CONCERNED RESIDENT AIMS TO FORM ARMED MILITIA TO PATROL STOCKTON

[NWOSCUM]

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090407/A_NEWS/904070327

CONCERNED RESIDENT AIMS TO FORM ARMED MILITIA TO PATROL STOCKTON

By David Siders
April 07, 2009
Record Staff Writer
STOCKTON - A retired truck driver and Vietnam War veteran said Monday that he is forming an armed militia - mostly men with rifles and armbands, four to a car - to patrol Stockton this summer, when at least 43 police officers are to be laid off.

Alan Pettet, 66, said he has recruited 18 men, most of whom are ex-military. He said the militia will train at a firing range and "activate" if the city lays off any officer, as it intends by July 1.

The likelihood of an armed militia materializing is uncertain - there are legal concerns, and posturing to influence City Hall is not uncommon - but for a neighborhood activist even to advance such a proposal was indicative of frustration about Stockton's awful budget forecast. The City Council is expected by July 1, the start of fiscal 2009-10, to order police layoffs and spending reductions citywide to balance a general fund budget that is otherwise expected to be $31million in deficit by June 2010.

Pettet, a midtown neighborhood activist who has a Desert Eagle pistol, said militiamen will detain suspected criminals and call police to arrest them. They will wear armbands and will patrol in a car marked by a magnetic sign, he said.

"It's going to be 'Stockton Armed Militia,'" Pettet said. "'SAM' for short."

Neither the Police Department nor the city administration was impressed.

"We are not at the point that we need to have armed militias patrolling Stockton," Vice Mayor Kathy Miller said.

Mayor Ann Johnston said, "Oh, no no no no, no no no. ... We don't want armed citizens out there who are not trained."

That it is illegal in most circumstances in California to carry a loaded firearm in one's car did not disturb Pettet.

"If you look under the Constitution, a militia can be formed," he said. "Watch and see. Who's going to stop us?"

Attorney and anti-blight activist Ron Stein, who is a friend of Pettet's and has been advising him, said the militia will conform to state law, perhaps by having members seek permits to carry concealed handguns.

"You've got to do what you've got to do," Stein said.

Pettet said the militia will bill the city $350 per hour for its services. City Attorney Ren Nosky said he knew of no legal basis requiring the city to pay such a bill.

Nosky had other reservations, too.

"I just don't know if that's in the best interest of these gentlemen, from a safety perspective," he said. "We have a concern about the level of training that these gentlemen have, if any, especially in light of the firearms that they say they're going to be carrying."

Police encourage people to report crimes and form Neighborhood Watch groups, said Officer Pete Smith, a department spokesman. To form a militia is "taking it to another level," he said.

"It's ill advised," he said.

Stockton's violent crime rate is among the highest in the state. Stein and Pettet are critical of a budget proposal by City Manager Gordon Palmer that would require laying off at least 43 of the city's 403 police officers.

"We've got to protect ourselves," Stein said. "We are in the wild, wild West when you take people who are supposed to protect us off the street."

The telephone number Pettet is using for the militia is that of midtown's Safe Neighborhood Action Group, a group formed in the 1990s.

"You've reached the Safe Neighborhood Action Group," a recording at that number said. "Helping to protect Stockton citizens from their mayor and City Council."

Contact reporter David Siders at (209) 943-8580 or dsiders@recordnet.com.

[xfahctor]

Lets hope this encourages more action like this.  And lets hope even more that it doesn't encourage stupid people who don't know what their doing to just go out and do stupid things and ruin for the legitimate and trained groups.

[Monkeypox]

He'll probably be arrested for doing this.  But the armed gangs that threaten our nation are allowed to roam free.

[2Revolutions]

Mayor Ann Johnston said, "Oh, no no no no, no no no. ... We don't want armed citizens out there who are not trained."

But Alan Petttet was trained by the US government to be a soldier.  It's ok for Alan Pettet to patrol in the foreign country under the orders of international bankers and the military industrial complex, but when Alan Pettet  wants to use those same skills to protect his community, he becomes an potential enemy of the state.  

Police encourage people to report crimes and form Neighborhood Watch groups, said Officer Pete Smith, a department spokesman. To form a militia is "taking it to another level," he said.

All the government wants you to do is report crime.  (If the stats reflect too badly on the mayor, they will "adjust" the stats)  They have no obligation to actually arrest the criminals who commit the crimes.  If the criminals threaten your life, the government has no obligation to protect you.  

"You've reached the Safe Neighborhood Action Group," a recording at that number said. "Helping to protect Stockton citizens from their mayor and City Council."

 

[J. Croft]

In principle-good.

The way this numbnut is doing it is f**kING STUPID.  Hasn't this 'tard heard the militia is a dirty word?  The man has no tact, certainly did not think this through.  He should have made his preparations in secret, and patrolled in secret.  People are trained to hate and fear 'militia', he should have called it City of Stockton Volunteers or some kind of Neighborhood Watch, and kept the guns hidden.

Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.

[Overcast]

In principle-good.

The way this numbnut is doing it is f**kING STUPID.  Hasn't this 'tard heard the militia is a dirty word?  The man has no tact, certainly did not think this through.  He should have made his preparations in secret, and patrolled in secret.  People are trained to hate and fear 'militia', he should have called it City of Stockton Volunteers or some kind of Neighborhood Watch, and kept the guns hidden.

Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.

Yeah, he needs to call it the 'Concerned Citizens Volunteer Core' in the rhetoric of our new... .. .  Chancellor?

[Unintelligable Name]

What the heck are you talking about J Croft?

What do you think Police are? They're worse than a militia because they fine the living daylights out of you -- and people still revere them.

Secret police? Man that's a bad idea -- I won't be voting for you on anything for the forseeable future.

[J. Croft]

People are trained to be SCARED of "militia" even it it's their neighbors looking out for them-haven't you been paying attention to the news for the past, say, TWO DECADES?

People are conditioned-you have to use a more neutral term, and hide the guns until NEEDED.

Where the hell did I say "secret police"?  You need to do something about your reading comprehension.  And I don't need YOUR vote for ANYTHING.

Peace

[Magnumpi]

People are trained to be SCARED of "militia" even it it's their neighbors looking out for them-haven't you been paying attention to the news for the past, say, TWO DECADES?

People are conditioned-you have to use a more neutral term, and hide the guns until NEEDED.

Where the hell did I say "secret police"?  You need to do something about your reading comprehension.  And I don't need YOUR vote for ANYTHING.

Peace

The part I found that proved them stupid was when they said "when you take people who are supposed to protect us off the street." They're doing the same thing. Instead of promoting self-defense, they start charging the government to protect other people. When the government doesn't pay, well, in come the fees and fines to fund the scheme. It'd be the same deal only private looters instead of government tax collectors. It would open a huge bucket of liability when they didn't protect people, whilst using that specifically as their stated purpose.

[ramallamamama]

"I just don't know if that's in the best interest of these gentlemen, from a safety perspective," he said. "We have a concern about the level of training that these gentlemen have, if any, especially in light of the firearms that they say they're going to be carrying."

Kind of sounds like there is an implied threat there.

[xfahctor]

A couple points someone made I have to agrea with.
f
irst, they absolutely should have kept this under wraps untill everything was in order and ready to launch.

Second, the name. To me, the word militia evokes a sense of pride, patriotism and man looking after fellow man. to the majority today however, it means vigilanty and right wing nut terrorist. It is unfortunate, but it a relevent reality that must be worked around. A name more like the "Stockton Civil Guard" or Stockton Citizen Patrol. Though they don't carry the intimidation factor the word Militia may as a deterent to crime, it is far more important they get public support from the people they are trying to protect and the police that, like it or not, they will be working along side.

 I think what they should do in the run up is appoint someone as a public liason. someone who not only works as a P.R. guy, but someone who also remains in contact with local law enforcement as well as the local government persistantly. It has to be drilled in to heads that this is a good thing and i think an entity that shows willingness to work WITH law enforcemnt is far more likely to be accepted. It won't be easy and it won't happen over night, but it is going to be essential. they have to remember, they are up against decades of stigma, but I don't believe it is impossible.

the final thought is thatthey need to be nearly walking on eggshells in how they operate. Utmost restraint, professionalism, level headed metered aproach, civil liberty consesness - even with the lowest of thugs they detain, and above all, be extremely carefull and go out of their way to NOT use fire arms unless absolutely nessesary. As it is, these guys are going to be under a microscope and it won't take but one half incident to blow it.

[Orgetorix]

Dr. Edwin Vieira, Jr., Ph.D., J.D.
August 5, 2005
NewsWithViews.com

Too many people wrongly assume that the purpose of revitalizing "the Militia of the several States" (or, for that matter, of forming the kind of private citizens "militia" that already exist in several States) is to fight new battles of Lexington and Concord. To the contrary: The goal must be, if at all possible, to deter usurpation and tyranny, so as to make actually fighting any battle here in America unnecessary. Deterrence is always the best defense. And preparedness makes deterrence credible. Besides, the ultimate purpose of revitalizing "the Militia of the several States" is to reassert We the People's control over both the General Government and the States, from the inside and under the law, by infusing with energy a very important constitutional component of those governments that has withered to a present-day impotence and insignificance. Yet nonetheless not to irrelevance--for "the Militia of the several States" remain not only part of the Constitution, but also, with the continuing crisis over "homeland security", more relevant and needed than ever before.

The problem and the challenge are for Americans to develop--on their own, because no one from the Establishment will ever help them--the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude that can develop preparedness, and thus provide deterrence.[1] Or, to put into action the principle: self-help leads to self-defense, which leads to self-government. "Knowledge" looks to discovery of what the Constitution really means. "Skills" relates to the ability to organize for effective political action in order to secure and advance the protection the Constitution offers. And "attitude" requires taking all of this seriously: recognizing that the constitutional "right of the people to keep and bear Arms" is also, and most importantly, the constitutional "duty of the people to keep and bear Arms", and that no constitutional rights can possibly be secure unless We the People perform their constitutional duty to take control of their governments at every level and at all times.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Vieira/edwin17.htm

Someone needs to send these guys a copy of "Constitutional Homeland Security: A Call for Americans to Revitalize the Militia of the Several States. Volume I, The Nation in Arms".