Commissioner Ed Davis today announced plans to lay off 40 police cadets and 20 civilians, disband the department's mounted unit and take other steps to reduce his budget in advance of whatever Mayor Menino plans to announce for job cuts, possibly as early as Friday.

Bobby Constantino read the Globe story yesterday that reported Police Commissioner Ed Davis is putting more cops back into plain clothes because underlings felt uniforms hindered their ability to get people to cooperate with them. Constantino replies that a) Davis should remember who's in charge at BPD and b) It's not the uniforms:

... Every officer in the City of Boston knows that people in urban neighborhoods will not talk to them whether they are in uniforms, plainclothes or Halloween costumes. The lack of trust and cooperation has nothing to do with what police are wearing and anyone that tells you so is not being honest. Residents know why police officers don't want to wear uniforms, walk around in their neighborhoods and build relationships. They sense it. They see it. They feel it. And the transparent excuses why reinforce rather than repair feelings of mistrust.

Here is the complaint filed this week in federal district court against Boston and Police Commissioner Ed Davis by would-be better-than-a-Duck-Boat operator Erroll Tyler of Medford.

In it, Tyler recounts years of struggle with Cambridge and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (he originally wanted to launch his boats by the Museum of Science; both city and state, he claims, fought him) and, now, the city of Boston, which he says is acting to protect Boston-based tour operators, who essentially have expensive cab-medallion-like license deals, against outsiders.

Tyler's lawyers are from The Institute for Justice, which describes itself as "our nation's only libertarian public interest law firm."

The Globe has five of their Northeastern co-op students watch the handicap-parking spaces in front of BPD headquarters for a couple of months. Their conclusions are, of course, both predictable (the Globe seems to do this sort of story every few years) and infuriating.

Wicked Local Roslindale reports it was pretty easy: The Boston Police Superior Officers Federation agreed in exchange for the city dropping an investigation into officers who may not be living in Boston like they're supposed to.

Isn't there a term for something like that?

The Jarics.

A Boston police officer has been put on desk duty while the department investigates a claim he used his cruiser to provide an escort to a pair of male strippers from Logan Airport to the Roxy on Tremont Street on Oct. 28.

Channel 10 in Providence broke the news, says the ultimate destination of the pair, the Jarics, was a male strip club in Providence the following night. The Jarics had posted an account of their escort from Logan, along with a photo apparently taken in the Ted Williams Tunnel on their Web site (very not safe for work, really, I mean, it, do NOT click on that link at work, unless your work involves putting out gay porn), but they've deleted it.

In a statement, Police Commissioner Ed Davis said:

These are troubling allegations at a time when resources are stretched thin. The department is taking this matter very seriously and it will be fully investigated.

Davis did not name the officer.

Earlier:
Let's not forget the motorcade Tim McCarver and Joe Buck got from U.S. marshals during the 2007 World Series.

Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said today there is no reason to bring criminal charges against Boston police officers for the death of David Woodman, who collapsed while being arrested on June 18 and then died on June 29:

... As a result of a thorough, objective and independent review of the facts, I have concluded that no criminal charges are warranted in this case. The facts are clear and the medical evidence overwhelming that Mr. Woodman's death was the result of natural causes - specifically a serious, pre-existing heart condition. The evidence is also clear that officers of the Boston Police Department did not use excessive force in effectuating the lawful arrest of Mr. Woodman for public drinking, but only degree of force necessary to handcuff him. ...

The statements of police officers and civilian witnesses, most of whom are friends or acquaintances of Mr. Woodman, are in agreement. No officer used a weapon of any sort in arresting Mr. Woodman. No officer used a baton or chemical spray. No officer struck, punched, slapped, kicked, or used a chokehold on Mr. Woodman. ...

His complete statement is in the comments below.

The Globe reports.

The Herald continues its relentless pursuit of the mayor's son.

The Herald runs down the gun-related charges now facing Isaac Thornton following an incident early Saturday at Dublin House on Stoughton Street.

Innocent, etc.