Police may have bought the "no trespassing" signs

[link|http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/front/1572957|Signs point to more questions]

A Houston police officer paid for "no trespassing" signs with his city credit card the day before a weekend of mass arrest, the city controller confirmed Thursday.

Dilip Patel, budget coordinator for the Houston Police Department's South Central division, purchased $256.50 worth of signs on Aug. 15, coinciding with police raids of a westside Kmart, Sonic Drive-In and James Coney Island parking lots. Nearly 300 people were arrested for trespassing in early morning raids on Aug. 17 and 18.
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Councilwoman Ada Edwards sent a letter to Garcia's office Wednesday asking her to look into the purchase after council members received an anonymous call from a police officer alerting them that the police paid for the signs.

The caller said Capt. Mark Aguirre ordered Patel to get 50 signs. Patel works in the South Central patrol division where Aguirre served as captain before he was suspended in connect with the arrests.

Buying the signs is legal, but posting them on private property is not, because city funds cannot be spent for private use, city officials said.

In another follow-up, earlier this week, they've dismissed all charges on those arrested in the fiasco.

Post #51,621 by SpiceWare 9/13/02 9:44:11 AM Reply	Police may have bought the "no trespassing" signs [link\|http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/front/1572957\|Signs point to more questions] A Houston police officer paid for "no trespassing" signs with his city credit card the day before a weekend of mass arrest, the city controller confirmed Thursday. Dilip Patel, budget coordinator for the Houston Police Department's South Central division, purchased $256.50 worth of signs on Aug. 15, coinciding with police raids of a westside Kmart, Sonic Drive-In and James Coney Island parking lots. Nearly 300 people were arrested for trespassing in early morning raids on Aug. 17 and 18. ... Councilwoman Ada Edwards sent a letter to Garcia's office Wednesday asking her to look into the purchase after council members received an anonymous call from a police officer alerting them that the police paid for the signs. The caller said Capt. Mark Aguirre ordered Patel to get 50 signs. Patel works in the South Central patrol division where Aguirre served as captain before he was suspended in connect with the arrests. Buying the signs is legal, but posting them on private property is not, because city funds cannot be spent for private use, city officials said. In another follow-up, earlier this week, they've dismissed all charges on those arrested in the fiasco. Darrell Spice, Jr. [link\|http://home.houston.rr.com/spiceware/\|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
Post #51,627 by drewk 9/13/02 10:07:57 AM Reply	Are they returning the fines? I remember reading there were people who paid bail and/or fines and plead guilty just to get out. Is all the money being returned, all the guilty pleas being overturned and records purged? === Microsoft offers them the one thing most business people will pay any price for - the ability to say "we had no choice - everyone's doing it that way." -- [link\|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=38978\|Andrew Grygus]
Post #51,647 by SpiceWare 9/13/02 11:51:42 AM Reply	don't recall and can't find the article. I suspect it's already in the pay-for-access archives. Also at issue is the money paid to get cars back from the tow companies. Darrell Spice, Jr. [link\|http://home.houston.rr.com/spiceware/\|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore

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