Does the Law Apply in Edgar County?

EDGAR CO. (ECWd) – If you want to know why we have what we have as a society at any given time, all you have to do is know your history.  When it comes to local government and corruption, to include disregard for any rule of law, you don’t need to look much further than Dee Burgin and Roger Hopper, aided with the help of elected officials.

The recent arbitration ruling regarding those two former officers of the law apparently ignored some key issues that even the paper failed to share in their recent reporting.  Does it surprise anyone that the local TV coverage failed you as well?

I would suggest reading these court papers to first get an understanding of the other side of things not being reported in print or TV!

Let’s start with the local reporting:

“In addition, the two men, while deputies, were members in good standing of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and were protected by the union contract with the Edgar County Sheriff’s Department.”

Says Who?  Does anyone else see a problem with an organization, IFOP, that has nothing in their system to stop a rogue cop from being a cop when they violate a persons civil rights?  Note that this is not an opinion, it’s a fact outlined in the settlement in the Federal Courts.  Dee Burgin violated a persons civil rights while an officer on probation and the media reports he is in good standing with the IFOP?  If that is true then can we all agree that the IFOP is only protecting its own and not the people they service?

How can Roger Hopper be in good standing after seizing a vehicle, having you, the taxpayer, pay to tow and repair it, then buy it himself for less than the expenses involved, all in violation of the law? (full story here)

Does the IFOP even have a clue these things take place?  No, they do not, as there is no mechanism for ensuring rouge cops are held accountable outside our local laws and leaders.  So when the paper reflects they are in good standing with the IFOP does it mean anything?  NO, not a darn thing!

“We are going to be loyal to this sheriff as we were to Tim and Karl and to future sheriffs,” said Hopper. “That’s called being professional.”

Being Professional?  This coming from a guy that informed the now convicted jailers they could simply resign with their DIGNITY and it would all basically go away.   I contend this guy has no clue what being a professional is simply based on his own actions in this county for years.  Just a quick review of Dignity Part III , Dignity Part IV , and Dignity Part V, paints a pretty clear picture none of these people have a clue what being professional is, but now they think we are stupid enough to believe the reporting?

“It’s got every board member concerned” Heltsley said

No kidding Mike!  Every board members should be concerned, as allowing the crap to go on for all these years has cost this county a fortune in settlements – of which Burgin is no exception.  Why on earth would you support a rogue cop who violated a persons civil rights?  Why would you support a cop who breaks the law and buys property they seized?

Not a single mention that Burgin cost the county a financial blow when he violated a girls civil rights?  Why is that not a factor Mr. Heltsley?

“Heltsley pointed out Burgin and Hopper were not dismissed because they committed a crime or other serious infraction”

Mike, PLEASE resign!

You clearly operate based on emotion and personal agendas, because anyone who knows the truth knows your statement is TOTALLY false and a misrepresentation of the truth as it relates to Dee Burgin.

Is it not a crime to violate a persons civil rights? 

Maybe you should read the actual court documents filed by the Sheriff on this case that clearly states Burgin was let go as a result of his actions described in Angelina Cianfaglione v. Terry Rogers, No. 10-2170 of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

Hopper was let go because the law was not followed and the County Board at the time drafted a resolution that they had no power to draft and act on.  Not much different than the crap you participated in with Chris Patrick.  Laws were not followed!

“A former deputy, state police agent, and member of the city’s merit commission, Heltsley said it is not a major issue for someone to be hired who is not on the merit list.”

A former Department of Corrections officer who previously claimed he was  a retired state cop, which he was not, who was let go from his job for reasons not publicly available (that means it’s bad!), and who by his own admission in his deposition (page 20 of 103, line 23) stopped people for no reason (civil rights violation) other than having out of state plates, thinks it’s not a major issue for someone to be hired who is not on the merit list?

If it’s not a major issue then why do we have the system Mr. Heltsley?  The system is there to prevent the very crap that is going on right now in this county and clearly you have no appreciation for the law or the truth.

All this coming from a man who has told family members he plans on running for Sheriff!  Hang on Edgar County, the roller coaster is about to leave the station!

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“The previous county board tried to dissuade Motley from his plans, said Farnham.” 

If that reporting is true then maybe Farnham should explain to the people why he voted in favor of the Sheriff hiring an attorney to fight it?

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” said Hopper. “It’s not my fault the administration dropped the ball.”

Even Judge Garst pointed out it was wrong to seize property and then turn around and buy it, yet you have the nerve to claim you have done nothing wrong?  This is not about an administration that dropped the ball.  It’s about a group of people, you included, that have no respect for the law, and your own actions reflect that by trying to get now convicted felons to simply resign so everything will be OK.  No sir, it’s not OK to ignore the law.  Not in those cases any more than this case.

The county Board drafted a resolution to create a position for another elected office which the law does not permit it.  If we are going to follow the law it must apply to everyone.  Your position was created illegally and you got hired outside the authority of the law.  Using Hopper logic a bank robber can rob the bank, give you part of the funds stolen and you are in the clear because you did not rob the bank.  Wrong answer!  You’re in possession of stolen property.

In this case, We the People have been robbed of our tax dollars to fill a position illegally created by the County Board.  Mr. Hopper, by your own admission the administration dropped the ball.  Then how is it right for their results of  “dropping the ball”  to continue with bringing you back on the payroll?  Doing so enables more ball dropping and disregard for the very fact you acknowledged, it was wrong!

This is no different than a simple OMA violation.  Actions proven to be in violation of the law have ramifications, and when a actions taken outside the scope of the law are identified and ruled on, more often than not, actions taken from the point of the initial infraction are ruled void.  Your job is no different in my opinion.

For way too long this county has allowed a seat-of-the-pants management with total disregard for the law, and it’s reflective in the state of our county, both from a fiscal and moral standpoint.

We have county board members that make statements that get reported and no one is following up and holding them accountable to their words.  People read it and assume it’s true because it’s in the paper or on the TV, and this is why we have what we have in this county.  Chaos!

More and more people are growing tired of the power structure that does what they want with no accountability.  As several issues move through the system outside this county we might start to see some accountability to the law and We The People.

For those that wish to complain about fighting the return of these two out of control former cops, I find it very odd that no one is asking the bigger question!  What happens if you bring them back and they continue their ways?  Can the County afford another law suit because of their actions?  Which is more expensive?

The TV reporting was amusing at a minimum because they too had no supporting research to back up the claims of these two former officers.  Oddly the media was not reporting the illegal actions of these guys, yet now out of nowhere, they are on the news.  That’s because sensationalism sells!   The more they can work people into a frenzy the more papers or commercial premium they can get.

Here at the Edgar County Watchdogs, we believe that the Truth Has No Agenda, and the fact that we do not accept advertising outside of Google Adds proves we are not influenced in our coverage.  We believe that the exposure of the truth will turn things around and lead this county in a direction that places the rule of law back where it belongs.  Those rules, kind of like something as simple as By-laws in an organization, set the tone for the direction an organization is going and everyone is held to the same set of rules and you always no what the rules are!

Selective laws gets you in trouble as fast as selective hearing. 

The Record:

• August 1st 2012 Filing
• October 22, 2012 Filing
• November 19, 2012 Filing
• November 30, 2012 Filing