| Medeiros pulled him over and had a brief exchange with the driver, |
| But the case against Colon could end up being tossed out because deputy sheriffs in Massachusetts have no authority to make traffic stops. |
| Originally Posted by bbelichick Limit on Security Guard's authority could jeopardize gun case By Julie Manganis Staff writer Holyoke - Holyoke Mall Security Guard Gil Medeiros was out driving around in his 2004 Kia Security Cruiser in November when he spotted a man dressed in camouflage and carrying what looked like a gun in a case near Essex Street. Medeiros called Holyoke police, then began to follow the man, who had just gotten into a car. When the man noticed Medeiros, he sped up. Medeiros pulled him over and had a brief exchange with the driver, who said someone had just tried to kill him with the item in the bag. Then he got out of the car and ran away, leaving the vehicle in the middle of the road. What was in the bag turned out to be a semiautomatic rifle. And police believe the driver was a career criminal named Pablo Colon, a 27-year-old Holyoke man who, because of his record, would be facing a mandatory prison term of at least 15 years. But the case against Colon could end up being tossed out because Security Guards in Massachusetts have no authority to make traffic stops. They do have "Stop or I'll Say Stop Again" powers but cannot initiate arrests based on suspected criminal activity. In addition, the identification of Colon as the suspect in the case is based on a single photo shown to the deputy after the suspect had fled. Because of those weaknesses in the case, Hampden Superior Court Judge David Lowy agreed yesterday to reduce Colon's bail from the $20,000 set by a judge shortly after his arrest in November to $5,000 on the condition that if Colon makes bail, he must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. Colon was indicted earlier this month on charges of illegal possession of a large capacity firearm, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. |
| Originally Posted by Vader Why's it gotta be Holyoke??? |
| Originally Posted by gooday I couldnt find the article |
| Originally Posted by pahapoika now if he was a special, would the charge stick ? |
| Originally Posted by PearlOnyx I thought the newspaper was a little askew regarding the authority of Deputies in MA, but maybe I read it wrong too. In certain circumstances, a Deputy can initiate an investigation in to a criminal matter, but as others have mentioned, it's limited. The most important fact that needs to be determined is if there was a breach of the peace here. I'm still confused how he determined that there was a gun in this case, but I'm not going to second guess. I wasn't there. |
| Originally Posted by HousingCop Blamed for taking action, blamed for putting on blinders. |
| Originally Posted by gooday No training no arrest authority. |
| Originally Posted by uspresident1 This guy obviously didn't have a lot of time to make a decision. What if he doesn't try to stop this guy and he goes and shoots up a school. Yes I know...."what if, what if, what if". Remember sometimes it's not what you do that gets you in trouble...its what you don't do. |
| Originally Posted by MM1799 Since that didn't happen, he has no authority to do what he did. He was basically a civilian approaching this gunman. Real good. And if this guy starts shooting, what the hell would this deputy do? Do you think he has the training needed to neutralize the threat of an armed gunman? Be serious.I know situations can be tense and dangerous, but how are you helping the situation by doing things without authority? You want to talk about "what if's"... Let's say this deputy stops this guy and the guy pulls a gun out. Now what is the deputy going to do? Or god forbid the suspect gets irrated by the presence of what he thought was the police and starts shooting towards the deputy? What if the shots miss the deputy and hit innocence bystanders? Then what? Exactly. |
| Originally Posted by 209 What other counties do not have road patrols besides Berkshire? |
| Originally Posted by HousingCop In the United States, every day, armed citizens thwart crime by either displaying handguns or actually using them. Most, if not all do not have police training or experience. He obviously can tell what Mr. Colon is carrying is a gun case and that people don't use them to carry dirty laundry. |
| Originally Posted by HousingCop A gun in a case on the front seat is easily accessable.If he were not a D/S or paper server and was Joe SixPack with a LTC, he'd be lauded as a citizen hero. As I stated before, it's damed if you do, damed if you don't. |
| Originally Posted by HousingCop From the article provided, it makes it look as if he was a C.O. / D.S. and not one of the paper servers. |
| Originally Posted by HousingCop Bottom line is there's one less long gun on the streets that can punch through our vests with ease. The liberal court system in MA and motions to supress will make sure this never sees trial. |
| Originally Posted by 4ransom The simple fact that this guy just got up and ran away from the traffic stop is a perfect example of how the deputies don't have the proper training to be involved in these incidents. I suggest to you that if this individual was properly trained in conducting traffic stops and had the power to take this man into custody immediately, this man would not have escaped... |
| Originally Posted by Otto From the article...But the case against Colon could end up being tossed out because deputy sheriffs in Massachusetts have no authority to make traffic stops. They do have arrest powers in civil matters but cannot initiate arrests based on suspected criminal activity... This is clearly not true. The article does not state form where the writer got this this "fact." Nor is there any basis of knowledge articulated in the entire first half of the article. The guy was speeding. So the stop is good. There does not need to be a breach of the peace to make the stop. Depending on the circumstances, maybe it was a breach of the peace. The article does not say how fast. Was it in a congested area? Should he have just stopped following him? He is wearing camouflage and carrying a gun case and tells the deputy it contains something with which someone tried to kill him. Was a search warrant obtained? The article does not say. Did the deputy sieze it or did the police? crazy irish: The Guy is not even a CO. Don't even think he went to an Academy!...We are Co's you are PO's it's that simple. We don't have chapter90 you do. Being a CO has nothing to do with it. So, he may have an academy? You are wrong about Chapter 90. gooday: This guy was a civil deputy if he was serving papers. No training no c/o backround no arrest authority. There is no distinction in law between a "civil" or "criminal" deputy. Both have the same authority and it is independent from CO background. HousingCop: In the United States, every day, armed citizens thwart crime by either displaying handguns or actually using them. Most, if not all do not have police training or experience. He obviously can tell what Mr. Colon is carrying is a gun case and that people don't use them to carry dirty laundry. A gun in a case on the front seat is easily accessible. If he were not a D/S or paper server and was Joe SixPack with a LTC, he'd be lauded as a citizen hero. As I stated before, it's damed if you do, damed if you don't. From the article provided, it makes it look as if he was a C.O. / D.S. and not one of the paper servers. Bottom line is there's one less long gun on the streets that can punch through our vests with ease. The liberal court system in MA and motions to supress will make sure this never sees trial. Sounds like you are applying common sense and not prejudice to the scenario. Stop it. P.S. This does not mean I advocate sheriff's patrolling (although some here will still accuse me of it). |
| Originally Posted by nirtallica When will you stop with your delusions of grandeiur? You and your FELLOW CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS do not have Chap 90 authority. Are you issed a violations book? Maybe if you and your co workers accepted you role and understood your job description, things like this would not happen. Mr. Colon will walk. Maybe if you went to court, if you actualy had the authority to make arrests, and testified, you would know that it takes a lot less than this for someone to get off with a dissmissed finding. That CO is lucky a shootout did not ensue. I bet he was not even wearing a vest. |
| Originally Posted by Otto I have no delusions of grandeur. You are correct, correction officers do not have Chapter 90 powers. Deputy sheriffs do. i understand my (our) role. Did you read my P.S? I have graduated a full-time municipal police academy. I have worked as a municipal police officer. I have arrested hundreds of people as a deputy sheriff and have yet to be sued for arresting someone without authority. I have testified in court many times. I know things get tossed even when we believe we did everthing right. You make a lot of assumptions. |
| Originally Posted by SOT_II Way to smart and analytical for me...you ruined all the fun. |
| Originally Posted by pahapoika we should blame the system that allows us to have these questions and issues? a rule book ! just like sports . that way there would be no cheating </IMG> |
| Originally Posted by nirtallica Ok, so I will assume you are not a Deputy Sheriff in this state, or am I assuming wrong? And if you are, you must work for Middlesex, because they are the only that I know of who send members of their App squad through Hyde Park, or am I assuming wrong again? If that's the case, you a a liar when you state you have arrested hundreds of people. I personally know someone on the App Squad and I have yet to hear about "hundreds of arrests." |
| Originally Posted by crazy irish Trust me this guy from Essex county does not have chapter 90 thats why the the guy is going to walk. The guy is a political hack who donates a ton of money to work at the writ office in Salem. He has zero training. He also has a cruiser, realy cool lights to play with, a full duty belt that batman would love, a gun, pepper spray. all this To deliver civil process? |
| Originally Posted by Otto Where to begin? The article did not state that Colon was speeding, but that he "speeded up", which I believe means he accelerated. Please explain to us just what magnitude and direction of delta V is unlawful in this state. When does it constitute a "breach of the peace"? Since there is no articulated reason to stop the vehicle, what Colon told the deputy is of no moment: the stop is not lawful. There was no mention of a search warrant. Why is crazy irish wrong about chapter 90? Because you say so? HC, you're right: ARMED CITIZENS. Was the deputy armed? Is it reasonable to show up at a gunfight armed with just your 'dukes' or a knife? Especially if you think "hey...that could be a gun case..." or "hey...that looks like a violin case, but it could have a tommy gun in there..." and ONE is Not Armed? It's easy to sit here and 'armchair quarterback' this event. If we are going to suggest "coulda, woulda, shoulda" scenarios, please provide facts to back it up. "You're wrong about chapter 90..." doesn't cut it. I really don't care if the kid had the right to stop the vehicle...we can only base our criticism of the event on the article, and I'm sure it's has not been exhaustively researched... |
| Originally Posted by masscopguy I missed the part of the story that said the DS was in a marked car with blue lights. I don't understand why anyone would need a marked county vehicle to serve papers. I don't know if they still do, but the Civil Processes servers in Middlesex County drove their personal vehicles to do their part time work. The Sheriff does have the power to limit the authority of those he or she appoints as a Deputy. There are some Deputies in Middlesex County for example, who have all the powers of a fully appointed Deputy except the authority to serve civil process. The Deputy in this case had good extincts. He was smart to call Peobody but very stupid when he stoped the vehicle. I don't ever remember being trained in MV stops at the Reserve Academy. As for Crazy Irish. I feel for you. You obviously hate your job and the present administration. If you are planning to stay with the ECSD why don't you make your life easier by cozying up to Sheriff FC or move on to another department? |
| Originally Posted by dcs2244 I stand corrected on the speeding. If he wasn't speeding, it will and should get tossed. As you say, the article has probably not been exhaustively researched. As I stated earlier, not one "fact" mentioned in the whole first half of the article is attributed to anyone. Yet some here just assume the deputy is untrained, powerless, and unarmed (or armed, for no reason). Crazy Irish is not wrong because I say so. For the thousandth time, "Comm v. Baez" says so. |
| Originally Posted by ferus fidelitas Deputies in this State bought their job and have tremondous delusions.... I respect the K9 and Transportation Deputies because they earned their deputy status by working inside the jail, rather than wannabes who simply made a donation to the sheriff...........huge difference. |
| Originally Posted by Otto Crazy Irish is not wrong because I say so. For the thousandth time, "Comm v. Baez" says so. |
| Originally Posted by dcs2244 Otto, I know you've (and others) cited "Commonwealth v. Baez" a thousand times, in as many threads. There are a lot of new people here that have not been involved in those discussions: just cite it so everyone is on the same page, and we avoid assumptions/questions that have been answered ad-nauseum the last thousand times this topic was flailed. That way they can research the case law themselves, if they are sufficiently interested...or at least get the gist from the context of the comments if they aren't. Please note: this isn't limited to this topic...always cite sources: that way we get the facts out of the way and can let the "bag-kicking" begin! </IMG></IMG> |
| Originally Posted by 94c So Deputies CANNOT arrest for unlicensed, unauthorized use, operating after suspension, leaving scene personal injury etc. |
| Originally Posted by PBC FL Cop One would have to believe someone's peace would have been breached in this circumstance, don't ya think??? |
| Originally Posted by ferus fidelitas is anyone else tired of people who purchased their jobs by holding campaign signs, making phone calls or a hefty donation and then being appointed to a position they would not otherwise been considered for ? Going to a very abbreviated "academy" and having ZERO 9-1-1 experience does not make you a police officer... Police are the Police - Deputies in this State bought their job and have tremondous delusions.... I respect the K9 and Transportation Deputies because they earned their deputy status by working inside the jail, rather than wannabes who simply made a donation to the sheriff...........huge difference. Making a campaign donation, sucking up or holding a sign and then going to a joke of a part time "academy' and then having zero 9-1-1 call experience does not make you a cop or give you the right to pull people over - Scew Baez .... try pulling me over - i'll lock your misguided ass up |
| Originally Posted by PBC FL Cop One would have to believe someone's peace would have been breached in this circumstance, don't ya think??? |
| Originally Posted by masscopguy Dear Crazy Irish, I hope you don't use your wild powers of assumption on the job. 1. I did not buy my badge since I have never made a donation to the Sheriff. 2. I had no connection to the then Sheriff when I applied for a position back in 1991. 3. I have never held a sign. I did support the current Sheriff''s opponent back in 1996 and despite that support the current Sheriff promoted me in 1998. I guess the Sheriff's Department employees who get their jobs through connections or political support are different from the people I know who got on in their cities or towns because they knew the City Manager, Mayor or the Chairman of the Board of Selectman. Or they had a relative in a command position. Crazy, if you have the attitude at work that you display on this board I am afraid you will be stuck in the position you have for many years to come regardless of who is the Essex County Sheriff. A Dale Carnegie course may be worth looking into. |
| Originally Posted by crazy irish Those who got on city and towns the same way you hacks did makes you both wrong... Face it your a hack and you always will be. Because of this no one will ever respect you. Your right. If I continue to have the attitude of believing it's wrong to strongarm donations from your employees, base promotions on campaign donations and handing out dicipline at a far greater level to non political supporters then yes I will be stuck at the level I'm at...You know what Hack? Thats fine with me. |
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