Wednesday short takes
That Earth-shattering Big Story? Not today.
First up, you may remember the odd case of the Massachusetts cop who was trying to buy a gun for his cop job and triggered an ICE response?
A Maine police officer arrested by immigration authorities has agreed to voluntarily leave the country, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Monday.
ICE arrested Old Orchard Beach Police Department reserve Officer Jon Luke Evans, of Jamaica, on July 25, as part of the agency’s effort to step up immigration enforcement. Officials with the town and police department have said federal authorities previously told them Evans was legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Police Chief Elise Chard has said the department was notified by federal officials that Evans was legally permitted to work in the country, and that the town submitted information via the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program prior to Evans’ employment. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin then accused the town of “reckless reliance” on the department’s E-Verify program.AP
Chard is being allowed to self-deport, which tells me the judge did not see anything major other than that he overstayed his visa. One would think the department should have asked to see a green card before telling him to buy a gun, though, right?
On the other – “reckless reliance” on the system they TELL you to use? Think DHS should have some ‘splainin’ to do. Back in 2016 they estimated up to $216 million for only the first four years to bring it on-line, nine years later you know it has cost more by now. US Customs report to Congress
And this guy almost got sent to Mason for the SPOTW column. We see people say stupid things all the time… this guy is notable.
An air traffic controller was suspended in France after saying “Free Palestine” to an Israeli airline crew.
The staff member at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport said the slogan during a radio exchange with the crew of an El Al flight on Monday, the French Ministry of Transport announced.
I mean, after all, an El Al flight crew wouldn’t notice, right? The good part is that he has time to reflect on it:
“Analysis of the recordings proves that the facts are true,” Minister Philippe Tabarot wrote on X on Tuesday.
He added that the controller had “been deprived of all authority to work until further notice”. MiddleEastEye
This is not a one-off – the same article says when some Jewish passengers on Iberian (Spanish) airlines ordered kosher meals, they arrived with the “Free Palestine” messages, and the airline said an investigation was underway. Not that Muslims doing stupid stuff in Europe surprises anyone.
Those folks who swear that illegals don’t get government funding should look at Illinois.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a major Democratic leader and rumored presidential candidate, signed a bill into law opening student financial aid to all residents, regardless of immigration status, opening a pathway for illegal immigrants residing in the state to receive educational financial benefits. Fox News
Think I would look at it as the final nail in the coffin of student loan relief. Illinois obviously has no good use for its education funds.
Jeff LPH sends that the Army has announced yet another medal, this one for folks who TDY at the border.
“Effective immediately, the Mexican Border Defense Medal (MBDM), is hereby established to recognize Service members deployed to the U.S. international border with Mexico for DoD support to United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP),” a memo uploaded to the Navy subreddit reads.
Military personnel qualify for the medal if they have been “permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that deployed” in support of a military operation supporting CBP within 100 nautical miles of the U.S.-Mexico border after Jan. 20, 2025, when President Trump assumed office. Military Times
Why not two or three? And am I the only one snickering at the “100 nautical miles” – have any of these DoD dim bulbs ever looked at the country side? Do words like Sonora or Chihuahua Deserts ring a bell? Nautical miles?
Category: "Teh Stoopid", "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Army, Points-and-Laughs, Police, Politics
Ahh, so Illinois now joins California in HANDING OUT college education to illegal aliens, but that’ll placate the snotnosed liberals in Chicago who put him in orifice in the first place.
An illegal alien as a Police Officer? *WHOOT!* , nice job of verification!
Colorado already offers in-state tuition rates to illegals…
As does Arizona. That shit has to stop.
My granddaughter went to ASU. She had to pay thousands for out-of-state tuition. She should have gone to Mexico and crossed back illegally, claiming asylum, and she could have avoided that student loan debt.
So when I applied for student aid, I had to show I was registered for the draft, even though I had previously served. Is that no longer a thing?
Just answered my own question. It was eliminated in 2020 under Trump. Curious that.
My younger brother did not have to register for the draft
let alone show proof so that he could apply for student
aid in 1968 because his older brother had already joined.
Curious how many “younger brothers” escaped the draft
in such a manner and became college educated liberals.
I had to show proof that I registered for the draft in order to get a federal contracting job. After I’d served 24 years. You’d think a DD-214 would be worth more.
I don’t recall a “Massachusetts cop”; but I do recall an “Orchard City, Maine Reserve Police Officer”. The department didn’t tell him to buy a gun for his duty. They issue a gun at the department for his shift but because he was a reserve officer he had to turn it in after every shift.
It’s just details. I don’t suppose details matter right?
See what happens when you’re in a hurry after a stressful day? Let that be a lesson to you, young man…Don’t Be Like Dave!
Yes it was a cop shop in Maine. One would think they would verify his citizenship before issuing him guns and putting him on the street. Unless I’m mistaken, I believe it is illegal to hand a gun to an illegal.
All the border zaniness has me wondering. If a soldier runs drugs across the border doesn’t that open him or her up to treason charges? Cartels are now declared an enemy of the state. All drugs are pretty much run by cartels but US gang members often pick the drugs up from them, some of whom are also in the military. At the very least it is giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
I had a Soldier that got 7 years in Leavenworth for smuggling weed. He didn’t cross the border, picked up his 200lb load outside of Douglas.
When I was at Carson I had a soldier get caught in the back seat of a car with 5 kilos of coke in the trunk crossing the border. He wasn’t driving and the car wasn’t his so they let him go. They let him go but they called me.
Turned out the post reenlistment NCO (SFC) had recruited him into a gang. The reenlistment NCO ended up going to prison later after the kid dropped dime on him. The SFC would also buy guns locally and take the gang bangers to the range on post to practice. The guns would then show up in crime scenes in Chicago and Detroit. Amazing how much criminal activity one guy can generate working part time.
25 years later history repeated itself with the SSG Orona-Rodriguez nightclub saga. The things that people do to fuq lives up that I don’t understand could fill Mile High Stadium.
Had a guy who lived across the barracks common area years ago get a big chicken dinner after getting caught with a goodly amount of crack in his car. Tried to say a hitchhiker tried stash it there, of course CID and the BC didn’t believe it for a second
How much time is given for self deportation? A few days? A couple weeks? Does anybody walk the guy through the process while escorting him to to the first thing smoking leaving the country?
He’s kept in detention until he leaves. The difference is primarily that you don’t have deportation or a permanent ban on your record… and you pay for the flight.
So he doesn’t pass GO, nor collect his $1000?
I think you have to self deport without being arrested to get the air fare and the $1000.
The 100 nautical miles is because that is the authorized area border patrol can exercise its enforcement.
They have larger power to search than regular police with out a warrant and can detain people with less process.
And they can look through your cell phone with out a warrant or cause.
Since that is the established limits, the award is using that area as its base.
People at Bliss are complaining they won’t get it because they are not assigned to support border missions, but often provide support.
Stupid complaints by Soldiers is how the service ends up with dumbass shit like the CAB.
Only time I wore it was for DA photos.
I’d need to know more on Mr Evans full story before making a determination on who was the stoopid one.
Was Mr Evans here on a visa legally to begin with, hence the DHS thumbs up?
And how long after was he hired by the Maine PD as a reserve orificer? And when did his visa expire? A timeline would go a long way to determine who was who at the zoo.
But in all of the above, he was not a US citizen, and the NICS was correct in flagging him for a no-no on a gun purchase.
Should’a been content with having a gun handed to him at the beginning of the shift, and turn it back in to the arms room at end of shift.
“Chard is being allowed to self-deport,….”
No, Police Chief Chard isn’t self deporting. Its Mr Evans.
EDITOR!!!!
TDRSAHN – as I remember, the guy was on a temp visa, was given permission to work by the previous admin, but was supposed to continually follow up/through with the process. He didn’t. Also, as a reserve officer, he was issued a firearm while on duty only. He decided to go buy a gun on his own so he had one off duty as well. There are strict regulations on noncitizens purchasing guns, and it was during this process, initiated by actions he was (supposedly) told he was ineligible to take, his visa noncompliance was discovered. Hence, via con dios.
But, to hear the liberal loonies, he was Captain America, Officer Friendly, and Andy Taylor rolled into one.
Don’t know or care anything about his performance as a reserve PO, but there’s some actions here that speak pretty loudly to his character. Starting with entering with (presumed) intent to overstay his visa, not following the relaxed rules under which he was allowed to remain in the US, and attempting to purchase a pew pew when he was told he did not qualify for such a purchase (he said, “but they give me one on duty, I’m a police officer”) for starters.
Hey, he might’ve been very good as a reserve officer. BUT… he’s in the country illegally, so that just doesn’t matter.
BUT (if I read the tea leaves correctly) he started out being in the country legally on a visitor’s visa.
And he’s now unburdened by what once was.
Your reading is correct. 800,000 Haitians were let in under Biden visas without any review.
Guess who had nearly all of those cancelled last month?
They were told they had a month to GTFO. That month is up. Judgement day is coming and right quick. I don’t want to put out any spoilers to ruin the surprise for our leftward leaning friends but there is going to be some shock and awe in the near future. I’ll be surprised if we don’t have riots.
Why progressives like foreigners being cops… just sayin’:
See my response above. Sometimes the columns write themselves, sometimes it’s hard to find topics.
BTW, green card holders can legally buy guns.
Somebody is so getting fired.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/watch-footage-shows-blue-state-prosecutor-warning-officers-theyll-regret-arresting-her-im-ag
More on the hi jinks.
https://nypost.com/2025/08/19/us-news/enraged-pal-of-arrested-ri-prosecutor-was-trying-to-slow-things-down-when-s-t-hit-the-fan-during-trespassing-bust-lawyer/
We must have similar media feeds. I saw this and couldn’t stop laughing. Her saying, to a cop “when a citizen asks you to turn off your camera, you have to, that’s the law”, the friend chiming in, “she’s a lawyer” and the cop responding, “that’s some bullshit lawyer talk” as he slaps the cuffs on the lawer. Comedy gold.
BTW – you follow Fridays with Frank? Some of the best unscripted, unintentional comedy out there.
The absolute last thing a law enforcement will do when asked, is turn off his body camera. Because he will be getting sued next for whatever happens and the camera is the only thing standing between the lawsuit and his house.
Her lawyer was 100% correct. Her lack of previous interaction with law enforcement, along with whatever alcohol she drank were contributing factors to her getting arrested. The officer told her several times she had to leave and she ignored him. Most drunks will move with a purpose when getting told to leave because they know what happens next if they don’t, now she knows too.
Whenever I had to tell someone the third time I would unsnap my front handcuff case as a show of intent and consequences. If they were paying attention instead of being off on whatever tangent that they really wanted to tell me about they would scoot right then, sometimes even run. I would offer a “goodnight” and let them go, assuming they were done for the night, most were.
My only critique to the officer from my inner FTO is that a better way would have been to ask her to step away so that they could talk about it in private. Then walk off the property. She could then tell the nice officer how the bad business owner hurt her feelings or whatever. But they would have been off of the property and she could have walked. Sure, it takes an extra 5-10 minutes but transport, booking and court takes a lot longer.
When I moved to Palm Beach County Florida back in 2007, The PD union fought against LEO’s wearing cameras basing it on privacy reasons but the union lost. You will like this story as a reired PO., When I was working for Brink’s, we had a number of retired NYPD and NYFD working for us. one NYPD retiree, B-17 Pilot, Korean Conflict fighter pilot worked on my route a number of times and tells me the story that while on his foot beat, he notices that he forgot to take his service revolver so he goes and buys a banana, goes to the paint store and puts black paint on the banana. I think he said that he had a small backup wheelgun which was to small for his duty holster. I wish I could remember the whole thing but I remember the banana. and the banana painting.
That is a very strange thing to do. I left mine in the trunk of my car once when dropping off a prisoner at the jail. No guns are allowed in the jail obviously so we would pitch them in the trunk and then retrieve them, it was 3am and I simply forgot to grab it.
Literally two blocks away from the jail I pull over a suspected DUI, not only is he drunk but there is sack of weed and a sack of meth sitting on the passenger seat. I reach down to put my hand on my pistol in case things get spicy and it isn’t there. I can’t go back to the car and get it because he might destroy the drugs; or worse, take off, so I charge ahead and slap him in cuffs before he has time to think about it.
I shop in the Big and Tall section so I didn’t get many resistors. He did have a pistol in the center console so it was my lucky day. It could have gone way worse. No way I would carry a banana in a holster. Sounds like the guy was a desk jockey who hadn’t pulled his pistol out of the holster in decades.
I wonder if he ever did a “Desk Pop”…
I can imagine the oh shit feeling when you didn’t feel what you’re reaching for. Glad it worked out in your favor.
They interviewed her boss, and he seemed none too pleased . Someone’s got some splanin to do.
She has now been suspended WITHOUT pay.
Yes well,
Was he a registered voter?
100 nautical miles inland is also the operating limits for CBP. Anything further in becomes ICE’s responsibility. Now, can we make that new medal retroactive? 11th SIG was doing OP work for CBP in the 90’s under the authority of JTF6. All we could do was watch, report, and skedaddle if approached by illegals. I want my new shiny thing, dammit!
JTF 4 also during the 80s. Fun Fun Fun……
JTF-6 in the early-mid 90s. Twas my first exposure to the word “tonk”.
I learned that word working for CBP.
It’s not usually preceded by the word “honky”.
I think they use Nautical measurement because they count both land and air space.
I remember those days at Ft Huachuca with the 11th Sig Thunderbirds….ahhhh, good times.
For “us”, it was the Big Balloon.
The balloon’s still there, just not as big. 11th SIG finally got pushed out by the intel weenies. We used to tell Soldiers there was a guy up there with really powerful binoculars watching the border.
They really need to rename Fort Bliss “FOB Freedom” or “FOB MAGA” or something similar. When stationed there the second time, I lived along the Southern fence of the base and outside the fence was El Paso. You could see Mexico from the roof of my house.
I never supported JTF 6 but they did take us on a class field trip there when I was at the Captain’s Course. It seemed to me that there was no way anything could come across the border if we really didn’t want it too. It turns out that was actually true.
During the three years I contracted with CBP, I can honestly say nobody crossed the border undetected in that sector. Now… whether or not they got caught is a separate issue. Cameras and sensors aren’t that effective at apprehension.
In another “very short” take, Elon Musk has given up his hopes and dreams of 3rd Party rule. He is now backing Vance and ignoring Trump as best he can.
Follow the money.
Seeing/reading anything about the Vindmans makes me ill.
They should all hang out together…..each of them at the end of a 13 turn noose.
“I cannot begin to portray the level of hurt and betrayal I feel”
Why? Because you and your cohort kin weren’t given pardons for their acts of treason?
I say we find a cool northern climate, break out that self tightening rope with13 turns in it, and a large block of ice. Leave just enough slack to be able to stand on tip toes. Sooner or later he will get tired enough so as not to support his own weight. His level of hurt and betrayal should be felt slowly.
Surprised the Army does not create or authorize a new tab to go with it.
I was going to try to Photoshop something but didn’t need to. US Army BORDER Tab OD Green & Black 2.5″ OIF OEF Theater patch c/e | eBay
The Army might as well. I expect the Sniper tab will become official before long, and all I need to do is amend my DD-214 to reflect the Master Combat Infantryman Badge. I don’t think it’s really worth the effort for Retirees, though. The whole “implied” thing, you know, like having both the CIB and EIB listed.
Master Combat Infantryman Badges
Yeah.
That MCIB is beyound fucking stupid.
Hey, gas and egg prices have gone down, now… McDonald’s to cut combo meal prices:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mcdonalds-plans-slash-prices-8-183500437.html
If you are stationed in San Diego cross the border into Tijuana for some liberty, do you qualify for the highly coveted and rarely awarded Mexican Border Defense Medal?
Were you captured by Tijuana’s Finest? Forget about Captain’s Mast. You may be eligible for the POW Medal. Did you attend a donkey show and now you can’t sleep at night? You may be eligible for VA compensation for your PTSD.
What about the ladies in the Phillipines who took your loose change from the top of a beer bottle and gave them back 1 at a time, cleaned, but smeling funny?
Does that qualify for PTSD too? Or just a financial lesson on where not to invest your money.
The army will award you the Cartel Tab for your help in fighting the cartels.