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Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience We respect your privacy How Turning the Border into a Military Zone Evades Congress and Threatens Rights The administration is trying to evade limits on domestic use of the armed forces and detaining people who cross the border unlawfully to a Salvadoran prison notorious for human rights violations they underscore the urgent need for Congress and the courts to reassert their roles as checks on executive authority The Posse Comitatus Act and the Military Purpose Doctrine Last week, the military announced that soldiers deployed on the New Mexico–Mexico border will have “enhanced authorities” because they are on land that has now been designated part of Fort Huachuca Arizona — a military installation located more than 100 miles away The new authorities include the power to “temporarily detain trespassers” on the “military installation” and “conduct cursory searches of trespassers service members and Department of Defense (DoD) property.” Searching and apprehending migrants would ordinarily run afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act which prohibits federal armed forces from directly participating in civilian law enforcement activities unless doing so is expressly authorized by Congress or the Constitution The law stems from an Anglo-American tradition of restraining military interference in civilian affairs It serves as a critical check on presidential power and a vital safeguard for both personal liberty and democracy In authorizing soldiers to conduct apprehensions and detentions on lands that have been newly designated as a “military installation,” the president is relying on a lesser-known loophole in the Posse Comitatus Act known as the “military purpose doctrine.” conceived by the executive branch and endorsed by the courts holds that an action taken primarily to further a military purpose does not violate the Posse Comitatus Act even if it provides an incidental benefit to civilian law enforcement A textbook example is the circumstance in which a person has driven drunk onto a military base Soldiers may legally detain the intruder until civilian law enforcement arrives to take them into custody This does not violate the Posse Comitatus Act because the primary purpose of the military’s activity is not to enforce the laws against driving while impaired but to maintain order on the base and protect military assets and personnel Having turned much of the southern border into a “military installation,” the administration now takes the position that anyone crossing the border without authorization in those areas is not just violating immigration law but also trespassing on a military installation Federal troops thus have a legitimate military reason and detain migrants without violating the Posse Comitatus Act and without the president needing to invoke the Insurrection Act at all Using the military purpose doctrine to justify direct military involvement in immigration enforcement is a transparent ruse to evade the Posse Comitatus Act without congressional authorization The doctrine is meant to apply only in cases where any law enforcement benefit is purely incidental These civilian law enforcement activities are not “incidental” — they are the reason for creating the installation And apprehending migrants who “trespass” on the installation is the primary way in which this law enforcement mission will be furthered This use of the military is fundamentally different from the border deployments that have occurred in recent presidential administrations The military’s role until now has been limited to logistical support such as assisting border agents with surveillance Providing such support does not constitute direct participation in law enforcement so it does not violate the Posse Comitatus Act Having soldiers perform core law enforcement duties like apprehending or detaining people Leaving aside the question of whether an emergency, properly defined, existed on January 20 (it didn’t) the Trump administration has made a powerful case that there is no emergency now Trump should be revoking the emergency declaration not relying on it to transfer federal lands to the Department of Defense Using the military for border enforcement is also a slippery slope If soldiers are allowed to take on domestic policing roles at the border it may become easier to justify uses of the military in the U.S Our nation’s founders warned against the dangers of an army turned inward which can all too easily be turned into an instrument of tyranny Trump’s misuse of emergency powers similarly has larger implications. Emergency declarations unlock enhanced powers contained in 150 different provisions of law Many of these are far more potent than the ability to transfer federal lands to the Department of Defense They include the authority to take over or shut down communications facilities If emergency powers can be invoked for border security at a time when unlawful border crossings have reached a historic low there is little to prevent a president from declaring fake emergencies to invoke these alarming powers It may not be possible to pass these reforms soon but the fight against executive overreach is not just a short-term one Understanding the ways in which Trump’s actions threaten the rule of law today can help build support for enacting reforms in the future Trump Is Attempting to Use Wartime Powers in the United States The Obscure Supreme Court Case that Could Prevent a Recession Donald Trump may be a fan of archaic laws, but an executive order signed on Monday shows he has little concern for the Posse Comitatus Act.  In an order focused on protecting law enforcement officers from legal repercussions, Trump included an aside to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi It asked the duo to "determine how military and national security assets and personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent crime." Using "personnel" to "prevent crime" seems to run afoul of the 1878 law except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years with later laws extending the same restrictions to the Navy and the Marine Corps the directive to root around for loopholes is cause for concern.  Elsewhere in the order, Trump ordered Bondi and other agency heads to push for increased pay and benefits for law enforcement officers and to strengthen legal protections for police. It also encouraged a reexamination of federal consent decrees a legal mechanism that is commonly used to encourage notably violent police departments to reform Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com Associated Press articles: Copyright © 2016 The Associated Press Home » Resources » BCSO Charities The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Charity Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that was created to help Brevard County First Responders and their families during difficult hardships The organization works with community leaders businesses and citizens to raise funds to help our law enforcement officers and firefighters in their time of need These funds will help our public safety members when they face critical challenges such as medical emergencies long term illness or even the tragedy of a line of duty death This charity organization is designed to help protect those that protect us The organization is facilitated solely through volunteers and provides financial assistance to distressed public safety officers or their family For additional information, please contact Lindsey Deaton or visit their website The Sheriff’s Pet Posse provides support to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Care Center Support provided is for the care and medical treatment of animals including food We support enrichment programs for the animals The enrichment programs will be focused on behavior The Pet Posse will support educating the public on the importance of vaccinations along with spaying/neutering their pets Fill out this form to contact Lindsey Deaton for additional information about our charities If you do not want your email address released in response to a public-records request do not send electronic mail to this entity contact this office by phone or in writing:Brevard County Sheriff’s Office contact this office by phone or in writing: The new cohorts will further serve to strengthen student backgrounds and perspectives on campus Vanderbilt recently announced the addition of two new cohorts to the Posse Scholars program: Miami and Atlanta The expansion builds upon the original Vanderbilt Posse launched in New York over 36 years ago as well as the addition of a second New York cohort and a new Houston cohort in 2023 The university now counts five total Posse cohorts—two more than the average university involved with the program “Vanderbilt and Posse have shared an enthusiastic long-standing collaboration rooted in a shared philosophy of seeking out the next generation of dynamic leaders wherever they may be,” said Douglas L vice provost for university enrollment affairs and dean of admissions and financial aid “We look forward to welcoming these exceptional young scholars to the Vanderbilt community as we believe their rich variety of talents and perspectives will greatly enrich our campus.”   The Posse Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that identifies and supports high school students with academic excellence and leadership potential connecting them to prestigious colleges and universities The program helps Vanderbilt recruit from different geographies in its ongoing effort to bring different perspectives to the classroom The university’s collaboration with Posse aligns with its commitment to excellence and to growth and development By minimizing financial and other barriers that might impede students’ access to the university the Posse Scholars program helps broaden the range of perspectives Students in all the cohorts—including those who will join the university’s incoming first-year class in 2026—are guaranteed a full-tuition scholarship based on leadership and engagement within their communities The university will also meet any demonstrated need beyond the cost of the scholarship Posse is also granting Vanderbilt $1 million over five years to help with programming costs and annual fees associated with the new cohorts That amount is in addition to the $1 million grant currently being used to run the new Houston and New York cohorts Wyatt took a chance on a then-untested program giving Posse a strong foundation from which to grow Vice Provost Christiansen and their exceptional teams have been elevating the partnership to new heights,” Posse President Deborah Bial said “By welcoming more Posse Scholars to campus than ever before Vanderbilt is not only transforming lives but also strengthening a network of leaders who will shape our country’s future.”   Jeremi London—Vanderbilt Posse faculty director associate provost for academic opportunity and associate professor of mechanical engineering —is thinking creatively about how to foster community and a sense of belonging as the program grows “I’m honored to serve at the helm of the flagship Posse program during this time in its history,” London said Vanderbilt was the first university to collaborate with The Posse Foundation when it was launched in 1989 by social entrepreneur Deborah Bial nearly 400 Posse Scholars have thrived at Vanderbilt and enriched the campus community receiving over $52 million in tuition assistance from Vanderbilt this figure does not capture the additional aid from Opportunity Vanderbilt that students who demonstrated financial need greater than the tuition may have received The Posse Scholars program is based on the philosophy that a small diverse group of talented students—a posse—carefully selected and trained can serve as a catalyst for individual and community development Posse students are chosen based on their experience Posse Scholars bond throughout their last year of high school while receiving precollegiate training on navigating the college experience. Under the leadership of a faculty director and Posse mentors, the Vanderbilt Posse Scholars Program fosters a sense of belonging through a network of mentoring relationships forged during their first two years on campus and engagement with cross-cohort community-building programs spanning all four years And the success of Posse Scholars is evident They go on to pursue impactful careers in every sector of society Several members of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust are also Posse alumni “My Vanderbilt Posse experience profoundly changed my life and my family’s life,” Posse’s Senior Advisor of Creative Content Rico Blancaflor “I gained a world-class education and a durable network that influences how I navigate and make sense of the world today As an early alum and longtime employee of Posse I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of this relationship The expansion of Posse at my alma mater fills me with pride I hope the world can see and learn from Vanderbilt—how long-term collaborations can enrich institutions and transform lives.”   The Posse Scholars program is one of many collaborative relationships that Vanderbilt has forged as the university works to bring many different voices and perspectives to campus Among them is the STARS College Network a prominent coalition of colleges and universities dedicated to ensuring that students from small-town and rural America have the information and support they need to enroll and graduate from the college or university of their choice Vanderbilt—one of the co-founding institutions—has been involved in events geared toward small-town and rural community outreach resulting in a 26.8 percent increase in applications from small-town and rural students from Tennessee and an impressive 93.9 percent increase in admitted students from those areas Vanderbilt also collaborates with QuestBridge a national college match program that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with Vanderbilt University and other top colleges the number of admissions to Vanderbilt through the program has increased from an initial 15 students per academic year in 2014 to a current class of 75 Nashville, Tennessee 37240 615-322-7311 • Contact Us Vanderbilt University’s Online Privacy Notice Already a subscriber? Log In Kyle Larson pounced on the opportunity to have a little fun with members of the Pennsylvania Posse this past weekend who was in Alabama for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series event at Talladega Superspeedway attended a show headlined by comedian Shane Gillis in Birmingham Fellow NASCAR star and dirt track racing enthusiast Chase Briscoe attended the show alongside Larson.  Larson posted a photo of himself with Gillis on social media with the caption: "Only PA Posse guy I like."  Only PA Posse guy I like 😄 pic.twitter.com/u36n2O1l7R the popular comedian and star of the Netflix show Tires put his love for dirt racing on full display when he attended a race at his hometown track as well as photos posted by fans at the track that night spread throughout the dirt track racing community in the days and weeks following the event.  Gillis has also been seen wearing various racing shirts After taking the photo with Gillis at his Birmingham show Larson made sure to put his own racing twist on the caption to rile up members of the PA Posse.  Larson is a former PA Speedweek champion (2020) and has recorded victories at multiple Pennsylvania tracks including: Williams Grove Speedway Lernerville Speedway and BAPS Motor Speedway.  In the third episode of the recently released DIRT II: A Season With High Limit Racing Presented by NOS Energy Drink “They’ve got a really good local scene that pays well "That’s why you see a lot of Pennsylvanian drivers not really travel and they get picked on for not leaving the porch But I think a big reason why they don’t leave the porch is because they know they won’t do good so they can make a decent living doing it.” will visit PA Posse country for the first time this season on May 20 at Grandview Speedway Three days of racing during the Bob Weikert Memorial will follow at Port Royal Speedway Get the most important Racing stories delivered straight to your inbox Prominent Uruguay stallion and United States expatriate grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Posse  died at Haras Rapetti where he has been standing solely since the latter half of 2016 The son of Silver Deputy had been diagnosed with a tumor and was recently suffering from complications to his health Robert and Lawanna Low bred Posse out of the Rahy daughter Raska. The owner/breeders sold the colt for $115,000 during the 2001 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt. With trainer Steve Asmussen, Posse won the Kentucky Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs at 2 and placed in two other stakes He added two other stakes wins to his résumé in 2003 in the Matt Winn Stakes and Thanksgiving Handicap and also placed in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) and Swale Stakes (G3) He retired with a 7-2-2 record from 18 starts and earned $662,841 Posse entered stud at Vinery in Central Kentucky in 2004 and stood there for six seasons he was relocated to New York where he stood at Vinery New York (formerly Sugar Maple Farm) and later Rockridge Stud (2014-16) He shuttled one year in 2015 before being acquired by Haras Rapetti Sign up for BloodHorse Daily and Cigar Mile Handicap (G1). Kodiak Kowboy stood in Kentucky from 2010-2014 spending three years at Vinery and two at WinStar Farm He stood in Brazil from 2014 until his death last year Photo: Adam CoglianesePosse's son Kodiak Kowboy (outside) wins the 2009 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack Caleb's Posse stands at River Oaks Farms in Oklahoma while Lantana Mob stands at Breakway Farm in Indiana Posse sired 135 winners led by 2023 Uruguay champion 2-year-old filly Rubia Posse Posse was several times the leading sire of 2-year-olds in Uruguay He sired foals in 2023 and though essentially retired last year reportedly did cover one mare in 2024 who is in foal Latin Lawyer is delighted to announce the second of two winners of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards: Mariana Posse of Colombian Elite firm Posse Herrera Ruiz.  The esteemed Colombian lawyer stands out as one of the few women to have co-founded a major law firm in Latin America challenging stereotypes and redefining the role women can play in the historically male-dominated legal sector Mariana Posse retired from the firm at the end of 2024 leaving behind a legacy of strong leadership and inspiring a new generation of women to follow in her footsteps.  Posse Herrera Ruiz was born after Mariana Posse rebranded her late father’s firm L Posse y Cía alongside her brother Daniel Posse and M&A lawyer Jaime Herrera in 1996 It was initially known as Posse Herrera Posse and got its current name after the arrival of tax specialist Juan Guillermo Ruiz one year later Mariana Posse first joined her father’s firm as a lawyer in 1989 after graduating from Bogotá’s Universidad Javeriana in 1981 and completing a postgraduate degree there three years later the three name partners all sat on Posse Herrera Ruiz's executive committee – which it uses in place of a managing partner structure Infrastructure and public law partner José Alejandro Torres joined the leadership in 2023 while Mariana Posse left the committee when she retired.  the Elite firm has built on its core transactional practice areas and grown into a full-service powerhouse expanding its presence beyond Bogotá to cities like Medellín and Barranquilla and establishing itself as one of Colombia's most influential law firms.  Speaking to Latin Lawyer in a Q&A series for International Women’s Day in 2023, Mariana Posse expressed her passion for championing female talent at law firms and advocating training mechanisms that allow women to climb the corporate ladder Latin Lawyer will present Mariana Posse with her award at its annual awards ceremony at the Rosewood in São Paulo on 8 May. More information about tickets can be found here.  We will continue to announce the winners of this year’s Individual Awards in the following news briefings. Click here to read about the other winner of this year’s two Lifetime Achievement Awards – Cristian Mitrani of Argentine firm Mitrani Caballero.   This firm has professional notice in the Latin Lawyer 250 Get more from LLSign up to our daily email alert Unlock unlimited access to all Latin Lawyer content Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDOTHAN (WTVY) - “Whoop whoop,” a meeting of the Juggalos is set to take place right here in the Wiregrass The Insane Clown Posse (ICP) are getting set to kick off a two-week tour of the eastern United States and one of their stops will be in downtown Dothan as they will perform at The Plant on Saturday The notorious and controversial rap pairing of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope who got their start in Detroit and are known for their “horrorcore” hip-hop style that has transformed them into entertainment icons will bring their elaborate live performance experience to the Circle City for a night that will surely be unforgettable the wicked duo Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope are packin’ up their hatchets two-week rampage,” ICP said of their upcoming tour Tickets for ICP at The Plant will go on sale this Friday, March 21, at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online by clicking here Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site ¿Le gustaría continuar en la página de inicio de Brennan Center en español Why the Posse Comitatus Act Must Be Reformed along with a lack of enforcement mechanisms undermine the law that prevents military involvement in law enforcement Posse comitatus is Latin for “the power of the county.” It refers to the authority that sheriffs and some other law enforcement officials had at common law to gather a group of citizens to pursue lawbreakers In Britain and the United States, before the modern era the sheriff was often the only local law enforcement officer and any significant lawbreaking would be more than he could handle alone The posse comitatus power allowed him to call in reinforcements when the sheriff gathers a “posse” of townsfolk to chase outlaws The Posse Comitatus Act is so named because it prohibits the use of federal armed forces as a posse comitatus or to otherwise enforce the law unless doing so is expressly authorized by Congress The Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program is often concerned with statutes that are dangerous because they grant too much authority or they’re too broad is dangerous because it doesn’t go far enough: it’s too flimsy a guardrail the law limits federal military participation in law enforcement but it is undermined by an overabundance of exceptions and the lack of an effective enforcement mechanism the principle enshrined in the Posse Comitatus Act is protected more by norms and historical practice than by the text of the law itself we’ve entered an era in which we can no longer rely on tradition to constrain executive action so our new report focuses on the lesser-known loopholes One significant loophole is the District of Columbia National Guard While all other National Guards are commanded by their state or territorial governors the DC Guard falls under the president’s direct control at all times the Department of Justice has long claimed it can also operate as a non-federal “militia” that is not constrained by the Posse Comitatus Act This means presidents can theoretically use the DC Guard for law enforcement whenever they choose Another loophole is Section 502(f) of Title 32 of the U.S which allows the National Guard to carry out federal missions at the request of the president or secretary of defense while remaining under state control While the rest of Section 502 is principally used for training missions there are no criteria limiting what kinds of missions Subsection f can be used for The Trump administration exploited this license a few years ago when it invited National Guard troops from 11 states into DC to suppress protests following the murder of George Floyd This unprecedented action was done without invoking the Insurrection Act as the president could simply ask sympathetic state governors to give the orders on his behalf the Posse Comitatus Act lacks an effective enforcement mechanism yet there’s no real threat of prosecution for violating it in practice No one has ever been convicted for violating the Posse Comitatus Act and only two people have ever been prosecuted — both more than 140 years ago Military participation in law enforcement is sometimes necessary in a true crisis One of the most immediate concerns is that soldiers are trained to fight an enemy who lacks constitutional rights; they are not generally trained for domestic law enforcement soldiers aren’t necessarily instructed in how to provide due process or conduct searches and arrests appropriately Asking soldiers to perform these duties raises the risk of infringing on the public’s First and Fifth Amendment rights — and it is unfair to the soldiers who did not enter the military with the goal of policing their fellow citizens there’s an American tradition that traces back to the founding of this country rejecting military interference in civilian affairs The founders were extraordinarily suspicious of military power and not just when it was used domestically there was significant debate about whether to even allow a national standing army These debates were motivated by fears that such an army could easily become a tool of tyranny the Brennan Center’s stance is not that military participation in law enforcement is never appropriate it should be confined to emergencies when civilian authorities are truly overwhelmed The January 6 insurrection is a paradigmatic example of this Civilian authorities — the Capitol Police — were manifestly overwhelmed there was a genuine physical threat to Congress deployment of the DC National Guard was entirely appropriate the president rightly came under criticism for delaying deployment of the Guard The most straightforward answer is that violations are not very common Federal forces aren’t deployed domestically very often they are guided by strong norms of compliance — at least historically speaking Our report aims to highlight the significant risk of abuse and misconduct rather than to identify a clearly established pattern of it There are likely other reasons at play too one-off infringements by individual soldiers acting without authorization might be considered too minor to justify criminal charges while there would be little appetite within the Department of Justice to pursue criminal charges against a soldier acting on orders passed down from civilian commanders Chief among them is that this is an area of the law that Congress is extremely reluctant to touch The Posse Comitatus Act is regarded as sacrosanct Lawmakers are wary of making changes to such an important guardrail — but that’s why it’s important to show that the guardrail isn’t as solid as they might think Another reason is that significant violations of the Posse Comitatus Act are not common in part because the military takes compliance very seriously from a commitment to the principle enshrined in the law as well as the more practical reason that the military does not like to do domestic law enforcement They understand it’s not something they’re principally trained for it is a distraction from what they regard as their core focuses and it is unpopular with both soldiers and the public The small number of violations can also be chalked up to the United States being very lucky so far Presidents have generally acted with restraint when it comes to domestic use of the military but there’s no reason to assume that will remain true Luck is no substitute for robust legal safeguards There are several important reforms outlined in the report but I’ll mention four particularly important ones here There must be clear standards for when and how presidents can use the law as well as meaningful checks by the other branches of government close the DC National Guard loophole by either transferring control over the DC Guard to the mayor of Washington or extending the Posse Comitatus Act to cover the DC Guard at all times The Posse Comitatus Act should be extended to cover National Guard deployments when the Guard performs a federal mission at the request of the president or the secretary of defense create more effective enforcement mechanisms Congress should impose an exclusionary rule that prevents evidence obtained in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act from being used in court Congress should also consider allowing individuals harmed by violations of the Posse Comitatus Act to sue for civil damages The risk of having crucial evidence thrown out and the potential for lawsuits by injured citizens will provide far stronger incentives for both the military and their civilian leadership to comply with the law than the nonexistent prospect of criminal prosecution There is a bipartisan understanding in Congress that some degree of domestic deployment reform is necessary particularly regarding the Insurrection Act there is some support for broader reforms aimed at the National Guard and the Posse Comitatus Act advancing these reforms will take time and require a good deal of discussion about why they matter as this area of law is not tremendously well understood Our hope is that this report can help to move this process forward The Posse Comitatus Act bars the armed forces from serving as civilian police but loopholes and exceptions undermine its effectiveness How Trump Could Deploy the Military for Mass Deportation There are several legal authorities a president can use This article first appeared at Just Security. A common theme in almost all of his statements is his intent to deploy the military The prospect of heavy military involvement in immigration enforcement has generated alarm in many quarters But the authorities that Trump might summon—and the hurdles he might face in using them—are not widely understood This article seeks to identify and elucidate them Starting with the baseline constraint on military participation in law enforcement the discussion below sets forth the relevant statutory authorities in escalating order of potency and identifies potential constraints on their use This article is intended as both a primer and a reference (i.e. readers can skip to the particular authorities about which they may have questions) The authorities covered may be summarized as follows: The Posse Comitatus Act embodies a long Anglo-American tradition against military involvement in civilian affairs It prohibits federal armed forces from acting “as a posse comitatus or otherwise execut[ing] the laws”—i.e. from participating in civilian law enforcement activities whether criminal or civil—unless “expressly authorized” by Congress or the Constitution As set out in a recent Brennan Center report there are multiple exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act and significant gaps in its coverage: Chapter 15 of Title 10 of the U.S Code (which includes the 1981 Military Cooperation With Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies Act and other authorities) authorizes a range of federal military assistance to law enforcement agencies but does not authorize direct participation in core law enforcement activities These authorities have long been used to enable Department of Defense support of the Department of Homeland Security’s activities at the southern border What Are the Limitations/Potential Legal Challenges The National Emergencies Act of 1976 authorizes the president to declare a national emergency. That declaration unlocks enhanced authorities that are set forth in roughly 150 statutory provisions, which the Brennan Center has identified and catalogued These authorities span almost every area of governance Trump has indicated that he plans to declare a national emergency, but he has not specified which emergency powers he intends to invoke. (Although his aides reportedly believe an emergency declaration will permit the use of military bases and planes to detain and deport immigrants military bases and planes would be available without an emergency declaration under Title 10 Chapter 15.) Indeed it is unclear whether Trump’s advisors have determined—comprehensively and accurately—what authorities might be available This article will not do that work for them it is instructive to review recent uses of emergency powers for immigration enforcement: The National Guard may operate in one of three different statuses: even though Guard forces may be performing a federal mission they are not subject to the Posse Comitatus Act because they are at least nominally under state command and control Relevant authorizations under Title 32 include: Section 502(f)(A)(2) has played a major role in the increasing militarization of the southern border thousands of National Guard forces were deployed under this provision (Trump also deployed active-duty armed forces; Biden did the same and he federalized the National Guard forces at the border.) Although National Guard forces in Title 32 status are not subject to the Posse Comitatus Act they have not directly participated in core law enforcement activities during these deployments they have provided support to DHS in the form of surveillance Trump could seek to expand the use of National Guard forces at the border under Title 32 by involving them directly in the apprehension and detention of migrants He also could request that governors use their National Guard forces to assist with immigration enforcement in the interior of the country The Insurrection Act is the most significant exception to the Posse Comitatus Act The Act allows the president to deploy active-duty armed forces and to federalize the National Guard for the following purposes: When federalized under the Insurrection Act National Guard forces (along with active-duty armed forces) may be deployed in any state or territory of the United States No violation of one state’s sovereignty by another state occurs as the National Guard is operating as part of the federal armed forces Because the statute authorizes the president to call up the “militia,” some have argued that it provides authority for the president to essentially deputize private militias and other groups as federal forces. The term “militia” is defined under the same title as the Insurrection Act to include all able-bodied males between the ages of 17 and 45 years of age who are or who have made a declaration of intention to become citizens who are members of the National Guard The Insurrection Act has not previously been used for immigration enforcement or border security. Its past uses (approximately 30 of them, as set forth in a guide published by Brennan Center) mostly fall within four categories: The most recent exercise of the Insurrection Act occurred over 30 years ago when the Governor of California asked President George W Bush to deploy troops to quell civil unrest that had erupted after a jury acquitted police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King What Are the Limitations /Potential Legal Challenges The Brennan Center has called for reform of the Insurrection Act because it lacks the necessary safeguards against abuse there are a number of ways in which an exercise of the law could be challenged The president can invoke the Alien Enemies Act if Congress has declared war or if the president proclaims an “invasion” or “predatory incursion”—or a threat of such invasion or incursion—by a foreign nation or government The Act authorizes the president to summarily detain and/or deport any non-U.S citizens who were born in the enemy nation(s) including those lawfully present in the United States regardless of whether there is any reason to suspect that they are dangerous acknowledging that internment under the Alien Enemies Act discriminated against people based on their ancestry Trump has threatened to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport Latino immigrants who are undocumented or involved in criminal drug activity he intends to claim that migration from Mexico and other countries south of the border constitutes an “invasion” or “predatory incursion” perpetrated by drug cartels operating as de facto governments in those regions the Alien Enemies Act does not itself authorize military participation in law enforcement If the military were deployed under other authorities (such as the Insurrection Act) Trump could attempt to use the Alien Enemies Act to expand those uses of the military to include the summary detention and deportation of certain immigrants who are lawfully in this country—something none of the other authorities discussed above could do Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInOMAHA (WOWT) - Bitcoin ATMs are a newer way to transfer money But they are also where an older generation is being sent by scammers “He just told me to keep him on the phone so I would not be lost and he could continue to help me,” said a scam victim who asked to remain anonymous this scammer convinced the victim to send through a bitcoin machine for a phony legal scare “Seniors are losing [thousands],” said Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson “One gentleman lost half-a-million dollars over a 30 day period.” So from that target group the sheriff has recruited volunteers to check bitcoin machines for the required scam warning sticker and they’re trained on how to give store managers a warning A yellow vest is the posse’s uniform and each member gets a whistle in case of an emergency the Grandma Posse heads up to a northwest Omaha convenience store where they find the Bitcoin machine already has a warning sign The posse message is that the warning signs save other seniors from scams The sticker ordinance is sponsored by Omaha City Councilwoman Aimee Melton they care about others in the same age group they are and it’s something they can do to help combat scams,” Melton said The Grandma Posse is giving businesses a heads-up about the new ordinance but if a law enforcement officer finds Bitcoin machine without the scam warning sticker News | Jan 10 tradition is in the 26 generations of the Antinori family which has been making wine in Tuscany since the 1300s tradition thrives at the annual Les Trois Glorieuses — a three-day festival of food and wine that has been hosting a charitable wine auction since 1859 to benefit the city’s main hospital we have our own emerging wine tradition in Basalt the fabled Pinot Posse will triumphantly return to the Roaring Fork Valley marking 20 years of Posse members pouring the best of West Coast premium pinot noir for valley pinot-philes This special wine dinner will take place at Free Range Kitchen and Wine Bar on Wednesday and will feature six different producers pouring hand-crafted pinot noir wines from some of the most sacred vineyards in California and the great Northwest Seven wines will be poured with the four-course meal prepared by Chef Luis Contreras of Free Range Twenty years may not seem like much a of tradition when compared to the Antinoris’ centuries long run or the Hospice De Beaune all of whom are represented by Scott Hornick the chief happiness officer at Colorado’s CS Wines has a connection that has lasted longer than most American marriages The Pinot Posse wine dinners originally took place in Aspen at a variety of different restaurants before finding the perfect home in Basalt at Free Range it has become a much-anticipated part of the January wining and dining calendar at Steve and Robin Humble’s beloved homegrown eatery “The Posse Tour is such a great event,” enthused host Steve Humble “You get to rub shoulders with six different It’s fascinating to hear each of the winemakers talk about the winemaking process as they all have a different slant on how to perfect the art.” The cost of the dinner is $175 per person plus tax and tip, and as is always the case, the Posse Dinner will sell out, so don’t hesitate to make your reservations now by emailing Robin Humble at robin@freerangebasalt.com this year’s lineup of the Pinot Posse will include both old friends and a couple of exciting newcomers All will be bringing wines with character along with stories about their lives in wine that they will enthusiastically share he has been a part of pioneering the Posse since the inaugural ride — is Jim Prosser of JK Carriere Winery in the Willamette Valley in Oregon Prosser who makes splendid single vineyard designates as well as a stand-out blend called Vespidae established his winery (named for a construct of his grandfather’s respective names) in 1999 classically built pinot noir wines that he has brought each year to pour at the Posse events Another long-timer is Ed Kurtzman who will be bringing the current release of his August West wine made from fruit grown in the Graham Family Vineyard in Sonoma County Kurtzman is one of the most knowledgeable and unassuming producers you are likely to meet and he and his wines have long been favorites of Roaring Fork pinot connoisseurs a much beloved Sonoma-based winemaker who comes to Aspen often to share his wines under the Convene moniker Kosta first gained acclaim as one of the founders of Kosta Browne wines a legendary bootstrap startup that became one of the great wine success stories of this century producing the kind of elegant wines he loves alongside his longtime winemaker Shane Finley What is interesting about Convene is that the wines are often blends of grapes of a single variety “Blends have more fun,” he says with a laugh but one who has been absent for a couple of recent journeys He returns this year with wines from the family winery that he owns with his wife Angelica in the Yakima Valley of Washington state David will be bringing a story of reinvention along with his Kilmore Pinot Noir just one of the myriad wines that the extended family (There are eight youngsters and a couple of Irish wolfhounds) produces a pinot icon who founded Siduri in the 1990s and has been a valued participant in the Free Range dinners in the past with his Clarice wines will not be attending; in his stead will be a stellar young Mexican winemaker named Morét Brealynn who just happens to be Lee’s fiancé and Morét will be a welcome addition to the Posse as she brings wines from her eponymous brand and the couple’s shared Busy Signal wines Busy Signal features a pinot noir sourced from a pair of vineyards in the Sta Rita Hills of Central California while the wines of Morét Brealynn hail from the Russian River Valley an exciting new addition from Oregon will be Nicolas-Jay a collaboration and culmination of a three-decade-long friendship between Burgundian winemaker Jean-Nicolas Méo and music entrepreneur Jay Boberg will be winging his way to Colorado for his first ride with the Posse and he likely will be put in charge of the playlist he brings a background as co-founder of the seminal indy music label IRS Records in the early 1980s and a stint as President of MCA/Universal Records Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage are you considering any property transactions this spring View Results 2025 2 p.m.The bill also seeks to standardize eligibility and certification requirements for law enforcement leadersA bill that seeks to establish parameters for volunteers acting on behalf of a local sheriff’s office had a public hearing at the Washington State Legislature on Monday has become one of the most prominent constitutional sheriffs in the country and his growing volunteer posse has some people concerned about the potential for violent confrontation or liability to the county Isaac Stone Simonelli / Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting sometimes called specially commissioned officers or posse members often assist law enforcement agencies with security at community events the volunteer role in law enforcement activities has grown The bill, House Bill 1399 would not allow volunteers to assist in law enforcement actions including the “carrying of firearms or other weapons and the use of force and deadly force,” unless the person has completed peace officer training and certification requirements While the bill doesn’t specifically define what would fall under “law enforcement activities,” it would require agencies to include policies that lay out permissible roles The bill will be voted on by lawmakers in the House Committee on Community Safety on Feb it will move either to another House committee or to the entire House chamber Thirty-two people signed up to testify on the bill, most of whom supported the legislation. A similar bill, Senate Bill 5364 “Our sheriff’s office has more than 150 volunteers who are regularly put in situations where they are expected to exercise police power,” said Michelle Nijhuis while it’s intended to increase public safety the wide variety of training and experience levels has in fact created more fear and distrust of local law enforcement within our communities and it’s undermined law enforcement’s ability to protect us,” she added Songer is part of the “constitutional sheriff” movement and asserts that he and other sheriffs have the authority to decide which state or federal laws to enforce policy director with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs spoke in opposition to the bill during the public testimony and requested that the bill sponsor remove the section that relates to volunteers stating that including them in the bill will have “public safety consequences.” “We adamantly oppose the provisions of this bill and we ask that you do as well,” he told lawmakers representing the Association of Washington Cities was neutral on the bill but said that she hopes it would still allow volunteers to participate in programs such as parking enforcement and traffic control because those are “cost savers” for local governments An anti-drug sign sits along Highway 197 in Klickitat County A Washington state bill seeks to limit sheriff’s volunteers in law enforcement roles citing concerns from county residents over safety and accountability a Kirkland Democrat who sponsored the bill and is also chair of the House Committee on Community Safety said the bill would only limit volunteers from enforcing criminal laws which would prohibit volunteers from detaining He recognized that more work needs to be done on the bill to better define what would be allowable under the law Other sheriff’s posses in the state include the Benton Franklin Sheriff Posse where volunteers participate in training and meetings; the Mounted Posse Unit in Grand County and own a horse; and the Asotin County Sheriff’s Posse where members largely assist in search and rescue and do outreach related to outdoor safety the executive director of the statewide legal services organization Northwest Immigrant Rights Project specifically the aspect that states that sheriffs must abide by and enforce state law “Many in our communities fear that they may not be protected during calls for help and there’s a very real fear that some in state and local law enforcement will work with federal immigration enforcement agents despite our state’s constitutional protections,” she said 11 telling federal ICE officials to “put me on speed dial.” “That is why it is also important that this bill will update the duties of sheriffs to make clear their duty to enforce our state’s laws and constitution,” Chávez said “Enhancing the standards of professionalism and updating these laws will help build that trust with immigrant communities executive director of Friends of the White Salmon River an environmental organization based in Klickitat County “Posse members with handguns and handcuffs at their belts at public meetings and events are scary,” she told lawmakers “We also fear that posse members will be involved in immigration actions in our county and uncertified volunteers should not conduct hound pursuits In addition to putting parameters around law enforcement volunteers the bill also seeks to standardize expectations around eligibility and background checks for law enforcement leaders will ensure that all law enforcement officers in the state meet the same basic eligibility requirements such as having a high school diploma with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs expressed concerns about the constitutionality of requiring a sheriff to pass a background check before being placed on an election ballot and the process for filling a vacancy if a sheriff is decertified and removed from office the bill would require the local government to appoint a replacement instead of going through an election The bill also seeks to require that all leaders of law enforcement agencies who are not already certified when they assume leadership pass a state background check similar to what is required of a police officer The training requirements would affect members of local law enforcement agencies as well as Washington State Patrol and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers who have enforcement powers for criminal laws a lobbyist for the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs said the members of the organization he represents support the eligibility requirements outlined in the bill “Nothing’s worse than having the boss not held (to) the same account as officers,” he said He also expressed support for increasing the number of years of law enforcement experience needed to take a leadership role from two years to five years “You’re leading a group of people doing a very tough job where many of their decisions come down to life and death on a daily basis,” he said “If you’re going to lead a group like that InvestigateWest is an independent news nonprofit dedicated to investigative journalism in the Pacific Northwest This republished story is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs Tags: Washington Legislature, Sheriff Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Macklin is a Posse Houston Scholar at Carleton Ashton Macklin ’27 has been featured by the Posse Foundation in a piece titled “Carleton Scholar Wins Two Prestigious Research Opportunities.” He spent last summer engaged in two fellowships that “honed his research skills” and “broadened his understanding of cultural dynamics.” Ashton participated in a Student Research Partnership with Professor Victoria Morse in Carleton’s History and Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MARS) department focusing on medieval and Renaissance maps at Gould Library His niche project centered on developing methodologies to analyze heraldic symbols on these maps and explore their political implications ‘When someone made this map and put this coat of arms on it were they trying to forward a particular agenda of their patron?’” Ashton explains This experience not only enhanced his research skills but also set the stage for his first potential academic publication with guidance from Carleton’s fellowship director through the University of Minnesota Press Ashton joined the Larson International Fellowship which took him to Berlin-Brandenburg to study urban agriculture and food autonomy “This fellowship focused on experiential learning—understanding the local culture through direct engagement,” he notes Ashton explored why Berliners source food locally even when not directly involved in urban agriculture with highlights including his enjoyment of pasture-raised eggs sourced within the city as a vivid example of Berlin’s vibrant consumption culture Read the full piece on the Posse website. Emily Fairfax ’14 quoted in New York Times piece on beavers solving stalled dam project in Czechia Rafael Frumkin ’12 returns to Northfield for book signing at Content Bookstore 507-222-4000 Sign In Limiting the Military’s Role in Law Enforcement Marines joined two local police officers as they responded to a domestic violence call in the waning days of the Los Angeles riots Deployed to the city alongside several thousand other federal troops after President George H. W these Marines now found themselves playing a role for which they had little training: that of civilian law enforcement officer federal military participation in civilian law enforcement like this has been rare The idea of tanks rolling down the streets of American towns and soldiers dressed in camouflage apprehending Americans is anathema to modern sensibilities Some Americans might even assume that these actions are prohibited by the U.S the use of federal troops as a domestic police force is in tension with both constitutional principles and long-standing American traditions which were informed by the British government’s heavy-handed use of the military to police the colonies in the years leading up to the American Revolution Events like the Boston Massacre illustrated to the founding generation the dangers of domestic deployment of the military But while the Constitution limits military involvement in civilian affairs in various ways it does not entirely bar the federal armed forces from conducting law enforcement activities A partial prohibition comes instead from a law passed by Congress in 1878: the Posse Comitatus Act The Posse Comitatus Act rests at the center of a web of laws It is a crucial safeguard for the preservation of both American democracy and constitutional liberties and ambiguities that leave it surprisingly weak The most dangerous exception by far is the Insurrection Act which gives the president virtually limitless discretion to use the military as a domestic police force But there are also other ways in which the Posse Comitatus Act fails to provide robust protection against the use of federal troops for law enforcement purposes and efforts to reform the law should embrace and codify them But in an era in which we can no longer rely on tradition to constrain executive action the Posse Comitatus Act’s flimsiness poses serious risks Rather than wait for those risks to materialize Congress should act now to shore up the law’s protections Part I discusses the dangers of using the military for domestic law enforcement a concern that has been prominent in American legal thinking since the nation’s founding It also explains how the Constitution approaches domestic deployment of the military including the central role accorded to Congress Part II lays out the array of problems that undermine the Posse Comitatus Act from its many statutory exceptions to its lack of meaningful enforcement mechanisms part III lays out a legislative proposal for fixing each of these shortcomings Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative Mayor: Run-off between Mouton and West.Councilmember At-Large: Turner and Williams Ward 1: CrenshawWard 2: HilliardWard:3 Sherwood The Beaumont Police Department is sending you a friendly warrant roundup alert and an important message: if you have any outstanding warrants The Beaumont Municipal Court is conducting a warrant roundup on Wednesday Police say if they stop you during the roundup For more information or to resolve your warrant contact the Municipal Court between 8-5 to pay in full You can ask to see the judge Monday-Friday at 8 a.m You can also pay HERE or by call 1-800-887-5931 An updated list of warrants is uploaded every Monday to the City’s website Take care of your outstanding warrants BEFORE April 23 to avoid arrest The Merced County Sheriff's Posse have been chosen to ride for the 2025 Presidential Inauguration parade The posse members are now preparing on how they are going to get there on January 20th They have launched a fundraiser with hopes that the community can help them get there "We just received the news this last Sunday We got less than a month to plan this," said Laurette Locke She says she applied to be in the parade in November and had been waiting to hear back "We were worried because it was taking so long we were thinking...maybe it's not going to happen," she said it's go time for them as they are just a few weeks away from being a part of the big day Who goes to the inaugural and rides there in front of the president and a total of 50 people are going from the group Locke says they were also the only group from California there “We kind of run around town with our white cowboy hats and everybody's going and nobody ever thinks we're from California They say they will also be displaying flags from different law enforcement agencies from across the valley during the ride "....a lot of different counties have contacted us and so we're happy to carry them," Locke said They are now hosting a fundraising event in Merced on January 5th to help raise the funds they'll need to get there The group is now selling tickets for the fundraiser at $20 a person All the funds raised will go towards getting them and their horses to president-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day parade in Washington D.C you can contact Locke at (209) 678-1166 or you can email her at They are also accepting donations through Venmo if you'd like to help that way Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker ForecastFormer Short North Posse defendant facing federal dog fighting Ohio (WSYX) — A former defendant in a case against a notorious Columbus gang is facing a federal judge once again was indicted by a federal grand jury in December for allegedly keeping 11 pit bull-type dogs for fighting purposes in Franklin County The indictment lists the offense date as May 15 and authorities recovered tools and supplies commonly used in the training and keeping of dogs for fighting Law enforcement said they also recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and meth Brown was a defendant in the Short North Posse federal RICO case in 2013 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime The Short North Posse was a violent street gang targeted by federal and local law enforcement with dozens of members sentenced for murder was shot and killed by officers after he fired a MAC-10 gun at a Columbus police officer and two Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers who entered an apartment stairwell to arrest him Brown faces a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison on the drug charge and a maximum of 15 years in prison on the firearms charge He also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison per count on each of the 11 animal fighting charges He is expected to have a detention hearing next week and is set to be arraigned in early February Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Back for their 67th Rodeo Giddings, the Lee County Sheriff’s Posse (LCSP) is helping support students in agriculture Mark Goodson with LCSP said Monday on First News at Four the rodeo is a way to give back and push rodeo heritage of all the high schools in Lee County; and do stuff like that with the baseball teams We try to push to the youth,” he explained The rodeo is a 4-day event beginning on Wednesday Wednesday and Thursday’s events are free to the public we have a barrel racing put on by Charlie and Justin Moss; and on Thursday we have the slack that starts at 6:30 p.m.; and [the slack is] all the contestants that aren’t in the rodeo,“ shared Goodson we have a steer tripping at 10:00- something that’s never been done before at our arena- and then we got the rodeo performance this Friday and Saturday night kids age 7-14 are $5 and children 6 or younger are free Calif (FOX26) — The Merced County Sheriff’s Posse is on its way to the 47th Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington an event to see the group off was held at Nylund Dairy near Hilmar [RELATED]Merced Sheriff's Posse invited to 2025 Presidential Inauguration, fundraiser underway MCSO says this is the fourth time their posse has participated in a presidential inaugural parade and the fifth time they have represented the community at a significant national event The posse will fly flags representing the Central Valley Sheriff’s Office from San Joaquin to Kern Counties during the event MCSO says the cost of traveling to one of these events is high as it includes travel The sheriff’s Office is asking for community support through GoFundMe donations You can find the link to donate here its profile continues to rise and gain new fans I've been adding Posse pieces to my wardrobe each season for several years now and am consistently impressed with the quality and timelessness of every item I invest in I'm pretty sure I've said this every season since the brand first came on my radar The spring 2025 drop is so good that I did the logical thing any fashion editor who loves a try-on story would do when given the chance and tried on some of the most popular pieces from the collection And I say this without any hyperbole: They're even better IRL I'm constantly scouring the internet to see how an item looks on shoppers who aren't models when deciding whether or not to order something Now that I've seen all of these Posse It items in person and one of the lovely things about Posse is the fabrics that it uses Everything I tried was made of linen or cotton and nothing was stiff or scratchy in the least keep scrolling to see how some of the standouts from Posse's spring collection look on and then shop them for yourself before they're sold out for good Posse has played a big part in the longline-vest trend, and this season, it's taken things up a notch and added a pretty ruffled detail at the pockets. And the bright poppy red hue is stunning. There's an adjustable belt at the back for the perfect fit The bloomer shorts are a style that Posse first released last year and were understandably quick to sell out but these are so flattering and easy to style they've released them in even more colors and prints but my black-and-white gingham pair is still shoppable as I feel like they have the tendency to swallow me There's something about the proportions that just work This is one of those dresses that can easily be dressed up or down making it a great option to pack for spring and summer vacations If this set is still available in your size When it's hot outside and I don't know what to wear boxy top looks so chic with the high-waist shorts can I point out again how good Posse's rich red linen is Sizes worn: XS in the top and S in the shorts I actually gasped the first time I saw this set—it's that good The antique-inspired embroidery is elegant and special which sets them apart from every other white midi skirt and strapless top on the market The material they're made of is called cotton sheeting and it's as soft as a pair of expensive sheets Sizes worn: S in the top and XS in the skirt another favorite of mine that I ordered the moment I laid eye on them) And pockets on a dress are always a welcome feature in my book I was initially drawn to this linen top because of the color and the pretty vintage-inspired buttons When I saw that there were matching shorts The top (which will look good with so many other things in my wardrobe) has a boxy and the A-line shorts are easy and elegant Spring dressing doesn't get chicer and simpler than this one more shout-out to how supreme Posse's linen is.) She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television Her path to fashion may not have been linear but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult Sorry, you must be using a modern browser with JavaScript enabled to view videos We use cookies and similar technologies to help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a better experience. By clicking "Accept All" you agree to all cookies. You can manage your preferences by clicking "Customize". For more information, please see our Privacy Policy These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website These cookies are used to track visitors across websites to display relevant advertisements An Iron County Sheriff's Posse vehicle is used for traffic control during a structure fire in the Rush Lake area Iron County Sheriff's Posse volunteer Brett Hart uses a radio at a mock crime scene during a training session Iron County Sheriff's Posse commander Gordon Clemmer (right) demonstrates proper handcuffing techniques with fellow volunteer Alan Cohn during a recent training session Iron County Sheriff's Posse commander Gordon Clemmer (left) demonstrates proper handcuffing techniques with fellow volunteer Alan Cohn during a recent training session Iron County Sheriff's Posse commander Gordon Clemmer demonstrates CPR techniques during a training session Iron County Sheriff's Posse members and deputies pose for a group photo Iron County Sheriff's Posse members prepare to leave on a nighttime call An Iron County Sheriff's Posse member is stationed on a snowy road Iron County Sheriff's Posse members gather for one of their regular group meetings Iron County Sheriff's Posse members help out at an Iron County Prevention Coalition booth at a grocery store parking lot Iron County Sheriff's Posse members gather for breakfast at Canyon View High School prior to "Shop with a Cop" event Iron County Sheriff's Posse members receive instruction from an Intermountain Life Flight crew An Iron County Sheriff's Posse member greets Halloween trick-or-treaters Iron County Sheriff's Posse vehicles are parked at a snowy incident scene An Iron County Sheriff's patrol vehicle with flashing lights at night Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter speaks to reporters The members of Iron County Sheriff’s Posse stand ready to support the Sheriff’s Office in virtually any situation often responding to incidents both large and small Posse commander Gordon Clemmer said the group which currently has approximately 15 certified volunteers 1 objective is to plug ourselves in where we can free deputies up for them to go out and do what they need to do,” Clemmer said at a recent group meeting “Because you don't need to be a certified deputy to shut down an intersection protect a crime scene or some of these other types of things We want them to be able to go out and handle the priority calls and we can fill in the gaps as needed.” Posse members also provide assistance during natural disasters such as fires and floods we worked that 24 hours a day for a week straight,” Clemmer said noting that the posse volunteers made it so the county didn’t have to pay sworn deputies time-and-a-half for the coverage All posse members are trained and certified in first aid “We are considered first responders as it relates to medical emergencies those types of things where we're going to be rendering aid,” he said then we're the ones that are going to respond to that.” Traffic control is another task routinely performed by posse volunteers “It may be something as simple as if we're up on the freeway when someone's changing a tire we'll sit 100 yards back from them for the 15 or 20 minutes that it takes them to change that tire simply to get traffic to move over,” Clemmer said “Just our simple presence can help keep that guy from getting run over.” Clemmer also referred to the tragic school shooting in Uvalde just days before Iron County’s school year ended posse members visited the two schools located in unincorporated areas of Iron County namely Three Peaks and Escalante Valley elementary schools “We made a point of going to those schools the last couple days of the school year and just kind of having a visible presence,” he said parents and staff felt as safe and comfortable as they could after that incident.” The renewed focus on school safety didn't stop there we decided that we were going to put a more focused effort on the schools,” he said “We met with the school principals at both locations We talked about some security issues that we noticed.” One such concern was exterior doors not being locked “One of the things that happened with Uvalde and that's when everything went sideways,” Clemmer said “So we talked to the administration about hardening their targets and they were very open to it They actually took all of our suggestions.” The posse volunteers continue to regularly visit both schools “We'll walk with the kids and chat with them We have to make sure we've got plenty of stickers Clemmer also mentioned an incident last April when the Southern Utah University campus in Cedar City was locked down after a threat that turned out to be unfounded “If all our resources are over there and there's nobody to cover our schools then we'll go cover the schools while they're dealing with the active threat,” he said “It's just a matter of being high visibility The sheriff likes to refer to us as force multipliers And it's really about being a visual deterrent to make sure that if anybody plans on doing something that they will think twice because they see that it's being heavily patrolled.” Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter expressed his appreciation for the posse volunteers and the work they do “They'll come out and hold our outer perimeter for us the entire time that we're doing an investigation,” Carpenter told Cedar City News.“Or they'll go and hook up our command center in the middle of the night and bring our command center out to us They do so many things for us that frees up deputies to be able to do their law enforcement work." Added Carpenter: "That's why I say they’re a tremendous force multiplier They do so many things and it doesn't matter what it is They'll come out and serve any way that they can The sheriff also noted that the posse volunteers as well as those who volunteer with Iron County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue help save money for the county and its taxpayers “It's huge for us because I don't have to break deputies away or ask Cedar PD because these volunteers are doing it for us,” Carpenter said we've got these volunteers doing it for us Carpenter said that over the past couple years he’s seen a marked increase in volunteer applications come across his desk “I think that both our search and rescue volunteers and our posse volunteers are really setting a high standard,” he said “People are noticing that and they're wanting to participate in it so they're coming and filling out applications.” Although Clemmer himself happens to have a background in law enforcement he noted that most of the other posse volunteers did not have such experience when they joined what we look for is community members that have a heart for giving back to the community,” Clemmer said “It takes a very special individual that's willing to do this because often the public doesn't recognize any difference between us and the deputies or officers So we face similar challenges when we're out there without the benefit of having a paycheck that goes along with it.” A simple thank you is often payment enough volunteers stated during their recent meeting “When we're interacting with people at a situation a lot of times people just come up to us and say we really appreciate what you're doing,” one volunteer said For more information about Iron County Sheriff’s Posse, visit the posse’s official Facebook page Email notifications are only sent once a day summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen Receive Sunday Local Offers Coupons from St Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account If you plan to watch the inauguration parade for President-elect Donald Trump on Jan be on the lookout for the Merced County Sheriff’s Posse and the agency banner for the Stanislaus County posse Stanislaus was unable to send its unit to Washington D.C but Merced Sheriff Vern Warnke reached out to his counterpart in Stanislaus County and offered to carry the Stanislaus banner during the parade “We are honored that Merced’s posse has included our flag in the inauguration parade,” said Dirkse whose posse is comprised of sworn deputies According to Merced County Sheriff’s public information officer Sgt Warnke extended the offer to departments from San Joaquin to Kern counties The Merced County posse consists of about 20 riders though only 12 will be making the trek to the nation’s capital It will cost more than $100,000 to make the journey The horses will be driven across country in NASA-inspired trailers that are climate controlled and more spacious than a typical horse trailer “It costs about $70,000 just to transport the horses,” said Domingue The Merced County posse attended inaugurations for presidents Richard Nixon The group was also part of the nation’s bicentennial parade in 1976 “This is not just a celebration of a specific president,” said Warnke “It’s a celebration of the rights of the citizens and the constitutional rights that we have.” You can donate to the posse’s travel fund by using Venmo (@Theposse1948) or GoFundMe (search: Help Merced Sheriff Posse attend the 47th inaugural parade)