For those who don’t subscribe to their updates, here’s the latest in the Tony’s Pizza/Manassas Police incident from the VCDL. A refresher: VA carry law mandates that you un-conceal your concealed handgun when you dine at an establishment that offers beer, wine, or liquor. Some ninny called the police because he didn’t like the sight of seven VCDL members legally carrying, the police respond, and apparently verbally abused the Manassas Seven and leverage Tony’s (which, for a short order pizza joint, serves a decent linguine marinara con calamari) manager into booting them into leaving.
In short, the Manassas PD was apparently grossly ignorant of VA law.
THE REPORT IS IN
Well, I have received a copy of the Manassas Police Department’s investigation into the wrong doing of its officers for harassing seven law-abiding gun owners at Tony’s restaurant back in January.
The police investigated themselves and determined that, except for some inappropriate language in a few emails that VCDL received from doing a Freedom of Information Act inquiry, the seven officers did
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG!The letter victimizes those seven gun owners all over again
Here is how *I* would summarize the letter from Police Chief Skinner:
* The main thing the police did wrong was to be stupid enough leave a ‘paper trail’ of their abuse of those seven gun owners.
* The officers were wrong to use abusive language in referring to VCDL and the seven gun owners. However, the only foul language was in the emails. Contrary to statements from the seven gun owners, the officers used no foul or derogatory language while talking to the gun owners.
* Other than those things documented by the officer’s email, the seven gun owners, who have excellent credentials and some probably better than the Manassas Police Chief, were all lying and the police officers were all telling the truth.
* The Chief will punish the officers for making those offensive and incriminating emails and will see that future incriminating emails are not made. (That way the police can more easily deny and whitewash future abuses of power.)
Read the chief’s letter here. I missed the city council meeting where VCDL gave ‘em hell, but I’ll try to make the next one. It’s important for VCDL and MSI/other Maryland groups to keep showing solidarity. It’s also deathly important we make sure that law abiding gun owner’s rights (what few we’ve been able to eek out) aren’t jeopardized by law enforcement. CCW permit holders and LEOs need to work hand in hand, not against each other.
Damn, that’s depressing. But was anyone really expecting anything else? It seems anything short of a dead innocent citizen just isn’t enough to punish criminal cops in any substantive way. Even then it’s iffy.
Comment by CTD — March 28, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
The real gold on Webb is further down, where it states:
Laws should never make felons out of somebody who the police cannot
show had bad intentions. Period. Laws that do that (like Virginia’s
law against carrying a firearm on K-12 school property) need to be
fixed to show intent before a felony kicks in.
Perhaps Senator Webb can help us do just that at the Federal level.
That’s what I was inferring yesterday.
I have no doubt ManASSas is going to change their methods as a result. Hopefully that will result in some changes in attitude.
Comment by Matt — March 28, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Damn. Another example of the tyrannical state. The police and the government are supposed to be our servants rather than the other way around and this clearly is the opposite. Additionally, we see, again,the reluctance of the state to act when it is wrong. Also, the minions of the state act in violation of the law to harass/violate the people. This is a cancer that must be surgically removed. If the situation had been reversed would the 7 have been arrested for harrassing/interferring with the police. Of course. They do this because THEY CAN, because there is NO CONSEQUENCE. When will we fight back??
Comment by Mark — March 28, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
I agree wholeheartedly; expecting the police to police themselves is a long wait for a train that isn’t coming.
That goes double for the agents of the state who hold their leashes; hopefully the fight back starts soon, as it sounds like the VCDL is keeping the pressure on the Manasshole city council.
Comment by Administrator — March 28, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
fox investigates henhouse incident; “only thing wrong was them chickens were clucking way too loud. oh yeah, and one fox got caught; we really can’t have that happen again — next time, don’t get caught. nothing to see here, move along…”
no news at eleven.
Comment by Nomen Nescio — March 29, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
After reading the letter from the Chief I am astounded that either 1] He thinks the rest of the world is stupid enough to believe that hogwash. Or 2] He is actually stupid enough to believe it. The appearance created is that the Manassas, Virginia Police Department is staffed by redneck idiots. God help the people who have to live there.
Comment by Alan Yates — March 31, 2007 @ 9:19 pm