BELMONT, Maine — Mack Page was sound asleep in his bed at 11 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, when he was startled awake by the frantic barking of his black Labrador.
“What have I got now?” the 63-year-old commander of the Maine Militia remembers wondering. “A raccoon? A coyote?”
But it was none of those things. Instead, Page’s dark residence on a quiet Belmont road suddenly was lit up by men outside his windows carrying flashlights. He lives alone, he’s not in the best of health and he was scared.
“They called, ‘State police! Come out with your hands up!’” he said earlier this week. “I don’t know if I got paranoid or just angry, but I challenged them. ‘Who the hell are you?’ Am I going to get tazed? Am I going to get shot by somebody?’”
The men weren’t lying about who they were. But it was a case of mistaken identity, or rather, a wrong address. The troopers were acting on a citizen’s tip about a possible probation violation concerning a person believed to live on that road.
“Ultimately, the directions we had, which were vague, we ended up at the wrong house. Mack’s house,” Sgt. Patrick Hood of the Maine State Police said Friday.
When asked how often such incidents occur, Hood wasn’t specific.
“These things do happen,” he said. “Ultimately, the trooper made a mistake, and Mack obviously was upset with the way it happened.”
That is something of an understatement. Page, who helped found the militia, told the BDN in a prior interview that the group emphasizes self-reliance, tradition and community service and does not beat an anti-government drum. But he does not believe in quietly accepting something like last week’s incident, which he thinks could easily have ended very badly.
“My house is my domicile. What gives them the right to terrorize me in my own house when I’ve done nothing wrong?” he asked. “Somebody who may not be in as good health as I am could have had some serious problems.”
After peeking outside, Page saw that the vehicles — which were not lit up by blue lights — bore state police number plates. He called Waldo County dispatchers to ask what was happening.
“Dispatch says, ‘We don’t know anything about that,’” Page said.
He then called the Maine State Police dispatcher.
“The next thing I know, I have a cop on the phone. He said, ‘Put your firearm down and come out with your hands up,’” Page recalled. “If they had turned on a blue light, I would have known right off quick that they were police officers and acted accordingly. What bothers me is that they didn’t listen to anything I said and took it for granted that I was some kind of outlaw.”
He didn’t know why they were there, and wasn’t hearing any explanations, Page said. A few months before he was threatened at his home by a young collection agent who also had the wrong address, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to just walk outside.
Though he hadn’t shown a weapon to anyone, he was concerned about what the police were thinking.
“I was getting very paranoid at this point. Didn’t know what was going to come through my window … I said, call the sheriff. Tell him it’s Mack Page.”
Waldo County Sheriff Scott Story did call Page, and asked him what was happening. Then he talked to a state police officer and learned that it was a question of a wrong address.
“If it hadn’t been for the sheriff straightening things out, I think it would have escalated to a very bad thing,” said Page, who keeps guns in his home and has a lot of militia friends.
“If I had felt the situation was in jeopardy, I would have called some people I know and trust. That’s why I called dispatch and the sheriff,” he said. “I’m very glad it didn’t go any further than it did.”
Ultimately, he did go outside to show police he was not armed, and the police vehicles left his driveway. For Page, though, it’s not the end of the incident.
“I want an apology. How many other people have had this happen to them and not spoken up?” he asked. “I’m a citizen here. If I make mistakes, I have to apologize. Why can’t the state police apologize to me? That’s not too much, for the trauma they’re putting me through. What if I’d collapsed, had a heart attack, at my age and with my health?”
Hood said that the state police officials have apologized to Page for the mistake.
“There was no crime. No violation. It was simply a misunderstanding,” he said. “We did apologize to [Page], and he accepted our apology. Both he and state police are moving in a positive direction as a result of the incident.”
Page said Friday that perhaps an apology from police officials — which he referred to as “damage control” was not sufficient.
“I just want it to never happen again. Enough is enough,” he said. “I am adamant on having this whole thing turned around, and a whole new attitude from the state police.”
I’d want to know who they were looking for and why they couldn’t conduct business during daylight hours when people would normally be awake and in their coherent minds.
Disorientated troopers operating on “tip” and vague directions of a
probation violator on that road, almost got the sleepy senior citizen killed.
Due diligence is called for.
News flash :google earth/map.
local 911system maps would have saved everybody lots of time.
And grief.
Troopers work hard and should be held to higher standards
than shown here.
I hope the victim can get some rest.
I wonder if the probation violate was having a check for something as small as having a beer. Probably it was a harassment order/protection from abuse order violation. They guy probably tried to get his underwear back from his ex-wife. Oh well, Waldo County is a safer place because of these vigilant Super Troopers.
If Mr. Page made a mistake he wouldn’t have had the chance to apologize. Super Troopers know one things…..if the enemy displays a threat they are to neautralize it and ask questions later. Oh well, innocent lives do not matter so long as the Trooper glee club is protected.
Stooper Troopers more like.
“Put your firearm down and come out with your hands up,”. Yes, it could have ended very badly. The PD had already come to the conclusion they were dealing with an armed criminal.
I remember Katherine Hegarty.
They treat all citizens like they are armed criminals. We are all guilty in the eyes of law enforcement. Mr. Page is fortunate the Sheriff has a cool head and remembers that people are people first. The next the State cops want to conduct business in Waldo County why don’t you call the local police. At least they still know people as people.
it was shared with me by mack that the sheriff of waldo county commenced to chewing butt of the state cops. now that is a sheriff for ya.
Arrest now and sort it out later? Sorry, they don’t arrest you now. They detain you for questioning then arrest you.
Or shoot you. Then it is always justifiable homicide, always. When they shot the guy in the wheel chair with the knife, I started giving cops a wide berth. Then when they shot the 18 year old kid in the back in Waldoboro, I started avoiding them completely.
“They treat all citizens like they are armed criminals” Some of them are . So what IS ” the militia’ any how? Doesn’t sound all that innocent to me deosn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Sounds potentially kooksville to me
By definition all citizens excepting certain politicians and members of the professional military, So you must be a militia man.
He then called the Maine State Police dispatcher.
“The next thing I know, I have a cop on the phone. He said, ‘Put your firearm down and come out with your hands up,’”
Right…cause criminals generally call the authorities… shotty police work….and that’s being polite
and I remember Mc Veigh and Oaklahoma CITY. He may be an innocent old coot; he may not be….
IIRC, the only connection between McVeigh and the Michigan – or any – Militia was that they wouldn’t let him join. And the ‘connection’ that the Southern Poverty Law Center manufactured as a fund-raising ploy, of course.
Are you insane??? Even the state police agree he was innocent and the whole thing was a colossal blunder on their part. What a bigot you are. Anyone who is connected with a militia is guilty until proven innocent in your eyes. That statement says so much about you.
Katherine Hegarty got drunk and started shooting at people…
Katherine Hegarty was asleep in her own home in the woods at night, when she was set upon by people who had been told by the local PD to stand down and it would get resoved the next day. Instead they chose to raid her cabin and they murdered her.
BTW, as most people up there could tell you, if she had been shooting “at” them, they would have been dead. She had asked a rowdy bunch of outdoorsmen to leave her leased property. (yes, technically they had a right to be there, we are told, but there is such a thing as common sense, well there used to be) They refused and she asked them to leave with more force. They were pissed that the local PD did not go right out and arrest her, (the local PD being familiar with Hegarty’s behavior, knowing she was harmless) so they went over their heads and whined to the next rung up. A woman ended up dead and no one was held to account.
I find your comment offensive.
You smear the murdered Katherine Hegarty’s good name. She was drinking the night she got killed. Big deal. I suppose you must think that if ever there was a death penalty offense then it must be a middle-aged woman peacefully having a drink by herself in her camp. Perhaps you’re unaware of the events that night, how a bunch of male hunters at a nearby camp (who, by the way, had been drinking themselves) decided it would be enormous fun to harass her. When she fired a shotgun into the air to warn them to leave her alone, that was reason enough for a group of local sheriff’s deputies to smash in her door and execute her. This case remains one of the most notorious examples in Maine history of a criminal outrage perpetrated by the police upon an innocent person.
And if the cops had shot him the State would have said he was justified. There has never been one unjustifed time for a cop to shoot one of us in this state. Not one over 80 some times have they ever messed up, according to them.
So the next time an officer shoots someone the AG should rule in unjustified just because?
How about someone who isn’t part of the whole crooked system looking at things instead of cops investigating cops.
It must have been the new trooper that is going after everyone for anything, “your tires are too big” “this road is closed I dont care if the accident is a mile south of your house, this road is closed.” “Come out with your hands up!” ? Poor old Mack must have wanted to kick some blue asses, lol, too funny.
i took macks phone call after this incident took place. he called me at 1132pm and i said what are you still doing up at this hour. he replies with shut up doc and listen.
Do as your told you low class citizens. I’m the POLICE. I”M never wrong. I belong to a club…..we protect each other even when we are wrong. I’m tired of law enforcement. They do nothing to protect us. They come in after the killing. They take names, harass innocent people, and do paperwork for the insurance company.
Sounds like sloppy police work. Someone should get a reprimand but that will never happen here.
Bad Cop ,No Donut.
LOL
bad cop, no twinkie
“Page said Friday that perhaps an apology from police officials — which he referred to as “damage control” was not sufficient.”
—If Skow Five-O made a mistake on me like that, i would accept their apology. I might even say they didnt even have to apologize, they are just doing their job keeping the criminals in line who dont make that an easy job for cops..
It sounds like you are whining about not being a whiner.
I took out the whine part
well lets just see this happen to you and see what you think of the incident afterwards. have you been paying attention to all of the wrong houses that swat teams kick doors down on and they end up shooting the occupant because the legal tenant has a firearm in his hand. and then come to find out it was the wrong address.
come on give me a break. crawl back under your rock up there along the fairgrounds. no apology will ever be enough. but you would not know anything about that at all because you are goody too shoes.
If this is something that has happen numerous times,that would be reason for concern, if it was a one time occurrence,police make mistakes like every one else.
it happens many times all over this country. just conduct a google search and you will educate yourself.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865563916/Police-aplogize-for-serving-warrant-at-wrong-address-breaking-down-elderly-womans-door.html?pg=all
http://raleightelegram.com/201207172200
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2012/04/18/austin-police-officer-fatally-shoots-dog-after-going-to-wrong-address/
http://news.yahoo.com/video/deputies-shoot-kill-man-knocking-163819466.html
It took me 30 seconds to find these and its just a couple recent situations. It happens on an almost daily basis. A couple days ago officers killed a guys dog so he called the media, they did not like this so the next day the ticketed him for his dog being unlicensed.
neat, I feel safer. Job well done, the community is protected from the unlicensed dog.
yeah, oops…..we’re sorry we shot your son. It was in the line of duty. A cop kills someone they are put on paid leave.
Remember the incident in NY? a borage of bullets, something like 17 people wounded. The Officers’ were given awards. Since when are innocent people just collateral damage. If Mack shot at a criminal and missed he would be charged with murder.
Saw a Trooper on the interstate yesterday. I was doing 75MPH. He passed me like I was standing still. No lights were on…..above their own laws I guess. No sense to report them. Nothing will be done.
how about the police killing an unarmed man and woman just last week or the week before. 13 officers putting 137 rounds in to these two. happens all the time.
I see them all the time speeding. Their work must be more important then the rest of us.
did you call the barracks?
I doubt the apology was sincere. Their job is to serve the community, remember the slogan “protect & serve”? Your comment about keeping the criminals in line is funny. 54 pharamcy robberies this year….yeah keep the criminals in line! Funny.
So if I want to rob someone, I just announce ‘State police! Come out with your hands up!’ and I’ve got em!!!
yup, how many times have we hard about people pretending to be cops. It happens.
Perhaps the name of the officer or clerk who screwed up the address should be made public that we all may know exactly where the mistake is. Thereby not tarnishing any officer who was only doing what he was told was the accurate thing. The next thing is to PROPERLY identify themselves and STOP being so GD secretive in their actions that they can tell local police, sheriffs or dispatch EXACTLY what and where they are and what they are doing. They could have very easily have killed this man and then would most likely tried to make it appear to be his fault. It has happened before.
ask mack he will tell you the name of the officer that did this. he told me what his name was. this officer is trying to make a move with the augusta barracks.
Please tell me his first name does not begin with a J and his last name does not begin with an O. This is an old friend of mine who is a Statie in the area and I can’t imagine him doing this, but people do change over time and I haven’t seen him much in the last several years.
the plate number on the cruiser is 414 as that is the one that was shining flashlight through the window and staring down the barrel of a 12ga. the statie trying to apologize and back peddle is a sgt with 14 years. his initials are ph. this is per mack.
Perhaps this is what will happen…..NOTHING. It will be the joke around the donut and coffee table at the morning meeting.
I’d like to know how many illegal guns were in this militia captains’ house.
You don’t have to earn your screen name, you know.
good one. .gold star for you…lol
Very elegant reply to a very foolish poster.
You can pick up your brown shirt and SS pin in Augusta. You certainly have the mindset for it. A look at the “liberal” mindset. Man you could not make this stuff up.
yeah yeah yeah , you are all paranoid. How dare I have a different opinion then you have ..and try to interrupt your group paranoia Talk about brown shirts. If you want to deceive yourself into believing that everyone thinks like you all do , you’ll have to stay on a homemade black back grounded website out of the mainstream..
You can’t even see your bigoted, guilty until proven innocent point of view. Sad.
go ask mack. he will give you every firearm that he has. run the serial numbers. your brown shirt and ss pin are waiting for you.
It is NEVER unjustifiable homicide in Maine when a cop kills someone, never.
So the AG should just rule the next one unjustified just because?
Stop using law enforcement to investigate shooting incidents by law enforcement might help. How was shooting a guy in a wheel chair with a knife justified? What about the unarmed kid in Waldoboro who got shot in the back 5 times?
So we should use people untrained in the law and proper investigation procedures to decide legal matters? Or people who might be biased in the other direction(against the police).
That also doesn’t answer my question.
I can’t comment on every example, but are police supposed to allow themselves to be stabbed or shot in order to take time in the heat of the moment to make a decision? Good way to recruit police officers. it’s easy to criticize people (anyone) after the fact for in the heat of the moment decisions until you are the one faced with such a decision to make.
So you don’t find it just a little bit strange that every single time in the history of Maine law enforcement homicides that it is justified? Every single time, without exception? I think we need a better cross section of society doing the investigations. Just like we have with criminal juries in our legal system that are not made up entirely of cops and prosecutors. The guy in the wheelchair and the unarmed 18 year old kid getting it in the back did it for me. When I was in the U.S.M.C. we had rules of engagement that forbid us from shooting unarmed people in the back.
That doesn’t mean they are always or even sometimes wrong, either. It could mean they are doing their job correctly. They shouldn’t have to rule one case unjustified just for appearances’ sake. Then that would mean they aren’t following the law.
If we need a different standard, then OK. But we shouldn’t have people untrained in the law, police procedure, and investigations making legal judgments.
The USMC is not involved in law enforcement. I am not directly aware but I presume you also had rules allowing you to defend yourself from immediate threats. You wouldn’t have allowed other militaries, terrorists, or the public to threaten you with weapons.
and of course, as you know, it would be justifiable
homicide,,right…
why do we need State Police anyway, we have Sheriffs and local Police that do an awesome job!!!
This should anger everyone. If there was some kind of emergency going on it would be somewhat understandable, but they were doing a probation check in the middle of the night. They were using a vague address by their own admission and think it was just a misunderstanding and no big deal. Do they not consider the odds of an innocent person getting killed in that situation? Many of us feel vulnerable in the middle of the night and would come to the door with a gun in hand to protect their family. If they saw the gun I’m sure they’d shoot first and ask questions later and make up whatever stories they need to to protect themselves. If they are not 100% sure of the address they have no business doing these checks in the middle of the night.
sounds like “damage control’ alright , but on “the militias’ part . For my part, I trust the police not someone who calls themselves ” the militia”.
You trust the police? The state police, if this hadn’t been diffused by the sheriff, could possibly have tased or killed an innocent man. They made the mistake, and invaded an innocent man’s home. But that obviously doesn’t matter to you. I’m sure your tune would be different had they mistaken you for someone else. Again, your handle suits you very well.
I was sort of wondering why some Maine residents feel they need a militia. WTF!
it is called federal law and also constitutional law. read it, learn it, live it. title 32, chapter 3, section 313; title 10, subtitle a, part 1, chapter 13, section 311. united states constitution article 1, section 8; 2nd amendment of the united states constitution. i have given you 4 different references for you to read. that’s just for starters.
I’m not disputing the Constitutional legality of it. I’m challenging the need. It’s ridiculous in the extreme.
It is merely compensation for other inadequacies.
It is part of the constitution so there would be a body of people in place to protect those complacent people who think it’s ridiculous to have to do so should our own government become our enemy. If the founding fathers saw the possibility of this happening and included these rights in that constitution to protect us from illegal invasion (read the article above), how is it ridiculous?
It is being used ( and in my opinion abused) by those who want to “fear” BIG BAD government .I don’t.. I am concerned about those who feel the NEED to form such groups. YUP most of us think these groups are filled with crazies.
For his part THIS guy did the right thing . He used his brain and reached for the phone instead of his gun. And he reached out to another government official for help..Yup they made a mistake and it could have gone badly. It didn’t because he used his head and reached out to GOVERNMENT sources to help .
just admit it, you are a government shill aren’t you.
I don’t think anyone “wants” to fear their government. However, if you don’t question your governments actions then your complacency will be your undoing. If you don’t take a stand now for others, then who will be around to take a stand for you when your government decides to come after you?
Read what happened here and you might not have to wonder anymore. Used to be we had rules that told us who was military and who was police but now they all dress the saem and as you can see here they act the same. We are just their sheep.
Thats fool talk. Good grief!
How far do the Police have to go before you start being concerned about the power they have over your personal life and death? To date there have been 80 something times where they have had reason to kill one of us and in not one of those cases have they ever been in error. They wear tacticle military gear and carry military tactical weaponry in Maine. Why?
Do they have to kill you or someone you love in one of these accidental midnight raids before you get concerned?
I wonder what would have happened if he didn’t come out? They would have barged down the door and if he had anything in his hand he would have been shot and killed, not to mention the dog who police would have said tried to attack, even though it’s a lab. State police are egomaniacs, most aren’t worth a damn. Some of the older ones are pretty good guys, but these young hot heads.
He really pushed his position and is lucky they didn’t storm the house. You’re right, he probably would have been killed. In my opinion resistance to the police is futile and I’d want to live another day so I could take them court. Being “right” doesn’t help if you’re dead. Were it me I’d skip the apology and hire an attorney. Then I’d seek media coverage and try to create an atmosphere of change so that it doesn’t happen again.
Good god you really are just a little roll over and show your belly puppy aren’t you?
Sadly, this is no limited to state troopers.
I am not supporting this action by the police and I think you know that. I’m talking about how utterly ridiculous an armed militia is in the US. Besides Wounded Knee, the last time I recall that there was armed opposition to the US government was during the Civil War. We know how that ended. To think that a bunch of old men in the woods with AK’s are a match against the US military is beyond even a fools imagination. The ONLY solution to changing the way our country is being governed is with the ballot box. If you believe that armed resistance is a viable alternative then you should be among the first to lose your Right to own a weapon. Furthermore, it smacks of treason and sedition. Wake up my friend. Want change, vote, run for Congress, take the offenders to court, start a non-profit that supports your goals, hire lobbyists to promote your cause, whatever, but forget about armed resistance. Good grief. For the record, I am not against gun ownership but I am against the concept of armed resistance meant to change how we are governed.
Just because you are willing to get a boot in your face doesn’t mean the rest of us must roll over and show our bellys when the brown shirts come in the night. I’m willing to bet that in every country where dictators have taken over there were those like you who tried to stop it with lawyers as well. What do you do when they shoot your lawyer?
There is no dictator governing the US.
federal government is a dictatorship. if it talks, smells and looks like a dictatorship, it is one. when has the government ever went with the will of the people? never..that’s a dictatorship. you either live in a bubble or you are a paid government shill. It doesn’t take much brains to be either.
Our federal government is elected, as is our state, county and town government. If you don’t like those that are elected then support someone who espouses your priorities and solutions. Interesting that you should assail my intellectual capacity. I was thinking the same thing of you. I’ll say it again, anyone who thinks a bunch of fools in the woods are a legitimate resource for political change is a fool, a sick fool, and should be among the first to lose the Right of gun ownership.
Really? Can they now take what you have just by declaring it theirs?
Can they imprison you without a trial to protect all of us from some unknown something or other?
Can they force you to buy a product?
Can they kill you with a drone without any judicial oversight?
It was old men with AK’s who repelled the Soviet military in Afganistan.
With a little help from Stinger missiles from the CIA
Your arguments are sound and correct.
Keep fighting the good fight.
You sound exactly like King George III’s advisors did 250 years ago when a ragtag bunch of peasants dared to oppose the greatest fighting force on earth, and we all know how that ended too. I don’t think we’re anywhere near close to needing an armed militia to swing into action, but the founders felt like their existence was important to safeguarding freedom and I can’t disagree with them.
We need to question why the police need tactical gear and weapons in the first place, especially here in Maine. Just who are they expecting to go up against?
why do you think that?
Now u know don’t you!
As I said, if you think gun ownership is a tool for political reform in the US then you are not only treasonous, you are a fool.
It’s necessary due to police acting precisely in the manner stated in this article.
You should change your handle to incrediblyfoolish.
This happens all the time and those people who defend themselves, often (or always) end up dead.
I thought it was the probation officer who is supposed to do the checks. If he suspects something, then he will invite a cop to go with him. The story fails to mention anything about the person they were supposed to be checking on. Was it not that important after all?
We haveseen no proof whatsoever that the Story the police gave is true.. Nobody is asking for a copy of the 911 call or the persons name they are looking for… Most of you just except what they say as the truth..
had they shot him it would have been in the line of duty. Mr Page would have been potrayed as common criminal, defiant agsint authority. After all is he the leader of the “militia” and you know the militai (sarcasm here)…they are all Evil.
I’m generally a big supporter of the police and the difficult job they have to do but I agree that this was a frightening situation and the police were way out of line in this case. It’s a very lucky thing that the sleepy homeowner didn’t answer the pounding on his door in the middle of the night with a gun in his hand and get killed in his own home as a result! At the very minimum, he deserves a humble apology by those responsible, and whoever was so careless so as to get the address wrong needs to be officially reprimanded and demoted. We deserve better from our police.
Edited due to people who don’t believe in the constitution ,
Provoke a fight, they could then jail and kill everyone and claim the streets are that much safer. What a joke.
I actually have high respect for the police.. why jfee5053 would you think its ok to have your rights violated by ANYONE.. Just because you are from the Government doesn’t give you right not to abide by the constitutional laws.. Were they looking for a fight with the Militia leader or not?.
yeah yeah —we know —you are the only “true patriots”
Are probation officers really so stupid that they don’t know the addresses of the people on probation? Unbelievable. If it’s 11pm and the lights are off, then there is no crime going on so they could have come back in the morning. Where is the common sense of these supposedly trained officers?
This is happening all over the country folks. Police are getting the “wrong address” and it usually has a sad ending thankfully everyone survived this one. A mans house is his castle and law abiding people should not have to think twice twice about popping anyone who storms the gate. Thankfully Mack did think twice but let this be a lesson for the boys in blue because these days the majority of the populace does not even think once. Maybe they could try google maps, all that expensive equipment and they cant get address’s correct? I don’t buy it.
i’m not so sure anyone who calls themselves “militia” is “law abiding . I bet the place was full of illegal guns, and this guy dodged a bullet ( so to speak)and is doing some “damage control’ of his own.. PS for the majority , a neighbor being a part of the militia, would give me the willies NOT make them feel any safer..
So much for innocent until proven guilty and the rule of law. A peek into the liberal mindset.
As someone you would likely call a “liberal,” you are very wrong about that. All the “liberals” I ever met are strongly in support of the old English common law concept that presumes the accused is always innocent unless or until proven guilty.
In fact, I’ve always found empty-headed rightwingers are far more likely to take the craven-to-power view that if the police suspect someone of committing a crime then they can assume they are guilty. People who claim membership in the Tea Patriot Party, people who enjoy chortling along within Glenn and Rush as they sneer at the poor and unfortunate and disenfranchised, these are people who are far more likely than any so-called “liberal” to join the lynch mob hysteria of directing hateful comments about an unknown criminal suspect who hasn’t even gone to trial. These are so often the kind of people who heartily wish the most recent criminal defendant named in the papers will wind up in a cell “with Bubba.”
You seem to be the only one in this conversation doing any sneering or namecalling while you accuse others of being most likely to. Too funny!
You provide no evidence that “empty headed right wingers” (name calling – evidence of the weakness of your argument) believe that, yet you completely ignore the evidence shown by the avowed liberal prettyfoolish’s comment:
“i’m not so sure anyone who calls themselves “militia” is “law abiding . I
bet the place was full of illegal guns, and this guy dodged a bullet”
A clear case of a liberal declaring guilty even though proven innocent. If prettyfoolish had her way this guy would be in jail just because she doesn’t like him. Hand out the brown shirts and the SA pins (edited from SS for accuracy).
Case closed.
http://www.historylearningsite…The Sturmabteilung, the SA, (also known as) the Brownshirts.
They made a mistake, period .There is no need to go all paranoid and try to look for evidence to justify that “they are out to get you” thinking .
You can’t even see that I was referring to your thinking that he was guilty of something just because you don’t like the word militia and that I was not implying anything about the police. It’s sad that you don’t recognize your own bigotry.
so i take it you are one of those who does not believe in the 2nd amendment, nor article 1, section 8 of our constitution and article 1, section 16 of our own maine state constitution. why don’t you even read the federal law about the militia. it is title 10, subtitle a, part 1, chapter 13, section 311. also title 32, chapter 3, section 313 outlines who all is in the militia and what age groups. under federal law, i am in the militia until age 64 because i am prior service.
where in this article does it says anything about illegal firearms. it doesn’t. you have been hooked into the lame stream media in believing all that they say.
go to macks house and do a search on all of his firearms and you will see that they are all legal. nice try with the automatic association with militia and illegal firearms. sorry, but you just failed in life.
So when you say “militia” you mean national GUARD? was this guy a GUARD member?? Are you??
Oh please. In your apparent view of a local militia Mr. Page would have come out with guns blazing. The fact that he did not dispels the notion that he and his group are trigger happy anti-authority wackos. He had done nothing wrong and he knew it and he did not feel he had to comply with the SP’s commands while he was in his own home. All perfectly legal to do on his part. Why did they not simply send a trooper up to knock on his door and tell him what was going on? Bet you dollars to donuts that if he had stepped outside as ordered, even with his hands up, he would have been face planted and cuffed before he had a chance to ask a second time what was up. And your assumption that he has illegal guns is sheer conjecture on your part. I bet you hoard gasoline and potato chips. I don’t need proof, this is the internet.
prettyfoolish is trolling.
prettyfoolish is a paid government shill. they troll all news boards and social media to spread government propaganda. look it up, they have a whole army of traitors doing this sort of things.
yeah,yeah ,yeah.
That is Maine state police for ya can not even get the right house.Lucky the home owner was not hurt defending his home from a group of trespassers.
“I was getting very paranoid at this point. Didn’t know what was going
to come through my window … I said, call the sheriff. Tell him it’s Mack
Page.”
Okay
so Mack Page can do no wrong and has pull with the police I guess the
good ole boy club is alive and well, and paranoia IS the mark of a true
republican wannabe warrior. LMAO! Go buy more guns you will feel better.
“Mack Page described the Maine organization as an offshoot of the Michigan Militia”
………. these crazy old men are really no threat, except maybe to themselves, we can hope.
ok numbskull. since you are so bright and intelligent. mack is not part of the good ole boys club in waldo county. mack is on very good and friendly terms with the sheriff. mack knows the sheriff and his mother. that is how well and how long they have know each other. mack is upfront with the sheriff on militia activities as is the fbi office out of boston.
so go put that in your peace pipe and smoke it. lets see how you react and respond to this very same situation. gotta love all of you monday morning quarterbacks and keyboard kommandoes. you all know the answers to every play and situation in the book. the operations plan is only good on paper until you step foot on the battlefield and the rounds start zinging by your head.
the maine militia is not an offshoot of the michigan militia. mack does know the former commander who is now up in alaska. every county sheriff here in maine knows mack page and they are not worried about him at all. the sheriff is the highest law enforcement authority in their respective counties. not the state police and not the feds.
Boy “doc” LOL, you and your group are a bunch of paranoid Mo Fo’s aren’t you? PS the quote came from Mack Page about the founding of the girly group. If you wannabee’s want to join these granola groups and get placed on a watch list……… (as you should be), go for it.
sorry but i am not on any watch list. my background has been checked and cleared by dhs just this past january in order to obtain a emergency responder id card. i also have been attending classes from dhs here in bangor at the airport and the air national guard facility that deals with terrorism, ieds, bombs and suicide bombers.
you are the one who needs to be educated about the militia. the militia was formed back in 1632 under the general court in salem mass. look it up for yourself mr smarty pants. while you are at it, read and memorize the 2nd amendment in the bill of rights and article 1, section 8 of the united states constitution unless you are a coward.
the only people that are paranoid are you liberals and haters of the 2nd amendment. it serves you right for failing to stand up for your rights. these are your rights, they are not permissions or things to be taken away. they are your god given rights. go educate yourself for once instead of following radical liberal ideology.
Ah yes 1632 when they still believed in spells, warlocks, witchcraft and witches. Now if you wannabee’s want to start carrying around muskets from that era I will be all for ya. It will go along well with your buckskin clothing and those silly 3 cornered hat and the dangling T’Bag. However you should be warned Fox Snooze is reporting that the T’Bag dangling in front of your eyes can cause you to become cross eyed………. Oh wait never mind it will be a good way to identify Baggers in the future. Carry on. ROFLMAO!
you are a typical uneducated liberal coward through and through. so with that i am done wasting my time and effort on a dung eater like you. i hope this happens to you and lets see your response to the situation. you are noting but a major failure in all that you have done and therefore i promote you to the rank of skunk de pu in the 1st coward brigade.
who says he’s a liberal, he sounds more like a typical,uneducated,coward conservative law and order nut
Wierd.
I still believe in spells ,witches, and warlocks and I have a musket and a three cornered hat. But we dumped that tea into the harbor.
Can’t say much about the militia. I think the State Police are paranoid. A bunch of paranoid militia with a bunch of paranoid cops…..sounds like an incident just waiting to happen. I know cops, they have their own good ole boy club. The cops should be the cool collective ones going the extra mile not to create any incidents.
Seems reasonable that he would call the sheriff when people showed up at his house with guns. I dont see anything wrong with that crazy old man or not.
Sloppy police work. Cops are only good for cleaning up after the mess and shuffling paperwork. The State police dress and act like they are military. What gives the State police the right to conduct business in Waldo County without the knoweldge of the Local Sheriff Department? A bunch of itchy trigger ready brain washed zoombies who have forgotten they serve the public. They could have identified themsleves by name and displayed lights. They’ve totally forgotten who they serve! Law Enforcement…just a bunch of bullies.
Late night probation check? That sounds suspicious to me.
I’m tired of the State Police. With all the technology and all the maps they
got the wrong address. Next time call the Sheriff’s office before you harass
the citizens of Waldo County. They probably could have told them they had the
wrong address. Thanks for speaking up.
Why don’t the State Police apologize to the citizens ofMaine and Waldo County? Also you guys can do away with the military style uniforms. Protect and Serve has been replaced by “Compliance through intimidation”.
Remember Ruby Ridge and the unnecessary deeds and resulting deaths at Waco.
The ruling masters of the USA use their hired thugs to maintain the systems that ensure that wealth and power flows ever-upwards into what those rulers consider to be the proper, deserving greedy hands.
Look throughout USA history at the many times force was used against the despised commoners… the majority of We, the People, to maintain a status quo so beneficial to the few atop the socio-economic hierarchy.
Try the “Battle of Athens 1946” as a search term and imagine what today’s super-militarized jack-booted thugs and legal system would have done to those freedom fighters.”One reason companies are so profitable is that they’re paying employees less than they ever have as a share of GDP. And that, in turn, is one reason the economy is so weak: Those “wages” are other companies’ revenue.
In short, our current system and philosophy is creating a country of a few million overlords and 300+ million serfs.” Blodget”There has been class warfare going on,” Buffett, 81, said in a Sept. 30 interview with Charlie Rose on PBS. It’s just that my class is winning. And my class isn’t just winning, I mean we’re killing them.”
“While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks,” Buffett wrote in a Sunday New York Times Op-ed.
How about this? The State police was setting up the head of the militia to be gunned down, and when he didn’t fall for it, they *said* it was a late night probation check.
I don’t necessarily believe that. But I don’t buy the probation check either – that’s no way to do a probation check.
That was exactly my first thought…hopefully, that thought was wrong. I know people who have been probation officers, and have never heard one of them relate an incidence of probation check in the middle of the night.
Doesn’t how a probation check is done depend on who it is on probation?
Maybe the tipster that called the police was setting up Mr. Page.
Right !!! Bring a postman or something …if you can’t depend on a map or GPS devices. You would think they would put much more research into things before they bust down private citizens doors. I bet, if that was one of the officers homes they would feel just like this gentleman and i’m sure would not be happy about the unprofessional tactics displayed in this event.
Hey this isn’t David Gregg from nh is it???
I did live in Derry and Manchester but only for school. About 3 years in all and at the end off the 90’s. It must be another Gregg.
I agree… sounds fishy right from the start. And you are correct with your “compliance through intimidation” analogy, and might I also add a lot of “do as I say, not as I do”. The changes in officer attitudes seemed to start when the state and municipalities stopped hiring officers with a little “gray” in their hair. Policemen now are mostly young kids fresh out of school with tremendous egos, no life experiences, Marine boot camp style haircuts, with addictions to protein supplements and weight lifting. A written apology is the least the officers could do in this case. It might teach them “humility”.
Unimaginably sad story in Conn. today. But actions like this home being invaded by State Police provides continued support for the second amendment. Know your local sheriff’s office so they can act as your contact in cases like this. No excuses MSP. We are a free people.
You think that the second amendment gives you the right to fight State Police with guns? Wrong Keebler. The FOURTH amendment forbids warrantless searches by police.
What the heck did you just say?
hey, I’m not the one who said “actions like this home being invaded by State Police provides continued support for the second amendment.” Like so you can defend yourself when the police come for you? Yeah, that works sometimes. This is how many people interpret the 2nd amendment.
This home wasn’t “invaded.” Exaggerate much?
His property was trespassed upon though without provocation or warrant in the dark of night. Very fortunate that no one got shot.
.PLUS…… It scared the bejeeze out of this man, in his OWN house.
not the same as “invaded”.
He wasn’t “invaded “.
Never said he was. He was trespassed upon in the middle of the night. If they come around my house in the middle of the night unannounced and flashing lights in the window they are liable to meet Mr. Mossberg. After my German Shepherd “Lucy” gets done chewing on them.
I agree with you absolutely about your feeling on the inexcusable actions of the “troopers”. But I can not agree with your (and others) view that your reaction should be shooting the trespassers.
Had you introduced them to your over-and-under, you would have been vaporized within 30 seconds. Also your beloved Lucy would have met a similar fate.
All your actions would accomplish is the elimination of one law abiding citizen and their dog.
And your actions would then make it more likely that the “troopers” would be even MORE trigger happy the next time.
Though it might make you feel good for a very short time – until you were vaporized – shooting a state trooper who was “trespassing” on your lawn would result in NOTHING positive, either for you, your family, or your community.
Just my opinion.
Like I said, unannounced and flashing lights in my window, it would not have gone well for either side. You are right though, myself, my dog, and a couple of them would be just as dead either way. You are also correct in your opinion that it would just make them MORE trigger happy and aggressive, not less. Randy Weaver and Ruby Ridge comes to mind.
Yes, and Waco comes to mind too – government at its absolute worst.
I am delighted that the BDN has a reporter who does her job well and is not out to slam the militia or gun owners in general. She did her research, talked to Mr. Page, and also talked to others who confirmed that his group does nothing except help people and be prepared for any trouble that might occur. These are not the radicals the majority of the mainstream media would have you believe. Abigail Curtis is a credit to the paper and to journalism, and Mack Page is a credit to Mainers in particular and Americans in general.
So, you like her reporting because you agree with what she said?
What a joke. I am starting to thinkt he conspiracy nuts are right. We are turning into the third reich.
So, did they ever get “their man”, the probation check? You know, the one the soundly sleeping under his quilts Mr. Mack was mistaken for? Serious question.
surprised they didnt smash their way in and kill the dog first then ask questions later. It has been done before.
if they had done that, they would have caught the full bore of a 12ga right in the chest at point blank range. no vest will stop that.
I’m pretty sure I remember reading about that happening not far from where I lived, years ago, in northern California. Something about a midnight search warrant, the wrong house, and a deaf survivalist householder who a) couldn’t hear the cops saying they were cops and b) killed the first one through the door. Mind you, I would imagine the second and third ones through the door vaporized the poor schmuck, but still.
if this was a “mistaken address,” than i would think that the state police would have the backbone to send a real, authentic apology. and not having their blues on? yeah that sounds a bit hinky to me. this should never have happened.
As an ex military police officer I can tell you that a probation violation check does not mean it was at the violators residence all the time. They may have had information that the violator was at a residence that he or she was not supposed to be at. When you are charged to protect and serve, you are forced to deal with some very volatile situations. Not every speeding ticket goes without incident and not every probation violation check goes smoothly. Yes they could have done more to check, but like I said not every check is at the violators residence so it really doesnt matter who lived there. He said he looked outside and saw that the vehicles had State Police plates and then called the Sheriff to see what was happening. All the answers were right outside his door.
The fourth amendment matters.
They weren’t doing a search or a seizure. They were instructing him to come outside. They didn’t try to enter his residence.So no it doesn’t matter in this case.
Then they were trespassing. There was no obligation for him to listen to them or go outside…
Does not justify the trespassing and harassment. They had no probable cause, reasonable suspicion nor a warrant. Because they were just wrong. By your logic the police have the right to walk up to anybody’s door or window, shine in flashlights and order citizens around, just as long as they say they thought they were doing a probation check on somebody else.
obviously you have failed to pay attention and fully understand what was said in the article.
No I didn’t. It clearly states that they were acting on a tip about a possible probation violation on a person to believed to live on that road. It does not state what the probation violation was. A probation violation can be anything from no consumption alcohol, to not being allowed on a certain address. The person they were looking for was not at that address and they were clearly given some bad information. What would you have them do when they get a tip? Ignore it? They were doing what they are paid to do. It’s unfortunate they got the wrong address. This happens all the time all across the United States and usually without incident.
“The troopers were acting on a citizen’s tip about a possible probation violation concerning a person believed to live on that road.”
Now with that statement above “believed to live on that road”, there are more than one house on “that road”. This was not done at all the other address on “that road”. This was only done at Macks residence. There was at no time a knock on the door from authorities. Just sneaking and peaking. That is a great way to get shot. Your answer is a typical 95B response. There is nothing worse in the Army then having a Private with a loaded firearm and a badge.
Since I have knowledge of this incident, law enforcement did not identify themselves at first. The lights of their vehicles and the flashlights illuminating the inside of the residence was the first thing that Mack saw. Law Enforcement only identified themselves after Mack issued the challenge and the cop peaking through one of the windows was staring at the business end of a 12ga shotgun. Then and only then did the cops say who they were.
All I am going to say about this is , Are you on drugs? Do you have any clue how many Privates with Guns are in Afghanistan right now why you and your over paranoid buddies cry and whine about the cops? Comment on someone else’s posts you have nothing intelligent to say that I care to discuss.
just maybe someone sent them on a wild goose
chase…huh and laughing today
Yeah but when it happens in Maine and someone dies the Police never get the blame. That kind of leaves us non police types a bit nervous.
Where do you live, Maybe we will give the police a tip that you have drugs in your house and are selling out of it.
I can’t believe it took this long for a threat to be issued on this subject. Very nice. I live in Old Town on Lincoln Street. Tell them whatever you want to, I have nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of. Where do you live? Hide behind your secret name on this web site and issue threats.
Do you trust the Government 100% for all your safty needs??
The police do not get to make mistakes.
The warrant did not list Mack Page or his residence as a place to be searched, or a person to be arrested. If you are in fact law enforcement you are aware that the place to be searched, and/or the person to be seized must be listed on the warrant, or the document is invalid.
I was a police reporter over a period of more than 40 years. Starting around 1971 with passage of the federal Safe Streets Act and an ever increasing reliance on federal funding to operate local, county and state police agencies, I noticed something odd happening: the police started referring to ordinary citizens as “civilians.”
Today this us-against-them attitude has developed to the point where a new police culture has emerged. Instead of the police officer as a public servant, a civilian like the rest of us, the new police officer has increasingly become militarized. This is not only reflected in the uniform but in an attitude of being insulated from the greater community to the point where too many officers behave as if they are battle-hardened troops in an unfriendly land.
I was reminded of this unfortunate development a couple of weeks ago when an obviously poorly trained young reserve officer with more testosterone than good sense knuckled onto a 75-year-old fellow citizen of mine peacefully whispering to a colleague at the the Searsport Planning Board hearings on DCP Midstream’s application to build a 23-million-gallon propane tank.
Such an incident would never have happened years ago, certainly not in Maine. Indeed, our police chief, who is a veteran professional and a known advocate for community-minded policing, must have been privately appalled at how quickly matters slipped out of control. Unfortunately, he has apparently chosen to close ranks in public support of his officer. If a local press account is at all accurate, then it seems he has attempted to justify this officer’s actions by claiming the “civilian” in question was previously “warned” three times not to talk. But in almost the same breath, the chief is directly quoted as saying that people at the hearings may in fact “speak,” his only concern that “they must be respectful.”
The planning board chairman, who constitutes the civil authority at these hearings, has chosen to abdicate his responsibility for determining whether there has been a breach of public decorum that might deny others present the right to an orderly democratic process. As a result, we have an edgy young police officer acting as if he were an American soldier in some wretched Taliban-ridden hamlet in Afghanistan instead of an ordinary police officer assigned to ensure public safety in a high school auditorium in a small Maine town.
This individual, unfamiliar with the community and clearly incompetent to arrive at sound judgments, has filled the vacuum resulting from the planning board chairman’s dereliction of civil responsibility. This is very unfortunate. Bad feeling all around has been aroused and the community is developing a perhaps warranted suspicion of the motives and honesty of some of its public servants.
More critically, in a civil forum with a selectmen-appointed official charged with making the determination of what constitutes public order, when the police instead become the ones to decide that issue, then we have effectively moved a little closer to a police state. What happened to Ben Crimaudo in Searsport on Nov. 28 and what happened to Mack Page in Belmont five days later are just two examples of our nation’s alarming slide away from a civilian-run democracy toward a police-run totalitarian state.
Very well said.
Very well said, Mr. Taber.
People who fly might have similar stories to tell about those in uniform who are ostensibly hired by the airlines to provide for the safety and comfort of people while flying between cities in airplanes.
Many have discovered that they have power that approximate those of the Gestapo and they do not hesitate to exercise it.
The humble Farmer
Hear, hear Mr. Skoglund.
You rock humble!
Are you refering to the TSA? They are not “airline ” employees they are employed by our Federal Government, but I agree that they act decidly totalitarian.
My understanding is that they are paid by the federal government, but employees of private companies.
A few 5 or 6 airports hire their own inspectors, but most of them are TSA employees.
I lookedit up on line so the information is available.
Then you misunderstand and larryincamden was correct. TSA agents are all federal employees. A couple of smaller airports have opted to use private security instead of the TSA but those employees are paid by the security company that employs them.
You apparently have no idea what the “ Gestapo” was about. To compare them to the good people who protect our safety is absurd. Yes there are some who abuse their authority and hence that is why a reporting process is in place.
Dear Humble Farmer , What do you thing would happen to a person who reported the “Gestapo”? The next time you are in need of emergency assistance , don’t call the people in uniform , call your local big box store for customer assistance.
Apparently you haven’t been keeping up. There is a dangerous, albeit still small, group of people operating in our law enforcement ranks today. Every single day there is a report of innocent, unarmed citizens being brutalized, tazed /or killed. Is this the absurdity you speak of? Thought not.
And yes, these thugs in blue behave just like the Gestapo. The only difference is that there is no ostensible political, social, religious motivation behind their actions. They are instead just mindless brutes allowed to run amok and terrorize those whom they are supposed to serve and protect. The horror of the story is that their co-workers, indeed the entire class structure within law enforcement, rallies around and protects them to the detriment of society. Even if one of those who has killed someone is called to account, they are given a paid vacation, excuse me “suspended with pay” and then the machine goes to work to justify the killing.
Not everyone in LE is a bad seed. But there certainly are those within that brotherhood who are at heart dangerous. Belfast had one such in its ranks for a while. I noticed after we moved from the area that he made the rounds of most area PDs in his employment. But I digress. It is going to be necessary for law enforcement to start cleaning house of these men and women who do a grave disservice to the public and continue to tarnish the image of those in blue everywhere.
It isn’t meant to be completely comparative. The TSA, law
enforcement etc. is Gestapo in some of their behaviors. They are certainly totalitarian.They certainly have we v. them attitude, and they certainly abuse their power. They certainly expect us not to speak out against them or show any defiant behavior. What is said is we let them all behave this way. They govern with fear.
YOU apparently have no idea what Homeland security is empowered to do.
…and I would NEVER call the police….for anything.
I guess you prefer having Obamacare ‘enforced’ by the IRS?
Irrelevant to the current conversation.
The Police need to screen recruits better and test on going for behavior and ego issues so the public is served while being protected and everyone has the same amount of compassion for each other, It does seem that there is an increase of abuse to the public more so than the older days.
When a cop picks up a transient for making loud noises or sleeping in the bushes the officers name is displayed front and center.
No secret, nor should there be.
In this case the offending officer has been all but
granted immunity/presidential pardon for his actions in the line of duty.
….No name listed ??
Hints at initials , Plate number of the car , etc ??
Pffft !!
But no name of this person that caused such a rightful uproar??
… We all know the BDN tip toes around many subjects , but this is
way beyond ” the pale’ . as they say.
…cat got everyones tongue or is everybody
just a fraidy cat??
After all, we pay this ” Srgt(?)” salary.
I fear they are screening. The ones they want these days are the callous sadists who have no concious and love to hurt people. This increase in incidents is no coincidence.
THey want Trooper who will say “yes sir”, not question rank…..wait they already have that…..Troopers have rank just like the military, dress like them. Hmmmm
And who do you think is ALLOWING this to happen????
Apparently our government is allowing this to happen, in fact they are facilitating it. We The People have no more control over this precipitous slide than a leaf in a windstorm. We abdicated our duties years ago when in a panic created by terrorism and stoked by nationalism/neo-fascism we agreed to give up our freedoms for the illusion of safety. Now we have neither.
We can take it back. But it won’t be pretty. Remember how violently people protesting corporate greed were met last year? How they were vilified in the media? Imagine if they were protesting against the very people standing before them in full militarized assault gear.
And yes, I do have a very dim view of our society’s future.
No, “We the People” started losing control a few generations ago, long about the turn of the last century when the Federal government got the priviledge of directly taxing “We the People”.
Anyone who fails to speak out against these abuses is “allowing” this to happen. But asking that question of yours is a little like asking why anyone who is oppressed “allows” it to happen. We are all oppressed. Make no mistake about it: an abuse of our neighbor is an abuse of all of us.
History has warned us of the consequences. Taking liberties with Martin Niemöller’s famous recollection of what led to the horrors of the Third Reich, one could just as well say about these two recent police abuses of people who are our neighbors: “First they came for that flatlander retiree troublemaker from New Jersey but I wasn’t a flatlander retiree troublemaker from New Jersey. Then they came for that gun-totin’ homegrown militia zealot but I wasn’t a gun-totin’ homegrown militia zealot…”
The point is it’s up to all of us to put aside our prejudices against or indifference towards people to whom we can mindlessly apply such dumb labels as “flatlander” and “militant patriot.” It’s up to all of us to recognize our common humanity and to speak out when the liberty and safety and dignity of any of our neighbors is threatened by oppressive forces.
Exactly. As long as we go through life thinking that this situation could never happen to us, then things will only continue to slowly get worse. But if we take a moment to think what would happen if each of us were put into a similar situation then perhaps we would do something to prevent it from happening to anyone else.
It is a tough thing to do anything about. I think it roots back to the ability of some to counterfeit the money supply.
No matter how much honest money the, “We the People’ of the world can gather together to build their world the way they want, others have the ability to fire up the fake money presses and print up what ever it takes to dictate their will.
But your right implying we have know one to blame but ourselves, I assume.
A while back I heard there were only seven countries left in the world with out a central banks tied in with the global system of central banks. The list had Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya on it then. Now I think it is down to Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Cuba.
Well said!
Your comment was thoughful and concise, well stated, and sadly true.
As always very well put Peter! I have often wondered since the ENLIGHTENING Ben Crimaudo incident why the planning board chairman allowed the presence of the police at the meetings?
Don’t worry… there are way more of us than them.
That’s true. And a lot of us are legally armed (usually with hunting rifles) which has the potential to escalate some situations to a deadly end. Law enforcement in Maine needs to get back to its community-service roots. This should begin with better community-minded training for new recruits. Their mentality should be that the majority of us are law-abiding citizens and we should all be approached as if we are innocent and not guilty even if suspected of a crime. In the article above, the troopers arrived at a residence expecting to find someone with a probation violation instead of arriving with the attitude that there was someone there with a potential probation violation. Their attitude is what puts the rest of us on the defensive in the first place instead of us having a more cooperative attitude when confronted with the police.
Down with the pigs!
This happened to a neighbor when I lived out of state. Fortunately they were not home as both were older and in ill health but their home was ransacked and trashed, destroyed even though the address the police needed was several blocks away. Did the police have to take care of it? Nope. They too got a verbal apology. If police and dispatch cannot be trusted to get the address right when they come loaded for bear then ordinary citizens are in danger.
The police should be held accountable for their mistakes and innocent people should be compensated financially when it happens. Perhaps by taking a bite out of their budgets will the police double check their “facts”.
When local police go away to or attend training sessions run by national ‘security’ experts; I feel they are left with the dichotomy you elegantly defined. There are many causes…..the threat of terrorists, whether 20 yr. old brilliant loners, or political refugees; the return of military police into civilian society; the trend to use automated responses; and all those TV COP shows which glamorize heavy armed police breaking down doors and invading residences….love to see the FBI pn TV apologize and offer to pay for the damage they did to the door, etc.
Mass Media are dominated by crime and police shows and tactics meld together….you can imagine how dull a show would be showing Swedish police having a discussion with someone.
If the man was advised 3 times to stop speaking and chose to ignore those admonishments, then he deserved to be removed from the meeting and it’s the policeman’s thankless job to do so. It’s unfortunate that it had to happen but more and more we seem to live in a world where people think the rules apply to everyone but themselves. They’re “special” so they get to choose which rules make sense to follow and which ones they can ignore.
I wasn’t at the meeting you mention but in meetings like this, people speaking out of turn can become a major distraction even when those speaking out of turn think they are being discrete. His whispering may not have been distracting to someone across the room but it easily could have been to those sitting or standing nearby. The reason you have a public meeting run by a moderator or chair is so that there is order and everyone may be heard in turn. If others choose to talk when someone else has the floor, then they obviously aren’t listening to the speaker, and they may be causing others who wish to listen to no be able to hear something they may very much want to hear. During such a meeting, if you feel the need to have a private discussion, you should either discretely leave the room or do it by whispering so quietly so that only the person you are speaking to can hear you. If this man was warned 3 times, obviously others could hear his whispering and he needed to either wait his turn and say whatever he had to say to everyone once he was recognized by the chair, or leave the room and carry on his private discussion(s) outside the room.
The moderator did not commit dereliction of his duty, but likely agreed that the individual needed to be removed for refusing to respect the 3 prior requests to stop distracting others at the meeting so he chose to not interfere with the police officer doing his job. The “veteran professional and a known advocate for community-minded policing” chief is doing the right thing by backing up his young officer who was merely trying to maintain order at a public meeting. If Mr. Crimaudo wishes to speak at future public meetings, he needs to learn to wait for his turn, just as all of the rest of us have to do.
You seem to know a lot for someone who wasn’t even there. I was. Mr. Crimaudo not only did nothing disruptive in the period when he is supposed to have been warned repeatedly, he came across the room to a spot less than eight feet from me and WHISPERED to a colleague. That’s when Officer Ryan Nickerson got the bright idea to approach him and order him to stop talking.
The police tend to have a lot of slack cut for them, particularly when an administrator is doing damage control, but Chief LaHaye’s rationale why his officer was justified — assuming the press account of what he said is at all accurate — doesn’t pass the proverbial straight-face test. The videotape for that session is finally up on line and you can review it to determine what on earth the chief was reportedly thinking. Everyone present was baffled at the time why Officer Nickerson was doing what he was doing.
I find it disturbing that you, like so many others, naturally assume that just because the police supposedly say something happened in a particular way, why then that is what must have happened. If I were standing in the prisoner’s dock charged with a criminal offense, I certainly wouldn’t like to see your kind on the jury.
Mr Taber;
It is people who give away their rights (like those afforded under the first amendment) who are truly the enemy. I consider them traitors.
Since when has the government had the right to silence citizens? This is a PUBLIC meeting paid for with PUBLIC money run by the EMPLOYEES of “we the people.”
Your kindergarten teacher may put limits on your speech, but not the Town council or the police.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Tux.
The City of Belfast has inserted police into the community
meetings. Public servant is a phrase of the past. In fact at a City Council
meeting a few months ago I viewed the Mayor timing the citizens. It was
obviously directed at the Tea Party (which I’m not a member of). It was obvious that the City Council already rejected their views before they spoke. Once theyspoke their opinions were not worthy of more than 15 minutes. Yet the CityCouncil droned on for over 20 minutes about the AC, which wasn’t on the agenda. The Council is for the people, if a person wants to talk for ½ hour they should sit and listen.
My point simply is that it isn’t just law enforcement that changed their view of the public. It is government in general. It is we know best mentality, followed be us
vs. them.
I’m sick of it, I hope Mr. Page’s militia grows and begins to peacefully speak out and put pressure on those that deny us.
Well put Mr. Taber.
City Councils like this need to be reminded that they are elected and could loose their precious positions.
So many things throw up SO many flags with this whole incident it bothers me. Mack isn’t in the closet about what he does at all. The officer who “fumbled” this had to have been well aware of what he was doing. I’m glad that it ended well and I think someone owes someone a bit more of an “OOPS, Sorry”.
With all of the home invasions and crime going on these days I would think it would only be prudent for law enforcement to be extra carefull when doing these types of checks or any police matter that calls for showing up to a residence late at night. This could have ended with loss of life on both sides and for no reason, thankfully it did not.
Even with technology you can get the wrong address and numbers can be transposed, We are all human and make mistakes. I actually worry about something like this happening at my own house, our neighbor next door has an address of 653 ours is 635, his oil company has filled my tank up and left the slip in my door. I wouldn’t ever be surprised if one day the cops are there and hauls him away. If they were to transpose some numbers and knock down my door in the middle of the night my dog would be dead and so would I and possibly my wife and kids. I am armed in my own home but one sleepy half naked middle aged man startled awake by all of the noise and confusion is no match for a heavily armed squad of law enforcement trained in military tactics. These thing can and do happen.
The thing i see most is the criminals having the most ritghts then anyone. New world order folks, don’t think for a minute we don’t have a police state or country.
oops. militia?, hidden stash of illegal guns?? so did they enter the place and check it out or not??
They had no right to…Bottom line.
nothing was done illegally on macks part. nothing at all. the state police was in the wrong from the start. very stupid on their part.
Have you picked up your brown shirt and SS pins yet?
On a point of order: The SS wore black. The brownshirts belonged to the SA.
Prettyfoolish is eminently qualified for dual membership.
Wrong address, oops it happens.. They apologized and he accepted it, but now he says an apology isn’t enough? What does he want? Monetary compensation more than likely! That’s society’s line of thinking today, “Hmmm, I wonder if I can get money out of this?” As far as not having their blue lights on, makes complete sense to me! They’re acting on a tip, it’s late, unknown if the their guy is armed, they want to stay as safe as possible. It’s called the tactical advantage I believe. They’re going to a house that they don’t know the layout of, they don’t know the area surrounding the house, on, presumably, this mans “home turf”. Wouldn’t you want to give yourself every advantage you could? Keep the element of surprise? I know I would. Let’s say this was the right house, and the guy was a total badboy nutzo criminal who decided he wasn’t going back to jail come hell or highwater. Coming into the driveway with blue lights and sirens and alot of fanfair would probably tip him off that he was about to be in trouble and things would probably go very very wrong. As far as some comments about MSP having no right or whatever to be in such and such counties…… Those counties are in the…STATE OF MAINE…. (echo for effect) They have a right to conduct business there… Anyways, it doesn’t matter, 12/21/12 is right around the corner! LOL!
If they had shot Mr. Page, it would have been justifiable homicide. It is every single time in Maine when a cop guns someone down. Every single time. Mr. Page dodged a bullet on this one, literally.
If they ever found his body
Hood! That skinny little runt needs to play stop the speeder instead of getting into things over his head.
These so called concerned citizens who rat out their neighbors are dangerous. They shouldn’t base their info on thin information.
Cops tend to think everyone is guilty.
In fairness, they’re right about that pretty often.
———–
“I know of two times when a large agency with a lot on its plate was wrong about something” isn’t really that compelling as counterarguments go, but don’t go by me. Nothing’s perfect, including law enforcement, but I’d rather live in a society with it than without it.
—-
I’m not saying I don’t believe you, I’m saying your anecdotal evidence doesn’t stand up as proof of some wider trend. All I said initially was that the police are often (I didn’t say always) right when they assume the worst in handling a call. Besides, in that line of work they almost have to; not doing so looks very like carelessness.
…….people are sheep…..
Mm-hmm.
Another educated reply from the resident troll.
But you fall victim to your own argument. your “evidence” is also anecdotal. Actually what proof do you have that the police do any positive service? Where’s the base for a statistical analysis?
There have been studies which claim that there is less criminal activity in towns and cities WITHOUT a police force.
There is also this:
http://www.academia.edu/796325/Police_numbers_and_crime_rates_-_a_rapid_evidence_review
Which suggests that it is possible (be careful with findings) that increased number of police-people either do not reduce crime, or increase it depending on how one reads the results.
Y’know what, Tux, sometimes you’re so full of it I wonder how you can even reach the keyboard.
Good response.
You addressed the issue, countered it with a coherent argument and were polite in doing so.
Now where’s my “ignore Ben Hutchins” button?
Your opinion only matters if you have experienced a society without law enforcement. I have, and it wasn’t that bad. Sure a hell of a lot less violent than ours.
if you know of 2 people this happened to; I’d start “hanging with” a better class of people..
Thanks for taking the time to erroneously assume such a thing.
The next time you take the time to reply to someone make it count.
You didn’t get the part about “innocent people”?
BTW did you say you were six, or have you had a birthday since then?
So people shouldn’t give information to the police anymore?
=====
What good does it do? The local drug dealer here has been doing business for thirty plus years. Everyone knows (including the police) and he’s still doing business.
Why don’t the State Police involve someone from the community, like the Sheriff’s Dept in these matters. I watched with sadness and dismay two incidents in Masardis a few years back that could have been easily resolved by the local deputy, but instead the SP brought on SWAT, et c. Luckily no one was shot, but it was not for lack of trying on the SP part.
Policing needs to be community based. The cities have learned that, the Sheriff’s and local police have always known that, but the SP are locked into a paramilitary model that emphasizes superior force.
In some cases the State Police do not involve the Sheriff, because in some cases the Sheriff has been known to call the suspect and warn him the police are coming! Corrupt… the lot of them!
Apology? When my lawyer was done with these guys, the county would have to float a new bond initiative.
What is this Maine Militia and what is its purpose? What is their mission statement? Do we need or even want a Maine Militia? Sounds like a club for a bunch of ultra-right gun-nuts.
we have a right to assemble in this country regardless of what you think is wanted or needed.i guess you are new here. if he was an ultra right wing gun nut his home would have already been known to MSP…they know who we are
hmmm – you used “we” in your last sentence. Did I strike nerve?
i used it in my first sentence also.yeah you struck my american nerve.ever heard of “we the people”?
It doesn’t matter what the militia is. Even the state police admit they made a colossal mistake and the man was completely innocent. In your world do we drag citizens out of their house because they belong to a club we don’t like the “sound” of? You are the scary one.
Then change both the Federal and State constitutions. They both provide for a “citizen militia.
Seem to be slipping from State Police to “Police State.” This has happened all over the country in the past decade or so — bashed some old lady’s door right off the hinges and run in with guns drawn, and it’s the wrong address. Bought her a new door and apologized, wow. Accountable to nobody, out-of-control.
Didn’t miss the one little line: “The troopers were acting on a citizen’s tip about a possible probation violation concerning a person believed to live on that road.” Given the golden character of most who supply such tips, apparently ‘possible’ and ‘believed’ were cause enough to round up the posse.
When there’s a bluebird sitting on your window sill,
and the sun shines bright all day through,
just beware, folks, and look over your shoulders,
cuz there’s always someone coming after you.
AAARRGGGHHH!!!
I agree with your comment, exception, not citizen, but RAT..is a better terminology..
First word came to my mind, too — as in “Please, don’t bust me for this little package! I’ll tell you where So & So is staying!” — but I didn’t go there.
A mistake LOL. I doubt it.
the State Police are in need of an independent oversight committee to investigate and publicly disclose the findings. the Attorney General should not be a part of this process. it is a miracle someone wasn’t killed
The police regularly oppose any form of “civilian review” In New York City in the late Sixties they distributed “Fear City” pamphlets telling citizens that if a civilian review board was empaneled, the police would be hard pressed to protect citizens and that criminals would run wild.
oops never mind
this operation was very poorly planned the person who planned it should not be planning operations anymore and perhaps should not be working as a state policeman anymore either
OOPS?
Clops. A bunch of idiots who think they have the right to harass anyone any time they feel like doing so. A bunch of adrenalin junkie bozos who think their caca don’t stink.
In Chicago, the recording of his 911 call would of been erased, his home broken into, and he would of been shot “resisting”, the police would of then claimed the house weapons, his accounts, car and anything else they could of gotten their hands on.
However he “knew” someone at 911, so, oops we will move on to someone else to murder and steal from.
At the very least someone should have stayed with him for a while to make sure that his blood pressure didn’t go off the charts and cause him an even bigger problem. Perhaps a little fence mending could have taken place over a cup of coffee. Jumping in the cruisers and heading out quickly didn’t show the man the respect he deserved.
He’s lucky they didn’t barge in shooting and ask questions later, seems to be a tactic among police departments in the last few years, it’s such a successful tactic that criminals are now using it.
The Militia is supposed to protect the people from a corupt government.. So what do you think, did they want to start something in order to discredit the militia or not.
i don’t want and didn’t ask for any “militia” to be “protecting” me/”the people”. Don’t drag US into it. I didn’t ask for your “protection” and don’t want it.
prettyfoolish is prettyignorant on the constitution. i bet you do not even have a copy of it do you.
Cool off everyone. The cops made a mistake. The problem was taken care of without incident. Everything’s fine. Step away from the cliff.
We hold our cops to a high standard to prevent them moving toward reckless actions that mimic those of a police state. If the MSP acted on “vague” information, why was this allowed? This individual’s rights were violated by the tactics of the MSP. Everything is not “fine,” as you suggest. This could have turned ugly and escalated to a shooting. I hope the BDN will investigate this action and inform their readers. I suggest that the MSP give the public a full accounting of this action and hold those responsible for this stupidity to account. This from one whose son is a cop.
You are so right. Remember Randy Weaver (who was the target of a warranted search) won a mufti-million dollar law suit against the ATF due to their overly forceful action.
You do realize this old guy could have been killed for no reason right? And you do realize that the cops are never found at fault when things go wrong like this right? I think it’s high time for some oversight by us of the people who supposedly work for us.
Do you trust all government officals 100%, if so you are part of the problem
Are you nuts? They don’t get to make “mistakes” they are armed authority, and in a position to do untold damage.
VERIFY!!! before storming someone’s castle. The police violated this man’s second, fourth, and fifth amendment Rights. If I were him, I’d be talking to a lawyer.
Search the Web to learn of the MANY innocent citizens gunned down due to errors by law enforcement.
OBEY or die should be on the door of every cop car in the USA.
“The men weren’t lying about who they were. But it was a case of mistaken identity, or rather, a wrong address. The troopers were acting on a citizen’s tip about a possible probation violation concerning a person believed to live on that road.”
BS! Someone trying to have their own littlle Ruby Ridge right here.
I agree. There is probably more to this than meets the eye. It’s hard to believe that it’s just a coincidence. He just happens to be the local head of the militia. Fortunately, he knew someone, the sheriff, who could help him. If it had been most people, they would’ve been out on the cold ground, cuffed and gagged, or worse yet, if they tried to rightfully defend themselves, dead.
Wrong address? Give me a break The MSP acting on a tip, with directions to an address that was vague? What kind of probation violation are we talking about here that got the police to storm upon someones home at 11PM at night? The MSP should have done a better job verifying the address and verify the person they wanted was actually there first. The police seems to be getting a little out of hand.
never been to rural Maine have you ?
I live here and you couldn’t find my house. Yup it happens.
Doesn’t matter if it is rural Maine, I am familiar with rural Maine, If you are going to tattle on someone violating the probation get the facts straight, if you are going to storm down someones door late at night, make sure you have an accurate address, not a vague one.
Keystone cops….
My immediate thought with this was: Harrassing the leader/founder of an organization calling itself a militia is a recipe for disaster.
Wasthis just an error?
Was this harassment by the police?
Was this a person that wanted the police to harass another individual for them?
Was this another government agency wishing to have someone harassed?
In this day of GPSs, reverse address look up, instant communication there is no
excuse for such a error to occur.
Just for S&G I put Mack’s address into a search engine and got four results
showing the property is for sale and the fifth one showed it as the address for
the Maine Militia.
Yup a place that I would go out to at night and play some Tom
Fool game at.
Do we really want to believe the State Police don’t have that information on file?
What was this really about? I would think that at least an internal investigation is warranted.
Either the State Police planned this or they are grossly incompetent. Neither thought gives me any comfort.
Oct., 2011, I was in the study of my brother-in-law’s home in Turlock, Ca. when there was a loud knocking at 22:30. I looked out a window to see who was at the door and saw two Turlock PD officers. I opened the door and the female asked if she could come in and took a step forward. I asked why and she stopped with her foot in the air. She then yelled, “Where is your wife?!” I said, “My HUSBAND is in the shower, why?” Then, on cue, he appeared, wet and berobed. The officers were obviously confused and the male stepped back and began using his chest mike to call in and confirm. He pulled his partner back and said, “We have the wrong address. Sorry.”
Evidently someone, somewhere called in about a wife-beating. The house was quiet, so it was either a prank call or a TPD mistake. The look on the officers’ faces when they were trying to process the information of a man saying his husband is in the shower was freakin’ priceless! They both had minor facial tics.
What is really funny is they have not named the probation violator.. Snce he is on probation it should be public knowledge.. MSP What is the name of the violator?? Care to share this infomation.. Justify your presence at this mans house please.
Welcome to our new police state Sir…sad but so true!
So now he knows ow it feels like to be “driving while brown.” Yup, an officer’s mistake, but we’re supposed to just believe the cops, that they did their homework. Cops make mistakes all of the time, but American citizens are just supposed to roll over and take it. We need an end to authoritarianism and instead, return to “no harm, no foul.” Then, we need to prosecute agencies that are too lazy to do their homework. Enough of this crap where law enforcement gets to do whatever it pleases and fails to properly follow the law.
I had it happen to me in Mass. Almost bashed down my door because someone else they were looking for used to live in the apartment. One of the most scary nights of my life.
Happened up on Central Street in Bangor about 10 years ago. Kicked down the door, put folks in handcuffs, and … “Oops gee sorry-bout-that.”
The only thing the state police are good for are giving you tickets on roads that you PAY to drive on. Not to mention how straight and well maintained highways are there is zero need to give someone a ticket for going 15 even 20 over. There aren’t small children playing or residential area. People that rely on state troopers by the time they come for help it’s already to late, nothing but glorified maids and secretaries.
So because we pay taxes, the police shouldn’t enforce the laws?
I think he was saying “some law” is an unnecessary incursion into our daily lives. If that was the message I agree.
Welcome to the Police State of Maine. Good thing Mr. Page had a cooler head than the Staties at his door. Sounds like the trooper on the phone was a little hopped up on something. Caffeine? Adrenaline? This could have ended badly. Maybe now the academy could start teaching its students to treat people with a little more respect and a little less intimidation.
steroids?
It seems the more and more often police departments react rather than act and proceed to make judgment calls without bothering with factual information. I’ve experienced twice. Once I called police because I was being threatened by a partner. I was forcefully removed from MY home. When I demanded that they look at my deed to prove that I had the right to remain, they refused, saying they were not there to settle property disputes, but to uphold the law. I was told that if I did not leave, further “legal action” would be taken. I failed then, and I fail now to understand how forcing me our of my home while allowing him to remain was upholding the law. My 2nd such encounter involved the same police department in which I was forced to allow a drunk and threatening family member to return to my home (he was a tenant, not a co owner, nor a dependent). Since then I’ve read of multiple incidents such as what Mr. Page endured, which makes it appear to be a pattern. Police departments appear to be using fear tactics instead of common sense in many cases. If these troopers had a legitimate reason to be there and were just checking on a POSSIBLE probation violation…not parole, just probation…why did they not just knock on the man’s door showing respect rather than dismissing the POSSIBLE in that sentence ans assuming they were dealing with a hardened criminal? Reaction rather than action on the part of people carrying guns is a frightening scenario. Had Mr. Page assumed that the people accosting him in the middle of the night were criminals and killed on the officers believing he was protecting himself, he’d be behind bars now…through no fault of his own. Sadly, often times police are no longer the people to count on to protect our rights, but the people we need to be wary of when our rights are violated.
What rights? We have given them up in the 911 panic and they have not been restored.
Creating fear has always been used by the courpt to contain the people since the beginning of time..
It happened WAY WAY before 9-11, people just accepted it.
Why do you think the police establishment came up with the acronym “SWAT?
Just doing what they were ordered to do..
that was the same excuse used at the end of world war 2 by the germans.
I didn’t say I agreed with it, I was just pointing out a fact.
I thank God Mack kept his cool.
Mr. Page is to be commended for remaining calm under very confusing circumstances. I may have been opposed to the idea of militias, but he has cast a positive light on the subject for us. This situation could have ended much differantly for all those involved.
Not too many comments from the anti-gun nut heads…. Im surprised..
They are focusing their attention on the slaughter of 20 children and seven adults by a well-armed nut head.
I’ve commented. I just haven’t commented about eliminating certain types of guns in this country on this comment page because it has nothing at all to do with the story. Do you have trouble staying on topic? Might want to get tested for ADD or perhaps you forgot your medicine this morning.
Dont get upset my friend, I can see I hit a nerve with you….
“acting on a citizens tip”, I am so tired of the police being led by whatever stool pigeon wants to get on the cell phone and call in something. I am surprised it was not a under aged drinking party they were looking for, the usual stool pigeon call. I have long said we live in a Police State here in Maine, almost Martial Law.
Martial Law exists not only in Maine but our country. Democracy is dead, our politicians represent whoever pays the most, and the Police State enforces the corrupt laws they create. More power to the corporations, less for the people.
A++ Comment
Lucky no one was killed and Mr Page is lucky he didn’t go outside where he would have had several “officers” with their Marine Corps boot camp hair cuts ( do they have to get those or do they just think it’s cool, intimidating maybe? I thought military short hair was mainly for hygenic purposes) yelling at the top of their lungs “get down!”, “get down!” (do they teach that technique in police academy?), and if he didn’t he would no doubt have been tazed, had the biggest guy put his knee on the back of his neck (pain compliance), and as he screamed in pain they would be yelling “do not resist, do not resist!’. Of course I suspect they were all dressed in their Sunday best SWAT clothes purchased with a DHS grant obtained by Sen Collins as she smiled for the photo ops. Of course it’s not the officer’s fault for what the police have become over the years. They have sometimes a diificult and underpaid job and have become what they are by careful design from the top down. In any case good government jobs with benefits and good retirement are hard to come by in a country that is hopelessly bankrupt and has money the value of which is supported only by it’s nuclear arsenal. Sorry if I have go on for too long, you have to vent once in awhile.
P.S. – Personally I have never had a problem with any police person and have always been treated with respect. Things are, and have been, changing and they are just as much the victims as anyone. Sorry to bring up the horrible event of yesterday, but apparently it was not done done by an Arab Al Kaydee terrorist. Nor was the shooting in the Oregon mall, nor the Aurora, CO theater shooting, nor the Arizona shooting including the lady Congressman, nor the Amish schoolhouse shooting, nor the horrible Va Tech massacre, nor the DC?VA I95 shooting ( although the now executed killer was at one time in the American Nation of Islam). Unless you are naive and/or uninformed to believe the government promoted version of 9/11, there have been no terrorist acts on US soil perpetrated by foreign groups; but this fraudulent threat is being used to drastically alter the American way of life.
Thank heavens this didnt turn even more ugly than it already was. Unfortunately in the State of Maine, where there is no such thing as an Unjustified police shooting, I cannot blame this gentleman for being very scared and very angry. The police should have to properly identify themselves so that the person being questioned will be willing to adhere to their requests..We do have a right to protect the places that we live and in this day and age far too often you see people impersonating officers to gain entry into places.
Just because the police identify themselves doesn’t give them the Right to stop you for no reason. actually you do not have to identify yourself to police unless you broke a law.
I was talking about the Police identifying themselves, not the other way around. They could have easily done so by using their blues…
all cops should be tested regularly for steroid use and fired if the test is positive.
I beleive Mr Page caused ti escalate even more then the officers. When he starts ranting about “what right do they have…) he loses me. they made a mistake, and were not participating in some right that allowed them to bother him.Not a good mistake, but it is being blown out of proportion. The threat that he could call other people to bring them over for a gun battle is very disturbing though.
searching for someone who may live on the road and having vague directions,not informing or coordinating with the local police.not activating emergency lights to identify who they were,and just happening to end up at the home of the leader of the maine state militia,actions like this are the reason we have a second amendment. if anyone believes this was an accident or a coincidence,i have a box full of carbon credits priced to sell quickly
Yes what right is given to the police to harrass innocent people?? Explain where they have the right to do this..mcmaineacjam.. Then you will find that the police escalated it by just being there. We do not live in North Korea thank you.
And I suppose these officers couldn’t have bothered to wait until daylight? Couldn’t have had their strobe lights flashing? And just who was this apparently extremely dangerous probation violator they were after..if one existed at all. A tip? Anonymous? So I guess that means if I for some reason don’t like my neighbor all I have to do is phone in a “tip” and watch the police descend on the house in the middle of the night. Sounds like fun.
There is absolutely no excuse for this happening and it is a dangerous situation! They are supposed to be trained professionals and can’t afford to make stupid mistakes that put innocent people in jeopardy!
Belfast City Hall and Council brazenly and repeatedly used police to intimidate me for exposing intent City flooding to residents and the cover up corruption. Council called me in to the Chief of Police as a threat (51, single Mom, law abiding), and was quickly cleared after freely coming to the station and a back ground check. At 2 meetings where I gave prior notice that I would be speaking, a police guard was ordered. The Chief not happy about that either. Slocum and Council orders City Attorney to begin intimidating me with biased, insulting, personal unethical tactics, deliberate neighbor/community alienation, on and on, it’s unbelievable. Out in the streets, protesting, many commend me for my bravery. Clearly, residents fear consequences. City forcing legal battles with residents, using our tax dollars to win be red tape tactics and wearing you down. At the last meeting at the podium, I get the evil eye, hostility and all take the 5th as I present the City flooding to Seaview Terrace for the umpteenth time in 2 years.. Later, JB Turner of Front Street Shipyard, savior to Front Street hell, clears his throat and Joe comes running with a cup of water. JB a bit embarrassed, but humble. City Manager, Joe Slocum, please stop the disgracing of Belfast with thug governing. http://www.belfastbullies.blogspot.com
I he’s guess he is lucky they didn’t pump his house full of tear gas, accidentely starting a fire, killing women and children. Oh, sorry, I forgot that was the FBI special treatment for women and children.
pretty bad when a person might have to consider erecting a security fence to protect yourself from police.
“They didn’t listen to anything he said” is the scary part. When did the police become a militarized force in the US? I feel like we’re suddenly all Palestinians in the eyes of the occupying army. And why can’t cops correctly identify the correct address? That’s not difficult. Very dubious.
“When did the police become a militarized force in the US?”
That would be back in the 1960’s when people were more scared of black folks then they scared of losing their rights.
Now just about every little Podunk village police force has the delusion they are under constant threat by the citizenry. They also do NOT like competition.
I personally do not believe that “an anonymous tip” sparked this event. The State Police wanted to know what this guy’s response to an invasion would be. They also probably wanted a count of his guns.
In Maine I can shoot a home invader with impunity…. UNLESS that home
invader is the police.i Then they can shoot me, and the A.G. will find it a justified shooting. The cops scare me more than the crooks.
i bet it was done on purpose.
There have been numerous reports of late night police probation warrant invasions, most recently in OOB. Has anyone asked if some kind of grant funding (Obama stimulus) is being offered to police departments to conduct this gung-ho night work? The same applies to liquor stings, seat belt checks, sobriety checkpoints, the police will do it only if something (the national debt) is specifically paying for it. Perhaps we can find out what is funding speed traps, if the payments for doing that can be stopped, we will all be able to breathe a little easier.
If have no idea what you’re talking about do you? Just pure hatred for Obama. Why? Because he’s a demorat or because he’s black?
Belmont??!!???Hahahahahahahahahaha What a pit…
The greater the authoritarian attitude of some police officers the more push back we may see. What an unfortunate circumstance for a country of free citizens! The second amendment does not protect arms for the purpose of hunting but to provide a means for self or organized defense against totalitarian government and its agents. A selectman for four years, we have had no need for police presence because we allow wide open discussion of all issues presented.
Wrong address????…Yeah…right!