(This letter was written by David McNeil for the head of CHP in Sacramento. McNeil shared his letter with Sierra Wave.)
I was out looking at an archaeological site a few months ago with friends in an area called Round Valley, ten miles north of Bishop, CA.
A CHP officer pulled up and asked to see our licenses. He also took photos of our vehicle plates.
He said he was investigating the recent thefts of petroglyph panels and told us how his wife surveys the entire Round Valley from their house nearby in Paradise with a high powered scope.
He said she called him, and he diverted from his regular duties to come and harass us without probable cause. That is Los Angeles owned land, and we had every right to be there. We were not disturbing anything or removing anything.
We felt that the officer was way out of his jurisdiction to treat us in that way without a bonafide reason. I even tried to explain to him that I used to work for the Forest Service and was responsible for protecting cultural resources. I also explained to him that I volunteer my time to help the local land agencies to protect the archaeological sites. He did not listen. As far as he was concerned, we were guilty for just being there.
We contacted our local news people, and they published the story. I talked to the officer’s boss on the phone in Bridgeport. He was apologetic and said he would talk to his employee about the matter.
The fact is that the lieutenant never did talk to his employee and blew all of us off in the community.
He flat lied to me on the phone. Not cool! Not one bit!
We would appreciate if you would tell the lieutenant in Bridgeport to get his employee off our back and quit doing personal stuff on state time.
Why is this officer out on dirt roads taking calls from his wife to shake people down, when he should be out on the highway that we pay him for?
David McNeil
This behavior is extreme and out of control. It borders on gestapo tactics and is making enemies between the CHP and the public in the Eastern Sierra.
The public cannot even go out and enjoy their land without these two weirdos ruining the day.
for the guy or gal with many usernames. your way of base with your labeling me a right wing extremest. I voted both times for oboma, I don’t listen to limbaugh, I don’t watch fox news or msnbc. i’m not a bible thumper, far from that. I don’t agree with… Read more »
Salblater –
Interesting that you claim to know so much about my soul.
I love the direction these threads always head….remember what the original subject was about?………A cop not doing what he was hired to do for the California HIGHWAY Patrol…just saying.
Tony….I think it headed in that direction (why I don’t know) when someone mentioned how the Government was trying to take everyone’s guns away……and we all know which party is trying to put that idea in everybody’s heads….and when I think of it,a hot topic now at that liquor store… Read more »
Everything today is politics Tony.
With no end in sight.
for conservatism, a mental illness. what a load of b.s. if someone does’nt agree with your oppinions than they are mentaly insane, and can’t form complex thought, thats one of the most ridiculous statements i’ve ever heard. but you do have a study from a berkeley proffesor backing it up,… Read more »
Salblaster – Kindly direct you anger towards professionals who have been studying the psychological profile of todays conservative. There are many of us who have been watching with grave concern how easy conservative gurus such as Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Hannity, Glenn Beck … et al can manipulate certain types… Read more »
What we ALL got to do is try to understand,and accept the “angry conservative”method of living life…They will NEVER be happy with anything…always finding fault,and blaming others…good example,our local liquor store in the morning…The owner,a really friendly,nice,good guy to deal with…but outside at the picnic table,usually 3 or 4 angry… Read more »
Angry? Have you watched MSNBC lately? Maddow, Sharpton,Hays,the lady w/ the cornrows, O’donnel, are they not angry? Anger is all they spew.It goes both ways when people have passion in what they believe. Stop w/ the name calling already.
CNN is by far the best news source in America today.
Falsely-equivalating MSNBC with the likes of Fox News, as annoyingly pompous as some of their commentators can be, is intellectually dishonest to the point of absurdity. Hint: One of them is a pseudo-news product wholly conceived and developed for the purpose of dispensing (far) right-leaning subterfuge to the millions upon… Read more »
CNN is news-lite, at best, and is massively guilty of false-equivalency. And they are starting to skew right (I’m talking to you Erin Burnett), little doubt due to the dramatic success of the Fox “News” business model.
Ditto. The most credible, although once a week, news source we have found is Fareed Zakaria on Sundays.
It takes work to dig out good news sources.
BK
Fox News’ Megyn Kelly when she sneers whenever talking about Obama or liberals… a real sweetheart she is.
Bemused: “intellectually dishonest to the point of absurdity…millions upon millions of know-nothings, bigots, and bible-thumpers in this country…selling primitive capitalism… ignorant, in denial, or stupid.” After that coolly reasoned argument sinks in, consider that “For Hate Mongers Only” and “Conservatism, a Mental Illness” state that conservatives are the ones full… Read more »
Wayne Deja – Your observations of today’s neocon are sadly true. It seems that ever since a black guy became president, the frowns and utter unhappiness have been obvious (especially from the older Boomer crowd). Sadder still, is they have no idea how to pull themselves out of the hole… Read more »
Enough already.
BK
used to be’s” don’t count anymore
They just lay on the floor
‘Til we sweep them away
– Neil Diamond
John…Thing is,no one is trying to take anyone’s guns away….if you want to blow up a bunch of bottles,instead of using a high-capacity clip,use a bunch of stock clips….safer that way….and the same if someone invades us,like you stated was maybe going to happen back in the middle 1940’s…..And with… Read more »
When some extremist political groups run out of topics to set themselves apart as being the Americano Supremo, ie., no to gay marriage, no to birth control, no to taxing the rich, no to marijuana, … ad infinitum, they know they can always create the illusion that their guns are… Read more »
I wanted to raise a point about gun laws and war. Someone mentioned earlier that the U.S. was ready to invade Japan before the bomb, and I’ve heard from other sources that we were afraid Japan would invade us. I believe that a german sub was even spotted off our… Read more »
Nobody wants to take away your arms, John.
It’s the maniacs who watch too many Rambo films that insist on owning and dealing in machine guns that are making all the NRA people look crazy.
Brave New World- Your comments are so off base it is ridiculous. The brave generation of the last hundred years was clearly the youth of what I call the Vietnam error. People stood up to what the believed in. They changed this country in a lot of special ways. Your… Read more »
Trouble – Your extremist political philosophy and perhaps advancing years are showing. Every generation begets a more liberal and open-minded aura than the one before it (thank God). There appear to be two types of people in out divided country today: Those who cannot wait for obvious change and are… Read more »
The change- you clearly don’t know me if you call me a extremist. I vote democrat 90 % of the time. But I am not afraid to say that I think I have a right bare arms and I don’t understand or agree with gay marriage. How about you?
Trouble – I respectfully give way to the future voters of America. For those under 30, it appears they do not view the word liberal as something demonic – as so many over-the-hill people in our society do. In fact, they overwhelmingly favor, voting for a black man for president,… Read more »
True that trouble! I think the brave generation was during the depression era, especially being a Native that was a teen or twenties in that time. For example my Grandfather only had a 1st grade education level and no birth certificate, of course in that time natives were only 2/3’s… Read more »
“social security and medicare”
If you want better SS and Medicare we need to demand Congress & the Senate get the same benifits as everyone else in the Country.
Trouble – Like the time when birth control pills were considered evil by republican conservatives, the moral politics of today’s far-right is surfacing its ugly head once again. While Conservatives’ follow the model of the “strict father” family and paranoid that evil is all around us and constantly tempting us,… Read more »
A few years ago I was standing on the deck of a beach house on the 4th of July and a person who had obviously drunk too much told me, “The secret of my life is that I always need someone to hate.” I was reminded of this exchange while… Read more »
Hint: if you are trying to persuade people not already chained in the dungeon of your little ideological echo chamber, it is advisable not to accuse said people of suffering from mental illness. Such transparent rubbish diminishes your credibility by revealing a small mind and an exceptionally crabbed soul. I… Read more »
Tourbillon, You do have a marvelous writing style.
Thanks,
Benett
Tourbillon –
Please direct your anger towards those professionals in psychiatry who published their findings in Psychology Today and other scientific periodicals for your examination and for your search of any insincerity from these professionals.
Jost, Glaser, Kruglanski & Sulloway
http://faculty.virginia.edu/haidtlab/jost.glaser.political-conservatism-as-motivated-social-cog.pdf
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/07/22_politics.shtml
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201104/conservatives-big-fear-brain-study-finds
Republicans love lots of things….. like liberty, freedom of speech, the family, babies, life, respect for women, the ability to make something of yourself in this country, religious liberty, our country, the right to be able to live without government interference in every crevice of one’s life, less debt, the… Read more »
Your constant lecturing about the definition of liberal seems to have been replaced by constant assertions of mental illness suffered by anyone whose opinion you don’t share. Your recent comment about hope that they would die off “the sooner the better” is repulsive. These expressions of poisonous hatred say more… Read more »
@Mark…being alone out in the middle of nowhere, I really dont feel like escalating the situation w/ a a cop that is armed. just sayin
Wayne & esfotoguy – both of you have good points. I was going to add I won’t challange him if I was alone but If I wasn’t alone and I had a camera and phone you’d better bet I would. I’d also like to add calling 911 from a cell… Read more »
Mark…I’d be careful suggesting that to anyone…911 is meant for emergency situations.If you use it for anything else,such as what you are suggesting,there’s a good chance you’d get charged with abusing the 911 system….and yes,there IS such a charge.
Ive asked him his name, he says hes not giving it because of the investigation. And he covers up his name on his shirt. The lawyers we have contacted have advised us of setting up multi hidden cameras and film him doing this. We are going to post it on… Read more »
If an officer refuses to give his name or badge number I’d call 911 and stay on the phone until someone shows up willing to give their name.
Where exactly is this place?
Within a few minutes walk from here
LAT 37°27’47.55″N
LONG 118°36’0.30″W
Is there a reason that the officer in question has not been named?
@salbaster I love the dunce chair comment! It gave me a great idea maybe this Sergeant and his wife should start working for MCSO this is their kind of tactics. Spying on people, overstepping their bounds, stopping people with no PC and harassing people just because they feel they can.… Read more »
On the January 10 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh baselessly claimed that “Americans were not spied on without a warrant” through President Bush’s controversial electronic surveillance program. In fact, the program is controversial precisely because evidence exists that suggest Bush authorized the National Security Agency (NSA)… Read more »
And Eric Holder[Obama’s Attorney general] said its ok to kill Americans on American soil w/ drone strikes…w/ out a fair trial…whats your point?….oh i guess the harassment that this cop is doing is Bush’s fault?
Holder did not say that. When pressed by Rand Paul, he and the President said that was not acceptable.
Benett Kessler
He did say that Benett, but it took the Rand Paul’s filibuster to catch the attention of the white house and general public. Before that the “signature strikes” and “personal strikes” within the administration were all fine and dandy when nobody knew about it!
No you are wrong…he did say it, until the was an outrage and he back tracked….but 1 American has already been killed over seas by a drone w/out a fair trial…Bushes fault Neocon?
To Brave New World:
MOLON LABE
NOMI
Old Guy – “Molon labe” is a classical expression of defiance reportedly spoken by King Leonida in response to the Persian army’s demand that the Spartans surrender their weapons at the Battle of Thermopylae. It is an exemplary use of a laconic phrase. Sorry Old Guy. I think you might… Read more »
This rant reminds me of what someone told me just before the election in 2012….This guy stated he would NEVER vote for President Obama because Obama “refuses” to salute the American flag…I am SO GLAD the American voters saw through all the bunk that was coming their way late last… Read more »
A vast majority of American voters today under the age of 30, favor gun control, abortion, possession of small quantities of marijuana, gay marriage and believe the killing of civilians of Hiroshima and Baghdad was morally wrong. All you crusty old farts out there better understand there is a Brave… Read more »
You are right on, Wayne! It is true that Romney’s son went public about his father never wanting to be president in the first place. And with the GOP scratching its head trying desperately to distance itself from the Tea Party, machine gun nuts, and other extremists in their midst… Read more »
If it’s no secret then name names. Otherwise it is all just heresay.
I wonder if the moron in charge up in Bridgeport has found time to talk with his sargent?
You know there is a process for filing a formal written complaint against any CHP employee including the lieutenant and the sargent in question. Then the complaint and the formal results of any investigation are documented on paper and are public knowledge. I think that would be a good place… Read more »
Why is he a moron? You know him personally?
My “opinion” is entirely derived by the letter he sent to this site, and not discussing the issue with his officer prior to writing said letter.
Maybe they should relocate the CHP officer and his snitch wife, where this kind of behavior is tolerated. this is supposed to be the land of the Free.
Sure – lets punish the CHP officer and his family based on a complaint letter from one person. SOmeone accused him of this heinous crime he committed by asking for ID So lets send him to do patrol work in Needles as punishment. That makes perfect sense. Why aren’t there… Read more »
(with no Due Process or investigation of the true facts)
pretty much what his boss did by writing to Sierra Wave before speaking with the officer don’t you think.
I guess it works both ways 😉
Point of clarification – the CHP Lt. spoke to me about the issue when I called him.
BK
If you feel like you’re under surveilance now, wait until they start using drones.
Police agencies including the CHP have used fixed wing aircraft and helicopters with night vision equipment and high magnification cameras for decades. Where is the outcry. The US military has been flying vastly more powerful sensor platforms over the US for decades, aircraft like the U-2, RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-8,… Read more »
Speaking of a complete lack of knowledge, how would you know whether there have been “outrages committed”
since the military never reveals the nature of their activities nor the outcome.
Benett Kessler
I have a well known outrage committed by the military against the history and people of Inyo County. It is the theft of mining equipment and artifacts by helicopter crews in the Inyo & White mountains. and it could have happened right before the eyes of this CHP and he… Read more »
I serve in that military. We are citizens like you and snarky suspicions that military members are somehow out to get you based on absolutely no knowledge of how the military operates are resented. The military cannot engage in civilian law enforcement and frankly most military members want no part… Read more »
As a kid, I watched all the John Wayne WWII movies. Loved ’em all. Couldn’t get enough of ’em. Then I got older and the nuking of women and kids of Nagasaki and Hiroshima tarnished everything for me.
change of attitude: You would be singing a different tune if you or a loved one were scheduled to be part of the invasion of Japan. The US Government had a half million Purple Heart Medals made just for the invasion. As bad as atomic weapons are, many lives were… Read more »
But Reality Check if that is your stance then you shouldn’t be against any other country owning a nuclear warhead, You state because of the lives saved? why can’t other countries use that justification? Oh right because we are Americans we get to make up the rules as we go?… Read more »
Reality Check – You and I live in different realities. So be it. My philosophy/moral compass dictates that there is never any excuse for the deliberate annihilation of innocent women and children whether it be the nuking of Japanese civilians or the shock-and-aweing of the women and children of Baghdad.… Read more »
Jeremiah, I am not sure what your point is as I was talking about Japan in WW2. As far as other countries having nukes, many do. North Korea and Iran continue to say they want to use nuclear weapons to destroy their neighbors. I am not sure what your life… Read more »
Like all Americans, I was taught that the U.S. dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to end WWII and save both American and Japanese lives. But most of the top American military officials at the time said otherwise. General (and later president) Dwight Eisenhower – then Supreme… Read more »
Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Says it all.
The nuking of civilians of Japan was the darkest moment in America’s history. Though its been almost 70 years since the atrocity, I believe it’s not too late for America to admit to the war crimes and drop the insanity of “We did it before – and we can do… Read more »
“Jeremiah, I am not sure what your point is as I was talking about Japan in WW2.” It’s all good, I get that at times, certain things can carry me away from making a decisive point. But yes I understand other country’s have nukes, why should USA be the only… Read more »
Reality Check – I don’t recall any reality of Japanese women and children being exterminated at Iwo Jima or Okinawa. FYI – There has been great difficulty in estimating the total casualties in the Japanese cities as a result of the atomic bombing. The extensive destruction of civil installations (hospitals,… Read more »
I see there are some “thumbs-down” to the info gathered from Wikipedia regarding how the military top brass viewed the nuking of civilians of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Can’t blame them for realizing how we’ve been duped by the politician’s propaganda machine that told us as children that the nuking of… Read more »
Talk and a letter are cheap. If people are genuinely upset, the only way to effect change is to pack a couple of public meetings of the local Board of Supervisors and flood the local state legislators offices with e-mails and phone calls. That gets attention. Then when the legislators… Read more »
thats taking whining to a whole new level, maybe if his boss stuck him in the dunce chair for a week it might sooth your ruffled feathers, and unless you were an active employee with the forrest service in uniform you should’nt expect him to cut you some slack. so… Read more »
So what exactly what was the reasonable suspicion for stopping and detaining these people? Looking at a known tourist attraction in broad daylight? What probable cause did the CHP Sergeant have to demand identification in a public place, record their information, where no crime is taking place? When you give… Read more »
Where are you getting that there was a detention or that the people were stopped and detained? The complaint letter said the Officer “asked” to see ID. Not demanded ID. That is the difference between a contact and a detention. Did the Officer turn on the red lights on this… Read more »
The argument or cry of “You are violating my rights!” seems to come from people who know the least about civil right, the Constitution, or how their government works. Well sean if you knew how your government worked I don’t understand how you can sit there and continue to support… Read more »
It is not “taking whining to a whole new level” to expect to be treated like an American citizen, not a European subject. “Show me your papers” is not supposed to be the norm here. When that kind of unwarranted intrusion without probable cause becomes acceptable, THAT is the big… Read more »
And what exactly are you going to sue the CHP for? You have to show damages for a lawsuit to proceed. Were these people emotionally traumatized and can’t sleep at night? Were they beaten? Were they handcuffed and left to melt in the sun for 2 hours? Did the Officer… Read more »
I’d rather just here the issue has been addressed and the officer is back doing the job he is paid to do and is no longer being dispatched by his wife.
sean, just own the fact Officers don’t always make the best judgement and it is the action of other officers coming to the rescue of another that helps divert the officer in question from owning his short comings. “One of the great failures of critical thought, is the assumption of… Read more »
It is a CHP Sergeant not an Officer, please differentiate in future postings.
nobody likes to be stopped by authorities while theyre enjoying the great outdoors……but,it happens,and it has to happen.i get stopped by fish and game to check my fishing license,the lift crew checks my pass everytime i get onto a lift , bartenders used to check my i.d.,etc… its just life,quit… Read more »
I think what bothers people about this is it seems to be the CHP officers wife calling the shots….alerting her CHP husband of someone in the area to check on.Now if it were a BLM officer coming by to see if there might be a situation to check on,or maybe… Read more »
Way to go David!!! Everybody who has been hassled out there by him and his wife should follow suit. The thought that the CHP officer is investigating the petroglyph theft holds has much water has him investigating the where-abouts of Jimmy Hoffa. Both cases have equel chances of being solved… Read more »
Here we go again……this is harassment 100% I’m a photographer and this has happened to me more than a few a few times….Im at the point where I completely ignore them[him and the BLM officer] and dont respond. I sudgest you do the same. They can do nothing to you… Read more »
photograph the cop, photograph his ol’ lady, and photograph his home. Then post them to the web.