New Haven Independent

Posted by: RAY WILLIS | November 13, 2009 11:57 AM

Okay, so I'll be the one. "Casual Encounters" is not where you go to meet hookers, that's "Adult Services". Casual Encounters is where you go to meet people for FREE sex. And the village voice ran a great article about Blumenthals irrational attacks on craigslist a few months back. Basically, its the internet. "We", as the internet using community of the future, WILL find a way to do whatever we want, post whatever we want, etc, like posting in an inappropriate section of a website because there is no appropriate section for what we're posting about or because the appropriate section is targeted. Craigslist knows this. If anything we should reevaluate our laws on things like prostitution as opposed to wasting the good people of Branfords tax paying dollars luring in hookers from far off bridgeport. In a progressive community craigslist thrives as a site for people to trade/sell/give away goods, advertise happenings in the community, meet people for romantic and non-romantic times, and many other purposes. New York and Portland are great examples of this. Its in the communities hands how it wants to utilize a site like craigslist and said utilization reflects strongly of the community, imo. I'd continue writing, but I'm already 5 minutes late for a casual encounter.

Posted by: denzien | November 13, 2009 12:36 PM

legalize prostitution and abolish welfare and food stamps.

Posted by: DingDong | November 13, 2009 2:02 PM

Wow, Denizen. That's great. Let's force women to sell their bodies to survive. What an absolutely hideous thing to advocate. You should horrify the conservatives and the liberals with that one.

Posted by: Distressed | November 13, 2009 5:05 PM

Is having Branford or any police officers going to hotel/motel rooms to lure prositutes, so they can be arrested on misdemeanor crimes, and further clog up the legal system the best use of scarce community resources? This is simply asinine. There are many actions/practices that go on legally in our community that I find detestable. There are things the govt. allows in the name of free speech or some other inane legality that cause more problems (especially for children and parents) than what good they do. However, these things continue for political reasons, or because some of our elected reps lack the guts and wherewithal to work to change them.

Everything should be done to protect children and young people and those who are financially destitute from being exploited. For example, those trying to find a job should not be lured to a place under the pretex of getting a job but they get exploited instead; or they are asked to sign documents they do not understand, but the perpetrators get away with it because of old laws that no longer protect. We need to update our laws so that they apply equitably to our current times and circumstances. The full force of civilized law should be used to prevent exploitation. However, if a 24 year old or a 50 year old want to meet another consenting adult for casual or any other kind of non-violent escapade, that is their business. That is better than them being in the park or public bathrooms where young people might encounter them. It might also be safer for the women.

If the Branford police officers do not have enough "real" crime-solving work to do, why not assign a few of them to work on some of CT's most prominent unsolved murder cases; or have them go into high crime areas to help local police. There are dozens of unsolved murders in CT and there are murderers walking around enjoying life.

Terrence Driffin, 23 was murdered almost 3 years ago. No one has been arrested. Is anyone working on this case? What about 17 year-old Jessica Rose Keyworth, murdered in 2004; her family is offering a $50K reward. Bill Smolinski, killed 8/14/04, his family is offering $60K. Matt Margolies has been gone since 1984; $50K is being offered. Susanne Jovin's family would like to hear there is an arrest of the guilty party.

AG Blumenthal is someone I admire, but he has a fixation on prostitution. The only reason that adult men and women engaging in sexual encounters is a crime in our state or country is because our antiquainted laws make it so. Use our scarce resources to prevent & solve real crimes so that in fact people can be more safe. Patrol more to prevent home invasions; work to cut down on the trafficking of drugs; monitor the whereabouts of all kinds of predators in our community; conduct community meetings (residents and police) and teach us how to recognize if someone might be holding captives in their backyards; if children are in predatory or incestuous relationships. We want prostitution off the streets. These johns and their partners are renting hotel rooms and contributing to the local economy. Leave them alone.

Posted by: Gilbert Kelman | November 14, 2009 8:35 AM

The Eagle can be proud of its readers !

Posted by: anon | November 15, 2009 2:11 PM

Wow Branford, you should be very proud of your fine police work. I feel so much safer already. How about addressing socio-economic issues that lead people to turn to prostitution as a means of financial survival in the first place. This solves nothing. It's just a waste of taxpayer resources on non-violent, consensual "crimes". Targeting persons who are already at the very margins of society fighting everyday just to survive. Meanwhile rape cases go unsolved, thousands of rape kits are just sitting around police stations waiting to be processed. Thousands of rapists are roaming the streets who could be brought to justice. This is just one example of our criminal justice system's screwed up priorities. It makes me sick

Posted by: Bentaford | November 16, 2009 7:57 PM

I'm so relieved to hear as a taxpayer that the Branford police are going to "ramp up" their efforts to clean up prositution in Branford! It must be a difficult task for the Branford police to spend hours and hours on Craigslist checking out adult service advertisements. And then to indulge in adult conversation with an actual prostitute. I suppose next we are going to have Branford police officers asking for an increase in hazard pay because of this "high risk" operation - they might actually meet a pimp or two, and put their lives in danger trying to negotiate a sex act! I wonder how many Branford housewives send their husbands off to work at the Branford P.D., not knowing that in fact that instead of performing legitimate police work, their own husbands are wasting taxpayer's dollars cruising prostitutes online, and paying for adult motels to actually meet up with them to ask for sexual services in person. Perhaps the Branford Police should explore their adult fantasies on their own time with their own money. Maybe that would free up some additional tax dollars, so that they can solve some of the robberies that have gone unsolved. How much overtime did the guys clock while trying to work Operation Meet A Hot Young Girl In A Motel Room While My Fat Ugly Wife Does My Laundry At Home? This is an embarrassment for the Branford Police. How much did it actually cost to remove this 25 year old girl off the streets? Is she still in jail? Ten Bucks says she is back in Branford right now trying to earn money to pay for a good lawyer so that she can get back to business. This is not a good day for the Branford police. Shameful.

Posted by: Janice Smolinski | November 30, 2009 1:28 PM

I am distressed to read the comments above and realize even more the urgency there needs to be something done.
Why was the Branford police allowed to carry on an investigation such as this and get paid for it?
They could spend their time helping citizens who suffer losses and try to be educated, CSI we are not, we have the technology but most authorities are not trained to utilize the databases.
I like all the comments made but the one made by "distressed" particularly hit home because my son William (Billy) Smolinski is missing, a presumed homicide.
Within the five years Billy went missing I was apalled at the mistakes made in the system.
This is why we need changes in our system
and I am sure this is the tip of the iceberg.
My thoughts below:

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A LOVED ONE GO MISSING OR AN UNSOLVED HOMICIDE AND NO ONE THAT GIVES A DAMN?

CONSIDER YOURSELF BLESSED IF YOU NEVER EXPERIENCED THE DAILY HORROR OF HAVING SOMEONE YOU SO DEARLY LOVE, VANISH AND NOT A PERSON OF AUTHORITY AROUND TO LISTEN AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. WHEN THEY FIRST ARE REPORTED AS MISSING, SINCE THE FIRST 24, 48, OR 72 HOURS ARE THE MOST VITAL IN SOLVING A CRIME IN A MISSING PERSONS CASE. PLEASE LISTEN, EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

THE REMARKS ARE BRUTAL, IN MY SONS CASE I HEARD "NO BODY, NO CASE" "HE IS PROBABLY IN EUROPE SOMEWHERE DRINKING BEER AND HAVING FUN," "IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK, I DON'T GET PAID AFTER FIVE" AND "YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR SON BUT NO ONE ELSE DOES." ALL THESE WORDS CAME FROM INDIVIDUALS OF AUTHORITY. SHAME ON YOU! I KNOW REMARKS LIKE THESE ARE COMMON TO FAMILIES SO DESPERATELY TURNING TO THE VERY AUTHORITIES WHO THEY THOUGHT WOULD HELP.

COME ON PEOPLE THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE, MURDERS ARE DOING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WE ARE SCREAMING TO DEAF EARS AND BLIND EYES.

HOW CAN I IMPRESS UPON A SOCIETY TO SPEAK UP AND BE HEARD?

MY HEART IS CRUSHED WHEN WE GET PEOPLE DESPERATELY LOOKING FOR HELP EITHER BY PHONE OR EMAILS PLEADING TO FIND THEIR MISSING LOVED ONE. THIS SHOULD NOT BE UP TO SOMEONE WHO IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING. IS THAT NOT WHY WE SHOULD HAVE TRAINED OFFICERS TO HELP RELIEVE THIS SADNESS AND DESPERATION?

THERE IS NO TIME TO GRIEVE!

DAY IN AND DAY OUT WE HAVE BECOME DETECTIVES OURSELVES. IF HELP DOES ARRIVE IMMEDIATELY IT IS TO LATE, ALL EVIDENCE IS GONE AND TRYING TO FIND THAT PERSON HAS DIMINISHED GREATLY.

THERE ARE MANY CARING AND KIND OFFICERS WHO WOULD HELP, BUT THEY ARE NOT TRAINED AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. CAN WE HAVE SOME SORT OF CIVILIZED HUMAN BEHAVIOR THAT
WILL IN MANY CASES GET ANSWERS?

CHECK THE NUMBERS IN YOUR STATE. IN CONNECTICUT ALONE THERE ARE 700 MISSING PERSONS AND 600 UNSOLVED HOMICIDES. 600 is the number given me but I would guess the number of unsolved homicides in Connecticut is significantly higher.

EVERY STATE IN THIS COUNTRY HAS SHOCKING NUMBERS, THE BLINDERS NEED TO COME OFF.

AFTER ALL IF IT HAPPENED TO US WHO SAYS IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOU.

WHAT HAS BECOME OF A SOCIETY WHEN ANSWERS ARE WITHIN REACH, BUT YET CRIMINALS HAVE THE UPPER HAND?

http://www.justice4billy.com

Posted by: Anonymous | December 2, 2009 11:43 PM

Unbelievable! How can people be so down on this bust - isn't stopping illegal activity a good thing? Prostitution does not exist in a vacuum! It is one of the most underestimated causes of societal decay and I applaud the Branford Police for their efforts. The complicit sanctioning of prostitution destroys relationships and families, not to mention the concommitant problems such as drug abuse, physical abuse, untreated mental illness, disease and many other legal and ethical issues. Good job Branford PD!

Posted by: Buddy | December 9, 2009 12:46 PM

Personally, I believe that prostitution is an act that needs to be placed WAY on the back burner. I agree that it probably does bring an increased drug and violence rate, but I know of MANY other items that do the same. The PD needs to focus on other items...If two CONSENTING adults want to exchange cash for sex, SO WHAT? They just need to be 'adult' enough to understand the personal health risks involved, but the bottom line is this...we're focusing TOO many resources on trying to combat something that WON'T go away (as long as hormones are around in men).

If anything, the general public should be educated on prostitution, health risks, etc. Let's focus on other more important and controllable items.

Buddy

Posted by: Buddy | December 9, 2009 12:51 PM

Response to "Anonymous" posted December 2nd 11:43pm.

Dear Anonymous,

You state that the PD are doing a great thing and 'saving' families, reducing drug abuse, physical abuse and increasing societal decay. However, don't you think that 'saving' the family begins WITH the family and instilling strong, healthy and positive values within that structure? We DON'T live in a bubble and therefore will be challenged... The strength begins with the family. If YOUR family is strong enough, then the likelihood of these issues will be of no concern to you. The PD SHOULD focus more on education....it's the only way to 'stamp out' drugs and other evils....