MGx - Musings, Essays & Ballads

Dian Courtright, founder of Concerned Citizens of Coquille, a human rights advocacy group borne out of public frustration with the local police department last summer has thrown her hat into the ring for city councilor. Four positions are up for renewal, Corky Daniels, Kathy Hagen, Fran Capehart and the mayor’s position held by Steve […]

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Gosh, it appears that nerves are a little raw and at least one Coquille officer is extremely sensitive. Today, Coquille Valley Sentinel editor, Jean Ivey called the CPD to ask about the National Night Out and why an event billed as a family event would include a taser demonstration in full view of small […]

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Coquille Mayor Steve Britton was interviewed by KCBY regarding the new police chief and comments on a phone call from Concerned Citizens of Coquille.
So far, he says, the department is excited to have him on board, as well as local residents, including one group in particular. They called Britton to tell him that they are […]

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Mike Fjelt volunteers to be tasered by Officer Bryant to demonstrate the effects of this practice.

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The decision has been made, an offer tendered and accepted by Mark Dannels from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Dept in Arizona. He hopes to be settled and on the job before the school year begins.

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Hiring the new police chief is of great importance to everyone so naturally there was almost no members of the public attending the interviews yesterday at City Hall. Dian and I as well as Jean Ivey from the paper tried to catch each interview as they were staggered throughout the day. Two other […]

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Had an opportunity to meet the candidates for police chief this evening and like three, in particular. Two of the candidates, one from Colorado and the other from Nevada are actually retiring from other positions and view the job as a potential retirement job. The gentleman from Colorado is well educated and had […]

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At 5:30 today at the Coquille Community Center you can meet the five candidates selected by City Manager O’Connor to be the new police chief. Be there or be square….

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The culture of any organization, council or municipality is defined not by mission statements, rules and declarations but by the actions, consistent behavior and hiring practices of the leadership. This is particularly true in our local police department where an emphasis on traffic control over proactive community policing of real crime has too […]

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Readers of this blog may know that an applicant for the position of new police chief took an interest in the Leah Freeman case. After reviewing the only case files available to the public the seasoned investigator came to these cursory conclusions…
I have read the documents on her website and I am amazed that […]

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Alas, it seems the city council is in lock step with the city manager regarding a more representative hiring committee. Disregarding the obvious impact that the hiring will have on ALL citizens the suggestion of having a wider group including younger committee members was answered with silence by the council.
Afterward, Mayor Britton suggested that […]

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From 22 applicants five hopefuls have been chosen by O’Connor. The group, from Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Michigan and Oregon (the sargeant, maybe?), will be on public display here in Coquille beginning July 21 where they will take part in an ‘assessment center’. The city will host a meet and greet from 5:30 to […]

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Well, as one might imagine it was a very emotional event as about thirty people or so gathered to remember Leah Freeman. The wind impaired the candlelight a bit but people rallied to keep their candles going as attendees spoke about their memories and impressions of a beautiful young woman.
Music played and tears flowed. […]

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This is the direction the Carl Foster case is headed and there are some striking similarities between these two cases. Just like Foster’s case, an internal investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the officer despite serious injuries to the citizen.
Despite the nature of Marquez’s injuries, which included a broken jaw […]

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Just back from a celebratory bike ride after winning in court today. Hopefully, this will end four years of what I consider relentless harassment by one of the most aggressively hostile people I have ever met.

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