Cookeville Police Chief shows his IGNORANCE

[VolunteerGuns]

Police chief opposes guns in parks

Mary Jo Denton

Herald-Citizen Staff

Tuesday, Jul 07, 2009

COOKEVILLE -- Police Chief Bob Terry says he hopes the Cookeville city council will not allow guns to be carried in the city's parks.

He also hopes that Cookeville restaurant owners will forbid gun-carrying in their establishments.

Chief Terry feels there is no need for anyone to carry weapons in city parks or restaurants, and he fears for public safety if that is allowed.

The state legislature recently passed a new law allowing those with gun-carrying permits to carry weapons into state parks and into restaurants, but city governments may opt out of the law by voting to forbid gun-carrying in city parks.

In Cookeville, city ordinances already forbid guns in city parks, but now, under the new state law, the city council must choose to continue those ordinances or else allow what the state law now allows.

The council heard public comments on the issue last week and asked for more public input before making a decision at their August meeting.

Chief Terry said today that he is concerned about public safety if guns are allowed in city parks. He said he and Crime Analyst Sheila Holloway Julian checked police records for the past three years and found there has been very little crime in city parks.

"Violent crimes in parks here is just non-existent, so the argument that people need to carry guns there to feel safe does not make sense to me," Chief Terry said.

He also stressed that he is fully aware of how passionate "a lot of people are about their guns."

"I totally agree with the Constitution and the right to bear arms. I have no problem with people having guns in their homes or carrying them with the proper permit. But I took an oath and I'm very passionate about protecting families and children, and so far, I just haven't heard a good argument for allowing guns in parks.

"I will also say that I come from a long line of avid sportsmen, but guns are not the issue here to me. I just think a city park is an inappropriate place for citizens to be carrying guns. I think families like to take their children to places where they don't have to worry about who's carrying a gun."

He said all kinds of dangers could result if the measure is passed.

"What if somebody who has a gun permit carries a gun out there and leaves it in a purse or somewhere for just a few minutes and a kid gets it? What if people at a ball game in a city park get mad over a game, as they sometimes do, and do something stupid with a gun?"

He said the fact that gun carriers have legal permits does not ensure safety.

"We license people to drive, too, but that doesn't stop drunk driving or wrecks."

Chief Terry said he realizes his position "may not be the popular one," and he acknowledges that there are opposing views on the issue even within his department.

"But this is not a popularity contest, and I just wanted to say how I feel about this issue. I think we should continue to ban guns in city parks."

Edited July 8, 2009 by adamween

[VolunteerGuns]

Hopefully our council will not end up with the same opinion as this fool.

Not only is he putting up the same old "no right to defend ones self" attitude, concerning park carry, he also put in a cheap shot regarding restaurants.

Cane Creek Park has for sometime now been turned into almost a brothel for all sort of NASTY things..

Tell us again about NO Crime?? Not terrible, but only getting worse by the day.

Terry needs to worry little less about b*tching on HCP and our level of safety and a little more about Continuing Education of Himself and SOME in his department, (like what to do when making a traffic stop, and encountering a FAMILIES PET!!)

Edited July 8, 2009 by adamween

[Falcon1]

The Chief probably wants the TSSAA Spring Fling to come to Cookeville, too.

[Guest HexHead]

He sounds like a member of the Police Chief's Assn. That group of jackasses supports every anti-gun measure to come out. They are always listed as supporting whatever hair-brained scheme comes out of Brady, Handgun Control. VPI, Joyce Foundation, et al. They obviously think only cops should carry guns or even be armed.

[VolunteerGuns]

From (www.putnampit.com)

Not since Police Chief Bob Terry was caught sending pornography to now-suspended DA Bill Gibson, except maybe when Eric Hall killed the Smoaks family dog execution style on I-40, except maybe when a cop was busted for drugs, except maybe when Officer Birdwell got drunk and shot another cop has Cookeville police looked so out of control. Don't you wonder why Bob Terry still has a job?

Best known in the past for collecting more overtime than anyone on the city payroll, Cookeville police Chief Bob Terry now has a new claim to fame: he uses the city's computer system and Internet account to distribute pornographic images to other government employees, including District Attorney William Gibson, The Putnam Pit has learned. During a Cookeville city council meeting Thursday, Feb. 17, the council was handed copies of email sent from Terry to Gibson and others, depicting a close-up graphic of a cigar in a woman's vagina and the words: The Monica Lewinsky Humidor . . . there's nothing like a good smoke after an Oval Office poke . . .

Two years ago, a city employee was fired for browsing to porno sites on city computer equipment, and Cookeville taxpayers have spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to keep secret what dozens of government employees do with their computers at work.

Testimony in January disclosed that City Manager Jim Shipley's computer operations manager was ordered to run from the building so he would not be present to provide records.

Meanwhile, the city has refused to allow remote access to its email system.

On Thursday, The council responded by lashing out at the messenger and avoiding the central issue: There is selective enforcement of laws and policies.

In another issue involving Terry, the city has refused to release records of a police department scandal stemming from transmission of sexual messages between a female city employee and the police chief.

The chief and the woman are not under investigation. But Sheila Holloway, a police department employee who discovered the messages and reported the abuse of city equipment, was named in an internal affairs inquiry. While the "investigation" continues, Terry can keep the record of his own sexual correspondence secret. The female employee whose correspondence via alphanumeric pager was discovered by Holloway, suddenly 'resigned' after Shipley reportedly told her, "either you or Terry has to go."

At Thursday's meeting, Councilman Steve Copeland asked: Can't you find one good thing to say about Cookeville?

The answer: "Well, you are a very forgiving community."

"Put that in your paper," Copeland said.

The Putnam Pit obtained the complete email system of the Cookeville government and has offered for months to meet with the council and share the information. On Thursday, council members denied they had been contacted or invited to meet, although Copeland acknowledged a meeting last year on unrelated topics. All electronic communication to council members is first filtered through Shipley's office.

After the meeting, Councilman Harold Jackson told The Pit's lawyer, Samuel J. Harris, that he has his "nose up (editor Geoff Davidian's) ass,” then attempted to have Harris arrested -- by Terry.

Edited July 8, 2009 by adamween

[leroy]

COOKEVILLE -- Police Chief Bob Terry says he hopes the Cookeville city council will not allow guns to be carried in the city's parks.

He also hopes that Cookeville restaurant owners will forbid gun-carrying in their establishments.

Chief Terry feels there is no need for anyone to carry weapons in city parks or restaurants, and he fears for public safety if that is allowed.

......He said all kinds of dangers could result if the measure is passed.

"What if somebody who has a gun permit carries a gun out there and leaves it in a purse or somewhere for just a few minutes and a kid gets it? (-- this is how smart Chief Terry thinks you citizens in cookville and putnum county are !! ) What if people at a ball game in a city park get mad over a game, as they sometimes do, and do something stupid with a gun?"

He said the fact that gun carriers have legal permits does not ensure safety. (chief Terry needs to understand that just because you are a sworn law officer and police chief, you are not instantly the smartest guy in Tennessee, nor are you a paragon of honesty and right doing)

"We license people to drive, too, but that doesn't stop drunk driving or wrecks."

Chief Terry said he realizes his position "may not be the popular one," and he acknowledges that there are opposing views on the issue even within his department.

"But this is not a popularity contest, and I just wanted to say how I feel about this issue. I think we should continue to ban guns in city parks."

Chief Terry symbolizes all that is wrong with too many Chiefs of Police all over Tennessee and the rest of the country. Chiefs of police are APPOINTED, NOT ELECTED. You need to work on the Mayor of Cookeville; that's who Chief Terry works for.

This is another case of an un-elected "know it all criminal expert" presuming to speak for everybody. He is even smarter than the duly elected representatives of the state of Tennessee and the Founding Fathers.

If you want this fixed; go after the mayor and make it hot for him. The people of Cookeville deserve better than this; as do the people of other cities in Tennessee; especially Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga.

The character of your elected officials matter.

Be careful who you vote for.

LEROY

[Guest 270win]

WOW....using work computers to send porn on work time. Real class. I can't totally hold him accountable for the actions of other goofball officers because he can't babysit them 24/7. Maybe this guy needs a filter on his work computer. I would probably be fired from my job for sending that sort of filth across company email.

On to the gun issue....I really dislike how he addresses the public as 'civilians'. Does he not realize unless you are military you are a civilian? Police are a branch of CIVILIAN government....thus making him a civilian. A gun in church, the mall, sidewalk, grocery store, McDonald's, is no different than one at a park. Kids are at churches all the time and my gun has yet to bother one kid at my church....what is the difference? I would rather a gun be concealed on someone's person at a city park than be left in the car where a kid can get a hold of it and accidently shoot someone or an idiot can steal it and rob a liquor store and murder people.

[Guest Smitty]

That's a shame he feels that way. I lived in Cookeville the past four years getting my degree at TTU. I might be coming back to get my master's. If so, I will definitely write or call the mayor on this one.

[Guest Ravendove]

Again, I don't care if you're a sportsman. Sports isn't the issue, here. Just because you can sit in a tree and shoot a deer doesn't mean you have any concern for people's right to protect themselves.

A purse can be left unattended at McDonalds just as easily as a park. Probably easier. As far as I remember, kids are at McDonalds. With this evidence, this argument is shown to have no weight.

Obviously, Chief Terry does have a problem with people carrying with the proper permit. Unless, of course, it's limited to their front yard.

And yeah, licenses are issued for driving. Of course, driving safety classes are not required and you don't need to pass a criminal background check to get a driver's license. You can get arrested for DUI and still get your license back. And if he's so concerned about drunk drivers, why doesn't he apply this much effort toward that issue?

[Guest HexHead]

And if he's so concerned about drunk drivers, why doesn't he apply this much effort toward that issue?

Doesn't want the heat from the Chamber of Commerce.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Drunk driving = accidents, sobriety checkpoints = need for police and maintaining or increasing police department budgets

Armed Populace = crime deterrence (over time) = less need for police patrolling (like parks) = decrease in police department budgets

Just my opinion.

[Fallguy]

Drunk driving = accidents, sobriety checkpoints = need for police and maintaining or increasing police department budgets

Armed Populace = crime deterrence (over time) = less need for police patrolling (like parks) = decrease in police department budgets

Just my opinion.

Hmmmmm....interesting theory.

[JayC]

If somebody lives in Cookeville and is aware which council member is truly pro-2A, ask them to introduce an ordinance to terminate the Police Chief...

Doesn't have to pass, but he'll get the point

[Guest Swamprunner]

Cookeville blows. Now I know why. Good thing to know, I was about to drop a ton of cash on a new Airstream at the dealer there.

[Mark A]

Cookeville blows. Now I know why. Good thing to know, I was about to drop a ton of cash on a new Airstream at the dealer there.

This is the type of information that needs to be communicated. Start getting in peoples pockets and they will start paying attention...

[Guest Phantom6]

"I totally agree with the Constitution and the right to bear arms.

... said the man talking out of both sides of his face! Asshat! ...

[Guest tonybon]

swamprunner the airstream went bankrupt. the dog shooting cost this town lots of money. wonder what his next leadership mistake will cost us? remember the murder on dixie where the cpd knew the guy was going to rob the store and 2 cops were inside the store one outside the cleark was shot and killed and it took 3 days to find the bad guy. i would say his tract record speaks for its self.

[Guest proudsuthrner]

killed while the cops were inside!?!? wt:censored:

[Guest tonybon]

yep two cops in the store, at the time of the robery, and one in a car across the street. the cops used the store clerk knowing the bg was going to rob the place. didnt give him a bp jacket. bg shot one time as he went out the door clerk died. bg ran behind the store took two days to find him.

[VolunteerGuns]

Hence the name "Murder Mart"

[GLOCKMEISTER]

chiefs are appointed... councilmen are elected... please everyone remember that come next election!

[leroy]

Drunk driving = accidents, sobriety checkpoints = need for police and maintaining or increasing police department budgets

Armed Populace = crime deterrence (over time) = less need for police patrolling (like parks) = decrease in police department budgets

Just my opinion.

Great observation!! I like it. My personal take on it:

"We're trained and smart; who are you to defend yourself?!. We will dispense any law that needs dispensing."

Thankfully, not all law enforcement officials think this way; just those who are "the smartest guys in the room", and the unelected bureaucrats that seem to pop up in those positions with great regularity. Remember, hold your mayor responsible for his APPOINTED chief of police.

Kind regards,

LEROY

[tnoutdoors9]

It's a threat to public safety that someone with this mindset is allowed to manage a police department.