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by John_Deutzman from New York City

Last Post 8 days, 2 hours Ago


It's All About the Guns
Feb 18, 2008 | 9:06 PM
Category: News
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   Hoboken sure is a good place to be a lawyer these days, everyone is suing everybody.  Hispanic cops are suing Lt. Andriani for being a racist, Andriani is suing them for destroying his reputation.      All I know is what I see and despite what Andriani and his lawyer keep saying, an empty gun is not like a paperweight.  The rules, which officers sign twice a year are crystal clear, 

"I UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL AT ALL TIMES TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS IF IT WERE LOADED, THAT I WILL ALWAYS ENSURE THEY ARE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION."

"I UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL NOT AT ANY TIME, SURRENDER MY WEAPON TO ANYONE OTHER THAN A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER."

This is what the Attorney General's Use of Force Policy goes on to say:

Exhibiting a Firearm
1. A law enforcement officer shall not unholster or exhibit a firearm

except under any of the following circumstances:
a. For maintenance of the firearm;
b. To secure the firearm;
c. During training exercises, practice or qualification with the
firearm;
d. When circumstances create a reasonable belief that it may
be necessary for the officer to use the firearm;
e. When circumstances create a reasonable belief that display
of a firearm as an element of constructive authority helps
establish or maintain control in a potentially dangerous
situation in an effort to discourage resistance and ensure
officer safety.

      They are also carrying on with the Hooters girls in uniform.  At the very least there has to be some discipline for their conduct.           It is also very obvious, that as the leader and man in charge of the department that Chief La Bruno has to at some point be a man and admit he shares responsibility for his officers  Whether or not he should be fired for this circus is up to the people in Hoboken.      I will give Andriani's attorney Charles Sciarra credit for uttering perhaps the most powerful and truthful statement in this whole debacle. He's talking about the  fact that the pictures were taken in the first place, He said "You'd have to be an idiot to say  I'd still take those pictures knowing where this is going"
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Member Comments Total Comments: 25
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jmax123 read my blog view my photos
Feb 18, 2008 | 9:57 PM

Sure, why not do it again? He got to act out his secret desire to model, and became famous too.
Once the law suits settle, maybe he will get an offer to do a calendar or porn movie with his big guns from all this recognition.
Or maybe he will end up with his own radio or talk show. Or at minimal he will be a guest on the Howard Stern show.
Isn't that how it goes these days?

Jane
achilles19282
Feb 18, 2008 | 10:37 PM

Once I was fined $50 for just sitting in a train (Q train) with my legs on the nearby seat. It was 3:00am in the morning, whole car was EMPTY and I was a bit sleepy and had extended my legs to another seat. I wasn't obstructing anyone else (there was NO ONE ELSE), I didn't have shoes on, I wasn't doing anything wrong other then just sitting in a relaxed way in an empty train! And this cop fined me $50!! There is no rule that says I was doing something wrong but still the judge asked me to pay the money. Why? And now we see cops doing all this and they are all gonna go free! What if those hooter girls were terrorists? What if they were crazy/on drugs or something? What if the weapons just went off by mistake and some passerby got hurt/killed? If I've to pay $50 just to doze off in a train then something must be done to these cops for going crazy like this!
Sanctus read my blog view my photos
Feb 19, 2008 | 9:02 AM

While the pictures show that the men involved have no common sense, no class, and extremely bad judgment (not qualities you would like in police officers) the careless display of the weapons is absolutely unforgivable. The assertion that an unloaded weapon is like a paperweight is ridiculous and I am shocked that anybody professing intelligence could even suggest such a thought. By that logic, we can all wave around our unloaded weapons at cops in the city and they won't mind! They're just paperweights officer! Unbelievable!

Daniel
John_Deutzman read my blog
Feb 19, 2008 | 9:58 AM

The frightening part to me is that I gave both Andriani and his lawyer several chances to back off their statement that an unloaded gun is like a paperweight. I asked them both if that was still their position and they are sticking with their guns so to speak.

john
Sanctus read my blog view my photos
Feb 19, 2008 | 10:31 AM

Amazing. I also find it very interesting that no major police sources have spoken out against Andriani's ridiculous stance on weapons. Did I miss any public statements? I would love to hear what our police commissioner thinks about unloaded weapons being paperweights. By not speaking out against Andriani, he is providing his tacit support, as is every other law enforcement agency. What is the FBI's policy on paperweights? I am now waiting for the next push to "Get those heavy paperweights off of our streets!"

Daniel
COMMONSENSE-USA
Feb 19, 2008 | 11:19 AM

LETS MOVE ON ALREADY!!
LETS FOCUS ARE MORE PRESSING ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED....HUNGER, POVERTY, HEALTH CARE, ....ETC.
EyeOnHudson
Feb 19, 2008 | 12:25 PM

Making matters more embarassing, now Hoboken Councilman Michael Russo is seen in a couple of the pictures, partying with girls and officers. What a disgrace.
John_Deutzman read my blog
Feb 19, 2008 | 12:47 PM

commonsense,

Those issues are left to your fine public servants to figure out. In Hoboken, maybe they'll have some time in between Jello shots and trips to New Orleans.
Speaking of poverty and hunger I can only imagine how nasty things were down south after Katrina but with their region torn apart and in ruins they still had time for a thank you banquet with awards and plaques? huh?

John
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Feb 19, 2008 | 11:26 PM

I worked in a police department for 25 years. they were proud to serve and protect. I interview new ones in the last 5 years I worked and 85% said they are here to "control" the public. Interesting change. In any attempt to give me a hard time, I just held up my pen and said "This can take you down faster than you can take me down." It worked. Sad is the fact that if you showed fear to that sort of cop, you were done for. Just a pen put them in their place. I find it amazing of how many bullets fly in all situations when one would take down the subject - even just to wound. I remember 54 bullets put in a stopped car. No one sees anything wrong with that? Unfortunately you really don't hear of the great cops. If they were not there, I would not have been working there for 1/4 a century.
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Feb 19, 2008 | 11:38 PM

John, I have noticed that when NJ and NY local police and NY troopers get in trouble their names are given on the news. I have also noticed that when an issue involves NJ troopers their names are not given. Is there a reason why?

I never heard anything about the trooper that was driving Gov Corzine speeding and texting causing the accident. Were those charges dismissed? What happened to the people in the car they hit?
John_Deutzman read my blog
Feb 20, 2008 | 4:43 AM

Angel,

Interesting observation. I always try to name names of the relevant people in my stories and could care less where they are from. There is no policy about not naming names. I'm not familiar with the outcome of the Corzine situation but it's worth looking into.

John
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Feb 20, 2008 | 9:22 AM

Thank you, John. No job/person is greater than another. If you toilet overflowed -whose "intelligence/power" would you want to help you - governor/cop/doctor or plumber?
John, some bosses retaliate if you fight decisions. Create fear/more hardship = get what you originally wanted. Just a bit suspicious - fight his toll hikes? Then Homestead rebates will cease and gas tax raised. Did he do this same action as CEO or in his family life? Bet his ex-wife could answer that. Seems ego may be out of balance. NJ budget has been screwed up for so many years. I have never heard of the expensive perks for his already highly paid state workers being eliminated first. John, I would kiss your big toe at noon in Times Square if you would compile the cost data on these NJ State perks to see where our money is already being spent. Is there a lot of toe jam in the NJ state budget?
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Feb 20, 2008 | 9:34 AM

Tee hee, could Corzine live the life that it is his way or the highway - taken to the ultimate heights to be literal?

Got to have a sense of humor when you live in NJ.. Just paid all my bills yesterday.
COMMONSENSE-USA
Feb 20, 2008 | 1:21 PM

commonsense,

Those issues are left to your fine public servants to figure out. In Hoboken, maybe they'll have some time in between Jello shots and trips to New Orleans.

THAT COMMENT IS EXACTLY WHATS WRONG WITH TODAYS SOCIETY!! LEAVE EVERYTHING UP TO THE PUBLIC SERVANTS?? LOL. GOOD SOLUTION! SO LEAVE THE BIG MEANINGFUL ISSUES TO THEM AND THE SMALL TRIVIAL, MEANINGLESS AND SENSATIONALISIM TO THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN?
AMERICANS NEED TO BE MORE INFORMED AND GET INVOLVED. SINCE WHEN IS THIS A COUNTRY "OF THE PUBLIC SERVANT, BY THE PUBLIC SERVANT AND FOR THE PUBLIC SERVANT?"
EACH CITIZEN IS A VOICE AND A VOTE! I DISAGREE WITH YOUR COMMENT OF LAYING DOWN LIKE "SHEEP" AND LEAVING THE PUBLIC SERVANT TO DECIDE EVERYTHING.
Sanctus read my blog view my photos
Feb 20, 2008 | 11:09 PM

Commonsense, are you familiar with sarcasm? Just wondering. I agree with you about the need for Americans and people everywhere to be informed. Knowledge is power. Without it, mistakes can be made such as mistaking an unloaded weapon for a paperweight. That's not trivial, it's a travesty. Additionally, public servants such as police officers should always be held to the highest standards. People who respect the truth, weapons and their fellow Americans, never refer to unloaded weapons as paperweights.

Daniel
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Feb 21, 2008 | 7:33 AM

Well, I feel All humans should act in the highest standards, at least try to. I just cannot see one job "higher" than another - all are important. A lot of jobs are more dangerous than being a cop except we don't hear of their accidents/deaths.
Imagine one month of garbage not being picked up in the city. Thankfully, these collectors don't have ego problems and do what they want with the garbage.
Pumping up the egos of cops may not be the healthiest idea for all of them.
After seeing their infantile actions, it's obvious they are stuck in adolescences/spoiled. Imagine how the parents of these men feel right now. Imagine if they were your children.
Sanctus read my blog view my photos
Feb 21, 2008 | 7:53 AM

Good morning, Angel. I agree that everybody should aspire to a high standard. When you are authorized by the government to use deadly force, the bar has to shift even higher. All of my comments on this topic are specifically related to weapons safety and respect. There is no excuse for a professional police officer to carelessly flaunt a weapon and it is NEVER okay to point a weapon at anybody unless that person poses a deadly threat themselves.

Daniel
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Feb 21, 2008 | 6:28 PM

Daniel, all the cops that I have befriended for all those years I doubt ever had to take their weapon out of the holster for they treated everyone with some sort of dignity, not resorting to demeaning them no matter what crime they committed.

The cops that scare me are the no self-esteem ones who were picked on as children, now still in the juvenile stage with a gun and badge as a security blanket feeling they can do anything to anyone. They are not only dangerous to the public but also the cops they work with. They get to such a macho degree that they feel bullets would bounce off their chests, or that NO ONE would DARE to confront them.
adaminny
May 27, 2008 | 11:16 PM

Come on is this SERIOUSLY that big of an issue that it had to be "INVESTIGATED" and BROADCAST on t.v.? They took some pictures with some hooters girls, "OH MY GOD!!" Being a ex- Military Police SWAT member myself I know how hard these guys train and the dangerous situations that they can face, LET THEM LET THEIR HAIR DOWN!! While it was a violation policy to let the girls hold their weapons, don't publicly trash them, write them up and move on. No one was acting unsafe, from the pics you can clearly see no magazines, in the weapons, and I'm sure the SWAT members would not have let them play with loaded weapons. In the t.v. broadcast you made a "huff" about SWAT being exempt from rules, from some sure, but it is out of nessaity. SWAT has a very difficult job and sometimes they need the leaniency to do it. Most rules for cops are to stop rookies from shooting themselves in the foot. SWAT are the best of the best, they know what they are doing. As for the video of the Lt. passing his handgun around at the party, perhaps it was his on personal weapon, or maybe the man in the video was a law enforcement officer. I'm betting you didn't "investigate" very deep. And what joke it is to say passing out bullets is "scandalous" its a bullet lighten up!! The only thing they did wrong was let some conservative "investigative journalist" get their hands on the pics, mine from my glory days are safely hidden :P If a story like this can headline the evening news I guess its time to get my news somewhere else. Investigative journalism, ya right, more like ratings w#@;=
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 7:24 AM

I don't imagine that they had a designated driver. I do feel compassion for the families of these men who seem to be stuck in adolescence.

I spent a quarter of a century working with a police dept. I am sure dedicated police find this cretin behavior also an embarrassment. They have a life and do not have to act in this childish manner.

I respect John Deutzman as a reporter. He finds the wrong-doers, makes it known and the problem can be repaired and the rest of us know what to be aware of.

There are many dangerous jobs. If you "need" to resort to this type of behavior, it would be better to find a different type of job that is better suited to you.

In fact, we all have more of a chance of dying in a car accident every day in commuter traffic. I recall that there is an average of 57,000 people killed in traffic accidents PER YEAR. I feel assured that if you compiled the number of people who die yearly in dangerous jobs, the number doesn't come close to that.

I wonder if nepotism factored in when those cops first were hired, family members not being about to be hired in any other job.
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John_Deutzman

John Deutzman, a New York native, has been working as a reporter at Fox 5 News since September of 2001. John has won 12 career Emmys and has received 28 Emmy nominations. He's known for his aggressive and at times humorous style when catching bad guys and exposing scams for the Fox 5 Investigative Unit. John's stories have resulted in arrests, businesses being shut down and dozens victims getting their money back from scam artists. Before moving back to New York, John spent 11 years in Miami, first as a sports reporter but when hurricane Andrew struck, John was thrown into news reporting and evenutally made the full time switch to news. John also had stints in Binghamton,New York and Springfield,Massachusetts
. A native of Smithtown,Long Island, John is an 11th-generation Long Islander. He describes himself as a 50/50 mix of his two grandfathers. One grandfather was a journalist who owned the town paper, the "Smithtown Messenger" and the other was one of the first cops in town who had a reputation for being tough and crazy but fair.

Member Since: 6/1/2006