(Wellford, SC)—The Mayor of Wellford is defending her policy which bans police officers in that city from chasing suspects. Sallie Peake says the policy also includes vehicle chases along with pursuits on foot. 

A memo issued on September 2nd from Peake to all Wellford officers reads:

“As of this date, there are to be no more foot chases when a suspect runs. I do not want anyone chasing after any suspects whatsoever.“

WSPA first reported the mandate on Wednesday after an anonymous citizen faxed a copy of the memo to our newsroom. Peake was out of town and unavailable for comment. On Friday, reporter Chris Cato caught up with her in her office and questioned her about the origin of the policy. Peake says she issued the mandate because several officers have been injured during chases, driving up insurance costs for the town.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“The officers are costing us more money on insurance than most citizens here in the city of Wellford are even earning,“ says Peake.

She says the city is paying out $20,000 annually in workers’ compensation claims, much of it due to the police force. In July, two officers wrecked their cruisers while chasing suspects and had to go to the hospital for minor treatment. The police chief says three officers have been injured during foot chases in the last two years.

Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright says the policy prevents police from upholding the law—a direct violation of their constitutional oath.

“If a bank robber or a drunk driver or a shoplifter or somebody with a warrant runs on foot, it’s our obligation to do what we can do to bring them to justice,“ says Wright.

But when we asked Peake about her order impeding an officer from stopping a crime in progress, she became defensive and irate. The conversation went as follows:

Reporter: “Are you telling your officers if they witness a crime – they witness someone commit a crime on someone else and they’re ten yards away – they can’t go stop that person?“

Peake: “Is that in there?“ (referring to policy)

Reporter: “It says no chases whatsoever.“

Peake: “Well, that’s what I said, no chases, didn’t I? I didn’t say nothing about a crime. If you see a crime, this that and the other -“

Reporter: “Well, that’s what a chase is – “

Peake: “Well, I told them no chase on foot, and (the police chief) know exactly what I mean, so you’re trying to twist what I -“

Reporter: “No, I’m not. You said no chases. No chases means no chases.“

Peake: (claps hands) “You got you a story, thank God! You are so sweet! You got you a story on a woman in Wellford! Hallelujah! I’m so proud of you, Mr. Cato!“

Wellford Police Chief Chris Guy has told his officers to abide by the policy. He says they can still protect the public.

“Just because a suspect may run does not mean we can’t identify them, sign warrants, and catch them later,“ says Guy.

But Sheriff Wright says when a suspect gets away, there is always the chance he could hurt someone before officers catch up with him.

Peake says that won’t happen in Wellford.

Here’s hoping the arm of the law really is long.

Sheriff: Wow, those cops are good, or that mayor is VERY stupid. But hey, we all elect stupid people from time to time huh.

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WATERLOO — The family of a Waterloo man who was killed by police early Saturday said he was unarmed and had just been shocked by a Taser when he was fatally shot.

“The cops pulled up and 30 seconds later he was dead,” said Keith Shimp, father-in-law of Eric Timothy Rule, 31.

“He was stolen from us. This is a huge loss,” said Rule’s wife, Bethany.

Rule, the father of two who worked as a supervisor for Martinson Construction, died in the dirveway of his home at 611 Keystone St.

Rule died shortly after two officers were called to what authorities said was a domestic dispute at 2:18 a.m.

According to the police account, a struggle ensued.

“During the struggle, the officers used a number of control techniques that were ineffective,” acording to a statement relased by the Waterloo Police Department.

When Eric Rule attempted to overpower one of the patrolmen, the officer managed to draw his handgun and shoot him in the chest, according to police.

The names of the officers involved have not been released.

Unarmed - tasered and Shot by Police

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has been called in to investigate, which is a standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. Jeff Jacobson, DCI special agent in charge, said an autopsy has been scheduled for 9 a.m. today at the medical examiner’s office in Ankeny.

Jacobson declined to give details of the incident or to comment on the family’s statements that one officer used a Taser on Eric Rule seconds before the other officer shot him.

Shimp, who was at the scene and witnessed the incident, said Rule’s wife had called him to come over and phoned officers. She wanted them to get Eric Rule to go to another house for the night or to take him to detox.

“She told him not to come home drunk. He came home drunk,” Shimp said. He said there was no physical violence between the couple, and the wife had locked Eric Rule out of the house.

Shimp arrived at the house and was talking with Eric and Bethany Rule outside when police pulled up, according to Shimp’s account.

The officers separated the two, and one patrolman began to walk Eric Rule down the driveway. That is when Rule pulled out his cell phone.

The officer reached over to keep him from making the phone call, Shimp said.

“Eric said, ‘get the (expletive deleted) off me. This is my driveway,’” Shimp said.

The officer attempted to take Rule to the ground, and they both ended up on the lawn with Rule — more than 6 feet tall and 260 pounds — on top facing down, Shimp said.

The second officer raced over and started hitting Rule in the head, Shimp said.

“They never tried to put handcuffs on him,” Shimp said. “I’m trying to drag him out here, away from the officers,” Shimp said, motioning back toward the driveway.

While the first officer remained under Rule, the second officer stepped back, and Shimp saw “metal beads” — apparently probes from a Taser — strike Rule.

Rule then tensed up once from the shock of the electrical device, Shimp said.

“He stiffened up and then ‘pop, pop’,” Shimp said, mimicking the wound of gunshots.

Rule turned to look at Shimp, who saw blood coming from his chest.

Shimp said no warning proceeded the use of the Taser or the handgun.

He said other officers arrived soon afterward, but no one attended to Rule.

Rule died at the scene. The officer was fired the gun was taken to Allen Hospital where he was treated for injuries. The second officer was not hurt.

Shimp questioned why officers had tried to take Rule to the ground and why they shot him.

“The cops murdered him,” Shimp said.

Because of the ongoing investigation, Waterloo police and the DCI are not able to comment on Shimp’s account.

EARLIER STORY

Neighbors, some who asked not to be identified, said they were surprised to still see Rule’s covered body lying in his driveway when they ventured out of their homes Saturday morning. Many said they were not aware of the severity of the incident until seeing the white sheet used to create a makeshift tent over Rule’s body.

A four-home stretch of homes adjacent to and across the street from the Rule home were blocked with yellow crime scene tape when Helida Valla left for work about 7 a.m. Valla, of 603 Keystone St., said she didn’t even realize there had been a disturbance until her daughter woke her up shortly after 3 a.m.

“I bought this house 15 years ago and things like this just don’t happen in this neighborhood,” said Valla, who was watching the scene unfold from her car. “And I certainly didn’t hear any gunshots last night.”

A Martinson Construction truck, two police cars, and another truck were parked on the street in front of the home. Dolan said Rule had worked at Martinson for several years.

Authorities did not remove the body from the scene until shortly after 7 a.m.

The nearby hostas, which lined the driveway, appeared to have been damaged in the struggle.

According to court records available online, Rule had run-ins with police in the past but has not been cited since 2004.

In 1997, Waterloo police charged Rule with assault on a peace officer, interference with official acts and public intoxication. He allegedly refused to get into a squad car and kicked an officer. He was given jail time, but the sentences were suspended and he was placed on probation. In 1999, the court revoked Rule’s probation and he served six days in jail.

In 2001, Waterloo police charged Rule with interference with official acts. He pleaded guilty and paid a $250 fine for refusing officers’ orders.

Between 2000 and 2004, police in Waterloo and Cedar Falls cited Rule multiple times with public intoxication, loud music, operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license and failure to have financial liability insurance.

Despite his repeated run-ins with the law, Dolan said his friend, who he had known since second grade, was a good guy. He described his friend’s marriage as normal.

“We were just together last night,” he said, his eyes brimming with tears. “We’d had a few beers, but he isn’t the violent type. He had the softest heart. Everyone got along with Eric. I don’t care if he was drunk or not, this went way too far. This never should have happened.”

from the Waterloo, Iowa Courier – http://www.wcfcourier.com ”Cedar Valley’s Home Page”

Comment by the Sheriff: Yep – been to Iowa. Met some cops who stopped me for having NY Plates, no other reason. Was driving my daughters to school – as we were living there temporarily. Office approched my car with hand on gun, asked for license and registration, then asked my daughters if they were ok, and if they knew me! My girls just laughed – and told the officer politely “Yep he’s our dad. But sometimes he pretends like he doesn’t know us. and they say New Yorkers are bad???? – you too “Have a Nice Day Ossifer”

I asked a friend in the office when I got to work, if this type of thing was normal. He said I was lucky that they didn’t take me from the car at gunpoint for having the kids make a joke like that! 

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With its emphasis on re-using old materials or selling them as scrap, Mark Howard’s bicycle shop is a model of environmental efficiency.

So you might have imagined that his local council would be grateful to him for enhancing the area’s green credentials.

But instead the father of four has been hit with a £180 fine – because officers refuse to believe he doesn’t create any commercial waste.

If the charge is not paid within ten days it will rise to £300, and ultimately Mr Howard could be hauled before a court.

Mr Howard stores surplus materials such as cardboard boxes and old pedals away for re-use, while bent steel or aluminium frames that can’t be salvaged are sold for scrap.

 The dispute centres around a certificate issued by council waste contractors Cory when businesses pay them £80 to supply 50 commercial waste bags, which can be collected when full. Five weeks ago Mr Howard, 50, who runs Sutton Road Cycles in Southend, received a letter from Southend Council asking how he disposed of waste.

When he rang up to explain, no one believed that he did not use the service and he was told that someone would visit his premises.

‘An officer came round a week later but he didn’t look round or ask any questions,’ he said. ‘He just handed me another letter which said I must pay a fixed penalty.

‘They didn’t give me a chance to show them what I do – which is better than the council contractor’s service because their waste goes to landfill.’

Mark Howard, pictured outside his bicycle store, has labelled Southend Council's move to fine him as 'totally stupid'

Mr Howard, who is married to Karen, 46, says he can prove what he does with his waste by showing council officials his paperwork.

But he added: ‘Despite repeated calls I was fobbed off all the time. I have tried to get an interview with the director of the department but nothing has happened. This is totally stupid. The council must have money to burn because they want this case to go to court.

‘I’m not some environmental fruitcake trying to save the world. I’m just an ordinary person using my brain to avoid waste. But they don’t seem to care.’

Southend Council yesterday defended its actions. Simon Crowther, group manager for waste, said: ‘Mr Howard is required under the Environmental (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 to produce evidence as to how he legally and lawfully disposes of commercial waste under his control.

‘Mr Howard has been issued with a fixed-penalty fine due to the fact he failed to provide this evidence.’

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Charges: Man Threw Dog to See if it Could Fly

Minneapoils-St. Paul, MN

A 27-year-old man faces criminal charges for allegedly throwing a pit-bull puppy into a St. Paul intersection.

According to the criminal complaint, Steven David Strachota, threw the dog into the air near the intersection of Rice in Nebrasak on Aug. 23.

A witness says Strachota threw the dog approximately eight feet and was ‘pretty busted up.’ The man took the puppy and contacted police. The dog had to be euthanized due to the extent of its injuries.

Police found Strachota, who claims to be homeless, at a vacant house. He says he couldn’t afford a veterinarian and was going to just stomp on the puppy’s head to put it out of its misery.

Upon further questioning, Strachota says he threw the dog to ‘see if it could fly.’

Strachota faces one count of cruelty to animals. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.

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By GORDON WILCZYNSKI
Of Journal Register News Service

The owner of Nick’s Party Stop on Cass Avenue in Clinton Township and several people connected to his store are being sued by a man who was shot while robbing the store.

The lawsuit, filed by Scott Thomas Zielinski from his cell in a Michigan prison, was assigned to Macomb County Circuit Judge David Viviano.

John Acho, owner of the store and one of the people sued, said his customers are mad that an armed robber is allowed to file a lawsuit after he threatened the store’s employees with a knife.

Zielinski is seeking in excess of $125,000 for injuries sustained when he was shot escaping from the owners of the store. They went after him because he held two of the employees at knifepoint and threatened to kill them, police said.

“He comes into my store wearing a mask and armed with a knife, threatens to kill my employees and steals cigarettes and $793 in cash,” said Acho. “And he is suing us because we ruined his life and he is going through pain and suffering.”

Zielinski, 22, was convicted of the November 2007 robbery. In a plea bargain, he was sentenced May 20, 2008, to eight to 22 years in prison for unarmed, instead of armed, robbery.

A year earlier, he was sentenced to one year, seven months in prison for the robbery of Charter One Bank in Warren on Feb. 17, 2006.

Shortly after being released from prison, Clinton Township detectives said Zielinski walked into Nick’s, frequented by Chippewa Valley High School students and workers, and stuck a knife in the face of several store employees to show he was serious about robbing the place.

“My store was robbed three times before this and our employees were prepared if it happened again,” said Acho of Sterling Heights. “We are just protecting our property.”

Acho told Clinton Township police his mother, nephew and cousin were working in the store when Zielinski walked in and put a knife to his mother’s throat. After stealing money and cigarettes, he was shot by Justin Kallo with a .357 caliber Magnum revolver.

The lawsuit contends that Kallo followed Zielinski out of the store and fired a second time, striking Zielinski in the back and arm. The lawsuit also contends that Kallo and employee Jonathan Kallo repeatedly punched and kicked Zielinski and held him for police.

In the lawsuit, Zielinski’s attorney Andrew Mychalowych contends that his client suffered a gunshot wound to his left arm, contusions on his head and body and lacerations.

He also said his client suffered mental anguish, anxiety and emotional distress and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.

“His attorney should go to jail for the accusations he made,” Acho said.

“He said this armed robber is suffering from anxiety and emotional distress. Well, simply put, he could have avoided all of that by getting a job and working hard to make a few dollars like we do and not stealing our money that we worked very hard for and threatening to kill us.”

Thomas Peters, Acho’s attorney, said he filed a motion in Viviano’s court to dismiss the lawsuit.

“His attorney claims we used unreasonable force in stopping the crime or stopping him from fleeing,” Peters said. “Well, the employees were scared because he (Zielinski) had a 9-inch knife and threatened to come back and kill them if they lied about not having a safe.”

Peters said Justin Kallo shot Zielinski when his life was threatened.

“The kid (Justin) thought they were going to die,” John Kallo said.

from www.theoaklandpress.com

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