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Saturday, September 17, 2005 · Last updated 3:21 p.m. PT

Idaho officers told help not wanted in New Orleans

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANDPOINT, Idaho -- Several sheriff's deputies who drove to Louisiana to help with hurricane cleanup are returning early, saying they were told their help - and supplies - weren't needed.

"I'm a little miffed," said Bonner County Sheriff Elaine Savage, whose department helped send seven deputies and two moving vans full of donated supplies to the Gulf Coast.

The deputies were told when they arrived in Louisiana to take their supplies and return home, Savage said Friday. The supplies were eventually distributed with help from state police.

"They're just so frustrated," Savage said. "It's the same bureaucracy that everyone is dealing with."

Shoshone County Sheriff Chuck Reynalds said the rejection was doubly stinging because the deputies paid their own way and the trip was organized in response to a call for law enforcement help from the sheriff in St. Charles Parish, next to New Orleans.

"It was a paperwork bureaucracy nightmare," Reynalds told the Spokesman-Review newspaper of Spokane, Wash. "These were fully certified law enforcement officers, fully armed and ready to go to work. We weren't seeking reimbursement. You know damn well they could use all the help they can get."

The relief mission was organized in the week after the destructive storm struck by the Bonner County Sheriff's Office and the Fraternal Order of Police. The deputies had planned to donate the supplies and help with law enforcement duties in St. Charles Parish.

The convoy left Sept. 7 and stopped in several towns to pick up more supplies and in many cases more volunteers.

Residents and police departments gave bedding, baby food, underwear, law enforcement supplies, socks and even spare change. About $20,000 was collected and sent with the officers.

After leaving Idaho, the convoy headed straight for the Gulf Coast, checking in often with law enforcement officials in St. Charles Parish.

"We were assured, 'No, please, come on, we need the stuff,'" Savage said. "As they got closer they started to get a greater reluctance to accept the goods we had. There was a real reluctance, almost a 'We didn't think you'd really do it.'"

Reynalds said it was federal officials who turned away the donations. "When they got there, FEMA did not want these goods. Most of it was brand new," he said.

Eventually the Louisiana State Patrol helped distribute the donations to needy families. The Idaho deputies did some patrols with local officers from the St. Charles Parish.

"They did provide some relief," Reynalds said. "One night they were guarding a warehouse. The next day they were on patrols."

But then the Idaho deputies were told they were no longer needed. The officers volunteered to pitch in with patrols in neighboring New Orleans, but were thwarted by the stacks of paperwork and special requirements from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Reynalds said.

"I know there's a lot of legalities and things, but I just feel that firefighting and law enforcement are basically the same nationwide. Bad guys are bad guys and fire is fire," Reynalds said.

Mounds of donated supplies remain in Idaho and some of the deputies might make a return trip to haul the goods, Savage said. They now have the names and addresses of Gulf Coast shelters that are accepting supplies, she said.

I got the same hassle when I showed up with a bunch of guys from my agency.

We coordinated with LSP prior to deploying.  After standing around for a week with our thumbs up our asses, so to speak, we turned around and headed home.

Not a dig on LSP, but more on the local officials and most specifically, FEMA.  What a bunch of assclowns.

After witnessing some of the crap going on, I had a long, meaningful chat with my command staff and the decision was made to RTB.  Glad we did to.


Sheep

Quoted: After witnessing some of the crap going on

Care to elaborate?

Mississippi is wide open. We still have people over there and they're still needing all the help they can get.  Sure as hell didn't turn us away.

This is ironic.  Sandpoint, Idaho, is a popular retirement community for former LAPD officers.  It makes sense that N.O. doesn't want former LAPD brass.  Remember Rodney King?

Quoted: This is ironic.  Sandpoint, Idaho, is a popular retirement community for former LAPD officers.  It makes sense that N.O. doesn't want former LAPD brass.  Remember Rodney King?

OK, this qualifies as the dumbest thing I have read all week. You made it just under the wire at 8:00 PM on Sunday.

Congratulations.

Bob

IT WAS A JOKE!

I live in St Charles Parish. I know in St Bernard they were looking for any help in the beginning but I bet once they got the feds involved things changed. I know of guys that were deputized, given a rifle and vest to help out in the hardest hit smaller parishes. That was in the very beginning when they had to depend on Joe Citizen for help.

Probably not jackbooted enough.

I'd imagin the Cops from the Rocky Mtn Western states lack the diplomacy needed in the area. They would probably knock the shit out someone that needed it.

Quoted: After witnessing some of the crap going on, I had a long, meaningful chat with my command staff and the decision was made to RTB.  Glad we did to.

In hindsight you can always say you tried.

Shoulda gone to MS. They need help.

Quoted: Mississippi is wide open. We still have people over there and they're still needing all the help they can get.  Sure as hell didn't turn us away.

Yeah, I know of a pair of dudes from Philly who went down with a couple tons of food, water, blankets, fuel, etc and had no problems disbursing their stuff in MS.  They also said FEMA and other authorities didn't hassle them and seemed to be doing a great job.

Similar thing happened to a group of churches locally that took up itemed donations(food, clothes, diapers, etc) and were going to send a tractor trailor down to Katrina victims.
Then they get a call from their drop-off point that their warehouses are full and they really don't need those goods right now.....leaving them stuck with a semi, full of donated things with no where to go.

Calls went out to Red Cross, local chapter didn't have anywhere to put it.
Salvation Army apparently was full up too.
Both did say they were accepting monetary donations  though.

Fortunately they finally got the call for an "immediate need" in Miss thru the regional church association so it will be heading out this week. But there for a while they were sweatin' bullets on what to do with all of this stuff that was donated , in good faith, for Katrina victims.

Apparently there's a breakdown in asset management....one side's still asking for donations ,relief aid, manpower and money...and the other side is telling folks not to send any more goods or manpower to help out. And yet there are still towns without electricity or potable water or housing that need help.
Kinda sounds like "Too Many Chiefs Syndrome" (FEMA, Homeland Sec, Gov., etc)

I hate to say it, and I hope it don't happen....but the biggest victim of this just might be the folks caught up in the NEXT disaster>> When people get jaded over "giving" because their previous donations and offers of assistance were turned away.

Quoted: Quoted: This is ironic.  Sandpoint, Idaho, is a popular retirement community for former LAPD officers.  It makes sense that N.O. doesn't want former LAPD brass.  Remember Rodney King? OK, this qualifies as the dumbest thing I have read all week. You made it just under the wire at 8:00 PM on Sunday. Congratulations. Bob

Our agency was going to send men for 45 days and we were turned away.  We are now sending men to Mississippi for two weeks.

Should have gone to Mississippi. I don't think FEMA is aware the strom struck there, also.

Besides, I'll bet the citizens would be more grateful than those in NOLA.

Eddie

To all those that helped, contributed, or even had a kind thought for the hurricane and flood victims; military, LEO, or civilian, we thank you.  Your help is greatly appreciated.
FEMA officials are bureaucratics and are part of the problem; 'little dick syndrome' runs rampant with all of the gubment and local agencies. They want your help when they f it up, then want you run off so they can get the credit.  All of them ignore their greatest asset...the common American.  Just because someones a LEO doesn't necessary mean that they know jack about anything.  Just because someones a civilian doesn't mean that they don't know jack about something.
Next time LA gets jammed up, letting us work itself out by ourselves might be the best help there can be.  And you can have a little satisfaction in saying foad.  It sucks being able and willing to help and then have some asshat give you attitude.

Quoted: I'd imagin the Cops from the Rocky Mtn Western states lack the diplomacy needed in the area. They would probably knock the shit out someone that needed it.

It has already happened.  Article

Ariz. deputy involved in beanbag shooting in La.

William Hermann
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 6, 2005 12:48 PM

A member of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office shot a Louisiana motorist in the eye with a beanbag round Tuesday morning after the motorist threatened him, officials said.

According to officials at the scene, two members of the Sheriff's office had just left their base camp in Gonzalez, La., south of Baton Rouge, and were driving along Interstate 10 on their way home about 8 a.m. when they encountered a man driving in a menacing way toward them.

The Sheriff's officials attempted to stop him and he got out of the vehicle and continued threatening them. One deputy fired the beanbag round, striking the man in the eye.

Names of the deputies and the wounded man were not released. Details about the man's injuries were not available.