Great assorted topics, true stories, brilliant ideas, wonderful photographs, and honest reporting.
As well as my music,
" MobiusTripz"
Thanks, ~ John "Stephen" Swygert,
~a.k.a.~
"rokkinroll"
The languishing lack of success sorely persists,
seeking progress all alone and so isolated,
too many so resistant to change stagnate, are we collectively so united as stated?
The hurdles of society ever increasing,
the bar being lowered to stifling heights,
volunteerism disintegrating we go it alone,
Selfish cultures in society all wrongs not right.
Thugs and drugs and an overall lack of respect,
for the laws and natural beneficial order,
an era of foolishness and disconnect,
if not yet insane so close on that border.
Yet that dream of success calls to come to fruition,
this vision dances on and on in the movie like mind,
appearing to go against the grain of today just illusion,
backward lives today rivaling all of historical times.
Poor stewardship and wasted resources,
"who cares as I got mine", an attitude that lacks intellect,
what will future history books have to state about the past from today,
so little substance for students on which to backwards reflect.
Plastic superficial silk paper facades,
implode when on scales seeking justice and balance,
souls worthlessly residing in a house of cards,
all needing a quenching baptizing rinse.
Where is passion and moral fiber and values that once were so common?
Where are those dedicated families together no matter circumstance so strong?
Where is proper education with respect today and why do we not stand and defend them?
Where are answers together we can build upon correcting so much so wrong?
Lacking caring and not nearly enough sharing,
hoarding so alone they can feast,
The Last Supper a table set only for two,
just sickness and that hideous beast.
Alone and sick they suffer knowing it not,
No communion shall any ever desire to consume,
dollar bill sign pupils in eyes shaped like coins,
modern day zombies sipping the chalice of poisonous doom.
And where is progress, oh where is blessed progress,
incapable of instantaneous genesis in a vacuum surrounded by hate,
when your cup no longer runneth over and your cold and alone,
don't be too surprised by this fate.
There will be a GOCCP Meeting with state officials present and on hand that will be held on Thursday, April 30, at 10:00 a.m. at The Allegany College of Maryland located at 12401 Willowbrook Road in Cumberland, Maryland 21502.
From Delegate Mike McKay's facebook pages press release:
PRESS RELEASE
District 1 Delegation to Meet with Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention
Cumberland, MD, April 21, 2015 – Senator Edwards, Delegates Beitzel,
Buckel and McKay announce the Western Region Meet & Greet Forum
scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, April 30, at the College
Center Building/Theatre of Allegany College of Maryland. Registration
will start at 9:30 a.m.
The forum
will provide an avenue to discuss how to curb the rising crime in our
area with the help of state resources from the Governor’s Office of
Crime Control and Prevention.
GOCCP’s Executive Director
Christopher Shank will share the mission of his office in preventing
crime and encouraging public safety in Western Maryland. He looks
forward to an open discussion and meeting concerned residents and
newly-elected and appointed public officials.
“My idea was to see
if we could build on the crime reduction success we’ve had in the City
of Cumberland through the use of the Safe Streets Initiative,” said Del.
Mike McKay, who requested the Meet & Greet Forum. “I’d like to use
and extend that model throughout all of Allegany County.”
McKay is a former member of the Safe Streets Initiative Advisory Board, which is a GOCCP-funded program.
“Increased crime and ensuring public safety is a major concern of our
community and our delegation,” said Del. Jason Buckel. “We won’t accept
the current level of crime and drug activity plaguing Allegany County,
and this forum is a first step toward bringing state and local resources
together in a coordinated manner to make our area safer and tougher on
crime.”
GOCCP is Maryland’s one stop shop for resources to
improve public safety. The office exists to educate, connect and empower
Maryland's citizens and public safety entities through innovative
funding, strategic planning, crime data analysis, best practices
research and results-oriented customer service.
To pre-register for the forum please go to http://westernforum.eventbrite.com
For more information, contact Delegate Mike McKay mike.mckay@house.state.md.us
Copy and paste this into your browser's address bar and view the map to the college.
This is another event where the citizens can be seen and heard so that we may further emphasize the changes we all seek in a constructive manner.
When you fail to attend these meetings with officials present, the overall message is we have a community that is not engaged or is dis-interested and that is a certain stepping stone to losing our collective voice and support.
You may have some questions like...
What is the GOCCP !!!
The Govenor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention
"GOCCP is Maryland’s one stop shop for resources to improve public safety. GOCCP exists to educate, connect, and empower Maryland’s citizens and public safety entities through innovative funding, strategic planning, crime data analysis, best practices research and results-oriented customer service."
Tonight I attended the Crime Symposium at Allegany College of Maryland at 6:00 p.m.that finished just before 8 p.m.
I was there in support of the group I founded called the Cumberland Citizen's Corps.
This was an extraordinary collection of the finest men and women in local and state law enforcement as well as mental health services.
This was an organized symposium brought to us by the Crime Solvers organization who I would like to highly commend for their efforts.
I was honored to speak with Mr. Michael O. Twigg of the State's Attorneys Office, as well as commissioner Bill Valentine and Mayor Brian Grim as well as others I met for the very first time and quite honestly cannot directly recall by name, as that is not always my personal forte.
Others that should be recognized for their attendance were Delegate Mike McKay, Allegany County Commissioner Jake Shade, City Council Woman Nicole Alt-Myers, Delegate Wendell Beitzell, as well as others too.
The list of speakers was as follows:
Allegany
Sheriff Craig Robertson; Allegany County State’s Attorney Michael Twigg;
Cumberland Police Chief Charles Hinnant; Maryland State Police Major
James Pyles; Rebecca Myers, program director-Behavioral Health; and Lesa
Diehl, director - Mental Health System's Office, Allegany County Health
Department.
I can say right now is that we have the finest educated experienced
passionate professionals in law enforcement on our side in Cumberland, Frostburg, Allegany County and the state of Maryland, and they all deserve your support.
The main focus was on the recent increase in crime and ways to further help reduce that increase. Also, other topics covered, and certainly related, were drug use and theft, mental health, and specifically, an emphasis on the escalation in use of heroin. Of particular concern to heroin is its potency today versus many years ago. As Michael Twigg stated, only 18% of heroin users ever recover to lead productive normal lives again.
There was some talk about educating out of this problem as opposed to arresting our way out, which all in attendance agreed is impossible, however I would like to hear a greater emphasis on the aspects of education including its specifics as well as a think tank type meeting where we can all, in smaller groups of an official and several citizens, discuss and offer our own input as to what we think would be effective.
There are new programs going into effect by HRDC (Human Resources Development Commission) and I will update this report with more specifics about those programs.
Michael Twigg made an interesting proposal about perhaps the need now today for a "Drug Court", now that we have seen such a spike in heroin and other illicit drug use. This was once something he did not think was needed but has shifted gears in the face of the uptick in its use. His office needs our support in the way of more funding as well. Please write your governor to that effect demanding that we receive this funding as soon as possible. It is at our own peril if we do not receive it, as they are short staffed for the case load at hand. I do personally expect much tougher sentencing no matter what the case is regardless of the financial aspects of his office. If we must plea bargain to save valuable time, please make sure those plea bargains being offered are less favorable to these criminals.
What seems to be a trending tactic by accused criminals (defendants) is the demand for a jury trial, which consumes much more time on an already overburdened docket. This is something that only manpower can resolve. It appears to me that it is well known that we are short staffed and this particular tactic is simply a way to leverage for an even better plea bargain. We need to have a policy that simply states if you ask for a jury trial, there will be no plea bargain offered what so ever to begin with, and I think this tactic would quickly fade away once the criminal defense attorneys became aware of this new policy, as plea bargains are not promised by the law.
The Allegany County Health Department also has a plethora of programs, be it drug and alcohol counseling and/or mental health services and has a current initiative training citizens (anyone can sign up) on the proper procedures to administer Narcodol, which you will receive upon completion. The kit includes the drug, needles, a respirator mask, and surgical gloves. This is life saving training and is not just for the addict but any overdose victim, often confused elders with pain ,medicine.
Also, concerning prescription medication, the health department has metal locked boxes, similar to mailboxes, where medication that is no longer needed can be safely dropped off with no questions asked. This insures proper disposal as well as no chance of this medication being found in the wrong hands. These boxes are suppose to proliferate in our area so more folks may utilize them. Also of importance on this topic, if you have medication around your home and others are aware of this, you make yourself a target of criminals that want to support their drug habit. Be extremely careful who you share this type of delicate information with and also be careful about posting recent surgical operations on media online such as facebook.
Of a panel of excellent speakers and speeches from all, the most dynamic and impeccable speakers, I thought for myself, were Michael O. Twigg and Maryland State Police Major
James Pyles. Mr Twigg's presentation and information shared was well delivered and informative and easy to absorb. Mr. Pyles was fast and passionate and highly motivational I felt. I observed superb leadership qualities, wisdom, education, and experience in all of these speakers that were present.
The topics covered by the Sheriff, the Chief of Police, and the State Police included reasons and solutions for the rise in violent crime. All were in total agreement that most of the crime is strongly drug related, with heroin being the number one offender in that classification with a rather scary and steady rise of both use and overdose death. Michael Twigg also stressed we have a large demand here, the dealers can reap a large profit margin, and these factors among others make us a prime area to deal drugs, be it for the dealers profit alone or to support their habit, if not both. One way we can curb that problem is with very tough sentencing, especially for dealers. If you observe suspicious behavior, such as many visits to a single household that are usually very short in length, please report that to the police department in your jurisdiction. These tips are instrumental to law enforcement.
There was little to no mention of gangs in these speeches, and this was something I thought was a bit of an oversight. I know for a fact that there are elements of many notorious well organized gangs here locally. These are often the drug runners bringing in quantities of drugs for distribution. It is important to raise you own awareness about gang clothing, signs, and tattoos as well as other features that may help you steer clear of them. It is never wise to confront a suspected gang member either. Treat any citizen with equal respect you would to others and then share your concerns with law enforcement professionals and let them sort out the details.Here is a helpful link to study these concerns and many more are available with a simple search on the internet.
My understanding originally was that we would be able to address the members and give a speech ourselves. We were not able to do that but we were able to place written questions on index cards and ask specifics to a panel member in that way, and these were answered at the end of the panel speeches offered over the course of the evening. However, there is a meeting on April 30, 2015, Thursday, which will be at Allegany College of Maryland as well, and you must register for that online and you will be able to speak at this forum.
I will place that information here for ease of access, and after the
date passes relocate this information to the bottom of this page. If you are not interested in this material or attending simply scroll down to the next series of hyphens crossing the page to pick up the rest of my article there please.
This information can be found online and may be shared with this link posted in your own facebook timeline, and this would be a great service towards boosting attendance.
PLEASE ATTEND THIS EVENT !!!
There will be a GOCCP Meeting with state officials present and on hand
that will be held on Thursday, April 30, at 10:00 a.m. at The Allegany
College of Maryland located at 12401 Willowbrook Road in Cumberland,
Maryland 21502.
From Delegate Mike McKay's facebook pages press release:
PRESS RELEASE
District 1 Delegation to Meet with Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention
Cumberland, MD, April 21, 2015 – Senator Edwards, Delegates Beitzel,
Buckel and McKay announce the Western Region Meet & Greet Forum
scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, April 30, at the College
Center Building/Theatre of Allegany College of Maryland. Registration
will start at 9:30 a.m.
The forum will provide an avenue to
discuss how to curb the rising crime in our area with the help of state
resources from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention.
GOCCP’s Executive Director Christopher Shank will share the mission of
his office in preventing crime and encouraging public safety in Western
Maryland. He looks forward to an open discussion and meeting concerned
residents and newly-elected and appointed public officials.
“My
idea was to see if we could build on the crime reduction success we’ve
had in the City of Cumberland through the use of the Safe Streets
Initiative,” said Del. Mike McKay, who requested the Meet & Greet
Forum. “I’d like to use and extend that model throughout all of Allegany
County.”
McKay is a former member of the Safe Streets Initiative Advisory Board, which is a GOCCP-funded program.
“Increased crime and ensuring public safety is a major concern of our
community and our delegation,” said Del. Jason Buckel. “We won’t accept
the current level of crime and drug activity plaguing Allegany County,
and this forum is a first step toward bringing state and local resources
together in a coordinated manner to make our area safer and tougher on
crime.”
GOCCP is Maryland’s one stop shop for resources to
improve public safety. The office exists to educate, connect and empower
Maryland's citizens and public safety entities through innovative
funding, strategic planning, crime data analysis, best practices
research and results-oriented customer service.
To pre-register for the forum please go to http://westernforum.eventbrite.com
For more information, contact Delegate Mike McKay mike.mckay@house.state.md.us
Copy and paste this into your browser's address bar and view the map to the college. https://www.google.com/…/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89ca893e…
This is another event where the citizens can be seen and heard so that
we may further emphasize the changes we all seek in a constructive
manner.
When you fail to attend these meetings with officials
present, the overall message is we have a community that is not engaged
or is dis-interested and that is a certain stepping stone to losing our
collective voice and support.
You may have some questions like...
What is the GOCCP !!!
The Govenor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention https://www.facebook.com/pages/goccpmd/125182720842884
"GOCCP is Maryland’s one stop shop for resources to improve public
safety. GOCCP exists to educate, connect, and empower Maryland’s
citizens and public safety entities through innovative funding,
strategic planning, crime data analysis, best practices research and
results-oriented customer service." http://www.goccp.maryland.gov/
PLEASE READ AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION. WE HAVE A CRITICAL ISSUE WITH THIS INFORMATION REACHING OUR COMMUNITY EFFECTIVELY.
After the meeting, I walked away in a state of awe at the dedication and preparation by these professionals as well as a confident feeling that we are in good hands with their collective leadership and willing open mindedness towards examining these issues we must deal with swiftly.
My greatest dis-appointment was that the public attendance overall was so poor for a county that has roughly 75,000 residents. Perhaps there were 75 in attendance in the audience total and several of those were elected officials, and I may actually be generous in that estimate. The general population failed in attendance miserably, however that may very well be due to a lack of announcing the symposium through multiple channels and / or well ahead of time.
I requested most of these individuals, or agencies represented, to speak at a meeting for the public I wanted to organize, and had very little feedback beyond our Mayor, Michael Twigg, and several Cumberland police officers and our Allegany County Sheriff Craig Robertson. Timing and weather were indeed the main issues to overcome at the time of the meetings I had wanted to plan over the brutal arctic winter, and they would have essentially been the exact same type of forum, however with the opportunnity for the citizens to speak up as well and address these professionals with a speech and / or questions. This can be unruly and threatening and is often shunned but we need to have an open forum that is well organized and civil, because without the public input as far as experience and suggestions from these real life experiences, solutions may be overlooked.
I was very pleased to see this symposium come to fruition in this form and I am equally pleased to see the dialogue has indeed been, not just started, but continued very, very seriously. It takes all of us as a collective catalyst to further push the envelope towards positive change, often demanding these changes through the proper constructive channels.
For those of you who missed this symposium that was organized by Crime Solvers, you did yourself a dis-service as well as our local community, as the information learned during this presentation was certainly invaluable.
I want to thank Crime Solvers once again for their diligent work as well as the panel members they invited that shared excellent informative speeches.
Crime Solvers may be reached at this number 301-722-4300 and you may remain anonymous as well. There is no tip that should not be called in. Even suspicious and / or peculiar behavior is very worthwhile to have checked upon by the police.
As a matter of fact, there are many numbers you can call and leave information about crime or request to speak with an officer.
I hope to add a video of this at a later time so those that missed the symposium can see what transpired and learn from the speeches that were given. If you are reading this and have that material or a link to it, please make sure to get a hold of me. You can easily leave a comment here at the end of this blog.
What I had intended personally on this evening was delivering this speech (below) myself to those in attendance, and as I took several hours working on it over two days from rough draft to finished product, I will leave it here at this blog in its entirety after this report has concluded. Again, the original posting was specific that we would indeed be able to speak and address the panel.
I will be adding to this report and also including other news sources' links who have also reported on this symposium so there is a well rounded amount of information for you, the reader, and must say that if another symposium is offered soon, please do attend, you will certainly not be disappointed.
Most of what I outlined in my own speech was touched on by different speakers in the panel tonight and it was indeed a couple of hours well spent. My hat is off to these fine men and women.
I hope my speech below is worthwhile as well and that the proper eyes find it and consider my own work within, which I will be expanding on after further discussions and studying.
Radical is a powerful word, but it is time to exercise some radical and progressive measures to curb this recent rise in crime as well as educate the general public, be they the youth or the adult citizens.
Drug Courts, Three Strike Laws, State Referendum for mandatory education, court ordered education, etc, these are all things we should seriously be considering because what we have done up to now has been failing, however unfortuante.
Today, there
is a very deep and growing cultural divide that must be bridged through
education, otherwise these problems will only get worse. The other equally
important stipulation to quell these issues for the long term is an
even better economy where even the average man has the means before him
to support his family through a great job with benefits.
Education is always the master key that should be embraced and well utilized so we can continue to heal and move our society forward.
We are a region full of a bright future with promise, and our citizens and most importantly our youth deserve that in their pursuit of happiness moving forward.
Thanks
My Speech:
I am John Stephen Swygert. First of all I would like to thank each
of you for being here today and listening to the citizens of Cumberland,
Maryland where I have resided since 2002. Also let me state clearly I
stand side by side with how our Mayor here at home feels about these issues.
There is no doubt today that we are
having an increase in crime here locally. There is no doubt that it is
an increase in violent crime and drug related crime, often both
interlaced. There is no doubt that their is a strong element of gangs here at home as well. There is no doubt that the consensus of the citizens here
are demanding these issues be addressed, and so, here we are today to at
least in part discuss and share these issues and probable solutions.
To
further qualify myself to you here today, because many of you I have yet to meet in
person, I have a degree in Science with a Major in Police Science. I have also founded the loose knit group named the Cumberland's Citizen's Corps to specifically rally around today's issues at hand.
I was published in 2010 by The United States Department of Energy for my cutting edge ideas and proposals for re-landscaping the entire energy marketplace. The basic ideas were to consume less energy and become more efficient consumers through the use of better modern technology not being well utilized then in a broader spectrum while becoming better stewards to Mother Earth. These ideas, quickly embraced, have indeed changed the landscape of the entire energy marketplace. They have made us less dependent on foreign nations thus securing better national security, have changed the entire way other nations conduct business as we lead in these regards due to our changes here at home in this marketplace, and have offered many high tech jobs in an industry swiftly evolving while stimulating the economy in a massive way that has surely led to many more new jobs. Furthermore, this pushes us more swiftly towards upgrading and renewing and / or building new infrastructure, so direly needed. We are past the classical and historical Industrial Age and Service Age alike, and are now in The Green Era, like it or not, and it is only through studying or education that these thoughts ever evolved from my own mind.
Part of the long term goals in mind with a plan like that is reducing the impact that has been our socio-economic problems and issues exploding today, usually and typically ending in crime, most often violent crime, and in my mind, the number one contributing factor in these situations being discussed here now. We have a very massive cultural divide and socio-economic divide, both well connected to one another, that need to be bridged through education and a better economy. I more recently attended, but did not complete, the
Citizen's Police Academy here in Cumberland due to health issues, however
I did enjoy the sessions I did attend and thought it was very
worthwhile and suggest that more citizens apply to attend next time it is offered and
also think this could be a great program to offer young students,
perhaps structured slightly differently, but covering the same topics
and points as well as visiting the same places of interest.
I was also on the radio with local radio personality Amanda Mangan discussing these very issues while representing The Cumberland Citizens Corps a group organized to rally support for the public showing we had planned that was cancelled due to the brutal arctic weather we were experiencing. I
also helped raise awareness, through writing letters once again to officials far and wide, be they federal, state or local in nature, and was a catalyst in the origin of the public discussions here locally we are having today. I wrote letters in the same nature that led to the eventual passage of
new laws here concerning the epidemic of Bath Salts and how we would combat them as well. I know how to start a dialoge and shine a spotlight on glaring problems, I only wish I could fix them as easily, however that is a job that takes all of us together working in unison.
I state these qualifications more as suggestions then anything else, about how we should all contribute to analyzing social issues here at home and how we can effectively start a discussion that will lead to swift and efficient progress, as I think we have a right to expect that which we work diligently towards, which is only fair, rational, and logical in nature.
I want to very clear and unequivicoally state that I believe our law enforcement agencies are performing their skill sets very diligently and I do not fault them in these issues at all.
We all understand the glaring problems, but again, the difficulty lies in finding the answers. Below I will articulate my ideas towards achieving those answers.
Answer 1:
Progress, beyond progressive ideas, most often takes an investment of both our valuable time and most certainly money. Addressing today's issues specifically, first, in
the perspective of budgeting, I ask, does saving money up front on
these issues and then, through poor sentencing, having to deal with the
same criminals again and again while law enforcement places their
valuable lives on the line, sound like it is working?
It is not and
simply costs much more in the long run and in incalculable ways. I beg of you each that we do what is right
and demand more funding for our local States Attorneys Office so they
can be more effective, which we expect today anyway. This expenditure
here now would offset the expenditure over-runs concerning our local
agencies, such as overtime in the police departments, as the burden will
lessen in general if we have much less crime and recidivism. It
also sends a clear and resounding message that we are not tolerating
crime or criminals anymore! It makes sense for the city, the county, and
the citizens as well as the bottom line in the budget. Please support
more funding for these issues immediately. Should the Safe Streets program have to really constantly pick up the same disrespectful criminals that should often still be behind bars to start with had they been sentenced more fairly in the beginning? I could site many exacting examples, but I do not think anyone here would argue this point, so I will not do so. I have done my due diligence, and anyone else who has also would know this for fact already. I do not like the idea of our men and women of law enforcement having to place their lives on the line over and over again concerning criminals they have already dealt with. Why is a criminal picked up on a warrant for a failure to appear only to be bailed out of jail in order to repeat this same disrespectful behavior? Is there any sense in there at all? We need to educate our way out of these problems.What leaves, or has left, a lasting
impression on me personally is visiting institutions as well as law
enforcement agencies. What leaves impressions on other individuals is
men and women in uniform sharing, through speeches or classrooms, their
professional knowledge with a strong message of demanding both civil
peace and civil obedience concerning laws as well as informing the
students what they do not want to experience and can avoid through
better education and ultimately better more thorough thinking processes
related to making decisions that are better, more proper, and moral
choices overall. These classes, often at certain institutions, such as
jails and emergency call centers to name a few, also reinforce positive
fulfilling lives by offering a better fundamental understanding of law
enforcement and all that it entails for the men and women in this
profession. These men and women, through my own experience, are
typically caring and excellent educated role models, which may be the
most important factor of all.
Answer 2:
The best answer to any logistical issue
when concerning human beings and social dysfunction always has a factor
of education as its largest percentage when viewed as a scientific
problem with mathematical factors. It is education that offers the best
short and long term solution to these and most any issues. When the
sentence is issued to a criminal, for all intensive purposes a factor of
that sentence is to teach a lesson. I would like to see mandatory
courses in high schools (state referendum) and elementary schools alike
where these courses (similar to what I outlined above) will become
mandatory, as far as educating our youth and adult citizens about law enforcement,
courts and corrections in all aspects, and how through better decision
making by each of us as individuals, we can better avoid the pitfalls of
poor decision making which can and often does lead to jail and a life of difficulty for them and their families. The recent Citizens Police Academy is a prime and perfect example of a scenario of education as I further propose we implement on a larger scale. We are not trying to reform the public
but rather inform and educate and reinforce expected norms of society
that shall be upheld. We are trying to reinforce the idea that law
enforcement is a needed entity that should be perceived as friends to
the citizen in good standing and a helpful friend too, to those that have
tarnished themselves. That message is projected through educational
forums as well as efficient tactics in community policing. It is also
reflected in the judiciary and corrections as well, of course. Quite simply, the most efficient steps
for positive immediate results concerning the recent rise in violent and drug related crime, and in this order are, tougher sentences,
then more funding for both the States Attorney's Office and an organized
plan for education in the communities where we reside, and lastly even
better practices in the field of corrections.
The
cold hard facts today is that it is hard to quickly and efficiently
educate away a culture people have grown up around and into. It is only
long term effective planning that will tackle that issue. What promise
do we offer today to those criminals that can make a quick buck vs.
having a minimum wage job where they cannot exist alone yet support a family? The argument is not
minimum wage but education, or the lack thereof, that leaves these
individuals in a place where they cannot rise above. What do we do to
motivate individuals to rise up from these circumstances, and what do we
do as a modern society that is progressive to change these
circumstances on a whole and have a smaller proportion of citizens in
this situation to start with? Again, and I really cannot emphasize it
enough, education,... which means money in the budget to get this done.
We either pay once today or pay a multitude of myriad ways in the
future.
Addressing the States Attorney's Office,
Mr. Twigg, with all due respect sir, we must have tougher sentencing to
keep our men and women of law enforcement and our citizens in a safer
environment to begin with! What, I ask, can you fault with that
statement? If you have not already made them sir, what are your very
specific requests, plans and thoughts pertaining to these issues and when do we
expect to see this action taken that we demand from your office as well as the judges too. If these most basic and reasonable demands are not going to happen immediately, then we need to replace those elected and appointed officials and find those that will accomplish these measures very soon. I will say in his defense, Mr. Twigg has been kind, honest, and receptive communicating with me personally and I appreciate that open line of communication. I feel positive he is the right man for this job and he needs our continued support. I have my own concerns with several judges and I am curious what their opinions are, as up to now, my understanding is there has been a silence or void in respect to that. I was fortunate to grow up in a
household near the Pentagon where my Father worked while serving his
country. I was fortunate to have educated parents, both teachers as
well. I was fortunate to have a n older brother and father, both West
Pointers, as my male role models. We are all equally responsible to be
those teachers and role models for other sin life as a duty as citizens
and should carry a message that educates as well as stands for
something, because if we do not, our rights are more and more infringed
upon daily. We, as citizens in good standing, have a right, an
undeniable right, to the pursuit of happiness, and that is a hard right
to exercise in an environment surrounded by criminals and thugs that
should have been sentenced tougher to begin with!!!
I was fortunate to have every opportunity afforded to me as a youth and
adult and I recognize that that is not the norm what so ever today. We
must change that.
Where
are the Boy Scouts? Where is Big Brother? Where is volunteerism? Where
are the roll models? We are here today at least, and I write ahead of
time, more then likely not in huge numbers in presence, ...and it is our
responsibility to carry the message of a good citizen to other citizens
and lift them in their time of doubt and need, and that is a very
difficult road to travel, but one we are walking today. I stress
education because it is from Cub Scouts, To Webloes, to Boy Scouts, and
DeMolay, and The Fraternal Order of Eagles and my parents and my schools
and my higher education, and yes even my own personal mistakes, where
others lifted me as I suggest we all do so with great and deep passion.
In
closing, please continue to support our very fine men and women of law
enforcement repeatedly placing their lives in harms way, all too often
needlessly as a direct result of poor sentencing. Please get tougher on
sentencing and demand this take place soon to better protect all of our
lives and security in the pursuit of happiness, so guaranteed as an
undeniable right! Support a larger budget in these regards. Support
better education and the implementation of progressive cutting edge
programs, philosophies, and ideas. We are on the cusp of lifting this
city to an even more respectable bright future, with a budget now in
the black, the building of a new high school, a respectable new
hospital, the removal of blight, etc., so please do not let us continue
to fail on this front of law enforcement concerning the lack of the
judiciary performing their jobs more dutifully, and let that destroy all that we have been working so hard for together.
Thanks for
being here today, discussing these issues, and listening to the
citizens. I expect that we will make progress quickly and look forward
to seeing all of you again the next time we meet soon to review this
progress we are starting to further outline today.
Sincerely,
John "Stephen" Swygert
Here is some additional information:
CUMBERLAND - The Allegany-Mineral Counties Crime Solvers, in
coordination with law enforcement, prosecutors, county health
departments and political and community leaders, will hold a symposium
on crime and related issues affecting both counties.
The
first event will be held on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, from 6-8 p.m. at
the Allegany College of Maryland Theater. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
The
objective of the symposium will be to focus on crime related issues
such as street level crime, drug users and dealers, and related domestic
issues.
Emphasis will also be on support of
our local law enforcement efforts and encouraging strong participation
by our citizens within their affected communities.
Of
primary importance is the drug activity which drives the crime problem.
Without demand there would be no drug dealers, and crime would be
greatly reduced. Speakers from the different organizations will address
current crime problems, programs and enforcement directed at mitigating
these problems.
Speakers will include Allegany
sheriff Craig Robertson; Allegany County state’s attorney Michael Twigg;
Cumberland Police chief Charles Hinnant; Maryland State Police Major
James Pyles; Rebecca Myers, program director-Behavioral Health; and Lesa
Diehl, director - Mental Health System's Office, Allegany County Health
Department.
All citizens and community service, charitable and other organizations are encouraged to attend.
Allegany-Mineral
Counties Crime Solvers is proud to present this program on community
crime prevention and anti-drug use, in addition to providing monetary
rewards for crime related information.
Questions may be directed to Crime Solvers first vice president Martin Walsh, 443-803-0067, or sdrlm2713@gmail.com .
State’s attorney: Cultural change needed to combat county’s drug ‘epidemic’
CUMBERLAND —
Allegany County State’s Attorney Michael Twigg showed those attending a
crime symposium Tuesday evening at Allegany College of Maryland where
seven drug dealers recently arrested and convicted in Allegany County
were all from the same neighborhood in Baltimore. Most
of the 11 members of law enforcement and health and mental hygiene gave
presentations at the event sponsored by the Allegany/Mineral Counties
Crime Solvers organization. Twigg, who became state’s attorney in 2002, said the illegal drug trade has risen dramatically.“We are seeing one of the worst epidemics Allegany County has faced since I’ve been here,” said Twigg.Attended
by roughly 50 people, the symposium was hosted by David Goad, program
director for the Cumberland Safe Streets Iniative.“The
reason for the event is to heighten public awareness and to motivate
members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in
Allegany and Mineral counties,” said Goad.Craig Robertson, Allegany County sheriff, talked about the changes he has seen in crime in his 36-year career.“Years
ago the individuals responsible were local with recognizable names. We
saw the second and third generation criminals. Today we notice the names
of many individuals are not from this area but from the recent influx
from places like Baltimore, New York, D.C. and Philadelphia,” said
Robertson.“The
people we are convicting now have absolutely no ties to anyone in the
county. The only ties are one thing: to come here to sell drugs,” said
Twigg.
"Michael Kelly is a high school student who plays on Wichita East’s special needs basketball team. His mother bought Kelly a letter jacket and a varsity letter to show his participation. But when Kelly, who has Down syndrome and autism, wore the jacket to school, he was forced to remove it and put on a sweatshirt instead."
http://tellmenow.com/2015/04/breaking-military-tanks-spotted-heading-to-closed-walmart/
Are there terrorist cells and / or homegrown terrorism related to ISIS here in the United States and an emerging plan to deal with them?
Is Operation Jade Helm 15 indeed more then what the government thus far states that it is ?
Is it really an operation as stated with even more underlying fact gathering facets that will help us to be better informed and prepared for terror cells here at home in the United States? Are they even perhaps going after some of those cells and individuals?
It seems abundantly likely that this is indeed exactly what is unraveling in many respects with this huge and unprecedented training exercise across ten states thus far, mostly out west excluding Florida and Mississippi which have more recently been added. I have included all the states participating thus far herein.
I have found no other evidence or reporting to this, my original idea, as I allege within in any other form of print or media anywhere I have searched far and wide this day as recorded.
I will do my best to show the reasons why it seems highly statistically likely to indeed be the very case.
The F.B.I. will not come out and make a statement by a spokesperson concerning terrorist cells in the United States, however there is this from there own website, which is certainly a loud and abundantly clear message endorsed by the very agency itself.
Straight from the F.B.I. web page !!!
"...we use our growing suite of investigative and intelligence capabilities to neutralize terrorist cells and operatives here in the U.S."
It sure looks like an admission by the F.B.I. that there are indeed terror cells here in the U.S.A.
Why do so many folks not believe this ? Can you neutralize and fight what does not already exist ?
In its entirety now...
"It’s our top priority—protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks. Working closely with a range of partners, we use our growing suite of investigative and intelligence capabilities to neutralize terrorist cells and operatives here in the U.S., to help dismantle extremist networks worldwide, and to cut off financing and other forms of support provided by terrorist sympathizers." Below statement added June 13, 2015 Furthermore, there are other governmental agencies that are apparently fully equiped strategically, logistically, and philosopically, to respond to any threats from within, as you can see for yourself at this link, their website the home page in particular for the Selective Service System or SSS (nice name), so read the bold face print yourself and think of the source. There is no hiding behind anything here, as it is often on most government websites exactly what their vision and mission is, and there is never sugar coating on it. What amazes me is how many people fail to go right to the source of things they will often write about and not simply take the time to perform their own due diligence and share this oinformation with others. Mission The statutory missions of Selective Service are to
be prepared to provide trained and untrained personnel to the DoD in the
event of a national emergency and to be prepared to implement an
Alternative Service Program for registrants classified as conscientious
objectors. http://www.sss.gov/ABOUT.HTM So, perhaps it is they who will help to fill up all of the F.E.M.A. camps we have all heard so much about. Where are those various camps throughout the United States you may ask? This siste may be a little politically charged but you can at least gather the information there and take the rest with a grain of salt if you so choose, or not...that is your FREEDOM of CHOICE that all citizens shoulf respect and protect every single day of their lives. This is an interactive map below that is from the link below. As you move your curser over geographical locations and then right click on one a small window with informationn will open sharing specific details for you to read and examine further.
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Charleston Voice: FEMA Camp Locations in US - state-by-state List & Map - Expel the FedGov from State Lands
An ethical person - like a politician, banker or lawyer - may know right from wrong, but unlike many of them, a moral person lives it. An Americanist first already knows that.
Bankers and their government agents will always act in their own best interests. Any residual benefit flowing down to the citizens by happenstance will just be litter.
It is well known that it is believed there are at a minimum of twenty two terrorist training camps here in the United States and I have also enclosed a map herein as well. The F.B.I. will not come out and state this by a spokesperson, but the original report was said to have been leaked by the F.B.I., and as you see above, this statement taken from their own website certainly seems to confirm the fact of terrorist cell here at home in The United States.
Secondarily, here are some other related known statements from other federal agencies that can indeed be credited to specific individuals as specified. These statements are exclusively about terrorism cells and terrorism recruiting here at home, as well as the threats they impose upon our country.
F.B.I.: F.B.I. Director James Comey
“We have investigations of people in various stages of radicalizing in all 50 states,” said Comey, adding, “This isn’t a New York phenomenon or a Washington phenomenon. This is all 50 states and in ways that are very hard to see.”
Homeland Security: Homeland Security Chief Johnson
"The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security do a pretty good job of tracking the travel of individuals of suspicion, of investigating potential acts of terror or material support for terrorism," Johnson said. "Just this past Friday there were arrests of five individuals who were providing material support, allegedly, to ISIL."
Please take the time to study all of these links carefully doing your own due diligence along the way and drawing your own conclusions which this article should quite easily suggest.
First of all, Operation Jade Helm 15 is an operation unlike any we have had before in the United States. Unprecedented is the finest word to describe this massive undertaking. It is not just taking place on military bases, but off bases too, in civilian areas with large and small cities, and will be coordinated with local law enforcement in those jurisdictions to further safeguard civilians and personnel involved in the operation. You can see one aspect of that fact in the statement herein where I have quoted actual verbiage about our men fitting in to a population and doing their best to be undetected.
Here is another idea that crosses my mind as well and I think should also not be overlooked, as often changes are taken in steps so that there is a more gradual easing into these types of actions. Are we being further desensitized as a nation so that these types of actions in the future become even more mundane / routine? This is a current and on going phenomena to seriously consider in this day and age. It can make the vigilant less there so, and it is these vigilant the military is counting on to detect the groups of soldiers (dressed as civilians no doubt) that have at least one main objective which is fitting in without detection.
Operation Jade Helm 15 is primarily planned to take place out west currently, however Florida and Mississippi have been added to the active participating states list, and that could grow further too. It may very well actually be that we have states and jurisdictions participate that never are announced as well, as this would certainly make for an even more effective strategy.
It is a proven fact in warfare that the best strategy includes the element of surprise, and what good would we be doing on behalf of our troops and our population (long term after the operation) and country without keeping this element completely covert?
The main extractions to be garnered from this operation, as reported, is to better learn how to fight in urban areas as well as terrain that we will see in foreign nations as well. I think that only tells the very tip of the iceberg overall however, as I do not expect them to share much more, but it is obvious that at the least there would be a lot of great intelligence to be gathered from an operation of this type. There are untold logistics, strategy, tactics, ad infinitum, that will be garnered and helpful from an operation of this magnitude for future planning purposes as well as understanding how a populace reacts with a warfare type of action taking place either abroad or right here at home.
The actual already shared information is setting the chess board nicely, as there is much internet chatter about this operation, there are enemies and "the good guys", there are these states' populace wondering why they were included at all, why they are labeled friend or foe, what will actually take place, the fear of martial law, and on and on and on.
Anyway you can set the "enemy" off balance is always in your favor, and as with any scientific experiment involving people the less they know of the true intentions of the experiment, or not at all, the more genuine the output data-sets will be when utilized for further planning, studies, or outcomes. This could very well be not just a military operation but a huge social study of mammoth proportions.
We have the ability today to track such a huge quantity of data and record it from any point we desire and examine it from so many different angels. You are reading this, for example, and it plays into the cause and effect of everything here forward concerning this entire operation, tat is truly how powerful our tracking ability is today, and I kid you not.
So considering these factors above as you have read and studied first, and moving forward, imagine warfare actually happening here at home ! It is not too far a stretch of the imagination when you take into further consideration real life threats today and include that with past experiences. In particular, terrorism camps right here at home !
What I suggest is not only is this a time to study terror cells and their respective response (including individual members and not only the cellular activity alone) but also a great time to stomp these camps right out, as this is something that should not be tolerated here in our country to start with and it seems abundantly clear today that this indeed a fact.
The questions here are many if something like that actually takes place. For example, what is the difference between an Islamic Terror Camp vs. an organized private militia compound here in the continental lower 48 or Alaska and Hawaii for that fact? What Constitutional laws should be considered in an event like that should it start to transpire and become a reality? What if this is all a set up and a distraction for a greater cause that would be otherwise both alarming and no longer covert if more was shared ahead of time? A lot of what ifs and a lot of speculation, but whatever happens, we are indeed a country on edge and this very mention of the operation thus far as described has alarmed a great many citizens whom lack trust in our leadership and feel threatened and that their very own freedom in the United Stated States will be infringed upon in the least if no taken in the worst case scenario. Again, this may be just a part of a much greater social experiment we are all included in, this cause and effect dance.
I look for a mass exodus of these terrorists and others that are in this country and are unfriendlies to us and our way of life here at home. They, these terrorists. either need to leave or we need to remove them in body bags. One way or another, and I am specifically speaking of any type of terrorists on our soil here at home first, they need to be extinguished. I used a harsh word hoping to draw your closer scrutiny and attention to this matter and draw out your passion, your spirit, and your renewed vigilance and dedication to our beloved country which is no doubt under a threat like none we have known before it.
...so, after reading the original article that inspired me to think about this operation and draw on my background and education, I really wonder what this operation as thus far described is meant to accomplish, or is it perhaps a primary "distraction" with a purpose of its own and an operation that will both be utilized for more then one objective, as thus far stated.
It is either what the government says it is, is a set up for martial law if you are super paranoid (but perhaps not wrong), or is simply a distraction (false flag event) while our country actually maneuvers elsewhere or here at home within and alongside the operation against terrorism in what would appear as a covert plan on its face value. I hope my instincts about this being in part, at the very least, due to terrorism here at home does not unravel years of planning.
I think it is simply what it is stated as. Imagine we are actually attacked on our own soil in a massive way. Let's say an EMP and then outbreaks of cellular terrorsitic activity in major cities and strategic positions starts to escalate. How do we defend our nation and fend for ourselves and how does our armed forces stay prepared for such an event?
You better have forward thinking, because when all hell breaks loose, it will be exactly how I describe it herein.
There would be cells of terrorists in concert wreaking havoc in cities and ports around the country, here at home, unable to be warded off quickly, unless we both train for it ahead of time and also remove the terror training camps we all know exist right here at home in the United States first, further thwarting their collective efforts to destroy our country.
If folks want to examine where the Islamic Terrorist Training Camps are in the United States, as an example, you will clearly see that they are indeed spread around well over the country, where there are certainly members living close by ready to act as planned at the "drop of a hat".
It is quite easy to see these camps are spread out across the USA, forming a perimeter of strategic locations and mostly, but not solely, in warmer areas and/or heavily populated areas and often on coastlines or inland on or close to ports.
I think it is interesting to compare the map of terror camps as an overlay with the list of states involved, and it surely seems that there is a strong correlation between the two.
There has actually been two more states added to the operation then originally revealed and more may be added.
That also makes sense in the larger picture because of many factors. Garnering more information, being able to place more forces in mmore startegic positions more quickly on the ground, securing and protecting interstates, railways, and port and air ports, and cutting off supplies to the enemy at home. Essentially from a few locations that are strategic, we could cut off nay threat as normal tatctics dictate, the same as they would do for us.
In a recent statement by experts it was stated that F.E.M.A.was ill prepared to deal with a natural disaster, and EMP, or anything with a massive or catastrophic nature.
Those threats above are mighty concerning and very possible in this day and age. Many countries have the delivery capability to perform an EMP blast by air, and the technology is more accessible to countries and perhaps even individuals from rogue states then ever. Many people may scoff, but trust me, the people in "the know" take this threat very seriously as plausible in due time if not imminent.
I know many folks that are highly admired, well educated and of exceptional reputation in the various fields, and as an example, one friend has informed me that weaponized anthrax or other biological / chemical agents are a huge threat with an increasing likelihood as, again, more and more rogue states develop these technologies and capabilities today.
These articles do not speak of natural disaster, biological or chemical attacks, as mentioned above, or other scenarios, however the protocol to follow would be similar in many events of such magnitude and the lack of a great ability to react well on behalf of the country by F.E.M.A. the same.
An operation such as this will further bolster that ability, and may further be utilized to quell current threats in greater secrecy under this guise as a purely military training operation.
Backtracking for a moment, here are the two newest states added to the operation as well as a list of all ten thus far included as announced.
The US military has quietly added more states to its eight-week Jade Helm joint training drill, originally designated to take place in seven southwestern states.
03-24-2015
Speaking of the exercise at the Brazos County Commissioners Court in Texas last month, Jade Helm Operations Planner and retired Green Beret Thomas Mead told an audience that the drill, which will run from July 15 to September 15, will now include the states Mississippi and Florida.
“The exercise is actually an eight-week exercise taking place across seven states,” Mead explains. “As you can see right there, it spans the whole southwest of the United States. We’ve also added Mississippi and we have a group also working out of Florida.”
“We’ll have Navy Seals that’ll be conducting targets and training down in the Mississippi area,” Mead also says.
The interagency, unconventional warfare exercise, lasting eight weeks, will utilize 1,200 special forces personnel from multiple branches of the US military, including Army Green Berets, Navy Seals, Marine Special Operations Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, according to a Powerpoint presentationregarding the exercise.
Here are the states included in Jade Helm thus far:
California
Utah
Arizona
Nevada
New mexico
Texas
Colorado
Florida
Mississippi
Would you rather our armed forces be prepared for that "drop of a hat" when terrorists strike, or react blindly in such a situation?
One thing warfare has taught us is fighting in the cities amoung the "locals" is always a huge threat, as we cannot distinguish friend from foe in geurilla warfare.
The tactic to any enemy, which could include us, is to isolate them and cut off their supplies, meaning personnel, food, energy, water, ammunition, etc. You would want to control the ports, airports, railways, and the Interstates first, of course.
Here is a quote supporting that example above.
"The 3 terrorist camps in TN are just a stones throw from I- 24 allowing fast access to major road ways. The camps are nestled along the north, northwest TN border near Nashville. The Dover and Paris camps are about a 30 minute drive apart and about equal time to Nashville. The newly reported Shelbyville camp is approximately 90 miles from Chattanooga and about 57 miles south, southeast of Nashville.
These camps are well positioned near the heart of Tennessee and two of it’s biggest cities and population areas. Terror attacks could easily be carried out in our state with dire consequences. Oak Ridge is just a short drive from these camps and are strategically close to a number of nuclear reactors. "
Watch that video there, and think about this a little more deeply. It is terroristic in itself that these types of ideas have supplanted mainstream America's Apple Pie and Chevrolet innocence. It is exactly what terrorism is meant to do. Terrorize all when there is no current threat.
Back to the maps concerning current terror training camps and the states involved in the operation, studying the terror training camps map even more, it may just be that Jade Helm 15 is the area in the continental USA that we could most quickly secure and defend our country from as a new base of operations. Think about that fact again, and look at the map carefully alongside the other map.
This is a fact that should also be carefully considered with my presumption of the operation being at the very least related to terrorism and planning here at home.
The troops participating will be doing a lot of blending in with the general public to see how easily they can blend in undetected. Why else would they want to test this type of strategy and tactic other then to be better prepared to fight against terror cells at home and / or homegrown terrorists?
It even references 'cells of people", which is eerie in itself.
“They’re going to set up cells of people and test how well they’re able to move around without getting too noticed in the community,” said Roy Boyd, chief deputy with the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office. “They’re testing their abilities to basically blend in with the local environment and not stand out and blow their cover.”
Here is a general overview of what is reportedly expected, vague information about who is involved and what they will be doing, and a general statement trying best to place citizens at ease.
Here is a statement of particular interest in the entire article below.
"The training exercise will be conducted on private and public land with the permission of the private landowners, and from state and local authorities. In essence, all exercise activity will be taking place on pre-coordinated public and private lands."
Conspiracy theories are running wild over the Army’s planned multi-state training exercise this summer.
Green Berets, Navy SEALs and Special Operations forces will conduct realistic training exercises from July to September across the southwest – including in 17 Texas cities.
The exercise, called Jade Helm 15, has critics worried that the Army is preparing for modern-day martial law. Some are even calling it “the Texas takeover.”
Officials say the goal is to see if groups of Special Forces can move around a civilian population without being noticed and can handle different threat scenarios. The military says that these are vital skills when it comes to the ever-changing threats that military members face.
But a slideshow about the training exercise shows Texas labeled as simulated "hostile" territory, which prompted concern from some Americans.
Pentagon and local law enforcement are trying to knock down the rumors and let everyone know that the feds have no plans to take over Texas.
Members of U.S. Army Special Operations Command will train with other U.S Armed Forces units July 15 through Sept. 15 in a multi-state exercise called Jade Helm 15.
USASOC periodically conducts training exercises such as these to practice core special warfare tasks, which help protect the nation against foreign enemies. It is imperative that Special Operations Soldiers receive the best training, equipment and resources possible.
While multi-state training exercises such as these are not unique to the military, the size and scope of Jade Helm sets this one apart. To stay ahead of the environmental challenges faced overseas, Jade Helm will take place across seven states. However, Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) will only train in five states: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. The diverse terrain in these states replicates areas Special Operations Soldiers regularly find themselves operating in overseas.
The training exercise will be conducted on private and public land with the permission of the private landowners, and from state and local authorities. In essence, all exercise activity will be taking place on pre-coordinated public and private lands.
The public can expect nothing much different from their day-to-day activities since much of exercise will be conducted in remote areas. The most noticeable effect the exercise may have on the local communities is an increase in vehicle and military air traffic and its associated noise. There will also be economic gain: an increase in the local economy, in fuel and food purchases and hotel lodging.
This exercise is routine training to maintain a high level of readiness for ARSOF since they must be ready to support potential missions anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice.
During this eight-week period, ARSOF soldiers will use this opportunity to further develop tactics, techniques and procedures for emerging concepts in Special Operations warfare.
USASOC intends to conduct the exercise safely and courteously while providing the best possible training available for the nation's Army Special Operations Forces. State and local officials are being informed of the scope of Jade Helm and will continue to be updated as the exercise progresses.
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