Monday, January 21, 2013

M.I.A.T. called in non-suspicious Woodstock death

An updated (6:31PM) article in the Northwest Herald about a Woodstock man's death early this morning reported that the Major Investigation Assistance Team (M.I.A.T.) was "called in to help." Help with what? Passing out handwarmers?

For crying out loud. A 70-year-old man falls down outside on the property where he lives, and M.I.A.T. is called?

Let's see, when else was M.I.A.T. called out in McHenry County?
When Kurt Milliman was fatally shot in May 2011, was M.I.A.T. called out by the McHenry County Sheriff's Department?

When Jack and Audrey Feldkamp and Doran Bloom were killed near Marengo in June 2011, was M.I.A.T. called out?

When Bobby Delisi was found dead on the railroad tracks near the Woodstock Police station in September 2011, was M.I.A.T. called out?

When Beth Bentley vanished in May 2010, was M.I.A.T. called out?

No, no, no and no. But when an elderly falls and is found dead with no suspicious circumstances, then M.I.A.T. gets called out.

Anybody else think there is something wrong with this picture?

The re-write of the article eliminated the mention of you-know-who from the sheriff's department.

5 comments:

John Lovaas said...

"...But when an elderly falls and is found dead with no suspicious circumstances..."

Really! Provide a single piece of factual evidence that supports your statement- that is not a quote from a newspaper.

Anonymous said...

Gus,

If MIAT was called out it was because Woodstock requested their activation. The officer in charge of MIAT would respond and evaluate whether or not they would accept the case. It could have been because Woodstock is a small inexperienced department who usually only handles traffic and automobile confiscation cases and when someone dies, other than in a hospital, they don't have the experience to investigate them on their own. That is why Andy was there, MIAT is a subsidiary of the MCSO. The other Chief was probably having coffee with a reporter or a Chamber of Commerce in honor of MLK day or reviewing his oppressive tow policy to see how much revenue will be generated for new traffic cops and more budget making windfalls.

Anonymous said...

I knew an investigator on MIAT years ago. He stated that it prevented certain police entities from grabbing the nearest suspect and building a case around them.
I suppose that is why MIAT is not called on at times, as well.

Gus said...

I've lived in Woodstock for almost 17 years. While I have had my differences with certain officers and the chiefs over that period of time, I have never thought of WPD as "a small inexperienced department who usually only handles traffic and automobile confiscation cases" or one that doesn't "have the experience to investigate them (serious cases) on their own".

Why was Zinke there? Did WPD call in MIAT?

"MIAT is a subsidiary of the MCSO." Oh really? No, I don't think so!

Anonymous said...

If is was in fact WPD jurisdiction and MIAT was called in, the request would have had to come in from WPD. Could have been for a myriad of reasons from lack of experience to a perception of a possible conflict of interest to the victim. MIAT doesn't go around and take over cases unless requested to. Did you check to see if Andy is part of MIAT? They do have Supervisors on the team.