Akron, Too

Radley Balko | April 21, 2008

In Memphis this week, it was a "terrorism sweep" that failed to catch any terrorists. In Akron, police embarked on a citywide "gun sweep" that didn't turn up any guns.

But like the authorities in Memphis, they did find plenty of other ways to stay busy:

Authorities arrested 72 people in the third night of a Gun Violence Reduction Sweep on Friday night and Saturday morning, Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said.

Edwards said 115 charges were filed. Of those charges, five were felonies, 35 were misdemeanors and 75 warranted arrests for people with outstanding warrants, Edwards said. Of the warranted arrests, seven were felonies and 68 were misdemeanors.

Authorities also issued 88 traffic citations, including four for operating a vehicle under the influence.

During the sweep, authorities also conducted bar checks at the Bank Lounge at 1078 Kenmore Blvd., where patrons were arrested on drug charges, and at the Boulevard Lounge at 995 Kenmore Blvd., where liquor violations were issued against the liquor permit holder and several patrons were charged with drug offenses, Edwards said.

During the citywide sweep, officers confiscated 5.2 grams of crack cocaine, one-tenth of a gram of powdered cocaine, 13.1 grams of marijuana, 9 Oxycodone pills and 19 Percocet pills, Edwards said.

No guns were confiscated during the Friday-Saturday action, Edwards said.

These allegedly-regulatory "alcohol inspections" of bars that include searching patrons for drugs are becoming increasingly common.

Comments

|4.21.08 @ 3:33PM|#

During the citywide sweep, officers confiscated 5.2 grams of crack cocaine, one-tenth of a gram of powdered cocaine, 13.1 grams of marijuana, 9 Oxycodone pills and 19 Percocet pills, Edwards said.

That's a weekend for two. Congratulations, Akron!

|4.21.08 @ 3:34PM|#

Hopefully as these police state tactics increase (as they seem to be) it will affect more people likely to vote out the buffoons in charge.

Episiarch|4.21.08 @ 3:35PM|#

So wait a minute. If I am drinking in a bar and the cops come in for an "alcohol inspection", they can search me without probable cause or a warrant? Am I getting this right?

|4.21.08 @ 3:36PM|#

Drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ... drip ...

That's our freedom.

Bingo|4.21.08 @ 3:38PM|#

Sage:

I doubt it. The largest voting bloc is >55 years of age and votes primarily based on fear. Gotta get drugs and guns and terrorists off the streets by any means necessary!

|4.21.08 @ 3:42PM|#

Sage, many Americans love the police state, it gives them comfort.

Episiarch, I was thinking the same thing, but the article mentioned the use of dogs, which doesn't require your consent. My guess is that they came into the bar with the dog to get a round the search issues.

|4.21.08 @ 3:44PM|#

But if these sweeps can get some hot chicks into your personal whoredungeon jail, it's all worth it.

|4.21.08 @ 3:44PM|#

This only happens in bars that don't have "good relations" with their local police. Good Relations come in an envelope and are picked up every Sunday.

|4.21.08 @ 3:50PM|#

The funny thing is that both are an utter failure in regards to their stated mission. I bet every cop involved claims it was a success.

Episiarch|4.21.08 @ 3:59PM|#

Well, Vic, they would say it was a success because it was a success at its true purpose: harassing people and reminding them who's boss.

|4.21.08 @ 4:08PM|#

I'm thinking this is more to do with revenue than anything else. I've been arrested for bench warrants for unpaid tickets before. Basically, you have unpaid parking or traffic tickets, they arrest you and hold you until you pay them. They arrested 75 people with outstanding warrants, probably all involving traffic violations. Let's say those average $500, that 37,500 in revenue. Likely a lot of those 75 were a lot more than $500.

|4.21.08 @ 4:13PM|#

Up until know I've been really proud to live in Akron. I had no idea this happened, because I no longer receive the Reeking Urinal, and haven't for many years. I'm going to see if the editorial staff had anything to say on this, but I doubt I'll find anything, since they are in The Don's hip pocket.

|4.21.08 @ 4:21PM|#

The Cleveland Plain Feeler had an article which includes information the Reeking Urinal omitted:

The sweeps will continue, Edwards said.

Wonderful, I now live in East Berlin.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/04/akron_crime_sweep_makes_big_ha.html

|4.21.08 @ 4:28PM|#

One thing I notice is that The Don is only sending cops into hellhole bars. I'd love to know what he'd find in the downtown clubs, but he knows better than to do a Saturday night raid on them.

|4.21.08 @ 4:47PM|#

One thing I notice is that The Don is only sending cops into hellhole bars. I'd love to know what he'd find in the downtown clubs, but he knows better than to do a Saturday night raid on them.

Yeah. Those people have the means to fight back in ther legal system and at the ballot box. IOW, it won't happen.

|4.21.08 @ 4:50PM|#

Hopefully as these police state tactics increase (as they seem to be) it will affect more people likely to vote out the buffoons in charge.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!1!!!!!one-thousand one-hundred eleven!!!!!

Man, I love a good belly-laugh on a Monday.

|4.21.08 @ 4:51PM|#

A "terrorism sweep" in Memphis?!? What, did they catch all the terrorists in Nashville already? Did they get a tip that al-Qaeda was planning to hijack and crash a Greyhound bus into Graceland?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the police would try such an absurdly contrived excuse for this kind of garbage given the degree of deference and credulity the vast majority of people demonstrate for anything the police say.

Other Matt|4.21.08 @ 4:59PM|#

A "terrorism sweep" in Memphis?!? What, did they catch all the terrorists in Nashville already? Did they get a tip that al-Qaeda was planning to hijack and crash a Greyhound bus into Graceland?

Just called it that to get Homeland Security to pay the wages of the people involved for the duration.

windycityatty|4.21.08 @ 5:00PM|#

The police going into bars and randomly searching patrons would generate an instant motion to quash arrest and suppress evidence from me. There has to be individualized suspicion - which means that even if the coppers are at a known "drug bar" absent anything out of the ordinary - just being in the bar is not reasonable suspicion nor probable cause.

I am wondering if they used a dog as someone upthread noted OR if they acted like they were doing "consensual interviews" or "community policing" and then just asked if they could search people to which the person "voluntarily" submitted to the request. If that is the case, I still file the motion to quash arrest and call bullshit on these obvious "fishing expeditions."

These police state tacticts are getting more and more out of control. Meanwhile, 10,000 CU students have a public pot party and no arrests are made and no problems arose. Imagine 10,000 students at an all day drinking festival and the corresponding fights, etc... that would likely take place.

Paul|4.21.08 @ 5:16PM|#

police embarked on a citywide "gun sweep" that didn't turn up any guns.

So gun control is working.

|4.21.08 @ 5:41PM|#

Imagine 10,000 students at an all day drinking festival and the corresponding fights, etc... that would likely take place.

No need to imagine it. It happens every Saturday during football season, and its more like 20,000 students per game, at least in the Big Ten.

|4.21.08 @ 6:04PM|#

Authorities arrested 72 people in the third night of a Gun Violence Reduction...

I warned you that sentient guns were a bad idea! Now once perfectly inert guns are choosing violence in Memphsis!

When will we learn that giving technology the ability to make moral choices means that some will choose poorly?

dude|4.21.08 @ 6:36PM|#

1/10 gram of coke? seriously--they counted that? cause to me that's the same as zero coke.

at least i know who i'm not voting for. (i live there)

Travis|4.21.08 @ 7:08PM|#

"1/10 gram of coke? seriously--they counted that? cause to me that's the same as zero coke."

I wonder if they gave an estimated street price.

not that i would know...|4.21.08 @ 8:11PM|#

I wonder if they gave an estimated street price.

Akron Gazette-Onion: "Police announced today that a search of the suspect's home turned up a stash of cocaine that would have been worth an estimated $4.50 had it made its way to the streets of Akron. Police also confiscated $2.63 in cash and assorted change hidden in the suspect's couch cushions believed to have come from the sale of drugs. "Why else would someone be hiding money like that unless it was for illicit purposes?" said officer Don Utsaregood of the APD.

B|4.21.08 @ 8:56PM|#

Holy shit, the police were arresting people that were violating the law. Say it isn't so.

|4.21.08 @ 9:40PM|#

Holy shit, the police were arresting people by violating the law. Say it isn't so.

|4.21.08 @ 9:58PM|#

B and BS,

If you're waiting for the Akron newspaper to do some investigating as to what search warrants were issued, I think you be better off waiting for Godot.

|4.21.08 @ 11:32PM|#

Holy shit, the police were arresting people that were violating the law. Say it isn't so.

It must be nice to live in the simple-minded world of B. You never have to trouble yourself with questions like to what extent a law is unjust or exceeds the proper scope of government. You never have to put up with the inconvenience of thinking about what should be the limits of police power and oversight nor how to enforce those limits. Apparently, you don't even have to use any thought whatsoever to post comments to a blog. All you have to do is follow the laws you're given like a good automaton. Any issue can be reduced to a simple question of legal technicality and every position you take on that issue can be pulled from the equivalent of a look-up table.

Kolohe|4.21.08 @ 11:47PM|#

I'm genuinely impressed that Brian Courts was able to avoid the outright Godwin.

JohnD|4.22.08 @ 8:49AM|#

SO all you fuckers that hate the cops.... next time you need help, call a fucking druggie

assholes

|4.22.08 @ 8:53AM|#

Oooh, JohnD for the win!

Now crawl back under your rock, tough guy.

|4.22.08 @ 10:12AM|#

Hey JohnD obviously there is not much need to call the police as they appear to just be showing up uninvited all on their own as it stands. You don't call a cop queers are the best as though a cop is always ready and waiting to save us all. From what exactly 1/10th of a gram of white powder. OHHHHHH thank you, thank you, thank you now I can sleep at night!

People need to just stay at home and party. Its hard enough to hang on to your freedoms in your own home these days, going out in public your just asking for trouble with the police state.

|4.22.08 @ 10:38AM|#

SO all you fuckers that hate the cops.... next time you need help, call a fucking druggie

Depends on what I need help with, John.

If its someone breaking into my home, though, I'll be happy to call the cops.

To haul the body away. Its about all they would be useful for, anyway.

|4.22.08 @ 2:14PM|#

We had better stand up to this abuse of power now!! It's not too late to take our country back folks.
You keep on letting them roll over on you it's only going to get worse.
Wake up!