Tag Archives: law enforcement

Feds fight Utah over measure to curb law enforcement authority

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Deseret news 5/13/2013
Excerpt:        “SALT LAKE CITY — Another showdown has erupted between Utah and the federal government, this time over the state’s efforts to limit the police powers of federal agencies like the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management.

The U.S. government sought an emergency order to prevent the new measure from becoming law Tuesday, which was agreed to in a hasty teleconference Monday.  In exchange for the state delay in putting the law on the books, there will be an expedited hearing schedule to argue the merits of the law.    At issue is a bill signed by Gov. Gary Herbert that was due to take effect Tuesday restricting the police powers of employees with the Forest Service, National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.  …”
Read entire article at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865579953/Feds-fight-Utah-over-measure-to-curb-law-enforcement-authority.html

Four hikers challenge forest Adventure Pass

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San Gabriel Valley Tribune 4/30/2013
Excerpt:       “A federal lawsuit brought by four hikers could bring an end to a 16-year-old controversial fee program that rakes in millions of dollars for new picnic tables and routine maintenance within the four heavily used forests rimming Southern California.

 

At the order of U.S. District Court Judge Terry J. Hatter, lawyers for the plaintiffs and the Department of Justice are locked in settlement talks that could determine the outcome of the U.S. Forest Service’s Adventure Pass, a fee that has elicited objections as “double taxation” from opponents but has been defended by forest managers as essential in this time of budgetary cutbacks.  ….”
Read entire article at http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_23142443/four-hikers-challenge-forest-adventure-pass

The hikers want the court to apply a U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from February 2012 out of Arizona to the Angeles, Los Padres, San Bernardino and Cleveland national forests.

Dust settles on legislative session but Utah land war continues

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Deseret news 3/17/2013
Excerpt:      “SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s conservative lawmakers this session continued to engineer their own version of a coup d’etat against the federal government over its land management policies, passing a flurry of resolutions and new laws that assert and reiterate dominion over the state’s destiny.

They urged the federal government to butt out of Utah prairie dog management in Iron County and leave it to the locals, and told them to drop San Juan County populations of the Gunnison sage grouse from consideration of being named to the Endangered Species list.  …”
Read entire article at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865576052/Dust-settles-on-legislative-session-but-Utah-land-war-continues.html?pg=all

Gun charge nixed: Judge rejects felony gun charge against Forest Service ranger

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Northern Virginia Daily 3/11/2013
Excerpt:       “A U.S. Forest Service ranger facing three gun-related charges won a round in a preliminary hearing Monday when a judge refused to certify the sole felony offense to a grand jury.

Shenandoah County General District Judge W. Dale Houff ruled that the prosecution failed to show that Damion James McElroy had endangered anyone when he fired a gun in his Strasburg home on Jan. 13.  Houff’s ruling put a charge of reckless handling of a firearm in jeopardy.   ….”
Read entire article at http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2013/03/judge-rejects-felony-gun-charge-against-forest-service-ranger.php

Lawmakers, Utah sheriffs want to rein in renegade BLM, Forest Service officers

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Deseret news 2/28/2013
Excerpt:       “SALT LAKE CITY — Multiple rural county sheriffs from Utah testified Thursday about the abusive use of police power by Bureau of Land Management rangers or forest protection officers with the U.S. Forest Service.   They are asserting it is time to rein in the authority the agencies should have never been allowed to exercise.

Sheriffs from San Juan, Kane and Garfield counties spoke in favor of HB155, sponsored by Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, which proposes to limit BLM rangers and forest protection officers from exercising police power over state and local laws unless someone’s safety is at risk or federal contracts are in place with local police agencies.   ….”
Read entire article at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865574454/Lawmakers-Utah-sheriffs-want-to-rein-in-renegade-BLM-Forest-Service-officers.html

Ranger under investigation, on administrative leave

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Northern Virginia Daily 1/16/2013
Excerpt:     “The U.S. Forest Service has placed a ranger on administrative leave as he faces three gun-related charges following his arrest Monday night at his home in Strasburg.

JoBeth Brown would not comment on whether the ranger, Damion James McElroy, 39, of 762 Christianson Drive, was placed on leave because of the incident in which he is accused of firing a handgun once in his home.   …..”

Read entire article at  http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2013/01/ranger-under-investigation-on-administrative-leave.php

North Vancouver woman pleads not guilty to ecoterrorism fires that caused $40 million in damage

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Vancouver Sun 1/11/2013
Excerpt:       “GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A woman who turned herself in after a decade as a fugitive in the largest-ever U.S. ecoterrorism investigation pleaded not guilty Friday to conspiracy and arson charges in federal court.

With Canadian citizen Rebecca Rubin, 39, sitting shackled in the jury box, Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin ordered her to remain in custody and set trial to begin March 19 in U.S. District Court in Eugene, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Peifer.     A federal indictment accuses Rubin of being a member of cells of the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front known as The Family. Investigators blame the group based in Eugene for 20 fires across the West from 1996 to 2001 that did $40 million damage.  ….”

Read entire article at http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Canadian+woman+suspected+ecoterrorism+fires+court/7807716/story.html

Forest officials face conflicts between shooters, off-road riders

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Rapid City Journal 1/8/2013
Excerpt:     “So far, nobody has been shot.    The U.S. Forest Service hopes to keep it that way.

This week, The Forest Service will close to target shooting the popular Railroad Buttes off-road riding area southeast of Rapid City, following increased reports of “near-miss” incidents when shooters fired in the direction of off-road riders.    ….”

Read entire article at http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/forest-officials-face-conflicts-between-shooters-off-road-riders/article_e6506113-1882-5c8f-84e4-2b6a0cae6723.html

Citations Against Winnemem Wintu Chief Dismissed

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Indian Country Today 10/16/2012
Excerpt:     “Federal court officials decided Monday, October 15 to dismiss the citations issued to Caleen Sisk, Winnemem Wintu Tribe chief and spiritual leader, for the tribe’s use of a motorboat during their Coming of Age Ceremony this July in Northern California.

Sisk was scheduled to appear in federal court today, October 16, where she planned to plead not guilty to the citations, which carry a penalty of up to a year in prison or $10,000 in fines.   …….”

Read entire article at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/10/16/citations-against-winnemem-wintu-chief-dismissed-140348

Alleged trail saboteur retains county position for time being

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Medford Mail Tribune 10/3/2012
Excerpt:   “A psychiatrist who the U.S. Forest Service says admitted to sabotaging Ashland mountain biking trails will continue to be employed by Jackson County at least until the legal process is concluded, County Administrator Danny Jordan said Tuesday.

Jordan said the allegations against Mental Health Department psychiatrist Jackson Tyler Dempsey do not label him as unfit for his job, and as of Tuesday he still had a license with the state to practice psychiatry.  ….”

Read entire article at  http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121003/NEWS/210030326