Cops are not above the law … but they do have at least as many rights as neighborhood thugs

I’m going to preface this segment by saying that I do not believe police officers are above the law. It is NOT my position that claims of police brutality are always bogus. Likewise, I do not believe that when officers are accused of brutality, that the charges MUST be true.

I do not know if officers Andrew Smith and Gerald Suelter are guilty of abusing Bryce Scott in the minutes after he was arrested following a car chase. The video of the incident is, in my mind, inconclusive because it does not show Bryce and it cannot be seen whether he was continuing to struggle with officers.

But Peoria County State’s attorney Kevin Lyons has made up his mind, although he waited until after he was re-elected to do anything about it.

Compare and contrast, please. There is this paragraph from 1470 WMBD:

“A bond hearing has been delayed until Wednesday for two Peoria Police officers charged with the beating of Peoria man while on duty almost a year ago. Officers Jerry Suelter and Andrew Smith were arrested Monday night on charges of official misconduct, aggravated battery, battery and mob action … Three attorneys were present in Peoria County Court Tuesday afternoon when Judge Paul Gillfilan told them the officers’ bonding wasn’t until Wednesday. No reason was given.”

Why delay the bond hearing? The required attorneys were there, as was a judge. And why not TELL people the reason for the delay? And it’s not like “Catch and Release” Kevin Lyons normally is overly concerned about keeping the accused behind bars.

And now consider the case of Justin Rodgers who was arrested at an East Bluff home back in late October, but was released a few days later on a notice to appear — issued by Lyon’s office. After all, he had only been booked on charges of possession of weapons by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and possession and delivery of marijuana. Neighbors on East Elmhurst — who were being terrorized by this guy — were furious and afraid Rodgers would retaliate against them for the complaints that had made to police. The cops found two pounds of marijuana, 45 grams of cocaine, eight rocks of crack cocaine, body armor and five guns — but Lyon’s office gave him a notice to appear.

But two police officers — who won’t be in uniform patrolling anyway because they are on paid leave — can’t get out on bond.

We learned the next day why Lyons wanted to delay the release of these two Peoria Police officers: Lyons wanted an opportunity to appear in court in person and hear himself talk. From the Journal Star article:
“Two Peoria police officers arrested after a brutality claim will appear in court Wednesday, when Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons said he plans to read a copy of the complaint and factual basis for their arrest.” I mean, what’s the use of charging police officers with a crime if you, a prosecutor who rarely appears in court, can’t score some media face time by showing up for a procedural hearing.

All sarcasm aside, what ticks me off about Lyons is that he promotes himself as concerned about the rights of the accused as he is about convicting them. That concern, he says, is why. But if the accused are cops, they get treated worse than he would dream of treating a convicted criminals.

Keeping these two officers in jail one day longer than necessary was just petty.

Caterpillar is staying, regardless of museum tax vote

It is perfectly understandable if you are worried that if you do the sensible thing and vote “NO” on the museum tax referendum (euphemistically referred to as a “public facilities tax” on the April 7 ballot) that Caterpillar might pull up stakes and leave town. After all, supporters of this project — and practically all make-work boondoggles of the past 20 years, aren’t afraid to tell citizens that we have to spend dollars to improve the “quality of life” of potential Caterpillar employees. Add to that the fact that the Riverfront museum project is married to Caterpillar’s desire to build a multi-million dollar welcome center right next door on the former Sears block.

Building the museum would strengthen Caterpillar’s roots in the community, they say.
It’s code for “Build it, or Caterpillar will leave.”

The good news is that it all bullshit. That’s not just MY opinion. That’s the word from Mark W. Johnson, the Caterpillar executive who is spearheading Caterpillar’s involvement with fundraising efforts. I finally got that concession on the record in the comment section of the peoriaillinoisan.blogpeoria.com blog (which you should be reading regularly). Johnson said:
”Ok, Mr. Dennis, I’ll say it “authoritatively”, Caterpillar Inc. is not spreading the story, rumor, information, whatever you want to call it that the company would move its headquarters out of Peoria if the sales tax referendum is defeated. It’s actually another example of how ridiculous this discussion has become, to even suppose that the company would incur the expense of relocating just because the citizens of Peoria County have turned down an offer from the company of over $55 million to improve the community. End of discussion.”

Fantastic.

City Council screws the South Side

I’m 100 percent in agreement with Councilman Clyde Gulley. The city needs to stop finding excuses to not repair and build the sidewalks that are needed on Peoria’s South Side.

As reported in Word on the Street in the Journal Star, the Peoria City Council debated and voted to put sidewalk repair (as well as the federally mandated sewage overflow project) on the top of its list for stimulus projects.

Now that some of that money has arrived, sidewalk projects on the South Side aren’t being funded.

And the excuses being given do not make any sense to me. As the PJS reported:
“But the only projects that can be paid for under this round of funding are those that can be under construction within 120 days, said Pat Landes, director of the city’s Planning & Growth Management department. Plus, CDBG money is restricted, meaning the money can only go toward infrastructure projects in low-income areas.”

It does NOT take 120 days to replace a sidewalk. Sidewalks are

infrastructure. The South Side IS

a low income area. This is isn’t about federal rules. This is about a lack of interest in helping residents most in need of help.
What projects DID get funding?

Journal Star: “City administration’s suggestion was for the $516,509 to pay for improvements to aging fire stations 3 and 8, the repair of the Center for Prevention of Abuse’s roof and for more handicap ramps to be installed throughout the city.”

Excuse me, but the Center for Prevention of Abuse is not a city agency. It’s a private organization that raises its own funds. They do good work, but giving handouts to non-profits that have their own fundraising capabilities is NOT an essential government service.

Arguments can be made in favor of the fire stations and the handicapped ramps.

But the South Side has needed these sidewalks since there has been a South Side. And the council voted to make the sidewalks a priority. Then, they reneged on that promise, for no good reason I can see except that they decided to make other people happy.

Oh, don’t worry. There will be MORE stimulus money. Better luck next time.

But next time, some group with more electoral clout and more friends on the council will have their hands out too.

In other words, screw the South Side. Business as usual.

A few facts about WEEK’s anchor

Phil Luciano wrote something dumb in one of his columns the other day. That, by itself, isn’t unusual. But this time, he said something dumb about WEEK anchorman Tom McIntyre. When Mac’s many fans let Luciano have it, Luciano responded with a tongue-in-cheek column extolling Mac’s many virtues.

But he forgot some of them:

· Tom McIntyre doesn’t read from a teleprompter. Tom McIntyre speaks into the camera and the teleprompter, out of fear, transcribes his words.

· Tom McIntyre doesn’t “Gotta Eat.” Tom McIntyre derives sustenance from the Yellow Rays of the Sun.

· That big smile on Vanna Whitewall’s face? Tom McIntyre. Enough said.

· Bob Larson has a Tom McIntyre voodoo doll. But every time Bob tries to stick it with a needle, the needle breaks.