Survey of Pinellas Park police must be released, judge rules

By MIKE BRASSFIELD

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 4, 2001

PINELLAS PARK -- A judge ruled Wednesday that the city of Pinellas Park must give the St. Petersburg Times the results of a survey of Pinellas Park police employees that was done by a private company hired by the city.

The Times requested the survey, but the city and the company, Management of America of Tallahassee, refused to hand it over. The city responded to the Times' request by suing the newspaper, contending that a private company wasn't subject to Florida's public records law.

After hearing the evidence, Pinellas Circuit Judge David A. Demers ruled that the survey was a public record. On Wednesday, Demers ordered the city to provide the documents for the Times within five business days.

"It's a clear win for the public, in terms of being able to determine what are the problems in the Pinellas Park Police Department, and what are the possible solutions," said Alison Steele, an attorney for the Times.

The city could appeal the judge's decision. City Manager Jerry Mudd has refused to comment on the case and has referred calls to Tom Reynolds, an assistant city attorney. Reynolds did not return a phone call Wednesday.

The survey examined employee satisfaction in a police department accused of harassment and discrimination.

In July, the Pinellas Park City Council spent about $41,000 to hire Management of America to do the survey.

Most officers who participated in the survey said morale was low, that they felt underpaid and overworked, and they thought their supervisors were unqualified and managed by fear and retaliation.

"Officers gave candid and lengthy answers because they were assured they would be anonymous," Steele said. "I'm surprised that someone would assure a public employee that such records would be confidential. You just can't override the public records law that way."

Once the survey was done, the company suggested more training for supervisors, more visible upper management, a study of the pay scale, improved recruitment and involvement of the rank and file in department goal-setting and decisions.

The survey came in the wake of allegations that department leadership fosters harassment and discrimination. Three female officers have filed federal and state complaints of sex discrimination and harassment.

Two male officers have filed union grievances alleging there is a "hit list" of officers targeted for firing based on their age and their willingness to speak out against management.

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