Not Nearly Enough Time For The Crime

Yet again, soft-on-crime judges are not punishing bad behavior sufficiently.

What do you get for phoning in two bomb threats to a school? All of 11 days in jail and probation, and an impulse control class.

 The Detroit News:  Detroit woman sentenced for phoning in fake bomb threats to Lake Shore High School

 A Detroit woman was sentenced to a short jail stint followed by probation for phoning in two fake bomb threats to Lake Shore High School because her daughter was not allowed to participate in a school play, prosecutors said Thursday.

Phoning in a bomb threat is uncivilized and unacceptable behavior. 

So much so you can be jailed up to 4 years for doing so. 

If you want to discourage behavior like this you need to crack down on it and make the punishment be a deterrent both to the moron that phoned it in and to others contemplating doing the same thing.

Just 11 days in jail and probation for two felonies with a maximum time of 4 years in jail after disrupting 700 students and parents is almost a joke rather than a deterrent.  She got off far too lightly.

Useful Advice For Stupid Criminals: Don't Point A Firearm At A Cop

It tends to lead to a bad outcome, especially if you are driving on a suspended license, are pulled over and then flee the traffic stop, and have outstanding warrants, and on top of that pull out a gun while running away anf then turn back towards the cops gun in hand.

The Detroit News: No charges for Shelby Twp. cop who fatally shot Troy man as bodycam video released

“Had (Jackson) thrown his gun on the grass and kept running, everything changes,” Tignanelli added. “As soon as (Jackson) made a slight turn toward the officer, that’s when it happened. You can’t wait for the muzzle flash.” 

Bodycam footage certainly helped show what happened.  Thomas Antonio Jackson decided to not just resist arrest, but pull a firearm on a police officer while doing so and start turning towards him.  A very bad decision, that.

This sort of thing happens when you teach people there are no consequences from resisting arrest cause your life matters and such:

[Macomb County prosecutor] Lucido said he's seen an "exponential rise" in people fleeing from police. "Every day, I'm dealing with this," he said. 

If Black Lives really Mattered, those protesting and claiming they support BLM could certainly save a lot of Black Lives by spending less time protesting police and more time teaching people:

1. Not to run from police; 

2. Not to resist arrest; and 

3. Most especially, not to point a firearm at police.

Remember, It's April Fool's Day Today, Not April Absolutely Moronic Criminal Idiot's Day

Some people clearly can't distinguish the difference between being a fool and being a complete and utter criminal moron. 

The Detroit News: Macomb County schools receive bomb threats; at least 1 cancels classes Monday

Bomb threats are never acceptable as an April Fool's Day prank. They never have been -- and with good reason.

Idiots.

Stupid Criminals: This Is Not What They Mean By Family Bonding Time

In this case, Family Bonding means each family member got a bond after their arrest.

The Detroit News: Shelby Township mom charged in attack on officers

The article helpfully notes that not just the mom, but the father, and both teenage kids all got arrested for assaulting police officers after it was reported that shots had been fired from a Cadillac Escalade and things Escaladed from there:

A Macomb County woman was arraigned Monday on an assault charge related to an attack on two police officers in Shelby Township, days after her husband and two sons were arrested in the same incident.

The incident was apparently fun for the whole family to participate in to commit felonies and experience the criminal justice system first hand.

Good Security Move By Anchor Bay Schools

It's long past time to guard our kids with as least as much effort as we use to guard a jewelry store or bank. After, all the contents of a bank or store are covered by insurance.  Our kids' lives are not.

The Detroit Free Press: Anchor Bay schools to hire 5 armed security guards

The Anchor Bay School District Board of Education voted 6-1 Wednesday evening to hire multiple armed security guards for the upcoming school year in a quarter-million dollar contract.

Certainly a good step to deter potential whackos trying to rack up a score.  Publicizing it makes it even more of a deterrent. Not a guarrantee, but better than doing nothing by far.

But, it is clear the school district has a lot more to be done to ensure at least a basic level of security:

In November, Anchor Bay residents will vote on whether to approve a $168 million bond issue that includes security measures such as a video surveillance system, replacing entrance intercoms, and installing emergency alert systems.

Long past time to have had all of that done as well. 

Of course Doofuses in the comments at the Freep are already going on about how the money would be better spent on education, or its a bad thing to have security. I wonder if they would also be against fire extinguishers and fire alarms in schools as well - after all school fires are a very rare occurrence and fires should be left for only professionals to handle, right?

Ok, Who had Alligators In Michigan For 2020?

Covid, Murder Hornets,  EEE infected mosquitos, Cicada invasion, and now an Alligator has allegedly been spotted in Macomb County.

The Detroit News: Macomb Co. Animal Control investigates gator sightings in Clinton River

Macomb County Animal Control is investigating reports a critter that may be an alligator or a crocodile has been spotted in the Clinton River in Harrison Township, officials said Tuesday.

Most likely this is the result of some idiot who had an exotic pet that got too big, who then had the brilliant idea of releasing it into the wild. 

But, with 2020 being what it is, a full-on Alligator invasion of our fair peninsula cannot be ruled out.

Selfridge Michigan In The Running For Basing F-35s

The Detroit News: Report: Macomb best place to put F-35 fighter jets

Currently host to 18 A-10 Warthogs (two of which flew over my house in awesome tight formation on Memorial Day, but I didn't have a camera handy at the time), Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County, Michigan is apparently a strong contender as a location for basing and training for F-35s.

This would indeed be a great thing for Macomb County, Michigan's economy and the Military Operating Areas around here would give plenty of space for F35s to train, and being able to see some up close during Selfridge's open houses would be rather cool as well. The move to base the F25s here is unsurprisingly getting strong bipartisan support as basing them here would be a serious economic boost and the area has lots of experience servicing aircraft and Selfridge can easily handle it.

Even As Macomb County Exec, Hackel Still Catches The Bad Guys

Former Sheriff of Macomb County, and now Macomb County Executive, Mark Hackel still knows how to catch stupid criminals.

The Detroit Free Press: Macomb County exec Mark Hackel chases hit-run pickup, collars drunk

Darn nice job on his part to follow and catch a very drunk driver and hold him for police.

Hackel is pretty much the one Democrat in this state I could happily vote for and support if he ran for Governor of Michigan or another post and know he'd do a darn good job of it. The man is experienced, has character, is darn capable, and is not corrupt.

Unfortunately for his electoral chances for state-wide office, he tends to be very centrist, economically fiscally responsible, and pro law and order, and is thus probably not Democrat enough to catch on with most of the state's Democrat electorate.

That's a darn shame for the State of Michigan, but it is good for Macomb County for him to be in the executive seat.

No Special Favors - Macomb County Prosecutor Gets Same Citation As Anyone Else For A Minor CPL Violation

It's good to see that justice is administered evenhandedly even when the wrong-doer is a prosecutor himself.

The Detroit News: Assistant prosecutor cited for leaving gun at school

As can be seen from the link, he left a firearm in his jacket behind in a school, which is both a serious faux pas, and how he got caught carrying concealed in the school in violation of MCL 28.425(o).

Since schools in Michigan are no carry zones, he got the same citation anyone else would have earned for the first violation of carrying concealed in a no-carry zone, a fine of $500 and presumably (though not reported in the article) a suspension of his CPL for six months.

Now, setting aside the fact that you should always remain in possession of your firearm and not leave it anywhere an unauthorized person could get access to it which is not an acceptable thing to do, was there any real harm in a law-abiding person carrying a concealed firearm in a school had it not been inadvertently left there? Heck, had he not left his jacket behind would anyone had ever known that he had carried into the school in the first place?

The no-carry-zones need to be removed from the CPL law as they are both unnecessary for public safety and indeed imperil the public and individuals subject to these exclusions. But, while they are in effect, it is good to see that at least in Macomb County the law is administered impartially and without regard for the status of the law-breaker.

Kudos to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office and the Macomb Prosecutor's office for playing this one straight.

Kudos also go to the assistant prosecutor in question who didn't try to pull any "Do you know who I am?" games, and who manned up and admitted his mistake in leaving the firearm at the school and endeavored not to do it again in open court.

Counties Reluctant To Take Opaque Detroit Water Deal

Two articles show Oakland and Macomb Counties fail to be taken in by the latest Detroit offer regarding its Water and Sewer Department:

The Detroit Free Press: Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson on Detroit water deal: 'We're probably going to walk'

The Detroit News: Detroit water deal not close, Oakland County says

Since the opening demand from the city for the Counties to pay $200 million a year to lease the system from Detroit, their latest offer is now down to $47 million per year for 40 years. This seems less a reflection of its actual value than an admitted attempt by Detroit's EFM to get a steady flow of cash heading to the bankrupt city.

Unfortunate, the City and EFM have yet to provide the suburban counties current financials or reports on the state of the system. I expect lots of expensive differed maintenance will be revealed as the Water department since the days of Coleman Young has been run as a source of a slush fun and featherbedding for Democrat politicians in the city at the suburbs' expense. Think pig in a poke.

After all, the recent massive water line breaks causing two foot high floods on some main streets in Detroit hardly boost confidence in the state of the system.

Any suburban official crazy enough to enter into a lease on a system without knowledge of its current state and maintenance requirements would be insane. Oh, Wayne County Exec Ficano is all in favor of the deal, which certainly tells you something.

It tells you Oakland and Macomb County should run, not walk from this latest offer before they and their taxpayers get taken for a very expensive ride.

A Supposed Bargain For Detroit's DWSD Pig In A Poke?

Detroit's EFM, Kevyn Orr, has recently come down in his asking price for the suburbs to "lease" the Detroit Water a Sewer Department.

Previously,he was pushing them to pay $9 Billion for a lease on the water department.

He's now down to offering the lease for $1 Billion.

The deal would still keep the city the titular owner of the water department and the suburbs would pay $47 million a year in lease payments and in return get equal spots on the Water Board to oversee operations.

The Detroit Free Press: Suburban leaders cautious on regional water authority proposal

No kidding they're cautious. The EFM a few months back tried to take them for nine times the current offer, and the current offer doesn't disclose all the details of what really needs to be done to fix and maintain the water department after its been used as a political slush fund and featherbedding unit of the corrupt Detroit administrations for years.

Even at a better price, Orr is still trying to offer it as a Pig In a Poke:

Oakland and Macomb counties have been demanding updated financial details from the city on the department’s operations, as well as engineering studies that would outline expected maintenance and repair costs. Without that information, it’s impossible to agree to a lease payment, Hackel said.

In a regular deal, the financials would be provided up front to the prospective buyer would know what they're getting into. That they're not being given this information suggests that Orr wants to sell the DWSD off to them before the reality of the situation is shown and the cat is out of the bag.

The suburban executives are darn right to be cautious and insist on full disclosure before proceeding, especially given Detroit's duplicitous track record.

My bet is the financials reveal a shambles, display there's tons of outstanding required deferred maintenance, and that if the suburbs accept the latest offer, We're going to be hosed.