http://www.dailypress.com/…

The trial of Ryan Frederick, the Chesapeake man who shot and killed a police officer during a narcotics raid on his home, will remain in local courts, a judge ruled on Wednesday.

Special prosecutor Paul Ebert had requested that the trial be moved to a different location because of the publicity the case has generated and the passion it has evoked in Frederick’s home town. But Chesapeake Circuit Court Judge Marjorie A.T. Arrington preferred to keep the trial in Chesapeake, though she said if lawyers could not satisfactorily seat a local jury she would consider moving the trial.

Frederick, 29, is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Detective Jarrod Shivers last January. Shivers, 34, was one of several officers attempting to forcibly enter Frederick’s home on Jan. 17 after an informant told police that Frederick was growing marijuana plants. Frederick has maintained that he thought intruders were breaking into his home and fired two shots through the door in self-defense.

His trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 20.

Has maintained that he thought intruders were breaking into his home? That’s because intruders broke into his home.

Whatever happened to a warrant and the 4th Amendment?

TSA’s Badges Are a Sore Spot With Cops

Screeners at the nation’s airport checkpoints are going to start wearing police-style badges - but real officers aren’t too happy about it.

Some sworn officers fear airline passengers will mistake screeners for law-enforcement officials with arrest powers.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is starting to equip its 48,000 screeners with 3-inch-by-2-inch, silver-colored, copper and zinc badges that will be worn on new royal-blue police-style shirts.

The attire aims to convey an image of authority to passengers, who have harassed, pushed and in a few instances punched screeners. “Some of our officers aren’t respected,” TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe said.

Nor should they be. Not only is what they do an egregious infringement on the 4th Amendment but also the 9th and 10th and perhaps the 14th. It’s also an affront to private property. It doesn’t matter what outfit you wear. This, this, this, or this. You make people’s lives more difficult without any benefit.

“A lot of cops at airports are not real thrilled about it,” said Duane McGray of the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network, an airport police association. “It’s another way of saying (to airport police), ‘You’re not important.’ “

Boo fucking hoo. Police in general are far less important then they think they or wish they were. The war on drugs has given the police officer profession a sense of importance that is completely undeserved. Do consumers want protection services? Sure. But the police don’t offer protection.

I hope this leads to a showdown between the local and federal authorities in the same way the Real ID law is. Reminds me of another South Park reference:

AUTHORITARIAN FIGHT!!