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Celebrity v. Average Joe/Jane Offenders and Police 10 codes

The recent Tiger Woods’ driving “incident” at his Florida estate has sparked quite the discourse among friends in the law enforcement, investigative and legal professions, focusing on:

Are celebrity offenders treated differently from the “average Jane/Joe” offenders? If so, how and why?

There was a general consensus (Congress: take note) amongst us that celebrity offenders are treated differently.  Weaving this agreement, with the how and why,  is no more a perfect example than the  past Friday Tiger Woods incident.  The facts, as we know them to be at this time, are:

1. Tiger Woods was driving his Lincoln Escalade SUV on his property at approx. 2:35 a.m. Friday and somehow hit a fire hydrant and his neighbor’s tree.  His wife, swinging a handy golf club, smashed out the vehicle’s window(s) to, purportedly, rescue her husband.

2. Although police arrived on the scene shortly after the incident, as reported by the Associated Press,  Florida State Troopers have been denied follow-up access to Mr. Woods three times, thus far.

3. At 2:00 p.m. today, via Twitter and his Web site, Mr. Woods, vaguely commented that he had embarrassed his family and “it” would never happen again.

4. His privately retained attorney, Mark NeJame, stated that Mr. Woods had complied with Florida requirements for this type of incident, which calls only for the presentation for review by police of the driver’s license, vehicle’s registration and proof of insurance.

Points 1, 2 and 3, while curious indulgences, don’t raise the questions that Point 4 smacks one over the head with.  I.e.  a) The tree was not on Mr. Woods’ property; the damage, thusly,  was to another’s property.   Did the neighbor simply accept the loss?  b) The on scene police investigation yielded that Mr. Woods was in serious condition and at times unconscious.  An RMA was obviously accepted by police, then why has the follow-up investigation by FSP not been allowed? (We may do things a bit differently here in NY but even as a CYA measure, a detective would have gotten a sign off on that issue.)  and c) Can a private citizen own a fire hydrant in Florida? If not, can Mr. Woods simply blow off the Florida State Police when municipal property is involved?

The voyeuristic appeal of the Tiger Woods case aside, it comes down to a call for fairness.  Had you or your neighbor or your son’s teacher, presumably all “average Joes and Janes”, crashed a vehicle into someone else’s property and taken out a fire hydrant, on the busiest news day, a local field reporter, shivering in her network provided strappy heels, would be busy earning a day’s salary hunting down an articulate neighbor to interview on camera.  On a really slow, uneventful day, she might even be on the scene with police still present, pointedly ignoring her questions.  The camera guy would have, at least once, panned over the offender’s mailbox or front door; wherever the (alleged) defendant’s address is posted. 

So why the difference in treatment?  I don’t think we, and certainly not the Florida State Police, will be satisfied until a complete investigation has resolved the matter.

Perhaps Mr. NeJame is preparing Mrs. Woods with the Bullwinkle defense.  That would certainly explain the club-wielding glass party.  Judge me guilty now, but I would have done the same under similar circumstances.

In the meanwhile, we’re sure the local crime reporters will continue to listen in to police radios, especially in celebrity enclaves. Well, we, along with celebrity news reporter, TMZ,  might as well all understand what is being transmitted.  Below are commonly used (generally) nationwide police 10 codes:

* 10-1 poor reception
* 10-2 good reception
* 10-3 stop transmitting
* 10-4 message received, affirmative, ok
* 10-5 relay this information to ___.
* 10-6 busy
* 10-7 out of service
* 10-8 in service
* 10-9 please repeat your message
* 10-10 negative
* 10-12 standby
* 10-13 civilians present and listening
* 10-15 en route to station with suspect
* 10-18 urgent
* 10-19 return to station
* 10-20 specify location/my location is ___.
* 10-21 place a phone call to ___.
* 10-22 disregard
* 10-23 stand by on this frequency (also “On scene” in some areas)
* 10-27 vehicle registration request
* 10-28 arrests/warrants on driver’s license
* 10-29 arrests/ warrants on the vehicle
* 10-32 gun
* 10-33 emergency traffic follows, hold routine messages
* 10-34 frequency open (cancels 10-33)
* 10-36 what is the correct time of day?
* 10-39 false alarm, premises was occupied
* 10-40 false alarm, no activity, premises appears secure
* 10-41 begin watch
* 10-42 end watch
* 10-45 fueling vehicle
* 10-49 en route to assignment
* 10-50 accident
* 10-51 tow truck needed
* 10-52 ambulance needed
* 10-53 road blocked at ___.
* 10-54 animals on highway
* 10-55 security check
* 10-57 hit-and-run accident
* 10-58 direct traffic
* 10-59 escort
* 10-60 squad in vicinity, lock-out
* 10-61 personnel in area
* 10-62 reply to message
* 10-63 clear to copy info?
* 10-64 message for delivery
* 10-65 net message assignment
* 10-66 net message cancellation
* 10-67 person calling for help
* 10-68 dispatch message
* 10-69 message received
* 10-70 prowler, fire alarm
* 10-71 gun involved, advise nature of fire
* 10-72 shooting, fire progress report
* 10-73 smoke report
* 10-74 negative
* 10-75 in contact with ___.
* 10-76 en route
* 10-77 ETA ___.
* 10-78 need assistance
* 10-79 bomb threat, coroner’s case
* 10-80 bomb has exploded
* 10-81 breathalyzer report
* 10-82 reserve lodging
* 10-83 work school crossing at ___.
* 10-84 if meeting ___, advise ETA
* 10-85 delay due to ___.
* 10-86 officer on-duty
* 10-87 pickup
* 10-88 present phone number of ___.
* 10-89 bomb threat
* 10-90 bank alarm at ___.
* 10-91 pick up prisoner
* 10-92 improperly parked vehicle
* 10-93 blockage
* 10-94 drag racing
* 10-95 prisoner/subject in custody
* 10-96 psych patient
* 10-97 check signal (“On Scene” in CA and other areas)
* 10-98 prison/jail break
* 10-99 wanted/stolen record
* 10-100 dead body
* 10-200 alarm

Bulletin’s site of the week: gizmodo.com. Best tech site online.

BNI Investigators: Street smart; Web savvy.

As always, stay safe.

A Strange Week It Was…

Several articles caught our attention this week, as we admit, we’re a bit all over the map preparing for the upcoming holiday.  Click the headlines for the full articles. So by category:
 
 Frightening:  Human Fat Trafficking
Peace FM
 
Four people have been arrested in Peru on suspicion of killing at least 60 people to sell their fat and other human tissue to Italian co-conspirators for cosmetic use in Europe, authorities said on Thursday.

The suspects were arrested in central Peru this month and a search is underway for seven others — including two Italian citizens whose names were not revealed — lead prosecutor Jorge Sans Quiroz told AFP.

The fat was purchased “to be commercialized in European (cosmetology) laboratories,” he said.

The prosecutor’s indictment noted that the gang allegedly targeted farmers and indigenous people on remote Andean roads, tricking them by offering jobs before killing them.

 
 
A Canadian woman claims she has lost her health benefits after her insurance company used her Facebook pictures as evidence that she was no longer depressed.Nathalie Blanchard had been on sick leave for a year from her job at IBM in Bromont, Quebec, after being diagnosed with severe depression. The 29-year old was receiving sick pay from insurer Manulife.

However, when payments stopped coming she contacted Manulife and, she claims, was told that Facebook() pictures taken on a beach and during a night out were evidence that she was no longer depressed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
(Click the above link for the video from Buffalo 9 News.)
 
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – If you’re a senior citizen, check your mailbox very carefully. An insurance company that offers Medicare benefits has sent out 80,000 postcards with the social security numbers of the intended recipients printed on the front.

Universal American sent the mailers to 35,000 of its Medicare patients here in New York.  Printed on the front of the cards, right above the address, is the Medicare ID number which includes the social security number of the recipient. 

Bob Hayes, VP of Health and Quality for the company tells us they are very sorry for the error and will be offering free credit monitoring services for one year to everyone affected.

 
BNI Operatives: Street Smart: Web Savvy.
 
Well, with all of that weirdness out of the way, we hope you all have a wonderful, safe and healthy Thanksgiving holiday.
 
As always, stay safe.
 
 
 
 

What’s In Your Pocket? CNet’s Top Five SmartPhones, 2009

From our friends at CNet:   This year’s:
Top Five  Smartphones
Rank #1 #2 #3 #4 #5          
Excellent score   Excellent
Very good score   Very Good
Good score   Good
Fair score   Fair
Poor score   Poor
Apple iPhone 3GS 32GB Palm Pre Motorola Droid BlackBerry Bold 9000 BlackBerry Curve 8900
Apple iPhone 3GS 32GB Palm Pre Motorola Droid BlackBerry Bold 9000 BlackBerry Curve 8900  
                     
Lowest Price  $299.00  $149.99  $199.99  $479.98  $399.00
 
Your Checklist:          
 
Cost effective?                    
Compatible?                    
Ease of Use?                    
Secure?      
Most likely to buy    
 
Screen Size 3.5 in 3.2 in 3.7 in 2.8 in 2.4 in          
Battery Life up to 300 min Up to 300 min Up to 385 min Up to 250 min Up to 330 min          
Memory 32 GB 8 GB 256 MB 1.128GB 128 MB          
3G Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark            
Display Resolution 480 x 320 320 x 480 440 x 854 320 x 480 480 x 360          
GPS Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
Bluetooth Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
Digital Player Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
Internet Browser Yes Yes Check Mark Yes Yes          
Wi-Fi Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
Phone Style Touch Screen Slider Slider Candy bar Candy bar          
Digital Camera 3.0 MP 3.0 MP 5.0 MP 2.0 MP 3.2 MP          
Video Recorder Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
Standby Time Up to 280 h Up to 480 h Up to 270 h Up to 222 h Up to 360 h          
3 way Calling Yes Yes Check Mark Yes Yes          
Call Hold Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark  Check Mark          
Call Timer Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark  Check Mark          
Call Waiting Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark  Check Mark          
Caller ID Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark  Check Mark          
Depth 0.4 in 0.6 in 0.6 in 0.6 in  0.5 in.          
Email Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark  Check Mark          
Height 4.5 in 3.9 in 4.6 in 4.4 in  4.6 in          
Operating System OS X Palm WebOS Android 2.0 BlackBerryHandheld Software BlackberryHandheld softare          
Polyphonic Ringer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes          
Vibrating Alert Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark Check Mark          
Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 Year 1 year 1 year          
Weight 4.8 oz 4.7 oz 6.0 oz 4.8 oz 3.9 oz          
Width 2.4 in 2.3 in 2.4 in 2.6 in 2.4 in          
 
                     
Lowest Price  $299.00  $149.99  $199.99  $479.98  $399.00          
BNI Operatives: Street smart; Tech savvy.
As always, stay safe.
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