Mission: Deterrence and the Gretna Police that blocked the bridge

[DoYouEverWonder]

Mission: Deterrence

September 10, 2005

<snip>

With New Orleans instituting a mandatory evacuation Thursday, the Guard, across the river from the city, was worried about an influx of refugees and other, less welcome people.

"It's possible the bad guys, thugs and drug dealers may seek alternate living arrangements in our area," said Maj. Michael Papariello, the second-in-command of the Guard force. "They may come looking for weapons, vehicles, gas, cash or food."

So the third platoon of the 1st Battalion, 86th Field Artillery, was tasked with manning a checkpoint and patrols on Holmes Boulevard — near the first exit south of the Mississippi River across a major bridge.

"The bridge is Exit 10, our guys will be at Exit 9," Papariello said. "We don't know what to expect.

He added, "It's an expect-the-worst, hope-for-the-best kind of thing. … That's what we're here for: deterrence."


http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050910/NEWS/509100365/1004


Here's another one for the evidence pile. Read the whole article because it documents more disgusting behavior on the part of the Police. Can we file murder charges yet?

[ixion]

1. an influx of refugees????

:wtf:

These were other FREE CITIZENS who had not been charged with any crime. It is criminally negligent, and a clear Abuse of Power to call people trying to flee another US city refugees. I can't recall hearing that term used in the context of any other natural disaster.

Why is the term being allowed?

We now have multiple instances of:

a) Law Enforcement and the National Guard REFUSING TO ALLOW people to flee on a public road, and thus condemning many to death; and,

b) FEMA turning away aid, both foreign and domestic, and;

c) documented negligence on the part of the federal government, in the defunding of the levee maintenance projects.


So.... when are the charges of Abuse and Power and Criminal Negligence going to be sought?

[Skidmore]

16. To be loosely translated into " an influx of black folk".

Did you see that interview that Dan Abrams did last night with that Sheriff?

[ixion]

25. didn't see it, but I read about it...

as I said, the rationale, however worded, is a criminal abuse of power, and should not go unchecked.

Sheriff Bubba, in this case, very publicly confessed to murder via criminal negligence, IMO. He had no authority to deny American citizens the right to move about in their own country.

[jody]

2. Since the immediate threat of Katrina is gone, the article fails to

explain whether the police are acting to prevent crime or to prevent legitimate evacuees leaving NO from coming in to their city.

Haven't most legitimate evacuees already left NO?

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. No, there were 30,000 people stuck

at the Superdome and Convention Center with no water, food or electric. FEMA never showed up with the necessary assistance to keep these people even barely alive, so they had no choice but to try to go somewhere else.

The Cresent City Bridge was the only road that was open (I-10 had been destroyed, remember?) out of the city.

[jody]

6. Article dated 10 Sep and refers to Thursday night's mission, 8 Sep 05.

Were there 30,000 people stuck in the Superdome and Convention Center on 8 Sep 05?

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. I believe they were referring to Thurs Sept 1st

They did not begin to evacuate the Superdome in a serious way until after Sept 2nd. Plus they continued to bring more people to the Superdome throughout the week has people were rescued from roof tops and such, so the population grew a lot after the storm passed.

[jody]

12. Perhaps, but the article doesn't say that. The date is critical because

I don't believe guard troops from other states were widely deployed on 1 Sep 05.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. You are right and it does seem that this story is for this past week

so it probably does not relate directly to the original incidents that were reported on the bridge.

However it does seem to back up the reports from the prior week of bad behavior on the part of the Gretna Police since they were still blocking people from coming in and committing other acts of intimidation even a week later.

[annabanana]

3. on MSNBC yesterday

an unshaven reporter had two victims (white) of this refusal of access to Gretna on the air. They gave a very clear account of what happened on that bridge out of NO.

A couple of hours later he had the chief of police, or sheriff of Gretna saying he did it for their own safety, and he'd do it again. The reporter was so surprised that he had no regret for his actions that he didn't really challenge him.

[Ice4Clark]

5. Anyone have the VIDEO of this?

n/t

[Clark2008]

24. It was Dan Abrams.

If you want to look for it.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. We'll go make a run to see if we can stir some stuff up

Here's another piece of the story that shows the despicable attitude of some of the local police and how they treated people during this disaster.



By about 9 p.m., darkness had settled over the Guard's patrol areas and the third platoon was starting to settle into their checkpoints at the entrance to the Monterey Court neighborhood when a sheriff's cruiser and a pickup truck pulled up.

Two deputies were in the cruiser and another three or four were loaded into the truck.

The deputies asked the Guard how things were going. When the soldiers said it was boring, one deputy said "I guess we'll go make a run through there to see if we can stir some (stuff) up."

"They're going in in squad size. It looks like they're loading up," one Guardsman said as the deputies pulled forward about 50 yards to get ready to make their patrol.

The Guard prepared to spread out to catch anyone running from the deputies, but the next hour or so was quiet.

"They said they went back in there and kicked everybody's door in," said Sgt. Francis Estey of Arlington.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050910/NEWS/509100365/1004

[jody]

10. The article sounds like a legitimate use of Guard troops to augment

local law enforcement and comply with Governor Blanco's mandatory evacuation order.

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. No one is questioning the role of the NG here

but it does present an eyewitness account from people who were working in an 'official law enforcement capacity'. What these soldier saw and heard will hold up a lot better in court then some poor slob, who was blocked on the bridge, who happens to be black.

[jody]

15. Questioning? Then why did you post an article about the Guard helping

police?

I understand that the Gretna police probably prevented legitimate evacuees from passing through Gretna on or about 1 Sep but I don't see how that means the acts they committed on 8 Sep 05 are wrong.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. Maybe you didn't read the whole article?

The deputies asked the Guard how things were going. When the soldiers said it was boring, one deputy said "I guess we'll go make a run through there to see if we can stir some (stuff) up."

"They're going in in squad size. It looks like they're loading up," one Guardsman said as the deputies pulled forward about 50 yards to get ready to make their patrol.

The Guard prepared to spread out to catch anyone running from the deputies, but the next hour or so was quiet.

"They said they went back in there and kicked everybody's door in," said Sgt. Francis Estey of Arlington.

From the sounds of it the guard went down there to help people and were willing to do whatever was asked of them. It is the Gretna Police who misused them. These are eyewitness accounts from Guardsmen, that is why I posted this.

[jody]

18. No, I read the article and it describes how the Guard was assisting

local law enforcement. That's a legitimate use of Guard troops by Governor Blanco under LA law, "The governor of the state, by virtue of his office, shall be the commander in chief of the militia of the state. "

Note that governors from other states signed agreements with Blanco so that Guard troops from other states could augment law enforcement officers.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. No one is questioning the behavior of the Guard

It is the behavior of the Gretna Police that is in question.

What is your problem?

[jody]

20. I don't have a problem. You posted to an article "Mission: Deterrence"

that attempted to contrast the styles between the Vermont National Guard and local law enforcement.

I understand the Gretna police acted improperly on or about 1 Sep 05 but that doesn't mean those police are acting improperly today.

[DoYouEverWonder]

21. That was the title from the Rutland Herald article

Maybe you should bitch at them about it?

[jody]

22. No need to because it was your decision to post it. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

23. I post a lot in LBN

so old habits are hard to break, I suppose.

If you want to misinterpret my intent, then there isn't much I can do about it.

[bribri16]

8. Was it the Gretna police or NO police? n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Gretna is on the east side of the Mississippi River

I'm not sure if you are still in LA or MS over there but it definitely is outside of the jurisdiction of the New Orleans Police.