Two Guys, a Head and Some Blow

09/07/06, 01:30, Drug Arrest, 602 E. 500 South

“Security officers at the Green Street Club found two men in the same stall in the restroom. When they confronted them, one of the men dropped a bag of cocaine. An officer who was already at the club investigating a separate incident arrested [the male suspects, 27 and 23]. They were taken to Jail and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.nn

Clean Sweep

09/10/06, 22:52, Robbery, 550 W. 250 South

“The victim described two black men dressed in all black clothing in a black Crown Victoria stopping him and briefly showing him a badge. One suspect shook him down and frisked him, taking money from his wallet. He was told not to come back and the two suspects left the scene.nn

Envisioned as a cosmopolitan pedestrian promenade, downtown’s Park Blocks'islands of green on 500 West between North Temple and 400 South'have instead become stomping grounds for the homeless and assorted riff raff. From the west side, the grass isn’t greener'except in dime bags'“cops” will apparently rob you, and the Gateway looks more like an ominous beige parapet than the yuppie grab bag it’s taken for from the east side.

So it was no big shock when the City Council recently approved a dusk-til-dawn curfew for the Park Blocks in an effort to take back the street for decent folks. As a point of reference, nearby Pioneer Park has been off-limits after dark for 12 years'and who would ever believe that place was once riddled with crime, drugs and unseemly sorts?

Raring Samaritan

06/09/06, 13:45, Officer Injured, 2345 S. 1300 East

“An officer was dispatched on a child locked in a car at the Nordstrom Rack. The officer arrived and was told that the child had been locked in the vehicle for approx 25-30 minutes. The officer decided to break the window to get the child out quickly when [a male suspect] showed up and demanded the officer break the window to get the child. [The suspect] was very aggressive and his behavior indicated that he may be suffering from a mental illness. [He] would not back away from the officer as he was trying to break the window and the officer continued to order [the suspect] away.nn

Note the mounting frustration. The agitated, yet seemingly concerned, passerby urges the officer to break the window. The officer, no dimwit, is fixing to do just that, but he’s got this pest barking in his ear.

“As the officer broke out the window of the vehicle, he sustained some lacerations to his hand. [The suspect] then returned announcing his intentions to verify the safety of the child.nn

Here’s where it blows up. Injured saving some numbskull bargain-hunter’s kid, the last thing this cop needs is a meddling wannabe hero offering rescue advice. It was all over but the smack-down.

“Told repeatedly to back off and leave, [the suspect] refused to comply with the officer’s commands. After [the suspect] was told that he was under arrest and to submit, [he] refused, got more belligerent and squared off to fight the officer. The officer attempted to take [the suspect] into custody and a fight ensued. [An] asp [baton] and CED (conducted energy device) were both deployed. Additional officers arrived. … It took several officers to take [the suspect] into custody. [He] went to jail on assault, resisting arrest, and failure to comply with an officer’s command charges. The child suffered no injury.