Let’s resolve the Houston County DVD cover up
To the Editor:
The new year is always a good time to start things with a clean slate. In that spirit, I would like some closure to the DVD taping scandal in the Houston County courthouse.
Last year I wrote a letter seeking information on just who did the DVD copying on county time with county equipment. No answer.
It’s now evident from the rumor mill that the taping took place in the Sheriff’s Department. I sincerely hope that that’s not why this has taken so long and cost the county thousands of dollars to investigate.
Two employees were reprimanded, both denied doing the taping but acknowledged knowledge of the activity.
Once again, who did the DVD taping? Did they sell the DVDs or was it for personal use? Having worn out county equipment, evidently many DVD’s were produced, what happened to them?
Law enforcement always must be held to a higher standard to assure the public that the people who hold them accountable to laws are themselves obeying those very laws.
Let’s quit the cover up and resolve this situation. If there was illegal activity taking place let’s hold the perpetrators accountable just like any ordinary citizen and move on!
Kevin Kelleher
Houston Minn.
I am glad to see Kevin taking the lead on this. We do need closure. Corruption and graft are real sore points with me. I spent some years in NYC, Boston and Chicago where the cops are pretty much bought and paid for. I do not take as much as a free cup off coffee from Kwik Trip and expect that my co-workers will also have high standards. Kevin is right. This needs to be resolved…
I think this question should be directed to Information Systems employee Andy Milde… I bet he could clear this up for you Mr. Kelleher.
I think this may be just the tip of the ice berg! It seems that county employess in some departments are off doing tasks, other than their assigned duties. I will use the example of a Lt. with the Sheriff’s Office doing a back ground investigation on a candidate for a local police department. No one asked him to that it. Dig into the video tapes, and you will find more than you ever thouht possible. People need to be accountable and the good old boy method of covering things up needs to end!!!
i find this like as the saying goes “the pot calling the kettle black” , mr. kelleher as your recent terms as commissioneer here in houston county, most would agree there has been more underhanded decietful activity than one could ever actually know ,lets start with the first , would a family member of yours be a hcso employee – the rudest on record- work here had there not been influence from you or as the say the “wrath of you”? secondly , you were a major planner and pusher of this huge jail we now cannot afford? or probably never even needed? seems like maybe we were used as a stepping stone to further feather your cap?
in this cd/dvd instance , as understand of the record availble from the fbi investigation there is little to no wrong doing, the employees have been repremanded , lets move on “children don’t do it again”.
now the question has ms. kruger on her own actions spent to the toon of $30,000 investigating this? did our commisioneers aprove of this? who else is she investigating on her own? seems i hear the axe grinding?…, is this the same lady that took a substantial amount of time terminate a employee while paying him the whole time? wheres the door?
as far as a h.c.s.o lt. doing a backround check on a candidate for local chief , is this not the same one that has made the news repeatadly with charges of misconduct? maybe this lt. needs a medal for trying to “protect and serve” rather than acts of suspision?
we have a group of comssioneers more set on causing ruckess than serving the people – give some employees raises and some not – is that even legal? it sure isn’t moral.
they are attached to the group that has bought money pit after money pit (land , buildings,jails) anyone ever think about trying to get along and worry about how the tax bill is gona be paid?
mr. irwin i have a ton of respect for you as the knowledge you share is fruitful ,but , as you work many part time jobs taking away a jobs from a up and coming workforce all while collecting pention(s) for jobs you have been dooly paid for i find it hard for you to point the finger very hard.
WOW, you people are really angry.
Do you need a group hug or want?
You have what you have, deal with it, and move on.
This reminds me of an Italian shipwreck.
Benthere seems to be defending the HCSO Lt. who conducted his own background investigation on a local chief, by stating the allegations of misconduct. What benthere is not saying is that this same LT. had a hand in moving these allegations along. Lets get all the facts out. The HCSO Lt. did his own investigation before there were an alligations of misconduct, so, how does that make it right? I don’t think so. Sounds like another part of the good old boys club. Back to the officer with allegations, that particular City has always been very hard of it’s police officers, and it is usually because the sheriff’s office is sturing the pot, with half-truths, lies and inuendos; This has not changed over the past 30 years; As for the out of control Lt., I think he needs his head snapped back and put in his place; He cuddles up to the sheriff and then stabs him in the back when the sheriff is out of sight. Mr. Irwin may work a number of part-time jobs, and I wonder what job he is taking away from whom? It appears he is working very little or not at all for the Sheriff’s Office, and that may be in his best interest. Been there, You need to look at the facts, and what You are trying to make them out to be. The facts should not be confused with the truth, but in the good old boy society, the truth is whatever the person on the top wants them to be. It’s time for some change. I wonder where we have heard that before?
Always interesting how anonymity brings out the kooks and the scared. Benthere is obviously a Sheriffs dept employee since he knows so much “inside” info.If you’re so concerned and “know” about corruption please contact law enforcement. By the way benthere, where is the record of the FBI investigation you mention. Only an insider would know since the public surely doesn’t. Made any DVDs lately?
Thanks to those sincerely concerned about the situation and thanks for the information.
Just to set the record on my pensions strait…
I may be blessed to collect social security when I retire. I did not retire from the US Coast Guard, my rating was shut down right around my scheduled reenlistment at the 16 year mark. I left on great terms but I will never see another dime.. My years of part time service as a policeman in MN and WI are adding up to a $186.00 per month PERA check when I finally retire.
There is no shortage of police new hires that I take a back seat to while they get their careers of to a start. Several of these young officers are working a bunch of hours now in Caledonia and La Crescent. Good for them. My part time hours always seem to kick back in once they drift away to great paying jobs in other counties or closer to Metro.
I do what I do because I have a couple of great bosses that throw me what slim hours they can, a large group of really great people who depend on the work I do, and an awesome wife who carries our mortgage each month with her pay check.
Mr. Irwin, you have nothing that needs to be explained to anonymous individuals too embarrassed or cowardly to identify themselves. I understand anonymity when a person feels threatened but when anonymity is used to attack, threaten or rant unintelligibly it only shines the spotlight on themselves, the spineless. Good luck to you! Kevin
I have one huge word for the HCPD and that is CORRUPTION:Here are some of the things some officers in this area have done as corruption.Corruption of authority, kickbacks, opportunistic thefts, protection of illegal cativity, fixing, falsifying police reports, false testimony under oath, direct criminal activity, internal payoffs, setting people up on purpose, polize hazing, and ticket fixing to people they know personaly.There is also a large amount of misconduct among certain officers over using their badge,and misconduct. Police corruption in this area and is a huge problem all over. It is a specific form of misconduct designed to obtain finacial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancemet for some police in exchange of not pursuing an investigation or arrest. As far as the DVD cover up story goes it is true and the truth shall be told and hope that Justice is served. Their are good cops and then their are bad cops. I had a DVD taken from an audio statement I made at a police department and then the person that asked me questions went on military leave but the other officer was in the room to hear what I said. Where did this DVD go? As other police in HCPD are stopping teenagers and asking them about a past burglary, and called them liars, losers, and thieves. Then when the police found out it wasnt them and it was someone else no apology was given to these people. These people are still hurt and upset. It is also illegal to have police informants on probation working with the police and entraping people in to doing illegal activity for the polices benefit when a person having mental illnesses and on disabilty and the police know where the HUGE problem is in town and still goes on and nothing is done. Justice should be served the right way. Someday whe the time has come only God will Judge us in the end.This is coming from someone that got 15 years on probation for entrapment.One person was o an ankle bracelet at the time of being an informant and, the other informant a prostitute working with our so called HCPD narcotic investigators and put in the police report they checked the informant for marked money and illegal drugs as this informant put money from police and illegal drugs in an area that a male polce can not legaly search.Also a certain house was raided by a SWAT team for illegal drugs when the drug cartels were going on in Mexico and US border because this person was living with a hispanic at the tie and went to Mexico to visit his mother. What did the police find in this persons house?Nada. othing. This person deserves to go back to court for resentencing and off probation. Police are to protect and serve. Not power trip and harrass people. This is unconstitional. Have we as the public forgot the constititions and ammendmants. We the peole need to fight back.I reccomend for certain officers involved in corruption to also be placed on probation and mandatory drug testing. AMEN
This is just the tip of the iceberg that needs to be resolved. Thank God for the freedom of speech. No, we did not need to spend taxpayers money on a jail we can not afford. Realy sad to see scandals going on with profesionals. Feel realy bad for the Judge if he even reads all this. He would be quiet angry for childish behavior.I would realy like a copy of all my DVDS that were made by certian individuals. Where are they? Another scandal, Minnesota is now the 26th state to join ICE and Homeland Secuity with our local law officials.Here is a financial kickback they get. If they suspect or assume any individual might be illegal they can call ICE and ICE cen legaly put them on an ICE detainer.The federal government in return is reimbursing local jails for these costs of holding certain individuals through the SCAAP and have a contract with the DHS. This is not getting our economy out of debt. La Crescent, Minnesota is SUPPOSE to be the Apple capital of Minnesota. Well Guese what? This year there may not be no apples for Applefest. Who is going to pick our apples?Certainly not our local citizens, with the hot sun,bees, spiders, climbing, and long hard hours.As this last harvest several orchards terminated and fired many individuals. Our sociey is so wrong. All I am asking for is my friend back in my life, and then our apples will get picked. Starting to be a professional blogger. Please feel free to post any comments. This is much worse than an Italian shipreck. Maybe we all need a group hug with a FIESTA, food, and music and dancing to make ammends. AMEN!