Dec 3rd update: Some comments now on the article above. Many people seem to be comfortable with commenting on the newspaper’s facebook feed. The important story above has not appeared there.
Whidbey Island’s source for local news, sports, business and community information online and in print stopped using their Twitter feed on 19 Jan 2016.
Is anything like a Public Records Request needed to learn more about how your favorite team is doing this season?
Ever see a pro football coach or quarterback refer reporters to his press secretary for answers? Presidents do so on a daily basis. Professionals are hired to provide only the desired version of answers to questions.
Ever see a pro football coach or quarterback refer reporters to a public information officer for answers to questions?
Maybe there would be less in the way of conspiracy theories related to government, if there was an attitude change about keeping people properly informed.
“Police said they found a large amount of drugs and two rifles inside the vehicle.”
Sorry- no time for newspeople to ask what sort of drugs were involved here.
Why does it matter?
The Drug War is based on public policy.
What methods are working? What methods are failing?
Some “drugs” are domestic, such as marijuana and maybe meth.
Some drugs, like heroin or cocaine must get past strict post 911/War on Terror security protocols, a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, and verification of passports/enhanced & Real IDs before they arrive in local communities.
Welcome Home Troops
Accurate reporting allows people to learn how to prevent future incidents.
Anytime there is a plane crash- a thorough investigation takes place. Lessons learned are used to prevent future accidents.
Was the aircraft fueled with opioids before it crashed? Was it running on heroin?
“Funding for the boat was issued through the Homeland Security Grant Program under Operation Stonegarden.”
If public meetings were held on Whidbey Island & people were asked to state their top law enforcement priorities- would a Homeland Security-funded patrol boat show up anywhere on the list?
If the Sheriff was interviewed & asked for his wish list- is there any possibility that it would include a Homeland Security-funded patrol boat?
Took a quick look on the web to see if there is a post 911 history of maritime “cross-border activity” on Whidbey & could not find anything. If anyone has info, please post in comments.
Recommendation-
Let the Sheriff & the people he serves set funding priorities for the Island County Sheriff’s Department.
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been able to intercept any inbound heroin?
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been involved in any arrest or seizure related in any way to the US/Canada border?
Recovery, rehab, treatment, & addiction are important parts of this story.
What part of the story is missing?
Has anyone ever seen the press question the US Dept. of Homeland Security/CBP on their role in keeping heroin away from the Puget Sound area?
If the State Patrol was awarded many additional millions of dollars each year to go after drunk drivers- & the problem got worse- would newspeople ask questions?
Would any investigation take place?
Any word on how heroin continues to move past strict post 911/War on Terror security protocols, a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security, and verification of passports/enhanced & Real IDs- then, on into local communities?
Newspeople remain silent.
Welcome Home Troops
2014-
Island county to purchase new patrol boat to help with Puget Sound security:
“Funding for the boat was issued through the Homeland Security Grant Program under Operation Stonegarden.”
If public meetings were held on Whidbey Island & people were asked to state their top law enforcement priorities- would a Homeland Security-funded patrol boat show up anywhere on the list?
If the Sheriff was interviewed & asked for his wish list- is there any possibility that it would include a Homeland Security-funded patrol boat?
Took a quick look on the web to see if there is a post 911 history of maritime “cross-border activity” on Whidbey & could not find anything. If anyone has info, please post in comments.
Recommendation-
Let the Sheriff & the people he serves set funding priorities for the Island County Sheriff’s Department.
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been able to intercept any inbound heroin?
Has the Island County Homeland Security-funded patrol boat been involved in any arrest or seizure related in any way to the US/Canada border?
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
Left the above comment here and here. Both comments have been deleted- though they contained no hate speech, insults, threats, foul language, attacks on other commenters, etc.
A new, $11.9 million, 50 agent facility, secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin in the community & a Border Patrol whistleblower investigation Re: fraudulent overtime that resulted in further suppression of information- keep the focus on asking questions in these areas.
No cross-border USBP arrest has happened here in more than 6 years.
Newspeople play the role of federal public affairs personnel during Operation Macho Swagger– a ride-along to let us know what is being done to keep the southern edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca safe from B.C. incursions:
What role do 1,200-horsepower Border Patrol Interceptor boats play in keeping heroin away from Port Angeles?
Why are we told that Port Angeles Border Patrol arrest statistics must be kept secret? This is not standard protocol for American LE agencies.
Secret arrest statistics and denied FOIA requests do not enhance agency credibility.
Newspeople,
Please do a story describing the working relationship you have with the Washington State Patrol, local sheriffs departments and city police departments. Any denied FOIA requests generated by these agencies? Please compare to the Border Patrol at Port Angeles.
Alternative/independent media- out asking questions:
Popular culture is constantly thanking The Troops for defending American rights and freedoms. The video above is another of many examples where freedoms may come & go- completely unrelated to military operations in distant lands.
Will the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society-
Is it because newspeople set the tone by not asking questions? Too often- what we see are the posting of press releases from whatever agencies are involved in local events and incidents.
If you run a government operation- these are the reporters you want to see on interview day:
Several times over the past month I have had comments deleted from news sites.
My comments/questions contained no hate speech, foul language, threats of violence, insults towards others, etc.
Why did MyNorthwest.com remove their article titled: Heroin epidemic at root of Seattle’s homeless crisis? Evidence of the original article can be seen here and here.
A quote from that article:
“Another element is a flood of high-potency heroin pouring in from Mexican cartels.”
Imagine a good discussion about public schools, a political race, foreign policy, equal rights, liberty, the economy, freedom of expression, etc. If 10 people don’t like a comment- it’s gone.
Things could get pretty one-sided in comments Re: gun control, flying a rebel flag, or serving gay customers over at the bakery.
No problem at all with the thumbs down button- but as a tool to eliminate comments? No thanks.
No hate speech, threats, foul language, attacking other commenters- these are rules that make sense.
In 2008, the US Border Patrol came to Jefferson County, WA and set up suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry.
At a local Border Patrol forum a lady asked:
“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”
US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.
Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.
Question about providing ID is at 0:35
Olympic Peninsula immigration checkpoint-
At a checkpoint- the US Border Patrol stopped a legal medical marijuana user with a legal amount of medical marijuana. He was a passenger in a car:
Secret arrest statistics, denied FOIA requests, heroin in the community & a Border Patrol whistleblower investigation that resulted in further suppression of information- keep the focus on asking questions in these areas.
In many cases- newspapers seem to post a press release from whatever agency was in involved in various operations. Stories related to The Drug War and Super Bowl security are a great example of this.
Paywalls mean less people will read, share and discuss news articles.
Our free and independent press recently informed us on Olympic Peninsula US Border Patrol operations.
The article reads like paid advertising or something produced by US Border Patrol public relations.
Most of the photos used in the article were provided by the federal government.
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society-
The people of Erie, PA did not have to submit a FOIA request to find out what justified the expansion of their local Border Patrol station-
No public information/security conflict at the U.S. Border Patrol station (not sector) in Erie, PA.
Erie Station- similar to Port Angeles in that it is separated from Canada by water.
Note: reports of the expansion at Erie include numbers of arrests out of that station:
“The Border Patrol operations in Erie, nearly six years old, include more than 30 agents who apprehended 588 illegal immigrants in fiscal year 2008-09.”
“The Border Patrol’s apprehensions in the Erie area have grown steadily, from 332 in fiscal 2006-2007 to 588 in 2008-09 to 305 so far in 2009-10.
Of those apprehended so far this fiscal year, 136 were individuals found by other law enforcement agencies and turned over to the Border Patrol.”
As always- the big law enforcement success story comes with zero reporting or questions from newspeople about why the proud War on Terror is unable to keep heroin out of the US.
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for your service
Port Angeles Border Patrol secret arrest policy instantly lifted when a local drug bust goes down.
Best case scenario- elected officials, public agencies, & a free and independent press work together to keep people informed.
This concept has completely broken down Re: the US Border Patrol at Port Angeles.
The Port Angeles Border Patrol Story-
The US Border Patrol at Port Angeles has stopped 2 people from illegally crossing into the US. That incident took place more than 2 years ago.
May 31st, 2010-
Two amphibious Canadian marijuana smugglers are captured on a remote Olympic Peninsula beach by the US Border Patrol.
Still no justification provided by elected officials or the US Border Patrol for an upgrade in staff requiring a new $11.9 million, 50 agent facility at Port Angeles- an area sharing no land border with Canada.
Energy is high- Questioning the Border Patrol in 2008-
Energy is low- Questioning the Border Patrol in 2012-
Our free and independent press recently informed us on Olympic Peninsula US Border Patrol operations.
The article reads like paid advertising or something produced by US Border Patrol public relations.
Most of the photos used in the article were provided by the federal government.
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society-
“The whistleblower, Christian Sanchez, was stationed at a Port Angeles, Washington office staffed by over 40 employees – an office where there was insufficient work for the prior crew of four.”
Imagine a school district wanting to expand staff and facilities and, at the same time- suppressing public information Re: the number of students enrolled, teachers on staff and number of students graduated in the past 36 months.
Look for reports that provide USBP arrest statistics for sectors- not stations. This reporting format makes it difficult for the public to understand what is going on at the Port Angeles US Border Patrol station.
Don’t look for local journalists to question this manipulation of public information.
The people of Erie, PA did not have to submit a FOIA request to find out what justified the expansion of their local Border Patrol station-
No public information/security conflict at the U.S. Border Patrol station (not sector) in Erie, PA.
Erie Station- similar to Port Angeles in that it is separated from Canada by water.
Note: reports of the expansion at Erie include numbers of arrests out of that station:
“The Border Patrol operations in Erie, nearly six years old, include more than 30 agents who apprehended 588 illegal immigrants in fiscal year 2008-09.”
“The Border Patrol’s apprehensions in the Erie area have grown steadily, from 332 in fiscal 2006-2007 to 588 in 2008-09 to 305 so far in 2009-10.
Of those apprehended so far this fiscal year, 136 were individuals found by other law enforcement agencies and turned over to the Border Patrol.”
Those agencies are assisted by people with the advantage of a press credential who do not ask questions.
Still no justification provided by elected officials or the US Border Patrol for an upgrade in staff requiring a new $11.9 million, 50 agent facility at Port Angeles- an area sharing no land border with Canada.
Ask yourself- why doesn’t the local car dealership have 42 sales people on staff?
Why doesn’t the local real estate office expand to a 50 agent facility?
Imagine a school district wanting to expand staff and facilities and, at the same time- suppressing public information Re: the number of students enrolled, teachers on staff and number of students graduated in the past 36 months.
“The whistleblower, Christian Sanchez, was stationed at a Port Angeles, Washington office staffed by over 40 employees – an office where there was insufficient work for the prior crew of four.”
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal war on drugs, drug czar, prohibition of marijuana, etc.
Rather than repeating the phrase “Thanks for your service“- how about spending some time reaching for an honest understanding of US foreign policy.
Today- most Americans can repeat the “Thanks for your service” slogan and move on without having to involve themselves or family members in decades of undeclared wars in distant lands. This is just the way politicians want it.
If there is any quiet sense of guilt among politicians or people who never did time in uniform about all that- it can be cleared up by thanking The Troops for protecting American rights and freedoms, supporting The Troops, giving them discounts, being cool with them wearing field uniforms in public, not questioning wars that aren’t won, etc.
Both parties benefit from rules that keep third parties away from the debate stage. No distractions from candidates that are ready to question the system.
In the news: CACI keeps $60M Army National Guard media support contract
