I work with a lot of talented, serious, funny, jaded, committed, empathetic, cynical, optimistic, uplifting people who constantly surprise and amaze me. A couple of weeks ago, I sought a volunteer to coordinate our participation in the City employees’ food bank drive. Capt. Jon Sundermeier, a man of many talents, stepped forward. We all got a Thursday email from him that just tickled me. Thanks for the smile, Jon.
LPD employees--
When you think about it, "non-dairy" and "creamer" are two words that should not be used together. Kind of like "turkey bacon"--what the heck is going on at THAT farm? Food is a funny thing. Take donut holes, for example. Genuine donut holes are, in fact, air. But try selling that in Nebraska. You ever notice how you go into a restaurant and order a Coke or a Pepsi and they always have the other one?
But seriously, food is an important part of a balanced diet. When I was growing up, it was important to eat something daily from each of the four basic food groups. I remember arguing about how jelly was actually in the fruits and vegetables group, so a jelly donut was in fact half of my nutritional requirements for the day. Jelly donuts and then spam and potatoes. That was a good day.
It's funny how if you put some food out in the line-up room, or on the records counter, we will eat it even though we have no idea how it got there. Take the same box of donuts and set it just outside the door and we'll call the fire department. They'll blow it up with a high pressure hose. And then we'll eat it.
The barrels are starting to fill up--thanks everybody. If it keeps slipping your mind, that's okay. We have a few weeks. Remember when you go grocery shopping to look for a few bargains to donate.
Tomorrow is the picnic on the veranda--last day to buy a ticket for only $5. The menu again--sloppy joes, pasta salad, beans, beverage, and cookies. Thanks to our own Cindy Koenig-Warnke for whipping up a big batch of homemade cookies. (Five different kinds of chips--for a complete list, see Cindy)
Captain Sundermeier
16 comments:
In a past food drive at the State of NE, we had a friendly "department competition" - winner got donuts. All done outside of work hours - our department sold tickets, for a whipped cream pie. The recipients of said pies were management from that Dept. We were a smaller state agency but if memory serves, we managed to generate nearly 1/4 of the donations from the State employees. It was a huge success and Chief, I highly recommend being a part of such a great cause, whether it be that, or some other method like "walking the plank". I bet someone lurking probably has one of those too!
Maybe they get turkey bacon the same place they get boneless ribs. That's my fave, and I've been known to ask the meat man about those. Drives 'em nuts!!
What, nobody's going to mention jumbo shrimp? I wonder when some entrepreneur will come up with the idea of low-fat lard? They could sell it by the half-pound and claim it has half the fat of a one pound package!
I'll throw in something from the top of my food pyramid.
Maybe a bag of chips in a nice box.
Chief,
I've been a semi-regular on here long enough that I hope we can agree that I'm mostly a fair person. With that in mind, some LPD decisions make me wonder just what the heck you guys were/are doing/thinking.
Take the last paragraph from this story, which reads:
"Police say that when they arrived they found Hansen with a concealed loaded revolver on him, and he didn't tell them he had it on him and didn't have his permit to carry a concealed weapon on him at the time."
One thing struck me as odd, that being the fact that the police revealed the man had a concealed carry permit. This would seem to be a violation of Nebraska Revised Statute 69-2444. Is there a reason this information was divulged?
Grundle King-
I'm not responsible for the poor use of the English language in that paragraph.
The police are restrained from revealing the identity of persons who hold concealed handgun permits, but another series of laws makes court records and records of arrest public. Since the guy was arrested (among other things) for violating the concealed handgun permit act, the probable cause for that arrest is described in the probable cause affidavit filed with the court (asn requried by law) and that affidavit is a public record document.
The law requires holders of concealed handgun permits who are packing their pistol to reveal these facts to officers when they are contacted.
So you think the police are in the wrong for arresting this guy for all the offenses he has allegedly committed, and for filing the probable cause affidavit required by our laws--the affidabit which any citizen or reporter is entitled to read? Come on. Get real.
Bizarre? Yes. The concealed handgun permit law and the rest of American jurisprudence are obviously in a conflict. It's a court record, for goodness sake. Few things are more fundemental to our system of justice then the openness of court records. Good grief.
GK,
If he was on his private property, it wouldn't seem that he'd need to volunteer to police that he was carrying a concealed weapon (except to answer them truthfully if asked whether he was armed or not), and anyone legally able to possess a handgun doesn't need a permit to carry one concealed on their own property, as far as I know. You can mill around your own home or business 24/7 with a concealed handgun, never mind a permit. The article makes it sound like he was at home.
Now then, if he wasn't on his own private property, that's entirely different, and he'd have to tell the police at first opportunity that he was armed, and would also be required to have his CHP on him (and be stone cold sober).
Chief,
"So you think the police are in the wrong for arresting this guy for all the offenses he has allegedly committed, and for filing the probable cause affidavit required by our laws--the affidavit which any citizen or reporter is entitled to read?"
I didn't see where GK said that arresting him was wrong, just that he was asking why that permit info was divulged.
You can learn a lot about a culture from its traditions (or lack thereof) regarding food. I guess we would rather not sometimes know where our food really comes from and how it got on our plate. It's good to see that things aren't always so stressful at the white cement hulk that is the Lincoln and Lancaster County/City building.
Chief:
I find nothing wrong with the department identifying this man as a Concealed Handgun Permit holder since he was charged for violating the provisions of that act and, as you say, it was a matter of public record at that point anyway. However, I wonder about the disposition of the case. If he plea bargained down, as did our back yard bucket shooter from a while back, and was never found in violation of the Concealed Handgun Act, his identity was still compromised (not that I feel sympathy for him if he indeed did what he was accused of doing).
Another question comes to mind that I haven't found an answer for yet. If he had the handgun under the seat cushion of his couch (which he may have been sitting on), for example, could/would he still be charged for carrying a concealed weapon? What if it were in his bedroom night stand? My point is where do you draw the line when the person is in their own home? Could I be in violation if I'm sitting at my computer in the basement (in my skivvies), and I have handguns in the closed gun cabinet right behind me (assuming I don't have my permit in my skivvies)?
By the way, did you also find the Glock? As far as I know, they don't make revolvers.
What if the couch the concealed handgun is in is on the porch. Would he be charged with a couch on a porch AND a concealed handgun?
Chief, you're putting words in my mouth. Clearly this guy is nuts and needed to be arrested, and I'm glad he was. My question was solely related to the concealed weapon permit...and I appreciate your explanation of the matter.
I had the same thoughts as Anon 7:03 and Steve.
After looking at Nebraska Revised Statute 28-1202, it basically says it is unlawful to "carry" a concealed weapon. It doesn't appear to give any exception to a person carrying a concealed weapon in their own home. Therefore, I can see where his concealed weapon permit came into play, as it appears you need a concealed weapon permit to carry a concealed weapon in your own home (seems ridiculous to me). Failure to abide by the conditions of the concealed weapons permit would appear to be a violation of the CHP Act. If I'm wrong about needing a CHP permit to carry in your own home/business, please correct me.
I just don't understand the reaction to my simple question. I sense a little contempt, or at least annoyance with the "Come on. Get real" and "Good grief."
GK-
My apologies for shooting from the lip. He wasn't in his house, by the way. He had followed his wife outside after she ran out the back door. The arrest was made in the back yard, and the revolver was located in his Tribesman motorcycle club vest on his person.
Here's what frustrated me: I did not perceive your original comment as a "simple question", at all. I thought it was crystal clear that you were criticizing us for providing the information that he was the holder of a concealed carry permit ("...some LPD decisions make me wonder what the heck you guys were/are doing/thinking") Violating the concealed handgun permit act was one of the offenses he was arrested for, though. The probable cause for the arrest must be described in the arrest affidavit, which is a court record, a public record, and the kind of record reporters commonly examine at the court house. The same thing is true of the police incident report, and the arrest record.
These documents do indeed identify the person arrested, the crime for which he was arrested, the factual basis for that arrest, and therefore identify the holder of a concealed carry permit. That, I would assert, is a completely illogical result. Just what the heck would you want us to do?
Why on earth, by the way, would anyone want to conceal from the public the fact that a person was arrested for violating the concealed handgun permit act?
I was under the impression that your yard was your domain for the purposes of CCW. For instance, granny working in her garden with her pocket pistol concealed. Another instance would be a liquor store owner/employee who carries concealed in the building, and takes the trash outside to the dumpster, then goes back inside. I'm not sure case law is very decided on that point, but it's a young law.
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of major felony charges there that hopefully will stick like glue, but those alleged CCW law violations will probably be dismissed (unless he was in the alley, because that's not his property). A farmer out in the field working. The rural landowner checking the fenceline.
Chief,
There seems to be alot of hostility from you in your response to Grundle King! I don't think he was out of line in anything he said. He has a right to question as you and your staff are "our" employees. I'm probably just like everybody else on here in thinking that LPD does a tremendous job, but I don't agree with everything you do. Your contempt for anything relating to the Conceal Carry law has me puzzled to this day. Overall I would still say your doing a good job though.
10:05-
Contempt? Don't think I'm the one who brought it up, or that there is anything contemptuous about it. Never said he was out of line, I just defended what we did. If our actions can't stand up to public inspection and critique, something is wrong. I got a little wound up, and I've tendered my apology in an earlier comment.
People occasionally do stupid stuff with guns, including cops, soldiers, and even holders of concealed carry permits. What's the purpose in concealing the truth?
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