AMW

[Evan]

After watching this past weeks episode of Americas Most Wanted for the first time in almost a year, now I know why I stopped watching the frigging show. The "host" John Walsh, what an *******. This popus,smug,uppity terd thinks and acts like he is the USA's national cop. With the acts of September 11, he thinks he is the International cop and crime catcher. This puke actually had the nerve to tell rescue workers in NYC, that "we", the show is going to do eveything "they" can to hunt down the terrorist and bring them to justice. Who does this guy think he is? He's nothing more than host of what amounts to a national televised "crimestoppers" tv show with bad actors and bad re-enactments. Sure I am glad this guy and AMW can take credit for other peoples work in capturing criminals.
Enough of my rant............Anyway
(JMFO)!

[WHC166]

Not that I think he is any superman, but I certainly believe that show has been a help. They do alot of investigation on their own, and assist agencies by providing information that otherwise may not be collected. I say GO TEAM!

[SGT Dave]

Yeah, I have to say that OVERALL, I think the show is a good thing.

He does live for the overdramatic, but how many times have you said or WE SAID "I wish the public would work with us on this?" or "the PUBLIC ain't going to help us."

Often times it's lip service in COP to include the "community" in the Department's in a mission statement, or, as in one nearby city, they even name their DISTRICTS from this (PACT's - Police And Community Together) and are required to CALL THEM THAT ("I'm working David PACT tonight, but tomorrow night I work Adam PACT...")

Yet here IS a guy who is applying himself and his resources (the shows following; the viewers) to catch bad guys.

BELIEVE ME, I understand if he just rubs you the wrong way; I can see how he would, but don't be one of those types that are angry over his helping catch bad guys because he's not in LE (I have heard this voiced in the past.) Cops are too defensive about this, IMHO (which is from 14 years in this.)

Something else in his defense-he has NEVER criticized LE, even when one could be VERY critical about a blatant mistake (letting the wrong person go from a jail, not handcuffing/handcuffing in front and they escape, etc.) NEVER. Indeed, he continues to promote cops as heros, at a time when it's not only accepted to bitch about cops, but EXPECTED. He defies the liberal trend and puts us on a pedestal, even when we sometimes don't deserve it.

Sure, he's made money, but to me personally, Walsh is one of the good guys. Hopefully I'll be honored to one day shake his hand.

[ 10-11-2001: Message edited by: SGT Dave ]

[Niteshift]

I've met the guy twice and I gotta tell you, he's a genuine supporter of cops. Remember that AMW isn't the only thing that he's involved in either; the Adam Walsh center is big project and he's involved in some really good victims rights legislation.

I think his use of "we" and "us" isn't so much to take credit, but to encourage the viewers to feel like they are part of the solution as well.

While AMW may not be out there personally slapping the cuffs on bad guys, there are a lot of truly bad folks that are in jail as we speak because of the attention they got on AWM and a resultant tip, so I'd have to say they are as much a part of the capture as anything. They tell me where to look, I go snatch them up.

If you ever get a chance to see his interview on the Dennis Miller show, watch it. His uncensored opinions on criminals etc. will give you a new take on the guy. Besides, after what he went through with the loss of his son in the manner it happened..... I have to give the guy credit for not just folding up and becoming a wreck. He figured out how he could help fight back and then fought to make it a reality.

[shooter1201]

How many of you can still remember hearing about his son on the news.....BEFORE 'AMW' was even a concept?

[Niteshift]

It was tragic. Like I said, I'm glad he decided to try to do something positive.

[Ron1432]

I'm going to have to give my support to AMW. How many times has things happened in one place that didn't get passed around to other who may need to know. This program has a dedicated following that can reach everywhere. Like I heard before... GO TEAM

[Evnings]

I like to watch AMW. My young son really likes to watch it. He always tries to show law enforcement in the best light possibile. There sure aren't alot of people like that around.

He may come off a little dramatic at times, but what the heck, it is a TV show and he is promoting a cause. Putting bad guys in jail is a very worthwhile cause to promote.

[Blonde Heat]

I like the show. I remember hearing about his son. Its a shame and no one deserves that to happen to thier child. I am glad he decided to do something positive with his horrible experience.

[DMS 525]

Like the others said, you have to give John Walsh credit for doing his show, rather than negative things in the loss of his son.

I think when he says,"We", he means all involved with AMW, both in the LE and civillian sector. And, doesn't he say in every show,"With YOUR tips, YOU have helped us put away ( ) crimminals!"? He is talking to the viewers, the American public.

Oh, sure, he gets explosive and dramatic. Catches your attention, doesn't it? As well as those "poorly acted" re-enactments. They are meant to catch and keep your attention. To coin the oldest phrase,"That's show biz!" Better that, rather than having that show put me to sleep.

The one I really don't care too much for is John Bunnell. Even in the shows of COPS he was in, he was too poofed up and dressed up for making drug raids, always looked into the camera, and always made sure his best side was to the camera at all times. He was a real publicity hound. I wish just once they had a hidden camera on him without his knowledge, just to see how he is then.

[Niteshift]

Don't forget too that AMW also has helped facilitate the return of missing children.

Oddly enough, E! channel had a bio of John Walsh on tonight. He was talking about how strange it was that he'd been physcially removed from a Justice Dept. press conference because he was disagreeing with the FBI director (at that time, the FBI opposed the missing childrens bill he was lobbying for. It passed), then years later, the AMW show was given the official blessing from the FBI.

They also went into the death threats, bomb threats and everything else he gets, including at his home. I'd say the guy is about as knee deep in crime fighting as he can be without having a badge.

BTW, for those that DON'T remember the story about his son...... only Adam's head has been found. The rest of his remains have never been located.

[SGT Dave]

In addition to my posted comments previously, something else occured to me:

Although I don't watch the show on anything even resembling a regular basis, (maybe once every 2-3 months) I have learned more about wanted national criminals from AMW than from NCIC and FBI combined.

The FBI has not provided my agency with 1/100th the data John Walsh has.

Just as an example, all LE sources combined have provided us with nothing but a single wanted poster for Ramon Eduardo Arellano-Felix, whereas I've seen the AMW episode on him twice. Granted, I might not encounter him putting in an application at our furniture plant in Smalltown USA, or running a stop sign in front of the Jack B. Quick store, but it happens all the time in this job.

I learned more on cocaine from National Geographic that all college classes/in service training/free pamphlets combined. INTEL is where you get it.

[Mitzi]

I remember the Adam Walsh case before his fathr became famous. It's so sad that they never got to have closure over it. They think they know who did it but it could never be proved. They should have been able to be the ones to pull the switch on the person that did this to their son.
They have 3 more children but none of them could possibly take the place of Adam. It's a parents responsibility to protect their kids and I'm sure he is still going through hell knowing he couldn't.