Crime concerns
Published on -10/25/2009, 2:32 PM
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The issue of organized crime activity in Rush County is one that the county sheriff and La Crosse Police Departments are not adequately addressing in my opinion. It's unclear if this is because they are underfunded, ill-equipped, poorly trained or if addressing issues of organized crime is simply not a law enforcement priority within their respective departments or the community.
I do know that a lot of crime goes unreported in the county because of its lack of public involvement or interest.
There are two reasons for this:
1) Both the Rush County Sheriff's Department and La Crosse Police Department, as a matter or policy and practice, don't publish "blotter reports" either online or in the local newspaper. So the majority of people here don't know what's going on. The only statistical information on crime in Rush County available to citizens is published on the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Web site.
2) The Rush County Sheriff's Department and Lacrosse Police department don't have or utilize Web sites and e-mail addresses to fight crime. Placing each department at a distinct disadvantage in terms of their crime fighting ability. Both in terms of being able to network and communicate with each other, as well with other law enforcement agencies at the federal and state level. By not using the Internet, Web sites and e-mail communication both departments lack the means to engage and interact with members of the public in real time 24/7.
Suspected "organized crime activity" in Rush County include:
* Drug trafficking of methamphetamine and marijuana.
* Federal, state and county tax evasion and fraud.
* Suspected cases of Medicare, welfare and insurance fraud.
* Illegal employment of undocumented aliens by local and outside construction contractors in the county.
* Alleged schemes to defraud people using the Internet.
* The purchasing and selling of unregistered firearms.
* The carrying of concealed weapons, without a license or carry permit.
Recommendations to local law enforcement, county and city commissioners include the following.
1) Encouraging greater public involvement at the local level through the establishment of Community Block Watch groups.
2) The development of interactive Web sites and e-mail addresses for both the Rush County Sheriff and La Crosse Police departments.
3) More training of local law enforcement personnel in the use of computers and technology.
4) Improving networking and information sharing capabilities at the state, county and local level among law enforcement agencies.
5) The publication online or in the local newspaper of police "blotter reports."
6) The use of anonymous crime tip hotlines and e-mail addresses.
7) The re-establishment of the METH-WATCH and DARE programs in Rush County.
8) The funding of community resource officers at both the La Crosse and Otis-Bison high schools in Rush County.
Ultimately, I think it's important to realize that the responsibility for fighting crime in the community is ours. Each has a role to play.
In too many cases, however, citizens refuse to get involved and report crime and suspected crime activities they have witnessed or have first-hand knowledge of themselves.
In some cases, not reporting crime is understandable given the very real possibility of retaliation or intimidation by criminals and organized crime groups. But in the vast majority of cases, the main factor why crime goes unreported in Rush County is because of apathy and indifference on the part of local citizens who simply don't want to become involved in the fight against crime in their community. So, in the end, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
We can change this around if we would just get more involved in our community.
So look, watch, listen and report crime in your community.
Robert Tilford
La Crosse
I'm with stupid in this. Robert is a dummy but he right right about the meth in Lacrosse
(Posted by: Rocky )
Crime in Rush County: 11/10/2009
I lived in LaCrosse all of my childhood and I moved as soon as I graduated, as many young people from Rush County do. Honestly, this story made me laugh. Unless things have really changed since I've been gone, I doubt that LaCrosse has become the cesspool of crime as Mr. Tilford has insinuated. Just a few years ago, home doors and car doors alike could be left unlocked without fear. Has this really changed? Drugs have constantly been a problem, as they have been throughout western Kansas, Oklahoma, and many other rural areas. And yes, fighting this issue as well as other issues would be more effective if neighbors would not turn a blind eye. Or - more importantly - if parents would take better care of their children...as it is not the police's responsibility to raise them correctly so that you know where they are at night, who they are with, or what they are doing. After reading several of the responses I've come to the conclusion that Rush Countians need to not take for granted where they live. I just spoke to a co-worked who is worried about her grandchildren whose house was shot up last night in a drive-by, which is what motivated me to respond. Perhaps some in Rush County should take a few days away from their little patch of green grass to see what it is like on the other side. I personally think that a lot of this is simply a lot of talk and the creation of drama. At least I know that part of Rush County hasn't changed.
(Posted by: sickofdrama.)
Roberts full of it!: 11/6/2009
Don't listen to robert he doesn't have a clue to whats really going on!
(Posted by: biker John )
kids drinking is another problem: 11/6/2009
children drinking alcohol is another big problem in LaCrosse and Rush county. At the local high school a group of kids have formed a social club called the "Brew Crew" they flaunt the fact that they like beer and alcohol. Teachers at LaCrosse High "wink" at this and think it reflective of team spirit at football games. Young girls, as young as 14 write brew crew on tee-shirts and parade around while parents and educators look on with smiles on their faces like its cool or something. Kids around high school graduation hold alcohol parties. Some parents condone this and think its better to provide alcohol and a place for the kids to drink beer where they can supervise them. They set a lousy example. These parents should be arrested for providing alcohol to children - last time I looked this was a felony.
(Posted by: nerd -fed up! )
?: 11/4/2009
I know Robert. He came from a big city, it would make La Crosse look like it doesn't even exist. zthe town, La Crosse would be a small subburg z( I can't spell) So ya, just mayB he does know what he's talking about. La Crosse is a pebble compared to where he came from. Instead of commplaining about it do something. It's also the communities responsibility. We can't all rely on someone else to take care of us
(Posted by: CS I used to live there)
Response to Christian: 11/3/2009
Dear Lady: Please if you have information regarding Medicare fraud it is your moral obligation as a responsible citizen to report same. judging from your email I suspect you may work in elder care, a nursing home, or hospital setting somewhere in Rush county, Kansas. You can report suspected Medicare fraud on a website: www.medicare.gov/fraudabuse/HowToReport.asp Again let me encourge to to come forward and report suspected cases of Medicare fraud. I know there are risks involved, personal and otherwise. Since the article has been published I have received numerous threats to my person. I am a "walking target" (something "Nobody cares" posted on his email comment of 10-28-2009). This is the risk I felt I had to take. Part of addressing any problem is pointing the problem out - so people can deal with it. I will say this process hasn't been easy - the support I have had in exposing this issue of organized crime I can count on one hand. The grief and heartache I have caught from people in LaCrosse, McCracken and Rush Center comes in truckloads everyday. I even lost a job speaking out and submitting articles for publication. Furthermore the criticism is continuous and unrelenting at times. A friend suggested I check out some of the crisicism on this site and view some of the email comments - of all them I feel I must comment on yours in particular. Medicare fraud is huge - the total budget of Medicare is in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Of this amount about 20% is suspected fraud cases. Fraud comes in many forms, including "ghost billing" for services never preformed by providers such as nursing homes and hospitals. Rush county has a lot of people, in one way or another dependent on Medicare in some way- its the major form of payment for poor and elderly people at the Rush County Memorial Hospital, for example. Again we need people like you who have info to come forward. For your info, a few U.S. senators are focusing on health care fraud, including Republicans Mel Martinez of Florida and John Cornyn of Texas, who have proposed a Seniors and Taxpayers Obligation Protection (STOP) Act to impliment new fraud prevention practices within Medicare. Regrettably our own Congressional Reps ( Rep. Jerry Moran, Senator Roberts) are not co-sponsoring this legislation. something they refuse to comment on or address in writing to constituents like me who ask the question "why not"? Please call Martinez at 202-224-3401 and Cornyn at 202-2242934 and tell them to keep fighting. Learn More: The national Health Care Anti -Fraud Association (nhcaa.org) and the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (insurancefraud.org) - check out "the hall of shame" - keep close tabs on fraud cases and what the authorities are doing and not doing about them. Another form of fraud is con artists posing as medical professionals are doctors who put their patients through unnecessary proceedures for a little extra cash...I'm unclear if this sort of thing goes on here in Rush County or not. You can't even be given billing codes used by the hospital here in Rsuh County when they bill Medicare. Even when you are the patient? Only insiders who work at hospitals and doctors offices can tell for sure. Like you many are reluctant to come forward. This is part of the problem, I tried to address in the article. I can say that the Justice Departmenty and HHS have finally stepped up efforts to crack down on fraud and abuse. Since last October, they've won 300 plus convictions and recovered an estimated $1 billion dollars for Medicare that would have been wasted in fraud. With health care reform on the front stage, it's perfect timing to take action. Action begins with you the individual coming forward with info. I understand this isn't easy in light of the apathy and indifference of people in positions of great power and influence like the Sheriff, and Local police chief who refuse to investigate or inquire concerning certain acts of crime within the community,like drug trafficking of pot and meth in Rush County, let alone Medicare fraud.
(Posted by: Robert Tilford)
Afraid: 10/29/2009
People n RH co r n denial..or simply dont care. the crime, mostly drugs and petty theft, does in fact happen. however officials an people in the community are reluctant to report it or act on it. its all a game of politics and what your last name is. perhaps if local officials would act on the drug dealing as they did about a teen alcohol party, perhaps people would pay attention! while i do not agree 100% with Mr Tilford, he does bring up some very good points, in which others are afraid to say!
(Posted by: Lame)
fraud: 10/29/2009
I suspect my employer may be engaging in some sort of medicare billing fraud. But I'm not sure - I do know that some of the services they say they provided haven't been. I worry a lot about this, but if I say anything I could lose my job and benefits. So I keep my thoughts to myself. I wonder about Robert if he knows or suspects what I know/think may be going on here. If he is right, and I think he is on the fraud stuff - someone should do something about it. I have children to feed and a alcoholic/abusive husband also to take care of so I can't speak out as Robert has and continues to do from what I hear. I did hear my employer say to my supervisor that "we should be more careful" after discussing Roberts article in the Hays Daily News among each other in whispers. Which she then clipped out of the paper for some reason. I don't want to think bad thoughts about anyone as I am a Christian who believes in Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour. But I suspect maybe the worst in this case. I pray I am wrong!
(Posted by: Christian )
Robert Is full of it: 10/29/2009
I don't buy any of this!
(Posted by: nonstar )
LaCrosse - meth: 10/29/2009
I suspect my neighbors of slling meth in LaCrosse. They have cars coming and going all night and day. Stoping only long enough for someone to run inside and back. I won't let my kids play over there and I wish I could move away from them.
(Posted by: A h)
I agree: 10/28/2009
I to agree with Robert that Rush county needs about 20 more law enforcement officers to help with all the crime and drug activity in Rush County. I to like Robert live in a motel room and work in a conveince store and work part time so I dont care what it costs the tax payers of Rush county. I think I need 24 hour surveilance of my motel room, because there is crime all over the county and I feel threatened with all the organized crime that he has pointed out, that is so obviously apparant. And I also agree with Robert that we need informed every day in the news paper like hays of crime in our community and not once a week because there is so much, because i work at a conveince store to and i read the paper for free when it comes out once a week. So rush County needs to hire more people to print the paper so we can have it every day.
(Posted by: Another Fellow "Rebel")
Organized crime!: 10/28/2009
If you have a situation where 2 or more people are engaged in a criminal enterprise selling pot or meth - then by definition you have a problem with "organized" crime!
(Posted by: Donnie G)
Bad parents are the problem: 10/28/2009
You should manage your kid better if you suspect he is smoking weed.
(Posted by: Rush county resident)
interview with a vampire: 10/28/2009
I think Robert is right on some of this stuff, but wrong on others. I did meet someone the other day in LaCrosse who is an affiliate member of a street gang called "IC 21" (or Insane Crips 21). He also had the tattoo which he showed me to prove it. He was also displaying a "flag", meaning wearing a bandana out his back pocket, indicating he is a gang banger. This man works in LACrosse M-F, but lives in Ness city. He admitted to having a criminal history that included theft and drugs. It seems he robbed his employer once in Witchita and make it look like a break-in. He later got busted because he was "stupid" in his words and got caught. He has personal knowledge of pot usage in LaCrosse by at least a dozen or more people. He knows of a suspected case of welfare fraud, and spouse and child abuse that goes unreported in LaCrosse to the police and sheriff. When asked how extensive the problem was of illegal drug use in Rush County he indicated he knew of at least 6 locations in LACrosse, where meth and marijuana is available for sale. Asked if he knew of any teenagers involved in illegal drug use he said: there are many kids involved with drugs and drug use in LaCrosse. He also said some adults facilitate the use of illegal drugs and alcohol to kids in La crosse, kansas. All the "cool kids" know about it. He also said prescription drug use was also a problem with some kids in high School in lacrosse, as it is everywhere. That alcohol is perhaps the most popular drug of choice among teenagers in LAcrosse and rush County. especially among the athletes and more popular kids. Asked why he won't tell the cops - he said: "To do so would be to ask for trouble like Robert is". That many of these people are friends of friends and associates of his. He also doesn't want to be known in the community as a narc or snitch. Besides its not his problem to fight crime in the community - its the f-ing cops. He stated that laCrosse is full of wanna be gansters and thugs. The flip side is that LaCrosse is full of a bunch of snobs who won't or can't see the problem of drug abuse or crime in their own community. These suckers act as if crime is not a problem and LAcrosse is this great place to raise children or something. I suppose it is yet, when you consider it against places like wichita - yet behind the scenes is this element of crime and "organized crime" if you will. Mostly its organized denial of crime that is the problem. Robert is right in this respect, but he is also a boob! There is nobody here who hasn't critized him for speaking out on this issue. He is either a fool or dumb. I'm not sure which. I personally think he is an idiot, who is trying his best in a round about way to improve the community. I do know that he has a big bulleye painted on his back now where ever he goes because of this stupid article he wrote. which is all the buzz here in LaCrosse. Both criminals and police now dislike him - I don't know of anyone who isn't upset in some way, shape of form with him, including the cops here in laCrosse, who I overheard call him a "big mouth"!.
(Posted by: Nobody cares anyway!)
Retarded?: 10/28/2009
The term organized crime refers to mafia type crime not a few losers selling pot. And it does sound like you are a bad parent, i mean seriously if u think he is getting drugs from his friends shouldnt u step in on that. U sounds like the same type of stupid f*** that thought the patriot act was a good idea. ANd how would giving cops email capability work faster? Isnt a cellphone the fast way of communicaiton. The only crime here is slander on a perfectly good county they should lock u up and throw away the key for saying such stupid stuff... Watch out rush county we have the mafia here lol.
(Posted by: Rush county rep)
To Quote: 10/27/2009
Eminem... Marijuana is everywhere, where was you brought up? It don’t matter if you live in BFE or KC... Drugs and crime are everywhere.. If you don’t like do something about it other than writing an opinion column trying to motivate others.. Run for Sheriff and turn that methed out town around or go buy some unregistered guns and declare Marshall Law in that town…
(Posted by: USA=NWO)
wow: 10/27/2009
Just sounds like bad parenting to me
(Posted by: lolz)
Unreported crimes in Lacrosse: 10/26/2009
One unreported crime is "drug dealing" within the city of LaCrosse. My kid smokes pot, I can smell it on him and he doesn't have a car, where is he getting it> Somewhere within the city limits of LaCrosse, I suspect. I just don't know where. Someone does, and is giving or selling it to kids in the area. My kid hangs out with others kids who I see are smoking cigarettes out in the public isn't that against the law also. How the heck are these kids getting cigs. A friend of mine has a daughter that is sixteen and she has been come home drunk. Someone is getting her alcohol, and perhaps stoned on drugs. Robert Tilford is right about this much at least. I think he is right about the community resource officer thing also. I for one think there is a drug problem with some of the kids at LaCrosse high School as well. In McCracken - meth and marijuana use by some is common place everyone knows that! People either don't notice it or are ignoring the problem in their own back yard.
(Posted by: Mad as hell parent!)
LOL...Liar: 10/26/2009
I do know that a lot of crime goes unreported in the county because of its lack of public involvement or interest? Name one.
(Posted by: What a crackpot)
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