…Kristi Croskey owns the Tacoma, Washington, home where a domestic disturbance call resulted in a deadly police stand-off Wednesday.  Tacoma police officer Reginald J. “Jake” Gutierrez was killed after being shot by a 38-year-old man — who was fatally shot by police hours later. 

“I don’t want to hear about Black Lives Matter, because all lives matter” Creskey said. “ I do not want to hear about the police officers being inhumane and shooting people unnecessarily or any of those things.  I want to say that the Tacoma Police Department handled this matter with such professionalism despite their own being shot.  I want to say that this did not have to occur.  I want to say that when you make poor choices, and the response is someone being killed, if that may be the situation — I want you to know that the Tacoma Police Department did any and everything that they could to protect and serve. Read the rest of this entry »

IMF chiefChristine Lagarde, one of the world’s most powerful women, announced Wednesday she had been charged with “negligence” over a multi-million-euro graft case relating to her time as French finance minister. 

“The investigating commission of the court of justice of the French Republic has decided to place me under formal investigation.” 

— IMF chief Christine Lagarde

The shock announcement came a day after she was grilled for more than 15 hours by a special court in Paris that probes ministerial misconduct, the fourth time she has been questioned in a case that has long weighed upon her position as managing director of the International Monetary Fund. 

“The investigating commission of the court of justice of the French Republic has decided to place me under formal investigation,” she said in exclusive comments to AFP. 

In France, being placed under formal investigation is the nearest equivalent to being charged, and happens when an examining magistrate has decided there is a case to be answered.  Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of law enforcement officers killed by firearms in the U.S. jumped by 56 percent this year and included 15 ambush assaults, according to a report released Tuesday. 

“With the increasing number of ambush-style attacks against our officers, I am deeply concerned that a growing anti-government sentiment in America is influencing weak-minded individuals to launch violent assaults against the men and women working to enforce our laws and keep our nation safe.” 

“Enough is enough.  We need to tone down the rhetoric and rally in support of law enforcement and against lawlessness.” 

In all, the report found that 126 federal, local, tribal and territorial officers were killed in the line of duty in 2014.  That’s a 24 percent jump from last year’s 102 on-duty deaths.  Shootings were the leading cause of officer deaths in 2014 followed by traffic-related fatalities, at 49. 

The sharp increase in gun-related deaths among officers followed a dramatic dip in 2013, when the figure fell to levels not seen since the 19th century.  This year’s uptick comes amid increased tension between police and the public following the high-profile deaths of unarmed black men by white police officers, including that of Eric Garner in New York and Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.  Read the rest of this entry »