Category Archives: Misc.

Deputy Arrested for Sending Photos of the Dead

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Randall

A Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested on Thursday for sending his ex-girlfriend explicit photographs of two dead persons from crime scenes.  Austin Jeffrey Douglas violated Florida State Statute 406.136 (6a), which makes it a felony for the custodian of photographs, video, or audio recordings depicting the killing of a person to release them to anyone not authorized. Douglas told Internal Affairs detectives he sent the pictures of a gunshot suicide victim and photo of a dead man in a living room chair to his ex’s cell phone because he was having a “bad weekend.”  Investigators confirmed he had been at both scenes over the past weekend.  Austin was fired … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Police Excitement Has Its Price

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Randall

Yesterday, I had a nice young man over to the house to fix my range.  He has a start-up appliance business that he is working very hard to grow.  While he was installing some new potentiometers and circuit boards, we made casual conversation.  He knows what I do for a living and at one point he said, “Sometimes I wish I had done something exciting with my life–like you did.”  I wasn’t quite sure what to say. Jamie, as I’ll call him, is newly and happily married.  He has a baby girl at home.  For all his elbow grease, Jamie has finally purchased a commercial van with logos and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Happy 2015!

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Randall

Happy 2015, friends!  New Year’s Day always reminds me of resolutions.  I posted the following photo and comments three years ago.  It was ThinBlueFlorida’s first real post.  Thanks for sticking around and reading my articles… Coming off my weekend, I thought of a few things that I resolve to do in 2012 for survival, professional development, and peace of mind: Spend more time with family for relaxation. Maintain fitness and a good (decent) diet. Get to the Range more (though I went two days ago). Be prepared each shift for a violent encounter. Make sure all weapons and duty equipment are in good order. Have patience with my co-workers. Remember … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc. | 2 Comments

Florida First Responder Appreciation Week

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Randall

This came in from the Capitol this week.  It would be a good time to appreciate the sacrifices that all law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMT’s make each day they put on their uniforms to protect the citizens of the State of Florida.  None of these jobs are easy and each has its own inherent rewards and risks.   Take time out next week to thank someone who pins on a badge.  I know I will. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott issued the following proclamation recognizing January 5-9 as Florida First Responder Appreciation Week: FLORIDA FIRST RESPONDER APPRECIATION WEEK WHEREAS, Tarpon Springs Police Officer Charles Kondek and Leon County … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Misc., Politics | Leave a comment

Florida Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Specialty License Plate

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Randall

A few weeks ago, a colleague brought in a sample of the Florida Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Specialty License Plate.  A non-profit called the Police and Kids Foundation, Inc. is promoting the presale of these tags.  Their goal is to presell 1,000 of the tags in 24 months to qualify for production and distribution.  After about three months, the total thus far is about 290. From the Police and Kids Foundation website: “The Police and Kids Foundation, Inc is a non-profit 501( C) 3 charity that has been set up with two objectives in mind.  First are the immediate needs of a child that we determine is in need of … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

…and the Hits Just Keep on Coming…

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Randall

I have about reached my mainstream media saturation point in the last couple of weeks, what with the Ferguson grand jury, the NYPD “chokehold” grand jury, the NYPD stairwell shooting, the Arizona “pill bottle” shooting, and the Cleveland shootings (take your pick). So much bad information is floating around the Internet and airwaves that it hangs like a toxic smog over L.A.  Law enforcement is seeing a backlash perhaps more insidious than one we saw during the Rodney King incident in 1992. In 1992, we had rioting, but it was isolated to Los Angeles.  Today, we are seeing demonstrations against the police across the nation.  It saddened me that protesting … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Misc. | 2 Comments

Ferguson Story Twisted by the Media Bias

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Randall

With 24-hour news cycle focused firmly on the events in Ferguson since the findings of the grand jury, I would like to discuss the media coverage.  In my opinion, the mainstream media spins itself in the direction of solid ratings and the truth be damned.  It has been disappointing to see the public misled by faulty journalism. Nearly three months after the shooting, I am still hearing about the slow police response to the crime scene.  Four hours for that poor suspect to lie in the street was “an injustice.”  Having investigated many major crime scenes, I can tell you that the photography, examination, and forensic collection at a death … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Misc. | 3 Comments

The Costs of Police Body Cameras

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Randall

What would happen if police departments declined to employ body cameras because of expense?  Not the cost of buying the actual equipment, but the cost of complying with public record requests.  An unforeseen result of Sunshine Laws can potentially immobilize state and municipal governments. Modern think is that officer-mounted cameras will prevent corruption and misconduct and, conversely, may also exonerate innocent cops.  If every police-to-citizen interaction is recorded, then nothing will be left unproven.  Problem solved!  Perhaps. An open public records request in Washington state may be a cautionary tale as to how future deployment of body cameras may cause their own demise.  A citizen in Poulsbo, WA made a … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc., Technology | 4 Comments

Shooting at FSU

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Randall

I had something of an emotional reaction when I heard about the shooting at Florida State University this morning.  It was a tragedy in a place I once called home.  You see, I graduated from FSU in the mid-1980’s.  Strozier Library sits on Landis Green east of Landis and Deviney Residence Halls, where I lived for many years.  Strozier was my second home. After something as traumatic as a school shooting, we tend to hear people ask, “Why?”  They want a rational explanation in an attempt to seek closure.  My feeling is that the “why” is unimportant.  There is no rational explanation for violence targeting the innocent and defenseless.  “Why” … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc. | 2 Comments

Veterans Day

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Randall

I would like to thank all veterans of the United States Armed Services for your honorable commitment, dedication, and service to our Country on this Veterans Day.  Last weekend, my wife and I were able to attend the unveiling of veterans’ memorial in a local park.  There were hundreds in attendance, to include many of those who have served. It was sobering to listen to the guest speaker, a retired one-star General, as he relayed his thoughts on service and history.  I was proud that so many generations had assembled to show our thanks and respect to the assembled soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. In a moment that could not … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc. | 4 Comments

An Officer’s Opinion of Florida Amendment 2–Medical Marijuana

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Randall

With the upcoming general election looming, I thought I would weigh in on 2014 Florida Constitutional Amendment 2, Use of Marijuana Under Certain Medical Conditions, from a law enforcement officer’s perspective.  I have read the full language of the amendment, as well as the ballot language.  They are included at the end of the article if you wish to peruse them. Frankly, I am alarmed that under Article X, Section 29 (a) Public Policy sections (1), (2), and (3), all patients, personal caregivers, physicians, and marijuana treatment centers will be free from any criminal or civil liability under Florida law as it relates to the amendment.  Of the seventeen states … Continue reading →

Posted in Medical, Misc., Politics | 2 Comments

Stormdrane’s Venom Mochibag

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Randall

It should come as no surprise that The Original Mochibrand would call upon Stormdrane to collaborate on a custom drawstring backpack.  Stormdrane is a wizard at conjuring eye-pleasing and functional ropecraft.  His website has been in my blogroll since I started.  I am pretty sure that somewhere he has a magical staff bearing a paracord chain sinnet wrap secured by a Turk’s head knot above and below. Mochibrand, aka Mochibag, has been in the drawstring backpack business since 2009.  Their mission was to upscale the simple bag into a premium carryall with such features as their trademarked Channel-Anchored Drawstrings, Easy Pull-Open Handles, and a True Side-Seam Zip Pockets. Stormdrane’s limited … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc., Tactical Bags | Leave a comment

Where’s Waldo–PD?

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Randall

Waldo, FL has been a speedtrap for the fifty-odd years I’ve been knocking around the Sunshine State.  Its main drags, U.S. 301 and State Road 24, have six different speed limits within the 2.15 square land miles of the city.  The Waldo Police Department  wrote over 12,000 tickets last year, which translated to about a third of the city’s revenue.  Surprised the police were replaced with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office this week?  Well, I kinda am. This terrifying little town has uncaringly hammered travelers for decades.  Nothing changed.  AAA had officially rated Waldo as speedtrap for years.  They didn’t care.  The Media had been at the Gates regularly.  Ho … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Misc. | 2 Comments

FBI Publishes Latest Active Shooter Study

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Randall

The FBI published its 2014 Active Shooter Incidents Report this week.  It collated information from a total of 160 ASI’s from the years 2000 through 2013.  In the introduction, it noted that the selection of ASI’s can be subjective and that the aggregate seeks to add “clarity and data of value” for a basic assessment.  The 2014 report adds 33 incidents, as well as 17 from 2013, to the prior bulletin from January of this year. From 2000 to 2013, the 160 incidents resulted in 1,043 casualties:  458 killed and 557 wounded.  The average number of ASI’s per calendar year was 11.4.  The first seven years of the study showed … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Misc., Officer Safety | 1 Comment

9/11–A Reminder of Service

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Randall

I spent the morning of September 11 this year being sworn-in to a federal task force, which I will not name here.  As I talked to the ASAC and a supervisory agent who were completing the documentation, we compared experiences from 9/11/2001.  None of us was involved in the infamous events of that day, but all of us were in service to our communities and country at the time of the attacks 13 years ago. Today’s law enforcement efforts are more collaborative than in decades past.  Federal agencies are spread thin for personnel, due to their increasing duties, and can use the assistance of police officers and deputies as supplemental … Continue reading →

Posted in Misc. | Leave a comment