Police

DES MOINES, IA – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment on December 14, 2022, charging Adair Chief of Police Bradley Wendt with unlawfully obtaining and possessing machine guns.

According to unsealed court documents, Wendt, age 46, exploited his position as the Adair Chief of Police to acquire 10 machine guns purportedly for the official duties and responsibilities of the Adair Police Department, but later resold several of those machine guns at a significant profit.  Wendt also acquired 13 machine guns for his Denison-based gun store, BW Outfitters, through false statements to the ATF that the machine guns were being demonstrated for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Wendt also exploited his position as the Chief of Police to obtain 10 machine guns for Williams Contracting LLC, a federal firearms licensee operated by his friend, Robert Williams, age 46, of Manning. Williams solicited false documentation from Wendt indicating the Adair Police Department wanted a demonstration of each of the machine guns for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Between July 2018 and August 2022, Wendt sought to demonstrate or purchase approximately 90 machine guns for the Adair Police Department, which serves a town of less than 800 people.  Wendt and Williams hosted public machine gun shoots, where they charged patrons money to shoot machine guns registered to their gun stores and the Adair Police Department. Wendt and Williams intended to stockpile machine guns to later sell at a personal profit.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said “Brad Wendt is charged with exploiting his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who violate their oath of office to enrich themselves.”

“This case demonstrates the importance of ATF’s vigilance in regulating federal firearms licensees and bringing to justice those who willfully circumvent federal law in favor of personal profit and abuse public trust. Today’s indictment is the result of seamless collaboration by ATF and our law enforcement partners,” said Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge, ATF - Kansas City Field Division.

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to make false statements and defraud the ATF.  Wendt is charged with 18 counts of making a false statement to the ATF and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Williams is charged with three counts of making a false statement and aiding and abetting a false statement to the ATF. The Indictment is attached below.

If convicted, Wendt faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years. Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation remains ongoing.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikaela Shotwell and Ryan Leemkuil are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source-FBI

The Rwanda National Police(RNP) has  disclosed that it has connected thousands of households without electricity to the national grid.

This disclosure was made on Tuesday, during activities commemorating the the Police Month, by the RNP spokesman, John Bosco Kabera, who also said that a total of 30 houses had been built for vulnerable citizens in various parts of the country.

The month-long outreach activities is aimed at supporting community development and harnessing the ideology of community policing towards crime prevention.

In the Northern Province, RNP gave financial support to 5 apiculture projects, paid health insurance fees for 600 families, built 5 houses for vulnerable people, and provided 732 solar panels to different households.

In the Western Province, 7 houses were built for the vulnerable, 1,379 solar panels donated to households, in addition to financially supporting different cooperatives in Rubavu district with Rwf. 40,200,000.

In the Eastern Province, RNP built 7 houses for the vulnerable, provided 1,458 solar panels to households, paid health insurance fees for 1000 families, built 13 cattle spraying facilities, and donated cows to 4 families.

In the Southern Province, 8 houses were built and 1,070 solar panels donated, while in the city of Kigali, 3 houses were built, in addition to awarding the districts and sectors that performed in the fight against the spread of Covid-19.

Also read-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

               -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

               -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

               -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The unabating insecurity in Kenya reared its ugly head again when Police officers reportedly abducted an Information Communication Technologist(ICT)Dennis Itumbu beating him to a state of unconsciousness.

A statement by the brother of the Technologist, David, stressed that Dennis who had been missing after the abduction took place in Thindigua along Kiambu Road, was found tortured and was being treated at a local hospital.

“My brother has been badly beaten. We thank God that he is alive. On his own account, he was arrested by police and beaten and tortured. Please pray for his recovery. Thank you for your many prayers and support,” stated the brother.’’ David revealed.

Also read- Legalizing Crime and Criminality

                -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

                -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

                -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The proponents of state police argue that it would ensure that the states maintain law and order, while at the same time making possible justice and equity.

However, the proponents are silent over the poor handling of  various security related issues in several states of the federation, while looking the other way when it comes to the activities of self determination groups.

Of worry, is the heavy presence of strangers in most communities of the federation, these set of people do not have visible means of livelihood. Those in charge are aware of the unimpeded reign of crime, criminality and impunity in communities such as Moulsi, Solanke, Olorunsog, Molete, Oshodi, Scout camp, Aluko/Barracks in Felele, Ibadan, Oyo state among others.

 Indeed, scheming and evil machinations of political office holders, who have the people's mandate has brought about the inability to secure lives and property to put an end to violent crimes across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Sadly, some state Governors have continuously manipulated the centralized policing system to their advantage.

Intimidation and harassment of political opponents and citizens who hold contrary views are common place in most states.

With reference to the above mentioned and happenings across the country, it is very dangerous to establish state police during this period of insecurity, economic hardships and agitations by groups for self determination. 

The clamor for state police revolves, perhaps, on self interests and sectional aspirations, going by events in a number of states. Of worry, is the docility of political office holders and the people's representatives at all levels in the face of rising crime and criminality everywhere.

Indeed, most of these crimes are committed with the aid of motorcycles distributed by politically exposed persons as empowerment for the youth. 

Nigerians have expressed visible worries over the activities of criminals operating in commercial motorcycles, vehicles with tinted glasses, vehicles with foreign plate numbers, and vehicles without number plates.

They argue that most crimes in different parts of the country are committed through these motorcycles and vehicles and express surprise over the way the criminals beat the scrutiny of law enforcement agents along the road.

Innocent citizens who reside in Lagos, Ibadan, Benin City, Port Harcourt, Warri, Onitsha, Aba, Kaduna, Kano, and Abuja, among others, have continued to recount their tales of woe to whoever cared to listen.

Sadly, the law enforcement agents, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring law and order and the adherence to the road safety rules and regulations, have for long adopted a conspiratorial attitude, mainly because of the benefits that would accrue from aiding and abetting criminals.

Nigerians are now of the opinion that the laws of the land are either no longer functional or the law enforcement agencies are deliberately sabotaging the enforcement of the laws.

A victim of the worrisome state of insecurity in Ibadan, Nigeria, who spoke incognito, reveals his experience.

‘’There is a beer parlor opposite the Iyanganku Magistrate; it is among the several shops that share the same fence with the police barracks. A door inside the beer parlor leads into the barracks. Visit the beer parlor and observe those who patronize the beer parlor, and you will agree that those who break the law have the blessing of the persons whose statutory functions include the protection of lives and property, he stated.

The general feeling is that some criminally minded law enforcement agents make use of criminals as proxies in carrying out their statutory functions, which has resulted in the harassment, intimidation, and arrest of unsuspecting citizens.

Of worry is the adopted official status of lawlessness, indiscipline, and criminality in different parts of the country.

Indeed, illiteracy and ignorance have also contributed significantly to the scheme of things as presently constituted.

The mental psyche of millions of Nigerians has been dehumanized; this has resulted in unthinkable occurrences.

These occurrences have consumed a sizable chunk of those in charge.

The widespread, uninhibited prevalence of the lawless acts, to millions of Nigerians, is an indication that there is already a failure in leadership; with no visible remedy in sight for now.