Hartford's latest Moron
Occasionally I think we all need a reminder what a great country we live in. The picture above is your daily reminder for Friday June 19, 2015. This idiot is standing in the roadway on Airport Road to warn approaching drivers of an HPD checkpoint ahead As someone who has had a relative lost to a drunk driver, actually a wrong way driver on I-91 several years ago, I fully understand the devastation a few drinks behind the wheel can cause.
David had left work one night after his shift, headed home to his wife and children. It was David's misfortune to encounter a wrong way driver headed South on I-91 in the Northbound lane. The drunk had recently left a bar in Sprongfiweld and collided with David head on, killing him instantly. As is usually the case , the drunk survived
This moron pictured above, identified through sources as Steven Schafer, apparently appreciates his right to free expression along with his associate Michael Picard who was also holding signs along Airport Road. Expression tha they are both free to exercise no matter how irresponsible or offensive it is. The swastika is an interesting touch and I am not sure how that strengthens their message. As a moron, he clearly doesn't understand the symbolism that symbol and the deep hurt and feelings it provokes.
The moron was at a DUI checkpoint earlier this evening on Airport Road in Hartford. The checkpoint was held in conjunction with MADD and several mothers an family members who lost children to drunk drivers were there. I am not sure what Mr. Picard's message is or was. Is he condoning drunks killing children? Is he maybe offering support for the Holocaust and the deaths of Jews.
Whatever the message is, he is wrong and the case of DUI fatalities, dead wrong.
But once again , everyone has the right to be a moron, even Mr. Picard . So Mr. Moron Picard, next time you get the idea to warn drunks on the road, try to remember the story of Karen and David, and maybe remember all of the Jews killed during the Holocaust.
I also can't help but wonder how your family would react if you were run down and killed by a drunk driver while out there pulling your crazy stunt.
29 comments:
The individual in the picture is Steve Schafer. His Moron friend who was standing on the south side of the MADD CHECKPOINT was Michael Picard.
Kevin. Send this pic with his name to every media outlit. So everyone knows, including future employers , what a racist idiot he is ....
Come on Kevin...what is this BS. How come no commentary on the Fire Task force findings? Is that sophomoric report just too easy to rip apart? Just think about it. The city has paid these guys millions during their careers and all they can come up with is a couple of basic recommendations that any two year guy on the job could put forth. The Fire Task Force has completely missed the central issue facing the HFD. What is this mysterious issue? Not even going to tell the public...just keep believing Teale and the rest of his flunkies. Make sure you have fresh batteries in your smoke detectors.
On the bright side, perhaps, at least his anti-cop action/message was not understood by those who can't read English, which might include Anglos impaired by booze. Further, at least he wasn't one of those increasingly common retro sign-holding pan-handlers who will "work for food..."
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As a tax paying, law abiding citizen of the United States, I WANT my voice heard on this issue. My son, Sergeant Brandon Mendoza, an officer who was with the City of Mesa, Arizona police department, was killed in a tragic head on collision on May 12, 2014 by a wrong way driver on our freeways. This man happened to be an illegal immigrant, was in this country illegally, convicted of previous crimes, no Social Security number, no valid driver's license BUT he had purchased a vehicle and registered it to drive in Maricopa County Arizona.
Don't forget, this is Hartfod. These road blocks have to be announced ahead of time, and HPD still catches plenty of idiots. Also, many people are probably illiterate in Hartford. Lastly, it isn't written in Spanish, that eliminates even more people.
This A-hole with the sign unfortunately wasn't doing anything illegal, so he couldn't be arrested.
I believe in karma. I hope this fool forgets about the next road block and HPD traffic officers remember him.
Kevi, I hope to see a future post with that same picture and the title "Remember Me?"
Also, sorry for your families loss.
Hi, I'm Michael Picard, I was one of the people holding up a sign at the Brainard Checkpoint. I am not the person pictured above, as the anonymous person pointed out, although he is a friend of mine. I was standing on the opposite side of him, near the 91 on/off ramp. First off, I am sorry to hear that you lost your cousin to a drunk driver, I truly am. I did, however, want to clear something up: We are not doing this to get drunk drivers off the hook, we are doing this to start a conversation as to whether these checkpoints are the best solution to catching drunk drivers or a waste of taxpayer dollars. These checkpoints cost, on average, $8000 to $10000 per checkpoint and are notorious for rarely catching drunk drivers, maybe they'll catch one or two people, if that, in the course of conducting a few checkpoints. For example, a DUI checkpoint was recently conducted at CCSU, where 693 cars were stopped and not a single person was charged with DUI. Saturation patrols are 10x more likely to catch drunk drivers and they only cost $300 (as opposed to $8000 to $10000). We also go out to remind the 99.9% innocent people that they still have rights, and if we don't use them we'll lose them. We are also out there to keep everyone accountable and on their best behavior, police officers and the public alike. We often Record these checkpoints to keep everyone accountable. We do not support a police state, that is the meaning of the swastika, which was reminiscent of the Nazi Germany checkpoints. What is the difference between warning the public days before and putting up a sign to let people know they are approaching a checkpoint, which is what the police are required to do, and holding up a sign which does the same thing? Why are we morons and irresponsible for doing the same thing the police do?
Whats sad is that this is what he's doing with his life. There are so many things he could be doing.
Kevin, does somebody have something over you to keep you quiet? You have resorted to savining kittens and morons posting signs instead of the muckraking journalism you are appreciated for.
Michael picard. You and your friend seriously need to get a life. Why not try geting an education and begin to establish a real life instead of standing on the side or the street. I would love to see you and your pals attempt to do this at the next check point in the north end of hartford at night time. You and your little friends with your racist signs will get a big surprise. My father fought in ww2 so little punks like you could not grow up in a concentration camp. If you think america is bad, go try living in mexico or turkey. I hope i encounter you in hartford one day with your racist sign. You are truely a zero. Good luck in life geting a real job now that you are associated with racial natzi propaganda. Most companies uses every search engine to do back grounds.
Read the reason you just stated for being there and you'll answer the question of why you're a moron. Let me guess. College grad, can't get job. Go work for a living instead of living off mom and dad and grow up.Loser
There are so many things he could be doing.
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True, but of all the things many people in Hartford are doing this Picard's doings seem to me quite benign. (I confess; I got caught once at a checkpoint just below the Ward St. station; got a $35 seat-belt violation.) If he wants to waste his time in the glamorous South Meadow holding up a sign he can have at it. Get rid of the swastika, though. That really is moronic. Otherwise, he's a lot less offensive than all those "black lives matter" dopes who shut down the streets at rush hour.
Peter Brush. ... Are there more dopes in Hartford or more dope?
Also, "A real american", your father fought in World War II to protect, among others, the first amendment rights of people like these two to take to the streets and express themselves while recording the police. I think the swastika was a poor choice and had he not explained himself in this forum I would have taken it the wrong way. I do think these two will find that displaying signs of that nature will not endear them to even those of us that agree with their intent. However, It is clearly their right to do it as much as it is your right to ridicule them for it. That's the real lesson your father and men like him taught us all. It's too bad too many people haven't learned it yet and want to hand their rights over to the government or somehow think laws should protect people from being offended. I'm glad you're offended. You have every right to be.
@ Michael Picard. I think you need some education on this matter. It DOES NOT COST $8,000-$10,000 dollars to run a CHECKPOINT IN HARTFORD. IT only costs $4,800 which is sponsored by the Department of Transportation. There were 6 arrests made on Thursday Night. So YOU and YOUR FRIEND may want to take your signs to CCSU "to FLEX YOUR RIGHT AT A DUI CHECKPOINT" (Not to mention it is way closer to his home town of New Britain). Or get a life, a job, and a girlfiend. Seems like your Self-proclaimed entrepreneur venture is not working for you. GOOD DAY.
Wouldn't their behavior be considered interfering with police? Why no arrest?
Hey Peter Brush,Was I the only one who noticed there was no talk of skin color and/or "black lives matter" when the BLACK New Orleans officer was shot and killed by a BLACK thug who was being transported from jail to prison a couple days ago. As far as the Hartford protests go, the most disturbing piece of the narrative was that our Chief of Police Rovella said he understood what the protesters were trying to achieve by shutting down the streets and that ,,quote,, "HE RESPECTED THAT" !!!! Way to go Chief,,just one more illegal item you condone or allow ,which includes ,murder,drug dealing ,assault,unlicensed-unregistered-uninsured drivers,quads and dirt bikes running through streets/sidewalks,littering, and NOW "MORONS" WHO "ILLEGALLY" STAND IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE WITH A SIGN !!!! PLEASE TELL ME HE DOESNT RESPECT "THEM" TOO!!! Oh yea ,hey Michael Picard ,my peripheral vision is really bad, so next time, can YOU and your A@#HOLE friend STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AS I WILL SEE YOU BETTER ? THANKS
Anonymous 9:19am
I think Steven Schafer is his girlfriend
We were standing on a public sidewalk, not a breakdown lane. If I were on the sidewalk right beside you and you saw me, then you'd be using your peripheral vision, but if I am standing in the middle of the road, that would be referred to as your center of vision. What is with all the insults? I have insulted no one here. It used to be that people were at least respected for having a mind of their own and an opinion and if someone didn't agree, they would debate the issue. Insults are low and require very little intelligence. Anyhow, if $4,800 is, in fact, the cost of conducting a checkpoint in Hartford and the Brainard DUI Checkpoint did, in fact, catch six drunk drivers (which may or may not be the case, since no evidence was provided to prove that claim (I only saw one person get caught and I was in view of the checkpoint)), taxpayers spent $800 per arrest. Yes, checkpoints are supported by the Department of Transportation, but where do you think the DOT gets the money? Yes, from the federal government, but the federal government gets its money from the taxpayers. If six people were caught, and 100 cars went through (at a minimum), that means this particular DUI checkpoint has a 6% success rate, which is pretty dismal if you ask me, or that 6% of the cars that went through are guilty of anything, which means that 94% weren't guilty of a single thing. Another reason I don't like these checkpoints is because, for the people going through them, for no more than going down a certain road at a certain time, they are guilty until proven innocent, which is backwards, and it is lazy police work, because stopping a car doesn't require any thought or reasonable suspicion whatsoever. Again, I stand by my earlier opinion, roving and saturation patrols are much more effective and cost efficient. Although many of you disagree with me, I hope you at least have an inkling of where I am coming from, and I hope you'll debate the issue and not throw around more insults, because that's a waste of time and intelligence and does nothing for no one. We are not in elementary school anymore.
Read the blog post and the comments, while i don't agree with the swastika, thought i'd play devil's advocate. If checkpoints are the be all end all, where was the checkpoint that could have saved David's life? these checkpoints seem to be on all the wrong nights and in all the wrong places, because dui fatalities keep growing. Also, if dui checkpoints are the answer, why not put them down all roads at all times? well be sacrificing our freedom, but hey, at least well all be safe, supposedly. I mean, fuck the constitution, right?
If you go to hartford,ct/gov and go to departments. Then go to Police and and after that go to the upper left to arrests, you will see that there were more arrests that were in the South End near the Brainard Rd. D.U.I check point. Sometimes, the Officers have to follow to stop.
Actually the funds come from the very license plate you put on YOUR vehicle PERMITTING one to use the roadway. YES in fact it IS $4,800 and by paying and signing the very registration on a Motor Vehicle one is Consenting the ability to be stopped at ANY time by a Constable of the LAW. It is NOT a POLICE thing yet a DMV and DOT thing you are not on private property so laws do apply. SO OF YOU THINK YOUR RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED you should make an appointment to meet with the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. OR GO TO THE LIBRARY AND LEARN INSTEAD OF WASTING YOUR TIME HOLDING YOUR STUPID SIGN.
You are applying statistics to something that can't be measured. The point of the checkpoint is to get DUI drivers. Its not about statistics. Its about stopping an impaired driver before they get into a crash and kill another driver or pedestrian. That's the point. Not how many arrests you can possibly make or how many cars you can stop. Its about stopping the drunk driver before he gets on the highway the wrong way, crashes head on with another car, and kills a whole family. Are roving patrols effective, yes. Are saturation details effective, yes. But they aren't the only method and why wouldn't employing multiple forms of enforcement be more desirable? 6 DUI arrests at $800 a pop seems pretty reasonable compared to someone being killed.
And spare me the police state comments. This country is so far from a police state you kids have NO concept of what a police state actually is. In a real police state you would have disappeared as soon as you took your sign out. You would have disappeared in the night because you voiced an opinion challanging the government. Your family wouldnt even be able to mourn you in fear of being labeled conspirators. But you stood out there with your signs watching the big mean government bully people around. And then you commented on a blog for the whole world to read and will sleep in your bed tonight so you can wake up tomorrow. Your comments and rational clearly show a lack of real life experience and a lack of understanding of how things actually work. Im not trying to insult you, but maybe you should extend your education beyond what your professor tells you and what the author of a book says, who probably has no working knowledge of police work.
I'm sorry, I don't know where my head is at sometimes, silly me for thinking that police officers should need reasonable suspicion to pull a car over period or else they'll abuse it (clearly that never happens), and that it is hypocritical to apply that standard in everything except a DUI checkpoint. In everything, police officers need reasonable suspicion to detain you (which is what a DUI checkpoints do - detain you - and no matter how minimally invasive it is, it is still invasive, hence the use of the word invasive), but god forbid police officers should need to do actual police work when they can just stand there and let cars come to them and pull over every other car, or every car if the math is easier, and cite anything that moves. God forbid we question the status quo and find a better way to catch drunk drivers, because clearly, in the time that DUI checkpoints have increased, DUI fatalities are now nonexistent (with the increase of DUI checkpoints, the number of DUI fatalities has gone up actually. Clearly DUI checkpoints are flawless though). That's one thing I wanted to address to0, DUI checkpoint advocates also use statistics that can't be measured by saying that they deter people. How can you know if this DUI checkpoint actually deterred someone, or they went around, or if they intended to stay home anyways, or if they never intended to drink? I mean you might as well say that the Brainard checkpoint deterred 300 million people, because 300 million people weren't drunk that night, much less went through the checkpoint. How can the main talking point of checkpoints be that it deters people when you can't measure that? Can you say that the Brainard checkpoint deterred 100 people from drinking that night as a direct result of the checkpoint? 500 people? How many people did that checkpoint deter and how do you know? Also, I would think that if these checkpoints significantly reduced DUI fatalities, it would be a main talking point. If Hartford PD caught 6+ drunk drivers, I would think they would want to make sure people know, rather than deny my FOIA request.
I'm not saying that America is as bad as it was in Nazi Germany - yet. What I do think is that we're walking a thin line. The fact is that these incidents happen every day. People are still arrested for recording police officers, which is a first amendment protected right and face years in prison if convicted. I mean why do police officers treat a camera as if it is gun? To borrow something that Kevin said earlier to me, "If you're (the cops, in this case) not doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to worry about." If you study pre American revolution history, the English, under King George III, would also set up "checkpoints" and stop and detain and even arrest people without any suspicion whatsoever, for essentially no more than being in a certain place at a certain time. At the very least, I see these checkpoints as a very slippery slope. At most, they pave the road for police abuse and tyranny in general. But hey, if they work, why not set up gun checkpoints (more people die from firearms than drunk drivers). I mean, as long as we're not being hypocritical, we might as well set up a drug (pharmaceuticals) checkpoint, because 100,000 people die from FDA approved drugs a year (do their lives matter less?). 300,000 people die from obesity, should we set up some kind of checkpoint to monitor what foods people have in their car and write them a citation if they're eating the wrong food? More than 41,000 people die from suicide a year, should we set up a checkpoint and ask people if they're feeling suicidal today? What then is to stop the Supreme Court from ruling that police officers can come in your house and search for whatever they want, without a search warrant? They've already made exception after exception. If we keep making exceptions, what rights will we have left?
Not surprised by the chiefs comment. This is the same chief that marched on Albany Avenue with the protesters. The same chief that went to a scene before checking on his officer, who was injured during an incident. Good job.
Amen!
Again how is it at all invasive if you are ALLOWED permission to use a STATE ROADWAY. Have you ever stopped and read a State DOT Construction Sign limiting Liability? That is because they OWN the very roads YOU are obstructing by holding your signs to hinder traffic flow. SIMPLE STATEMENT SAID TIME TO GROW UP M.P. and S.S. The police officers are only doing their jobs something you should consider getting.
Actually all DUI check points are funded by NHTSA @ no cost to the residents of Hartford.
You do realize that even at a checkpoint, which is signed and announced, the police still have to develop probable cause to make an arrest, right? And you do realize that you provide consent to the checkpoints when you sign for your license, right? And you realize that this is 2015 and not colonial America, right? You are a "dangerous" person because you think you know how things work and the reality is that you don't have a clue about policing or how the job is actually done. Keep reading the Huff Post. Why don't you enroll in a Citizen's academy and try to see how the other side works. You may have a few moments where you say to yourself "oh, well that actually makes sense."
Anonymous, I feel bad for you. You have been drinking government's kool-aid for far too long. So, let me educate you: The road we were standing on, state roadways, are all funded by taxpayers. We weren't obstructing the sidewalk, we left enough room for people to pass us. Also worth noting is that on public property, such as a sidewalk, you're allowed to engage in your first amendment right. How is holding up a sign more of a hindrance to traffic than the traffic jam that HPD created by holding a DUI checkpoint in the first place? Also, we both have jobs. Your comment would be warranted if we were out all day holding up signs, but any time we've gone out, it's been at night, after work hours. Every once in a while, let your brain in on what the rest of you is doing.
"Driving while sober", these checkpoints are federally funded, which means they are funded by our federal taxes. That means they are funded by taxpayers. If you live in Hartford and pay federal taxes, then you're funding these DUI checkpoints. If you don't believe me, call CT DOT, ask for Stephen Livingston, and ask him yourself.
Anonymous, that is exactly my point. These checkpoints are signed and announced a head of time. So, what, exactly, is your problem with us if the police are already doing this? Why are we morons, and the police aren't, for doing the same thing that the police are doing? If we are warning drunk drivers, then aren't the police warning drunk drivers as well by announcing checkpoints ahead of time and telling everyone the time and place of the checkpoint and by putting signage up that allows people to turn before the checkpoint? However, to your point, yes, I do know police need probable cause to arrest you, but like I said, it's funny how police need reasonable suspicion to stop a car, but when it comes to a checkpoint, that gets thrown out. I do realize this is 2015 and not colonial America, but we still have rights. Our first amendment right isn't just a colonial thing that was needed back then. Our rights are just as important now as it was back then. I didn't realize taking advantage of your rights, no matter how unpopular it is nowadays and who disagrees with you, made you a "dangerous" person. I don't read or write for HuffPo anymore, they're bias and they won't publish anything that conflicts with their agenda.
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