In St. Tammany Parish Dreads = Probable Cause Among Other Things
On Thursday, June 29th, St Tammany Parish Sheriff, Jack Strain made the following comments at a press conference. View the video of the press conference here.
"What I'm concerned that all the leaders of this parish come together and understand that the reality exist that there's tremendous pressure in the city right now. And if you work tirelessly trying to deal wth the issue in the city, you know, you put so much pressure on the trash that's there, that's gonna run somewhere else. That's without a doubt. The difference beween, what I see, and this is from my personal perspective, for some reason New Orleans chooses to coddle people or criminals in that area that tend to get away with a great deal. We will not coddle that trash in St. Tammany Parish. If they come to St. Tammany Parish, we're gonna pursue them. We're gonna arrest them. Our prosecutors are going to prosecute them. And our judges are going to convict them. Now I don't get into calling people names, but if you're gonna walk the streets of St. Tammany Parish with dreadlock and chee-wee hairstyles you can expect to be getting a visit from a Sheriff's Deputy. We would rather you come be a working, taxpaying citizen of this parish and contribute to what makes this parish great. If you believe you're gonna come over here and take advantage of our residents, then you're wrong. We're gonna deal with you one way or the other. And its not our intent to violate anyone's civil rights. But you can guarantee, things that you got away with in the city will not be tolerated in this parish. And I know you have some slick lawyers on both sides of the lake who make tremendous living off of getting these people out of jail. Well, we've proven in this parish that its a pretty difficult challenge for them, defense attorneys, that is - my personal opinion is that's the first people we should put on a rail and get out of here. You know there's a lot going on in the city that will affect St. Tammany Parish that my residents need to be aware of today. The destruction of all the housing projects, these people will not live on the street, the federal government's gonna find somewhere for them to live. I don't want to see temporary housing because of Katrina turn into long term housing for a bunch of thugs and trash that don't belong in St. Tammany Parish. So that's something we need to be aware of today. And all leaders need to be vigilant and observant. We don't want to wake up one day and find out New Orleans has been damn successful at running all the trash out of the city and it end up resting in St. Tammany. We don't need to put our head in the sand, I guess, is the best explanation I have. Am I frustrated? No question about it. I'm frustrated that the regional approach I said before the guard went into the city is not understood. We learned during Katrina when the state fails to come in and help, it makes our job a hell of a lot harder. We learned when the federal government doesn't come in, it makes our job more difficult. The governor now is saying to the federal government, give us our fair share of oil royalties. I'm telling the governor give us our fair share of sales taxes. Hire more state police, get in this parish and help this team get this parish safe."
Observations
1) When did dreads come to be described as a chee-wee hairstyle? For a history of the harstyle, start here and here. When did dreads become mutually exclusive of being a working, taxpaying citizen? When did dreads automatically give police the probable cause or reasonable suspicion to search or detain?
2) It is really interesting that Nagin's chocolate city comments received a maelstrom of disdain and disbelief. But this guy promises police harassment for a specific group of people; and, there isn't even a hint of outrage. In addition, he describes former residents of housing developments as “thugs and trash that don’t belong in St. Tammany Parish.” Are not these comments the equivalent of a vanilla city speech?
3) I also find it incredulous that attempts to fight crime in New Orleans is causing such resentment throughout the region. New Orleans' neighbors would rather New Orleans leave its problems unsolved and its recovery incomplete if the solutions to those problems inconveniences other parishes in any way. There isn't any certainty or proof that crime-fighting efforts in N.O. are affecting other parishes. [See the story here that surrounding parishes are using to support “criminal spillover” claims. Note: Officials seem hopeful but not sure the victims or perpetrators of the crime were from New Orleans. Originally, however, reporters said the victims weren't, which of course doesn't make their deaths any less tragic but does detract from the sheriff's using these people's deaths as a reason to sanction police harassment.] But as soon as the National Guard came to town, the neighbors started complaining. The many manifestations of selfishness are astounding. And a selfish politician is especially ugly, but not especially surprising. Surrounding parishes believe if New Orleans gets state or federal assistance then the entire region should get help regardless of need, I suppose.
4) The last time I checked, the trier of fact (judge or jury) determined guilt or innocence not the Parish Sheriff. Yet, this “sheriff” asserts that if the prosecutors prosecute then the judges are going to convict. That’s not in accordance to Louisiana’s Code of Criminal Procedure, the Louisiana Constitution or the US Constitution. These crime-fighting measures are legally baseless – in other words illegal. Harassing people based on their hairstyle and convicting people simply because they are being prosecuted is utterly ridiculous and embarassing; yet its reminiscent of an ass-backwards heritage in America’s not so distant past. Though noone wants to witness their community being overtaken by violence and the pressure on officials to protect citizens is great, the vigilante justice encouraged by this local “leader” seems like the real trash and thuggery.
"What I'm concerned that all the leaders of this parish come together and understand that the reality exist that there's tremendous pressure in the city right now. And if you work tirelessly trying to deal wth the issue in the city, you know, you put so much pressure on the trash that's there, that's gonna run somewhere else. That's without a doubt. The difference beween, what I see, and this is from my personal perspective, for some reason New Orleans chooses to coddle people or criminals in that area that tend to get away with a great deal. We will not coddle that trash in St. Tammany Parish. If they come to St. Tammany Parish, we're gonna pursue them. We're gonna arrest them. Our prosecutors are going to prosecute them. And our judges are going to convict them. Now I don't get into calling people names, but if you're gonna walk the streets of St. Tammany Parish with dreadlock and chee-wee hairstyles you can expect to be getting a visit from a Sheriff's Deputy. We would rather you come be a working, taxpaying citizen of this parish and contribute to what makes this parish great. If you believe you're gonna come over here and take advantage of our residents, then you're wrong. We're gonna deal with you one way or the other. And its not our intent to violate anyone's civil rights. But you can guarantee, things that you got away with in the city will not be tolerated in this parish. And I know you have some slick lawyers on both sides of the lake who make tremendous living off of getting these people out of jail. Well, we've proven in this parish that its a pretty difficult challenge for them, defense attorneys, that is - my personal opinion is that's the first people we should put on a rail and get out of here. You know there's a lot going on in the city that will affect St. Tammany Parish that my residents need to be aware of today. The destruction of all the housing projects, these people will not live on the street, the federal government's gonna find somewhere for them to live. I don't want to see temporary housing because of Katrina turn into long term housing for a bunch of thugs and trash that don't belong in St. Tammany Parish. So that's something we need to be aware of today. And all leaders need to be vigilant and observant. We don't want to wake up one day and find out New Orleans has been damn successful at running all the trash out of the city and it end up resting in St. Tammany. We don't need to put our head in the sand, I guess, is the best explanation I have. Am I frustrated? No question about it. I'm frustrated that the regional approach I said before the guard went into the city is not understood. We learned during Katrina when the state fails to come in and help, it makes our job a hell of a lot harder. We learned when the federal government doesn't come in, it makes our job more difficult. The governor now is saying to the federal government, give us our fair share of oil royalties. I'm telling the governor give us our fair share of sales taxes. Hire more state police, get in this parish and help this team get this parish safe."
Observations
1) When did dreads come to be described as a chee-wee hairstyle? For a history of the harstyle, start here and here. When did dreads become mutually exclusive of being a working, taxpaying citizen? When did dreads automatically give police the probable cause or reasonable suspicion to search or detain?
2) It is really interesting that Nagin's chocolate city comments received a maelstrom of disdain and disbelief. But this guy promises police harassment for a specific group of people; and, there isn't even a hint of outrage. In addition, he describes former residents of housing developments as “thugs and trash that don’t belong in St. Tammany Parish.” Are not these comments the equivalent of a vanilla city speech?
3) I also find it incredulous that attempts to fight crime in New Orleans is causing such resentment throughout the region. New Orleans' neighbors would rather New Orleans leave its problems unsolved and its recovery incomplete if the solutions to those problems inconveniences other parishes in any way. There isn't any certainty or proof that crime-fighting efforts in N.O. are affecting other parishes. [See the story here that surrounding parishes are using to support “criminal spillover” claims. Note: Officials seem hopeful but not sure the victims or perpetrators of the crime were from New Orleans. Originally, however, reporters said the victims weren't, which of course doesn't make their deaths any less tragic but does detract from the sheriff's using these people's deaths as a reason to sanction police harassment.] But as soon as the National Guard came to town, the neighbors started complaining. The many manifestations of selfishness are astounding. And a selfish politician is especially ugly, but not especially surprising. Surrounding parishes believe if New Orleans gets state or federal assistance then the entire region should get help regardless of need, I suppose.
4) The last time I checked, the trier of fact (judge or jury) determined guilt or innocence not the Parish Sheriff. Yet, this “sheriff” asserts that if the prosecutors prosecute then the judges are going to convict. That’s not in accordance to Louisiana’s Code of Criminal Procedure, the Louisiana Constitution or the US Constitution. These crime-fighting measures are legally baseless – in other words illegal. Harassing people based on their hairstyle and convicting people simply because they are being prosecuted is utterly ridiculous and embarassing; yet its reminiscent of an ass-backwards heritage in America’s not so distant past. Though noone wants to witness their community being overtaken by violence and the pressure on officials to protect citizens is great, the vigilante justice encouraged by this local “leader” seems like the real trash and thuggery.
posted by Taciana @ 9:40 AM
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