Submitted today by an NIT reader:
“This is a photo of a undercover Iowa State Patrol officer during a sting conducted a few months ago in down town Mason City. The officer posed as a homeless man asking for a beer. Sign read need beer God bless. I wanted to help the man so I stopped and gave him what he was asking for. I proceeded on my way home from work. When rounded the bend on Federal Ave. south of South Bridge Mall I was stopped by MCPD, Iowa State Patrol, and Cerro Gordo Sheriffs and told I had made a bad mistake and could be under arrest. I was searched and tested I passed and let go with a warning. I think its a shame.”
We have way to many police officers if they have time to do this.
i grew up in Mason City, Iowa. i left Mason City and moved to Cedar Falls to attend UNI. I now live in Denver and did make the mistake of returning to Mason City to visit family and friends. During the last visit I was pulled over and searched. While the police and detective’s went through ou the luggage my husband my children and I had to stand on the highway. After a three hour delay we returned to gome to Denver. Our family but and friends travel here to visit us. Where they are not treated as criminals.
Been gone from Mason City for over 15 years now. MC PD was a joke then and still is. They have never cared about serve and protect, they care about their own ego’s. Nuff Said as that sums it up.
If this is all the police have to do there need to be some layoffs!
This is so unprofessional as to be embarrassing.
Sounds like something two 14 yr. olds would dream up thinking it was “like really cool”.
On the legal side it’s also pointless–giving someone a beer doesn’t establish probable cause for the cops to do much of anything in stopping or searching that person.
I was involved with law enforcement for years, yet this is a real standout for sheer stupidity.
What an absolute waste of time, energy, and money.
I’m thinking, tomorrow I will go around downtown and hand out free beers.
Is that against the law? Nope.
Better yet, citizens need to get a crowd and go to the MCPD and the Sheriff’s office with six packs and ask them if they want a free beer.
You folks need to climb into the cab of a big rig if you think this “sting” operation is a police state.
The Federal government recently published – then rapidly retracted – new sleep apnea rules for truck drivers. The DOT wants to be able to review how we SLEEP as well as drive!
The rules were written based on recommendations of a blue ribbon panel of experts who just so happen to own large chains of sleep clinics and manufacturers of C PAP machines! Oh and don’t forget the physicians on this board who are also on the Boards of Directors for the previously mentioned groups.
If the C PAP machines are not used, or not used correctly, the driver will be PARKED for up to FOUR DAYS without pay, until their C PAP machine’s little SD chip reports show proper and adequate use! What the heck!! No means of appealing the penalty. And who has four days of food and water stored in their vehicle?
Just last year, the State of Minnesota’s efforts at enforcing “fatigued driver” tests was thrown out of state court. Minnesota’s DOT had a check list that the CIVILIAN – yes, not a badge carrying officer – would ask truckers when they were stopped at the state’s weigh scales. Driver’s got demerit points for being too cheerful, being too grouchy, having garbage, a TV, magazines in their bunk area. One DOT-affiliated civilian even had to admit on the stand they went as afar as asking the driver about their “self-gratification practices” when in the bunk! NO LIE! Talk about suddenly getting a demerit for being grumpy!
The newly released Hours of Service rules for truck drivers is a joke. Effective July next year, a truck driver must take a 30 minute break if he/she hasn’t already taken one within the first seven hours of driving – hello? How big of a bladder do they think drivers have?
This type of sting operation is happening all over the country – a city in Florida last month had the Easter Bunny on the shoulder looking for seat belt violations too.
Too bad the badge gets tarnished, as many of these officers are excellent people, following ill-advised orders.
Be safe out there… (Sgt. Esterhaus, Hill Street Blues)
Well sir, lots of other folks in transportation have much stricter laws on hours of service and rest. It’s time all modes be treated the same way to increase safety. Along with that, governors and computer controls should become manditory on all trucks as it is with other modes to control speed and limit hours. I also think the fines for violating those laws should be changed as it has been with other modes, both the driver, and the company as well.
That would come closer to putting all modes of transport on a level playing field. Which should have happened back in the 1940’s.
Be sure and read this article in NIT:
Seatbelt sting injustice: Government mining money
http://www.northiowatoday.com/?p=17594
I read it. Not impressed. Laws are there for a reason, like it or not. I have explained this to Peter L quite a few times now, if one desires a law to be changed, he or she has to get backing of more than a few people.
For example, the alternate side parking regulations. There is compelling state interest in having those laws. Failure to comply creates hardships for others, both your neighbors and the general public, not to mention the people who’s job it is to clear streets. The law is easy to follow, and is a compromise to eliminating all on-street parking in the winter (which is done in most communities that are growing and successful).
If it were up to me, any time a car is left on the street during or after snow, that street would be closed (as unsafe) and not plowed by the City. Let those who parked illegally pay for it to be done on their own. Same goes for the selfish lazy people who plow their snow into the street. Close it up as unsafe, and make the offender pay to clean that block.
People, laws are there for a reason. And as a citizen, it your duty, like it or not, to obey those laws.
I agree with you observer. most of the laws and ordinances are on the books for a good reason. I have no problem with that. what burns my ass, is when the laws dont apply equally to everyone. please answer this question. why is it legal for an officer to give one person a summons for a violation, and not have to give everyone a summons for the very same violation? they call it officer discretion
In times of tight budgets an officer doing this is a position that can and should be eliminated to save funds.
The official that authorized this action should be fired.
So our police should not enforce laws? There is nothing illegal or unethical, as proven by our courts, with the action that was taken.
I am going to call the police when I see these peple from now on.
I will expect charges to be filed. Even if they are undercover cops.
it ios time to stop these police state tactics.
I have a few questions please
#1 is it legal to panhandle in MC?
#2 is it legal for officers to break the law to catch a criminal?
#3 a while back a blog talked about some violations not severe enough to that the officers could make a stop. anyone have a list of some of those and do any of those violations apply to this story?
Aren’t they suppose to be looking for jodi? ? This is so petty. Maybe if the law was equal and it applied to everyone ….enough ssid
OK I DON’T GET IT? IT’S NOT AGAINST THE LAW TO GIVE A BEER TO A ADULT! SO WHAT WAS THE DEAL?
Simple way to get around this.
If you feel the need to give this guy a beer
1: Go into Kum & Go
2: Buy a beer
3: Demand that he drink it- “right the #$%^ now!”
4: ???????
5: Profit.
I bvelive it is all about money, not safety seat belts help give some people a false sense of safety, and they have a tendacy and drive faster..Jim
The real question should be to the City what were they trying to accomplish, what did they accomplish and how much did it cost. If you ask these questions they will not have good answers.
The fact is that the law is taking advantage of good hearted people. Since when is it against the law to buy a person a beer? or for instance buy a homeless person a sandwich? its not. What the cops are doing is playing the good hearted to their own advantage. shame on you!
Its really sad when you cant trust the people that are supposed to protect you!
Mason city needs to can the officers and get new one’s that can actually do police work instead of the scandalous one’s being hipocrits. There are very few good officers left here in mason. They do have a right to do their job but lets actually do something worthwhile like catching a sex predator and putting them away..but no that would mean actually doing some real work.
My suggestion to you, is to look at what our Police Department actually does on a daily basis. Talk to the Chief, a supervisor, or patrol officer. Ask the investigators. Try riding along with them for a half shift and see what they really face.
Then, I suggest you take a trip to other communities, and see what they do. How they run their departments, the challenges they face, and so on.
I’ll go back to the bottom line here. We pay our Police to enforce laws. We pay them to investigate crimes. Law is not subject to debate, outside of a Legislative body or our Courts. Our duty as U.S. citizens is to obey laws. It’s just that simple.
I have observed and rode with officers in this county and others. So before you get all defensive and try to defend these “officers” maybe you should actually look into some of the actions of officers and really make obvious obserservations. You have tried to make excuses or have the police depts back cuz u obviously work there. It must be everybody elses fault if an issue happens..they are guilty from the get go and never a mistake on behalf of the police department. If u people never had informants or snitches to do your work you would never solve shit! Nice try but I don’t agree with your observation and denial with the force. I’ve seen better shop with other counties.
Disclaimer: I am not employed by the Mason City Police Department, the City of Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, or the State of Iowa.
That said, the only reason I say anything at all, is because so many of the comments defy logic and my observations. Not only with MCPD, but with others through the years.
I do not hold grudges, believe silly stereotypes, or live within some paradigm. I look at the sum of the parts. I consider the job and all it entails. I listen to friends and professionals.
The ISP also has an unmarked silver Dodge Charger with “Baby on board” signs in the back window as well as stuffed animals. It also has the pull down baby sun screens in the back side door windows.
When I pulled up next to this car at an intersection, the patrolman was smoking in the car. I am pretty sure that the State of Iowa does not allow smoking in their cars, so I am sure he was violating work rules at least.
These people are so hypocritical. I am getting sick of this big brother government.
that should be entrapment at least in my book … just bc you have beer in your car doesnt mean you are drinking it. you could have just bought it from the store and been on your way home….
I guess i should quit bitching on how low and pathetic these “law enforement officers” are being, they have to pay for those brand new dodge chargers and tahoes some how. Come on people most of us cant afford those things might as well give them to the ones who work hard to take even more of our money.
All those situations maybe legal and all right, but the fact is how low and sneaky they have to try to be to bust people. What ever happened to respectful, and good honest police work around here? Hey you know what if you break the law…you break the law, but they dont need to go this low to look like a bum out trying to get a beer. I guess this is the kind of protection are tax money getss
Let’s go back to the days of the wars against England. They used to think having a long line of men on opposing sides face each other in a field and take turns exchanging shots. Then the malitia started hiding in the brush and ambushing the Queen’s armies, sniping them from cover. This gave an unprecedented advantage and severely confused the armies of England. Now how are wars fought? Both sides snipe from cover, they get sneaky and find ways to outsmart their opponents. This ‘sting’ is no different; to catch someone breaking the law, it’s better to be sneaky and catch them when they are unprepared. While I do agree that seat belt violations are rather mundane, there is a law to enforce their use, so why not just wear it? If you don’t and you are pulled over for it, pay the ticket and accept the consequences.
I saw this guy standing on the corner with the sign. I seriously considered stopping at Kum & Go and grabbing him a 40 oz., but then I was distracted by the flashing lights just down the road and around the corner, so I just went home.
I sit in a farm tractor along side the interstate, and pop you for going 90 in a 70 zone. I radio ahead and a squad pulls out and nabs you. Legal? You betcha.
I am sitting in a building on US 65 and IA 122, with the lights out, on the second floor. You stop for the traffic light and I see you are smoking dope. I take a photo and radio ahead to a patrol car, they pinch ya. Legal? You betcha.
I am walking downtown with a sandwich board that says “the world will end on Saturday”, I see a teen smoking. I call a radio car, and they pick up the miscreant kids. Legal? Yes indeed.
In all three instances, the ‘I’ is a police officer working undercover. In all three instances, suits had been filed to question not only the ethics, but constitutionality of the methods involved. All were found to be perfectly legal.
So sorry.
Plus at the end of the night the cops had a lot of FREE BEER to drink….LMAO
Legal is not the question. Let me try from this point of view. Any human wearing a large sign that says “Need Beer” is a fairly sick person. The sign really reads “ I’m not okay I need help” in this case the help he is seeking is beer. This is not undercover observation by the ISP but enters the human condition into the mix. People believe the person needs help (lie) to gain the info needed to hook um up with charges.
In the long run it will also change how we ( at least us here on this blog) see someone who needs help as potential liability that could hurt us.
If I go to dinner and have two drinks and on the way home see someone in need of help (bum with a sign) normally I would try and help. Now -No Way because it could be a cop and I could be forced to ‘walk the line’. ( no I don’t drive drunk just less hassle to ignore him )
FYI – I personally would not give this “Bum” ( cop in a costume ) any beer. I would however give him a $5.00 bill due to the fact that most are not there by choice. Some are Vets or / and have a mental illness, but they still need to eat and stay warm. So I give.
keep supporting this bs next the state police will be dressed up as buffalo bill and needing help getting a mattress in a van. Busted! LOL
Watcher –
Methods are being challenged here. The story is of interest because of the Methods used, the “what if scenarios” used by L.E seem to have no limits. I have not and do not receive traffic tickets but I do take offence to the methods by which we are “Watched”. It bothers me that a State Police officer would be such a ??????. If a boss of mine asked me to “lie” ( need beer when he does not need beer) I would find another job. I would think you would also.
If someone breaks the law then yes we ALL agree that they are to be dealt with and I see no evidence on this blog that says otherwise. What is being challenged here in the court of public opinion is State Police methods or tactics which they employ to do their job. Weasels
Maybe he really does need beer. LOL
James, you are being watched, not every second, and not only by our Police Department. Like it or not. I see something bone-head, and it creates an unsafe condition, I’ll drop the dime, and perhaps take a video too.
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” ― C.S. Lewis (“The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Screwtape Letters”)
Using Gods name during a sting is just wrong. MCPD has no shame
It’s better then the paster assaulting a minor in the HOUSE oF God, yep that happened right here in good ol Mason City also.
Apparently some people think that seatbelt violations and broken headlights are more important than people getting the crap beat out of them or even killed. This is whats wrong with people around here. Maybe we should take a vote on which crimes you would like more attention on, murder or seatbelt? Thats a tuff one.
Nope, I just think, the law is the law. Break the law, be it seatbelt or murder, be prepared to take responsibility for your actions.
Irresponsibility breeds irresponsibility…
yes the law is the law. and everyone should be treated equally. so my question is this. “is everyone being treated equally?” HELL NO
Apparently Watcher you didnt understand my last sentence in my comment. Im fine with the fine, what i am talking about is the management of the officers. With all the crimes going on this last year and lately, you would think they would spend some of there time alittle more wisely, instead of fundraising.
What you are saying is even though you committed a crime they should go after other criminals?
Yes, Go after “real crime” instead of “fake crime”!
☺☺☺☺☺
This story is absolutely true. I have a $127 dollar ticket to prove it. I asked the officer about it and was told it was a sting. They’ve also been happening in clear lake also. Just remember election time the choice is all yours.
Great idea… let’s spend more taxpayers money to revoke a law that authorizes a device that could/does save someone’s life it they were not too lazy to reach across their lap to fasten it in place.
Vote whichever way you think best, but I guarantee seat-belt laws will never be revoked, and it would be a huge waste of taxpayer’s money to try and do so.
O.M.G. What an injustice!
I remember the big fight when the seat belt law was created. The fine was $10.00 and now I hear in the video it is up to $127.00. What a crock!
The insurance companies, under the call for our “safety” and of course lower insurance premiums lobbied for the seat belt law.
For the first few years it was not greatly enforced or made a big deal of. Now it’s a $127.00 fine. There is money to be mined by the Police State we live in, and that is exactly what the jack-booted thugs are doing. Mining money out of the public they are supposed to be serving.
Citizens need to get involved and put a stop to the abuses of police protection.
If some idiot wants to drive without a seat belt then that should be his right. We don’t make motorcyclists wear helmets nor should we.
Talk about a Government out of control and the Police that are right in bed with them.
Thomas Jefferson: “When injustice becomes law, then resistance becomes duty.”
If you don’t want to get a ticket… don’t break the laws.
I had to preface this with that statement. After reading this persons attempt at making our police look “shamed”. And then reading other media accounts on what LE was actually doing. This was a seatbelt sting operation, and a rather ceative one at that. Nothing more, nothing less, funded by a safety grant to bring awareness to people that violate the mandatory seatbelt laws. Since obviously people can’t read the signs posted everywhere throughout the state and on billboards and in commercials “Click it or ticket”
I love the ignorance of the irresponsible.
It’s a lazy way of enforcing the law (IMO) .
It does and did work in this case however you would think that a corporal in the state police would not want to conduct him/her self with ‘sleight of hand tactics’.
What if a Used Car dealer held up a sign that said “I want to help you” and when you stopped, he handed you an application for credit and his business card? What would you think of him?
We have a right to our opinion (thanks NIT for a place to publicly give it) and my opinion that the ‘means to the end’ for the ISP, in this case are sleazy.
You haven’t been to a car lot much have you?
A car salesman stands there waiting to “help you”… you make eye contact and they ask “may I help you”… They say “why don’t we check your credit” to see what “I can help you with”… they hand you a card hoping you will return to them so they can “help you”.
The officer was posing as someone asking for help “Need Beer”, not offering. Frankly if I had been dumb enough to pull over to offer him a beer, then I would deserve the ticket for not wearing my safety-belt (by the way I always were mine after I got a ticket for not 5+ years ago, I realized how dumb I was being and grew up and took responsibility for my actions).
It is always someone else’s fault, isn’t it… Simple solution!! Don’t break law and they can’t pull you over or arrest you and then charge you fines for the law you broke… Try being responsible!
Maybe the citizens of MC should do a ‘sting’ on the MCPD to prove just how corrupted they are!
Yes, if you pulled over to offer assistance, and you were not wearing a seatbelt, they called ahead and you were fined. Hard to believe? Really?
The same people who let a train block the tracks for 30-45 min. And the next day sit in the engine and write 250.00 tickets to those who try and avoid what happened the day before.
The people who pull HUNDREDS of cars off the interstate without cause to question them and write any violation they can find (safty checks)
The people who follow you when you leave a bar late night, even though you are the D.D. driver, and get right on your bumper swerving from side to side hoping you will bobble as you drive.
The people who sit at the bottom of 12th & 19th steet bridges, a 17% grade, and write tickets all day long.
Really? You dont think they would do this? Really?
You are NOTHING MORE THAN A REVENUE SOURCE to these prople, you know, those who swore to protect and serve you.
Just ask yourself this. How many people are happy to see a cop? That should tell you all you need to know about our force
SIMPSON FURNITURE VS Mike & Bonnie HAHN
Case: 01071 LNCV115166 (BLACK HAWK)
Usually I refrain from criticizing our police force, but come on. No wonder this town is overrun with rifraf, our cops are trying to catch beer donations! What a joke!
IF it did happen, the only people who would hand some random person a beer from their car, are people who are driving around with beer in their car.
Actually pretty smart on the part of the po po.
Here’s the link to the story from KIMT. It did happen…..http://www.kimt.com/content/localnews/story/Area-Law-Enforcement-Work-on-Seatbelt-Project/4Pb-UNO6zEeAbtnoiI1yMA.cspx
How do you get your beer home from the store fred UPS? The only people this is hurting are the real homeless. What do they do with money that was givin to this cop. I will never again help these people because of this.
I need more proof than this. I don’t believe this ever happened.
Well I hope you watched the video in the link I provided. As you will see, there is a cop dressed as a panhandler holding the need beer sign. Is that enough proof for you?
Then I say it is a genius idea! Buckle your seatbelt and don’t drive around with an open 12 pack of beer in your car and you got no worries, Gloria.
Is this really an Iowa State Patrolman or an underage person partying for free beer? Since NIT is not providing the name of the person submitting the photograph along with a whole bunch of other facts, how can we the reader be sure it’s authentic?
Real deal ! I’ve talked with many about this and the ISP see’s no shame in it.
^^^^^^^ must be Mike Hanh. HUH
why does mike hahn give a shit about north iowa news, if hes living in fargo north dakota?!?!?!?!!?!?
Waverly 9,874, Waterloo 68,406, both off the 2010 Census. Just thought I would throw some facts in there. I am trying to figure out though how you would be so sure that it was him posting…
See discussion on Facebook where real names are used.
Thanks Matt for clarifying.
Relying on NIT as my preferred source for news and information from my hometown and not seeing the earlier KIMT report, I jumped to a conclusion. Thanks for clarifying that for me Matt, My apologies to NIT.
Apology accepted. Thank you for working this out in a dignified manner and for stopping by NIT, you are always welcome here.
Wow, What a waste of resources. This cop is a Bum.
Message to the Iowa State Police: This is absurd- ( also not police work) it only exposes those who are willing to help someone.
BTW – a sign that says ‘need beer’ really reads ‘I’m sick can you help me?’
Silliness
There seems to be many details missing from this story. Explain why purchasing a person on the street a beer is illegal? Did the homeless person appear underaged? What test was performed?
Perhaps after knowing those details, one would have sufficient information to judge if this was a “shame”.
I had very little respect for our police before this happened, I had ZERO after I watched this.
Respect is earned, and our local enforcement agencys have none of mine.
I would be so embarrassed if I were a cop!
I am not sure what you ‘watched’ to make you comment like that. There is no video posted with this story (I refreshed the page a few times to make sure).
As far as our police go, I would not at all be ashamed to be a member of the Department. While no one is perfect, they do a heck of a job in my opinion. And if you want to slight them, how about a bit of proof. Give us examples why they do not deserve respect. Is it this department, or all of them? Were you pinched by them? Forced to buy pencils?
A MC Police Officer lied in court “under oath” about a finger print on a beer can which later was proved did not exist. I was on the jury.
My wife I witnessed MC officers using unnecessary force with a drunk and laugh about it during an arrest at Kum and Go.
If this sting is true, I can totally understand why there is no respect for the Mason City Police Department. What a total waste of money!
Good grief! Who was the dolt that came up with that idea?
Date and time please… I would like to verify this “sting” against “public” records.
So you took a picture of the so undercover LE but not one of the sting operation? I have always gotten names of officers that have pulled me over, ticket or not.