Morgan just being Morgan up until the very end…

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Morgan one piggy taleMorgan took this silly picture of herself while Skyping her friend just days before her murder.  Morgan could always find happiness in even the silliest things, but that was Morgan.

Please don’t ever forget who Morgan was.  Never forget that she was loved by many and she was very important…every soul is important and no one has the right to stalk, terrorize and viciously take another person’s life.

How can we as a society condone the murder of a victim of stalking because local law enforcement has chosen to lie and cover it up?  If a law enforcement agency does not have the education to understand what they are up against when dealing with a stalker then they should get help.  There are many agencies that offer to help with expertise needed and at no charge to the police or sheriffs so why wouldn’t they reach out for help?  Do they not want to help victims?

In a small rural area, the Roaring Fork Valley, between Aspen, CO and Glenwood Springs, CO there is a distance of about 30 miles…not that large.  And in that area there are 9 different law enforcement agencies – all of which do not share case information with each other.  A criminal could ostensively commit a crime in one jurisdiction, then drive 15 minutes away and be in another county, commit the same crime, and neither law enforcement agency would have any clue that the same person did both crimes, because information is not shared…sounds like a great place for a criminal  to feel safe and the victims to be very frightened.  In the year 2015 with all the technology at our fingertips this is something that could change, and should change…a shared database on crimes that could be connected by local and state law enforcement agencies so that the officers have the tools at their fingertips to reduce crimes by the use of information then they can start removing the offenders from our streets.  Just a thought, but why not?  I am sure if it came down to it the taxpayers would approve a tax to help produce this type of state wide database so criminals could be taken off the streets and our children would be safer don’t you agree?

 

Who Polices the Police?

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whowillprotectfrompolice copyAnother Colorado case that has been treated the same way as our daughter Morgan’s case.  The police and sheriffs departments in Colorado need accountability and right now that does not exist.  If law enforcement is allowed to repress and cover up the facts in a capital crime this is a problem for the whole state of Colorado.  There needs to be accountability.  There needs to be transparency and checks and balances, which at this time Colorado does not have.  Who in Colorado is responsible to make sure corruption does not go unchecked in Colorado?

This article is talking about the Kelsie Schelling case in Pueblo, CO.  http://southerncoloradoindependent.com/who-polices-police/

The article states that police officers say that the “higher ups” including Chief Velez and two of three top commanders including MacLaughlan, who publicly misreported facts about the Kelsie Schelling case, and Troy Davenport are causing so much trouble that its humiliating for those just trying to do their jobs.  This is what I have been trying to convey to people about Morgan’s case as well – when things like this happen within a department the good officers suffer because of the deeds of the bad officers.  The public loses faith in law enforcement, then there is less communication between the public and law enforcement, the trust is eroded and the job of law enforcement becomes all that much harder and dangerous for the good officers.  Public trust is imperative so Colorado needs to care about what is going on in these small rural counties and cities!

Quote from the article, “The machine is broken which accommodates corruption,” said a local citizen to Paulson. “It’s not even about the people in the department although some are causing more trouble than others. The machine needs to be corrected with more checks and balances.”

Let us all be aware of what is happening and let us all be a part of the solution to correct and mend the broken parts of the system.

Creating An Effective Stalking Protocol

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Creating An Effective Stalking Protocol researched and written by the National Center  for Victims of Crime in 2002.  During the project, the National Center, with the assistance of a diverse advisory board, developed a model protocol to help police agencies throughout the United States address stalking more effectively. Advisory board members included experts from law enforcement, victim services, and prosecution services.

Individual stalking incidents looked at in isolation often appear innocuous. But once identified as part of a pattern of behavior of unwanted contact imposed on the victim by the perpetrator, it’s another story. Whether they are linked to domestic violence or involve perpetrators who are acquaintances or strangers, stalking incidents become threatening and sinister, even in the absence of any overt threats to harm the victim. In a significant number of cases, stalking is in fact, a precursor to lethal violence.

The fear induced by stalking, the drastic way it disrupts victims’ lives, and the real dangers faced by many victims all demand effective intervention by law enforcement. Yet, stalking is exceptionally difficult to police–difficult to investigate, prosecute, and prevent–and the majority of police departments in the United States lack clearly defined policies to deal with it.

Traditional “reactive” policing is ill-suited to the challenges because it means waiting for something to happen and then responding. Where there is an ever-present risk that stalking will cross over into physical violence and victim safety and prevention are the priorities, such an approach inevitably falls short. Stalking by its nature calls for early intervention, preventive action, and proactive problem-solving. These are the hallmarks of community policing.  https://www.victimsofcrime.org/docs/src/creating-an-effective-stalking-protocol.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Wouldn’t this be a great start if all law enforcement agencies could have a National protocol that was taught to all their officers?

 

More Exciting News…A Book!

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MorganreadingbookA while ago I had the honor of being interviewed by the author of many non fiction crime novels.  She was a wonderful person to talk to and was herself a victim of stalking at one time in her life.  She had read this blog and decided to contact me with a lot of really good questions.  Once the questions were answered she was able to really understand Morgan’s story.  I wish more people asked those type of questions.  Sometimes I think a reader may be a bit confused by what they have read and if they would only ask me the question then their confustion would end.

After my interview she wrote a chapter in her new book about Morgan’s stalking and murder.  The book has recently been released and I will be posting the information here soon for anyone that is interested in buying her book.  The printed book can be ordered from any bookshop and the ebooks can be bought directly through Amazon, Apple, Kobo etc.  Here is a description of the book given by her publisher:

From secretive online followers to jealous ex-lovers and obsessed admirers through to random strangers and crazed criminals, this unnerving book will provide an insight into the minds of stalkers, and reveal how their sinister actions affect their victims.

Victims and stalkers tell their stories – both in person and through court records, with a special section on royal stalkers and celebrity stalkers through the ages. More than one hundred real life case studies from around the world highlight the sometimes deadly, but always distressing, consequences.

I am so excited about her book.  I really believe this book will be another avenue in which the awareness of the seriousness of stalking will be raised.  Let’s all keep trying to raise awareness, keep vigilant, watch out for others, and keep safe.

The author wrote to me and said:

“I think your experience really helps to highlight the horror of the experience for all involved.”