Pocatello, ID — There is a saying among law enforcement when they are questioned for writing asinine tickets for non-crimes and arresting well-meaning people who may be in possession of a plant to treat their child — ‘Just doing my job.’ This phrase is uttered countless times a day as police officers write tickets for everything from window tint to license plate lights — as they somehow think it justifies this level of extortion.
The most recent case of extortion for non-crimes is getting a lot of attention in Idaho because police extorted a man who was actually providing a community service.
When it snows in his community, Mitch Fisher is ready to help.
“I take care of the neighbors. They’re all elderly and I like to help them out,” Fisher said.
Fisher’s community service of plowing streets and sidewalks — for free — is so highly regarded that he was featured in a segment on a local news station in December.
“I try to clean my spot and all the neighbors around me so we have a nice area to park and pull in,” Fisher said las month. “Also, hopefully, so no one gets stuck in front of my house.”
But his good deed did not go unnoticed by the revenue collectors. On Wednesday, a Pocatello police officer came prowling and issued Fisher a citation for ‘depositing material on a public right of way.’ Fisher will now be extorted for over $200 for helping the city clean the roadways.
Naturally, according to Local 8 News, Fisher was baffled.
“I tried to talk (the officer) out of it and tell him what I was doing, that I was trying to get it out of the street because (the street) hasn’t been plowed since the beginning of snow season,” he said. “Of course, he was doing his job, wrote the citation and went on his way.”
The law used to extort Fisher was Chapter 9 of Pocatello’s city code which states, “It is unlawful for any person to deposit, place or allow to remain in or upon any public right of way any material or substance injurious to persons or property.”
Obviously depositing trash, debris, or anything else that would obstruct the street is a dangerous practice. However, Fisher was doing the opposite of this as he moved the snow into a pile right next to his curb.
“I didn’t want it in front of (my neighbors’) houses because they can’t park. I don’t care if it’s in front of mine,” Fisher explained of his community service.
Fisher’s ticket received heavy backlash after he posted it on Facebook in the group “You know you grew up in Pocatello when…” However, the administrator took it down after the conversation apparently got too heated.
To highlight how caring of a man he is, Fisher posted to the group yesterday — apologizing for sharing his ticket in it and didn’t mean for it to start any controversy. Within that post, Fisher was praised by his neighbors and community for providing the service and the overwhelming majority of people are on his side.
Also, there is good news to this story as Fisher says he will not back down. “I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I don’t care about the city,” he said.
According to Local 8, Fisher plans on fighting the ticket. However, even if he loses — he will continue to help.
“If it cost me 206 dollars a year so be it, I’ll have peace of mind knowing it helps them out,” Fisher said in the Facebook group.
It is quite heartening to hear of such resistance to petty tyranny. Unjust laws will remain unjust until they are disobeyed by good people like Fisher. Had brave individuals throughout history not risked imprisonment or worse to challenge tyrannical, racist, and immoral laws, society today, would be much less free.
Thank you, Mitch Fisher, for standing up for what is right.
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter and now on Steemit
#1: calcon To: Deckard (#0)
Of course he is, he's a vet this is what they do. Leave him alone you f*ing bureaucrats.
calcon posted on 2017-01-06 15:55:22 Reply Private Reply
#2: Stoner To: Deckard (#0)
This situation is asinine.
It might TECHNICALLY be against the law, but it defies common sense. More like picking the fly specs out of the pepper. This man was just trying to be, and was a good helpful neighbor. A good citizen.
Time was when a officer writing a MHV ticket for 2 miles over, was shunned by his fellow officers, that being a chicken shit ticket. That is what this is!
Some will accuse you of this being yellow journalism, but their objections will be to promote THEIR AGENDA. Yeah, how about that.
In this case, the cop may have flexed his muscle of " we are in charge ", but they pissed in their Public Relations Bowl, all because the cop was more concerned with his ego, than common sense. Maybe the cop had some personal grudge against Mitch Fisher? I don't know. But could be.
As there are more & more attacks on good cops, they do not need more public relations black eyes, like this. The time will come when the PD will want, and need public support. Incidents like this will not encourage that. It will cause public support to evaporate. And not only bad cops will lose that support, but good cops will also.
If I were Mitch Fisher, or one of his neighbors, I would sell out & get the hell out of that town.
Time was most cops had a lot of common sense, especially local city PD's. For they were part of the community, they lived there, and were fellow neighbors.
Sadly, those days are ending in many places. And instead of being fellow citizens of the neighborhood/community, many are acting more like an occupation force of a conquering army.
Sad, really sad!
Stoner posted on 2017-01-06 21:07:07 Reply Private Reply
#3: Pinguinite To: Deckard (#0)
He should check the definitions of "material" and "substance", as well as "injurious". Snow may not legally qualify.
Pinguinite posted on 2017-01-07 01:07:48 Reply Private Reply
#4: Hank Rearden To: Deckard (#0)
It'd be a real shame if his own house burned to the ground while he was out writing bullshit tickets instead of preserving normalcy. Stuff happens and sometimes it's a real shame.
Hank Rearden posted on 2017-01-08 17:36:53 Reply Private Reply