Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Monday, August 29, 2016
TOBACCO CONTROL PROVES ITSELF A BETTER AGENCY THAN ABC ENFORCENT DESPITE BOYCE HAMLET'S BOASTING
When tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet was appointed he made incredible statements to his staff that he would make ABC Enforcement the most elite and respected law enforcement agency in the state.
Hamlet even boasted that ABC Enforcement was trying to be a better agency that the state police!
That is laughable considering that Hamlet's law enforcement career only exists because he hid his hiring and firing by the Arkansas State Police (for cheating on an exam and then lying multiple times to state police investigators) from employers and filed false documents with law enforcement certification agencies in Arkansas and Mississippi.
And that fact was confirmed and pointed out by a circuit court judge who ordered the state to release the entire State Police investigation file on Hamlet.
Despite all of Hamlet's rhetoric, the Arkansas Tobacco Control agency has bested ABC Enforcement and it is head by a former grocer, Steve Goode.
Goode's salary is $95,050.80 and is not too shabby for someone with no related experience or any law enforcement certifications. Hamlet's salary is $73,124.90 which is roughly $22k less that what Goode makes. Hamlet is only certified in Arkansas as a probation/parole officer and only obtained that by lying on his application with the Department of Community Corrections.
Both agencies use cooperating minors, but Tobacco Control is more polished and professional. Maybe it is due to experienced leadership. We do know that they do not condone or tolerate lying.
Both agencies use cooperating minors, but Tobacco Control is more polished and professional. Maybe it is due to experienced leadership. We do know that they do not condone or tolerate lying.
Readers might recall in our post on Friday, an officer assisting the ABC to illegally entrap licensed outlets made a statement that having cooperating minors lie about their age was a common practice in alcohol and tobacco enforcement.
We don't know where Officer Turner obtained that information, but Mr. Goode with Tobacco Control provided us with information that clearly dispels that false information.
Tobacco Control takes care of business in a professional manner and Goode does not seek approval from the governor's office as does Hamlet. Unlike Hamlet, Goode knows that even though Asa appointed him, he is working for the people of Arkansas is is responsive to them. He has nothing to hide or to prove.
And unlike Hamlet, Goode is accessible. A true public servant.
Hamlet is an embarrassment to the honest, law abiding law enforcement officers in the State of Arkansas and to the Hutchinson administration. His departure from the position for which he has no qualifications to hold is long past overdue.
Why not send Hamlet a text message tonight telling him it's time for him to go. 501-412-6324.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
FORMER STATE SENATOR GILBERT BAKER ARRESTED FOR DWI - BAKER WAS VOCAL OPPONENT OF CONWAY RESTURANTS OBTAINING PERMITS FROM ABC TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
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| GILBERT RAY BAKER, UCA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MUSIC, FORMER STATE SENATOR |
Former state Senator Gilbert Baker (59) and future federal inmate was arrested by Conway police at 4:25 a.m. Saturday August 27th.
Baker was charged with violation of the Omnibus DWI Act, refusal of a blood alcohol test, and driving left of the center lane.
Gilbert Baker is a former member of the Arkansas State Senate from District 30. He served in the Arkansas Senate from 2001 to 2013.
In 2010, Baker was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate seat formerly held by the Democrat Blanche Lincoln.
Baker resigned from his position as a lobbyist for UCA after being involved with funneling funds to Judge Mike Maggio through PACs.
Gilbert Baker is a former member of the Arkansas State Senate from District 30. He served in the Arkansas Senate from 2001 to 2013.
In 2010, Baker was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate seat formerly held by the Democrat Blanche Lincoln.
Baker resigned from his position as a lobbyist for UCA after being involved with funneling funds to Judge Mike Maggio through PACs.
Baker is currently employed as an Assistant Professor of Music at UCA.
Baker was strongly against the ABC issuing permits to Conway restaurants to serve alcoholic beverages. This was probably due to county line liquor stores in neighboring counties paying Baker for his opposition to such permits.
In a 2003 interview with the Log Cabin Democrat, then-Sen. Baker said he was opposed to having more alcohol options in the city.
“I am personally opposed to additional alcohol in Conway, but I do support the opportunity for people to vote on important issues,” he said at the time.
In 2009, Baker supported a bill that raised the alcohol permit fees and provided the Alcohol Beverage Control division (ABC) a $1.2 million increase.
“I think it was a good bill. I did support the bill,” Baker told the Log Cabin Democrat in February 2009. “The primary initiative was that the ABC Board needed more resources for enforcement and regulation. They increased the permits generally to provide those resources, so I supported that. I did support the annual fee for private clubs and supported an additional one-time fee for private clubs in dry counties.”
Faulkner County is a "dry" county and restaurants in Conway are only able to serve alcoholic beverages after they obtain a private club permit from the ABC.
“I am personally opposed to additional alcohol in Conway, but I do support the opportunity for people to vote on important issues,” he said at the time.
In 2009, Baker supported a bill that raised the alcohol permit fees and provided the Alcohol Beverage Control division (ABC) a $1.2 million increase.
“I think it was a good bill. I did support the bill,” Baker told the Log Cabin Democrat in February 2009. “The primary initiative was that the ABC Board needed more resources for enforcement and regulation. They increased the permits generally to provide those resources, so I supported that. I did support the annual fee for private clubs and supported an additional one-time fee for private clubs in dry counties.”
Faulkner County is a "dry" county and restaurants in Conway are only able to serve alcoholic beverages after they obtain a private club permit from the ABC.
We wonder why tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet has not conducted sweeps in Conway as there are two colleges and one university located there and underage drinking and possession of alcoholic beverages is an issue in that city.
**UPDATE**
According to the incident report about Gilbert Baker, Conway police officers described former state Sen. Gilbert Baker as “verbally belligerent and emotional” when he was taken to the department’s booking area after his arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Friday, according to the department’s incident report.
In the report, officer Heath Edens said Baker was talking loudly and saying he needed water every 35 minutes because of a doctor’s order. Edens said Baker’s “behavior was confrontational and he had a poor attitude.”
Baker was taken to Conway Regional Medical Center where a lab assistant drew three tubes of blood from Baker. The blood samples were sent to the state Crime Lab for testing to determine Baker’s blood-alcohol content.
The report also detailed the events leading up to Baker being pulled over.
Officer Tim Woods, who was off duty and driving in his personal vehicle, saw a dark colored car “driving erratically in the inside lane,” the report said. Woods wrote that the car crossed over the lane and the rumble strip with inconsistent speed.
Woods drove behind the car as it exited onto Dave Ward Drive. He noted in the report that Baker's vehicle almost hit a concrete barrier. A marked patrol unit pulled Baker over near Salem Road a little after 8:15 p.m.
Officer Andrew Foreman, one of the officers who stopped Baker, wrote in the report that Baker’s gray 2016 Toyota Corolla swerved several times and straddled the lane line on Dave Ward Drive for at least 150 feet.
Foreman conducted a variety of sobriety tests before arresting Baker on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the report said.
Baker was also charged with refusing a breathalyzer test and driving left of center. He was booked into the Faulkner County jail at 4:25 a.m. Saturday and released at 11:45 a.m. on $1,395 bond.
Let's hope that the blood sample was taken closer to 8:15 p.m. when Baker was arrested and not 4:25 a.m. when he was booked into the jail.
According to the incident report about Gilbert Baker, Conway police officers described former state Sen. Gilbert Baker as “verbally belligerent and emotional” when he was taken to the department’s booking area after his arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Friday, according to the department’s incident report.
In the report, officer Heath Edens said Baker was talking loudly and saying he needed water every 35 minutes because of a doctor’s order. Edens said Baker’s “behavior was confrontational and he had a poor attitude.”
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| HEATH EDENS |
Baker was taken to Conway Regional Medical Center where a lab assistant drew three tubes of blood from Baker. The blood samples were sent to the state Crime Lab for testing to determine Baker’s blood-alcohol content.
The report also detailed the events leading up to Baker being pulled over.
Officer Tim Woods, who was off duty and driving in his personal vehicle, saw a dark colored car “driving erratically in the inside lane,” the report said. Woods wrote that the car crossed over the lane and the rumble strip with inconsistent speed.
Woods drove behind the car as it exited onto Dave Ward Drive. He noted in the report that Baker's vehicle almost hit a concrete barrier. A marked patrol unit pulled Baker over near Salem Road a little after 8:15 p.m.
Officer Andrew Foreman, one of the officers who stopped Baker, wrote in the report that Baker’s gray 2016 Toyota Corolla swerved several times and straddled the lane line on Dave Ward Drive for at least 150 feet.
Foreman conducted a variety of sobriety tests before arresting Baker on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the report said.
Baker was also charged with refusing a breathalyzer test and driving left of center. He was booked into the Faulkner County jail at 4:25 a.m. Saturday and released at 11:45 a.m. on $1,395 bond.
Let's hope that the blood sample was taken closer to 8:15 p.m. when Baker was arrested and not 4:25 a.m. when he was booked into the jail.
************
Here's a link to the full Conway Police incident report courtesy of the Arkansas Times. GILBERT BAKER INCIDENT REPORT
*UPDATE*
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette interviewed Baker and he told them he only had one or two margaritas at a Little Rock restaurant (was it the 1836 Club???) and he thought he had passed the field sobriety test and was "frustrated" by his arrest. Without regard to where he got his drink on, the ABC should look into them for over-serving him and letting him leave their establishment and get behind the wheel and drive from Little Rock to Conway putting who knows how many people at risk.
Take the time to read the incident report. Baker was a loud, obnoxious, stumbling drunk that failed each field sobriety test given to him.
Friday, August 26, 2016
ABC ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR BOYCE HAMLET SANCTIONED PRACTICE OF MINORS USED BY AGENTS LYING ABOUT AGE TO PERSUADE OUTLETS TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - ABC ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR BUD ROBERTS PUTS A STOP TO IT
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In previous posts we exposed how the ABC is breaking the law by having under age kids go into stores, restaurants and bars and try to or actually purchase alcoholic beverages.
Our previous posts:
Arkansas law specifically prohibits persons under 21 years of age from purchasing or possessing alcoholic beverages. There are no exceptions noted in the law to allow minors or law enforcement agencies to "break" the law for enforcement purposes.
A Congressional Report said the exact same thing that we have said:
When tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet came on board, he changed the procedures for the use of cooperating minors.
Legal scholars and court cases have found problems with such activity and there is much controversy in the use of this illegal tactic.
Another problem for the ABC and the prosecution of individuals that were entrapped is that if the ABC or the Prosecuting Attorney does not make the required disclosure that Hamlet as ABCE director has issues with credibility and honesty that affects his agents, the rights of these alleged offenders have been violated under Brady vs Maryland.
This was pointed out by Judge Mackie Pierce in a case that concerned Hamlet.
LINK TO FULL DOCUMENT
Even Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Bucker weighed in this week in an interview with the Arkansas Times on individuals in law enforcement, like, Boyce Hamlet, that are liars.
This issue hit the fan on February 10, 2016 when the ABC conducted one of their illegal minor entrapment stings at a randomly selected licensed locations, including Rack-Um at 2817 Cantrell Road in Little Rock .
ABC Enforcement Agent Aaron Farmer and Michael Turner, a Bryant police officer, were selecting random sites and using a cooperating minor to try and purchase alcoholic beverages.
Officer Turner gave the minor $20 cash and told the him that if he was questioned about his age, he was to lie.
The cooperating minor was asked for his ID by Rack-Um employee Christie Dishler. The minor told Dishler that he "forgot it" it. Dishler then asked him his date of birth and the older than 21 years looking guy gave her a fake one that put him over 21 years of age.
With Officer Turner shaking his head in agreement, the pair was able to persuade her to serve him up a beer. The minor paid her, and stiffed her by not giving her a tip, and Turner sent a text message to Farmer that they had successfully convinced the server to violate the same law they were violating.
ABC Enforcement Agent Farmer entered the establishment and informed Dishler she had served an alcoholic beverage to a minor and she was being cited for unknowingly serving alcohol to a minor.
Officer Turner's presence with the ABC and cooperating minor's could be a huge problem for tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet.
Turner has a documented history of on-the-job problems and was actually sued for Civil Rights violations and settled that suit to stop it from going to court.
The civil suit made reference to Tuner's sketchy past:
Turner was actually fired from the Mineral Springs Police Department
According to credible sources, some issues with Turner involve his interactions with females. Turner is also reported to have lost a part-time job with a school district because he was getting too friendly with female students.
Other sources have told us that Turner is a patrolman and writes a lot of tickets, and that is the source of some of the complaints about him. Once again, observant readers will have noticed that Turner's radar operator certification expired in 2014 and if he is writing speeding tickets, that poses a huge problem for the Bryant Police Department.
Turner's history and association with ABC Agents and the illegal operations involving minors is problematic for the ABC in that some of the minors the ABC uses are females and if the allegations are valid, the ABC is putting those minors at risk.
The ABC then sent a notice about the March 15 hearing to the Rack-Um permit holder, Steven Maddox, and an offer of settlement that consisted of a $350.00 fine and a 90 day probation period.
Rack-Um had never been cited by the ABC for any violation since it opened in 2013. Very impressive for an establishment in Little Rock, especially in that is basically a pool hall that often is packed with younger than older aged patrons.
At this point our observant readers will have noticed that the ABC report concerning the alleged violation lists the permit holder as Daniel C. Cossitt.
This is surprising as back in June 2013, Cossitt requested that the permit for the establishment be in Maddox's name.
Accordingly the ABC did just exactly that.
So why was the old permit holder listed on a report of an alleged violation six months after the permit listing Maddox was issued???
Did Rack-Um still have the old permit posted? If so that is a violation of ABC rules and regulations. If the old permit was displayed why were they not cited?
Is ABC Enforcement so screwed up that they don't have accurate information available to the ABC Enforcement agents?
We don't know about the permit Rack-Um had displayed when the alleged violation occurred, but we do know for certain that ABC Enforcement is definitely screwed up.
We pointed out in a previous post how ABC Enforcement agents shut down multiple establishments in NW Arkansas because they did not have accurate information about permits.
With the ABC settlement offer to Rack-Um on the table, the ABC was sure that they had pocketed an easy $350.00 by setting up a law-abiding establishment by violating the law when using and encouraging a minor to purchase alcohol and lying about the minor's age to do so.
So when the ABC received a call and email from Maddox requesting a hearing they were surprised. Maddox had been told that if he requested a hearing and told their side of the story, they might get a brake and a lower fine.
So a hearing was set for April 6, 2016 and to no one's surprise, except possible Maddox, the ABC found a violation and imposes a $500.00 fine.
Here again our observant readers will note that the "Facts" paragraph fails to mention that the the minor was instructed to lie about his age if asked and did so in this particular case.
Maddox did not have an attorney representing him before the ABC and it is understandable that he did not present evidence that the minor lied about his age and appeared to look older and the server confused him with another regular customer.
Any capable attorney would have reemed the ABC and the witnesses against Rack-Um and walked out of the hearing with the allegations dismissed.
But Maddox was persistent. After the decision, he appealed the decision, in an unconventional fashion (remember he is not an attorney).
And so an appeal was set.
But before the hearing took place, ABC Administrative Director Bud Roberts looked further into the matter and determined that tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet's decision to permit and encourage his agents to allow cooperating minors to lie about their age if asked (most all other state's prohibit the practice) dismissed the violation and reversed his April 21st order fining Rack-Um.
This pissed Boyce Hamlet off so much that he complained to the Governor's office. They told Hamlet to calm the f@@k down and had him stop telling cooperating minor's that they could lie about their age.
Since then, Hamlet has kept his distance from Roberts acting like a kid that has had his ass whipped and his feelings hurt on the school playground.
The governor needs to accept the fact that he made a terrible mistake in appointing Hamlet and get rid of him and appoint someone with unquestionable credentials and experience to restore public confidence in ABC Enforcement.
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| ABC AGENT AARON FARMER AND OFFICER MICHAEL TURNER |
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| TURNER DRESSED AS A REDNECK FOR UNCOVER WORK |
Officer Turner gave the minor $20 cash and told the him that if he was questioned about his age, he was to lie.
The cooperating minor was asked for his ID by Rack-Um employee Christie Dishler. The minor told Dishler that he "forgot it" it. Dishler then asked him his date of birth and the older than 21 years looking guy gave her a fake one that put him over 21 years of age.
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| CHRISTIE DISHLER |
With Officer Turner shaking his head in agreement, the pair was able to persuade her to serve him up a beer. The minor paid her, and stiffed her by not giving her a tip, and Turner sent a text message to Farmer that they had successfully convinced the server to violate the same law they were violating.
ABC Enforcement Agent Farmer entered the establishment and informed Dishler she had served an alcoholic beverage to a minor and she was being cited for unknowingly serving alcohol to a minor.
Officer Turner's presence with the ABC and cooperating minor's could be a huge problem for tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet.
Turner has a documented history of on-the-job problems and was actually sued for Civil Rights violations and settled that suit to stop it from going to court.
The civil suit made reference to Tuner's sketchy past:
Turner was actually fired from the Mineral Springs Police Department
According to credible sources, some issues with Turner involve his interactions with females. Turner is also reported to have lost a part-time job with a school district because he was getting too friendly with female students.
Other sources have told us that Turner is a patrolman and writes a lot of tickets, and that is the source of some of the complaints about him. Once again, observant readers will have noticed that Turner's radar operator certification expired in 2014 and if he is writing speeding tickets, that poses a huge problem for the Bryant Police Department.
Turner's history and association with ABC Agents and the illegal operations involving minors is problematic for the ABC in that some of the minors the ABC uses are females and if the allegations are valid, the ABC is putting those minors at risk.
The ABC then sent a notice about the March 15 hearing to the Rack-Um permit holder, Steven Maddox, and an offer of settlement that consisted of a $350.00 fine and a 90 day probation period.
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| STEVEN MADDOX - RACK-UM MANAGER & PERMIT HOLDER |
Rack-Um had never been cited by the ABC for any violation since it opened in 2013. Very impressive for an establishment in Little Rock, especially in that is basically a pool hall that often is packed with younger than older aged patrons.
At this point our observant readers will have noticed that the ABC report concerning the alleged violation lists the permit holder as Daniel C. Cossitt.
This is surprising as back in June 2013, Cossitt requested that the permit for the establishment be in Maddox's name.
Accordingly the ABC did just exactly that.
So why was the old permit holder listed on a report of an alleged violation six months after the permit listing Maddox was issued???
Did Rack-Um still have the old permit posted? If so that is a violation of ABC rules and regulations. If the old permit was displayed why were they not cited?
Is ABC Enforcement so screwed up that they don't have accurate information available to the ABC Enforcement agents?
We don't know about the permit Rack-Um had displayed when the alleged violation occurred, but we do know for certain that ABC Enforcement is definitely screwed up.
We pointed out in a previous post how ABC Enforcement agents shut down multiple establishments in NW Arkansas because they did not have accurate information about permits.
With the ABC settlement offer to Rack-Um on the table, the ABC was sure that they had pocketed an easy $350.00 by setting up a law-abiding establishment by violating the law when using and encouraging a minor to purchase alcohol and lying about the minor's age to do so.
So when the ABC received a call and email from Maddox requesting a hearing they were surprised. Maddox had been told that if he requested a hearing and told their side of the story, they might get a brake and a lower fine.
So a hearing was set for April 6, 2016 and to no one's surprise, except possible Maddox, the ABC found a violation and imposes a $500.00 fine.
Here again our observant readers will note that the "Facts" paragraph fails to mention that the the minor was instructed to lie about his age if asked and did so in this particular case.
Maddox did not have an attorney representing him before the ABC and it is understandable that he did not present evidence that the minor lied about his age and appeared to look older and the server confused him with another regular customer.
Any capable attorney would have reemed the ABC and the witnesses against Rack-Um and walked out of the hearing with the allegations dismissed.
But Maddox was persistent. After the decision, he appealed the decision, in an unconventional fashion (remember he is not an attorney).
This pissed Boyce Hamlet off so much that he complained to the Governor's office. They told Hamlet to calm the f@@k down and had him stop telling cooperating minor's that they could lie about their age.
Since then, Hamlet has kept his distance from Roberts acting like a kid that has had his ass whipped and his feelings hurt on the school playground.
The governor needs to accept the fact that he made a terrible mistake in appointing Hamlet and get rid of him and appoint someone with unquestionable credentials and experience to restore public confidence in ABC Enforcement.