Top Cop Smokes Pot

[BIG_DADDY]

Thursday, October 07, 2004

The best place to get high in town may have been the police station.

Cops in the small eastern Pennsylvania town of Weatherly (search) had been complaining for months about the smell of marijuana smoke in the office, the pot pipes lying around, the seized drugs that disappeared.

On Wednesday, their chief of 10 years, Brian S. Cara (search), was arrested by state troopers, reports The Morning Call of Allentown.

"I was really shocked to find out everything he was supposed to have done," Weatherly Mayor Joseph E. D'Andrea told the newspaper. "If he has had problems and needed help, we could have helped him."

The borough of 2,600 people, about midway between Wilkes-Barre and Allentown, has three full-time and six part-time police officers.

Cara, 38, did not immediately return a phone message left at his home.

State Attorney General Jerry Pappert said the probe started in Sept. 2003 when Weatherly cops told state authorities suspicious things had been disappearing for months.


There were the plastic envelopes of cocaine that mysteriously "exploded" after having been placed in the evidence locker — an unlocked drawer.

There were the times when cops showed up unexpectedly at the station only to find Cara there alone and the place reeking of pot smoke.

There were the joints and pot pipes cops noticed in Cara's desk drawer.

Finally, a "reverse sting" was set up this summer. On Aug. 2, one of Weatherly's officers told Cara that two ounces of pot had been seized and were in the office.

Also new to the office was a hidden video camera.

State drug agents told a grand jury they watched Cara smoke some of the pot later that same day, then go back for more no less than eight times on Aug. 3. All of it was caught on videotape.

On Aug. 4, it all came down. Cara was seen smoking pot five times before 9:15 a.m. Then he packed a pipe, tucked it into his pocket and went out on patrol.

Later that day, state agents with a warrant searched his desk and found drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Cara was made to undergo a blood test, which came back positive for marijuana, and he allegedly admitted smoking pot from the evidence locker.

He was immediately placed on paid suspension, but the paychecks may end following his formal arrest.

"We're not his judge and jury, but we can't continue paying him and filling in for him at his salary," D'Andrea said.

Cara was charged with four misdemeanors: obstructing justice, criminal attempt to obstruct justice, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was booked and released on his own recognizance. His first preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 17.

[Mojo Rising]

I used to live next door to a cop who would drive drunk all the time. He would also brag about arresting drunk drivers while working.


This cop in the story was stupid as can be for doing it in the station. It's like he wanted to get arrested.

My buddy did what the girl referenced but had better results. He called an attorney and the guy told him there was nothing he could do for him. He checked with several people who had also gotten DUI's and their attorneys didn't do anything for them. It might be the difference between AZ and Cal.

In his alcohol class he had a lesser sentence than anyone in the class.

When I lived in KC it was defineately a requirement to get a lawyer because they could make a difference. They can't do much in CA

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by alanm

As a former Federal officer for the ***. All I can say is legalize it.
Busting people for marijuana is a major waste of taxpayer money. Legalize it and tax it. It would put a end to a lot of problems. Not to mention some organized crimes.

I'm honestly surprised to hear that from you. I guess I'm used to the "knee jerk" reaction from law enforcement types. (I have several in my family)

I guess I had a pretty liberal up-bringing though... I was told, "You'll experiment, because you'll be curious. Just don't let anything get hold of you." It was really the best advice I've ever gotten.

Of course they never said much about the dangers of beer...

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

I'm honestly surprised to hear that from you. I guess I'm used to the "knee jerk" reaction from law enforcement types. (I have several in my family)

I guess I had a pretty liberal up-bringing though... I was told, "You'll experiment, because you'll be curious. Just don't let anything get hold of you." It was really the best advice I've ever gotten.

Of course they never said much about the dangers of beer...

beer


there are no dangers of beer

[whoman69]

I think Ricky Williams just found his calling.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

beer


there are no dangers of beer

Not if you drink it wisely...

Two words... functional alchoholic

[Boyceofsummer]

Originally Posted by Cannibal

The mutherfuggers are such hipocrites. So many of them arrest and abuse people for doing the same things they do.

So many of them drink and drive AND do drugs and then they act like jackboot aholes when they others for doing the same.

Prick c0cksuckers...

not bitter about it.

[Skip Towne]

Originally Posted by ENDelt260

Yeah.

Look at the sheer number of morons in prison.

And that makes cops smart?

[Skip Towne]

Originally Posted by ENDelt260

No.

It merely means at least one was smarter than each moron in prison.

I mean... even "Corky" was probably smarter than someone.

I'd bet 80% of those in prison were ratted off. You can estimate a cop's IQ by looking at his paycheck. I've never met a smart one.

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by alanm

As a former Federal officer for the ***. All I can say is legalize it.
Busting people for marijuana is a major waste of taxpayer money. Legalize it and tax it. It would put a end to a lot of problems. Not to mention some organized crimes.

rep for that

[Cannibal]

Originally Posted by Boyceofsummer

not bitter about it.

Yeah I am bitter about it. They have a power trip. IMO they have this power trip before they're even hired to be a cop. Out of all of the experiences I have had with cops, maybe one or two them actually showed some respect while dealing with me.

So for the most part I don't like cops they are fuggin aholes in my experience.

They need to do their fuggin jobs and shut the F up as far as I am concerned.

[Over-Head]

Originally Posted by alanm

As a former Federal officer for the ***. All I can say is legalize it.
Busting people for marijuana is a major waste of taxpayer money. Legalize it and tax it. It would put a end to a lot of problems. Not to mention some organized crimes.

Get this man ready for the White house!

[alanm]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

I'm honestly surprised to hear that from you. I guess I'm used to the "knee jerk" reaction from law enforcement types. (I have several in my family)

I guess I had a pretty liberal up-bringing though... I was told, "You'll experiment, because you'll be curious. Just don't let anything get hold of you." It was really the best advice I've ever gotten.

Of course they never said much about the dangers of beer...

I had a very liberal upbringing and am very liberal when it comes to social mores. But politically speaking I vote on the right side of the aisle. Go figure. But I'm also very conservative when it comes to national defense and the Armed Forces. There's more destructive drugs out there to deal with in law enforcement than Marijuana. That, I consider harmless as a controlled substance. Alcohol destroys more lives every day than marijuana has ever done since it's mind altering capabilities were first discovered. Also I abhor the practice of testing for marijuana as a precondition for obtaining a job. In fact I consider drug testing in general as a precondition for a job a violation of the 4th and 5th amendments. But the Supreme courts beg to differ with me. Testing for cause while on the job is another matter entirely and is fine with me. I don't know if I ever mentioned it or not. But a friend of mine encouraged me back when I was a senior in college and we were at a job fair to fill out a application for the ***. I did and a couple of weeks later they called me in to the federal building in Omaha for a interview. Went thru all the bullshit on my application and when it came to the question whether or not I had used drugs before and naturally of course I had marked yes on my application. I figured when I had filled it out at the job fair I may as well tell the truth. With their background checks of friends, family, employers, teachers ect, They were going to find out the truth anyway. I had been using drugs since my best friend pulled a joint out of his sock whilst driving to Lincoln for a HS Basketball tournament. The next night I had been introduced to hash. After that weekend I was off and running. And after a few years there hadn't been a drug on the street or concocted somewhere in a lab that I hadn't tried at least once. And in college like everyone else since time began I majored in partying. Only attending classes often enough to pass and graduate on time. Not to mention working parttime. Well to my absolute shock and horror they hired me. Mostly because of my athletic background and I tested quite high on their apptitude test(IQ) and as it turned out that I had told the truth about my drug use. Go figure. And yes I did have to pass a drug test. That was in 84 And that was before drug testing was federally mandated. IIRC that became mandatory in 1985 or 87. I could be wrong on both years though.