Topic: Police

Two-car accident injures one

By Bill Larson | April 10, 2008 |

One person was injured in a two-car accident today at approximately 3:55 p.m. at the intersection of Wilma Rudolph Boulevard and Trenton Road. A red Ford was rear ended by a red GMC Pickup. The Ford started to enter the intersection and then stopped. The vehicle behind started following, and then did not see when the the vehicle in front stopped, resulting in a collision. Two females were in the front vehicle. A young male was driving the pickup truck. This accident was not related to the traffic signal located at the intersection. Four Clarksville PD units responded along with one EMS ambulance. The passenger in the red car was transported to Gateway complaining of neck pain.

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Aurora, Colorado: Red-light cameras increased rear-end collisions 175%

By Bill Larson | March 29, 2008 |

Red light cameras in the city of Aurora, Colorado, failed to yield any reduction in the overall number of accidents since the devices were installed in May 2005. Nonetheless, city officials have approved a measure that will allow the expansion of the existing four-intersection setup to one covering up to twenty-five city locations.

The devices were successful between 2006 and 2007 in issuing 19,087 tickets worth $1,431,525. “We think there’s a value to taking the program to the next step,” Police Chief Daniel Oates told the Rocky Mountain News newspaper.

However, at three of the four ticketing locations, rear end collisions increased dramatically from 2005 to 2006. At Mississippi Avenue and Potomac, rear end collisions jumped 175 percent. At Alameda Avenue and Abilene Street, the increase was 100 percent. «Read the rest of this article»

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Red Light Cameras: Increase crashes, injuries and insurance rates

By Bill Larson | March 13, 2008 |

The City of Clarksville  has started looking at resurrecting their plans to install red-light cameras in our city. They have likely been assured these cameras are safe by those who are profiting from these cameras (redflex and Knoxville) but that is not the case. If we are honest most of us would admit that Clarksville’s primary interest in them is due to the fact that they are a cash cow for cash strapped cities like ours, but one that takes money straight from your bank account.

The fact is that Red-Light and Speed cameras result in the roads where they are present becoming less safe. You are more likely to be injured or killed at a intersection after these cameras are put into place than you ever were before. Read this news report, and the study which follows it, then be sure to contact your city council member and tell them in no uncertain terms that you strongly oppose their dangerous revenue generating scheme. «Read the rest of this article»

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Rep Lundberg fights for passage of “Pass the Bottle” proposal

By Tennessee Republicans | March 5, 2008 |

NASHVILLE – Representative Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol) will once again appear before a House subcommittee to fight for passage of the “Pass the Bottle” legislation, which would ban open containers in vehicles. Currently, no driver may consume an alcoholic beverage or possess an open container of such while operating a motor vehicle, but passengers may consume alcohol. Lundberg says this policy invites drivers to drink as long as there is a passenger to which they can “pass the bottle.”

Two people will be testifying before the committee on Lundberg’s behalf. Laura Dial, Executive Director of the Tennessee Chapter of MADD, and Lt. David Corman of the Traffic Section of the Metro Nashville-Davidson County Police Department will be on hand to discuss the legislation’s many benefits. «Read the rest of this article»

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Robbers target female shoppers in St. B

By Christine Anne Piesyk | December 12, 2007 |

Shoppers in the St. Bethlehem area are being urged to use caution in the wake of a series of attempted robberies involving shoppers returning to their cars.

Detective Michael Patterson is presently investigating three robberies that have occurred in the St. Bethlehem area. All three robbery attempts involved women who were alone at the time of the incidents. The suspect’s car (shown at left) was caught on security camera and released by police.

On Friday, December 7, 2007, in the parking lot of Kohl’s, 2840 Wilma Rudolph Blvd, a female that was at her vehicle was approached by a black male, wearing a thick nylon jacket, with fur around the neck area. This male attempted to enter her vehicle; however, she had her doors locked and drove off. «Read the rest of this article»

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Scenes from a cop riot

November 20, 2007 |

Editors Note: While this article does not directly apply to Clarksville, TN or its police force, it perfectly illustrates the need to have distinct policies prohibiting the types of activity detailed in this article. It also directly applies to the ongoing debate on the use of force by police agencies non-lethal or not.

If the specter of another US foray into regime change disturbs you, Google the word “Tanter.” If the prospect of another country’s being bombarded with US weapons outrages you, and if inserting the adjective “nuclear” into the narrative sends a chill up your spine, go to the “Guardian” website and search “Tanter.” Or if you hanker to find out what a Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator can do to humankind, click onto the Union of Concerned Scientists.

But if you want to take a stand against another US/Israeli war crime, don’t come to Ann Arbor. Not unless you’re prepared for the worst. Unless you’re prepared to be brutalized by the cops, thrown in jail, and subjected to improper and punitive medical treatment, you’d better keep your mouth shut. Or so the University of Michigan, the Ann Arbor Police, and the Zionist forces in the community would have it.

When I became a doctor I knew I would encounter a lot of human suffering, but I never envisioned a time when my efforts to alleviate it would get me brutalized by the police, then charged with a crime. «Read the rest of this article»

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Contacts between Police and the Public

By Bill Larson | April 30, 2007 |

While the following report tries to play it down, it’s clear from the report that the fears that many minorities, and younger people have about contact with police, have a basis in fact. They are more likely to be stopped, searched, experience force during their dealings with police, and be arrested. It’s also signficant that of residents who experienced force, 83% felt it was excessive, and that most uses of force are initiated by the police. It’s time for this to change.

Contacts between Police and the Public
By Matthew R. Durose, Erica L. Smith, and Patrick A. Langan, Ph.D. BJS Statisticians
A Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
April 2007 «Read the rest of this article»

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State of Tennessee sues to remove Mayor of Coopertown from office

By Bill Larson | June 28, 2006 |

Update 07/14/06: Danny J. Crosby was suspended as the Coopertown Mayor pending a November proceeding which will determine whether he should be permanently removed from his office, due to the allegations which the state has made against him. The allegations includes the use racial slurs and ethnic profiling in traffic enforcement.

The State of Tennessee has sued to remove Danny J. Crosby as the Mayor of Coopertown, Tennessee.

Many Clarksville, Tennessee residents have learned the hard way about this sleepy little town of 3,176 residents. The town operates several infamous speed traps on Interstate 24, U.S. 431, and State highway 49. The city’s police budget has nearly tripled, from $155,880 during the last year to $451,550 this fiscal year. The town budget plans on between $400,000 and $800,000 in traffic court revenues, comprising over one third of the city budget. This percentage is much higher than that of many larger U.S. cities. «Read the rest of this article»

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