Don’t condemn our officers
read more recent story comments Reader comments| Tomcatt68 Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 1:07 pm More from Tomcatt68  | Karyn Tackett, Officer Jennings may have several years under his belt, however, in those years Mr. Jennings has had several complaints, one that even resulted in a court hearing. A police officer cannot use unnecessary force to control anyone. We are talking about two adult males, both over six feet in height and out weighing the ten year old by far had to use a taser on an unarmed +/- 90 lb ten year old child. These guys should be off the force and on trial (outside Morgan County). If I was to take the same taser course offered by Taser International and seen a young child or teen not obeying his or her parents and I slapped the child and then used a taser on them, I be in jail. But in Martinsville and Morgan County in general it is all about who you are and who you know. These two could have probably pistol whipped the kid and Mayor Deckard, Roger Coffin, and the Morgan County Sheriff's office would find a way to justify it. Why, because it is small town politics (Good Ole Boy system). Only in this case the news find out and now the Mayor and others don't know how to justify what happened. But given enough time, over a month of investigation, excuses, and delay tactics, they are hoping the news forgets and they can smack these guys on the hand and everything will go back to normal. |
| JULES60 Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 3:06 pm More from JULES60 | Tomcatt68 obviously u hv a "personal" vendetta w/Martinsville. Why don't u just move away if the community is so unjust? Could it be u hv been arrested before? Whatever measure u judge u too will be judged? Reading all ur comments obviously u hv too much time on ur hands. Why don't u help, get involved? Take some training, get on the police force, run for mayor, etc.?? The officers do not deserve to lose their jobs. U r a false witness against these officers. |
| Tomcatt68 Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 3:31 pm More from Tomcatt68 | Jules60, I have moved any from Martinsville years ago. I have never been arrested, nor do I have a vendetta with the town itself, just those who hide behind political power and think they are above the law. As for becoming a police officer or mayor, I am afraid I have higher expectations in life, plus that salary could not support my life style. As for these two officers Jennings has a record of being a hot head and has been in trouble many times in the past. Look it up, it is public record. As long as the citizens of Martinsville allow the "Good Ole Boy" system to stay in place, then Martinsville is a dying town. Average income for a family in Martinsville, $40,304.00 and falling, MSD Superintendent charged with DWI, fights at funerals, Carol Jenkins murder, and the list goes on. Why would any kind of major business move into Martinsville? |
| concerned Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 6:08 pm More from concerned | the bottom line is there is no reason to use this kind of brutality if a parent did this they would land a trip to jail and as far as condeming the officers you are right i am and they should not only lose their jobs but be criminally charged i am also not blind to the fact that the daycare is also liable this is not the first time they could not handle this child and so if not trained to care for him why then was he there still what were they thinking probably more about the bottom dollar than the childs safety or other childrens safety |
| petemoss Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 9:11 pm More from petemoss | Let's correct one mistake here, Carol Jenkins was murdered by someone from outside Martinsville. We lived with that lie for almost 30 years before the murderer was found to be someone from outside our community. These two officers of the law were wrong and got caught breaking policies. They deserve to be punished. When you and I break the laws, we are arrested and jailed. We don't get the second chances like superintendents and judges wives. Does the hypocracy continue??? Power and control is the issue with these two officers. They are not above the laws and they must face the music for their actions. On the question of who would bring business to our community, lots of prospective employers would come to our town if they were talking to the best of the best of our city. There are alot of wonderful, responsible, good christian people in Martinsville that could help turn the city and county into a boom town. It has long been my thought, that Martinsville should organize and develop a "new" plan for economic growth. The leaders of Martinsville have to bring the best people into positions of leadership and then, lead us all out of the primitive world in which alot of locals live. We are an extremely viable community, but, we have to emerge from the dark ages, elect and select leaders who have a wide range of contacts around the world and let them bring in some "strangers" to aid our economic turn around. One reason Martinsville appears unable to land business employers is our lack of an educated population. (Doesn't help us when the superintendent of our school system is a lush!!!) What kind of statement is that by the "educated" school board members when they let the guy off the hook. Seems even Judge Gray had some issues with Mr. Furness' ability to admit to his crime. He still claims he got that drunk on 3 drinks (the size of a pony keg). Educate the population, make it a high priority for everyone to educate themselves. Literacy is the answer to Martinsville's economic issues. Martinsville should go back in history to find a solution to their lack of economic opportunity. We have just as nice of an environment as Nashville, Indiana does, yet we don't advertise or develop our Morgan-Monroe State Forest for tourism (are we afraid of those touristsand their money?). We might think about a new hotel industry, similar to the old sanitariums of the past. It would be great to have a Marriott hotel chain build quality hotels here (Fairfield Inn, Courtyard, Residence Inn, etc.)...Maybe someone locally knows those Indy developers Dean and Bruce White???? Maybe they might be willing to build some hotels here to serve the greater Indy/Bloomington travel needs? Maybe we could go back to the agricultural background of the city and develop food manufacturing plants like the old Stokley Van Camp company on North Douglas Street?? Just some thoughts. |
| Proud American Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 6:37 am More from Proud American | First, TomCatt68: You've moved away...you do not desire to get involved to help "fix" things...and are condescending of others who base their career choices on serving others than making as much money as possible. You don't seem to have a dog in the fight...so get lost! Second, to TomCatt/concerned/petemoss: Quit complaining that "if I, or a parent did this they would be in jail". YOU and PARENTS are NOT granted the same rights by the state of Indiana as officers of the law. Since when do you believe you have the same rights to issue traffic citations, or conduct searches of premises, or make arrests, etc...??? These officers were not acting in the role of John Q. Public or as a parent. They were acting within the scope of their authority as officers of the law to serve and protect the public. Get over it! One more thing, since you three obviously are much better trained and enlightened regarding the handly of an out of control 10 year old in a rage that threatens him/herself and others, than surely you would not mind being placed on a call list so that when officers and others encounter these types of situations in the future they can call you to come and properly manage the situation! |
| Tomcatt68 Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 7:56 am More from Tomcatt68 | Proud American, so by what you are saying the State of Indiana says officers of the law are above the law? Protect and serve? Using unnecessary force against an armed 90 lb ten year old is protecting and serving the public and within the scope of their authority. Maybe in Martinsville, but not the rest of the world. I have spoken with state police officers, other city police officers (outside of Martinsville) and all agree they believe this was excessive force by both officers. That they could have restrained this child without hitting or the use of any weapons. Petemoss, I remember back in the 90's a food processing plant was wanting to buy land along the White River in Morgan County, just north of Martinsville. However, we greeted that idea with signs that said "Remember Pearl Harbor" and "This land not for sell", because a rumor was started that it was a Japanese owned company. So I guess we will never see a Toyota plant or Honda plant near here. Lowes, has decided not to build in Martinsville. There is no Menards, Meijer, or nice major food chains wanting to build here. You have to ask yourself, why? |
| Redrum Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 12:14 pm More from Redrum | GO PROUD AMERICAN AND CONCERNED! |
| JULES60 Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 4:07 pm More from JULES60 | THANK U PROUD AMERICAN... |
| concerned Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 4:11 pm More from concerned | thats right i am sorry i forgot you must be a police officer to use your powers to break laws and run amock thanks for putting me in my place I wasnt aware that as an officer of the law they could do as they will I thought they were put in place to uphold the law sorry my bad |
| concerned Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 4:52 pm More from concerned | and i dont condem all officers some are very helpful and take their resposibility seriouse i only condem these 2 they should find a job with resposibilities they can handle |
| Proud American Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 8:58 pm More from Proud American | I never cease to be amazed by the liberalized atitude of society today. We place men and women in positions of authority, whether it be police officers, soldiers or even our teachers. Then, when it comes to them performing their duties and making the best decisions they are able to under the conditions they must work in (some of those being a threat to their very lives), the "Monday morning/Armchair Quarterbacks show up to second guess their every decision! What ever happened to SELF responsiblity, honor, integrity, good character and discipline? Oh, thats right, those type of ideas are much too "harsh" for the people of today. We want our teachers to work for meager pay and benefits yet produce our next generation of high achievers without the ability to enforce discipline in class. We ask our soldiers to keep us safe and guard our freedoms, yet we ask that they do it with one arm tied behind their back, without firing a shot, and without the option of actually winning a "war" because that might make us seem like aggressors! We now ask our police officers to take the time to sit down, chat and really get to know each suspect they come into contact with before making a determination as to whether they really mean us harm. Seems everyone has all the answers of how their jobs should be accomplished, yet very few have the character of servitude to actually perform the jobs! So...these officers find another way to "restrain" this completely out of control young man...say hold him down. Given the fit of rage being displayed, what if he had thrown his head back against the cement and caused serious harm to himself? Then would we be asking why they could not have found a less "dangerous" way to subdue him? As far as Officer Jennings slapping the young man, less than a generation ago the boy's own parents would have expected someone to slap their child if they were cursing and acting in such a way as this boy. But now? Today? Oh no! Little Johnny is not at fault...you don't understand...you can't hold him accountable...he has a reason, even a RIGHT, to act as he does. Give me a break people! Wake up! This young man placed himself in this position by his refusal to obey AUTHORITY, be it a parent, a child care worker or a police officer. He learned a lesson the hard way. Period. One obviously way overdue! Kudos to the officers for performing their jobs, neutralizing a possibly dangerous situation, and in the end, keeping EVERYONE safe....even the young man in question! |
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