FBI raids Barry County Sheriff Dept.

[Willy]

I was visiting relatives today in Hastings Mich. when they asked me if I had heard about the FBI raiding the Barry County Sheriff Dept. It seems that a month ago the FBI served a search warrent on the Sheriff whose office is in Hastings. The FBI had orders from the US Attorney's office to search the Sheriff Dept and seize their computers. My relatives say they still don't know why the raid took place and what the FBI were looking for. I found little information on the internet other than news reports regarding the day of the raid. Anyone know anything about this?

[XLFD]

I looked around and could only find this from the Freep:

Federal authorities have executed a search warrant at the office of the Barry County Sheriff Department.

David Porter, a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Detroit, confirmed that FBI agents assisted the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General in the execution of search warrant on Wednesday.

But Porter said he could not comment about why the agents were at the department or what was seized. He said if anything was collected those items were not being disclosed.

“We can’t talk about what kind of case this is or what we might have taken,” he said.

Kaye Hooker, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney in Grand Rapids, said her office would not comment on any investigation or even confirm whether there is an investigation.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140312/NEWS06/303120146/1001/news

[XLFD]

In further research, I believe that the FBI may have conducted this raid on Sheriff Dar Leaf's office because of his politics.  Leaf is one of those sheriffs with a quaint notion about limits existing to federal powers.  The nerve.  Here is what he has allegedly said in 2012, and undoubtedly means, as he is one of only two Michigan sheriffs known to be in the group called Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association:

"Leaf, who pointed out that sheriffs in all 83 Michigan counties are constitutionally elected, as opposed to being appointed, told the State Journal prior to the September conference that he would attend the association’s second annual convention in Las Vegas to continue learning about what a sheriff’s duty and authority is.

“If you don’t use the authority that is granted to you,” Leaf told the State Journal, “you are, in a sense, taking it away from the public.”

The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Association’s founder, Richard Mack, is a former Arizona county sheriff who now writes and travels the country spreading his belief that an out-of-control federal government has left the country on the brink of destruction.Mack has stated that he believes a sheriff’s authority is so great that he or she does not have to obey the president and that state sovereignty — to be ensured through the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms — is the movement’s main focus.

In a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon, Leaf agreed that Mack may be too strong in his representation of a very real concern.“What they are teaching is not advocating violence,” Leaf clarified. “They are teaching us about the Bill of Rights, and it’s coming from constitutional scholars. There’s concern about the National Defense Authorization Act because there are some things in there that are clearly unconstitutional, such as giving the president the authority to order the military to go into your home without a warrant, to arrest you without cause, to take you into custody, to house you in an offshore prison for an undetermined amount of time with no right to a phone call, a speedy trial, or the chance to post bond.

“The federal government doesn’t have to follow the normal procedures like I’d have to follow. We have a lot of people — even in our own community — who are scared about that.”...

“What we’re trying to do is handle things calmly for people in communities who are afraid of what the federal government is doing,” concluded Leaf.

http://hastingsbanner.com/county-sheriffs-ties-to-national-movement...

I am willing to bet that the feds see him having such 'volatile' beliefs and that growing military stockpile as a threat to their power; they needed to come around and take him down a notch, and show him their supremacy. 

Willie, I hope your friends in Hastings realize that their sheriff is a great asset to their community and I wish him luck.  Try to keep us apprised of any further events that happen regarding this.

[XLFD]

Hearing gun and rifle shots in that part of the county is not that uncommon, and rarely unlawful.  It's a good reason to be appalled at the response that was taken.

[Willy]

The noise the officer heard could well have been firecrackers. In most large cities   gun fire is a common nightly occurrence. You've got to wonder about some of the decisions made by law enforcement because when there are cops with weapons who think there's a boogey man behind every tree and around every corner then there's going to be problems. Mr. Marble is a perfect example.

[XLFD]

From what I've heard of the 'Tallman event' so far, it sounds as if the cops admittedly ignored a moaning woman for hours-- that's something I couldn't do; moaning women need immediate attention no matter what they're moaning for. 

But in all seriousness, this escalation endangered a lot more people than would have been endangered if the police officer investigated the matter himself.  It's hard to believe the official line, and I expect they were acting on some tip of other illegal activity in the area which apparently proved false and upset a lot of people who normally trust the police.

[wildfire]

So John Streeter why do you think the cops like to detain people under duress?  & why do they just go walking thur anybobys house without a warrent, & keep doing all this illegal stuff, but it seems like they are still getting away with everything they do. Isn't someone higher over them to re-teach them how the laws are suppose to be its like they do not go by the constitutional rights for any one any more they go by their own made up laws & get away with it. this can't be right , who's controling them & with what?

[Willy]

X. I'll pass that information along to my relatives. Thanks for the info.

[XLFD]

Let me know if they think he is not practicing what he preaches, and see whether they can give you updates for you to post here.

[wildfire]

Well this video the last one didn't say anything about the computors  so it somes like a cover up they where probley doing something bad 7 ARE HIDING IT TO.