The Denver Police Department, that bastion of civil liberties, compassion and caring has pissed off not only The A.C.L.U. but also the N.R.A. (actually, the N.R.A. isn’t pissed yet, since the N.R.A. related info was just revealed. But they will be)
The D.P.D. has been "…monitoring and recording the peaceful protest activities of Denver-area residents and keeping files on the expressive activities of law-abiding advocacy organizations. "
The D.P.D. insists that their secret files are only for radical extremist groups. Uh-huh. Like the Quakers!? :eek:
In addition, allegedly (like I said, I’ve heard this particular point on the radio from a leftie, anti-gun talk-show host, take it as you will), they’ve also been recording license plate numbers of people attending (legal) gun-shows and filming people coming out of the shows. As I may now be in their files as a result of this, I’ve got a personal interest in this case, even if I weren’t already offended by the basic concept of having secret files on people engaging in legal, peaceful activities.
What the hell are they thinking? What the hell is wrong with D.P.D.? It’s not a state-wide problem: most police departments in Colorado are excellent organizations. Denver and Boulder police departments, however…
Whatever my beef with gun shows, the police have absolutely no business recording who patronizes them. Period.
If they’re selling stuff at gun shows that terrorists shouldn’t have (I can’t think of what, but just being hypothetical here), they need to put forward a case for changing the law, and we all get to argue about it, write our legislators, and all that. And then maybe they change the law, or maybe not.
But right now, gun shows are as legal as church on Sunday (which it seems they’ve also been spying on), and as long as that’s so, then the police should stop spying on people engaged in perfectly legal activities.
Maybe they can do something useful instead, like do a few extra foot patrols in high-crime areas.
I also wonder if anyone is following the police around and keeping records of what they do and where they go. (think I will go stake out the Krispy Kreme.)
Well there is stuff at gun shows that terrorists and criminals shouldn’t have - but there are already laws that cover that!
And, merely attending a gun show is NOT a crime, and police have absolutely no business maintaining files of photographs and license plate numbers of the people who do attend them.
They also shouldn’t be making the same kind of files on people who walk into houses of worship. Free association IS LEGAL in this country with the exception that parolees are not allowed to have contact with other convicted felons. So whether I’m walkin out of the Druid temple or the PGCA (Pennsylvania Gun Collector’s Association) show, I sure as hell don’t want my stats on file.
Also about the gun shows, every one I was ever at had cops INSIDE to make sure people followed the laws or just because they were there browsing around. Ugh do I hate and despise the notion that I’ll be watched like a criminal because of my religious beliefs and my legal hobbies.
On the Krispy Kreme note, in my hometown there was a Mister Donut 300 yards from the State Police barracks. After many officers complained of ‘getting into trouble’ when their supervisor would see their car in the Mr Donut parking lot, another Mr Donut magically appeared across town - and located nowhere near a police station. Neither of them have ever been robbed.
many, many years ago, back when I ran the correction center for women, there were 3 who got jobs at the local doughnut shop, working the midnight shift. They seemed to like it a lot.
They were hooking in the back room.
(note, doughnut shop in question is now a sub shop)>
