approx 250-300lbs.

Long story extremely shortened- These two tried repeatedly to cuff me with no success until they almost wore themselves completely out. So the DT instructors asked them what they should do. The instructors ended up instructing them to call for back-up. At this point the rest of the class all pounced on me. (I don't know the exact number of total students but I would guestimate 10-15)

After about 2 minutes of the entire class failing to handcuff me most of the class were worn out and the instructors called scenario. The DT instructors were of course laughing and claiming they only did that because they knew I was a grappler and "I wanted to see a cluster, and I knew you would be good for a cluster"

Am I trying to brag? Not at all, You and I both know that even a 100lb methed out woman can keep 5-6 officers busy for quite some time....

I have trouble sometimes painting an accurate picture of what police work is really like to liberal civilians. The taser is not the equivalent of the electric chair the way many liberals have been brainwashed into thinking. It is hard to de-program people from the romantic ideas people get from TV about police work.

I think you did an extremely superb job of explaining the John Kerry Taser action and I hope you keep making these explanations on youtube in the future.

Thank you so much for posting this video. You did a great job keep it up.

God Bless,
Jeremiah

Blast from the Past: Polaroid of Firearms from 1995 Traffic Stop

I was digging in a desk drawer tonight and I found something really interesting. It was a Polaroid (remember them) picture. Back in 1995, as a Patrol Division Deputy Sheriff with the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, I stopped a vehicle on Interstate 25. To make a long story short, I arrested the male driver and found a huge cache of firearms and ammunition. The bad stuff is spread out on the hood of my Chevrolet Caprice patrol car for evidentiary photo purposes. It is a good thing that the driver didn't use any of that firepower on me before I knew what he had. Talk about a blast from the past.

Feedback, Feedback, Feedback...Boy, do I get Feedback

With all the videos and articles that I self-produce, as well as local and national TV news interviews I do, and put up on the Internet, you can imagine all of the emails, comments, and messages I get.

While a lot of the feedback I get is the usual "nazi," "facist," "pig," etc. name calling by those that do not want to hear a reasoned and balanced voice on the complicated world of policing in a democratic society, there is quite a bit that is more positive in nature.

With the former, as I've told my wife and others, you just have to have a thick skin and not let their ramblings bother you. As for the latter group, it is nice to have these folks, law enforcement and non-law enforcement, recognize that my aim is to help educate the public as to what the police do and why we do it. It is at that juncture that an educated and informed opinion can be made.

As observed by a few of the police academy students that I was instructing today on traffic stops, it's not as simple as it appears from the outside. After being educated and trying it themselves in a training scenario environment, these aspiring law enforcers realized the myriad of different things they have to be aware of. They saw first-hand how hard it is to see, detect and react appropriately to a red training firearm placed in a subject vehicle. It's not like TV.

Education on law enforcement matters is the key for people to understand what there police do and why they do it. That is why I am driven to spend the time and effort on these endeavors. Here is some of the feedback I've gotten:


On policeone.com website BLUtube.com, remang, a representative of the law enforcement community, wrote the following comment after watching my MSNBC interview on the new Taser study.

The national news interview aired on October 8, 2007 and had me appear with a representative of Amnesty International:

Never seen anyone work so hard to get themselves on TV and the internet as Mr. Weinblatt. That said, he's reasonably articulate and I do appreciate his visibility on behalf of Peace Officers everywhere in America. Thanks.

Facebook.com has been a source of many comments from the non-law enforcement members of our society. Not all of them have been well-reasoned and positive. Here are some of the ones I enjoyed...

Regarding my self-produced video on the University of Florida Andrew Meyer Taser incident:

The thing is I trust him more, since he is certified in alot of uses of force, it listed them. He has a greater span of knowledge on use of force than many general officers. Also he is right the Secret Serveice would have had his ass the first time he stepped out of line. The officers showed alot of restraint.

Richard...A job well done...I find it hard to believe the officer infringed on the college student's rights...It was clearly a cut and dry case...The issue isn't freedom of speech...It's simply the use of force and I find it hard to believe the Taser is HIGH on the use of force continuum, especially above an expandable baton...Once more Kudos Richard.

Definitely. Many kudos to Mr. Weinblatt and the officers involved. The officers did, as Mr. Weinblatt said, show great restraint during the entirety of the situation. It is never clear if someone does, or does NOT have a weapon or bomb on their person. Just as Mr. Weinblatt said, if it was teh Secret Service involved, the moment Mr. Meyer stepped out of line, he would have been tackled and forcefully removed from the building.

From what I have read, Mr. Meyer was placed under arrest before even asking his questions. I cannot officially confirm this. It was Senator Kerry that asked the officers to let him ask his questions. Then, when refusing to conclude his questions, as asked by the forum administrators (or whomever was controlling the questions being asked), they turned off the microphone. This is when Mr. Meyer became unruly.The officers attempted to restrain him, he fought back, was warned multiple times to stop or he would be tased, and eventually was tased.

Everything is, as Kevin said, very "cut and dry." The officers did a great job, and should be commended for their restraint. It is not easy being a police officer, especially in a situation where you are LARGELY out-numbered as they were at this forum.

Thank you for your words of insight, Mr. Weinblatt! Always nice to hear from a truly informed person, as well as one with personal experience in similar, if not identical situations.

Hey Richard,
Sorry I called you a jerk off. I was frustrated with some of the conversation I've been seeing. I wanted to let you that I have respect for police who put their life on the line to help others. I think part of being a cop is to put your own safety at risk to an extent in defense of others. I think some officers get angry or are so overzealous about their own safety that they end up using excessive or even lethal force on innocents, or non-violent perp's. Cops start to see everyone as a threat or a criminal. I think there needs to be more checks and balances on the carte blache checks that we give out to people in power (and that means teachers, cops, the military, and especially politicians). I appreciate your feedback and your service. I've thought about becoming a cop after I graduate-- but what makes me hesitate is the bad image created by so- called bad cops. Dept.'s make it even worse when they consistently side with officers so as to not get sued.

My youtube.com posting of my same University of Florida Taser incident response video garnered around 100 comments. Again, many were just throughtless tirades with blanket condemnations of policing, with no regard for an examination of each individual instance on its own merits. Here are some of the ones that I enjoyed:

Far left kool aid drinkers are the only ones that disagree with what happened here. This man spoke frankly and honestly about how tasers are used and when. As far as freedom of speech is concerned, that goes right out the window when you start to cause a disturbance.

You say that because Mr. Meyer didn't end up having a weapon. The ONE time some jack-ass gets through a crowd WITH a weapon, you and I both know that EVERYONE starts whining "What were the POLICE/SECURITY FORCE doing? Why weren't they doing their JOB?!"

They can't win, because people want to criticize them for making hard decisions that the rest of us take for granted for not usually having to make.

Great video, very informative. I totally agree with your assessment. He was just playing up to the cameras, and is known for posting his "shocking" videos on My Space.

do u people who are "crying facism" see what the fuck is really going on now?? thank u so much for this video people need to stop making shit up about this Meyer thing like he didnt do anything or like he was tortured because he spoke out. i really wish people would actually listen to this, tho i doubt many will

1) once he was told to stop and the mic was cut, he could be considered to be trespassing.
2) once he shakes off the cops attemps to hold his arms they were within rights to treat him as hostile
3) when he fought there attemps to cuff him, he escalated the situation to a point where they were justifed to taze him.

Personally I don't blame him for his opinions on the election,but I think he was playing it up for the camera. he thought the cops were bluffing... and they tazed him.

The police didn't 'keep him from expressing his opinion'--his views were already crystal-clear by the time he was asked to leave.

He wasn't tased for his views; he was tased because he resisted the lawful authorities who were doing their job in asking him to leave.

NEWSFLASH: crime or not, if the organizer of an event wants you gone, it's their RIGHT to have you removed.

If I invite you to my party and you show up and irritate me, I have every right to tell you to leave and have you removed if you don't comply.

His opinions didn't get him ejected; his disruptions did. He wasn't "just asking questions". He didn't care about John Kerry's answers, or he would have LET HIM ANSWER.

Even if you search everyone, someone can still smuggle a weapon before the event and hidden somewhere.

The law is very clear on this issue. "You can not resist an arrest, even if the arrest is unlawful." To quote a friend and Use of Force expert: "In this country we fight cops in court not in the streets. We sue for bad arrests, we do not riot and set cars on fire. This is what makes us different from third world countries."

Great video. People seem to think he was under arrest because of what he was saying, he was not. He was just not going to be allowed to rant any more. When he said blowjob the moderators had enough. The forum was held on a college campus and the officers were campus police. They uphold not only state laws but also the policies, rules, regulations of the college. They had a right to remove the speaker as set forth by the policies set by the organizers of the forum. People just don't understand.

this video is really informative, thank you for taking the time to help clear up the misunderstanding of this giant mess.

Great video and explanation. Seems people still beleive he was tasered because of what he was saying. He was level 4 about 5 min before they even drew the taser.

he had himself tazered for demonstration. this man isnt promoting fascism, hes giving you insight to the officers perception on this case. what youre talking about doing with religous people is completely unlike this situation. they have the right to freedom of speech, its when they overstep their boundary and their right as andrew meyer did, than action must be taken.

This video is fantastic.

What a lot of people don't understand is that freedom of speech does not include the right to ignore the rules of a regulated public forum.

I wonder if all of these outraged people get as angry every weekend that a bouncer kicks someone out of a bar.

Actively resisting authority's attempt to lead you away is just plain stupid in a case like this.

EXCELLENT excellent response! Very well put together and explained. Great job!

My video commenting on Paris Hilton's "I take no responsibility for my opportunity to be a role model and have a legacy to be proud of" appearance on David Letterman got some interesting responses. Here is one from my video's comment area on video sharing website Break.com:

I agree with you, Richard.
She had the opportunity to step up and failed miserably. This tells me that she has no remorse. Her only regret is that she got caught.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. As for the negative "facist" and "nazi" name-calling type postings, you'll just have to go to youtube.com and other places to read those. I won't waste my time on them. The information has been presented to them if they want to have an open enough mind to consider it.

Paris Hilton on David Letterman: A Lost Opportunity to be a Role Model

Paris Hilton was recently on The Late Show with David Letterman. At the time of this blog post, one clip of her appearance on David Letterman's show on youtube.com has garnered some three million hits. Many people are watching her show, but none are getting the benefit of her experience behind bars. As you'll recall, she was sent to be in the care and custody of Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca as a result of Paris' driver's license "indiscretion."

I have created a video response to her appearance (which you can watch here on Blogger). I have also uploaded my video to a variety of locations on the Internet including youtube.com, myspace.com, facebook.com, aolvideo.com, googlevideo.com, yahoovideo.com.



My video laments the fact that Paris Hilton throws away an opportunity to be a role model for millions of young women (and young men). Her brush with the law and stint in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Jail is a perfect springboard for her to showcase mistakes in judgment and the road to justice.

Letterman keeps bringing it back to the topic of jail and the justice system, but Paris Hilton has no part of it. He points out correctly that she could have a legacy of teaching millions from her mistake. For example, she could hammer at the point of having a designated river in a way that is lost when any but Paris would do it.



In addition to pointing all of this out and agreeing with David Letterman, I call on viewers of my video to let their voice be heard and comment on whether Paris Hilton should have taken the opportunity to be a positive force and run with it.



You can watch the video below:

Great Feedback from "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" Appearance

I have gotten great feedback from my appearance on "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" live from FOX Studios in New York City. I've heard from law enforcement and non-law enforcement alike who appreciated the public explanation of the use of Tasers.

That is my aim. I hope that my interviews, etc. help people to understand what law enforcement does and why we do it. Not all law enforcers are good and not all officers are bad. I am the last person to take a hard line view dumping all possibility of the latter or the former.

I want to give the public the tools needed to make informed judgments about the conduct of police officers and deputy sheriffs. That educated perspective will hopefully result in dignified treatment of the police and the public that we serve.

Here is one of the particularly enjoyable emails that I received. The writer even addressed the situation on the University of Florida Taser incident's Andrew Meyer. This one is from a police officer in Fort Worth, Texas:

Chief Weinblatt. Sorry but once a chief, always a chief. This email is
in comment to the Morning Show that I watch today. And as a fellow law
enforcement officer, I was happy to see that a law enforcement officer
was given the opportunity to explain how tasers work on national
television.

Your law enforcement career exceeds mine by 10 years if not more. I
believe your explanation and demonstration of the taser will help people
better understand their use and purpose in the law enforcement world.
Being tased myself I can tell you that it's far better than a bare
knuckle brawl with a 250+ suspect where arms and shoulders are going to
break. Like the guest on the show for example, one lady stated that it was
mistaken identity and she was tased three times. First off why would it
take three times to subdue this woman?

I feel that a portion of society feels that they are above and out of reach of the law. I'm not even going to touch the topic on the Fl kid. He's just lucky that the
secret service or other feds weren't present.

The taser is a highly effective devise. When I was first trained on
one, I thought come on how much can it really hurt. WOW! I'll take
pepper spray any day. I still was a little weary about them and maybe it
was more doubts about the effectiveness of them. I mean the last thing
any officer wanted was to be in the middle of you know what and a taser
takes a crap on you.

The first time I saw one deployed, I was in FTO and got in my first
pursuit. I was the second patrol car in the pursuit. I was so excited,
radioing dispatch of our location, a lot was going through my mind. The
car stopped, and the suspect fled on foot. We were able to catch him
during the foot pursuit. I was so happy that I got him. But I was now on
the ground fighting with this guy. It was the first time anything really
big happened on my first phase of training. All I thought about was,
"I got him, I caught him". But the real fight started. I heard my
FTO behind me and he yelled, "TASER". I just let go of the suspect
and moved away. He took the ride 4 times before compiling with officers.
But after everything was done, I walked over to the car and thanked the
guy. I said, "Thank you so much you are officially my first arrest".
He looked at me and said, "Damn that hurt. Next time I'll take the
ass woopin'".

I've read some of your articles Chief and I'm glad you were given
the opportunity to help people better understand the vital role that
tasers play in law enforcement.

And here was my email back to this Fort Worth police officer:

Thanks for your nice email concerning Tasers and my recent appearance on "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet." I've gotten quite a lot of feedback on the segment.

You are right. The more that the law enforcement community educates and informs the public, the more they will understand what it is we do and why we do it. That is my aim.

It sounds like you care about what you do. That is great. We need more police officers who care about the professionalism and service aspects of the job. Keep up the good work.

Live from New York City... The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet

I have just gotten back from New York City. The national talk show The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet had flown me up to appear on a long segment on Tasers. With me on the show was Tom Smith, the Chairman of Taser International, and Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International.

It was a fun experience and a terrific chance to spread the message from my self-produced video "UF Student Tasered: A Law Enforcement Expert Responds" (that I put up on youtube, myspace, facebook, aol video, etc. - see my previous Blogger post for this video). I want people to understand the the police perspective before they make their final judgment. With Taser, the information has to factor in how the Taser works, the use of force continuum, and the specifics of a case at hand.

The Morning Show gave a national forum to educate the viewers and more closely examine cases such as The University of Florida student Andrew Meyer who was Tasered at the forum featuring Senator John Kerry.

I flew up last night (Tuesday) after a full day wearing a bullet proof vest in the hot sun instructing a Patrol block Simunitions day at the Police Academy I manage. I was a sun burned and tired guy when I got to bed in NYC at around midnight.

This morning (Wednesday), the show sent a car to pick me up a little before 7:00 am. I proceeded to the FOX studios in midtown Manhattan Times Square and met with the producers. They were very nice and I got to speak with some very interesting folks including the hosts Mike and Juliet, as well as Taser's Tom Smith and Amnesty International's Larry Cox.

We did some rehearsals for the show and off we went. The two segments were quite long- around 15 minutes total- by television standards. Here is a link to The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet's site that has the first of the two segments on it:


http://www.mandjshow.com/videos/terrifying-taser-threats/

After I was done with the show, they had another car wisk me to JFK Airport. It was a whirlwind trip and I sure am tired now. But it was absolutely worth the effort. I am pleased with the final product that me and my fellow guests put forth and the show hosts' and staffs' graciousness.

UF Student Tasered: I respond on youtube, my space, etc.

If you haven't heard of University of Florida student Andrew Meyer and the infamous Taser incident involving the UF Police Department at Senator John Kerry's forum, you've probably been under a rock somewhere. While I am heartened that many people have seen the incident for what it really was, some have been misinformed or uneducated as to the role of the Taser and how use of force was used in this incident.

In the wake of all the publicity and millions of views on youtube, my space, and other media outlets, I thought it was time for a responsible voice to put information out so that people could then make an informed and educated judgment as to what transpired.


With the assistance of my wonderful wife, Anne, on this warm Central Florida Saturday night, I made an approximately six minute video giving a law enforcement expert's perspective on the situation. I made my credentials known in the video (I didn't want the viewers to think that my comments were based in fluff). I even included a short clip of me being Tasered in 2004 when I was a police chief as part of training. I was shot in the back and "took the ride" (as the saying goes). I couldn't resist and was able to get up unscathed afterwards. Of course, it helps that I did not ingest copious amounts of cocaine or other drugs prior to be shot with the Taser. That alone shows that the Taser is purely a control device. And that is what law enforcement officers are after: control and compliance to commands.

In the case of Andrew Meyer, as I explained in my video, officers with the University of Florida had every right to be concerned. While I am a staunch defender of freedom of speech, where there are rights, so too are there responsibilities. Mr. Meyer disregarded the rules of the forum and became an unwelcome guest of the organizers.

Lucky for him that this was not the President or some other high profile official under protection of the feds. If the U.S. Secret Service had been present, I feel certain that he would have been pounced on as soon as he barged his 200 pounds up to the front of the line. Especially in this age of heightened terrorist concerns, law enforcers have to be wary of a man that is emotional, moves fast, and may be armed with a bomb, firearm, or knife.

It was only after he rambled, disregarded the University popo, and used a sexual expletive, that the organizers cut his microphone. It was not the police officers that did so; it was the organizers of the forum. I submit that it was Meyer who was violating everyone else's freedom of speech as he was preventing them from having a reasoned and controlled public discourse. Meyer then broke away from the officers.

In the Sunshine State, as elsewhere, we have guidelines for use of force and the use of the Taser. The Taser safely fall under active physical which would include Meyer's actions of pulling away from the officers. Taser is low on what we call the use of force continuum. It certainly more preferable over a dislocated shoulder and broken arm which is what he might have gotten if all of the officers piled on him and used brute strength to force his arms back.

At the time of the repeated verbal commands and later application of the Taser, Meyer did not have the handcuffs on. Unlike on TV, it is very hard for even a group of officers to place handcuffs on a subject that does not want them on. At least not without causing a great deal of injury.

By using the Taser in drive stun mode, the officers used the localized pain compliance by putting the activated Taser against his body. That certainly is more preferable than the old way of breaking bones and bashing skulls with many officers or a solid baton.

If any thing, as I told the Orlando, FL-based Fox 35 10:00 News on Tuesday (9/16/07) on this very incident, the question wasn't whether too much force was used...the issue is that too little was used and further that it was utilized too late.

I explain in my video that the officers should have actually used more force sooner. They should have grounded him, used the Taser, and loud, repetitive verbal commands. They did all this, but dragged it out too long.

I feel for the University of Florida police officers involved in this fracas. I'm sure that they hesitated due to the high profile nature of the event, the cameras present, the Senator in front of them, and the nature of the campus environment that they operate.

While the police officers are on paid administrative leave, I hope that Chief Linda Stump makes sure that the panels being convened to investigate the incident and UF Police use of force and Taser policies are fair and impartial. I also hope that the students and others being selected to serve on the inquiry boards are educated so that they fully understand the complex dynamics involved in the policing in a democratic society. Hopefully, my video will help in that education mission.

Kid Nation, filmed near Santa Fe, NM, at Bonanza Creek Ranch, Debuts

Kid Nation, the much beleaguered series on CBS, has debuted (Wednesday, 8:00 pm-9:00 pm) with a scant four minutes of commercial ad time sold. While the controversy has captivated many all summer with its cries of child exploitation, I know its filmed location as a place of other Hollywood-type interest.



Even Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano, a fellow blogger, has been quoted extensively on the exploitation controversy in local and national press. His thoughts on the issue have been everywhere from the New York Times to the Los Angeles Times newspapers. His deputy sheriffs investigated the claims and found no criminal wrong doing, although some concerns were expressed.

As a deputy sheriff in the Patrol Division of the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, I visited the closed set of the old TNT western The Lazarus Man starring the late Robert Urich. The series (1995-1996) aired on Saturday nights at 9:00 pm on the TNT cable TV network and it was filmed at the Bonanza Creek Ranch located some eight miles south of the City of Santa Fe, NM.



I had no problem being let in by security at the front wooden gate. I pulled my marked Chevrolet Caprice patrol car up to the set and encountered a min-city in the form of a Hollywood set of an old western main street. All of this was outside with canopies to shield the caterers and other support folks from the sun. Many actors were scurrying about in their western garb.

It looked much like a scene from a Hollywood set- only this was in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. Kid Nation claims to be filmed in Bonanza City, NM. Actually, the real location is the place that Robert Urich plied his trade on the two season TNT western series before his cancer stopped the Sam Productions series.



Bonanza Creek Ranch was the name it went by during my visit and it certainly is not a stand alone city or community. The opening of the old NBC show Bonanza was filmed there. Remember, that was when Ben Cartwright and the rest of his brood rode up on horses during the opening music and the series' credits.

Other westerns have been filmed there including the Legend of the Lone Ranger (1980), Silverado (1989), and the Lucky Luke series (1989). The "city" that is there now is the result of the Hollywood magic worked by Lucky Luke's Paloma Films honchos.

It'll be interesting to see how this show does in the shadow of the controversy and minimal sponsor support. The location of the Ranch is great being just a stone throw from the amenities of the City of Santa Fe. And the views...well they are to say the least spectacular. Bonanza Creek Ranch is a very stunning and beautiful part of our nation (not just the kid nation).

Michael's Daddy Adventure Video

In the vein of the Fatherhood and Star is Born blog posts below, this post is on the video I made of Michael's Daddy Adventure at the Central Florida Zoo on Sunday, September 16, 2007.

This was a fun project that Michael and I worked on together (along with Consultant to the Directors: Mommy - Anne Weinblatt). I shot the video with my Cannon ZR800 MiniDV camcorder and edited it with iMovie. The video was for Michael's Grandy (my mother - Annie Weinblatt) and dedicated to my father- "the Dad Who Started it All."



You see, my father and I were very close. We had Daddy Adventures and Michael's time with me is an extension of my father's legacy. Even the song that I downloaded (legally from iTunes) reflects my father's time with me. We would go have lunch at the old style New Jersey diners. You know, the ones that had the old jukeboxes at the tables. We would play the 1971 song "Cats in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin and talk about how that was not us. He had time for me and I would have time for him as I got older.



That Harry Chapin song had a lot of meaning for us, and by extension, my mother. Interestingly, Michael, especially for a five-year-old, is keenly aware of his place in the continuing father-son dynamic. He has told me that he hopes that he will be as good a father as I am with his son someday. I think this video will have meaning for the future generations, in addition to Michael, my wife, and my mother.

You can watch the video below.

Yet Another Taser Blog Post: Taser for Women

I was recently contacted by WKMG-TV Local 6 News reporter Kimberly Houk concerning a story she was doing on Taser for women. Scottsdale-based Taser International has put out a sleek Taser that is available in designer colors dubbed the C2.

While I'm not totally against firearms and Taser weaponry for civilians, I have quite a few concerns. I agreed enthusiastically to meet with Kimberly and her crew at her Orlando, FL, TV studios.

I had not worked with Kimberly before, so I was not sure what to expect. I found the experience to be terrific and the finished product was great. The video package was aired on September 6, 2007 on Local 6 News at 11.

I brought along a portable target stand and Tasers for Kimberly to fire. We videoed some me giving Kimberly some Taser instruction and fired the Tasers in the studio. Kimberly did a good job, as did another one of the station's employees. We then did the sit down interview.






As I mentioned to Kimberly in the interview, I would like to see Taser, and other companies, mandate more training. Here in Central Florida, we put recruit students in the Basic Law Enforcement Academies I manage through 770 hours of intense training. Even then, they are only just beginning to acquire the necessary tools, skills, and mindset needed to face an aggressor in a stress-filled, real-life situation. I'm not sure many people have the skills and attitude needed to, without hesitation, fend off an aggressor. I fear that the weapon could be used against them or that there is potential for misuse.

Even with that said, as I tell the police academy recruits, you often don't know how you will react in a dangerous situation until you are faced with one. While I believe in choice and freedom in the United States, I still wish there was more that could be done to protect the civilian Taser bearer and us against the Taser and possible misuse.

You can watch the Local 6 News at 11 story on the civilian use of Tasers for women on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxoCgyNvkM