Brickbat: A Bee in Her Easter Bonnet

In Bexar County, Texas, when Jesus Reyes and his family arrived at the pavilion in Rodriguez Park they'd reserved for Easter Sunday, they found Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela there in uniform. She told them she'd reserved the pavilion. The park manager came and told Vela that Reyes had reserved the pavilion. Vela and her group moved to a nearby barbecue pit. But she insisted that Reyes pay her $50 an hour for security. Reyes ended up paying her and her chief deputy a total of $300. A county parks director explained that they had arranged for officers to provide security for the other parks that day for $38 an hour, and didn't charge guests, but Vela balked at the plan and insisted on covering the park herself.

Comments

[AlmightyJB]

Government learned all of their best tricks from the mafia.

[AlmightyJB]

Cop extorts, criminal pets people's dog and does their dishes.

http://wchstv.com/news/local/deputies-say-ohio-burglary-suspect-pet-victims-dog-washed-dishes

[SQRLSY One]

THIS is the kind of criminal and burglar that we all need!!! Is she going to train her fellow prisoners? If so, I sure hope that Government Almighty does NOT step in and take charge of the program, or Government Almighty will tie it up in red tape and ruin it all, as usual!

[Still Curmudgeoned (Nunya)]

Dishes are like an OCD thing?

[Robert]

I wouldn't've minded if she'd first done the dishes and then petted the dog, but petting the dog before doing the dishes is just disgusting.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Constables tend to be exceptionally corrupt. And here as usual there are no negative repercussions when caught.

[Longtobefree]

"But county officials said Vela overstepped her authority."

As opposed to saying she had been fired, arrested, and was in jail pending a hearing on charges of extortion, creating a public disturbance, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

I also notice that she was not forced to return the money.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A elected office. And fortunately so, as at least the voting public eventually has a remedy if they so choose, unlike most other law enforcement miscreants.

[Adans smith]

The mob has to wet it's beak.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

"...where more than 30,000 people flocked for free breakfast tacos.

Seriously? WTF?

[Conchfritters]

I’d flock there if I was in the area.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

Conchfritters, That's a Key West thing. When I used to hang around there I'd go to the Shrimpers Bar for conch fritters and chowder; good stuff.

[Conchfritters]

That’s where I took the name from. I’ve been to Key West 6-7 times and eat Conchfritters whenever I am down there. I’ll look up Shrimpers bar the next time I’m there.

[Conchfritters]

When Reyes balked, the constable “advised him that there were new rules, and that the last person in charge was crooked,”

Looks like the new person in charge is crooked too. I love the picture of her in the article with the smug smile on her face, and the uniform that has 4 stars on the lapel. Total DIGJAM.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

“My wife just said, ‘Just pay her the money before we get ran off,’” Reyes said. “Some of these law enforcement agents, you’re not going to beat them. And when I find out she’s the boss, who am I going to go complain to? It’s like, I’m going to complain to the boss who just extorted the money out of you? I’m not going to win.”

This is how it's done in much of the Western Hemisphere. I expect we'll be seeing a lot more of this. Carry sufficient cash at all times to keep the officials happy and accommodating.

[CatchTheCarp]

I noticed the collar stars she's sporting too...... a park ranger who thinks she's a 4 star General. The bigger question is why has she not been fired?

[RoyMo]

She is elected

[Juice]

Is this what they mean by petty officer?

[RoyMo]

You would think this was San Antonio or something. Left out of the story is that Barrientes Vela has a record of sexual harassment, retaliation, and forgery, all since December.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

"Vela has a record of sexual harassment,"

Now that you mention it, I think I saw her in a femdom video. It wasn't pretty I tell you.

[Ordinary Person]

Submit to authority just like the good book tells you or burn in hell. Worship Him!!!

[Quo Usque Tandem]

Why don't you go see a psychiatrist about your traumatic childhood instead of trolling your personal angst hereabouts?

[Jerryskids]

“Next year, if they decide to come back, we will make sure it doesn’t happen again,” she said. “We’re going to make an adjustment for him to compensate him for the unexpected expense that he incurred. We will probably allow him to use the pavilion at no charge next year because they experienced this unfortunate situation.”

Who is this bitch that can get away with armed robbery while everybody else averts their gaze and talks about "unexpected expenses" and "unfortunate situations"? Sheriff Joe's kinfolk?

[ducksalad]

The park officials have no authority over the constable so they're just trying to make things right for Reyes without bringing Vela's wrath down on themselves.

Constables, as others here have pointed out, is an independently elected official. A free-floating LEO with authority to make arrests but no single direct supervisor. They can be removed for misconduct by a district judge, but google "texas district judge indicted" and you'll see that our district judges have some issues of their own.

[Robert]

"Easter revelers"? Sure that term's politically correct?