New York New York

If you want to enjoy the City of New York without the high price of lodging and parking, then I recommend staying at the Sheraton in Weehawkin NJ. Less than a two hour drive from Montco, complete with Panoramic Suites with Panoramic views of the city, with a ferry just foot steps away and packages that include parking and breakfast is the best deal at just a little below three hundred dollars.

 I researched this hotel and its location several months ago and placed it on my bucket list of places to stay and visit. What drew me to this hotel was its close location to New York City and the fact it had its own dock for the ferry. You cannot beat 37 dollars round trip for two that takes you from hotel to midtown. Not to mention its spacious rooms and view across the river where you can lay in bed and see the Empire State Building or the New World Trade Tower.

Saturday morning we took the ferry over to midtown, hopped a cab to Times Square (8 dollars) then took the City Sightseeing tour bus to downtown (97 dollars). 

We toured places such as So Ho, Little Italy, Chinatown, Washington Square, Battery Park, Lower east Side, New York University.

We saw the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Staten Island Ferry (free), some damage from Hurricane Sandy along the Hudson River, Brooklyn Bridge among other bridges, Tenement's from the early 20th Century.

We walked in Rockefeller's Square, walked briskly passed American Girl Place and Lego Store for fear I would actually walk in and drop a few hundred dollars on stuff my grandchildren love. We saw Radio City, Madison square Garden and every freaky looking character that meets the eye.

 It is amazing that you can walk through the neighborhood where the consulates live and the United Nations where they work and end up in sections where homeless tent cities stand, people beg and needle disposal boxes.

We stopped for a quick bite at the Irish Pub.

The wine was awful (cheap brand or end of a bottle) and the Shepherd's Pie was delicious.

Yes. These are people on the Hudson paddling on Surf Boards.

After we ate at the pub, we decided to walk back to the ferry. The ferry was around West 37th Street and 7th. By the time we reached the river and the ferry landing that heads back to Weehawkin, my toes were screaming bloody murder, my ass cheeks hurt and the sunburn on my nose could light up the dark. Those few steps from the ferry to the hotel felt like ten miles and as I layed upon the soft comfy bed waiting for darkness to fall so I could view the beautiful lights from our Panoramic Suite with its Panoramic View, I fell dead asleep until morning.

Simply Tired

Do you ever just get tired? Tired of waking up each day to facing a life with various roller coaster rides. I guess it is better than the merry-go-round where you spin in circles never to know if you can get off. The roller coaster has its ups and downs, it thrills and chills and at times you just want to scream until your lungs collapse.

I am tired. It is easier to give up than to keep going. Sometimes, I just want to throw in the towel. I do not want the roller coaster ride any longer. Maybe I want to trade in the roller coaster for the sky ride where you move along at a steady, but slow pace and can take in the wonder of the world below.

If I left this world tomorrow, I would be ready. I doubt others would be ready, but I am so tired of the climb that I want to sit upon the rock on the side of a mountain, and stare at the stars. I wonder if only then would I find peace.

And for all those who are appalled at this post, get over it.

Misconduct

The Philadelphia Police Department is a large organization with a long history. This history has included cases of misconduct by police officers.
In 1967, Police Commissioner Frank Rizzo came under fire for his handling of the 1967 Philadelphia Student Demonstrations.^{[citation needed]}
In 1985, the Philadelphia Police dropped a mixture of civilian and military explosives on a "home-made" wooden bunker, built on the roof of the Osage Avenue house occupied by members of the MOVE organization. The bomb ignited several barrels of gasoline, starting a fire which destroyed the entire block, leaving 250 people homeless, and killing eleven people.
In the early 1990s, a corruption scandal centered around officers in the department's 39th district in North Philadelphia led to the prosecutions of six officers, and attracted nationwide attention.^[
In 2009, Philadelphia police officer Frank Tepper shot and killed a neighbor in an incident not related to the police department. In 2011, he was found guilty of first-degree murder. State law requires a sentence of life.^[12]
In April 2010, Officer Robert Ralston, a 21-year veteran of the PPD, shot himself in the shoulder and claimed that he had been shot by one of two African Americans who he claimed had fled the scene.^[13] His statements resulted in a massive manhunt including SWAT personnel. After being confronted with evidence showing that he had shot himself and being offered immunity, he confirmed that the wound was self-inflicted. As of June 2010^[update], Ralston had been fired after being placed on paid leave following the admission.^[14]
In June 2011, Officer Howard Lomax became the 27th Philadelphia Police officer arrested in the previous two years.
In March 2012, Officer Keith Corley was found guilty on charges of indecent exposure and official repression related to allegedly raping a woman in his police car while he was on duty. He was acquitted on more serious charges.^[15]
In September 2012, Lt. Jonathan Josey punched a woman, Aida Guzman, in the face during a Puerto Rican Day Parade at 5th and Lehigh in Kensington; he was reported saying "that's what you get" as she was lying on the ground.^[16]
On May 22, 2013, Officer Jeffrey Walker, a 24-year veteran was arrested for ripping off drug dealers. He was allegedly caught on audio tape and on surveillance video talking to an FBI informant about schemes to set up known drug dealers in order to steal their drugs and cash. He was taken into custody leaving a home of an alleged drug dealer.^[17]

 

Law Enforcement

First of all, I do have respect for the Law Enforcement and appreciate the protection and safety they provide myself and other citizens. What I do not understand is the code of silence between them. Over the years there has been a huge increase in Police Corruption whereas citizens are being abused, arrested and placed in prison for crimes they did not commit due to a lack of integrity, brut force and down right lying. I have been naive. I am no longer naive and I want to bring to light what is exactly going on here in Philadelphia. Though most officers live and work by the code of Integrity and Honor, there are others who have total disregard for the law and want a quick arrest, conviction to look good. What about the person who is falsely arrested and forced to confess to something they never did. This behavior disturbs me because justice means justice and it is owed to the victims of any crime to have the correct person arrested and convicted and sent to prison. What disturbs me even more is the secrets and lying. I think every decent law abriding police officer should report what they see and not remain silent. By remaining silent, it tarnishes the integrity and honor which is suppose to be law enforcement. As a citizen, I have little control over what politics the FOP plays but I do have freedom of speech and I intend to use it. I will not allow this thing called corruption disappear in the dark.

Police Corruption Blues: Red Flags & Black Marks

Fri, 12/14/2012 - 11:27

by:

Linn Washington Jr.

A Philadelphia police officer stood outside the front door of the department’s headquarters building next to a “No Smoking” sign, cavalierly smoking a cigarette and ignoring the smoking ban imposed by the police commissioner.
While the officer flaunted the department's smoking ban, inside Philadelphia’s Police Administration Building (PAB) department officials were holding a disciplinary hearing for a policewoman charged with an alleged tax scam detailed in headline-making news coverage.
The actions of that smoking-ban ignoring police officer and the tax-scamming police officer each make a mockery of the Philadelphia Police Department’s professed motto of “Honor-Integrity-Service” –- a motto emblazoned in large letters on a wall outside the PAB’s main entrance.
Further, those actions, albeit not comparale in their severity, both symbolize a disturbing reality operative in law enforcement across America: violations by police receive different treatment from the authorities than violations by ordinary citizens.
The tax scam, detailed in reports by the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, involved 15-year veteran Officer Elaine Thomas, who fraudulently signed court documents claiming she was related to six persons she obtained houses from. By claiming the sellers were relatives, she was able to avoid paying city and state real estate transfer taxes, since transfers between relatives are exempt from taxation.
Corrupt cops have long been a staple of Hollywood films, but the problem is real and wide-spread in today's America

Those house ownership transfers included forged signatures from dead persons that Thomas variously contended were her living father, mother and sister, according to real estate documents.
In one transaction, Thomas allegedly claimed to be the sister of a dead woman who was over sixty years older than her. Thomas, who has rejected media requests for comments, reportedly has denied any improprieties.
Philadelphia police officials began an internal investigation of Thomas in June 2012 after the city’s District Attorney, incredibly, declined to file charges against Thomas.
The DA had reviewed allegations against Thomas for five years, a review that pushed off any investigation by the Police Department until completion of the DA's investigation.
The DA did charge two people with connections to those suspect home sales involving Thomas, including a woman who pleaded guilty to conspiracy involving the notarizing of phony property sales.
If the DA’s decision to not charge Thomas triggered suspicions about police receiving different treatment, the results of the police disciplinary hearing for Thomas underlined such suspicions.
Philadelphia’s Police Board of Inquiry only recommended a thirty-day suspension for Thomas after finding her guilty, reportedly for misconduct related to her fraudulently gaining possession of those six properties.

Police Corruption Blues: Red Flags & Black Marks

Police Corruption Blues: Red Flags & Black Marks

Fri, 12/14/2012 - 11:27

by:

Linn Washington Jr.

The wrist-slap of Thomas and other similarly mild disciplinary actions handed down to other officers during the past few months for arguably egregious offenses gives additional weight to long-standing claims that crime pays if the criminal is on the right side of the law.
Early this fall, Philadelphia police officials refused to discharge seven Police Department employees, including a staff member of a Deputy Police Commissioner, who admitted to fraudulently obtaining cash grants established to assist low-income residents in paying their utility bills.
The DA's Office did not charge those PPD employees involved in fleecing the government-funded energy assistance program.
Philadelphia Police Department officials extended the mild punishment of suspensions ranging from three to fifteen days to those employees admitting to utility theft and fraud, including a police detective lieutenant who earned $94,000 last year, according to city records.
The day after the wrist-slap discipline for Officer Thomas, Philadelphia prosecutors dropped charges in over forty drug cases and signaled their intent to drop over sixty additional cases due to the DA’s unwillingness to utilize the testimony of six narcotics squad officers responsible for those drug cases.
The week before the Thomas wrist-slap, local news broke about the refusal of Philadelphia prosecutors to pursue criminal cases that require testimony from those six officers assigned, including a police lieutenant.
Such rare action by prosecutors in refusing to employ the testimony of sworn police officers in prosecutions usually means the prosecutors have evidence that the officers in question are either tainted by or engaged in corrupted activities.
Philadelphia Police Department officials subsequently removed those six officers from narcotics work, but as yet the department hasn’t disciplined, discharged or arrested any of them.
The officers, reassigned to street patrol, recently posed for a photograph in their patrol uniforms, in which they can be seen smiling at a popular downtown Philadelphia tourist destination.
The police corruption-related news reports of last week mirror news in April 2009 about two Philadelphia narcotics field unit squads that were reassigned in the wake of local and federal probes into corrupt practices.
In September 2000, news broke about a FBI memo detailing patterns of corruption among a group of Philadelphia narcotics officers. including perjured testimony and stealing of money and drugs from suspected criminals.
The mid-1990s, a scandal in the 39th District also involved narcotics officers who were found to be preying on people. It led to the dismissal of more than 500 criminal charges, and to City Hall having to pay over $4 million to settle wrongful arrest lawsuits filed by the victims of that police abuse.
Andback in the 1980s there was the massive “One Squad Scandal” –- yet another incident of police corruption.
Police corruption, according to a widely utilized definition, is the misuse of police authority for personal gain.
This year, news reports detailed various corruption scandals in cities including Baltimore, New York City and Tulsa. In mid-October, four officers in a town in Oregon sent a letter to town officials charging the Police Chief there with engaging in corrupt activities including gambling on duty and covering up serious misconduct by officers under his command.

Police Corruption Blues: Red Flags & Black Marks

Fri, 12/14/2012 - 11:27

by:

Linn Washington Jr.

Elaine Thomas, the Philadelphia officer who received the wrist-slap discipline, received full support from Philadelphia’s police union –- the Fraternal Order of Police. Thomas is a minor official in the FOP.
The FOP had threatened to protest outside of the PAB in support of Thomas and in opposion to a plan by Philadelphia’s Police Commissioner to allow the news media to attend the normally private Board of Inquiry hearing.
Commissioner Charles Ramsey revoked his invitation for the media to attend the Thomas hearing, contending the hearing room was too small to accommodate reporters. He rejected claims that FOP pressure had prompted his reversal.
Earlier this year the FOP bragged about its clout when an arbitrator’s ruling forced the PPD to rehire an officer fired in 2011 after police investigators had videotaped that officer stealing money and drugs from suspected criminals.
That videotape, and other evidence developed by police Internal Affairs, followed reports from victims, confirmed by other police who had observed the misconduct, which was later reported in news media accounts.
During that officer’s termination from the PPD, the FOP paid him to perform odd jobs at the union’s headquarters.
Corrupt and brutal officers in Philadelphia, if they are discharged, often manage to regain their police positions through an arbitration process that is weighted in favor of the FOP thanks to the FOP’s ability to select sympathetic arbitrators and otherwise manipulate the process.

Police Personnel Misconduct

Integrity Starts With You. The first step is simple, but the hardest. Enough is enough. Stop protecting and tolerating other members’ inappropriate behavior. There is no justification for their wrongful actions. You owe yourself and your family a chance to work in a great Department where all of its members live and act according to your values of honor, service and integrity. If you see it, hear it, or know about, this is the place to do something. It’s up to all of us to bring back a sense of professionalism and pride to the Philadelphia Police Department.

New Arrests

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — New charges have been filed against one allegedly corrupt Philadelphia cop, and an alleged partner in crime has also been charged.
This is another blow to the Philadelphia Police Department, already reeling from repeated allegations of corruption, acts of admitted corruption, and concerns about police shootings.
Garcia was arrested last year on charges he was not just a cop but also a heroin dealer, allegedly while in uniform and working out of his patrol car (see previous story).

(Sydemy Joanis. Phila. PD photo)

Now, a second officer — Sydemy Joanis — has been charged, the indictment unsealed today charging both Joanis and Garcia and Joanis with setting up and robbing drug dealers while on the job, using actual and threatened force.

Less than two weeks ago, in a separate case, veteran narcotics officer Jeffrey Walker was charged, and fired. It’s alleged that he planted drugs on a drug dealer, made an arrest, then stole a house key and went to the target’s home, where he stole approximately $15,000 (see related story).
This afternoon, Philadelphia police commissioner Charles Ramsey called it a sad day for the department — but also, in a sense, a good day.

Convicted

Convicted PPD Officers

Members of the PPD's Special Narcotics Unit, also known as The Five Squad:

• Officer John Baird
• Sergeant Thomas DeGovanni
• Officer Steven Brown
• Officer James Ryan
• Officer Thomas Ryan (on leave from the PPD at the time of conviction).
• Officer Louis J. Maier, was convicted on separate charges of robbery and battery.

Is Philadelphia the eighth most corrupt city

In the United States? A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Institute of Government and Public Affairs thinks so. But like so many finger-pointing “corruption” allegations, it’s complicated. The researchers based their study on public corruption convictions between 1976 and 2010. In that corruption model, Philly came in eighth place with 852 public corruption convictions. And as we all know, the best forms of corruption are the ones the corruptors get away with. Either way, number one on the list: Chicago. 1,531 convictions.