PFEIFFER: Hey, I’m with the band

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April 27, 2007

Cops Notebook

By Rick Pfeiffer/pfeifferr@gnnewspaper.com The Niagara Gazette Fri Apr 27, 2007, 08:08 PM EDT

Sorry I failed to make it to Falls City Court on Friday morning for the appearance of two legendary rockers.

Well, actually, I think it was the appearance of a conflicted man who isn’t exactly sure who he wants to be.

I’m referring to Sammy J. Van Halen West. It seems he can’t quite decide between the persona of one time Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar or the leader of the band, Eddie Van Halen.

Where the “West” comes from is not clear.

Reliable sources say he announced his arrival to face trespassing charges by entering the Court Clerk’s office and uttering, “Van Halen in the house.” Understand he also took pains to point out to the judge that Van Halen is his legal name.

Now, as to that trespassing charge, seems the 45-year-old Van Halen West was kicked out, for good, of the McDonald’s on Niagara Falls Boulevard. He was barred because a McDonald’s manager told police, “Sammy keeps coming in and hitting on all the girls.”

Slick.

His final transgression was apparently telling a young girl at the fast food joint that, and I’m paraphrasing here, large chests mean large trouble.

Nonetheless, he returned half an hour later, so now the Munson Avenue resident can explain his behavior to the judge.

Baby I’ll be there to share the land...

With apologies to the Guess Who, it seems Clarence J. Smoke is looking to share some land, like a piece of the 300 block of Fourth Street.

Smoke, who according to police booking records has no home address, was arrested early Friday morning after a tussle with both Seneca Nation marshals and Falls police.

Seems the marshals told him to stop taking pop bottles from a recycling bin outside the casino. When he refused to stop they tried to detain him and call the cops.

Not content to wrestle with the marshals, Smoke decide to tangle with Falls Police Capt. Dave LeGault, the commander to the SWAT team and a pretty big guy. Smoke lost that match and was taken into custody.

It was then, after being charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespass, that Smoke proclaimed his Native American heritage and posed a pointed question, “How do I get arrested trespassing on my own land?”

Moving up and moving out

Wow, the changes keep coming at 520 Hyde Park Blvd.

There are two new lieutenants on the afternoon shift, with former narcotics detective Bryan DalPorto and Roving Anti-Crime Officer Dave Kok moving into those slots. DalPorto is being replaced in narcotics by former RAC Officer Jay Reynolds, while Patrol Officers Joe Palermo and Dan Pierini are moving into RAC.

More retirements are looming with Detective Ed Janese, and City Court Detail Officers Roland Johnston and Bill Frye now also preparing to hang up their badges.

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