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Do you think Attica police crossed a line in recruiting informants?

By Howard B. Owens
Peter O'Brien

My vote is I don't care. Drugs should be legal, but the kids were dumb and should pay some sort of consequence. Just because I disagree with the law doesn't mean that there shouldn't be repercussions.

Nov 20, 2009, 9:01am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

How were the kids dumb, getting a traffic ticket? For that, they should be shanghaied into being informants? That's a just punishment for getting a traffic ticket?

I'm not sure how believing drugs should be legal justifies police conduct in this matter.

Nov 20, 2009, 9:08am Permalink
Gary Spencer

Amen Howard!!

The Attica Police crossed the line in this case!

I am not against police using informants, however they are usually already involved with the drug trade and are working out deals to catch "Bigger Fish" for the police to save their own butts.

Nov 20, 2009, 9:15am Permalink
Bruce Wiseley

Hey Pete, which drugs should be legal? If so, should the person be 21 to indulge? England has had that attitude for years, and it's a little scary seeing all the junkies sitting around, shooting up on the streets! Also, consider this; the two most abused drugs in this country are ALCOHOL and PERSCRIPTION DRUGS and they are LEGAL, and how's that working out?

Nov 21, 2009, 7:06am Permalink
Peter O'Brien

All drugs should be legal and there should be no age restrictions.

Alcohol is abused because we glorify it. One of the ways we do so is with an age restriction.

Howard, I was referring to the "unnamed young man" who "was not so fortunate"

Nov 21, 2009, 7:11am Permalink
Beth Kinsley

Peter - that is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. So my 11 year old should be able to go to the corner store and buy crack or methamphetamine or even heroin?

Nov 21, 2009, 2:21pm Permalink
joshua kelsey

i think there are two sides to the story, i am a criminal justice major, and police all over use the same thing as Attica did. Do you know the entire story? one they wouldnt pick someone and put the kid in danger, if something happend a major lawsuit would not be worth it, next why would you bring someone into drugs? they dont they offer these deals to people that are associated with the drugs. I dont think what the officer did was wrong, the kid who is not a kid anymore had the option to do or not do, they did not force her to take the deal, it was her choice.

Nov 21, 2009, 3:21pm Permalink
C D

Joshua, the officer gave the girl an ultimatum. Take the deal or go to jail. Mind you, this is over a few unpaid speeding tickets.

Whether or not other police departments do the same thing, that doesn't justify it or make it right. Putting a girl who has no idea what the world is like is not only putting her life in danger, but her entire family.

Nov 21, 2009, 7:26pm Permalink
joshua kelsey

Chris, thanks for your response, well for one let me say unpaid speeding ticket, i know we all make mistakes but not paying the fine means losing your license, so driving without a license is a crime. she might have gone to jail but not before a call to lawyer and or family to post bail. How do you know she was getting her life in danger? why would a police officer take someone not into drugs to get them to be an informant?? they would obviously she was around these people that deal drugs and the officer noticed it, i live in alexander and thats right up the road from attica. Attica is small the police have nothing to do but pay close attention to people and who they hang around, places they visit. If you take someone who has no clue about drugs and is new they dont know the dealers, the dealers will know it is a set up. so that means she was Most likely involved already with these people, how is it any more dangerous?

Nov 21, 2009, 8:31pm Permalink
Buck Strang

This is a very hot topic. I think there are 2 sides to eevery story we have not got the Attica Police side. Yeah Pete what is wrong with you?

Nov 21, 2009, 8:54pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Joshua, your unfounded speculation is really rather cruel and logically doesn't follow. If the police suspected her of being involved in drugs, they could have used leverage on her other than unpaid tickets.

Also, local under cover operations use real cops that are brought in from outside the area so that they are not known to the dealers. Dealers, like any business, need new customers. If the cash is green, they're not going to care too much about the face.

As a former cop, I'm flabbergasted that anybody would defend these alleged actions by the Attica Police. If true, it was unprofessional and irresponsible. If true, there is no way around that conclusion.

To besmirch the name of the alleged victims of this seeming scam is also irresponsible. Defend the police, if you must, but there's no reason to make serious accusations for which you have no substance, but pure conjecture, to make.

Since you only registered recently and have only commented on this thread, showing no interest yet in any other conversation, perhaps you should fully disclose what your ties are to the Attica Police Department and why you want to defend these alleged actions?

Nov 21, 2009, 8:55pm Permalink
joshua kelsey

Howard, if you must know i am currently deployed to Iraq, hearing of this over here truely bothers me! I know the Attica police, most people know not to speed and to hide from the police. Like i said i live close by Attica, and i know the town was really bad with drugs, things have gotten so much better in recent years. I think because of the actions the police are taking. Im sorry for coming off to sound like the young girl is into drugs, but would she admit she was into drugs? she wants her story to sound terrible. Like Buck said there are two sides, and all the stuff i have read has no side of the police. And as a former police officer i am sure you know how these deals work, buyer goes in with officers near by. I have never done drug nor would i like if my younger brothers to di them. The more drugs off the street the better. the girl had the option to say No, because the Land is the Home of the Free!!! With that right she could have told the officers no i will pay for the ticket, pay my bail and take care of this. But she chose to be an informant. If i am wrong let me know, but this is what i read all over the Internet

Nov 21, 2009, 9:05pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Joshua, thanks for the response, and after I did my last comment I hopped on a plane and had no chance to modify it. I thought I came on a little strong, so sorry about that.

That said, if she were into drugs, I think she should have been afraid to come forward for fear of that being exposed. She's shown no rectitude in this regard.

And again, like Chris says, it's not like the Attica police are denying anything.

Nov 22, 2009, 3:14am Permalink
joshua kelsey

thats a good point. I dont mean to take sides, it just all the story's i read amd everyones response to the story is all against the police. I just dont understand because there has to be more to the story, why would the chief, DA, and county Sheriff stand behind the officer for what he did and say he did nothing wrong. I just think there is more that the police are not revieling.

Nov 22, 2009, 10:54am Permalink

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