Cornealious "Mike" Anderson committed robbery with a BB gun on Aug. 15, 1999. He was found guilty of armed robbery in 2000 and sentenced to serve 13 years...but he didn't.

Nor did he run or hide from the law. In fact, he remained in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. He inquired about serving his sentence and was told to wait for the court's instructions on reporting to prison (Officer.com, April 17, 2014) .

So he waited...and waited.

Because of a clerical error, he wasn't contacted for years which postponed his sentence. Anderson simply lived his life. He married and raised children. He worked and paid taxes. He updated his drivers license and ran three different businesses.

About the time Anderson should have completed his sentence, the Missouri Department of Corrections found the error and had a SWAT team pick him up at his home. Then he had to fight to be released.

“I never felt like a fugitive," Anderson said, "because a fugitive's someone that's running from the law. I never ran from the law. I was there" (UPI.com).

Tim Lohmar, the current prosecutor told TODAY, "I believe that if we allowed somebody to avoid an incarceration sentence, it's just a slippery slope’’ (UPI.com/TODAY.com).

Over 35,000 signatures on Change.org called for the state of Missouri to release Anderson. He served nearly a year in prison while waiting for his hearing.

"Mississippi County Associate Circuit Judge Terry Lynn Brown needed just a 10-minute hearing before ruling that he was giving Anderson credit for time served for all 4,794 days between his conviction and when he was arrested last year" (Officer.com, May 6, 2014).

On May 5, 2014, Mike Anderson walked out of court a truly free man.


Resources:

Hastings, Deborah, "Missouri man who never served sentence awaits prison term after leading crime-free life," NYdailynews.com, April 15, 2014.

Salter, Jim, "Man freed in Mo. delayed imprisonment case," Officer.com, May 6, 2014.

Salter, Jim, "Missouri convict was never told to report to prison," Officer.com, April 17, 2014.

Sevcik, JC, "Man who didn't serve prison sentence due to clerical error arrested 15 years later," UPI.com, April 15, 2014.

Stump, Scott, "Man who never served prison sentence on clerical error awaits fate," Today.com, April 15, 2014.

Some behaviors are so stupid, dangerous, illegal, and/or deadly that they need to be changed immediately. If your bad habits are getting you unwanted attention from police, fire fighters, or EMTs, it may be time to make a resolution. I've provided a few examples.

Resolution: Take public transportation more often.
Behavior: According to trutv.com's crime library blog, one Anderson, California, man knew how important it was to get to court on time, so he moved fast. He stole a car to get to court and appear on a charge of (yep) stealing a car. Police arrested him before he arrived, making him miss his court date. He'll have another opportunity to get it right.

Resolution: Give up smoking.
Behavior: A CCTV Video on Youtube shows an Australian man apparently trying to steal fuel...he was smoking at the time. He ended up setting himself and several cars ablaze. Police arrested a man with burns on the lower half of his body.

Resolution: Diversify investments.
Behavior: Irish police arrested two men after observing them digging up over one million pounds of cash and drying out bundles in a tumble dryer, www.bbc.co.uk.

Resolution: Only play games like follow the leader with friends.
Behavior: In Ohio, a man stole a briefcase and cash from a vehicle, threatened the victim at knifepoint, and then walked away in the snow. Police followed the footprints and made an arrest, www.19actionnews.com.

Resolution: Quit taking selfies and give up social media altogether.
Behavior: A man was so proud of his stash of stolen property that he celebrated by taking selfies and posting them on Instagram. The former felon posed with weapons, jewelry, and cash. Police visited his home and now, Florida station WPBF reports, the Instagram user faces 142 charges.

Resolution: Read signs and follow directions.
Behavior: Gunmen stole a truck in Hidalgo, Mexico. This truck was carrying a special load of cobalt-60, used in chemotherapy, which emits gamma rays that can cause skin burns, radiation sickness, and various cancers, www.worldnews.nbcnews.com. There have been conflicting reports about possible suspects. It now seems that two men are in police custody at the Hidalgo state hospital, suffering from symptoms of radiation sickness, www.rt.com.

Resolution: Get more organized.
Behavior: A 19-year-old in College Station, Texas, lost a key. The teen walked into the police station and asked for help to remove a handcuff from his right hand after he and his roommate had been playing around. The hitch was that the youth had a warrant for criminal mischief and marijuana in his front pocket. Local police removed the handcuff and arrested him, www.theeagle.com.

May everyone have a better and more giving 2014!


Resources:

19actionnews, "Knife-wielding thief busted by footprints in the snow," www.19actionnews.com, December 12, 2013.

BBC News, "Limerick money laundering: Police recover 1m euros in tumble drier," http://www.bbc.co.uk, December 16, 2013.

Ingalls, Chris, "WA firefighters pump jet fuel on fire instead of water," www.kgw.com, December 15, 2013.

Johnson, M. Alex, "Six Released from Mexican hospital but detained in theft of cobalt-60," www.worldnews.nbcnews.com, December 6, 2013.

News.com.au, "Man accidentally sets cars on fire while having a smoke while allegedly stealing petrol, causing $100,000 damage," www.news.com.au, December 9, 2013.

Russian Today, "Mexico police block hospital as radioactive load hijackers are admitted," www.rt.com, December 7, 2013.

Salazar, Andrea, "Man with warrant walks into police station already in handcuffs, authorities say," www.theeagle.com, November 14, 2013.

Van Olson, Cora, "Man stole vehicle to be on time for court date for stealing vehicle," "Man stole vehicle to be on time for court date for stealing vehicle,"www.trutv.com/library/crime/blog/, December 19, 2013.

Wise, John P., "Depree Johnson Instabusted after gun-toting selfies lead to 142 charges," www.wpbf.com, December 6, 2013.

Here is a new twist to the moral issues surrounding capital punishment: Should a condemned prisoner be allowed to donate organs after sitting down to his last meal? This is the question being asked by Ohio Governor John Kasich after postponing an execution yesterday (November 13, 2013).

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Governor Kasich said he stopped the execution "so that medical experts can assess whether Phillips' non-vital organs or tissues can be donated to his mother or possibly others...I realize this is a bit of uncharted territory for Ohio, but if another life can be saved by his willingness to donate his organs and tissues, then we should allow for that to happen," www.dispatch.com.

PHILLIPS' HISTORY
In 1993, Ronald Phillips, 40, was convicted of raping and murdering his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter. He served his term without expressing concern for the life and well-being of others. In fact, he waited until all of his appeals had been exhausted before offering to donate his kidney to his mother who is on dialysis and his heart to his sister who has a heart ailment. Now he is apparently willing to donate organs to others as well.

"Ohio's prison medical policy accommodates organ donations, but prison officials rejected the request, saying it came too late to work out logistics and security concerns," www.abclocal.go.com.

Although a Delaware death row inmate donated a kidney to his mother in 1995, "he was not facing imminent execution like Phillips," www.independent.co.uk

STAY OF EXECUTION
Phillips was eating his last meal when he got word of the reprieve. The Ohio Governor stayed the execution to further explore the possibility of Phillips donating non-vital organs...not his heart. Richard Dieter, of the Death Penalty Information Center, said that this is the first time that a stay of execution was granted based on the request to donate organs, www.bbc.co.uk.

NEXT STEPS
If Phillips  is a viable donor and the procedure is approved, he would be returned to Death Row afterward to await his new execution date of July 2, 2014. Ohio prison policy dictates that any such surgeries be paid for by Phillips or the recipients.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I am a big proponent of organ donation, but this adds layers of complicated ethical and technical dilemmas. This might be a last-minute ploy to buy time for a man facing death. We could ignore Phillips' motives and allow for the organs to benefit others. Then again, maybe this request came too late.



Resources:

• Associated Press, "Ohio Execution Stay for Ronald Phillips for Possible Organ Donations," www.abclocal.go.com, November 14, 2013.
• BBC, "Ohio Execution Stayed Over Organ Donation Request," www.bbc.co.uk, November 14, 2013.
  
• Johnson, Alan, "Kasich Postpones Execution of Inmate Who Wants to Donate Organs," www.dispatch.com, November 14, 2013.
• Saul, Heather, "Ronald Phillips Ohio Execution Delayed by Judge after Organ Donation Request," www.independent.co.uk, November 14, 2013.

[Updated 07/24/2013] Over the weekend of July 12 and 13, 2013, jurors in the George Zimmerman trial deliberated for more than 16 hours before delivering a not guilty verdict (Washingtonpost.com). They had considered evidence and weighed whether or not Zimmerman had committed second degree murder or manslaughter, while Zimmerman insisted that he killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense.

Halfway through their deliberations, the jury asked the judge, "May we please have clarification on the instructions regarding manslaughter?" (CBSnews.com). The judge consulted with counsel from both sides and responded that the court could not answer general questions but invited the jury to submit a more specific question. They never did.

I don't know what confusion existed in that Florida jury room, but let's look at what constitutes manslaughter.

While statutes and wording on homicides vary by state, the main difference between first degree murder and other acts that result in a person's death is premeditation. Second degree murder lacks premeditation and intent. It is caused by extreme recklessness. Manslaughter is "the unlawful killing of another person without premeditation or so-called 'malice aforethought' (an evil intent prior to the killing)" (Dictionary.law.com). Manslaughter is generally divided into voluntary and involuntary.

                                                                            Homicides

• First degree murder: intentional and premeditated
• Second degree murder: non-premeditated, caused by extreme recklessness or during a fight
  
• Voluntary manslaughter: intentional, non-premeditated killing which occurs during the "heat of passion"
• Involuntary manslaughter: no intent to kill; death caused by negligence or with intent to behave in a reckless, violent manner which causes death

VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
"Voluntary manslaughter includes killing in [the] heat of passion or while committing a felony" (Dictionary.law.com). It is the intentional but unplanned killing of another. It is when someone kills when provoked by current circumstances.

For example, the person who returns home to find his/her spouse in bed with a lover might respond right away with deadly violence. That would generally be considered voluntary manslaughter...intentional but not premeditated, in the heat of an emotionally-charged moment (NOLO.com). If that same person who witnessed the affair waits a week before ambushing and killing either party involved, the scorned killer would most likely be charged with first degree, premeditated murder.

INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
"Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a death is caused by a violation of a non-felony" (Dictionary.law.com). It is caused by recklessness or criminal negligence. It differs from second degree murder by having a lesser degree of recklessness. (See a YouTube example of the difference from Law Bound Prep - Labs at this link).

If two people were in an argument that escalated until one pushed the other who stumbled and then fell down a flight of stairs to his death, the unintentional recklessness might be considered involuntary manslaughter (NOLO.com). Randomly shooting a weapon into the air that results in someone's death would most likely be classified as involuntary manslaughter.

VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER
Killing a person with a car is often in its own class of involuntary manslaughter. "In response to the increasing number of homicides caused by drunk drivers, some states have created a distinct offense for deaths caused by drunk driving. These are commonly referred to as, inter alia, 'vehicular manslaughter', 'manslaughter with a vehicle,' 'negligent homicide manslaughter,' or 'DUI manslaughter' (Alanformanlaw.com). The possible prison time for someone found guilty of vehicular manslaughter ranges from 8 to 30 years in Tennessee up to life imprisonment in Washington state.

THE ZIMMERMAN TRIAL
"[This was] a case that many legal analysts said was doomed by Florida prosecutors' decision to pursue a hard-to-prove second-degree murder conviction against Zimmerman," LAtimes.com. Near the end of the trial prosecutors encouraged jurors to consider the lesser offence of involuntary manslaughter, but the case had not been developed in that direction.

Did Zimmerman commit a crime when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin? The jury in this trial said no. I can't help but wonder whether or not further direction on the definition of manslaughter would have affected the jury's decision.

"The frustration that many Americans have felt over the verdict was reflected in 'Justice For Trayvon' rallies that were held in numerous cities over the weekend," (NPR.org). This case and this verdict will continue to raise questions about state laws, judicial procedures, and justice.

Resources:

• Berman, Sara J., "Murder vs. Manslaughter," www.NOLO.com, (accessed July 13, 2013).
• Cobb, Branden, "George Zimmerman Trial: Jurors Ask for Clarification About Manslaughter Charge," www.CBSnews.com, July 13, 2013.
• Forman, Alan S. "Penalties for DUI Manslaughter," www.Alanformanlaw.com, (accessed July 14, 2013).
• Law Bound Prep - Labs, "Involuntary Manslaughter vs 2nd Degree Murder," YouTube.com, November 8, 2011.
  
• Law.com, "Manslaughter," www.Dictionary.law.com, (accessed July 13, 2013).
• Levinson, Alana, "Polls Show Wide Racial Gap on Trayvon Martin Case," NPR.org, July 22, 2013
  
• Roig-Franzia, Manuel, "Zimmerman Found Not Guilty in Killing of Trayvon Martin," www.Washingtonpost.com, July 13, 2013.
• Savage, David G. and Michael Muskal, "Zimmerman Verdict: Legal Experts Say Prosecutors Overreached," LAtimes.com, July 14, 2013
  

This has been a week of emergencies which have attracted national attention. No doubt 911 operators/dispatchers were busy dealing with a torrent of phone calls and radio transmissions after the Boston Marathon bombings and the West, Texas, fertilizer plant explosion, (follow the links to listen to samples). Telecommunications professionals play a key role in every reported emergency.

Not only was April 14-20, 2013, a traumatic week, it was National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. We should say thank you to the people who are there to take our calls when we need help.

Originally, switchboard operators handled emergency calls. Then callers dialed numbers directly...a different number for each police, fire, EMS agency. In 1937, the 999 emergency phone system began in the United Kingdom. "In the United States, the first 911 call was placed in Haleyville (Alabama) on February 16, 1968," (PoliceOne.com).

The 911 system gradually spread to most places in the U.S. While many locations have the enhanced E911, some locations still have no 911 service.

Emergency operators take many calls of every variety. "In a 25-year career in a metropolitan area, the call total can be around a million...Many are mundane, many are a glimpse into hell," (Policeone.com).

Keep in mind that the operator/dispatcher has no visual on the scene. He/she must imagine what is happening, try to calm frantic callers and officers, wait patiently during the silences, and sometimes dive into the next call without knowing how the last was resolved. They hear fear and chaos on the other end of the phone or radio but can't physically do anything to end the emergency.

"Being a 9-1-1 operator/dispatcher is overwhelming. There are half a dozen screens, immense amounts of information, beeps and chirps and whatnot in our ears that all mean different things, codes to remember, directions and locations, names, call-signs, jurisdictional lines, policies and procedures, etc., etc., etc," (Officer.com, 1-9-2013).

Listen to a series of recorded calls and radio transmissions of a shooting in progress that occurred in Glendale, California (Select "Glendale Shootout Part 1" and "...Part 2"). Multiple reports of a man shooting a weapon from inside his apartment flood the call center. First, callers report hearing about 20 shots followed by more and more. Then a series of radio transmissions with officers describes a shootout with the gunman.

Public safety operators are the cruicial first step to any emergency response, yet they are often unappreciated by the public and the officers they dispatch.

According to Jeff Troyer, Executive Director, Calhoun County 911 Consolidated Dispatch Center (Michigan), "Less than 1 percent of the population can actually do this job," he said. "It's not an easy thing to be able to do. It's an environment where multi-tasking is needed, and a position that takes multi-tasking to a whole other level," (Advisor-Chronicle.com).

In what may have been the fist study looking at PTSD among 911 dispatchers/operators, 300 dispatchers were questioned about their worst calls and the effects of stress (Chicagotribune.com). Their most difficult calls are listed below:

                                    WORST CALLS

1. 16.4%    Unexpected death/injury of a child
2. 12.9%    Suicidal callers
3.   9.9%    Officer involved shooting/unexpected death of an adult

Although dispatchers only visualize the scenes described to them by others, they face many of the same emotional distresses that officers experience on scene. "Study respondents experienced 'one or two symptoms' of PTSD while as many as 3.5 percent had symptoms serious enough to qualify for a full PTSD diagnosis," (Chicagotribune.com).

Regardless, the call taker must remain composed. He or she must use techniques to try to calm the person on the other end of the line. Operators and dispatchers jump from one unique call to another.

"We get calls from parking complaints and barking dogs and then you have the extremes — suicides, shootings, homicides — everything you hear on the news," said Jim Jones, training coordinator for Tri-Com Central Dispatch in Kane County, Illinois, (Chicagotribune.com).

Call takers may want to reach through the phone to comfort a terrified child or help barricade the door for a trapped victim. But they can only fight crimes and crises with words.

"[They] suffer from the hypervigilance, that physiological fight, flight or freeze, without the ability to do anything about the circumstances at all. To me, this creates the most amount of stress of the occupation...9-1-1 operators/dispatchers are unsung heroes " (Officer.com, 1-10-2012).

Like other emergency personnel, their shift may go from bordeom to chaos in a moment. We cannot dismiss the importance of their role in public safety.

For those who ask the questions and dispatch the helpers when we call 911--Thank you!


Resources:

• Boston EMS, "Listen: 911 Call for Aid of Boston Marathon Bombings," CBSnews.com, 4-15-2013.
• Investigation Discovery, "Call 911 Videos: Glendale Shootout Part 1" and "Part 2," Discovery.com, (accessed 4-18-2013).
• Kellogg, Corinne, "A Day in the Life of a 911 Dispatcher," Advisor-Chronicle.com, 2-24-2013.
• KMOV.com, "911 Calls Released in West, Texas Explosion," KMOV.com, 4-20-2013.
• McCarthy, Jack, "Feeling the Stress of the Job," Chicagotribune.com, 6-6-2012.
• Perin, Michelle, "911 Call Takers are Behind-the-Scenes Heroes," Policeone.com, 4-16-2013.
• Perin, Michelle, "Just a Dispatcher?" Officer.com, 1-10-2012.
• Perin, Michelle, "Training a Dispatcher," Officer.com, 1-9-2013.

Beginning in 1972, women found more opportunities in law enforcement, although they still faced many barriers. Progress continues to move slowly.

Equipment
In the early 70's, many women were still issued impractical uniforms that included skirts and heals. In wasn't until the late 70's that equipment belts designed for women were available.

There are still issues with uniforms, especially in departments with few women. According to Donna Milgram, executive director of the Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science (IWITTS), "Most gear is designed for male officers and is based on tests with male officers, and cut down versions don't really work for women. Improperly fitting equipment, and uniforms pose a health and safety hazard which could endanger the lives of police officers and of others" (Policeone.com)

Opportunities
President Richard Nixon's 1969 executive order ending the FBI's ban on hiring women as special agents had been a step in the right direction. However, the most significant piece of legislation to usher in the modern era of law enforcement for women came in 1972.

An amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act gave the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) power to enforce anti-discrimination laws for state and local government agencies--including police departments. Women began being hired in greater numbers, attending regular police academies, and receiving promotions to supervisory positions across the country. These advances were not showing up equally in every department.

"An analysis of the UCR data showed that most of the police agencies reporting to the FBI did not employ any policewomen in 2003," (Policechiefmagazine.org). While large agencies and campus police departments integrated women into patrol positions, many small, rural departments still do not have female officers.

Hiring officials say they hire the best person for the job, but complain that there are few female applicants (Pennlive.com). Recruitment still lags behind need.

Diversity is important in law enforcement. Chief James Adams of Upper Allen Twp. Police Department in Pennsylvania said, "If you look at our client base, we have significant victims, witnesses, people we arrest, who are female. I'm not saying it's 50-50, but right now we're 100 percent male as far as sworn staff" (Pennlive.com).

• 1972: An amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act gave the EEOC power to enforce anti-discrimination laws for state and local government agencies.
• 1980: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) formally defined sexual harassment and classified it as a form of sexual discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  
• 1985: Penny Harrington became first female police chief for a major city, (Portland, Oregon).
  
• 1992: Jacquelyn Barrett elected as first black female sheriff (Fulton County, Georgia).
• 1993: Margaret M. Moore, first female to serve as the head of an ATF field office (Baltimore, MD).
  
• 1994: Beverly J. Harvard selected first African American woman to serve as chief of police for a large city, (Atlanta, Georgia).
• 1995: The National Center for Women & Policing and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives were founded.
• 1999: Women in Federal Law Enforcement organization was incorporated.
• 2003: The majority of U.S. agencies did not employ female law enforcement officers.
• 2011: Women comprise 13% of law enforcement personnel.
  
• 2013: Julia Pierson appointed by President Obama as first female Secret Service Director.
  

Social Barriers
"In 1973, a sergeant with the LAPD, Fanchon Blake, sued after she and other female police sergeants were not allowed to take the lieutenant's exam because they were women. She won. A similar lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department by Sue Bouan in 1980 was eventually settled in 1988" (Policemag.com). These lawsuits helped improve hiring and promotional practices for women. However, some of the pioneers, like Bouman, confronted a backlash from peers for the rest of their careers.

Sexual harassment and hazing were common roadblocks for new female officers in the 1970's. Patty Fogerson, ret. detective supervisor III, worked as a police officer with the LAPD from 1969 to 1994. She talked about her early years on the department. "Phrases like sexual harassment and hostile work environment didn't exist back then. I was able to work robbery and detectives, background investigations, and was one of the first female drill instructors in the academy. I just got along and survived in the beginning, then things settled down" (Policemag.com).

As of 1998, there were few mentoring programs designed to support women in law enforcement (Policemag.com). Women in small departments where they may be the only female patrol officer sometimes find support through national organizations.

Benefits of Women in Law Enforcement
Rather than having a tendency to fuel an already violent situation, female officers are more likely to use communication skills to try to calm the situation. Some victims may find talking with female officers less intimidating than reporting to male officers. Chiefs point out that there are situations in which the department may open itself up to liability when only relying on male officers in sensitive situations with female victims and suspects.

While some are concerned about women not being as big and strong as some male officers, others don't see this as a major issue. There are many tools, including tasers and firearms, that simply do not rely on strength. In most situations, all officers would be better off if they relied on tactics and skills rather than strength.

Now that women play a more active role in the military, some female applicants bring military experience and tactical skills to the job.

Achievements
Although uncommon, women have served as police chiefs, sheriffs, and assistant directors of federal agencies. Women have formed supportive organizations including the International Association of Women Police, The National Center for Women & Policing, The National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and Women in Federal Law Enforcement.

There are still firsts left for women in law enforcement. In fact, Julia Pierson was just selected by President Obama to be the Secret Service director on March 26, 2013. She will be the first woman to hold that post. After working as a police officer for three years at the Orlando Police Department, she joined the Secret Service. She rose through the ranks over the last 30 years (www.cfnews13.com). Some believe that she is entrusted with changing the male-dominated culture of the agency which allowed for a prostitution scandal in 2012 (Washingtonpost.com).

Progress
The International Association of Chiefs of Police released a report on "The Future of Women in Policing" (Criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com). These were their findings:

• Given the variety of circumstances faced by law enforcement officers, it has been found that women can be just as effective and even more effective in certain scenarios.
  
  
• Women often show a high degree of competency in intellectual and strategic situations and can diffuse potentially dangerous situations with great skill
  
  
• Women still face discrimination, sexual harassment, and peer intimidation in their roles
  
  
• As role models at higher levels of law enforcement increase, the number of women interested increases
  
  
• The media has recently made a shift and portrayed women as competent and effective law enforcement personnel, which is helpful for changing societal assumptions
  
  
• More than two-thirds of current criminal justice students polled are in support of additional women law enforcement officers
  
  
• Women law enforcement officers are especially effective in carrying out the new community model of policing, which is less reactive and more proactive

Women's role in law enforcement has grown significantly in the last 140 years (see Women in Law Enforcement: The Early Years). Yet, women hold only 13% of law enforcement jobs, and only 7% of supervisory positions (Criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com). Many small departments still have no females among their sworn officers. Unlike their male counterparts, female officers frequently feel the need to prove themselves daily. Perseverance has allowed women to make contributions and attain increasingly more powerful roles in law enforcement.


Resources:

Criminal Justice School Info, "Women in Law Enforcement," www.criminaljusticeschoolinfo.com, (accessed 4-2-2013).

Horne, Peter, "Policewomen: Their First Century and the New Era," www.policechiefmagazine.org, September, 2006.

Miller, Barbara, "Female Police Officers are Rare but Sought After for Unique Skills," www.pennLive.com, 12-8-2012.

National Law Enforcement Officer Museum, "Women in Law Enforcement Photo Timeline," www.NLEOMF.org, (accessed 3-20-2013).

News 13, "Orlando's Julia Pierson Named 1st Woman Secret Service Head," www.cfnews13.com, 3-26-2013.

Scoville, Dean, "The First Female Patrol Officers," www.policemag.com, 9-21-2012.

Stone, Rebecca, "Sam Browne and Beyond: A Look at Duty Belts," www.policeone.com, Nov. 2000.

Wilson, Scott, "Obama to Name Julia Pierson as New Secret Service Director," www.washintonpost.com, 3-26-2013.

During National Women's History Month, let's look into how women have slowly integrated into the field of law enforcement. It took a long time before women held the same jobs as men for anywhere close to the same level of pay. And many more years before they were issued uniforms and equipment that were practical for their role as police officers. They still fight for respect.

The first few women in law enforcement were hired in 1845 to be matrons. Far from patrol officers, they were civilians hired to care for women and children in police custody.

It is difficult to name the first female police officer, since there is little agreement on dates and duties. Based on research publicized in 2010, it would appear that Marie Connelly Owens was hired by the Chicago Police Department as a police officer in 1891 (Suntimes.com). In 1898, she joined others in her department in being placed on the civil service rolls as a "regular patrolman" after scoring 99% on her exam (www.fedagent.com).

In 1908, Lola Greene Baldwin was the first full-time, paid female law enforcement officer in Portland, OR. Apparently the first female to have powers of arrest at the LAPD was Alice Stebbins Wells, hired in 1910. She may have been the first person referred to as a "policewomen."

• 1845: New York City hired two police matrons.
• 1878: Many departments across the country hired police matrons.
• 1891: Marie Owens, formerly a city health inspector, was hired as a police officer for the Chicago Police Department. She served for 32 years.
• 1898: Marie Owens passed her civil service exam with a score of 99% and joined others at her department on the civil service rolls.
  
• 1908: Lola Greene Baldwin was sworn in as a full-time, paid law enforcement officer for Portland, OR.
• 1910: Alice Stebbins Wells was hired by the LAPD and may have been the first female with powers of arrest and the first referred to as a "policewoman."
• 1915: International Association of Policewomen (IAP) was founded. It was disbanded during the Depression.
• 1916: Anna Hart, a jail matron for Hamilton County, OH, was the first female law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.
• 1918: Policewomen with limited powers were working in more than 200 U.S. cities.
• 1921: Mary E. Hamilton became the first female precinct leader for NYPD.
• 1948: Although 30 percent of FBI employees were women, none were special agents. They all worked in support positions.
  
• 1956: The International Association of Women Police (IAWP) formed as a continuation of the IAP.
• 1957: Beverly Garland starred in the first American TV police show starring a woman.
• 1960: The number of policewomen had doubled since 1950.
• 1961: In Shpritzer v. Lang, Felicia Shpritzer won her case in front of the Supreme Court of New York after females had been denied the opportunity to take the promotional exam.
• 1965: Felicia Shpritzer and Gertrude Schimmel had the two highest scores on the promotional exam and were sworn in as NYPD's first female sergeants.
• 1968: Elizabeth Robinson and Betty Blankenship of the Indianapolis Police Department were the first women assigned to car patrol duties.
• 1969: President Richard M. Nixon signed Executive Order 11478 which made it illegal to discriminate in the federal service based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or handicap.
  

Society took a step backward during the 30s and 40s when most employers decided that the few jobs available during the Depression should go to men. During WWII, when many men left for military service, women filled support jobs in police departments but still had limited roles. While 30 percent of FBI employees were women in 1948, they were all in support positions such as secretaries, file clerks, radio operators, fingerprint examiners, or lab technicians. Not one served as a special agent.

In the 1950s and 60s, more and more women worked as police officers rather than filling social work functions. Most notably, "The face of law enforcement across the country was forever changed in 1968 when Indianapolis Police Department policewomen Elizabeth Robinson and Betty Blankenship strapped on their guns and took control of Car 47...These two women made it quite clear that women were capable of all aspects of law enforcement responsibilities," (ICWtorchbearerawards).

President Richard M. Nixon's executive order signed on August 8, 1969, removed the FBI's ban on hiring women as special agents. "Women now held authority to carry firearms, execute search warrants, and make arrests" (NLEOMF.org).

When Patty Fogerson joined the LAPD in 1969, male and female officers shared concerns about how to work with each other. "My first partner didn't know whether he should open the door for me when we got in the car," Fogerson said. Although the term had not been coined, sexual harassment was intense in those early years (LATimes.com). Yet, she persisted and retired from the department in 1994.

Also in 1969, Judith Lewis began working for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. "Our uniform was a skirt, high heels, and a blouse. We went through a 10-week academy vs. a 20-week academy for men. We got a 2-inch gun to carry in our purse" (Policemag.com). Very little was equal for male and female law enforcement officers.

The first women in law enforcement struggled to earn an opportunity to try to prove themselves. It would take much more to earn respect and some semblance of fair treatment. In my next blog, I will look at progress made by women in the modern era of this male-dominated field.

Resources:

Boxall, Bettina, "In a Man's World: Women were a Novelty When Patricia Fogerson Joined the LAPD; 'You Just Kept Your Mouth Shut and Kept Going,' She Says," LATimes.com, 3-3-1994.

Indiana Commission for Women Torchbearer Awards, "Elizabeth Robinson and Betty Blankenship," ICWtorchbearerawards, 2008.

National Center for Women & Policing, "A History of Women in Policing," www.womenandpolicing.com, (accessed 3-20-2013).

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, "The Forgotten Story of Marie Connelly Owens of the Chicago Police Department," www.Fedagent.com, 3-15-2013.

National Law Enforcement Officer Museum, "Women in Law Enforcement Photo Timeline," www.NLEOMF.org, (accessed 3-20-2013).

Scoville, Dean, "The First Female Patrol Officers," Policemag.com, 9-21-2012.

Spielman, Fran, "First Female Cop Hired in 1891, 22 Years Earlier Than Thought," www.Suntimes.com, 9-30-2010.

Yesterday President Barack Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act (VAMA) into law. Not only does it reinstate the earlier VAMA provisions which helped women who suffered domestic violence and sexual assault, it also extends protections to lesbians, gays, immigrants, and Native Americans.

"All women deserve the right to live free from fear," President Obama said, (USAToday.com)

Last year the Congress failed to come to an agreement to reauthorize the act. This year, the Senate passed the bill on a 78-22 vote which included every Democrat, every woman, and 23 of 45 Republicans. An attempt to remove the protections for new groups was eventually rejected and the bill passed the House on a 286-238 vote, (FOXnews.com).

"The Violence Against Women Act has set the standard for how to protect women, and some men, from domestic abuse and prosecute abusers and is credited with helping reduce domestic violence incidents by two-thirds since its inception in 1994," (Bostom.com).

Selected VAMA Provisions

• Enables domestic violence crimes against women to be prosecuted in federal courts
• Prevents service providers from refusing services to gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual victims of domestic violence
  
• Offers grants for transitional housing and legal assistance
• Offers grants for law enforcement training and hotlines
• Reauthorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
• Allows Tribal Courts to prosecute non-native attackers of Native American women on tribal lands
• Adds stalking to the list of crimes for which protection is available to undocumented immigrants
  
• Supports programs to reduce sexual assaults on college campuses
• Authorizes programs to reduce the backlog of rape investigations

Native American women experience domestic violence at roughly twice the rate of the general U.S. population. Although Native American Tribes are legally sovereign nations, U.S. federal law and Supreme Court rulings have not enabled Tribal Courts to exert jurisdiction and prosecute non-native American perpetrators of crimes on their lands.

This is a huge barrier to justice for Native American women, nearly half of whom are married to non-American Indians. In fact, nearly "77 percent of people living in American Indian and Alaska Native areas are non-Indian, according to a recent Census report," (AP.org). The latest version of the Violence Against Women Act will change that in regard to domestic violence.

‘‘One of the great legacies of this law is it didn’t just change the rules, it changed our culture. It empowered people to start speaking out,’’ Obama said, (Boston.com)


Resources:

Associated Press, "Congress Passes Bill Renewing Violence Against Women Act," FoxNews.com, 2-28-2013.
Cohen, Tom, "House Passes Violence Against Women Act After GOP Version Defeated," CNN.com, 2-28-2013.
Fonseca, Felicia, "Law Gives Tribes New Authority Over Non-Indians," AP.org, 3-7-2013.
Jackson, David, "Obama Signs Renewal of Violence Against Women Act," USAToday.com, 3-7-2013.
Lederman, Josh, "Obama Signs Expanded Violence Against Women Act," Bostom.com, 3-7-2013.
Parker, Ashley, "House Renews Violence Against Women Measure," NYTimes.com, 2-28-2013.

A hostage or terrorist situation may demand more tools and tactical expertise than first responders bring to the scene. When even the local SWAT team and state crisis negotiators aren't enough, law enforcement may call in the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team (HRT).

The 30-year-old program was developed in preparation for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Extreme? No. Not after the world had witnessed terrorists abduct and murder 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 games in Munich, Germany. At the time, only the military had the assets and training to deal with such a situation, but it could not deploy within the U.S.

                                                               HRT Motto: Servare Vitas
                                                                      "To Save Lives"

This civilian counterterrorism team has responded to nearly 800 incidents since 1983. "When needed, the team is prepared to deploy within four hours of notification to anywhere in the U.S. in response to terrorist incidents, hostage situations, and major criminal threats," FBI.gov. On occasion, they assist the military with sensitive situations in other countries.

High-Risk Missions

• Terrorists
• Hostage-takers
• Violent criminals

Recently the HRT joined local law enforcement officers near Midland City, Alabama, to help rescue a 5-year-old boy, in an underground bunker, from his armed captor. They used military surveillance equipment to monitor activity in the 6 ft. by 8 ft. bunker. At the end of the 144-hour standoff, the boy was safe and the abductor was dead, DothanEagle.com.

The HRT had built a mock bunker to train for possible entry. "The FBI Hostage Rescue Team blew the doors off the bunker and shot dead the survivalist during the daring raid...after footage from a secret hi-tech camera showed the boy's life was in imminent danger," DailyMail.co.uk. The press kept many details confidential until the standoff ended. Any publicity could have tipped off the abductor and endangered the boy.

This tremendous success comes on the 30th anniversary of the team's founding. Not all of the team's actions are always praised. In 1993, the HRT was involved in the tragic standoff with the Branched Davidian sect in Waco, Texas. Seventy-four of the cult's members died during the siege, CBSNews.com. To see an overview of how the Hostage Rescue Team is supposed to work, view the FBI's new video, "Hostage Rescue Team Marks 30 Years."


Resources:

Collins, Laura and Thomas Durante and Rachel Quigley, "I Can't Describe How Incredible it is to Hold Him Again," DailyMail.co.uk, 2-5-2013.
FBI, "The Hostage Rescue Team: 30 Years of Service to the Nation," FBI.gov, 2-1-2013.
FBI, "Hostage Rescue Team Marks 30 Years," Youtube.com, 2-1-2013.
Frontline, "Waco: Chronology of the Siege," PBS.org, (accessed 2-25-2013).
Griffin, Lance, "Hostage Safe, Gunman Dead in Midland City Standoff," DothanEagle.com, 2-4-2013.
Miller, John, "Behind the Scenes of FBI's Secretive Hostage Rescue Team," CBS This Morning, CBSNews.com, 2-6-2013.

Capital punishment has been a fiercely debated issue in Nebraska since the drafting of the state's constitution. If you are interested in the history of Nebraska or criminal justice, I encourage you to watch the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications show ...Until He is Dead online. It includes an interview with descendants of the one man killed by the state of Nebraska who was later exonerated.

A total of 37 men have been executed by the state of Nebraska. Fifteen years after statehood, Nebraska conducted its first state execution by hanging, NETNebraska.org. Hanging continued to be the method of execution until 1913 when the state legislature took up the debate. They considered eliminating the death penalty. Instead, they kept it and changed the method to electrocution.

After using the electric chair 15 times, Nebraska ended up being the last state in the union with electrocution as its sole method for capital punishment. When stopping that practice in 2008, the seven-justice majority of the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled on the evidence of pain during electrocutions. "It is the hallmark of a civilized society that we punish cruelty without practicing it," CNN.com. Although never used, lethal injection has been the only option for capital punishment in Nebraska since 2009.

                                           Time Line of Capital Punishment in Nebraska

• First execution by Nebraska territorial court, Cyrus Tator, August 28, 1863.
• Nebraska became a state, March 1, 1867.
  
• First legal execution in Nebraska, Samuel D. Richards, April 26, 1879.
• Death of the only executed prisoner in Nebraska later exonerated, Jackson Marion, March 25, 1887.
• A man was hanged twice after the rope broke on the first attempt, Albert Haunstine, May 20, 1891.
  
• Last legal public hanging, George Morgan, October 8, 1897
• Method of capital punishment changed from hanging to the electric chair, March, 1913.
• First execution by electrocution (two men in one day), December 20, 1920
• Most notorious criminal executed in Nebraska, Charles Starkweather, June 25, 1959.
• U.S. Supreme Court blocked capital punishment, June 29, 1972.
• Nebraska Supreme Court issued rulings on four death penalty cases in one day to clarify the use of capital punishment, February 2, 1977.
• The last state execution to date, Robert Williams, December 2, 1997.
• Nebraska Supreme Court ruled electric chair violates ban on "cruel and unusual punishment," February 8, 2008.
• Lethal injection replaced electric chair as means of state execution, September 1, 2009.

 
         "There is a real easy way to avoid ever getting the death penalty. Don't kill anyone else."
                                                                                   --Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning

Early death sentences were carried out by the counties. Since 1903, death sentences have been carried out at the state penitentiary. Of the 70 inmates who have sat on Death Row in Nebraska, 23 have been put to death. One, Charles Starkweather, murdered 10 people on a killing spree in 1958. It was the kind of case in which it is easy for proponents to argue the merits of capital punishment.

                                                              "The state should not kill."
                                                                                   --Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers

In one case, this state took an innocent man's life. William Jackson "Jack" Marion was convicted of shooting to death a friend named John Cameron in 1887. The dead body was paraded into the court. The conviction came after three trials and little evidence. The Clerk of the Gage County Court recorded his sentence: "He shall be taken by the sheriff to the place of execution and be hanged by the neck until dead, dead, dead" NETNebraska.org. 

The Omaha Bee recorded Marion's final words on the gallows, "I have made no confession and have none to make. God help everybody. That is all I have to say" NETNebraska.org.  About four years later, someone who did not believe John Cameron was the dead man found him in Kansas and brought him back to Nebraska. It was a century later, in 1987, that Governor Bob Kerry signed a pardon for Jack Marion.

The history of the death penalty in Nebraska presents extreme examples of a state struggling to create a system of justice. How does it sit with your views on crime and punishment?


Resources:

Kelly, Bill, "Until He is Dead: A History of Nebraska's Death Penalty," NETNebraska.org, premiered 2-8-2013.
Kelly Omaha, "History of the Death Penalty in Nebraska," Dipity.com, 1-20-2013.
Mears, Bill, "Nebraska court bans the electric chair," Cnn.com, 2-8-2008.
Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, "Capital Punishment: Rules & Regulations," Corrections.state.ne.us, (accessed 2-20-2013).
Young, JoAnne, "Nebraska Electric chair becoming historical artifact," Journalstar.com, 6-26-2008.