Thursday, September 10, 2009

Consequences just right

Capt. Jim Thoms sent me case number A9-089844 yesterday afternoon to look over. Three 9 year old boys used a marker to tag the boys room at an elementary school with grafitti--the initials of their gang. No one has heard of the "gang" before--something they apparently made up. Capt. Thoms knew I'd like reading this report, because the consequences for this little act of vandalism were eminently appropriate. Officer Cass Briggs Incident Report states that the boys are suspended for two days, and on the third day they will be required to work with the custodian to clean the school.

Common sense, folks, has not entirely disappeared.

16 comments:

Dave said...

Chief, call me as curious as a cat can be, but I keep seeing the name Briggs popping up in news reports. Is this Briggs related to Jon Briggs, who used to be an Lt (and maybe Capt) with LPD, and now owner of the best hot dog stand in Lincoln?

I find it interesting that kids of cops continue to show up on the force. Back in the days when LPD still hoofed it on a downtown beat, there were some pretty decent cops back then, cops that as a young teen, I looked up too.

So it is always interesting when I see a name such as Briggs' and wonder if there is a connection there or just a coincidence.

Times have changed, attitudes have changed, even policing has changed, but I'll never forget those old time cops from years ago, and the impressions they left on me.

Anonymous said...

What does the home life situation look like for these three kids, as far as family goes? Do any or all live in circumstances that put them at greater-then-average risk for actual gang membership in the future?

Tom Casady said...

Dave-

She's Jon's oldest daughter, and a 14 year veteran.

Anonymous said...

What's the name of this hot dog stand? I haven't seen Lt. Briggs since the late 80s, when we used to chat about what was going on around the Gateway Mall from time to time. He was one cool guy, with a very dry sense of humor.

Anonymous said...

The punishment fits the crime!

ARRRRG!!!! said...

They are really nice kids if you get to know them.

Trevor said...

School suspension only matters if these kids want to stay in school. I think this is a reward for their behavior. It would have been for me at that tender age.

Steve said...

I don't know the guy's name, but I'm betting the hot dog stand is the Dog House at 40th and A (in with the gas station on the northwest corner). I'm pretty sure the guy told me he was a retired LEO of some kind. I think some of the others working there are, too. Great 1/2 pound dogs! I think they also have a mobile unit downtown during the lunch hour.

Dave said...

Steve is right, its the hot dog stand on the NE corner of 40th and A street.

During the summer months, they will also be downtown with a dog cart, generally on the corner of 18th and O street.

Steve said...

I meant to add, what's wrong with the kids spending all three days helping the janitor clean up the school?

C Briggs said...

Anonymous 7:47 am,

Two of the boys live with grandparents, and the third with his mother, all three were described by school adminsitrators as good students who had not had any issues in the past with behavior. All the boys were very appropriate, showed remorse for the vandalism and spoke with respect to myself and the adminsitrator. (Which is less common then you would want to know.) I know that all of them will have a new appreciation for the custodians in the building and the work they created after Friday's shadowing experience. I don't have any concerns that they are at any higher risk of future gang membership.

Anonymus 8:45 am,

Steve is correct, my fathers "Doghouse" is on the northeast corner of 40th and A Street in the same building with Ernie's Sinclair gas station.

Anonymous said...

Not a plug, but the last time I got fuel at Ernie's Sinclair I got full service. For you younguns, that means Ernie pumped the fuel for me.

(I say fuel because I got the gas from the 1/2 pound chili dog at The Doghouse!)

I recommend both.

Anonymous said...

Yes please make them clean more than one day and I must try 40th and A sometime.

Anonymous said...

Seems that the kids were just looking for a way to express themselves. Maybe add and art class to the punishment to continue to push them in the "right" direction.

Anonymous said...

These "wanna be gang-bangers" didn't happen to be the "Pollen" taggers did it? Drawing their pretty flowers and writing the word Pollen everywhere.

They got a couple of our restaurants restrooms a couple weeks ago. Made quite a mess with their paint markers or super fat sharpies.

Tom Casady said...

Sept 16 8:51 -

You must work at Runza. The other case I'm aware of was at a Wendy's, where the employees could pretty much pinpoint the time to a short window, during which only one person went into the men's room to their knowledge. He was described as a w/m in his twenties, heavier set with big sideburns and facial hair,wearing a hat and Tye dye shirt.