Sent to me from the dark screen:
DPortM said on 4 Aug 2009 at 7:29 am:
Sudley and Westgate Updates – Recent Filming in the Neighborhood
Eric Byler was in the trunk of a car driving around filming Westgate and Sudley neighborhoods on Sunday afternoon
Univision was back on the 9600 block of Lafayette in Westgate yesterday early evening filming the “taser” house and requesting interviews from the neighbors
How sad. DportM probably should have talked to Eric rather than ‘her friend’ to get the real story.
I have no idea about Univision. Guess they were out doing their own thing.
What they were doing is not my problem.
However, I did know Eric and and Jeff were in the ‘hood. I contacted Eric for his response to this rumor:
Yes, Jeff and I had set up the tripod in the trunk of the car to get a more steady shot. We were shooting what is called B-roll for the feature length version of 9500 Liberty. Some shots need to be done over because a feature film requires a certain level of production value.
There were some shaky camera shots during a scene about MS-13 graffiti. One was of Sudley Elementary School and the other was of the church next door. Since it w as going well, we shot another street as well and passed by Patty from Help Save Manassas.
Then things really got interesting, apparently.
When the police officer approached us, he told us that a woman had called and said a “dark haired man” was scoping out the neighborhood. I just laughed and said, “Oh, that’s just Patty. She knows who we are. She’s just trying to harass us.” The officer seemed to understand immediately. He asked if she is the woman who is always calling them about all sorts of things. I said I didn’t know.
I gave the officer my card and told him about the film. I explained how I’ve known Patty for two years as one of the most devoted members of Help Save Manassas. We talked about the attack on Chief Deane. During this time I asked Jeff to set up the tripod and get a shot. We had actually been hoping to spot a police cruiser in order to get some B-roll for another scene.
Then another cruiser pulled up. I said, “Two cruisers?” And he said that he had shared the report over CB with a fellow officer in the area. The second officer did not seem pleased to learn the 911 call had essentially been a prank. Then the rain started and we said goodbye. In the meanwhile, Jeff got a really great shot that I have already added to the film.
Eric
—
www.9500Liberty.com
Several of us knew Eric and Jeff were in the neighborhood and had told him where various landmarks were. What a shame that valuable county resources had to be wasted by involving the police when no wrong-doing was taking place. Is it now illegal to shoot film? Would that ban be on video footage or digital cameras? It is time for some folks to stop using county resources for their personal vendetta. We can’t just call the police on people we do not like.
UPDATE:
I received the following from Eric yesterday. I had decided not to post it. On second thought, perhaps some clarification is needed since several readers want to overlook bad behavior of their friend and cast blame on Prince William County Police. (Who could forget the trash talk about Chief Charlie Deane from the black velvets)
I really did not anticipate that anyone would be upset at the police officer for asking me what I knew about frequent calls from the area.
What happened was Jeff told me that Patty had reacted strongly to seeing us roll by. He said she had started following us on foot. I told him not to worry about it, but when a police cruiser approached me not five minutes later, I figured it had to be Patty that called.
After hearing the officer state the caller’s complaint, which did sound scary, I wanted the officer to know I was not a threat as quickly as possible. I said what came to my mind: that Patty must have called and that Patty knows who I am.
I interpreted the officer’s subsequent shift in demeanor, from mild concern to friendly professionalism, to mean that I had guessed correctly about the name of the caller. But another interpretation might be that he intuitively sensed I was not a threat. I think he probably asked me if the same person had also made other calls because I had seemed so certain about the identity of the latest call. I don’t know. But I can assure you that he meant no disrespect to Patty, Greg, or Help Save Manassas by asking.
The second officer did not characterize the call as a prank, just to be clear. That word choice was mine entirely, perhaps reflecting a recent experience where Patty was among a group of people who tried to disrupt me when I was filming. All of this is my interpretation, written in a hurry, and should not reflect poorly on anyone in the Prince William County Police Department. They were just doing their job.
Am I mistaken that I read (possibly on PWC website) that Patty was involved in her Neighborhood Watch program? I don’t think that program is designed to allow neighbors to harrass other folks for political reasons. Perhaps someone needs to go to a remedial training program.
When our neighborhood investigated joining NW, I believe we were told that at least 50% of the neighbors (homes) had to participate and that police notices/reports of activity that concerned the neighborhood would be distributed to all the neighbors. We had a Queen Bee in our neighborhood who thought that she would be the sole recepient of police reports and she was quickly told otherwise. She was looking to curry political favor and reign down punishment on neighbors she disliked. Her plans were quashed.
In this person’s defense, if she is a member of Neighborhood Watch, she was trained to report anything suspicious or out of place in her neighborhood, and let police do the questioning. It is up to her judgment.
On the other hand, if Eric does have concerns of harrassment, he was right to share that with police. They can and do retrain NW folks to act appropriately.
I think the participation numbers are allowed to grow, Censored, at least in the City. Georgetown South had 11 people at their Neighborhood Watch training back in April. But that place was rockin’ last night for their National Night Out Against Crime event, so I’m sure their numbers have grown. Both Jackson Miller and Jeannette Rishell were there, too.
I have no respect whatsoever for these 9500Liberty.com vultures. These publicity hounds can eat S and die as far as I’m concerned.
Of course they’ve done more to scare off illegal aliens then any resolution ever will so maybe they serve a purpose.
So now Neighborhood Watches are the problem? Give me an f’n break… I’m sure the reason drunk grandpa got tazed was because some nosy neighbor had an axe to grind…
Mando, “drunk grandpa” is totally unrelated to Eric. Patty knows Eric by sight – particularly when he’s paired with a camera. She’s seen him enough times. She may have had a legitimate noise complaint about the party, but I think she trumped up the call on Eric.
Mando, you make a lot of wild leaps of logic. Neighborhood Watches are generally good for a neighborhood. Members who use the NW for purposes for which they’re not intended…not so good and a waste of my tax dollar. Wasting tax dollars seems to be something HSM members became proficient at doing.
I know where this is going. I know why the vultures are gathering. To sensationalize, make victims out of the perpetrators, make the victims into a racist, and to make the PD look bad. I don’t care about the ancillaries or the vendettas.
Mando, it will go where you take it.
1. Eric Byler and Jeff Mann had nothing to do with Univsion or the tasering incident.
2. Eric (and probably Jeff also) has the greatest respect for law enforcement.
3. Have you seen the film or parts of the film or have you been letiecqed?
4. I wouldn’t have posted Eric’s email if it in any way reflected poorly on PWCPD.
ah yes, those poor victims, afraid of the parasitic children in their midst.
A larger story today is the MJM headline “Immigration policy OK
with most residents — More than 80 percent of Prince William’s
residents agree with how police are carrying out the locality’s
controversial immigration policy, according to a report presented
Tuesday to the county supervisors.” But it has led to a
much of the Hispanic population being “dissatisfied”.
What are we to make of this report? Where does the community
go from here?
The reality is that a police officer responding to a fabricated concern puts other citizens at risk. My neighbor had drunk young adults on her property,rolling down her hill, peeing in her driveway on a sunday afternoon! She was recovering from shoulder surgey and could only use one arm, her husband was out at the time. She was very scared at the audacity of these young people. She called 911 and no one showed up for two hours, long after the situation was over. The police officer profusely apologized, but apparently, there are only a few officers dedicated to the Gainesville district. How threatening can two guys with a professional tripod be, out in public, in broad daylight! Clearly they are NOT skulking about! A dangerous waste of our police officers time in my opinion.
“ah yes, those poor victims, afraid of the parasitic children in their midst.”
Another race baiter. Go to the corner with ShellyB.
Does it strike anyone else here that some of this is so utterly middle school?
Never mind. I’ve seen middle school kids behave more maturely.
“1. Eric Byler and Jeff Mann had nothing to do with Univsion or the tasering incident.”
Then why are they in Westgate?
“Does it strike anyone else here that some of this is so utterly middle school?”
Of course. Assuming that whomever called the cops was indeed whom 9500Liberty.com said it was.
Doesn’t take away from the fact that a legitimate complaint led the officers to confront drunk grandpa which ultimately led to a tazering.
Unless there’s some huge conspiracy afoot and the conspirators (nosy neighbor and PWC PD) had it in for drunk grandpa.
Patty which? Is she of the famous Gospel Greg All Female Propaganda Posse? Are you sure this is NW and not Badge of the Red Circle? If she is posing as NH she should have her NH badge taken away. This is an abuse of our public safety. False police reports are “illegal” right? What part of illegal don’t you understand?
They had a private film screening in the neighborhood–9500 Liberty.
And yes, I know that for a fact because I was there when the film was shown.
Mando, seriously, the person who called the police knows who Eric is. I have seem film footage myself of her holding signs up at him. How many people who look like Eric Byler and are using a professional camera, in a car with Jeff driving are not Eric?
Do you really feel this is the correct use of our police? I do not.
Another issue to consider for people making trumped up calls is that it marks one more police call to your neighborhood and one more reason buyers may look at crime reports (justified or not) to avoid buying there. If you want to drive the property value of your home further down the toilet, continue to make it look bad by adding to the record of calls.
I repeat, this thread has nothing to do with tasing grandpa. Move on. The two incidents have NOTHING to do with each other and did not even happen on the same day.
It is stated above they had shaky shots of Sudley Elementary and the church next door. I think it’s clear they were in the area to get better footage. I’m sure if they had the cameras rolling as they went down the streets of Westgate and Sudley they saw a house or two that had some trash issues, parking on grass, etc…maybe some of the neighborhood issues will be featured in the film. Mando, did you consider that for even a split second?
The drunk grandpa story is a whole another issue all together. Don’t get drunk, play the music loud, and be a bad neighbor…and the police won’t have to pay you a visit. Gramp’s got what he deserved. period. Bad neighbors are just that bad neighbors.
Poor Richard, I believe that Alanna was going to handle the thread about the report given to the bocs yesterday. In my opinion, it was difficult to determine any real conclusions.
“Do you really feel this is the correct use of our police?”
If a call was made to 911 simply to harass, then of course not.
I find it hard to believe 9500Liberty.com is not in the neighborhood to get some mileage out of the recent tazering episode.
If i’m wrong, I’ll eat crow.
The next time Mr. Byler decides to “scope out the neghborhood”, he needs to keep in mind that there are some pretty smart cookies over there. Perhaps he should wear a blond wig and slap a few “Birther/Tea Party” bumper stickers on the back of his car. Also, a Duecaster bobble-head on the dash would be a nice touch.
Start eating, Mando. I was there as well.
OK. So they’re having nothing to do with the tazering? If so, I’m shutting up.
Mando, I will even take the feathers off for you. I promise you, Eric had nothing to do with ‘taze me’ or Univision. He was simply following up on some suggestions given to him by people who viewed his film. For instance, he needed better shots of gang taggings. Additionally, he was filming a house that had been raided by ICE.
Regardless of what you think of 9500 Liberty, I think Eric is to be commended for making sure BOTH sides of the issue are shown. Knowing how Eric feels about PWCPD, I seriously doubt if he would ever involve himself in univision situation. He has the greatest respect for Chief Deane and for all the police department employees. His respect has only grown since they began filming this documentary. I have heard this many times, straight from his very own mouth.
No Mando, they have not nor are they having anything to do with that unfortunate incident. Thanks! I even cooked the crow for you. Added a little seasoning.
@IVAN
“Also, a Duecaster bobble-head on the dash would be a nice touch.”
LMAO!!!!
I see that the person who drew attention to Westgate over on the darkside loves to reveal personal info on others as she hides behind one of her posting IDs. She even wants to play police officer by giving Eric a ticket for riding in the trunk. I think she feels that Sunday’s tattle-tailing will be excused because no one called 911. Instead the caller used the non-emergency number. Three cheers for her!!! Rah! Rah! Rah! I’ve called the police too and used 911 only once – when shots were heard next door. (Oops. Make that twice – once when my stove caught on fire.) Most of us have enough sense to call the non-emergency number for neighborhood issues.
Okay, M-h, slap my typing hand!
Hmmm. Greg fears that someone is filming his daughter’s school and his church. Duh. The gang taggings on those buildings were initially mentioned on his blog. Who brought attention to that neighborhood problem? Could it have been Greg himself!? In the meantime, he has allowed personal info posted by DportM to remain. It’s just one more utterly glaring example of Mr. Misogynist’s bullying tactics. His minion, DportM, is a willing agent. Women…use ’em or abuse ’em.
If that doesn’t sum it up, Censored. Gospel Greg’s approach to women: “USE them and ABUSE them.”
I feel more sorry for the used women. Because the “abused” are simply undeserving targets of Gospel Greg’s woman-hating sleaze attacks. They know how to deal with misogyinist losers. But the All Female Gospel Greg Worship Club seems unable to deprogram their used and/or abused brains. To the point that Patty/DeportM does the master’s bidding files a false police report without being directed. Sad, sad, sad.
Greg doesn’t own the school. If he hadn’t blabbed, no one would have know who went to that school.
Typical Greg, it’s ok for him to run around like Mr. Nikon with a video camera and not ok for the other guy whose profession it is to have one. Sauce for one gander is not sauce for the other gander, apparently.
As for stirring up trouble, I didn’t post anything about this incident until someone dragged it in off of the dark screen and shot it over to me in email. I already knew about the police incident Sunday night from Eric. I am sitting here as we speak watching the person who called the cops harass Eric with a sign, on video. She knows darn good and well who he is.
I have a great idea as to how Eric and whoever else can get some very dramatic footage to liven up their film. Go either to the house on Lafayette Avenue, or elsewhere, rent some industrial-grade loudspeakers, and party hard! then when the police come by refuse to turn down the stereo and drunkenly give them grief.
Then get TAZED in high-definition … it will be very dramatic.
To make it even better, erect some type of large sign about how the people of PWC are anti-Latino racists and be painting on it when the police come, and make them climb onto the sign to restrain and taze you … that will prove once and for all that you are important people and that Prince William is repressing immigrants.
I think the film is just fine without the dramatics. I also think you will find it much less slanted than you imagine it to be.
Also, this blog has not taken a ‘blog position’ on the tasing incident. We are waiting for facts to be released. You know, those rascally facts that always get in the way of everyone opinion and speculation.
I have expressed some opinion as an individual.
@ Rick
“He asked if she is the woman who is always calling them about all sorts of things. I said I didn’t know.”
What a breech of public trust, that little wink-wink/nod-nod against a citizen. That officer should be disciplined for being complicit in that obvious eye-rolling ridicule. I have never heard of “Patty” before this, but that little exchange strikes me as unprofessional at the very least.
I hear you Moon-howler … I know I’m not poking at everyone here. But even if it’s just one or two people, I’m angry enough to keep poking.
Actually, when I read that in the original post, I was shocked a police officer would say such a thing. I also find it kind of odd – is he the only police officer who responds to calls in Westgate? Otherwise, how would he have known of a person who calls the police often. It would seem to have to be an awful lot of times for an individual police officer to be aware of that. This to me just doesn’t sound quite right.
Otherwise, I can’t make judgement on the rest of this, as it seems to me that if people are going to be made to think they shouldn’t call the non-emergency police number about unusual things in their neighborhood, that’s a bad thing. I don’t know whoever this person is who allegedly made the call, so I can’t pass judgement on that, or if they had knowledge of who Eric Byler is.
I just think if the police officer said that, it wasn’t very professional behavior. I’m sure the police get called often on what turns out to be nothing, but on the surface looks to be suspicious activity. I don’t think that sort of thing should be discouraged. Let the police dispatcher prioritize things. I’m sure if a real emergency occurred where there weren’t other police officers able to respond, as soon as the police confirmed that what was going on here was legit, they would have been sent to the other call. I also just find it hard to believe that one police officer is going to make a huge difference in police availability.
Somehow though, I’m suspicious that the police officer would say such a thing. Something just doesn’t ring quite true on this one.
Emma, I think false and/or frivilous distress calls is a part and parcel of being a cop. It’s their job to deal with this just like it is to deal with legitimate calls.
I heard this one story of a man who kept calling the police to complain of a neighbor’s loud music. Every night over and over until the police helped him figure out it was his clock radio alarm. LOL!
One thing that really makes me suspicious of what the police officer allegedly said – is that why would he assume Eric, who apparently does not live in that area – would have any knowledge of a woman that allegedly makes a lot of phone calls to the police about insignificant stuff. That is why it just doesn’t ring true to me – and is a real stretch that the police officer would ask an outside to the neighborhood, if the person who made the call is someone who often calls the police. This just doesn’t make any sense to me – how would Eric have known anyway? That is why I have my doubts the police officer said that. It just doesn’t seem logical to me, and if you think about it – why would the police officer even think Eric would be able to answer that question yes or no?
Emma, Not necessarily. No where does it say the officer was unkind. You are reading something into a conversation that wasn’t there.
Now are you saying that is it ok to call the police over people you do not like? And yes, the woman knows who Eric is. I just finished watching a video for the third time where the woman in question attempting to block Eric from filming. She also shot video of him from about 2-3 feet away. I know differently, regardless of what feeble attempts are made to portray innocence.
Gainesville, you must not have been here for the Order of the Red Circle specially deputized by Greg Letiecq to pick up garbage. We had a big laugh about that one a few years back.
What??? I’m confused, what does picking up garbage have anything to do with what I wrote above? I must be missing some connection that isn’t obvious.
Actually Eric does live in the Gainesville District. He doesn’t live in West Gate however.
I am willing to bet those who are trying to make a big deal out of the policeman’s words would have been more than happy if he had made a comment about one of the Latino house parties. Soemthing like, ‘well this isn’t the first time I have been called to this house.’ The roar of the crowd would be deafening–and don’t deny it.
Unless it is this woman who made the call – whoever she is, maybe she was part of that – I guess that’s the connection. In that case, I guess it is true, I must not have been around for that. This woman “Patty” is someone who is unfamiliar to me, if that’s what you are getting at. I really have no clue who any of the HSM people are except for Greg.
It’s not that I’m trying to make a big deal out of the officer’s words, I just don’t actually believe he said it – as it defies logic that he’d say that to someone who doesn’t live in Westgate. Why would that person have any knowledge whether this woman makes a lot of calls to the police or not?
Something just doesn’t ring true to me there. However, that’s my own opinion of it.
After speaking to an officer about a report I was making, I was told in not these exact words that they (as in the department) know who the constant complainers are and why they are complaining. They have long lists of complaints by and against certain people. They aren’t surprised or stupid, and they know others know. It’s public and common information.
That’s all well and find, but it still doesn’t ring true with me that they’d ask this of someone who is not from the neighborhood – as how would he have any idea if this person makes a lot of calls to the police? That part just does not follow logically to me. Then again, it’s just my opinion.
Sounds to me like the red circles threw out the first volley and then got all pissed when fire was returned. They went whining and crying and a boo-hooing to Daddy black velvet. Suck it up! Don’t dish it out if you don’t want it thrown back at you.
I’ve met Eric and, I’m not here to bash him as he seemed like a nice guy. His version of events regarding his conversation with the police sounds a bit odd though. It is very doubtful, in my opinion, that a police officer would ask him if the caller was the person who “called about all sorts of things” and it seems a bit off to me that the officer would divulge the gender of the person who called in the complaint. (I mean, god forbid Eric really was a stalker or something!) Eric is not a resident of the neighborhood and had video equipment with him at the time. I would assume that most police are wary of the whole video thing right now and I don’t see how the officer would be that chatty with someone with a video camera that they just met.
That said, Eric wasn’t doing anything wrong, getting additional footage certainly seems plausible. However, whomever called the police wasn’t necessarily doing anything wrong here either. Is it a sure thing that this Patty person is the one who called? Is Eric assuming this b/c he saw her drive by maybe or am I missing something (perhaps i should check the dark screen)?
Presumably lots of people saw him filming and, to be fair, if he were filming at a school and children were present on the playground I would probably be concerned as a parent and would call it in myself. (If i didn’t recognize him/understand the purpose.) There are kids at my neighborhood school playing throughout the summer and some schools have day programs on site during summer hours. This might explain the 911 call and it may not have come from who he thinks it did.
@Gainesville Resident
“as how would he have any idea if this person makes a lot of calls to the police?”
Because even though Eric doesn’t live in the neighborhood, he knows who the players are, the players know who he is, and the cops know who they ALL are!
When I was talking to this cop, we weren’t talking about people in my neighborhood. This is a county and city problem that has been well publicized. Even if you don’t FOIA, it’s not hard to figure it all out.
I have no idea if what Eric is saying is true or not (and I think he’s a good guy, too), but I can tell you that none of this is really private information.
As for filming a school–Eric needs to watch out for that. People who don’t know him or the players might get concerned. I would. He should wear some kind of “media” or “film crew” tag or something when he is filming and have a picture ID on a lanyard at the very least. A car decal would also help.
Still, even if Eric “knows who all the players are”, he doesn’t know if they often call the police! Also, how does the officer know that “Eric knows who all the players are”.
As I said, that part of the story is suspicious to me. Actually, IWK Manaassas said it better in his/her post, and said what I was trying to say.
I don’t think police should be going around saying negative things about people who call in to them. That just seems bad in my opinion, and not very professional at all.