Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Internal Affairs


Siloam Springs is back in the news again. Public officials there have acted with alacrity to ban strip clubs and adult novelty stores to protect local civilians from succumbing to their natural instincts and fulfilling their consumer needs. Now we know why. They had their own amusement for free.

Siloam has given a new meaning to rectitude. According to a lawsuit filed in federal court, Siloam Springs Police officers may have subjected more than a thousand people arrested on minor offenses to illegal strip and body cavity searches -- without consent, without a warrant, and in violation of the constitutional right against illegal search. Allegedly, it was the policy of the city, under the authority of Police Chief Joe Garrett and former Chief Jerry Toler, to strip and body-cavity search any person arrested for any offense before they had a trial. Nine "John Doe" and "Jane Doe" city employees are also defendants.

Siloam Springs City Attorney Jay C. Williams said, "We're definitely going to investigate and look into things, and if there are any changes that need to be made, we're certainly going to take those into account and do what needs to be done to make sure the jail's run properly." Right. Mayor Moose Van Poucke could sell copies of the jail security cam tapes to raise a defense fund for the cops in the dock. Or if the Sidewalk Soul Market is still open there, they could sell the city's twisted one to pay off the likely damages on judgment day.

Siloam Springs is just plain weird.

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