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THE LIBERTONIAN MUSEUM, Algonquin  — The Libertonian Museum of Liberty City has beefed up security measures with the Algonquin Metropolitan Police at the tourist attraction that attracts more than a million visitors a year.   The museum has installed walk-through metal detectors in the lobby and has posted signs out front near the parking lot telling visitors that water bottles, backpacks and weapons are not allowed inside.   Museum spokesman Rob Bardua said the museum determined the metal detectors could be used more consistently, but the museum has not received any recent threat that prompted the move. “Security checks are always ongoing and random,” Bardua said. “The AMPD procedures are always reviewed on a regular basis. The operations officer for AMP believes this will be another good measure for us to take.” AMP conducts daily patrols at the museum, he said in an email.   “The metal detectors, which were installed last month in the lobby, are used previously to screen guests for events such as presidential visits,” he said.  “The metal detectors are another way to protect museum visitors, staff and volunteers, as well as our collection from a potential incident,” he said in an email.

South Algonquin, Liberty City -(AP) — A man who was shot to death by AMPD after holding a 17 year-old girl hostage for nearly an hour had skipped a meeting with his parole officer last month and a warrant had been issued for his arrest, authorities said. Jon Dooley, 34, was listed as "absconded" on Jan. 10 after missing the parole meeting, Liberty City Department of Corrections spokesman Roger Hudson said Tuesday after Dooley was killed by Algonquin Metro Police in the urban are of Southern Algonquin.     A Joint Special Operations team rescued the girl immediately after Dooley was shot at the front door of the enternce to the building in which he was barricaded. The girl, whose name wasn't released, was not physically harmed, authorities said.   Algonquin Police Chief DeathDealer said the standoff began in the industrail neighborhood south of Star Island after police responded to screams of help at 5:30 p.m. Monday. A man later identified as Dooley fled, then forced his way into a nearby home where the 17-year-old who was home alone, police said.   Police said Dooley and the girl didn't know each other.  Dooley was shot at about 6:45 p.m. when he went to the door to retrieve some unspecified items that police negotiators had left for him. Dooley had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2008 for possession of a controlled substance, and he was released on parole in October.     Hudson said Dooley did not have a monitor ankle bracelet because he had been convicted of nonviolent crimes. Liberty State prison officials revamped procedures for monitoring parolees after Matt Cragel, a white supremacist gang member on parole, slipped out of an ankle monitor last year. Cragel was later tied to two slayings, including the March 19 death of Roland Daniels, executive director of the Corrections Department.   Dooley's record also includes convictions for criminal trespass, escape and unreasonable noise. Details of those cases were not immediately available.    

WEST ALGONQUIN — Recruits, staff, and local law-enforcement celebrated the grand opening of the Liberty County Law Enforcement Academy's $57 million school building Saturday.
  The Mayor of Liberty City, who has made Law Enforcement support a cornerstone of his leadership platform, told cadets that they are "part of this grand experiment that we have underway in Liberty City, where we will give our law enforcement officers every tool possible to combat the rising crime in the city, 'we're not doing the kind of work that we need to do and we need to change course.'"   The academy, which provides all cadets, Special Operations and general law enforcement officers, with an education rooted in law studies studies and training, opened in 2010. The academy had previously been housed in portable modular classrooms and moved to a temporary two-story, $4 million building near Francis International Airport..   The new 105,000-square-foot building, located just office the bridge entering Algonquin, is the newest addition to the law enforcement community this year. The academy is one of three training facilities completed this year which will be owned and operated by the Liberty County law Enforcement community.   "This is our investment in the future of Liberty City and its' law enforcement officers, that is saying that we want Liberty City to be as successful as it ever was, in fact we want it to be more successful in preventing and persecuting crime," The Mayor said.   The new building features shooting range and equipment, specialized housing for cadets, and other resources.

VARSITY HEIGHTS, Algonquin — Dozens of people connected to The Lost motorcycle gang were arrested during early-morning raids Wednesday that district attorney prosecutors said were aimed at dismantling a criminal organization where violence was part of doing business.   An indictment unsealed Wednesday shows that 42 people — from alleged gang members to a local bar owner — are facing a wide-range of charges that include drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, witness tampering and illegal gambling. The charges, which come after a more than year-long investigation, were filed in U.S. District Court in Liberty City.   "All kinds of people from different walks of life are involved in criminal activity," said Assistant District Attorney Brad Toning, the lead prosecutor in the case.   County Sheriff, Algonquin Metro and State Police task forces raided The Lost MC Liberty City Chapter at the 1200 block of West Main Street in Varsity Heights, early Wednesday, December 23, 2013. More than 80 state and local law enforcement officers raided MC sites that are tied to The Lost motorcycle gang and rounded up members to face charges that remained sealed.   
  Only one of the suspects remained at large Wednesday following the raids in areas around the city that involved more than 80 officers from state and local agencies. The raids netted about 35 guns including several assault rifles, about $14,000 in cash and more than a dozen motorcycles, Toning said.   Investigators said the gang's criminal operations included using violence to collect on debts, insurance fraud schemes and running illegal gambling. The 70-page indictment also alleges the gang trafficked drugs, including cocaine and prescription painkillers.   Joshua N. Bowser, the first suspect named in the indictment and among those facing the most charges, was described by authorities as the gang's enforcer.    Another suspect is a hospital employee accused of being involved in trafficking prescription drugs, investigators said. The suspect still at large, 28-year-old Terrell Adams, is being sought on drug charges and isn't a member of The Lost, prosecutors said.   Investigators used a variety of ways to infiltrate the gang, including wiretaps, drug buys and an undercover agent who posed as an extortion victim, Toning said.   "Basically, the District Attorney and other law enforcement agencies threw the kitchen sink at these folks," he said.  

FRANCIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Liberty City -- Governor Justine Powell on Sunday embarked on a week-long visit to Liberty City in the governor’s latest effort to address the violence that has plagued the strongest base of the sitting official.   "In each Burroughs, the governor will meet with community leaders to discuss a full range of bilateral, city and county issues," the Press Secretary said in a statement, as Powell left the FIA with her motorcade escorted by her staff, plain closed Sheriff and Algonquin Metro Police.   "The trip will reaffirm our commitment to dealing with the violence that is plaguing our citizens and the governor’s promise to the mayor to beef up not only personnel, but vehicles, funding and equipment" the Press Secretary said.   The governor usually travels light when in other areas of the state, but the emerging gangs and violence in Liberty City have prompted not only her security detail, but the corporation of both the Liberty County Sheriff, Liberty State Police and Algonquin Metro Police.  The massive 6 - 7 car armada is escorted throughout the city by various departments but per protocol, all officers except the ones in the lead and trail marked cars are in business causal with a jacket and tie. 

LIBERTY COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY, Liberty City -- The Liberty County Sheriff’s Department is pleased to officially welcome several new sheriff’s deputies to its team.   On Monday, new recruits graduated from the prestigious Liberty County Law Enforcement Academy in a informal, traditional ceremony. Of those graduates, one was sponsored by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department. The rest of the graduating class included recruits sponsored by the Algonquin Metro Police Department, one graduate from the Liberty State Police Department and independents who will be picked up by other agencies.   In order to make it to graduation day, the recruits endured hours of training, which included more than 5 traffic and felony stops. The training topics included firearms, emergency vehicle operation, scenarios, report writing and numerous verbal questions. The graduating class is the last one to graduate from the current Liberty County Law Enforcement College facility for the 2013 year.

VARSITY HEIGHTS, Algonquin — Dozens of people connected to The Lost motorcycle gang were arrested during early-morning raids Wednesday that district attorney prosecutors said were aimed at dismantling a criminal organization where violence was part of doing business.   An indictment unsealed Wednesday shows that 42 people — from alleged gang members to a local bar owner — are facing a wide-range of charges that include drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, witness tampering and illegal gambling. The charges, which come after a more than year-long investigation, were filed in U.S. District Court in Liberty City.   "All kinds of people from different walks of life are involved in criminal activity," said Assistant District Attorney Brad Toning, the lead prosecutor in the case.   County Sheriff, Algonquin Metro and State Police task forces raided The Lost MC Liberty City Chapter at the 1200 block of West Main Street in Varsity Heights, early Wednesday, December 23, 2013. More than 80 state and local law enforcement officers raided MC sites that are tied to The Lost motorcycle gang and rounded up members to face charges that remained sealed.   
  Only one of the suspects remained at large Wednesday following the raids in areas around the city that involved more than 80 officers from state and local agencies. The raids netted about 35 guns including several assault rifles, about $14,000 in cash and more than a dozen motorcycles, Toning said.   Investigators said the gang's criminal operations included using violence to collect on debts, insurance fraud schemes and running illegal gambling. The 70-page indictment also alleges the gang trafficked drugs, including cocaine and prescription painkillers.   Joshua N. Bowser, the first suspect named in the indictment and among those facing the most charges, was described by authorities as the gang's enforcer.    Another suspect is a hospital employee accused of being involved in trafficking prescription drugs, investigators said. The suspect still at large, 28-year-old Terrell Adams, is being sought on drug charges and isn't a member of The Lost, prosecutors said.   Investigators used a variety of ways to infiltrate the gang, including wiretaps, drug buys and an undercover agent who posed as an extortion victim, Toning said.   "Basically, the District Attorney and other law enforcement agencies threw the kitchen sink at these folks," he said.  

THE LIBERTONIAN MUSEUM, Algonquin  — The Libertonian Museum of Liberty City has beefed up security measures with the Algonquin Metropolitan Police at the tourist attraction that attracts more than a million visitors a year.   The museum has installed walk-through metal detectors in the lobby and has posted signs out front near the parking lot telling visitors that water bottles, backpacks and weapons are not allowed inside.   Museum spokesman Rob Bardua said the museum determined the metal detectors could be used more consistently, but the museum has not received any recent threat that prompted the move. “Security checks are always ongoing and random,” Bardua said. “The AMPD procedures are always reviewed on a regular basis. The operations officer for AMP believes this will be another good measure for us to take.” AMP conducts daily patrols at the museum, he said in an email.   “The metal detectors, which were installed last month in the lobby, are used previously to screen guests for events such as presidential visits,” he said.  “The metal detectors are another way to protect museum visitors, staff and volunteers, as well as our collection from a potential incident,” he said in an email.