Is Newport man a victim or a pest?

[ThaLeena in St Paul]

Michelle Gross wrote:

Communities United Against Police BrutalityI would like to correct an inaccuracy in this article. Communities United Against Police Brutality is a twin-cities based regional organization. We take on cases in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs. In fact, we are often contacted by people around the state of Minnesota and even by people in other states. It would not be unusual for us to take action on concerns anywhere in this region and we have done so in Chaska, Brooklyn Park, Richfield and many other locations. Members of our organization live in all parts of the twin cities.
Further, having worked with Paul Hansen for approximately a year and hearing about his situation incident by incident, we do not feel "snookered." The most recent incident, in which Paul emerged from his home to find the police chief in his garage without a warrant, looking through his possessions, is only one of a long line of harassments. Given the history, one would think the chief would simply use the post office to deliver any letters to Mr. Hansen. We are proud to have supported Paul and will continue to monitor the situation and offer our support as needed.
Michelle Gross, President
Communities United Against Police Brutality

First program I'd cut to fix the budget. Bunch of loozer l ibs with nothing better to do with my tmoney.

[Melody]

If this guy lived in St Paul, they would send out code enforcement and tear down his house.

[ThaLeena in St Paul]

Mary wrote:

<quoted text>
Please tell us you are not taxpayer funded?

OF COURSE they are taxpayer funded. You think people would donate their money to a worthless cause like this???

[East Burb]

Michelle Gross wrote:

Communities United Against Police BrutalityI would like to correct an inaccuracy in this article. Communities United Against Police Brutality is a twin-cities based regional organization. We take on cases in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs. In fact, we are often contacted by people around the state of Minnesota and even by people in other states. It would not be unusual for us to take action on concerns anywhere in this region and we have done so in Chaska, Brooklyn Park, Richfield and many other locations. Members of our organization live in all parts of the twin cities.
Further, having worked with Paul Hansen for approximately a year and hearing about his situation incident by incident, we do not feel "snookered." The most recent incident, in which Paul emerged from his home to find the police chief in his garage without a warrant, looking through his possessions, is only one of a long line of harassments. Given the history, one would think the chief would simply use the post office to deliver any letters to Mr. Hansen. We are proud to have supported Paul and will continue to monitor the situation and offer our support as needed.
Michelle Gross, President
Communities United Against Police Brutality

What is the purpose of your organization? I suppose you might say to expose an abuse of power or some such nonsense.

Perhaps if people behaved properly, then they wouldn't have to deal with the police. Clearly, anyone who has made 128 calls to the police in 7 years seems to have a major problem. How many police calls were to that neighborhood before Mr. Hansen moved in? Probably a lot less.

Mr. Hansen should move someplace else. Perhaps Siberia. Or maybe a nice quiet room in a mental hospital, where he can be restrained & medicated appropriately.

[Thomas]

It's often circumstances like this that are so unblieveable because they are so outrageous, but they wind up being true. Government uses their crdibility to lie, mis state the facts and distort the entire situation so they look good, and they do it routinely. I believe this guy.

[ThaLeena in St Paul]

Thomas wrote:

It's often circumstances like this that are so unblieveable because they are so outrageous, but they wind up being true. Government uses their crdibility to lie, mis state the facts and distort the entire situation so they look good, and they do it routinely. I believe this guy.

And you believe him because you read it in the newspaper. Sad. Why don't you go and talk to the neighbors. 4 neighbors with a similar story can not be lies.

[youkiddingme]

Michelle Gross wrote:

Communities United Against Police BrutalityI would like to correct an inaccuracy in this article. Communities United Against Police Brutality is a twin-cities based regional organization. We take on cases in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs. In fact, we are often contacted by people around the state of Minnesota and even by people in other states. It would not be unusual for us to take action on concerns anywhere in this region and we have done so in Chaska, Brooklyn Park, Richfield and many other locations. Members of our organization live in all parts of the twin cities.
Further, having worked with Paul Hansen for approximately a year and hearing about his situation incident by incident, we do not feel "snookered." The most recent incident, in which Paul emerged from his home to find the police chief in his garage without a warrant, looking through his possessions, is only one of a long line of harassments. Given the history, one would think the chief would simply use the post office to deliver any letters to Mr. Hansen. We are proud to have supported Paul and will continue to monitor the situation and offer our support as needed.
Michelle Gross, President
Communities United Against Police Brutality

Your group's participation in this unstable man's halucinations is really questionable judgement. My favorite part is the first time "protester" holding up a pre-fabricated sign and he's not sure what he's supposed to be protesting.

[ZenBirdist]

Ms. Gross, I would suggest as others have, that you investigate claims of brutality a bit further than taking one man's word. You may have a very good cause, but using it to back up Mr. Hansen's paranoid delusions seems like a poor decision. In fact, I believe your random, blind faith in this guy's story sort of discredits those with legit claims of brutality.

Mr. Hansen needs to go back to kindergarten so that he can relearn how to get along with others. In the article he points out a neighbor's house and accuses her of sleeping around. Isn't that none of his business, and completely irrelevent to anything whatsoever?

I would suggest that this man move to a different neighborhood. I suspect he'd find "police brutality" where ever he goes, as his paranoia will surely follow him there, too.

[RipSaw88]

Thomas wrote:

It's often circumstances like this that are so unblieveable because they are so outrageous, but they wind up being true. Government uses their crdibility to lie, mis state the facts and distort the entire situation so they look good, and they do it routinely. I believe this guy.

does his mean U have given up on the
tooth fairy........?

[Michelle Gross]

ThaLeena in St Paul wrote:

<quoted text>
OF COURSE they are taxpayer funded. You think people would donate their money to a worthless cause like this???

We are absolutely NOT taxpayer funded--we would never accept funding from the government. The community gratefully funds our efforts. Further, our organization is led by and advocates for people dealing with the effects of police brutality. Clearly those who raise objections to our organization have not experienced abuse at the hands of police so are not in a position to judge the good works of our organization. However, for significant portions of the population--the people we serve and advocate for--our organization is held in high regard. Let's just hope that those who would condemn us never need our help.

[jjj]

These professional protesters don't mind playing the fool for a cause they know nothing about. It seems Mr. Hansen is not alone in his need for psychological counseling!

[Michelle Gross]

ZenBirdist wrote:

Ms. Gross, I would suggest as others have, that you investigate claims of brutality a bit further than taking one man's word. You may have a very good cause, but using it to back up Mr. Hansen's paranoid delusions seems like a poor decision. In fact, I believe your random, blind faith in this guy's story sort of discredits those with legit claims of brutality.

With all due respect, we have investigated his claims and find them to be true, no matter how disturbing that may be to some of the posters on this matter. Think about how difficult it would be if you were being harassed by the CHIEF of police--how there would literally be no outlet for you to complain or seek justice. During the incident in which Paul emerged from his home to find the chief rummaging through his garage--without a warrant--he called me and I am a contemporaneous witness to the incident. I'm sorry if you find it hard to accept that police sometimes abuse their power in these ways but it does happen.

Those who deny that such things (and worse) happen or who seek to blame the victim only do so out of the mistaken notion that they can avoid becoming a victim themselves by acting in certain ways. As a police accountability activist for over 20 years, I can state that this just isn't so. Blaming the victim will not keep you safe.

[mr t]

The police chief and Hansen are both acting childish. The police chief is supposed to be professional at all times, and he appears to have succumbed to being a wiseguy, just like Hansen.
As long as these two persist nothing is going to change.

[Buddy]

Michelle Gross wrote:

<quoted text>
During the incident in which Paul emerged from his home to find the chief rummaging through his garage--without a warrant--he called me and I am a contemporaneous witness to the incident.

Which means you weren't there, you didn't see it first hand and you're taking his word for what was happening at that moment as you are with everything else.

Don't the statements of his neighbors bear any weight, or are they also involved in the conspiracy and harassment? Don't 128 police calls in 7 years tell you there may be something wrong, and not with the city?

[ZenBirdist]

Michelle Gross wrote:

<quoted text>
With all due respect, we have investigated his claims and find them to be true, no matter how disturbing that may be to some of the posters on this matter. Think about how difficult it would be if you were being harassed by the CHIEF of police--how there would literally be no outlet for you to complain or seek justice. During the incident in which Paul emerged from his home to find the chief rummaging through his garage--without a warrant--he called me and I am a contemporaneous witness to the incident. I'm sorry if you find it hard to accept that police sometimes abuse their power in these ways but it does happen.
Those who deny that such things (and worse) happen or who seek to blame the victim only do so out of the mistaken notion that they can avoid becoming a victim themselves by acting in certain ways. As a police accountability activist for over 20 years, I can state that this just isn't so. Blaming the victim will not keep you safe.

Michelle, I'm sure your work is noble in the general sense. I, like you, am appalled when I hear of officers abusing authority. However, when I hear the word 'brutality' something other than Mr. Hansen's complaints come to mind. So he feels like he's being treated unfairly because he doesn't like the tone of voice the officers use with him? That hardly seems worthy of calling in your group on his behalf. Were he wrongfully detained, then there would be some grounds for your involvement.

As to the claim of the officer 'rummaging' through things in his garage, you call yourself an extemporaneous witness to the fact. Does this mean that Hansen called you in a state of upset, after he met the officer in his garage? That proves only that Hansen was irritated, it does not prove any wrong doing by the officer.

Would I be upset if there was a police officer in my garage? If I felt there was something to hide, yes I probably would be. Would I call it brutality or abuse of power? Not in a million years.

If Mr. Hansen doesn't like the way the police interact with him, then perhaps he could stop calling them to his house. I would support the police in charging him for the resources he insists on wasting every time he calls them out for what he deems unforgivable infractions by his neighbors.

To Mr. Hansen and Ms. Moenke: GROW UP. Visit a third world country if you want to see police brutality in living color. Then the next time you feel slighted maybe you'll realize your problems are really not so big after all.

[NDF]

Is he really a "victim of police brutality"? I consider "brutality" a beating or some sort of physical contact at least. Nobody has ever even so much as arrested this guy for filing a false police report! "Brutality" is a little harsh! This guy needs to get a life!

[Newport Resident]

This guy is a whiner. I've lived in Newport for years and haven't seen any AKA "Brutallity". If he wants to be an advocate against brutality etc. and use a Minnapolis based organization, then maybe he should move to Minneapolis. I think Im going to go over and rev my harley in front of his house now.

[New Minnesota Republic]

You folks on this discussion board, criticizing this guy, are too funny! You think that Police abuse doesn't exist, especially in small town America.(buzzard sound) NEWSFLASH AMERICA!!! Police brutality DOES exist in any city or town across the nation. It's just been under the rug so long because people refuse to accept the truth about it! Silence and mental denial contributes much of the censorship about police abuse in real life.

[Jeff OP]

Wow, I would sure like to hear what "Judge Judy" would rule in this case? Another idiot wasting everybodys time and money on bullsh--! Don't worry though, he'll **** off the wrong neighbor soon enough and he won't have a garage for the police to "Brutally" rumage thru. Would like to see Mr. Hansen's point of view but I can't seem to get my head that far up his a--!

[What Ever]

Michelle Gross wrote:

Communities United Against Police BrutalityI would like to correct an inaccuracy in this article. Communities United Against Police Brutality is a twin-cities based regional organization. We take on cases in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs. In fact, we are often contacted by people around the state of Minnesota and even by people in other states. It would not be unusual for us to take action on concerns anywhere in this region and we have done so in Chaska, Brooklyn Park, Richfield and many other locations. Members of our organization live in all parts of the twin cities.
Further, having worked with Paul Hansen for approximately a year and hearing about his situation incident by incident, we do not feel "snookered." The most recent incident, in which Paul emerged from his home to find the police chief in his garage without a warrant, looking through his possessions, is only one of a long line of harassments. Given the history, one would think the chief would simply use the post office to deliver any letters to Mr. Hansen. We are proud to have supported Paul and will continue to monitor the situation and offer our support as needed.
Michelle Gross, President
Communities United Against Police Brutality

Thank God we have people and organizations like you around to help. Keep up the good work, we see everyday how the little person is stepped on from government. Thank you