CMPD Chief Monroe's Taser Shocker

On Monday CMPD Chief Monroe will ask Charlotte City Council Members to approve a $2,529,350.06 deal with Taser International to supply all 1600 CMPD Officers with the new and improved Taser X2.


New Taser X2

The major reason to upgrade to the new Taser X2 is that the device automatically limits the shock to no more than 5 seconds. The department has known for sometime that a frequent cause of death via the Taser X26 was "over shocking", something that the new X2 prevents.

Taser Training is pretty simple, if you repeatedly zap a suspect holding down the trigger there is a real chance you will kill them which will cost the city about 10 million dollars.

Taser International will give CMPD a $700,000.00 credit for current X26 equipment, $400,000.00 will come from the asset forfeiture account and $1,429,350.06 from the City's General Fund.

CMPD fully deployed the Taser X26 in 2003 on a shared use basis. In 2006 the city purchased enough additional Tasers at a cost of $799.00 each, so that each officer had his own Taser. The new Tasers will cost the department $1,580.00 each.

On July 20th Chief Monroe recalled all CMPD Tasers after the death of La'Reko Williams. On August 30th Chief Monroe issued a statement saying that he was not returning the current Tasers to CMPD officers because he was ordering an additional study to be conducted by the Washington DC based Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

See Don't Tase Me Bro! How Chief Monroe is Shocking Taxpayers

The independent PERF review is still ongoing, but now, before the review is complete Monroe wants to purchase the new Tasers. Which is what CMPD staff suggested last month.

Cedar's Take: Its time for Charlotte City Council to ask some questions and not just "bend over" for Chief Monroe. You'll notice on the agenda for Monday's meeting Chief Monroe will give his presentation during the dinner meeting and not as part of the public meeting.

CMPD has known for more than a year that they should upgrade to the new Taser X2 which became available earlier this year. In fact Taser International has been meeting with CMPD since 2010 regarding the upgrade.

Easy questions that Council should ask: Why haven't the old Tasers been returned to CMPD Officers? Why the additional cost of the PERF study when the team of CMPD officers already recommended upgrading the equipment? Since the X2 is a new product, shouldn't CMPD wait for some feedback from the field? Why not wait for completion of the PREF Study? Why wasn't this upgrade included in the CMPD 2012 budget? Why have CMPD officers been without Tasers for more than two months? Finally what do CMPD officers want? Did the boots on the street have any say?

There is no excuse for CMPD Officers not having Tasers, and there is no excuse for CMPD Officers not having the best equipment available. So why all the mismanagement?

Cedar Post's Update: Looks like Rodney Monroe has already signed the deal with Taser International prior to the Charlotte City Council vote Monday night. Emails to Cedar Posts note that CMPD's old Tasers where shipped out last month. Further that the delay late last month in returning the Tasers to CMPD Officers was just a stall tactic since there where no Tasers to return to the Officers.

Then there's Taser International's Dog and Pony show Monday morning. Which is spelled out in
CMPD and Taser International's Monday Roll Out Meeting Memo.

CMPD's Central Division Commander: Uptown Speed Street Melee Was "Not A Near Riot"

According to the "Local Paper" a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police official said Tuesday that fighting and shootings that left one person dead and led to 70 arrests early Sunday in Charlotte's uptown were not a case of "near-rioting."

Capt. Jeff Estes, commander of CMPD's Central Division, which oversees the uptown area, said the early-morning trouble was a "serious matter," but he said it was not a situation in which large groups of people were "out of control in the streets."

"We never lost control of the streets, and we never lost control of the crowds," Estes said. "It was not a 'near-riot,' as it's being described in some cases."

Estes acknowledged the number of arrests -- about 70 -- was larger than normal for a weekend night in uptown. But he said it was an effort by police to curb troubles before they worsened.

Estes also said the shooting that left one man dead and another injured are a high-priority matter for police investigators.

"If there were 20,000 or 30,000 people in the uptown area Saturday night, and we're talking about 70 arrests, that's a fraction of the people who were in the area," Estes said.

He added, "This was not a minor event. There were problems, and we had to deal with it."

Estes said he knew of no confrontations between the troublemakers and two other groups in the uptown area -- those spending the evening at the clubs and restaurants in Center City, and the people visiting Food Lion Speed Street, the NASCAR-related concerts and displays in uptown.

"Speed Street ended a few hours before the trouble began," he said.

You can read the rest of the "Local Paper's" updated story here.

Cedar's Take: I suspect it depends on your perspective, compared to the riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago or maybe New Orleans during Mardi Gras, it wasn't a true riot or "near riot".

But this is Charlotte, North Carolina, I've lived here all my life and we don't have street fights here without calling them riots.

We don't have groups of people roaming the streets "flashing gang signs" blocking intersections and shooting at one another without calling it a riot.

We don't have people refusing to disperse and go home, mouthing off to police officers or call in the Civil Emergency Unit (Riot Police) in full riot gear without out calling it a riot.

For CMPD's Captain Estes to say that he knows of no confrontations between the thugs and two other groups in the uptown area, those spending the evening at the clubs and restaurants in Center City, and the people visiting Food Lion Speed Street, is just plain nutty.

In an effort to "spin" the story and downplay the violence, Estes has diminished the value of law abiding citizens and validated those who think there is nothing wrong with wanting to roam the streets, beat up and intimidate people, flash gang signs and shoot at each other.

The definition of Riot: A public disturbance involving an assemblage of three or more persons who by disorderly and violent conduct or the imminent threat of disorderly and violent conduct results in injury or damage to persons or property or creates a clear and present danger of injury or damage to persons or property.

Source: CMPD Interactive Directives Guide 900-015 Page Section 111 Paragraph I.

Friday Odds and Ends

Andy Dulin in Developer's Pockets? - You Betcha!



Early this week Andy Dulin (@ADulin) hit twitter with a couple of messages saying that the "Local Paper's" story on the Quail Corners Shopping Center re-zoning request portrayed him unfairly.

At issue is the rezoning that would allow a fast-food restaurant at Quail Corners shopping center on Park Road. Crosland says that without the fast-food re-zoning they can't give the Quail Corners a much needed face lift. Neighbors say no way and that a decades old agreement promised no fast food restaurant.



According to the paper "Crosland executives, attorneys from its law firm, K&L Gates, and the political action committee of the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition founded by Crosland donated at least $30,050 to the winning candidates during and after the 2009 city elections. "

In 2007 City Council voted 9-2 to rezone three acres in Dulin's district despite a city staff objection. It allowed a 10-story condo tower near single-family homes.

The rezoning was pushed by developer Afshin Ghazi, who is a generous campaign donor. He and his business associates had given more than $10,000 total to six of the council members who voted for the project, and Ghazi held a fundraiser for Republican Andy Dulin.

Dulin represents the Quail Corners area, accepted $4,050 from Crosland, K&L Gates and REBIC, which is 7 percent of his total for the last campaign.

Dulin says he hasn't decided how he'll vote. He said Crosland hasn't lobbied him.

"None. Zero. Not a single sentence, not a word of you owe us," Dulin told the "Local Paper". "As a matter of fact, I had breakfast with Peter B. Pappas (Crosland's lead on the project) on a separate subject, and it didn't come up."

Cedar's Take: Bullshit, I know Peter Pappas and it didn't have to come up.

But Dulin isn't the only one on the take, after the January 24 zoning hearing, council member Edwin Peacock told a group opposing the change that "council members know the developers and the attorneys well, and that they had good will with the city."

Peacock said he was trying to relay the message that Crosland and K&L Gates have a long history with the city. Peacock, whose 2009 campaign took in $3,150 from REBIC's PAC, Crosland executives and K&L Gates attorneys.

Cedar's Take Two: Least we forget the Quail Hollow Village at Seven Eagles across the street that remains an over grown weed covered field with a 3 acre stagnant pond. Thanks to Charlotte City Council and Harris Land Company.

City Attorney Offers to Settle Less Than 48 Hours After Jackson Victim Suit Filed. According to sources Charlotte City Attorney has offered to settle the latest law suit at whatever level is fair and makes sense for all parties involved.

Sources tell Cedar Posts the offer on the table is only $18,000.00.

The Local Paper's Editorial Board says going to trial would benefit the public you can read the entire editorial here.

Cedar's Take: RoMo again escapes.

Jennifer Roberts Proposes Massive Tax Hike - Despite the fact that North Carolina state law requires that county's adopt revenue neutral tax rates following a property revaluation Mecklenburg County Chair Jennifer Roberts is proposing a neutral tax rate which would generate a massive tax increase.

In 2003 the General Assembly added subsection (e) to North Carolina General Statute (hereinafter G.S.) 159-11, which requires each taxing unit (County and City) to publish a revenue-neutral property tax rate (“revenue-neutral rate”) as part of its budget for the fiscal year following the revaluation of its real property. You can read about revenue-neutral and how is should be addressed here.

Do you remember Mecklenburg County Assessor Garrett Alexander saying "just because your home has increased in value doesn't mean you'll see a tax increase"? Well guess what?

Cedar's Take: You're getting a tax increase.

School Board Member Stands By Statement - CMS School Board Member Rhonda Lennon sent a rather dismissive and rude series of emails to a CMS parent, which Cedar Posts linked to here on Monday.

Yesterday Lennon agreed to talk with News Channel 36 saying that "she's gotten some heat, but she's spoken to others who agree with her message and she stands by what she said. "Probably the only thing I would have said differently would be that I do think that children need to find something other than sports to motivate them. We're here for academic success. That's our job," she said."

Cedar's Take: I find it hard to believe anyone would agree with her tone. You can read the emails here on Jeff Taylor's Meck Deck Blog.

CMPD Report on Tisdale Death - According to sources Chief Monroe's investigation of Delvonte Tisdale's death and the breech of security at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is complete. In the report delivered to aviation director Jerry Orr, CMPD investigators turn up numerous places Tisdale could have breached the fence otherwise the document turns up nothing new, citing inconclusive evidence and no firm theories.

The report notes that the railroad tracks on the north side of the airport make a straight run to Tisdale's home. At the airport the tracks are less than 100 yards from the fence on the north end of runway 18L/36R, the runway that the Boston bound flight departed from on the night of Tisdale's death. The exact place that Cedar Posts suggested was the point entry for Delvonte Tisdale.

The report has not been made public.

TSA and Homeland Security will meet today to discuss the Tisdale case and other security breeches.

Cheris Hodges pens a detailed review of what we know at Creative Loafing which is here and the local paper takes Aviation Director Jerry Orr to task here.

CMPD Frisbee Football Follow-Up

Last month Cedar Posts wrote about Chief Monroe's bozo idea of having on the clock CMPD officers participate in a Frisbee Football tournament.

A week later we reported that the tournament had been scraped. Last week WFAE's Greg Collard posted the following very interesting footnote and discourse with CMPD's Rob Tufano:



Still waiting for a Frisbee football answer

Earlier this month, WFAE reported on the number of injuries CMPD officers have suffered in the department’s Ultimate Frisbee football tournament. The department proceeded with the tournament even through the city’s risk manager advised against it because the city would be liable for injuries.

A few days after our story aired, a blog called Cedar Posts and Barbwire Fences reported that CMPD canceled Frisbee football, but didn’t name its source(s). (See CP's Note Below.)

We’ve tried to find out for ourselves. The championship game was scheduled for Jan. 18th (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). CMPD public affairs officer Rob Tufano told WFAE the game was canceled. That seemed odd because it was a nice, reasonably warm day.

The rest of Greg's entry and the really good stuff is here.

Note: Cedar Posts is often unable to name names as most CMPD employees understandably fear for their jobs. Also in many cases tips come to via an anonymous email. We protect our sources however, we will in the future adhere to the long standing tradition of using phrases like "unnamed sources" or "a source close to" or "spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the subject" to identify sources we are unable to name.

City Council Votes NOT To See Jackson File

Charlotte City Council decided Monday that they didn't want to see former officer Marcus Jackson's personnel file.

City Manager Curt Walton has said he is against releasing the records, and the six council members voting against going into closed session essentially ends the issue.



Voting not to discuss Jackson's personnel record were council members Andy Dulin, Edwin Peacock, Patrick Cannon, James Mitchell, Patsy Kinsey and Warren Cooksey.

Chief Monroe declined to comment after the vote. He left the Government Center immediately and walked to police headquarters two blocks away. Asked by reporters if he had any comment, he said no as he stepped into an elevator.

Two weeks ago, council members voted 6-5 to review the file. But during tonight's scheduled meeting, some council members changed their minds.

Council member Warren Cooksey said he was against releasing the file because it would go against N.C. law and how the city has conducted business. "We have gained additional information in the last two weeks, both in public and in a variety of conversations" He said Monroe has assured him publicly and privately that CMPD has made reforms in its hiring procedures.

Morgan Fogarty at Fox News:

The black eye on the men and women in blue grows each day it seems. Ex-CMPD Officer Marcus Jackson indicted on four more charges on behalf of four women. Add those to the laundry list of charges he was indicted on last week. Mayor Anthony Foxx says, "I believe the police chief and city manager have done an inordinately good job letting the public know the facts."

But despite what appears to be growing evidence against the disgraced officer, city council voted, seven to three, to not even discuss releasing his personnel file; a file that could shed light on whether any early disciplinary problems were overlooked. Read the rest of the Fox News report here.

Cedar Says: Why am I not surprised?

Why would they not want to just view Jackson's personnel file in private?

The only conclusion based on Cooksey's comment is that Monroe contacted them privately and in the "conversations" Monroe asked them to leave the matter alone. Clearly there is something big in Jackson's file.

One can only assume that the file must implicate Rodney Monroe directly as there is no other reason not to even look at the file unless the file shows Monroe's involvement in Jackson's suspension, which in that case council would rather not know.

Expect a plea deal on the table and no jail time for Jackson as well as a big settlement to keep the file from being opened in court.

Rodney Monroe Gets a Free Pass Observer Crime Reporter Chris Kirkpatrick Laid Off

I've got to say this for the embattled Chief, he has the damn best luck when it comes to snaking his way out of trouble. Just when the heat was on about his spending the DSS and Harry Jones mess got the attention of the news media.

He hired Rob Trufono just when the water started to boil over about his phony degree and last week the Observer's top crime reporter was given the ax by the McClatchy Company just as the Marcus Jackson scandal gets interesting.

According to Greg Collard at WFAE Kirkpatrick got the ax in most recent round of Observer cutbacks. The Observer recruited him a few years ago after being a Pulitzer Prize finalist at the Toledo Blade. He was the Observer’s primary crime reporter had done a lot of work on the CMPD and Marcus Jackson scandal.

Kirkpatrick was also one of Cedar's contracts for vetting out fact from fiction and spin from reality. Much of what you read here comes from discussions and emails that help eliminate gossip and sift out fact and people like Chris are the bedrock of investigative journalism.

It wouldn't surprise me that Kirkpatrick started asking too many questions and the Observer was told to shut him down.

WFAE Says Tonight's Vote Regarding The Marcus Jackson File May Not Even Matter

Tonight’s the big night for Charlotte City Council, CMPD and City Manager Curt Walton. Will city council vote to release the personnel file of former officer Marcus Jackson?

Well, as WFAE’s Lisa Miller reports today, it might not matter if council decides to make the file public. Sure, such a vote would put more pressure Walton, but he still has the final say. City Attorney Mac McCarley sent Lisa Miller the following e-mail last Friday:

If Council wants to authorize the release of file material after reviewing it, the Manager would have to reach the same conclusion before the issue could move forward. The statute requires the Manager to make a written finding that public confidence in the service requires releasing otherwise confidential material, and then the Council must concur. I don’t know Curt’s current thinking on this issue, but up until early this week, he was still of the opinion that release was not warranted.

If both the Manager and Council agreed to a release, it could probably happen sometime in the business day following Council action.

WFAE Again on Top of CMPD

WAFE's Lisa Miller has been doing her home work today looking at the 17 CMPD officers who have be charged with crimes over the past two years.

Charlotte City Council tonight will inspect and decide whether to release the personnel file of fired Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Marcus Jackson.

It would be an extraordinary move, but state laws allow it if it's essential to maintaining public confidence in the administration of city services.

Jackson is among 17 CMPD officers charged with crimes over the past two years.

In this report, WFAE's Lisa Miller examines what that says about the department.

In 2008 and 2009, the seventeen CMPD officers were charged with crimes that include DWIs, public intoxication, assault on a female and conspiracy to sell and distribute cocaine.

But the case of Marcus Jackson has received the most attention. He's accused of sexually assaulting five women he pulled over on traffic stops and one woman who called 911 to get protection from her boyfriend.

This is what Police Chief Rodney Monroe had to say about Jackson's plight on December 30th when the first charges were filed against him.

"To have one of our own involved in such a disgraceful activity is not only a violation of the public's trust and the misuse of authority as an officer, but a complete dishonor to this department and the officers who proudly uphold the integrity and honor that goes along with this badge," said Monroe.

Yes, integrity and honor is what's expected of police officers. But lapses happen in police departments across the country. So what's the extent of the problem within the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department?

Major Tim Danchess oversees CMPD's Internal Affairs department.

"We're really talking about a very small percentage of actual employees involved in these offenses," says Danchess. "So while it's not acceptable and it looks horrible we do need to keep it in perspective."

Danchess says CMPD has about 1,700 sworn officers. Of the seventeen charged with crimes in the past two years, about a third have been found guilty, 1 not guilty, and three cases are still pending. The rest have had the charges against them dropped - most of these are charges dealing with assault on a female.

"It's hard to compare department to department unless you're looking at specific sized departments in like areas with like laws," says Danchess.

Neither the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, nor the International Association of Chiefs of Police track police misconduct numbers at a national level and many police departments don't release their figures.

"So we turn to media reports of misconduct to try to find that information," says Seattle resident David Packman.

Packman runs what he calls the National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project for the website http://www.injusticeeverywhere.com/. He searches and filters these reports to document and try to understand police misconduct. The search engines have been rolling since April of last year. He cautions that his data is far from complete, but from what he can tell at this point:

"Charlotte seems average in matter of transparency and in a matter of how much police misconduct we're seeing," says Packman.

Raleigh's police department, roughly half the size of Charlotte's, has had three officers charged with crimes over the past two years. But Packman cautions not to judge a department solely by the high numbers of officers that go through the criminal justice system.

"Sometimes it can be a good thing because that means the officials in that area take police misconduct a bit more seriously and are a bit more aggressive in dealing with police misconduct than in an area where they keep all their disciplinary and investigative processes secret internally," says Packman.

Tonight city council will decide whether to let the public in on that process regarding former officer Marcus Jackson.

But the City Attorney says City Manager Curt Walton has the final say and can still decide not to release the records. Walton has said several times it doesn't make sense to open them.

Could this be a cover up? Ya Think? Well, Jeff Taylor at The Meck Deck thinks the "fix is in" offers up his own thinking on this mess with City Manager or.... City BOSS?

I'm going repeat what someone posted early today. With DSS, Harry Jones, CMUD billing errors, Parks Helms, RoMo, Mackey, CMPD and Curt Walton just how crooked is Charlotte Mecklenburg?

RoMo Meets City Council Again

Rodney Monroe will meet with City Council today at 5:30 and so the Marcus Jackson fiasco comes down to this:

Will Charlotte City Council buy into the RoMo spin and accept the whitewash?

Will Council accept Jackson’s cleansed file as fact, or request an FBI investigation?

If Jackson’s failures while an officer of CMPD were not Monroe’s responsibilities then who is running the department?

If Jackson was indeed given only a 2 day suspension for speeding and conduct unbecoming an officer who decided that 2 days were enough?

Monroe will try to direct focus on the convenient failed hiring and screening processes. But who on council is smart enough to understand that the problem was nearly 18 months in the making with nearly 12 months of close contact when no one paid attention.

While the failure to screen is clear, the failure to supervise is a beacon pointing to the failures of Rodney Monroe.

Finally if Jackson’s file has been cleansed who among City Council will stand up to the Chief and demand the truth?

CMPD Background Checks

Council Still Split On Jackson File

WSOC is reporting the following:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte's City Council will soon know more about Marcus Jackson's history with the Police Department. Jackson is accused multiple sex crimes while on duty.

Whether or not the personnel information goes public is up to council members.

"I think that's micro-managing, which is not our role," Republican Councilman Andy Dulin said.

Dulin said he trusts the city's manager and police chief to make any necessary changes, without the council getting involved. But Dulin said it comes down to what's in the file. He'll vote yes, he said, if it's in the public interest. "If we decide we need to go forward with it," Dulin said. "City Council won't have any trouble making the decision to do that."

Since his arrest earlier this month, Eyewitness News learned Jackson was suspended two different times since he joined the department in 2008.

What other information his personnel file may contain is a question still unanswered.

"We owe it to the public of at least going through the closed session and hearing the chief's position and making a decision," Mayor Anthony Foxx said.

Foxx called for the issue to be put on Monday night's agenda. Since Jackson's arrest, the mayor has said transparency may be the best way to regain public trust “That's a decision point that each council member will have to get to," Foxx said.

Eyewitness News also spoke to councilmen Patrick Cannon and James Mitchell this weekend. Mitchell said he's still undecided. Cannon said he's leaning toward voting "no." But again, he said it all depends on what information is in that file.
Cedar's Take Away:

First Andy Dulin needs to get the hook next election and expect Cedar Posts will make an effort to have Mr. Dulin excused.

If the file is released it has been cleansed.

If the file isn't released it is damming to Rodney Monroe.

If the file isn't released the only way we will learn what is in the file is during a criminal trial years from now. I don't expect this will go to trial and a plea will seal the file and RoMo misdeeds forever.

And so it goes.....

CMPD Morale Poll Closes

The best way to improve morale at the CMPD poll has closed.

With the votes in, more than 88% of those voting thought the best way to improve morale at the CMPD was for RoMo to resign.

Frankly I had hoped "Beer Pong" would have received more votes.



As we noted early last week Frisbee Football which was tied with Beer Pong was discontinued for some pretty obvious reasons.

Next up a poll to rate the CMPD Command Staff Majors and DCs butt kissing ability.

Monroe Details Changes to Screening Practices at CMPD

In today's paper, Chief Monroe responds to the Observer's editorial calling for changes in the CMPD screening process. Read the chief's letter here.



Cedar's response:

Marcus Jackson is not just symptomatic of the failures in pre employment background checks that Chief Monroe has detailed in his letter. Jackson is an example of how CMPD fails to supervise and monitor rookie police officers in the field. The failures outlined at Cedar Posts are just the tip of the iceberg.

Because Chief Monroe and his command staff ignored or dismissed the questionable and violent actions of Officer Jackson as defined by two civil actions and by Mint Hill police after he was placed in the field, he was permitted to continue his illegal behavior while wearing the uniform of the CMPD.

While the changes Chief Monroe has noted may serve to help restore the public's trust they do little to vet out rouge officers currently within the department.

The letter is a well crafted attempt to white wash the Marcus Jackson show. But all in all Cedar Posts thinks the letter is a good move by the chief's handlers.

But what do you think?

Around the corner from RoMo's letter is Taylor Batten's editorial "How (Not) To Handle That Pesky Public" where Taylor takes the CMPD and Deputy City Attorney Mark Newbold to task.

Fuel Pizza on Central Avenue and CMPD Officer Serve Up X-Rated Entertainment

Direct from a Cedar Posts reader:

NEWS FLASH: A CMPD officer just "resigned" after reports of him having sex inside the Fuel Pizza men's room on Central Avenue! Several patrons of the restaurant called police after "seeing" the sex act performed!

Witnesses say they saw an on-duty uniformed Charlotte officer engage in a sex act while on duty.

A quick call to Fuel Pizza on Central Avenue confirms the x-rated story is true and WSOC confirms that the officer in question is Hamlett Almendarez of the Eastway Division who was hired in 2007.


Almendarez and unidentified Woman

On Saturday, police officials told WSOC that Almendarez had resigned, but would not say why.

When asked about the incident at Fuel Pizza, CMPD officials would not comment.

The incident comes just weeks after Eastway officer, Marcus Jackson, was accused of numerous sex crimes while on duty.

RoMo By The Numbers

Let’s talk numbers.

I took a statistics class in college where my professor convinced a class of more than 100 that the world was flat based on percentages, averages and graphs. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. He produced five charts showing five ways of measuring the average elevation above sea level from Annapolis Maryland to Denver. Because the numbers never when down no mater how far you went toward the "mile high" city the only answer was that was either Denver's elevation was wrong or the world was flat.

He stood before all of us, many with 4.0 GPA’s and asked; “With only the information before you, how many now believe the world is flat?” And everyone raised their hands.

So while citizen’s of Charlotte believe the “numbers” from King Rodney the sad fact is that those who died last year are still dead. Those who had their homes broken into are still recovering and those where robbed, beaten or raped are still traumatized.

RoMo's numbers as he has reported them are here. (For the record I don't want to take anything away from the CMPD officers who do the work, those who make up the thin blue line. What you do is very much appreciated)

Across the US crime is down, something that Chief Monroe now begrudgingly admits.



Violent crime in Los Angeles hit its lowest level in more than half a century last year, one of a growing number of U.S. cities reporting its streets were remarkably safe in 2009.

Washington, D.C., finished the year with 143 killings, the lowest tally in the nation's capital since 1966. San Francisco reported 45 (vs Charlotte’s 56) homicides last year, its lowest in 48 years.

Who would have taught that San Francisco would be “safer” than Charlotte?
Charlotte’s population of 687,000 with 56 murders gives a 8.15 rate per 100 thousand, where San Francisco with 808,000 gives a 5.56 rate per 100 thousand.

San Antonio, Austin, San Diego, Honolulu all cities nearly the size of Charlotte have murder rates nearly 1/2 that of Charlotte.

New York, Chicago, Boston and Dallas also reported dramatic year-over-year declines in 2009 compared with 2008.

Los Angeles had 314 homicides in 2009 -- the lowest number of killings since 1967, Los Angeles also saw declines in rapes, robberies and assaults in 2009, compared with the previous year.

Violent crimes nationwide -- including homicide, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault -- have been shrinking since 2007, after a slight increase in 2006, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Reported statistics showed the greatest drop in cities with populations greater than a million people.

Experts believe the fall in violent crime is tied to the aging U.S. population.

"The graying of America is a significant factor," said James Alan Fox, Lipman Professor of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University in Boston. "The largest and fastest growing segment of the population is people over 50. People over 50 also happen to be the age group that is the least likely to commit crimes. As the group grows, crime rates do decline."

So how does Charlotte stack up to the nation?

Despite what Chief Monroe is saying, his “aggressive” tactics, wild spending, and reshuffling of CMPD staff and funny new uniform is not paying off.

In fact our murder rate (8.15) is higher per 100,000 than New York (5.58) or San Jose (3.04), and our burglary rate is nearly twice that of New York.

So what gives? Well it’s all in the numbers. RoMo is showing you the numbers his way.

We call it "cooking" the books. The only trouble is eventually it catches up with you.

If Rodney Monroe claims a 50% reduction in murders one year and the next year the number of murders return to the prior year’s number, he’ll have a 100% increase in homicides. Leading his detractors to claim that down 50 and up 100 equals an increase of 50% overall. (Aren't Numbers Fun?) Then how many will call for his firing?

The number that Monroe doesn’t report is the number of arrests. More cops, spending more money, should result in more arrests. But it hasn't. A quick check on the CMPD web site shows once again that number is blank.

So where does he spend all the money? I'd guess Christmas parties, funny uniforms and take home cars.

So you have to ask yourself, with all the drama, the hype and the circus atmosphere at CMPD are we getting our monies's worth?

Flash Back to Macon

Chief Rodney Monroe Shows the CMPD Reserve Officers the Door

With another change to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department "standard operating procedures" Chief Monroe has taken dead aim at his own Police Reserve Unit.

The seldom quoted General Custer once said "There's nothing like friendly fire to motivate the troops"

Over the last half century or more, Charlotte has benefited from a "Police Reserve" unit that functioned autonomously inside the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. This department within a department had its own rank structure, including its own chief of reserves.

All of the CMPD Reserve Police Officers are sworn law enforcement officers.



Many of the reserve force are retired CMPD officers, others have left their full time careers at other North Carolina Law Enforcement agencies including the N.C. State Highway Patrol. But equally many of the CMPD reserve officers come from a broad mixture of occupations and backgrounds from within our community, these officers are citizens who have taken the time and training necessary to become reserve officers.

These 70 volunteer police officers provide Charlotte and Mecklenburg county with over 15,000 hours of service each year without pay.

In a clear effort to disband or disable the CMPD reserve force Chief Monroe has issued another sweeping "Standard Operating Procedure" directive.

Included in the shake up is the requirement that non-cmpd officers will be striped of their rank that they may have earned through years of service as a reserve officers.

Currently there are several reserve officers who have worked more than 25 years on a part time volunteer basis and have earned the right to ranks as high reserve commander.

Two years ago the CMPD Reserves promoted Ted Cormier to Reserve Commander and Bill Strain to Reserve Sergeant, But under Chief Monroe's new doctrine some reserve officers like these will be demoted back to the rank of patrolman.

Chief Monroe has offered these volunteers an out, if they don't like the new rules and demotions they can retire with their current title and rank, no hard feelings.

At present there are no less than ten reserve officers who are facing demotion and reduction of rank. None that Cedar Posts has spoken with plan to stay on are reserve officers.

In the past CMPD reserve officers could work as many as 20 "special" events during the year, often these events were small community charity events like the annual Humane Society Pet Palooza, or the Cop on Top event. The "new" rules require that they work four of six "special" events during the year, and one of these events must be either July 4th or New Eve.

But the Chief forgets these are "volunteers" many who have full time job and families, by dramatically reducing the number "Special" events and making a requirement that each reserve office pick four of six limits the flexibility normally afforded unpaid volunteers.

One additional change that is sure to cause even more departures is Chief Monroe's new requirement that reserve officers revert to wearing the non-standard "reserve officer" patch that was discontinued many years ago.



In the past suspects upon seeing the "reserve" label wrongly assumed that reserve was just another name for "mall cop" with no arrest powers, of course nothing could be further from the truth. But perception is the reality and in law enforcement, perception is often the difference between compliance and altercation.

This is why the word "reserve" was removed from the reserve officer patches in the first place.

It seems Chief Monroe is again making changes just for the sake of change, often without a hint of common sense or recognizing that years of past experience is why some things are the way they are.

The new SOP takes effect February 17th and Reserve officers have 30 days to change to the new (errr old) patch.

Chief Monroe's changes comes on the heels of a Fox News Rebecca Clark's report that noted the praises of the CMPD Reserves: CMPD's Reserve Unit Saving Us Money :

Prior Cedar Posts About CMPD Chief Monroe:

Charlotte's Thomasboro Neighborhood Grant Money Gone with the Wind?

Charlotte's Police Chief Exposed!

Where is Charlotte's Outrage over Rodney Monroe's fake College Degree?

Union Head to Chief Monroe: Don't Let the Door …

Prior CMPD Directive regarding reserve officers here (opens in a pdf file)

The CMPD Reserves By-Laws that Chief Monroe has "by passed"

A view from the other side Charlotte Law and Civil Rights Examiner where the story line goes "The Charlotte Observer's vendetta against the new police chief that has made the Queen City safer continues. First, it was the validity of his college degree, an irrelevancy given his sterling decades long record police chief in Richmond, Virginia."

The writer is of course confused "about his "decades long" record. But it's still worth the read to understand the other less informed side.

Charlotte's Thomasboro Neighborhood Grant Money Gone with the Wind?

If you have lived in Charlotte long you'll recognize Charlotte's notorious crime neighborhoods, names like Boulevard Homes, Rozelle's Ferry, West Boulevard, Grier Heights, and Cherry but Thomasboro as a neighborhood name that often equates to crime isn't as likely.

But recently Thomasboro has the added burden of being plagued with foreclosures, and suddenly, gangs, youth violence and drugs also have begun to threaten the neighborhood.

So when Thomasboro neighborhood activists and leaders learned of a federal program to help threatened neighborhoods like Thomasboro they got to work.

Hopes ran high when leaders learned that Federal funds would soon be on the way via the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Leaders envisioned, perhaps a police athletic association, or D.A.R.E program that would soon be coming their way, stepped up patrols, community meetings and watch groups were also on the local community wish list, there was even talk of funding a citizen patrol and maybe equipping them with radios purchased with money from the Federal grant.

But the money never came, or at least that seems to be the case. Now the local scuttle butt is that the CMPD under the direction of Chief Rodney Monroe spent the grant money elsewhere, suggesting that the redirection went to areas of higher crime.

There is no clue, or offical word as to if any of this is true but, but if it is then it seems to be a repeat of the Macon grant confusion down in Georgia a few years back.

More Cedar Posts on Rodney Monroe here: Charlotte's Police Chief Exposed!

Where is Charlotte's Outrage over Rodney Monroe's fake College Degree?

Ask anyone in Charlotte to name a few notable universities and you'll likely hear the names of UNC Chapel Hill, Duke, Wake Forest Clemson, USC, or NC State.

Virgina Commonwealth University just doesn't figure into the North Carolina mind set. So let me offer a little help, VCU is the NC State of Virgina. Remember Virgina is still referred to as the "Commonwealth of Virgina".

Now you got it, VCU is really Virgina State!

In fact VCU and NC State are very much alike in number of students and faculty.

Which would explain why in Virgina there is much outrage over the Rodney Monroe college degree scandal, and down here in Charlotte, where no one understands the "Commonwealth" concept, no one really seems to care.



But what if you hired someone who told you they had a degree from NC State?

Imagine you hired an engineer for your road building project based on his years of experience, pass successes and a degree in Engineering from say North Carolina State.

A few weeks after hiring this person to oversee the construction of millions of dollars in roads, a 1000 plus employee work force, and the safety of everyone who travels the roads you build for years to come, you discover that your new hire has a degree in Political Science from NC State and not an Engineering degree.

Further you discover that your new hire didn't really earn his degree from North Carolina State but instead was just issued a degree as a favor to a half a dozen politically connected big dog friends of NC State.

I'd expect that you would call your "new hire" into your office and send him packing.

So why is Rodney Monroe still running the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department?

Perhaps the public outcry about his bogus degree is muted because everyone in Charlotte assumes VCU is some second rate college in some rural part of some state a little north of here?

Perhaps, but the truth is Charlotte's Police Chief was hired based in part on having a four year degree in Criminal Justice from Virgina Commonwealth "State" University.

A degree he does not have.

No matter how successful Rodney Monroe is in reducing crime the VCU degree will always be an issue. An issue of ethics and credibility, an insult to the student's of VCU and every member of the CMPD who has a "real" college degree that was earned through four years of hard work, mind numbing classes and final exams.

This lacking credibility will wash over the men and women of the CMPD like acid rain, tarnishing every aspect of their job to a point where no matter how hard they work, or how successful they become it will always diminish the image of Charlotte's finest.