Comment by Kim Moreno on October 24, 2011 at 12:13pm

When did garden-variety threatening phone calls become "Terrorist threats"?!! C'mon...really.......

Comment by Ashley Jenkins on October 24, 2011 at 12:36pm

That is the code term used on the crime report that I look at so I post it that way. The code was developed before we have come to call people who attack our country as "terrorists" so the original meaning of a terrorist was that they brought terror or terrorized someone. Thus, if you make a threatening phone call that brings terror or terrorizes you are making a terrorist threat! 

Very weird to think of it that way now that we've seen what a Terrorist really can do!

Comment by David Fenner on October 24, 2011 at 1:26pm

Nice try, Ashley, But I don't think so.  A person threatening another person by calling him names or threatening harm, or calling police was not called terrorism before 9/11.   It was simply a threat.  I'll have to go with Kim on this one.  Sounds like political correctness gone wild to me.

Comment by Ashley Jenkins on October 24, 2011 at 1:53pm

You can refer to California Penal Code 422 for more information. The crimes you see on the blotter are listed as "P.C. 422 Terrorist Threat." I received my information from my previous post in response to Kim from the Coronado Police Department. There is a large amount of information on the internet regarding the controversial name of the code. 

"In California, Terrorist or Criminal Threats are Illegal. A terrorist or criminal threat is a threat of violence, threat to hurt, injure or kill others with the intent of intimidating or frightening them, or causing public panic. Examples of terrorist or criminal threats include:… Threatening harm or injury to a neighbor"

Source: http://www.lacriminaldefenseattorney.com/criminalthreats.html

Comment by Ashley Jenkins on October 24, 2011 at 1:54pm

“Despite its name, the crime of terrorist threats does not necessarily implicate al Qaeda or other terrorist organizations for their inflammatory speech or their attempts at political blackmail. Instead, the offense has more to do with situations involving domestic violence, hate crimes, bomb threats, and school violence. The question presented as to when is a threat actually a violation of the criminal law presents a tension between an individuals free-speech rights and the government’s duty to protect its citizens.”

Another good explanation: http://www.criminalattorney.com/news/terrorist-threats/

Comment by David Fenner on October 24, 2011 at 3:15pm

Thanks for that.  You've become the messenger that we can't blame.  The information links you provide confirms both Kim's and my perception, and verify the whacko world of political correctness.    Just like "Hate Crime" has its own political derivatives.  When, in fact, there is no crime committed when you hate someone, or something.  So far, there is no law controlling emotions.

Comment by Ashley Jenkins on October 25, 2011 at 12:06pm

Alicia- I put the "partial list" at the top of each blotter because it is not a complete list of EVERY crime that has occurred. I feel it would be misleading to state otherwise even though nearly all of the press log crimes are posted each week. When I go through the press log at the police station I usually include all of the crime reports. I will not include something if there is not enough information on the crime report to post. For example, if there is key information missing such as the location, or a description of what has occurred then there is not much to include.

As far as the law on going through the recycling bins I am unsure. I will look into it though and let you know what I come up with.

Thanks for your questions! 

Comment (keep it clean & on topic)