tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post1468137884150499722..comments2024-02-24T05:11:30.646-06:00Comments on The Director's Desk: Might not solve the problemTom Casadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-11513973155181982162012-09-12T15:43:27.914-05:002012-09-12T15:43:27.914-05:00"This would infuriate the rest of us..."..."This would infuriate the rest of us..."<br /><br />Speak for yourself; I never joined the "eat the rich" club.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-85384112348011087382012-09-12T14:43:12.078-05:002012-09-12T14:43:12.078-05:00A rate structure that discourages heavy water use ...A rate structure that discourages heavy water use is probably the most effective way of reducing water usage in a shortage. However, that solution favors those with lots of money, many of whom couldn't care less about their water bill and would continue to water lawns, fill pools, wash cars (and boats and motorhomes and driveways and airplanes and you get the idea). This would infuriate the rest of us who might barely be able to afford the little water we do use as a necessity. Perhaps some combination of rate structure and outright banning of some of the heavier and less necessary water usage (such as any outdoor watering during daylight hours or something of that nature) would be more fair. This could still necessitate some police actions, but probably far less than what we have now.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10369138557977907215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-35294486613948880182012-09-12T09:35:31.185-05:002012-09-12T09:35:31.185-05:0011:03,
If they have a scanner, they might hear wh...11:03,<br /><br />If they have a scanner, they might hear who you are, but then again, they might not. If you want contact with the disposition of the incident, make sure the dispatcher sends your name/number to the officer's MDT, rather than transmitting it over the radio.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-2384266301021053422012-09-12T05:18:21.265-05:002012-09-12T05:18:21.265-05:0011:03,
No, you don't and no, there isn't....11:03,<br /><br />No, you don't and no, there isn't.Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-77493712476273579192012-09-11T23:03:35.376-05:002012-09-11T23:03:35.376-05:00Do you have to give your name when you report your...Do you have to give your name when you report your neighbor? Is there anyway the "guilty" person can find out who called them in?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-31943715472724495442012-09-11T16:52:03.468-05:002012-09-11T16:52:03.468-05:00Steve,
In the scenario I proposed, someone would...Steve, <br /><br />In the scenario I proposed, someone would still have to go out and verify the violation, probably with a digital photo and a very short report. This wouldn't have to be a police officer, though, and you wouldn't have to roust the resident--or in the case of a business, make one or more return trips to find the appropriate person during business hours. You could actually use a part-time and temporary work force (like retirees?) to do the field observation part. <br /><br />There are other options, though. Instead of trying to control landscape irrigation by day, which has proven to be not nearly as easy as it might seem, maybe you could do something else entirely. As you mention, maybe you could monitor customer use and impose a penalty if it exceeds X% of normal daily use during a water emergency restriction. Maybe you could impose a special rate structure during a water emergency that keeps the tier one rate the same, increases the tier two rate slightly, and ramps the tier three rate way up, so that people who choose to ignore the recommended restrictions end up paying a much heftier price for the privilege--and are thus deterred. There are probably more options out there, but I really would like to explore whether we can get the police out of the water police business. Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-26518938539819214592012-09-11T16:38:27.909-05:002012-09-11T16:38:27.909-05:00I like your idea, Tom, but how does anyone know, w...I like your idea, Tom, but how does anyone know, without sending an officer to investigate, how any one person's water was being used. I'm supposed to water my lawn on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but I could fill my bathtub a hundred times on Wednesday without violating any laws. The water company might know how much water I'm using on any given day, but how do they know where or how it is being used? Now, if you're suggesting we simply limit the quantity of water used on any day, that's a different story.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10369138557977907215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-86998373091111878962012-09-11T09:46:03.887-05:002012-09-11T09:46:03.887-05:00Gun Nut,
Yes, that's correct. It is a provisi...Gun Nut,<br /><br />Yes, that's correct. It is a provision in the Nebraska Constitution. That's another reason a fee schedule for violators of an emergency water restriction might be a good idea. With a fee, you could recoup some of the expense of the enforcement; with a criminal citation and fine(whether its a misdemeanor or an infraction) you do not.Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-32267134210347001712012-09-11T09:34:37.657-05:002012-09-11T09:34:37.657-05:00Another thing: Don't fines levied by the court...Another thing: Don't fines levied by the courts go to the schools? <br />Gun NutAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-12383680891055281652012-09-11T09:06:12.260-05:002012-09-11T09:06:12.260-05:00"how about we get these emergency water restr..."how about we get these emergency water restriction violations out of the criminal justice system entirely?"<br /><br />That's a pretty good idea, as long as the fees went to the same place fines do - the county school system - instead of the city government. You have to have that financial disconnect between those that assess the fee and those that receive it, or you might get ridiculously aggressive enforcement (revenue-collecting being the true motive).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-73210909249911248912012-09-11T08:01:23.896-05:002012-09-11T08:01:23.896-05:00Okay, here's my suggestion: how about we get t...Okay, here's my suggestion: how about we get these emergency water restriction violations out of the criminal justice system entirely? We know who pays the water bill at every single property not following the restrictions, and we know how much water they use. Don't you think we could come up with an administrative penalty that would just arrive on your water bill? This is essentially how we now deal with excess false alarms, abandoning criminal citations in favor of a fee system, and it has had a huge impact.Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-1489186026217393042012-09-11T06:09:59.607-05:002012-09-11T06:09:59.607-05:006:45,
How about it? Eligible, but
Rob ably as ex...6:45,<br /><br />How about it? Eligible, but <br />Rob ably as expensive and more of a hassle than paying the fine. <br /><br />10:42,<br /><br />Yes, and yes. The only infractions of any note other than traffic violations are possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, open alcohol container in a motor vehicle, and minor operating a motor vehicle with >.02% alcohol w/v in blood. Virtually everything else--hundreds of ordinances-- is a misdemeanor. Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-46544847196032481782012-09-10T22:42:39.986-05:002012-09-10T22:42:39.986-05:00So, in Lincoln, possessing 27 grams of marijuana i...So, in Lincoln, possessing 27 grams of marijuana is a less serious crime than watering your yard on a Monday.??? Doesn't make much sense. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-14445317238893697962012-09-10T18:45:19.658-05:002012-09-10T18:45:19.658-05:00How about Diversion?How about Diversion?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-77980649093252012972012-09-10T11:56:41.105-05:002012-09-10T11:56:41.105-05:00Something else to consider, which I was just remin...Something else to consider, which I was just reminded of by our City Attorney, Rod Confer, is Nebraska Revised Statute <a href="http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=29-2264" rel="nofollow">29-2264</a> (sub 2). This statute provides a process by which someone convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced to a fine only can petition the court to have a conviction set aside. There is nothing similar for an infraction. For someone who is concerned about a conviction appearing on his or her record for a emergency water restriction violation, this would remove the record entirely. If the violation is changed to an infraction, you would not have the same opportunity. Just something to think about.Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-12435206360185572082012-09-09T11:03:50.805-05:002012-09-09T11:03:50.805-05:002:29
If I may take the liberty of speaking for th...2:29<br /><br />If I may take the liberty of speaking for the regulars here, we'd prefer the LJS trolls stay on the LJS website.<br /><br />Legitimate points of view are welcomed without the need for name calling here.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10369138557977907215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-82804432025054413152012-09-07T14:29:12.979-05:002012-09-07T14:29:12.979-05:00"How about people just follow the guidelines ..."How about people just follow the guidelines that were implemented and suffer the consequences of their actions. It is a pretty simple solution. "<br /><br />Yeah, how dare people not just do a meek sheep imitation. I suppose you'd have opposed the repeal of the fugitive slave act, since that was a guideline that had been implemented. Just turn them in or suffer the consequences of their actions, right? Fascists just love folks like you. Baa baa baa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-46765570328736755502012-09-07T13:57:54.394-05:002012-09-07T13:57:54.394-05:00How about people just follow the guidelines that w...How about people just follow the guidelines that were implemented and suffer the consequences of their actions. It is a pretty simple solution. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-16109699498670790012012-09-07T13:33:47.156-05:002012-09-07T13:33:47.156-05:00By the way, I suddenly discovered that I covered t...By the way, I suddenly discovered that I covered <a href="http://lpd304.blogspot.com/2010/04/criminal-history.html" rel="nofollow">the topic of criminal history information </a>a couple years ago in an even more tediously-detailed post.Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-47239591029164491872012-09-07T13:26:39.529-05:002012-09-07T13:26:39.529-05:001:02,
I hereby bestow upon you the "comment ...1:02,<br /><br />I hereby bestow upon you the "comment of the week" award, and all the privileges, courtesies, and honors customarily accorded thereto.<br /><br />JoelRT,<br /><br />Quite true, and you are right: nobody seems to understand this. Unless a background investigation also discovers local records held by local criminal justice agencies, a misdemeanor arrest for which the defendant is not fingerprinted will not show up in a search of a State or Federal criminal record repository. These repositories are fingerprint-based. In Nebraska, at least, the great majority of people arrested for a misdemeanor are released with a citation and a court date, and never fingerprinted.Tom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-10186776352940998142012-09-07T13:26:17.791-05:002012-09-07T13:26:17.791-05:00If the teacher's union, specifically the NEA, ...If the teacher's union, specifically the NEA, takes the position that this should become an infraction, rather than a misdemeanor (due to misdemeanors - but not infractions - having to be reported to the district), the city administration will trip all over themselves, rushing to placate them. All they'd need to do is hint that they might endorse any challenger in the May local election.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-87119165045892049152012-09-07T13:02:49.494-05:002012-09-07T13:02:49.494-05:00"...this will appear on your public criminal ...<i>"...this will appear on your public criminal history record when someone forks over a sawbuck to buy it from LPD."</i><br /><br />Is forking over a sawbuck a misdemeanor or a felony?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-51104771755133615362012-09-07T12:52:14.064-05:002012-09-07T12:52:14.064-05:00Medical personnel also have their licenses reviewe...Medical personnel also have their licenses reviewed on a annual basis and criminal records do affect that process. I know the boards that approve the licenses will most likely not discipline someone for this misdemeanor but it may delay their process and potentially delay them being able to work as we are unable to work if our license is not current.JoelRTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-77511689921585960152012-09-07T10:39:00.250-05:002012-09-07T10:39:00.250-05:00Also most people don't know that if you are no...Also most people don't know that if you are not fingerprinted for a crime it does not go into your "official" fingerprint based criminal history for state and federal criminal history checks. Not sure what all the fuss is about. <br />Don't commit the crime if you can't do the time!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225570644228196036.post-11156418897233907552012-09-07T10:19:04.671-05:002012-09-07T10:19:04.671-05:00Steve,
These are the criteria I use as both an e...Steve, <br /><br />These are the criteria I use as both an employer and one advising other employers, when considering the weight of misdemeanor and infraction offenses:<br /><br />Recency<br />Frequency<br />SeverityTom Casadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03188041481309059441noreply@blogger.com