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New Hiking and Biking Path in the Middle of Tyler

July 21st, 2010

            In past articles I have taken our city and local government to task over the overregulation and general nit- pickiness of which I believe they are sometimes guilty. So I thought it only fair to mention some local improvements a perhaps give a little due credit. I have been pleased to watch the development of the running and biking trails that run roughly parallel to Broadway over the last few years. The overall trails run from Rose Rudman Park, clear down to Grande, just behind highway 69. The paths are beautiful, and even in the summer time manage to stay relatively cool thanks to the shade and breezes provided by the tall pines. I often meet family and friends there to walk off our Andy’s desert and let the kids run a bit. Even without playground equipment it’s always a pleasant surprise how much amusement they get and how much energy they can burn off by simply running up and down the path. I for one have really enjoyed having a relatively quiet walk right in the middle of Tyler.

The sprawling park is an example of something that local government seems to be doing right, (at least as far as I can see). Here is something that can be used by the entire community in a really productive way. The new parks provide a place for people to meet, exercise, and generally improve their health, as well as enjoy the outdoors. On the Rudman end of the park there are even pavilions and picnic tables available. If you’re looking for a nice place to stretch your legs, and take a stroll through the woods; I highly recommend checking out these hiking / biking paths. By the way, looking for a place to park can be a bit confusing. For easy access to the trail, I suggest parking behind Woodcreek Athletic Club. For maps and other information see the city’s website: http://www.cityoftyler.org/DirectoryofCityParks/RoseRudmanTrail/tabid/226/Default.aspx.

Tyler and Whitehouse Texas Police

November 16th, 2009

The Tyler Police Are Known For Keeping Tyler Safe

Non-emergency Tyler Police Phone Number: 1-903-531-1000

I have for a long time been a great fan of the police in Texas. The police department is one of the primary local government responsibilities and is one of the main reasons we can walk around the city of Tyler without having to be on our guard all the time. Comparing the United States of America to a country like the Phillipines or another less governed country you will find that you have to watch your back and where your going or you may end up in a knife fight or have to hand over your wallet or something. Now think of the city of Tyler and how many places you can go without having to worry about a mugging or potential knife fight. We have a lot of freedom because of the police in our town. Some people I know feel comfortable even leaving their houses unlocked night and day. I still lock my house and keep it armed but for some to feel comfortable enough to leave their house unlocked in Tyler it really helps make the point about just how much we rely upon the police department.

The Threat Of Police Force Keeps Criminals Civil

The color of law is a good example of why people act civil in a city like Tyler TX. Teenagers and people in general know that the police are only a few minutes away. Just the thought that if the police were to be called they would show up quick keeps gangs and punk kids from stealing from retail stores, homes and vandalizing buildings and parks. Of course crime still happens in Tyler but it is nothing remotely similar to what can happen in a 3rd world city. In many cities in the world if a thief is caught stealing something from a friend, neighbors, or relatives house that person will likely be killed. If the thief isn’t killed on the spot they may be killed later on once the thief is discovered. In those countries the law is in a mans own hands especially out in the country. In Texas we still have the right to kill someone caught in the act of stealing from our property or breaking and entering. Where the right to protect ourselves ends is when the thief leaves someones property with the stuff and you find out later that they have stolen something. At that time the police should be called and a judge or jury will pronounce innocence or guilt.

In General Your Can Count On The Police To Help You

Thank goodness in Tyler TX and most areas in the USA if you find a thief or robber breaking in to your home you can call the cops and they will arrive soon to help and protect. Things like the police, court systems, and the fire department or some of the most fundamental basic protections we have that make the American society so great. A very small amount of corruption is evident in the police departments throughout Texas and keep our town and residents safe. Racial profiling, douche bag cops, and your stereotypical bald headed mustached police officers do exist but in large part you get a law abiding officer there to assist. If you have a problem with authority you will easily find a way to attack and profane an officer of the law during a traffic stop although 9 times out of 10 if you step back and think about it they are just doing their job.

When Police Act Unlawfully

So when does a police officer step over the line of what is lawful. Police men are just everyday Joes with the extra courage and ability to put themselves at great bodily harm every day. They are not schooled in Constitutional law and they do not know every single code by memory. Even state prosecutors that represent the state in Tyler city courts have to look in the police code book every once in awhile and sometimes even are corrected by the accused. Because the police and even trial state prosecutors often get things wrong we recommend never pleading guilty. If you really are guilty and there isn’t even a hint that you could be innocent I would atleast talk to an attorney first before declaring yourself guilty. There is no way out of a plea agreement once you have signed away your life to whatever the terms of that plea agreement were. There is simply no way to reverse course once your plea has been entered.

The Color Of Law, Don’t Fall For It

Police officers operate under what is known as the “color of law” and this is simply the illusion that everything they ask and tell you to do is lawful for them to ask and tell you. This is an illusion that helps the police do their job quickly and with as little friction from the citizens they enforce the laws on. The “color of law” is not always lawful to do or the law but many times you will feel compelled to comply because they have the gun and you may be facing jail time. I once had a police officer pull me over because of an expired inspection sticker. I began to explain to the officer that I had just gotten a warning 10 minutes prior and I was on my way to the inspection station. This may sound like a pathetic lie but it was the truth. I showed the police officer my warning ticket and instead of letting me go he proceeded to write me another ticket. I argued at this point as I believed although this was the letter of the law he does have the flexibility to offer a warning whenever he wants. I asked him, “Wouldn’t this be an appropriate time to give a warning if there ever was a time?” He proceeded to tell me that he has the right to take me to jail for my expired inspection sticker and that he is being lenient in just giving me a ticket. He was actually telling the truth and everything he said was lawful. In my opinion this police officer was being a douche bag cop and was just meeting some type of unstated quota. He denied he was making a quota on tickets because that would be illegal but many would agree the reason he didn’t offer a warning at one of the most appropriate situations was due to some quota requirement he felt he was under.

Examples of Color Of Law Practices

A good example of “color of law” police enforcement was during a situation where a police man came after someone I know who preaches on college and university sidewalks. In Jesse’s situation they not only threatened him with unlawful things they would do with him they actually arrested him. This however came back to bite them. On Berkeley University campus in California you can burn flags, espouse communist propaganda, walk around in the nude and it is all allowed. No police officials will be taking you to jail over any of those things. Battles and lawsuits were settled long ago in Berkeley where police, officials, and school administrators are scared to ever attempt to limit someones free speech which is how it should be. In the USA we fight for these peoples freedoms to say whatever they want. That is their right and we will fight to protect it. However on quite a few university campuses and city sidewalks a man by the name of Jesse Morrell has been forcibly removed off campus by police sometimes in hand cuffs. In almost all cases he has sued these campuses and police departments for unlawful things they did and he has won. In fact he has been allowed back on campus after the lawsuit was finished by the same police and universities that had initially removed him. In rare examples like this involving constitutional law where some police officials have no understanding you will see the “color of law” used. Another example involves recording a police officer during a routine traffic stop. In Texas especially, you have the right regardless if the other party knows that you are recording them to record your conversation.

Recording Your Police Encounters Is a Good Matter of Practice

I always turn on my audio recorder on my iphone anytime I am stopped by the police so that if I need to go to court I will have the evidence necessary to defend myself. Don’t let the police officer convince you that you must turn it off. If the police officer sees the recording device and tells you to turn it off ask them what law you are breaking. If they are vague and cannot give you a law than ask to speak to their supervisor. Instead of there just being one side to the story from the Tyler police documentation there will also be my side of the story. I will usually ask the police officer about when the last time they were trained to use their radar gun, when was its last calibration, what type of technology is the radar. Depending on how the officer answers these questions I will follow up with more detailed questions. I will also ask them where they were parked when recording my speed and where I was located. Depending on where I was pulled over and where I was clocked it could be that he pulled over the wrong guy. The police man could have also had an incorrect reading on their radar gun. I make a point to drive according to the speed limit and in rare occasions I may not see a speed trap. Sometimes I am the one in the wrong but it is always good to be prepared in case you need to fight in court.

Tyler Texas Speeding Ticket Court Cases Can Take Up To 6 Months

Right now in Tyler Texas it generally takes up to 6 months before your traffic ticket goes to trial. I recommend hiring a lawyer to handle your traffic tickets but be prepared for a long wait until your case goes to court. If you are thinking about using the right to a speedy trial argument prepare for this to not work. In general local city judges will usually never agree with you on “the right to a speedy trial argument” and you will have to actually go to court.

The Whitehouse Non-Emergency Police Phone Number

Non-Emergency Whitehouse Texas Police Phone Number: 1-903-839-2828

Comparing Whitehouse and Tyler Police Forces

When comparing police offices in Tyler and Whitehouse I have noticed a stark difference. Whitehouse Texas Police is almost guaranteed to have an officer at every tricky speed trap in the entire city. If you miss one of these speed limit signs you are almost guaranteed to get a speeding ticket. I avoid going to Whitehouse TX at all costs because of the sensitivity the police have of stopping you for any and every speeding violation however minor it may be. In Tyler TX there are just the right amount of police on the road to handle speeding, and traffic stop violations. The police in Tyler are not overly zealous in my mind in pulling you over if you are 5 – 10 miles over the speed limit. I would still be careful to pay attention and go the speed limit but you will have less trouble in Tyler than you will in Whitehouse. It is ashame that I have such a mental road block from driving into Whitehouse because I love Ribmasters so much. Ribmasters has got to be the best ribs restaurant in East Texas that I know of. If you do have to go to Whitehouse be sure to pay attention to the speed signs and go just as far as RibMasters. Once your done turn right back around to go back in Tyler. Don’t be tempted to drive so far as to Brookshires or beyond because it could be too late for you.

A Bad Story Involving Tyler Police Response Times To A Potential Deadly Encounter

A pet peeve I have with the Tyler Texas police department was their handling of an incident involving my wife. One night a few years ago she was leaving from Tyler Hastings and there were not many people or cars in the parking lot. The store had just closed and she was walking out to her car. A man began running after her as fast as he could run. She barely made it into her car and the man continued to grab at the door handle and car door. She drove off as quickly as she could and ran over his leg. She frantically pulled into TGI Fridays and called 911. The police answered and told her to fill out a proper police report she would need to go back to the Hastings parking lot (the store was now closed) and wait for them there even after she told them of the situation. This makes me wonder if the 911 call center in Tyler Texas has been filled up with your typical bureaucratic drones. Please don’t say it is so as I think Tyler is better than that. Anyway, she ended up going back there to the parking lot with her dad and waiting. The police showed up a couple hours later!! after she was almost mugged and possibly raped. A week later she was pulled over for a recently expired inspection sticker and given a ticket. The inspection sticker ticket seemed very efficient for the police department and the penalties and things in place for not paying insured my wife quickly paid and handled this city violation. When it comes to being potentially mobbed or raped there is not even a follow up call. A two hour wait for the police at the same parking lot after a possible deadly encounter took place is not right. And imagine no follow up call even though the police have the guy on the Hastings security video tape footage.

Texas Police Are Still Some Of The Best In The World

I do thank God for our police force in this country as I believe it is the best police and court system in the world. We could very easily lose what good we still have if we do not complain over situations like this. A reasonable response time for deadly encounters is appropriate as well as less priority to things like inspection stickers if that is what is needed to make this happen. Having a skewed opinion of the 911 police call center and the system in place is one reason why I voted NO for a new jail. As a comparison, we spend a lot of money on schools and education but still our kids receive better education from several local private Christian schools. You think giving the Tyler Texas police more money for a new jail is the right thing to do? Well you have to convince people like me and I think that is a hard thing to do.

Non-emergency Tyler Police Phone Number: 1-903-531-1000