The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Bradenton(FL) Police Chief Michael Radzilowski. He gets the award for the following.

BRADENTON -- The police officer who arrested a woman on a misdemeanor noise complaint at a birthday party last weekend spent two hours working the call, according to dispatch reports released Thursday.

The host, Abby Zuniga, was arrested, handcuffed and taken to jail after Bradenton police say she did not follow orders to lower the music at the party after being warned once. Zuniga was the first person booked under the city's revised anti-noise laws.

Critics of the arrest say taking a person to jail for a noise violation is not the best use of police resources. A court summons, which orders a person to appear before a judge on a set date, has the same punishment as a physical arrest but does not put the arrested person through the trauma of sitting in jail.

Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said the Zuniga arrest was justified, and that anyone who is "playing games" with the police -- turning music down temporarily and then cranking it back up -- will also land in jail.

Still, the chief said he understands that officers have higher priorities on the streets.

"We're not out there looking to arrest people for noise violations," Radzilowski said Thursday. "We just want compliance."

If a chief of police thinks arresting people on misdemeanor charges for noise violations is good policy and a good use of resources, there is something seriously wrong with local law enforcement. If you read this post of mine, Radzilowski is an excellent example of power going to law enforcement official's heads. The City of Bradenton needs to put Michael Radzilowski, or better yet fire him, in the meantime I make him today's Knucklehead of the Day. Put that on your list of accomplishments Chief!

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