Tag: police

Area Homeless Man Clearly Seen As Cool Even By Cops

‘Prophet’ is back on street

Popular transient who was in confrontation with police is back in Lake Forest, on probation.

By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
The Orange County Register

LAKE FOREST – Weeks after he was involved in a violent confrontation with police, a well-known transient known as “The Prophet” has been seen in the same area where deputies used Tasers, batons and beanbag shots to restrain the 265-pound man. Charles Barnes, 49, was released two weeks after police said the 6-foot, 6-inch-tall man took several items from a CVS Pharmacy near the intersection of El Toro Road and Rockfield Boulevard.

When Orange County sheriff’s deputies arrived to the area June 20, Barnes was wearing what appeared to be body armor constructed from pieces of traffic cones, magazines, plastics, and a hubcap strapped to his chest.

Barnes threw a bottle at officers as they arrived, said Lt. Don Barnes, chief of police services for Lake Forest. Officers used Tasers and beanbag shots to subdue “The Prophet,” but they had little effect because of the layers of clothing and material strapped to his body, Lt. Barnes said.

Officers said Barnes grabbed one deputy’s Taser and officers used batons to subdue him and force him to let go of it. When the popular transient was taken into custody, he was taken to a local hospital with cuts, bruises and what may have been a broken hand, Lt. Barnes said.

“The Prophet” was booked for robbery, but not for resisting arrest, Lt. Barnes said. “That was probably a decision that was made on the field by the deputies,” he said. Charges were not filed by the District Attorney’s Office regarding that incident.

Barnes remains on three years’ probation from an earlier charge of obstructing and intimidating a business and customers, which occurred June 4. Court records show that Barnes was arrested May 7 as well, and charged with resisting a police officer and obstructing and intimidating a business and customers. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail and three years’ probation in that case.

“Our goal is to make sure the community is safe,” said Lt. Barnes. “We just don’t want to have another confrontation like we had last time.”

Area Newspaper’s Police Blotter Weird This Week

Newport Beach:

Island, 300 block: suspicious circumstances, July 7. A resident found that an envelope had been placed in her mailbox with her name printed on it. The envelope contained a vibrator, a battery and a note.

Costa Mesa:

Location undisclosed: arrest, July 11. James Norwood Branch, 45, of Newport Beach, was arrested on suspicion of rape of a drugged victim and lewd and lascivious acts.

Police are investigating the cause of a loud explosion and several broken windows at a Costa Mesa apartment building late Monday. Police responded to the 2100 block of Elden Avenue at 9:30 p.m. to reports of a loud explosion, but did not see any evidence that an explosion had occurred. Tuesday morning, one resident found a piece of metal on the front porch and two other residents said their windows were broken, Costa Mesa police said. Arson investigators and the Orange County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad Tuesday morning found evidence that a destructive device was exploded outside the apartment building.

Courtesy my brother, a piece of cop prose

“Detectives alertly moved in on that vehicle and that male tried to ram that vehicle, two other vehicles on that scene. He subsequently exits the vehicle and as he’s running away detectives can clearly see this male is attempting to pull a gun out of his back pocket. At some point in time he is chased around the corner and two detectives discharged their weapons.”

My county’s sheriffs are doing a fine imitation of Tijuana cops lately. Background here: The son of an “assistant sheriff” and major campaign donor took part in a gang rape of another teenager and the Sheriffs Office obstructed the investigation. They also let the kid go when he was smoking pot outside the courthouse. Meanwhile, it turns out that the Sheriff has been handing out Reserve Deputy status, with badge and government issued gun included, to all his buddies. Some of said buddies have criminal records, and none of them are peace officers. The State has been pressuring him to train or fire his reserve deputies.

Hey, they’re right! His taekwondo instructor turns out not to be the kind of guy you want packing heat:

O.C. Reserve Deputy Is Suspended
Four felony counts are lodged against the man who is also the sheriff’s martial arts instructor. He allegedly pulled a gun and raged at golfers.
By Christine Hanley
Times Staff Writer

August 5, 2005

An Orange County sheriff’s reserve deputy was suspended from duty after his arrest Monday for allegedly flashing his badge, pulling a gun and threatening to kill a group of golfers at a Chino Hills course.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in San Bernardino County said Thursday that they were upping the charges against the reserve officer from a single misdemeanor count of brandishing a firearm to four felonies: two counts each of assault with a firearm and making criminal threats.

conduct unbecoming