We've been watching for the last few days as a number of comments were posted making claims like "I heard that it's just a matter of days before the Eye and all of us who post here are outted and identified." If you analyze that statement and its inherent threat, you realize that it only benefits one group of people... those whose dirty laundry is being aired in cyberspace.
The poster goes on to say "I was told that once that happens jobs will be at risk and law suits are sure to follow. I'm finding another blog to log into & post. You would do well to follow my lead, I'm outta here....Good luck & I'm 10-7." What started as an implied threat became an overt one.
If you ask us this last part is a not so subtle threat to fire any employee for expressing their opinion whether it be here or anywhere else. It's not above the 5th floor to engage in a misinformation campaign - they did it last week when our Eyes tell us they were telling officers that 770 KKOB records all off air conversations in an attempt to stop 34's from calling in and giving Producer Billy Cornelius information off the air.
It looks to us like the 5th floor is attempting the same type of misinformation campaign here. Use fear and intimidation to keep the troops in line and quiet by posting seemingly innocent comments warning posters not to put their opinions out where others can read them.
Wait a second... Didn't we see this just last week when in their arrogance and anger the Mayor, Chief, and company decided to try to shut down Sergeant Heh by initiating an Internal Affairs investigation immediately following his very public comments on the recently and narrowly approved APD/APOA contract?
Folks, don't forget for a civil case the plaintiff has to prove damage and in a criminal case there has to be probable cause that there is criminal activity taking place to even initiate an investigation. Not to mention that there are serious technical challenges when attempting to trace an IP address from a specific location at a specific time - challenges that require sweeping legal authority not available to the 5th floor.
Is it impossible to track comments through the Internet to their original sender... no. Certainly the FBI, and the NSA could do it but we seriously doubt that a local law enforcement agency has the ability to do so. More importantly, we don't believe that they could do so in order to investigate alleged violations of APD's SOP.
Freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment. There is no employment contract or SOP that trumps the very specific right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Posts and rumors like the one we previously mentioned are just another form of misinformation designed to create fear and intimidation. The practice is despicable and shows how desperate they are to keep their activities hidden from the public.
----- Post Script -----
Just to clear things up... We don't know whether or not the above post was associated with the 5th. If you are not we apologize for the insult. That being said, the post itself was a good example of a couple of similar posts. Who actually posted the comment is immaterial. The fact is it looks as if APD's brass is engaging in yet another fear and intimidation campaign through misinformation.
20 comments:
They couldn't track anyone on this site if the 5th floor's career's depended on it! So, don't let them fool you, they can't track a flea down in this case!!!!!! The feds and NSA yes, but this is not a National Security issue! Absolutely, no interest here, as it would take a Federal Court Order to even try!!!! Way, way way beyond APD and the Mayor! Too advanced and high for their paygrades!
I'm an "outsider" who regularly lurks here because The Eye is just so damn entertaining. Yes, I am way over there on the other side of the fence. But I just want to chime in and applaud this post. The First Amendment does indeed protect the free speech of all of us: left, right and center. Now, whether or not it protects stating as fact what are really only rumors, in a way that may seriously damage the reputation and livelihood of a particular person, is an entirely different issue. I figure you guys are in the clear on that point though, because otherwise the AA (no, not alcoholics anonymous...) would have already shut you down. Instead, you just have to live with yourselves.
Apparently Marty was either asleep or didn't take Con Law (gee I thought it was required) because a great deal of his "laws" seem to be found to be unconstitutional i.e., curfew, forced meds for the mentally ill, etc.
As a taxpayer what I see is this - Marty is putting our city financially at risk with his unconstitutional and nazi like antics - its time to put an end to then.
Keep up the good work EYE
Wait a minute! That was my comment you are talking about now! Talk about misinformation....I'm not tied to these folks, I meant what I said, that's what someone told me. I'm not making this sh*t up, I'm really scared of losing my job or getting my family dragged into some legal BS that I can't afford. So don't try and pull me into your crap. Like I said earlier, I'm done with this place & 10-7.
Can someone get me one of those Puck Faul bumper stickers?
They should fire Paul for starting this mess.
Well go 10-7 then...Seems you can't stop coming back! If you are done, why are you still posting here?
Until some is willing to sign their name to a complaint, nothing is going to change on the fifth floor, the eleventh floor, or any other floor.
There is no fairy who is going to wade in and save your bacon.
Anonymous posting carries no weight, makes no difference, and will effect no change.
Isn't there a single cop, who is willing take point on this.
And if there is, are there enough cops with balls enough to stand behind him?
It would seem not.
You are all lined up to take a turn being butt loaded by your "leadership".
It will continue until you stand up, pull you pants up, turn around and confront your abuser.
good luck
"Wait a minute! That was my comment you are talking about now! Talk about misinformation....I'm not tied to these folks, I meant what I said, that's what someone told me. I'm not making this sh*t up, I'm really scared of losing my job or getting my family dragged into some legal BS that I can't afford. So don't try and pull me into your crap. Like I said earlier, I'm done with this place & 10-7."
I am Ray Schultz and I approved this message.
How about a Ruck Fon and Buck Fen stickers, they're the APOA guys doing a fine job...where are they...oh yeah out of state spending APOA money before they getting indicted!!!
Give me a break!! APD can't find the person who killed Kaitlyn Duncan for Chrissakes, what makes anyone think they can track down anonymous posters/bloggers from or on this site????
Oh yeah, I almost forget..the Duncan case went "cold" because it was a COVER-UP!!!
You know, cops participating in a "hit-and-run insurance claim scam" You know where a ring (Asian in this case) with drivers, cops, and lawyers all working together to stage accidents and then file false insurance claims collecting fraudulent insurance payouts and Kaitlyn knew about this...hmmmmmm.....
Oh by the way, this is my 1st amendedment protected opinion...
And the Mucking goes on....
Overt & covert retaliation is still alive & well with this administration. Remember the 2006 “Rumble in Rio”? Cops & firefighters (ff) boxed in an amateur match to help kids in need. It started in 2004 & since proceeds have bought close to 2000 bikes & has benefited cop and ff charities. It’s sold out every year.
I was one of the organizers. Covert retaliation started immediately after the 2005 event, I was told there would be no more “Rumble in Rio”. A bizarre statement considering it was started by a cop in Rio Rancho. I was also told that I couldn’t be involved on my days off. I asked for it in writing, never got it. Threats became overt when Nick Bakas stated in an ABQ Journal article (12/6/05): “city cops and firefighters will no longer be allowed to slug it out in a fundraiser for kids…”, “He was disgusted with what he saw…”, “It seems to me that it is an event that promotes sex, violence and the consumption of alcohol”, & there were many other untrue statements disgracing the Rumble. It was so disgusting Nick stayed for the entire event! Then this past fall the Journal captures a picture of Nick & the Mayor at the Holms fight, ringside, at the same casino looking pretty content. And the ring girl outfits, Mama Mia! Nick went because he got free tickets from a city vendor.
Next are just a few things that occurred regarding the 2006 event: I got a call, on a day off obviously on speaker phone, from a fire official who wanted to know who was boxing so they could inform them of consequences. I was told it could be a letter in their jacket up to termination. Keep in mind boxers were doing this on their days off. I didn’t know who would be boxing it wasn’t one of my tasks. AFD hierarchy randomly called people they thought were boxing and threatened them. 4 out of 5 AFD boxers backed out. 12 city boxers and organizers were “randomly” drug tested in a 2 week period, one of them 2 times. ABQ was the only city that didn’t support their people.
After numerous meetings to no avail, 2 of us ff’s filed a civil case through the ACLU. They sure went to bat for us. Once the suit was filed admin wanted a meeting to resolve some issues. I thought it was in good faith, but it turned out to be a fact finding mission to find out who our charities and sponsors were. Nick contacted many of them to pull out and at least 3 did at the 11th hour, including our trauma doc who was required to be ringside. We recovered from this sabotage. But because of his intimidation tactics there are some charities that won’t benefit from the Rumble ever again. We won our case in court just days before the event. A federal Judge concluded that defendants (the city) were not allowed to impose any threat of discipline for participation in the 2006 Rumble. He further stated that if there were any action against the plaintiffs (ff /cops) restricting engagement in 1st Amendment protected activity, there would be a contempt hearing. Civil Case #06-938. The case cost the city money that could have been donated to our charity instead, I nor the other ff didn’t benefit monetarily. MDC stepped up to fill vacant ff spots most of APD boxed anyway. Tickets were being sold on the net for $100.
The Rumble will take place again this year in October. I have stepped down from the board and don’t do any volunteer work anymore. That fight, with the city, took the wind out of my sail. After posting this I will probably be “random” tested when I start my shift this week. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time. Respectfully, Lynn Reule.
Kaitlyn Arquette.
Thanks for that 49 Lynn, most enlightening.
I was one to sell my Ramble tickets on the net after I learned there would be no scantily dressed ring girls or suds.
Way to go Lynn from the APD Officers. We are glad you stood up to them!
T J is one of two places. Looking into garbage cans to find the 'Eye',or Taco Bell. Either place he can find a meal
a/k/a Kaitlyn Duncan, Lois Duncan's daughter.
Intimidation will continue as long as it works. Many of us don't care any more - we will stand up against corruption AND be identified because that's what it's going to take for our children and their children to have any hope of a decent life here. I can leave, or fight, but sitting around being a frightened wimp is not for me. I fully intend to stay, fight, and WIN over this corruption! Just look at the changes here over the last few months - incredible to those of us who have been active and watching for years. Lynn - thanks for speaking out and more power to you. But a bit of bad news - I've heard that Bikes for Tykes fraudulently set up a preschooler as a Board member - probably a way to get more compensation to the mother, also a board member. Sad - pick a different charity to support next time : )
Lynn you did a great job for a long time and with a lot of opposition on many different fronts. Personally it's the calendar fiasco that I remember the most (being a woman I guess that's why I remember the calendar issue!) But anyway, you did a great job with that and fought to get it published.
Good luck!
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