Police Officer Fired for Renouncing his Citizenship

[GlimDropper]

Sarasota detective fired for trying to secede from U.S.

(Link)

SARASOTA - Last April, a veteran Sarasota Police homicide detective went to the courthouse and tried to secede from the United States of America.

The detective, Tom Laughlin, filed a convoluted document declaring himself a "sovereign citizen." The filing included a thumb print on each page and a photocopy of 21 silver pieces — the price to become a "freeman."

<Snip>

His brother, also a "sovereign citizen" who recently was charged in St. Johns County with trying to extort two Florida Highway Patrol troopers and later with bilking a Sarasota bank of $50,000, convinced Laughlin that he could declare himself a "freeman."

So Laughlin headed to the courthouse in April to legally renounce his citizenship, telling local, state and federal officials that he would only communicate with them in writing.

<Snip>

In an interview this week, Laughlin said he began to have second thoughts about the movement in June, during a vacation with his brother.

The two were pulled over on a North Florida interstate and Laughlin's brother, James, berated a trooper, saying state laws did not apply to him.

James Laughlin later mailed documents to the trooper saying he should drop the citation and pay him $150,000 for violating his rights or he would sue for $32 million.

"That's when I knew this was something that I didn't want to be a part of," Tom Laughlin told the newspaper. "I filed those documents without really reading them. All I wanted to do was make a political statement about the way things are going in this country. I didn't want to be involved in any kind of extremist movement."

<Snip>

Laughlin has hired a private attorney and plans to appeal the firing. Laughlin now says he made clear that the freeman paperwork was a mistake and that he realizes there should be consequences.

"I screwed up and I deserve to take my lumps," he said. "I know what I did was stupid. But I don't think I deserve to lose my job over it. I have been a police officer since I was 19 years old. This is all I know."

Near the top of the article there are links to both his sovereign filings and the Sarasota PD Internal Affairs report. It's interesting in that report which charges were and weren't sustained leading to his dismissal. It doesn't look like Laughlin was a very hard core sovereign and by all accounts he was a respected officer prior to going down the rabbit hole. I wonder if he has any shot at getting his job back or working as a cop again.

[Trippy]

"That's when I knew this was something that I didn't want to be a part of," Tom Laughlin told the newspaper. "I filed those documents without really reading them. All I wanted to do was make a political statement about the way things are going in this country. I didn't want to be involved in any kind of extremist movement."

1) This guy calls himself a detective, yet he didn't read the paperwork carefully?*
2) "Going to the courthouse and filing paperwork" does NOT equal "making a political statement."
3) Backtracking now isn't going to help his case. According to other articles I've seen about this case, there were stories and rumors going around the guy's office for a year before IA came down on him. He was also searching the Internet for "straw man accounts" and the usual paytriot crap. Sorry -- that doesn't sound like "didn't want to be involved" to me.

I have a feeling this guy is NOT going to get his job back ... and hopefully he will have learned his lesson.

* I grew up around and with police officers (in fact, one of my aunts is a CPD IA investigator), and have dated a few cops. They'll study a candy bar wrapper in detail, let alone a contract of any kind.

[wserra]

Detectives have to testify all the time. Anything that affects credibility is fair game for cross-examination.

Det. Laughlin testifies on direct that he found homicidal maniac dirtbag's prints at the murder scene, and that HMD confessed to him when he arrested HMD at his hovel. On cross:

Now, Det. Laughlin, you aren't a United States citizen, are you? In fact, you don't feel you owe the United States allegiance, do you? Or the state of Florida? You believe that you are immune to the laws of the United States and Florida, don't you? That they don't apply to you? That you are entitled to immunity as though you were a foreign diplomat? So were you to do something that violates the law - commit perjury, for example - don't you believe that there is nothing anybody can do about it? And in fact, if they try, they owe you a lot of money?

All from those docs he filed. He's toast. In fact, the only alternative would be to transfer him to a desk job where he'd never have to testify.

[grixit]

Worse than that, the DA might deliberately call him for a minor case, knowing that the defense would do that, and thus get his beliefs into the public record. That would ensure he could never be snuck back into regular duties.

[Cathulhu]

He's f*cked himself. We are all the consequences of our actions, and his "I think I'll opt out of paying my taxes" is an action he is now realizing the the result of. I don't feel any pity for him; I expect his worthless brother really pressured him to join, but he's a grown-up and is ultimately responsible for what he does, no matter how mindlessly stupid.

[Demosthenes]

What Cathulhu said.

[Gregg]

I just want to see a defense attorney ask him how he thinks that no US or Florida laws apply to him, but they do apply to the defendant. Sort of the "If you don't have to pay taxes, why can't I drive warp 6 on the interstate?" defense. Hey, it beats twinkies!

[fortinbras]

One of the little features of the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986, now 18 USC §922(g)(7), is that anyone "who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship" is thereafter prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Therefore, by repudiating his citizenship, this person made himself ineligible to carry a gun, by his own act disqualifying himself from serving as a policeman.

[Gregg]

One of the little features of the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986, now 18 USC §922(g)(7), is that anyone "who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship" is thereafter prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Therefore, by repudiating his citizenship, this person made himself ineligible to carry a gun, by his own act disqualifying himself from serving as a policeman.

He did not properly renounce his citizenship, there is a fairly specific process for doing so, among it's most important requirements is that there is no legal way to do so within the United States, you have to go an embassy in another country. (yes, I know an overseas embassy is technically United States soil, but you get my drift)

[fortinbras]

Yes, I am keenly aware of the proedure required to shed someone's citizenship, but the Firearms Owners provision is so completely separated from the laws relating to the Loss of Citizenship procedure, that I suspect that the Firearms provision does not apply only to such formalized proceedings. I think the provision was thrown into the Firearms act just because of self-described non-citizens like the Montana Freemen and RoT.

As I said, this specific provision has never been litigated, so it is not absolutely clear that it requires or does not require the formalities of the Loss of Citizenship process. However, the police dept, in an abundance of caution, is treating this cop's renunciation of citizenship as sufficient to activate this provision. The cop himself thinks his renunciation is valid enough to insulate him from taxes, so the dept can treat it as valid enough to insulate him from possessing a gun. In any case, a police dept finds it a bit awkward to keep a scofflaw on the force. The cop can go into court and argue just how valid or bogus his repudiation of citizenship is supposed to be.

[Lambkin]

This story popped up on Inc.

http://www.inc.com/news/articles/201102 ... union.html

Amazing that a 20+ year veteran of the police department apparently does not possess a working BS detector.

[JamesVincent]

I know in the military oath you swear to obey and protect the constitution and the laws of the country (even though they dont really apply to you anymore) do police officers have a similar oath, pertaining to their jurisdiction or state? If so Id say he broke that one wiiiiide open and deserved whatever happens. And for someone who supposedly had 19 years experience, assuming he did the beat cop thing all the way to detective, shouldnt he have heard about this before or read about it in law enforcement periodicals?

[bmielke]

I know in the military oath you swear to obey and protect the constitution and the laws of the country (even though they dont really apply to you anymore) do police officers have a similar oath, pertaining to their jurisdiction or state? If so Id say he broke that one wiiiiide open and deserved whatever happens.

FHP does it follows...I assume the regular oath is similar...

"I do solemnly swear: I will support, protect and defend the constitution and government of the United States and of the State of Florida; I will render strict obedience to my superiors in the Florida Highway Patrol, and observe and abide by all orders and regulations prescribed by them for the government and administration of said Patrol; I will always conduct myself soberly, honorably and honestly; I will maintain strict, punctual and constant attention to my duties; I will abstain from all offensive personality or conduct unbecoming a police officer; I will perform my duties fearlessly, impartially and with all due courtesy, and I will well and faithfully perform the duties of a Florida Highway Patrol Officer on which I am now about to enter. So help me God."

And for someone who supposedly had 19 years experience, assuming he did the beat cop thing all the way to detective, shouldnt he have heard about this before or read about it in law enforcement periodicals?

The LE Periodicals I know of are about tactics, training, equipment, and what other departmens are doing not intel reports, unless he worked a case their is no reason he would have come across these guys reading for work.

That said he should have done his research before doing this sort of thing. IMO that includes internet research, periodical searches, court record searches and talking to an Attorney abou possible consquences especially if your job is on the line. That he did not IMO shows he either wasn't a very good cop, or he got brainwashed which would in my book make him not a very good cop.

[ProfHenryHiggins]

Allegedly, there's two more of these police-turned-sovereigns in Alabama. However, every report I've found so far leads back to the same singular source, so until I see something from independent journalists covering it in detail, I'm taking it with a grain of salt.

[bmielke]

Allegedly, there's two more of these police-turned-sovereigns in Alabama. However, every report I've found so far leads back to the same singular source, so until I see something from independent journalists covering it in detail, I'm taking it with a grain of salt.

HH it's Alabama, Alabama is [practically] a third world country, in some counties 60% of the population is MR (we all know there is only one way that happens)(My Source is a Social Security training that one of our lawyers went to down in Alabama). Is it possible? Yes, but (1) you will not get a independent journalist to cover it unless you head on down, and (2) if it is true their bruncle the chief, and there [father/grandfather/uncle](same person) the mayor are covering for them. For confirmation your best bet would be SPLC, if it is happening, then they might know or could find out. If this is in one of the cities, (Huntsville, Birmingham, or Mobile) then I would have to doubt it, but a rural county I'll buy it.

ETA one word in Italics. and to clear up a couple of things.

[ProfHenryHiggins]

SPLC is the singular source I mentioned above. As in, http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/02/2 ... nse-force/

[bmielke]

SPLC is the singular source I mentioned above. As in, http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/02/2 ... nse-force/

Ah, well for starters they weren't police officers, at least not in the same sense as the guy in FL. They were support to the AL National Guard. That could involve cops/security, and if so, it would be, I imagine, one very short step above mall cops. I will look into it when I get home.

[bmielke]

Alabama State Defense Force
Official Web Site
When ordered by the Adjutant General, provide an organized, trained, disciplined, rapid response volunteer force to assist state and local government agencies, and civil relief organizations in impending or actual emergencies to assure the welfare and safety of the citizens of Alabama.

The Alabama State Defense Force (ASDF) is the state guard (official militia) for the State of Alabama allowed by the Constitution of Alabama, The Code of Alabama and Executive Order . It has an authorized strength of 1,000 members and is organized on the United States Army structural pattern. The ASDF is under the control of the Governor of Alabama, who serves as the state's Commander in Chief, and comes under the authority of The Adjutant General (TAG) of Alabama.

The ASDF is led by its own Commander. The ASDF Commander and the General Staff are posted at Fort Taylor Hardin in Montgomery, Alabama. The ASDF Commander holds the grade of Major General.

The official and primary mission of the ASDF, as defined by the Code of Alabama, is to establish a cadre (of not more than 1,000 persons) that will be subject to the call of The Adjutant General of Alabama after partial or full mobilization of the Alabama National Guard. More specifically, the State Defense Force will be prepared to provide:

* Communications with the ALNG Joint Operation Center (JOC).
* Custodial duties and security of facilities and property.
* Family assistance.
* Recruiting to strength levels authorized by The Adjutant General.
* Responses to tasking from TAG through the ALNG EOC.
* Surveys of key facilities.
* Assist Homeland Defense and The Citizens Corp. as needed and directed by the Governor of the State, the TAG and the ASDF Commandeer

A secondary mission of the ASDF is to provide manpower and relief assistance to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA) during natural disasters and other civil emergencies within the State of Alabama. The ASDF cannot be deployed beyond the State of Alabama for missions while on state active duty.



This website and its content is copyright of the Alabama State Defense Force

©Alabama State Defense Force. All rights reserved.

You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

I use the above under the fair use doctrine,

http://sdf.alabama.gov/default.htm

It appears to me that the ASDF is nothing more than a National Guard that can't be mobilized by Washington. Actually the whole thing sounds like a state funded/sanctioned militia (in the style of the Montana Freeman not the 1775 minutemen) IMHO a sovrun's wet dream

[bmielke]

These are not Montana Freemen *ssclown types.

I never said they were. In this country we don't have citizen's militia's anymore, not like we did in the 1700-1800's, we have the National Guard. This sounds to me like a bunch of guys dressing up in camo and running around playing with guns at state expense. In the event they are called up I am sure they do good work. I also used Montana Freeman because it's the best known "militia" I actually think these guys are closer to the Tennessee First Rifles, but they aren't well known.

[The Operative]

Here is a good follow-up article on Tom Laughlin.