New Port Richey detectives need sensitivity training
Published November 23, 2003
Editor: The rape victim's suit against the city of New Port Richey being tossed out because the actions of the detectives "does not meet the standard for intentional infliction of emotional distress as their actions did not shock the conscience of the community" is an outrage.
This rape victim, when she reported the crime, was not believed by a woman detective though her teeth were knocked out and she was viciously beaten and raped twice by the same man. The other detective did not submit the physical evidence for testing.
In my mind, that would meet the standard for intentional infliction of emotional distress. As far as not shocking the conscience of the community, that is unfortunately a reality. The majority of the community seems to get involved when it might affect them personally as evident from hundreds of letters from Beacon Woods residents regarding Wal-Mart's coming to Hudson and its affect on the traffic in their subdivision.
These two detectives should receive a reprimand and be sent back to the police academy for sensitivity training. The rape victim had to solve this crime by herself and did not get the support she needed from the Police Department and the community.
I would hope that the Pasco County women's groups would be outraged about what this rape victim was put through by the New Port Richey police and speak out and prove that there is a conscience of the community. The silence is deafening!
-- Judi Barrett, Hudson
It's time we worked to clean up environmental mess we've made
Editor: Is the inadequate custodial care of our environment equivalent to the fleecing of our taxpayers?
I, along with many other senior retirees, came to Florida to enjoy the beautiful environment. In the past 30 years, I have seen the natural beauty give way to uncontrolled development resulting in uncontrolled pollution. It is about time that we clean up the mess we have made, thereby establishing a sound base for future development. It seems that we take one step forward and two backward. The many studies being made along the way only add to the ultimate cost and time involved.
Should we be asking where the tax revenue from our vast boating, sport fishing and recreational industries is going? Should we consider taking politics out of the environment and getting the job done? It is later than you think!
-- Patrick Raimond, Port Richey
Port Richey City Council needs to work for residents
Re: Port Richey
Editor: I have never seen such a total lack of respect for Mayor Eloise Taylor as was displayed at the Nov. 12 meeting of the Port Richey City Council. Even if you dislike the person in that office, you must respect the office. Is it that someone else covets that office?
Next, City Attorney Paul Marino has implied there may be a lawsuit regarding the taking of a petition. Is this still America or did I fall asleep while we were taken over? All you hear spouted at the meetings is 9.01 - 9.01 of the City Charter which says citizens have no say in how budget money is spent. Perhaps the legality of 9.01 should be addressed. Without the citizens, there would be no budget money.
Also, speaking of the City Charter, some time a few meetings ago, someone quoted from the charter that is takes a four-fifths vote to eliminate a department. The vote was 3 to 2. City Manager Vince Lupo's answer was that the department is not eliminated, just transferred. Well, there will be no department nor employees left in Port Richey. That looks to me as if an elimination of a department in Port Richey will occur. So if the City Charter is followed, 9.01 would not be a concern.
Council member Phyllis Grae stated perhaps people signing the petition did not know what they were signing. Please! I confronted her after the meeting and told her she insulted me and every other citizen by implying we are that ignorant. She said she had personally called some who had signed and questioned them as to what they had signed and found they didn't understand. I question why she would do that. It sounds like intimidation to me. Perhaps citizens will be afraid to sign any petition ever again.
As I have said before, council members are elected to serve us, not rule us. Remember, elections are not far off.
-- Dolores Stilson, Port Richey
[Last modified November 23, 2003, 01:46:45]
