Omaha Police Violate Law With Signs
Posted: June 15th, 2007 02:47 PM PDT

Posters advertising positions with the Omaha Police Department were posted illegally.
Story by ketv.com

OMAHA, Neb. --

The signs appeared on light poles along Omaha's 13th Street early Thursday. And by Thursday evening, they were gone.

They were posters advertising positions with the Omaha Police Department. The white fliers with color photos were the work of police recruiters who likely thought they'd catch the attention of thousands of visitors attending the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

"Equal opportunity employer," the poster stated.

But there was a problem. The signs were posted illegally.

The KETV Newswatch 7 I-Team brought it to the attention of Omaha police and City Councilman Garry Gernandt, a former Omaha police officer.

"Oops," said Gernandt, when he learned about the signs posted in the city's right-of-way.

It's one of Gernandt's pet peeves. He said he was a little embarrassed because the Omaha city code specifically prohibits any signs on public property.

"What's that going to cause? Rear-end accidents, dangerous situations. It's put in the code for just that reason," said Gernandt.

Public information officer Sgt. Teresa Negron said as soon as the department realized it had posted the signs in error, they were removed.

It's still unknown whether police will cite themselves for the violation.

"They wouldn't have to go very far, would they?" said Gernandt, laughing.

Gernandt said police usually give a warning to violators before ticketing them.

Police are above the law... I thought you knew that. Stupid peasants!

OK, c'mon.  

It was a snafu.  It wasn't any sort of "we know we're not supposed to do this we just want to do it anyway because we're authoritah."

Someone fucked up.   It was a very mild fuckup.

Sorry, not a big deal.  

Quoted: OK, c'mon.   It was a snafu.  It wasn't any sort of "we know we're not supposed to do this we just want to do it anyway because we're authoritah." Someone fucked up.   It was a very mild fuckup. Sorry, not a big deal.

Totally agree.

LMAO, just poking fun.



...or am I?

Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.

Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment.

"Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
Isn't that the mantra of the LEO community?

Quoted: Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.   Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment.

exactly.
Unless I do something like this and get away with it when I say "Oops!," they should still suffer the same consequences I would.
Just because it's a pretty insignificant law, doesn't mean it should be overlooked.

Quoted: Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.   Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment.

No doubt.   But I suspect the councilman got it right when he said they typically issue an initial warning.  

Quoted: "Ignorance of the law is no excuse." Isn't that the mantra of the LEO community?

Yep

Quoted: Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.   Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment.

At least in our city (just to the south of Omaha) the public works just takes the signs down and throws them away.  I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting the book thrown at them.

Quoted: Quoted: OK, c'mon.   It was a snafu.  It wasn't any sort of "we know we're not supposed to do this we just want to do it anyway because we're authoritah." Someone fucked up.   It was a very mild fuckup. Sorry, not a big deal.   Totally agree.

Yeap... Wipe the tears and move on to other topic.  

The founding fathers are spinning in the grave.................over the stupidity of this thread

5 pages then ALL CAPS YELLING, then lockeroony

"What's that going to cause? Rear-end accidents, dangerous situations. It's put in the code for just that reason," said Gernandt.

Utterly absurd. What a nanny-stating drama queen.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.   Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment. At least in our city (just to the south of Omaha) the public works just takes the signs down and throws them away.  I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting the book thrown at them.

Its even more complicated than that.

The "people can talk on their cell phones, put on make up, listen to the radio, and try and find addresses in the retarded locations we put street signs OK, but if you put up advertising, they'll wreck all over the place" movement really got into swing in the 80s and 90s.

But there are a lot of businesses whose signs existed before the ordnances, and they're grandfathered.    A famous example is the Rabbit Ears Hotel in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.    

Its malla prohibitum to the extreme.   I hate laws like this.   Ayn Rand had something to say about it too.    The solution when even the police can't keep all the red tape straight is to get rid of the stupid laws, not rejoice in the irony of someone else getting "theirs."

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.   Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment. At least in our city (just to the south of Omaha) the public works just takes the signs down and throws them away.  I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting the book thrown at them. Its even more complicated than that. The "people can talk on their cell phones, put on make up, listen to the radio, and try and find addresses in the retarded locations we put street signs OK, but if you put up advertising, they'll wreck all over the place" movement really got into swing in the 80s and 90s. But there are a lot of businesses whose signs existed before the ordnances, and they're grandfathered.    A famous example is the Rabbit Ears Hotel in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.     Its malla prohibitum to the extreme.   I hate laws like this.   Ayn Rand had something to say about it too.    The solution when even the police can't keep all the red tape straight is to get rid of the stupid laws, not rejoice in the irony of someone else getting "theirs."

I was thinking this fell under the same prohibition as those "work from home", "lose weight now", and other plasticboard signs that get nailed to the poles.

I never thought they were a driving hazard as much as an eyesore.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Sorry, not a big deal.   Not a big deal at all, I agree totally but if anyone ever paid a fine or was punished in the city for posting signs illegally, then someone in charge of that campaign should face the same punishment. At least in our city (just to the south of Omaha) the public works just takes the signs down and throws them away.  I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting the book thrown at them. Its even more complicated than that. The "people can talk on their cell phones, put on make up, listen to the radio, and try and find addresses in the retarded locations we put street signs OK, but if you put up advertising, they'll wreck all over the place" movement really got into swing in the 80s and 90s. But there are a lot of businesses whose signs existed before the ordnances, and they're grandfathered.    A famous example is the Rabbit Ears Hotel in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.     Its malla prohibitum to the extreme.   I hate laws like this.   Ayn Rand had something to say about it too.    The solution when even the police can't keep all the red tape straight is to get rid of the stupid laws, not rejoice in the irony of someone else getting "theirs." I was thinking this fell under the same prohibition as those "work from home", "lose weight now", and other plasticboard signs that get nailed to the poles. I never thought they were a driving hazard as much as an eyesore.

Indeed.   But the councilman in the article invoked the shibboleth of public safety and its in that light that I made my comments.  I think eyesores are a matter of civil regulation, not a punitive sanctions such as criminal "tickets" for violations.   (Hell its probably a felony somewhere).