BLACKWATER CHAIRMAN ISSUES POLICY ON NATIONAL SECURITY OATH AND LEADERSHIP STANDARDS
Saturday marked the 218th Anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. To mark this occasion, Blackwater Chairman Erik Prince signed a memorandum announcing that "all officers, employees, and independent contractors of Blackwater USA (including Prince Group affiliates) who are required to have a security clearance will take the same oath to support and defend the Constitution as is required by law for our United States government clients." In his memo, Mr. Prince also commended to each of us the Secretary of Defense's "Liberty Day" message and Introduction to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America, which are posted at www.defenselink.mil/pubs/liberty.pdf. Putting the oath to support and defend the Constitution into context of our day-to-day challenges, Mr. Prince's memo reminds us of the high standards to which we hold ourselves "with a deep sense of responsibility," and our pledge as international peace operations professionals "to go beyond the minimum legal requirements, and support ethical imperatives that are essential for effective security and peace related operations." Finally, Mr. Prince's memo reminds those of us in positions of authority of the "aspirational leadership standards" both he and I "expect every leader employed by or assigned to Blackwater USA (including Prince Group affiliates) to make a concerted effort to honor."HONORING THE HERO IN THE SHADOWS
A benefit event in memory of the eleven Navy SEALs killed in action.Get your tickets here: http://www.blackwaterusa.com/press/nswf.asp
SCROLL DOWN FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH BLACKWATER IN NEW ORLEANS
Gary Jackson
President
Blackwater
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES. PLEASE DO NOT
HESITATE TO SEND ME SOMETHING YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT MIGHT
BE OF INTEREST TO OUR READERS.
21st Century Darra
by Ali M. Koknar, TRC Terrorism Research AssociateSince June, Turkish newspapers have headlined a few cases of Turkish manufacturers and exporters being investigated by the Turkish customs (upon reporting by the IAEA) for secret shipments of dual-use nuclear components to Iran (made in Russia) and to Libya (made in Turkey).
Remember Darra, Pakistan in the late 1980s to mid 90s, where you could get anything from a Saturday Night Special to a Chinese-made MANPADS? Well, Northern Iraq is on its way to become the Darra of our day and the gateway to it is Khabour/Zakho, the only legal border crossing between Iraq and Turkey.
http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=49493
Perspective; Excessive Force 101
By Dan Montgomery, M. S.Being assaulted or killed in the line of duty represents a reality faced by every law enforcement officer who pins on a badge, and it happens every day. For the 10-year period from 1993 through 2002, 706 officers were feloniously slain in the line of duty in the United States and its territories, including 70 who died on September 11. Every 5 days, an officer is murdered. In 2002, 58,066 were assaulted in the line of duty, an aver- age of 160 every day.1 On a daily basis, officers also face the reality of the occasional allegation of excessive force levied while making arrests, detaining people, and neutralizing dangerous situations. The entertainment and media industries, which I refer to collectively as the "entermedia," often prefer to use the term police brutality when describing allegations of excessive force. After all, it is more entertaining and evokes more emotion. Plaintiffs' attorneys sometimes use this expression as well, even though it rarely is applicable and too often paints a distorted, premature, and inaccurate picture of competent officers simply doing their jobs. As a law enforcement officer for 42 years, I know that most people do not understand the dynamics that come into play when officers use force, and they know very little, if anything, about the subject. All they have is what the entermedia reports, and, unfortunately, the entermedia's knowledge of the dynamics often prove inadequate. Research has indicated that less than one-half of 1 percent of all police encounters (.0361 per- cent) involve the use of physical force and, in the majority of cases where officers use force, it is reasonable, lawful, and appropriate.2In Graham v. Connor, the U.S. Supreme Court established one major test for determining whether an officer uses appropriate physical force-whether the force is reasonable in light of the facts and circumstances present
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2005/august2005/august05leb.htm#page8
Less Lethal Options for Today's
Law Enforcement Challenges
In defense of the 12-gauge "bean bag" round
Technology and the changes related to it are taking the police world by storm. Abstract concepts such as streaming mobile data, intelligence led policing, and GPS "best car" assignment strategies are all the "futuristic" rage. Likewise, when it comes to more grounded police concepts such as effectively engaging a mentally deranged, violent, and/or self destructive subject from a safe distance, one thing hasn't changed; extended range impact devices rule. As a result, cutting edge systems such as the SAGE SL6 (with SSP-super soft point- rounds), Penn Arms 40mm, and PEPPERBALL are being effectively deployed with surprising frequency. In the face of greater energy and/or technical superiority, some are raising questions concerning the lowly 12 gauge "bean bag". Is it still viable, or should this "flint chipping" device take its place in history along with its 1960's counterpart, CN based "Chemical Mace"?
http://www.policeone.com/writers/columnists/SteveIjames/articles/118328/
| |
| BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
|
Student Arrested After Pilot Uniform Found A university student from Egypt was ordered held without bond after prosecutors said they found a pilot's uniform, chart of Memphis International Airport and a DVD titled "How an Airline Captain Should Look and Act" in his apartment. The FBI is investigating whether Mahmoud Maawad, 29, had any connection to terrorists. He is awaiting trial on charges of wire fraud and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/16/AR2005091601286_pf.html New Orleans Cops Soldier on Despite Losses New Orleans police are used to long hours and big events. They handle the million-plus crowd at Mardi Gras and are unfazed by Super Bowls, Sugar Bowls, Final Fours, political conventions and the everyday throng of tourists - many of whom come to New Orleans and immediately cast caution aside. But before Katrina, there was always a bed at home and a day off on the horizon after the revelers ran out of beads. Not so with Katrina: Police Chief Eddie Compass believes more than 80 percent of his 1,740 officers lost their homes to the http://officer.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=15&id=25922
Maryland Man Charged With Conspiracy to Aid Terror Group
NIJ's Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities was released on August 24, 2005. Topical Area: Electronic Crime Investigative and Forensic Sciences Date Issued: Spring 2005 Description: Following a lengthy investigation, officers armed with a search and seizure warrant enter the residence of a suspected offender. As part of their search, the officers begin collecting every potential source of electronic evidence. They pack up the computer tower, the keyboard, and the apparently unburned CD-ROMs still on their packaging spindle. But they do not take a tiny black plastic square, smaller than a postage stamp, tucked halfway underneath a coffee cup. The officers unfortunately do not recognize this small object as a memory card-as THE memory card that would seal their case. http://www.nlectc.org/virlib/InfoDetail.asp?intInfoID=693
|
|
| JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
NEW ORLEANS SECURITY OPPORTUNITIESBlackwater USA has an immediate need for Security Professionals for the New Orleans area. Interested candidates must posses the following: |
|
SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL Sponsored by Blackwater Security Consultants |
Military May Play Bigger Relief Role President Bush's push to give the military a bigger role in responding to major disasters like Hurricane Katrina could lead to a loosening of legal limits on the use of federal troops on U.S. soil. Pentagon officials are reviewing that possibility, and some in Congress agree it needs to be considered. Bush did not define the wider role he envisions for the military. But in his speech to the nation from New Orleans on Thursday, he alluded to the unmatched ability of federal troops to provide supplies, equipment, communications, transportation and other assets the military lumps under the label of "logistics." http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/17/D8CM6FB00.html
Afghans vote in historic elections amid attacks Official cites large number of U.S., NATO forces hunting insurgents Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is no longer in Afghanistan, the country's top police official said Thursday, citing the large number of U.S. and NATO forces providing security and battling insurgents. "He is not in Afghanistan," Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali told reporters. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9336523/ Iraqi President Extends Hand to Opponents Iraq's president on Saturday extended a hand to those opposed to his U.S.-backed government, urging them to participate in the political process but insisting that they give up violence. President Jalal Talabani, however, stuck to his government's position that there can be no compromise on the principles of federal democracy, which is enshrined in a constitutional draft that Iraqis will vote on next month. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050918/D8CMET6O0.html TITLE http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1115544 |
| FRANKS REVIEW |
Blackwater In Louisiana, Pt. IIWritten 9/17/05By: Frank Borelli Reporting again: Friday and most of Saturday (Sept 9th and 10th) were spent on the same site in Gretna. On Friday afternoon there were some shots fired out of the Projects that were nearby and a host of Gretna police officers, supported by volunteer cops from all over the United States, showed up. I have to give some credit to these cops. Under normal circumstances, patrol officers secure a perimeter and let SWAT hunt for people shooting (exempting Active Shooter scenarios). Due to the circumstances that surrounded New Orleans since Katrina gave it a new face, the patrol cops are the front line troops that have to handle anything that comes along. All of us operate to our strengths. Some of them are / were capable of hunting; others aren't. They all acted professionally. My partner and I on that site assisted with bringing solution to that incident. Oddly enough we were both better equipped and, by and large, better trained than those on the scene. Saturday afternoon saw our relief arrive. We spent about twenty minutes giving them a brief on the situation there and then headed out. That evening / night we were to be housed in a hotel in downtown New Orleans located at the intersection of Poydras and Carondelet. That's about two or three blocks off Bourbon Street and from what I was told, Bourbon Street has never been cleaner than it was right then. We got to the hotel, got cleaned up and headed down to the lobby to see what was going on. We were promptly issued an escort assignment to pick up some supplies in Covington - about an hour away from New Orleans under current circumstances. For the rest of the story: http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2005/articles/091905frank.html Frank Borelli
|
| CHAPLAINS CORNER |
TO AND FOR PEACE KEEPERS OF THE MILITARY AND ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AT ALL LEVELS AND ALL OF THOSE IN THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND ALL WHO CARE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR WELFARE.
LIFE IS ARBITRARY AND CANNOT BE AVOIDED..OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IS MERCIFUL TO US, HE MAKES PROVISION WHEN WE REQUEST IT AS WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO!CHANGE...We either resist it... or we push for it... the usual human tendency is to resist change. I read with great interest the news of the week.... especially that from New Orleans. In those areas where people had plenty of advance warning and could leave... many did not leave... An elderly couple are found inside their house... no water, no food, running out of medicine... but they will not go... they will not leave. A volunteer tells of his experience trying to work with the evacuees... 10% give appreciation... 10% give no reaction... 80% are rude and ill mannered. Able- bodied evacuees will not lift a hand to help themselves even in setting up sleeping facilities. Many evacuees do not want water, they want soft drink, beer or liquor. Nourishing food is sneered at... they want McDonald's. These were the one's bussed to Houston... the reason for all this bickering is simple... they were and are resisting change. They want what they are used to. A police officer is followed around in a WalMart being looted. What is she doing? Looking for looters. All of the background has people moving to and fro picking up items, pushing items in baskets or on pallet movers or carrying arm loads... they are resisting change... they want what they want now, even if they do not need it. When I am requested to counsel individuals, we get into all the details and find the problems... then we begin to work on solutions... much of the time solutions do not work because the counselee resists change. Many people say they want this... or they want that... They have this dream or that dream. They want certain things to happen. http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2005/articles/091205chaplain.html
Be Blessed(a condition to be envied by the world). |
| BUMPER STICKER (As seen on our highways; send your sightings) |
No one is ever old enough to know better
|
