20070619 The Ed Norris Crime Plan

The Ed Norris Crime Plan

For a bit of additional background go here: “20070615 Some good analysis on the Baltimore mayoral contest.”

WHFS’ ED NORRIS RELEASES HIS PLAN TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE CRIME IN BALTIMORE PRESS CONFERENCE June 19, 2007-12 Noon

The Plan to Drastically Reduce Crime in Baltimore By: Ed Norris

In light of the relentless violence we have experienced in 2007 and after the rising violent crime rates of the last several years, I feel compelled to put forward a plan.

Several candidates running for public office in addition to a myriad of community and religious organizations have put forth their ideas for crime reduction but none has authored a strategic plan; each has merely latched onto ideas that sounds good but will do nothing to stanch the blood flow in our streets.

No one to date has even attempted a comprehensive strategic plan while Baltimoreans are being murdered at a rate almost seven times that of New York City.

The lack of leadership has been stunning in light of all that is taking place.

My intent is not to embarrass but to help stem the violent crime wave that is literally killing our city.

I respectfully recommend the following for everyone's consideration:

Read the rest here: The Ed Norris Crime Plan

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20070608 Troopers add more K9 Teams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 8, 2007

TROOPERS ADD MORE K-9 TEAMS TO THE PATROL FORCE

(Glen Burnie, Maryland) - The Maryland State Police graduated its most recent class of K-9 handlers Friday morning, and deployed them across the state for patrol duties.

Seven K-9 teams were awarded certificates of completion. “This is the proud culmination of eleven weeks of very demanding training,” said Major Pete Landon, Assistant Bureau Chief, Special Operations Command. “We are proud of their willingness to serve the citizens of this state, knowing that they will often be required to work under great pressure and in difficult circumstances, especially when a missing person is involved.”

The ceremony was held at the completion the Maryland State Police Special Operations Division=s canine school. Two bloodhound tracking teams, including a team from the Prince George’s County Police Department, and five K-9 controlled dangerous substance detection teams graduated.

The bloodhound tracking teams completed ten weeks of field and classroom work. Instructors used various terrains and settings to teach the handlers tracking, land navigation, management of search operations and high-risk tactical tracking skills.

The controlled dangerous substance detection teams went through eleven weeks of training. The dogs were taught to detect a variety of illicit drugs and substances and the handlers were trained to recognize the actions of their dogs which would alert them to the presence of the drugs.

With the approach of the summer months, the bloodhounds will join other search teams from the seashore to the mountains, assisting with the location and safe return of lost hikers and children, as well as the tracking of fleeing criminals. The drug detection teams will continue to assist road patrol units across the state with the interception of hidden quantities of illegal substances and contraband. The Maryland State Police patrol with a variety of K-9s, including patrol, drug detection, explosives detection, and bloodhound search dogs.

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CONTACT: First Sergeant Russell Newell

Office of Media Communications & Marketing

410-653-4236 (Office) 410-653-4200 (through Headquarters Duty Officer)

20070606 Torch Run – Annual Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland

Flame of Hope Arrives in Carroll County!

Torch Run – Annual Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland

June 6^th, 2007

Carroll County Law Enforcement Officers Join Forces to Escort the Special Olympics Maryland Torch, Ensuring its Safe Passage to the 2007 SOMD Summer Games

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kelley Wallace/SOMD

PH: 410-789-6677 x117

Cell: 443-386-7965

E-mail: kwallace AT somd.org

OR

Chief Jeff Spaulding

Westminster Police Department

PH: 410-848-4646

E-mail: jspaulding AT westgov.com

Law Enforcement officers representing the various police agencies throughout Carroll County will be out in force on Wednesday, June 6th beginning at 8:00 AM, escorting the Special Olympics Maryland Flame of Hope from five (5) separate points around the county to Westminster, where they will join together and officially present the Flame of Hope in a brief ceremony at noon in front of City Hall.

It is the duty of these Law Enforcement Torch Runners to ensure that the Flame is protected until it is delivered to the waiting hands of the Special Olympics athletes on Friday, June 8th at the Opening Ceremony of the SOMD Summer Games held at Towson University, Towson Maryland.

This portion of the Torch Run Relay is part of the Central Leg, and Torch Run volunteers from the Maryland State Police, Sykesville PD, Hampstead PD, Manchester PD, Taneytown PD, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the McDaniel College Office of Campus Safety, Springfield Hospital Police, State Fire Marshals Office, and Westminster PD will escort the flame through various municipalities around the County, eventually converging at McDaniel College and traveling the Final Leg along Main Street to City Hall in Westminster.

With the support of Aerotek, the law enforcement volunteers are raising funds in conjunction with the run by selling Torch Run T-shirts, holding events, and soliciting donations. (See end of press release for details on each of the 6 legs).

“We are proud to join our brother and sister officers from around the world in demonstrating our support for these very special members of our community,” stated Chief Jeff Spaulding of the Westminster Police Department. “We are particularly pleased that we will be joined on each of our runs by Special Olympics athletes from right here in Carroll County. It is a great opportunity to further strengthen the long-standing relationship between law enforcement and Special Olympics that we enjoy in Maryland.”

Chief Spaulding invites the community to attend in a short ceremony at City Hall following the Final Leg during which the Special Olympics Athletes who participated as Torch Runners will be honored for their participation.

Statewide, the Maryland Torch Run Relay consists of four different legs – Eastern, Western, Central and Southern – and during the week of June 4 to 8, thousands of Torch Run volunteers will cover hundreds of miles, eventually converging on Towson where the individual flames will be united in the Final Leg Ceremony and then officers from around the state will travel the final three (3) miles to Opening Ceremonies at Towson University.

It is there that the Flame is handed off to the Special Olympics athletes who have the honor of lighting the cauldron and officially declaring the 2007 SOMD Summer Games open. Carroll County will be represented by Chief Jeff Spaulding and other members of the Westminster PD in the Final Leg on Friday, June 8th.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland is a year-round movement whose goal is to raise both funds and awareness for the athletes who train and compete in Special Olympics Maryland, and 2007 marks the 22nd anniversary here in Maryland.

When the Maryland Torch Run began in 1986, only a handful of officers participated, raising $50,000. Since that time, the Maryland Torch Run has grown tremendously, including volunteer officers from nearly every law enforcement agency and correctional facility in Maryland; raising more than $2 million for Special Olympics Maryland in 2006.

For more information about the Carroll County Torch Run relay, or to support the Torch Run Relay by purchasing a commemorative Torch Run T-shirt for $10, contact the Westminster Police Department at 410-848-4646. For more information about Special Olympics Maryland and the 2007 Summer Games, contact Kelley Wallace at 410-789-6677 x117 or visit www.somd.org.

THE CARROLL COUNTY TORCH RUN EVENT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING LEGS:

Sykesville Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police, Sykesville PD, Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Springfield Hospital Police.

Runners/bikers will depart City Hall @ 8:15 AM and travel north on Route 32, west on Liberty Road, to Route 97 to McDaniel College.

Hampstead/Manchester Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police, Hampstead PD, and Manchester PD.

Runners/bikers will depart Hampstead City Hall @ 8:30 AM and travel north via Route 30 to Manchester where they will join the Manchester PD runners and travel south on Route 27 to McDaniel College.

Taneytown Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police and Taneytown Police Department.

Runners/bikers will depart Taneytown @ 9:00 AM and travel east on Route 140 to WMC Drive to McDaniel College.

Mt. Airy Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police.

Runners/bikers will depart Mt. Airy @ 8:00 AM and travel north on Route 27 to McDaniel College.

Union Bridge/New Windsor Leg

Members of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

Runners/bikers will depart Union Bridge @ 9:00 AM and travel east through New Windsor to McDaniel College.

Final Leg

– Includes all participating law enforcement agencies from Carroll County.

Runners/bikers will depart McDaniel College @ Noon and travel east along Main Street to City Hall where a Torch Run welcoming ceremony and celebration will take place.

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20070429 Carroll Co. FOP Lodge # 20 support for LEOPS for Carroll Co. Sheriff's Department

Carroll County FOP Lodge 20 supports LEOPS for Carroll County Sheriff’s Department

April 29, 2007

{Editors note: For a response to this post please see:
20070518 County Benefit Administrator responds to Sheriff retirement issue}

The letter attached is written by John Shippee, President of the Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 20.

The members of this lodge publicly support Sheriff Kenneth Tregoning in his attempt to acquire an industry standard retirement for the deputies of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office.

For further information please contact Carroll County FOP State Trustee Rex Scott at 443-277-2717 or 443-375-6346.

FROM: John Shippee, President, Fraternal Order of Police, Carroll County Lodge # 20.

SUBJECT: Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

During recent weeks there has been much written concerning the future policing in Carroll County. The recent budget hearings involving the requests from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and MSP concerning the resident trooper program has fueled this debate.

What has unfortunately been lost is the actual issue, which is a fair and standard retirement and disability plan for members of Sheriff’s Services, not who will be primary – CCSO or a County Police Force.

The current resident trooper program will be phased out, as indicated in the past by Superintendent Tim Hutchins. To implement a county police force is a matter to be addressed by the Board of Commissioners and the Citizens.

The most sensible and cost effective option is to utilize a resource they have used for the past several years, the CCSO, a full service law enforcement agency, which has obtained accreditation through CALEA. The savings of utilizing the CCSO vs. a County Police force is estimated in the millions of dollars.

However, as stated by Commissioner Gouge, her main concern with using the Sheriff’s Office is that the Commissioners cannot control and appoint a Sheriff, but they can control the Chief of a County Police Force. As a citizen of Carroll, a taxpayer and voter, Commissioner Gouge will have a difficult time selling that idea.

Law Enforcement is a profession based on commitment to the citizens of whom they serve, sacrifice and protect. All police officers, as with our fellow fire fighters and EMTs, are specially trained and continually place themselves in harms way.

Police must undergo a physical agility test, a thorough background investigation, a polygraph examination and a battery of psychological tests. They must master certain objectives and pass requirements of the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission. In order to remain a certified police officer they must annually train within requirements set forth by the training commission. In short it is not an average career.

Members of the CCSO have been conducting primary law enforcement duties for the citizens of Carroll County and working hand in hand with all agencies within the county for many years. All of those allied agencies have a law enforcement retirement and disability plan.

Sheriff Tregoning and the men and woman of the CCSO only request what is fair and reasonable from the County Commissioners. An industry standard defined benefit retirement plan, to include a disability and survivor death benefit.

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For previous posts about Law Enforcement Matters see:

Carroll County Sheriff’s Office

Law and Order

LEOPS (Law Enforcement Officers Pension System)

Maryland State Police

Westminster Police Department

Carroll County FOP Lodge # 20

20070424 Indicted Bowling Brook counselors surrender

Lieutenant Phil Kasten: Indicted Bowling Brook counselors surrender

Carroll County Sheriff's Department

Posted Apr 24, 2007

“Indicted Bowling Brook counselors surrender; released on personal recognizance”

Apr 24, 2007 11:44 AM

Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, April 24, 2007 ---- Through their attorneys, the six (6) Bowling Brook counselors indicted this past week in connection with the death of 17-year-old Isaiah Simmons have surrendered to sheriff’s detectives as part of the arrest process. This morning, the following five (5) counselors were processed at Carroll County Central Booking.

Mark Richard Sainato, age 36

Shadi (NMN) Sabbagh, age 33

Jason Willie Robinson, age 25

Brian Gerard Kanavy, age 31

Michael Paul Corradi, age 31

All five (5) were released on personal recognizance following a bail review before the District Court Commissioner. A sixth counselor, Dennis (NMN) Harding aged 31 has arranged through his attorney to surrender later this week. All six (6) counselors were indicted each with a single count of Reckless Endangerment, which is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of five (5) years incarceration, and a $5000 fine.

# # #

For additional information about the Bowling Brook matter please refer to:

"The high cost of twin tragedies at Bowling Brook" March 14, 2007 Westminster Eagle column

Bowling Brook Preparatory School web site

Bowling Brook: A Sad Tale The Tentacle March 13, 2007

“Community Rallies behind Bowling Brook” Westminster Eagle Winchester Report March 13, 2007

“Soundtrack” blog posts and information about support for Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy, Keymar, Carroll County MD.

20070422 Media Smackdown

Media Smackdown

April 22nd, 2007

As last week’s horrific events unfolded at Virginia Tech I became quickly exhausted with the media coverage. Yeah, like many I continued to read a few columnists but even that got tiresome and cringe worthy.

Towards the end of the week I became more interested in the commentary on the media coverage – or the criticism of the media, to be more exact.

Just when I thought it was safe to open a newspaper and not be assaulted by yet another banal out-of-context analysis of the tragedy - - along comes Michelle Jefferson’s “Gun laws aren't the answer,” in the Carroll County Times on Friday, April 20, 2007.

I’ve always been a 2nd Amendment advocate in the face of unwarranted intrusions by big government. But right now is not the time to start gazing at your navel and talking about gun control – for it or against it.

A responsible discussion on the part of today’s society as to what is the most responsible approach to the possession of a firearm is appropriate and I defend the right of those who are 2nd Amendment advocates to promote their position as much as I defend the right of those who advocate strict gun control.

But I’ve winced as the usual liberal suspects have started running off at the mouth about whether or not the tragedy would have occurred if it had not been for “this” or “that.” But the Left's drivel ad nauseum can easily be dismissed as the answer of background noise to a question the likes of which has never been determined.

However, as the week drew to a close, perhaps it was this op-ed from a conservative voice that really pushed me over the edge of disgust with the pundit’s coverage of the tragedy: Gun laws aren't the answer:

[…]

There was a moment at Virginia Tech when this kid had to reload. That would have been more than enough time for a professor to shoot back. Or if the professor who had the courage to hold the door to allow his students to escape would have had the same courage to shoot instead of holding the door, he and his students might still be alive.

[…]

You can read the rest of her column here: “Gun laws aren't the answer.”

That is – unless, you too are tired of the media pandering and coverage … Whatever.

The thought of most college professors possessing a sidearm in the classroom is something only Monte Python could do justice. Heckfire, I’m reluctant to give many liberal professors a piece of chalk much less a deadly weapon.

Why anyone would want to trivialize the tragedy at Virginia Tech by taking the opportunity to promote a political agenda is beyond comprehension.

Right now I have no time for folks who wish to ride their favorite political hobbyhorse on the back of what is otherwise an enormous human tragedy.

What we need right now is the steady glow of a prudent and human response and not a series of blinking lights.

Getting back to what initially set me off… was NBC’s sensationalization – if not romanticisation of the killer and the coverage of Fox News...

Of all the mainstream media; as much as I was flabbergasted at NBC utilizing the event to prop up their flagging ratings by sensationalizing the killer’s “multi-media manifesto” mailed to the network – I turned off Fox News quickly as the speculation, hyperbole, and sensationalization quickly reached unbearable levels.

Read: Backlash Leads to Pullback on Cho Video by AP television writer David Bauder. Or - The Media, The Killer & The Video by Washington Post Staff Writer Howard Kurtz – dated April 20th, 2007.

Also read Editor and Publisher’s take on the media coverage published on April 19th, 2007: “Flak Over Killer's Video Spilling Onto Newspaper Pages Too.”

By the time I read Michelle Jefferson’s op-ed piece in the Carroll County Times the other day – I just wanted to scream.

I turned off the salacious, hyped-up major news media coverage of the tragedy at Virginia Tech several days after the event - after I learned the identity and some of the background of the person who perpetrated the heinous crime.

I was extremely impressed to see the Virginia Tech community come together with class and dignity after the main stream media wanted to start pointing fingers and cause additional trouble by playing armchair critic of the folks who actually lived the nightmare and responded the best way they could.

When college students start defending a college president and the campus chief of police and tell the media to go away, ya know for sure, the media has crossed the line.

Read: Virginia Tech Students Return to Campus :

[…]

Students say they welcome the outpouring of support they have received, but they have grown noticeably weary of the news media. The Student Government Association asked reporters to leave by the start of classes Monday.

[…]

Students interviewed by The Associated Press on campus in recent days say they and everyone they know intends to return.

``This is the best school around,'' said Steven Mason, a senior from Appomattox. ``As far I'm concerned, they did everything they could.''

Said Cheryl Gambardella, Brittany Gambardella's mother, as she helped her daughter unload the car: ``We love this school. You always have concerns, but not because it's Virginia Tech. It could happen in a shopping mall.''

Read the entire article here: Virginia Tech Students Return to Campus

The job of our nation is support the greater Virginia Tech community if help is asked for and the job of the media is to stop harassing the college students and the university.

And don’t lecture me about the rights of the free press. With those rights comes a collective higher moral and philosophical responsibility. And if the media cannot live up to their responsibilities - that we can exercise our rights and responsibilities and turn the channel and not read the paper of those institutions that want to continue making a spectacle of a horrific human tragedy.

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20070419 Body found near railroad tracks in Carroll County

Body found near railroad tracks in Carroll Co.

April 19, 2007, 3:02 PM EDT

For everyone who has been in touch wondering about all the police activity in New Windsor earlier today at the railroad tracks, Laura McCandlish of the Baltimore Sun has some answers…

Body found near railroad tracks in Carroll Co.

Maryland Midland Railway worker found dead man in New Windsor

By Laura McCandlish

Sun Reporter

Originally published April 19, 2007, 3:02 PM EDT

A Maryland Midland Railway worker discovered the body of an adult male along the railroad tracks in New Windsor at about 8 a.m., the Carroll County Sheriff's Office reported today.

No visible signs of trauma were found on the body, which was taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy, police said.

The sheriff's office is withholding the victim's name until his family is notified.

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20070417 This and That from Virginia Tech

This and That from Virginia Tech

April 18^th, 2007

An independent student newspaper:

http://www.planetblacksburg.com/

Planet Blacksburg is a student-run new media organization striving to provide content to the New River Valley and beyond.

http://collegemedia.com/

Collegiate Times.com

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903.

The Virginia polytechnic University web site:

http://www.vt.edu/

All About Blacksburg

Overview and Quick Facts

10 Interesting Facts about the New River Valley

Blacksburg Nightlife

The Surrounding Area

Blacksburg History

Photo Gallery

Why Blacksburg? Hear it first-hand from students, faculty, and staff.

Getting Here

Driving Distances From ...

Directions & Parking

Traveling by Car

Traveling by Plane

Traveling by Train or Bus

Coming soon: April 16 memorial website

Later tonight, the university will launch a website for the public to leave thoughts and condolences in the wake of Monday's tragedy.

Podcasts from Tuesday, April 17^th, 2007 news conference

President Steger (3.2 MB; Length 3:22)

Police Chief Wendell Flinchum (2.7 MB; Length 2:52)

State Police Col. Steve Flaherty (3.2 MB; Length 3:23)

State Medical Examiner Marcella Fierro (1.6 MB; Length 1:43)

Secretary of Public Safety John Marshall (3.1 MB; Length 3:20)

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

To remember and honor the victims of April 16, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

Media notices

Next news conference Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Inn at Virginia Tech

News and notices

Last updated 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 17

The Virginia State Police have been coordinating the notification of the victims’ next-of-kin with local authorities around the country. At this time, all families have been tentatively notified. Read a complete investigation update

Streaming video of today's Convocation is now available at hokiesports.com.

Classes are canceled for the remainder of the week to allow students to mourn and begin healing. Campus will reopen Wednesday for administrative operations.

Norris Hall has been closed for the remainder of the semester.

The Virginia Tech Police Department has confirmed the identification of the gunman responsible for the multiple fatalities at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus Monday. Ballistics match at both crime scenes.

Get further details in our special section >

Tragedy at Virginia Tech

This page is being updated regularly by University Relations. Please check back often for updates and additional information.

Important phone numbers

A toll-free information line has been established for parents and family: 1-800-533-1144.

• Anyone who has information related to the incidents is encouraged to go to the Blacksburg Police Department to make a statement, or call 540/231-6411.

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Investigation update

Posted 5:30 p.m., April 17, 2007

State, local, and federal law enforcement officials continue their round-the-clock investigation of the multiple fatal shootings that took place on the Virginia Tech campus the morning of Monday, April 16, 2007.

Within the past 24 hours, a search warrant was executed on the dorm room of Cho Seung-Hui, 23, in Harper Hall. Investigators are still determining the evidentiary value of papers and assorted items seized from the room.

Investigators have also been following up on leads related to the two weapons recovered at the scene in Norris Hall. The two weapons used in this incident were a 9-milimeter handgun and a 22-caliber handgun. Investigators have traced the weapons and confirmed that Cho did legally purchase them in accordance with Virginia law.

There is no evidence at this time to suggest that Cho left behind or distributed a suicide note.

The Virginia State Police have been coordinating the notification of the victims’ next-of-kin with local authorities around the country. At this time, all families have been tentatively notified.

The major thrust of the Medical Examiner’s Office today has been obtaining fingerprint records to identify the victims. These records must be obtained from local, state, federal, and international agencies. Staff at the Medical Examiner’s Office is working 12-hour shifts with staff resources from all over the state to expedite the scientific collection of evidence and positive identification of the deceased. This process is expected to continue for several more days.

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Recreational Sports adjusts facility schedules

Posted 5:15 p.m., April 17, 2007

Recreational Sports has arranged to keep its facilities at McComas and War Memorial open for the rest of the week. Students, faculty, and staff have a place to go on campus to work out and relieve some stress so that they can start the healing process after these tragic events. Unfortunately, the pools will not be opened in either facility due to limited staffing.

Rec Sports also has cancelled the following: All instructional classes, group exercise classes, intramural sports activities, the Graduate Life Fitness Fair, the University Bookstore 5K Dash for the Cure, and the Intramural Sports Softball Championship Night.

• Download a detailed schedule for both facilities (PDF).

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NCR / Northern Virginia campus announcements

Updated 2:15 p.m., April 17, 2007

Virginia Tech faculty, staff and students in the National Capital Region will gather together Wednesday, April 18th, at noon at the Northern Virginia Center, room 100, to share our collective sorrow about the tragic events of April 16th in Blacksburg.

Virginia Tech in the National Capital Region will hold a public Candlelight Vigil on Wednesday, April 18, 7:30 p.m., at the Old Town Market Square, City Hall, 300 King Street, Alexandria, Va., to honor victims of the tragic events of April 16 on the university’s main campus in Blacksburg.

At 8 p.m. the same evening, the National Capital Region Chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association will hold a Candlelight Vigil at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 9220 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, Va. This non-denominational event is an opportunity for Hokies to join together and show their support for the family and friends of the victims.

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A special message to all alumni of Virginia Tech

Posted noon, April 17, 2007

To our Virginia Tech alumni, I write the kind of message I never expected to have to write in my entire career serving the university ...

Read the full message from Tom Tillar, Vice President for Alumni Relations

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Board of Visitors to meet

Posted 11:40 a.m., April 17, 2007

The Board of Visitors will meet in closed session at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Merryman Center conference room.

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Classes canceled for remainder of week

Posted 9:30 a.m., April 17, 2007

Virginia Tech continues to mourn the loss of 33 members of our community. As we move forward, we share the following information:

• Virginia Tech will cancel all classes for the remainder of the week to allow students the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed. The university will re-open administrative operations beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18, understanding that some faculty and staff may wish to take additional time off this week to grieve the loss of fellow colleagues and friends. We ask individual employees to communicate with their supervisors of their schedules for the balance of the week.
• We will close Norris Hall for the remainder of the semester. Staff are currently working to arrange alternative locations for classrooms and faculty offices.
• Counseling and other resources are available for students, faculty, and staff. Students may receive counseling at McComas Hall and counselors will be available for extended hours. Counselors will also be available in West Ambler Johnston for residents.
• Employees may receive needed support by going to the Brush Mountain Room in Squires Student Center throughout the day.
• The university will be holding a convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum. This will be the first time the Virginia Tech community will come together since the tragedy to share our collective sorrow. At that time, President George Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Gov. Timothy Kaine, Mrs. Kaine, members of our Board of Visitors, members of the clergy, our students, and poet Nikki Giovanni will share messages of condolence to the family and friends of the victims and words of hope to all of us as we move forward past this tragedy.

Again, we encourage all members of the Virginia Tech community to attend. Should the coliseum be full, the event will be broadcast on campus cable stations.

The Virginia Tech community, and the world at large, continues to struggle with these horrible events. We hope these steps will help in that healing process.

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Norris Hall gunman identified; ballistics match at both crime scenes

Posted 9:15 a.m., April 17, 2007

The Virginia Tech Police Department has confirmed the identification of the gunman responsible for the multiple fatalities at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus Monday, April 16, 2007.

Cho Seung-Hui

The individual has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui, 23. Cho was enrolled as an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English major at Virginia Tech. Cho, a South Korean native, was in the U.S. as a resident alien with a residence established in Centerville, Va. Cho was living on campus in Harper Residence Hall.

A 9-milimeter handgun and 22-caliber handgun were recovered from Norris Hall. Ballistic tests on the evidence seized from the Norris Hall and the West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall scenes were conducted at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) lab in Maryland. Lab results confirmed that one of the two weapons seized in Norris Hall was used in both shootings.

“At this time, the evidence does not conclusively identify Cho Seung-Hui as the gunman at both locations,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. “With this newfound ballistics evidence, we are now able to proceed to the next level of this complex investigation.”

State, local, and federal investigators spent the night collecting, processing, and analyzing evidence from within Norris Hall. The deceased were recovered from at least four classrooms on the second floor and a stairwell of Norris Hall. The gunman, who took his life, was discovered by police in a classroom among the victims.

All of the deceased have been transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for examination and identification.

The names of the 32 deceased students and faculty will be released once all victims are positively identified and next-of-kin notified.

The Virginia Tech Police Department, Blacksburg Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, FBI, ATF, and multiple other state and local agencies are all involved in the ongoing investigations at both Norris Hall and West Ambler Johnston Hall.

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Counseling available today

Updated 8 a.m., April 17, 2007

Counseling assistance for faculty and staff today has been moved to Brush Mountain Room A in Squires Student Center, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Counseling assistance for for students is available at West Ambler Johnston and McComas Hall until 9 p.m.. Students are encouraged to utilize these services. Students may also gather at the Old Dominion Ballroom in Squires Student Center.

20070416 Burglar strikes South Carroll Restaurant Store

Burglar strikes South Carroll Restaurant, Store

Sykesville, Carroll County, Maryland, April 16, 2007

Early Sunday Morning, Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported burglary at the Moonlight Café located in the 1400 BLK of Liberty Road.

The owner, who had left the business intact late Saturday evening, discovered the burglary while opening the restaurant. Once inside the intruder(s) entered a second business, “Two Busy Beads,” which is located above the restaurant.

The Sheriff’s Office initial investigation revealed that intruders “forced” an exhaust fan leading into the restaurant, and then entered the business through an adjoining interior door; removing cash from both businesses.

The Sheriff’s Office investigation continues… Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit at 410-386-2900, or the toll free anonymous TIPS Hotline at 1-888-399-TIPP (8477).

# # #

20070416 MAN SHOT AFTER STRIKING STATE TROOPER WITH HIS TRUCK

Man Shot After Striking State Trooper With His Truck

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2007

(Elkton, MD) – A Delaware man was shot by a Maryland state trooper last night as he tried to run down the trooper who was attempting to stop him for a traffic violation in Cecil County.

The trooper is identified as Trooper First Class Robert S. Nitz, 26, a six-year veteran of the Maryland State Police. TFC Nitz is assigned to road patrol duties at the North East Barracks.

The accused has not been positively identified and family members have not been notified of his condition. He is believed to be a 49-year-old Delaware man. He is listed in critical condition at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Charges against him are pending.

At about 6:45 p.m. yesterday, Trooper Nitz radioed the North East Barracks and said he was attempting to stop a 1990 GMC pickup that was displaying Delaware tags registered to another vehicle. Trooper Nitz said he was in the area of Middle Road approaching Blue Ball Road near Elkton and the driver was refusing to stop, even though the emergency lights and siren on his unmarked Ford Crown Victoria patrol car were activated. The trooper reported speeds up to 85 mph during the pursuit.

The pickup driver continued north on Blue Ball Road until about one mile north of Warburton Road, where the road was closed due to the bridge being out. At the point the road was closed, he drove his truck into a yard in front of a house in the 2800-block of Blue Ball Road. Trooper Nitz exited his patrol car and began to wave and shout to the driver to stop.

Residents in the area who witnessed the incident said they saw the uniformed trooper waving at the driver and heard him shouting at him to stop. As the trooper stood between the right side of his patrol car and the yard, witnesses said the pickup driver drove back up through the yard and accelerated directly at the trooper. While still shouting at the driver to stop, the trooper drew his Department issued .40 caliber Beretta pistol.

Witnesses told investigators the truck struck the trooper and knocked him onto the hood of the pickup. In fear for his life, the trooper fired his pistol at the driver. Witnesses said the trooper slid off the hood onto the ground, but got back to his feet as the truck passed and fired his pistol again.

The pickup then ran through a fence and came to rest in a pasture about 200 feet from the road. Trooper Nitz and a witness approached the truck and removed the driver who had wounds to his head and torso. They applied emergency care until fire and ambulance units arrived. No one else was in the pickup.

Due to their injuries, the pickup driver and Trooper Nitz were flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore by Maryland State Police helicopters. Trooper Nitz’s injuries were found to be non-life threatening and he was treated and released around midnight. The pickup driver remains at Shock Trauma undergoing treatment for life-threatening injuries.

The pickup truck was not reported stolen, but was unregistered. Troopers saw an empty vodka bottle inside the truck, but it is unknown at this time if the driver had been drinking. The truck was towed to the North East Barracks where it will be processed.

Trooper Nitz will be on medical leave due to his injuries and then on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation into this incident. Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, North East Barracks Criminal Investigation Section and the Internal Affairs Unit are conducting continuing investigations.

CONTACT:

Program Manager Gregory Shipley Office of Media Communications & Marketing 410-653-4236 (Office) 410-653-4200 (through Headquarters Duty Officer)

Report Cites Spike In Violent Crime

Report Cites Spike In Violent Crime

CINCINNATI, March 8, 2007

[…]

According to a soon-to-be-released study by the National Association of Police Chiefs and Sheriffs — and obtained by CBS News — the homicide rate in America has gone up more than 10 percent in the past two years. It was up 40 percent in Cincinnati. It's up coast to coast, too: Boston was up 23 percent. Orlando, Fla., was up 188 percent. Phoenix was up 12 percent, and San Jose, Calif., was up 21 percent.

[…]

Read the rest here: Report Cites Spike In Violent Crime

20070305 Bowling Brook student death ruled a homicide

Former Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy student death ruled a homicide

March 5th, 2007

Isaiah Simmons, 17, died on Jan. 23, 2007 at Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy[1] in Keymar, Carroll County Maryland.

Today, the Maryland State Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled that Mr. Simmons’ death was the result of “Sudden Death during Restraint.”

Just last Friday, March 2nd, 2007 Bowling Brook announced that it was closing.

In a story by Baltimore Sun reporters Greg Garland and Laura McCandlish on March 2nd, 2007, they wrote:

"Bowling Brook Preparatory School announced today that it intends to cease operations on March 9, 2007, while the investigation into Isaiah Simmons' tragic death continues," the school said in a statement.

"Bowling Brook again expresses its sympathy to the family of Isaiah Simmons. Since the death of Isaiah Simmons, Bowling Brook has cooperated fully with the Department of Juvenile Service and other investigators, and Bowling Brook will continue its cooperation."

The statement said the school, located in Keymar in Carroll County, "remains committed to serving its mission of helping young men make positive changes in their lives and becoming productive citizens" and that it is "proud of its 50-year history of fulfilling that mission."

Many in Carroll County have been both shocked and saddened by the death of the young man and shocked that the 50 year-old academy has closed.

Anecdotally, the reaction of the average person in the street who was even aware of the academy sang praises for the institution that has worked so hard to turn around the lives of so many young men.

Many of us have attended the Union Bridge Town Hall funding breakfasts and witnessed first hand the work of the young men who served food, were so polite and nice to have a conversation.

Upon further inquiry, the reaction was consistent, “What you see is what you get.” That behind the scenes, the teachers and administrators of the school did great work and were committed to maintaining a sterling reputation in a juvenile services program that was essentially considered to be broken throughout the rest of the state.

After the death, many were bewildered that Bowling Brook suffered from a negative political climate in Annapolis so anxious to condemn the facility – while winking and uttering meaningless politically pious platitudes and latitudes about state-run facilities that are broken and are run amok with violence and codified institutional neglect.

Folks who were not even aware of the facility and its good work, much less, to even know where the facility was – were so quick to shake their heads and opportunistically grandstand. All in a misplaced political agenda to capitalize on the death of the young man and paint the facility as an example of everything that was wrong with the juvenile services program in Maryland.

If anything the facility was everything about what is right. About how a juvenile services program can be run well and makes a difference and that bad things happen to good programs.

In an air atmosphere and environment where it is perceived by the elected leadership in Annapolis that big government is the answer to all of our problems, the privately run Bowling Brook Academy is a victim of folks who are still attempting to justify their recent political victory by suggesting a crisis in order to make themselves and their agenda relevant.

To be certain, all signs point in the direction that the state juvenile services program is in crisis – but Bowling Brook was not a part of the crisis.

The death of the young man is tragic and hearts and prayers go out to the young man’s family.

Throwing Bowling Brook under a bus helps relegate so many more young men to a system that is otherwise broken and condemns that many more young men to a lifetime of recidivism – when they could otherwise be lead to a lifetime as a productive citizen.

In an environment like this, one wonders why anyone would want to stick their neck out to attempt to make a difference… _____

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
Lieutenant Phil Kasten,
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
100 North Court Street Westminster, MD 21157

Medical Examiner releases final report”
Mon 3/5/2007 2:56 PM

Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, March 5, 2006 ----

The Maryland State Medical Examiner’s Office has informed Sheriff’s investigators that an examination into the cause and manner of 17-year-old Isaiah Simmons III death has concluded. While their were no obvious external injuries observed during an initial examination,” the autopsy has concluded that Simmons died from, “Sudden Death during Restraint,” and have ruled his death a homicide. The medical examiners office has shared this information with Isaiah Simmons family.

During the past several weeks, Sheriff’s Investigators have collected more than one hundred pieces of evidence, and in coordination with the Department of Juvenile Services interviewed more than one hundred people, including staff and students. At this stage, the Sheriff’s Office has forwarded the investigative results to the Carroll County States Attorney’s Office for review.
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The Carroll County Times has a breaking news alert on their web site written by Justin Palk. Mr. Palk writes:

“A grand jury will determine whether charges should be filed in the January death of Isaiah Simmons at Bowling Brook Preparatory School in Middleburg.”

[…]

“At the press conference where that announcement was made, Kevin Lewis, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore division, also announced the bureau would be investigating whether Simmons’ civil rights had been violated.

To hear portions of the 911 tape from the night of Simmons' death, click here.”

You can read the rest of Mr. Palk’s article here.

Footnotes
####

[1] Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy Mission Statement:

To provide quality residential and education services to male adolescent offenders while helping these same young men make positive changes in their lives. We are committed to providing an environment that is conducive to learning. Our results oriented program focuses on education and providing students with the means of creating and sustaining real life changes through behavior modification and life learning skills. This personal achievement will lead students to successful re-integration into the community.

About Bowling Brook

Bowling Brook Prep School is a private, group oriented residential school for court committed young men. Services provided are designed to change behaviors and attitudes, teach life skills and help these young men sustain these changes as he returns to the community.

Bowling Brook Prep School provides a community based alternative to institutional living for troubling young men. Located just outside of Taneytown, Maryland, the campus is a safe, staff secure environment situated on 120 acres in rural Carroll County.

The program is licensed by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. Bowling Brook offers a pre-GED or GED curriculum that is certified by the Maryland State Department of Education. The school is accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools.

The Bowling Brook Facility

Bowling Brook Preparatory School is located approximately 40 miles northwest of Baltimore, Maryland and 18 miles southeast of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on a 120 acre site in the rural Carroll County community of Keymar, Maryland. We are currently licensed for 173 students.

The campus consists of three 13 bed cottages, one 24 bed cottage and two 48 bed dormitories. A 28,300 square foot physical education/recreation facility complete with gymnasium, weight room, wrestling room, locker rooms and a health suite was completed in 2000. An education building which houses 8 classrooms, one computer lab and administrative offices on the upper level and a dining hall with food services spaces on the lower level was completed in 2001-2002. The campus also includes a student union area with a television/training room. The administrative/multi-service building houses the library/media center and administrative offices. The campus also boasts an outdoor sports field, track and basketball court and a large garage with a multi-use workshop. Construction is currently underway for a new workforce learning center which will house a barber shop, culinary arts, building trades, masonry, welding, digital print shop and a modern multi-media auditorium and several classrooms.

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