Free Talk Live

The Fredericton Police issued a ticket to the activist and blogger Charles Leblanc on Tuesday for violating noise bylaws but the blogger told the police that he intended to keep on protesting. He was protesting a ticket he received for riding his bike on the sidewalk in Fredericton.

Videos of his interactions with police can be found on his blog @ http://charlesotherpersonality.blogspot.com

In 2011, the city of Philadelphia paid out $13 million to people alleging harm from police, largely to alleged victims of excessive use of force. Critics say that the city lacks meaningful oversight of police misconduct and, instead of trying to prevent it, treats payments due to the behavior like a cost of doing business. The city, however, doesn’t see a problem, contending that recession-weary Philadelphians and greedy lawyers are suing the city for a paycheck.

Members of the state’s 150-man elite police force have been trying to get to the bottom of who’s behind parody Twitter accounts lampooning city council members. The mock tweeters include one councilman’s moustache. Another from the handle Laughable Loll cracked, “I shined my head extra special for tonight so the camera would reflect off of it.” Not laughing is the local prosecutor. He says the tweets may run afoul of harassment laws and asked the Rangers to investigate.

In 2005, leaders in Portland, Oregon voted not to allow city law enforcement officers to participate in a key anti-terror initiative, the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. On Friday, that task force helped prevent what could have been a horrific terrorist attack in Portland. Now city officials say they might re-think their participation in the task force.

Step 1) The city opted out of the JTTF. Step 2) The JTTF instigated a bomb plot with a useful idiot. Step 3) City thinks about opting into the JTTF.

Nice.

Former police officer who was jailed for 10 years for police brutality, spoke for the first time of her conviction. "I just did what I was trained to do" Female cop describes ordeal, for setting police dog on a man trying to escape. The dog bit the man on the calf, but he never filed a complaint. Prince George County Police Department was being investigated after claims of excessive force had been leveled at the force. Complaints and a string of media reports prompted a federal investigation of excessive force by officers. But the investigation yielded no major convictions.

MCLOUD, OK -- Several residents in McLoud are upset after the city announced a $17 water bill for residents who use a well. According to City Manager Larry Dillon, the small fee will help pay for emergency services such as police officers and fire fighters. Because of an old city ordinance, rural residents with in 100-yards of a water line didn't have to pay for those services; but because of a struggling economy, every dollar counts.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Video of two northern Michigan men being subdued and arrested in a National Cherry Festival crowd by Traverse City police this week has sparked a debate about whether officers went over the line in their duties. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that two brothers from Garfield Township were arrested Wednesday evening, July 11, after police said one of them tried to incite a riot on the Union Street bridge downtown.

The City Council Public Safety and Education Committee released an 11-step plan Friday to strengthen public trust in the Seattle Police Department.

The measures include enhanced hiring standards and training of officers, monthly reports of sustained misconduct findings, drug-testing for officers involved in the use of deadly force and expedited review of possible criminal charges against officers.

Councilmember Tim Burgess, chairman of the committee, said the measures are meant to "stop the erosion of public confidence."

A raid on a marijuana dispensary in Long Beach was caught on video showing officers smashing surveillance cameras and stepping on a suspect, moves that prompted accusations against the officers of excessive force.