Unfortunately, a few bad men have given Milwaukee law enforcement another black eye -- the Renegade Pigs.
Actually, the Renegade Pigs is an international motorcycle club.
"The Renegade Pigs pride themselves on being a very exclusive, very tight brotherhood."
I shouldn't diss all Renegade Pigs, or all Renegade Pigs in the Milwaukee Chapter.
The Milwaukee IronmenFrom the earth there once came a wild stampede creating a massive dust Cloud.
From the dust, a pack of "wild pigs" emerged, from them a "Renegade" has arisen.
You can speak his name for the true word of brotherhood will follow.
Interested in our club?
We are the 1st Wisconsin Chapter of the Renegade Pigs.
We are a not for profit organization that Promotes safe riding and we want to leave our biker world better that we found it by organizing and/or participating in worthwhile charitable events.
Our members are proud members of Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters that own and ride Harley Davidson or other US made motorcycles.
Associates allowed as seen fit.
It seems that some of Milwaukee's Renegade Pigs have some explaining to do.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. has taken steps to fire a captain and a deputy after off-duty law enforcement officers were accused of assaulting a college student outside a downtown bar.
Marquette University engineering student Robert C. Blankenheim, 22, was punched in the face and abdomen and shoved to the pavement during a confrontation Nov. 30 in a parking lot behind Rosie's Water Works, a downtown bar on N. Water St., according to claims he filed against the city and county. The altercation began after the car Blankenheim was driving hit the parked car of a Rosie's bartender.
Blankenheim said he was assaulted by several men dressed in black-leather biker vests; the men turned out to be off-duty officers and members of the Renegade Pigs, a motorcycle club for law enforcement officers and firefighters. Blankenheim said the men did not initially identify themselves as officers.
No criminal charges have been filed against any of the officers, following a review by the district attorney's office. Citing investigative reports, Deputy District Attorney Jon Reddin said Blankenheim was "physically aggressive, loud and profane" during the confrontation.
Blankenheim was charged with drunken driving. He never got inside Rosie's, but earlier in the evening he had drinks at the lakefront with a friend, according to reports. A test given after his arrest put his blood-alcohol concentration at 0.15, nearly double the legal limit for driving.
Clarke is recommending the firing of two of his officers involved in the fray and is investigating the role of another deputy. The Milwaukee Police Department has cleared the only city officer identified in the case.
Clarke said he had concerns about the Renegade Pigs and the image it might evoke for the public.
"Every time I hear their name, my antenna goes up," Clarke said. "The name is degrading."
I share Clarke's reaction to the name "Renegade Pigs."
Among the words I'd think law enforcement would want to avoid any association with it's "renegade" and "pig."
I think it's inappropriate to call officers "renegade pigs," But hey, if they don't mind, who am I to argue?
...Questions remain unanswered: How many off-duty officers were at Rosie's? How much did they have to drink before helping a bouncer from the bar detain Blankenheim? At what point did they identify themselves as officers? And how long did the off-duty officers wait before calling police dispatchers?
Blankenheim is seeking unspecified damages for physical and psychological injuries.
"He thought he was going to die," said Julie Flessas, Blankenheim's lawyer, aunt and owner of the 2006 Mercedes-Benz sedan that Blankenheim was driving that night. Blankenheim couldn't be reached.
Although Blankenheim twice refused medical care while in custody over nine or 10 hours, he did seek treatment at an urgent care clinic the following day, Flessas said.
Photos taken by a sheriff's deputy show bruises and swelling on Blankenheim's face and abrasions on his neck and wrist. His civil complaint also lists injuries to his arms, legs and abdomen.
It sounds like Blankenheim was beaten pretty badly. He doesn't appear to be crying wolf.
At least 45 minutes elapsed before an on-duty deputy arrived, Flessas said. She said it also was odd the Sheriff's Department handled the call. Clarke said the incident should have been handled by city police.
Clarke is seeking the firing of two department employees who were at Rosie's that night, Capt. Eric E. Roberson, 47, and Deputy Andrew R. Bilda, 31. Both were faulted for failing to report the incident. Bilda was also accused of lying about how he injured his hand.
Disciplinary charges also are expected against Sgt. Todd M. Dickau, 40, another off-duty deputy who was at Rosie's, said Jonathan Cermele, a lawyer for the sheriff's officers.
Are Marquette students or all area college student bar patrons going to stage a protest over this brutality by law enforcement run amok?
My guess is no.
13 comments:
First off, I would like to say that there are ALWAYS two sides to a story and this one is being SEVERELY misrepresented.
This student was drunk, at nearly double the legal limit...I'm sure his side of the story is more reliable.
Blankenheim took his Aunt's car without her permission, but it's nice to see that she is now his attorney and has recanted that statement.
Blankenheim hit more than one vehicle on the night in question in the parking lot.
Blankenheim was verbally abusive with not only the officers being accused but with employees of the bar and other patrons.
Don't be sure that everything you read is the gospel truth.
Mind you, the Renegade Pigs are the group that raised the most money for Deputy Timothy Johnson and his family.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/5390401.html
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke also has an axe to grind due to previous issues between him and Dickau. He is looking for any reason to hang these guys out to dry.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=311868&format=print
The RPMC - Milwaukee Ironmen have worked hard and are good people, but are being judged because of the name of their group and by the fact that they wear leather.
Grow up people.
Clarke buries facts about Courthouse shooting
Sheriff benefited politically from cover up
http://www.watchdogmilwaukee.com/2003-ClarkeCoverup.htm
Hmm...so he's hidden things before and I'm wondering what else he'd do for his own gain.
I am surprised that this man is in charge of our public safety...who's side is he on anyway? Seems like he would rather being doing crimes than preventing them.
http://bloggingblue.com/category/david-clarke/
The two sides to the story have been reported. The account I link to states that Blankenheim was ' "physically aggressive, loud and profane' during the confrontation."
It says he was charged with drunken driving and that he hit a parked car.
It doesn't sound like Blankenheim is being depicted as an angel.
The question is whether excessive force was used, and whether the "Pigs" CLEARLY identified themselves as law enforcements officers.
I think it's great that the "Pigs" raised money for Timothy Johnson. That's why I said in my original post that "I shouldn't diss all Renegade Pigs, or all Renegade Pigs in the Milwaukee Chapter."
I say the beating was the result of "a few bad men."
This isn't about David Clarke. He has nothing to do with the off-duty behavior of Capt. Eric E. Roberson and Deputy Andrew R. Bilda.
Clarke didn't beat Blankenheim. He didn't fail to report the incident.
Your attempts to change the subject reveal that you have an axe to grind.
No where in the story does it state the fact that Blankenheim assualted the bouncer or thru a punch at one of the deputies. Blankenheim also refused medical treatment and misteriously went to a clinic days afterwards sporting suspicious injuries.
Drunk kid crashes car, assaults a civilian, and then sues the cops who dared arrest him.
Yup, the cops were bikers. So get over the hollywood stereotype of bikers - these guys are the good guys.
Yup, the cops were drinking. Does that mean they should have stood by and watched a drunk kid beat up a good samaritan, and drive off again, drunk, to cause more accidents?
Yup, the kid has some bumps and scrapes. You'll get those when you get restrained.
But I totally disagree with the comment that this is NOT about Sheriff David Clarke. The DA cleared the cops, said it was a good bust and the cops did no wrong. The Sheriff doesn't like the Renegade Pigs and doesn't like the officers involved, so he wants them fired.
So the reasons this is newsworthy? The Sheriff is discriminating against the officers involved and is recommending that they be fired.
Just karma would be if the author of this article was injured by a drunk driver.
The many "anonymous" comments here illustrate that the Renegade Pigs are a "very tight brotherhood."
I'll say it again: I think it's great that the "Pigs" raised money for Timothy Johnson. That's why I said in my original post that "I shouldn't diss all Renegade Pigs, or all Renegade Pigs in the Milwaukee Chapter."
OK?
It's clear that you can't stand David Clarke.
I get it.
I think it's great that officers stepped in to arrest a drunken driver, a potential killer.
And as a taxpayer, I'm not thrilled when the city and the county are sued by a drunken driver.
Have I been clear?
I'm not a shill for Blankenheim. I'm certainly not anti-law enforcement. I respect officers and I've never had an experience when I felt they didn't respect me.
That said, why weren't city police called to handle the matter?
Why didn't Roberson and Bilda report the incident?
What's with Bilda allegedly lying about how he injured his hand?
Those issues concern me.
If there are reasonable explanations, I'd like to know.
1. Mary said... “The two sides to the story have been reported.”
>>Here’s the problem with your statement – you weren’t there and you are relying on what is being reported in the media. Not ALL of the story is there.
2. Mary said... “I say the beating was the result of "a few bad men."
>>”A few bad men.” Would be very interesting to know how long you’ve known these men and whether or not you were there. Oh, wait! You don’t know them and you weren’t there. Stop judging people you don’t know and situations you weren’t involved in. If memory serves me, people are innocent until PROVEN guilty…you’ve already convicted them.
3. Mary said... “Clarke didn't beat Blankenheim.”
>>These officers didn’t beat Blankeheim either.
4. Mary said... “Your attempts to change the subject reveal that you have an axe to grind.”
>>Obviously getting more facts on a story is lost on you. Information pertinent to the story would make you realize what is really going on here and that Blankenheim is only a small portion of this story.
5. Mary said... “The many "anonymous" comments here illustrate that the Renegade Pigs are a "very tight brotherhood."
>>Most of the anonymous comments are from people who were there and people who know the men involved. I think it also illustrates the Renegade Pigs aren’t just going to let someone trash their name because they “THINK” they know what happened.
6. Mary said... “That said, why weren't city police called to handle the matter? Why didn't Roberson and Bilda report the incident? What's with Bilda allegedly lying about how he injured his hand?”
>>Personally, I will only offer information on items that I know the truth about. Since I am not Roberson or Bilda, I can’t answer those questions but I will say that I don’t think you’ll get the truth from the media or from Clarke.
My favorite comment by Clarke is "I have two versions of the story, and I still don't know what really happened."
Two versions, huh? Version one is obviously Blankenheim's (who was drunk and is now facing charges).
The other version comes from a number of respected officers from both the Sheriff and City departments, along with civilian witnesses consisting of the bar's staff and patrons - which all match.
Jury's out on this one, eh?
To "anonymous, 9:13 AM, May 14, 2008"--
You know for a fact the identities of most of the anonymous commenters here?
That's interesting. I guess that's indicative of the "very tight brotherhood."
I didn't trash your name or your group. I don't understand why you want to be called "Renegade Pigs," but that's your business.
You're throwing out all these supposed "facts," claiming that what Clarke says is not to be believed and the media have reported the story inaccurately.
OK. Why don't you direct your complaints to the local media?
I am commenting on what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. If that print outlet and TV stations are screwing up, you should demand a retraction from them.
I'm listening to what you have to say. I'm not dismissing any of these comments, though there's an obvious bias.
Moreover, anonymous comments on the Internet don't have the same credibility as someone going on the record. Sure, anonymous posters leave an electronic trail that can be traced, but for the most part, there isn't the same immediate accountability. I know that's the nature of the Internet and blog postings. Still, it follows that unless one is willing to be identified, there's an element of doubt that's unavoidable.
Granted, the media do get a lot wrong and they have biases, but they are putting their credibility on the line each time they report.
NO, I wasn't there when the incident happened. Were you? Were your "anonymous" brothers?
I don't know.
You conveniently dodge the legitimate questions I have about the case.
You also raise a new one: Who did beat Blankenheim?
You say that you have access to the truth. Clearly, you aren't willing to offer the whole truth or you don't know it.
I'm just waiting for answers to my questions.
If some nice anonymous person would like to provide answers, I'd appreciate it.
This is exactly why people are posting anonymously and not answering questions. To protect themselves and the officers involved. You've already made dismissive accusations about us "anonymous posters" being part of a "very tight brotherhood", but I for one am _not_ a Renegade Pig or a cop. I most certainly wouldn't want my name dragged into this, when accusations are flying. I am just a concerned citizen.
You (and I'm sure many others) have been misled by the news story and Clarke's prejudice. It's not your fault - the news, blogs, and the 'net are just terrible mediums for the truth, which is seldom newsworthy.
This will all get hashed out in the proper venue - court. That is where witnesses will be called and the questions will be addressed.
Until then, please stop assuming these good cops are anything but good cops.
I was there that night, though I witnessed nothing first hand. I did talk with witnesses though, and the officers involved were simply doing what they're supposed to. There was no fight, they put him on the ground, cuffed, and held him until uniforms arrived. Scrapes and bruises happen when struggling, no one got "beat up" because the officers acted quickly to stop a fight.
The kid's aunt threatened to sue unless the OWI charges were dropped. It was investigated and the DA decided it was a good bust - so here we are in legal-lawsuit-land. That's the real story, believe it or not.
I doubt the news will report the outcome, retractions are always embarrassing to the papers and especially the Sheriff. So I'm afraid short of using a PACER account, you won't know the outcome.
You're right. Blankenheim and Roberson and Bilda will have their day in court.
I can understand friends of Roberson and Bilda wanting to correct what they view as false media accounts.
I hope the anonymous posters here have jumped down their throats for putting out lies and acting as propagandists and shilling for David Clarke.
You say I should hold off on judging Roberson and Bilda.
OK. Then, let's not judge Blankenheim either. Let's not talk about this at all until there's a trial.
Justice is a two-way street.
I asked some legitimate questions. I'll have to wait for answers.
You are both wrong and right.
Bilda DID break his hand hitting the mans face. He did beat the guy up along with Roberson. They both give good deputies a bad name.
I am not shocked at this coming from a low life like Bilda. He just left his wife for guess who???? Tim Johnson's wife. Yes, Deputy Tim Johnson, the one the renegade pigs held the fundraiser for. Is that someone who should be trusted and believed?? What a low life. He shouldn't be allowed to be part of any brotherhood if that's how you treat your brothers.
And yes!
Clarke is a total jerk and doesn't support his deputies. He shouldn't be in any form of authority. He doesn't even know how to bring up morale at the department.
This is really about if the deputies should be in trouble. Yes, they should.
Nuff said.
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