Just caught a teaser at The World relating to last nights city council meeting. Chief Reaves dismisses the concerns of the citizens complaining about his department as if they were raggedy band of disgruntled miscreants, hardly worth addressing, much less bothering to look into their concerns.
Nothing that we can do will ever satisfy them. Our best thing would be to let them vent, take notes and try to address them as they come along,†Reaves said.
Nothing will satisfy ‘THEM’. Just let ‘THEM’ vent. Presumably, Reaves believes that THEM will then just blow away or crawl back into the hole THEM came from because THEM probably aren’t human anyway.
Personally, I would be pleased to see these concerns addressed professionally. I would be happy if CPD provided equal protection to all citizens as provided for by the constitution. I would be happy if we had a chief of police that listened to complaints by citizens and did something about them.
What was blaringly apparent from last night’s meeting was that many complaints have been lodged by multiple citizens and are routinely ignored or ‘lost’. The concerns raised last evening are indicative of a long standing policy within the police department of ignoring legitimate complaints by tax paying citizens. City employees work for us, we pay their salaries. It is time Reaves acted like a professional and started listening to his bosses because THEM have had enough.
UPDATE: The final World article states that O’Connor and Reaves will review the cases cited last night and report any wrongdoing by the department to the city council at the next meeting. This will be like watching two foxes discuss how to guard the hen house. Where is the oversight? Isn’t that the job of the city council? What mechanism will they employ to undertake reliable unbiased investigations? There is no oversight in Coquille and the city council should be ashamed of themselves.
Hi DaisyMae, you can find it here – http://concernedcitizensofcoquille.blogspot.com/2007/06/world-newspaper-front-page-tues-june.html
Check the archives at concernedcitizensofcoquille.blogspot.com; scroll down until you come to the story with 37 comments.
What happened to the earlier posts regarding the Leah Freeman case? Unless I’m mistaken I thought that I read them here?
Hello tpaulson,
I thought we had come to some sort of understanding: You wrote in your comments on this blog, “I wasn’t around for your tooth pulling issue…I just repeated what I heard. I don’t know either way much about that issue.”
I was embarased for you when you said, in your letter to the editor, “What kind of person throws a rally on the court house steps and proceeds to pull their own teeth with pliers because they don’t like the Oregon Health Plan.” and “What kind of person keeps vicious dogs who are known to excape and kill other people’s pets?” How tacky! Weren’t both these issues already discussed and, more or less, resolved on this blog. You’ve cheapened yourself, tpaulson.
When engaged in a give and take communication, understanding can only occur if the participants are honest. Apparently you are not an honest person. In an attempt to make a point about a problem you attack the messanger. That is cheap and shallow. You should examine your own motives a little more closely. I’m attempting to right a wrong…and I am doing so without pay and at great personal sacrifice. What are you doing and why…and why use such tactics that are so demeaning to your own honor. Be an honest person and, please, stop attacking the messangers.
Have a nice day.
I believe Loran Wiese is an honorable man and that he will not disappoint the citizens of Coquille. He is increasingly becoming aware of the problems that many of the citizens of Coquillle have had with the the police. This is his community, too, and he wants it to work right. Thank you, Mr. Weise, for listening to your constituents and for actively working to get to the truth of these matters.
Cliff
Hello Daisy Mae,
Interesting, the way the Coquille Police selectively record or selectively provide the recordings. Every stop of a citizen by a police officer should be recorded from begining to end.
Chief Reeves played a ‘cherry picked’ selection of a recording with my voice on it to a newspaper reporter and to Loran Wiese (and who knows who else) regardig a seat belt ticket given to me by McNeely. If Reeves, Bryant and McNeely want to prove they are telling the truth all they have to do is come up with the tape of Bryant actually giving me a warning about an illecal turn in front of the Community Building (it never happened…he lied when he said he had given me a warning) and if they came up with the tape of McNeely giving me a warning for a seat belt violation when I was in the parking lot of the Community Building it would ‘tell the truth’. When he said, “I’m not going to give you a ticket this time; I’m going to give you a warning.” I said, “You can’t give me a warning for no seat belt on in a paking lot”. Okay, where are those recording? So, two recordings that should have been made, Bryant warning me about an illegal turn in front of the Community Building and McNeely warning me about no seat belt on in front of the Community Building are missing…and those tapes would tell the whole, unmanipulated, true story. Of course, they will be missing, too…because they would prove who is and who is not telling the truth.
When I pleed ‘not guilty’ to the McNeely seat belt ticket I will specifically ask for the recording of the ‘warning’ that McNeely claim was given to me.
Keep up the good work and get all your friends and relatives, who believe that we are right in this effort, to join us. We need the continue support and cooperation of the citizens of Coquille.
Cliff
I filed a a very VALID and legitimate complaint in April against one of the Coquille officers and was told that they were doing an internal investigation and were in the process of reviewing the officers audio tape. I later was told that the officer neglected to run the audio tape during his encounter with me and told that the officer was being reprimanded for it! When I asked Smith what disiplinary actions were taken against the officer he stated that it was confidential! In my opinion it is all a bunch of bull! See, I know what is on that tape, I was there, and I can understand why they would want it to disappear. The officers behavior was unprofessional and disturbing to say the least!What a coincidence that they would claim that the tape I was originally told that they were in the process of reviewing, suddenly doesn’t exist anymore! It is so unfair! Then, to make matters worse, I’ve got Reaves standing on the steps of City Hall telling one of my co-workers about the complaint I’d filed, and then lying to him about its contents!
I was shocked when I learned Reaves had told my co-worker, especially since I hadn’t even told my own husband that I’d filed a complaint! Isn’t that wrong?
I assumed that my complaint would be treated with a certain amount of discretion and professionalism by those in a position of authority and especially by those in charge of investigating it, instead I’ve been forced to put up with a bunch of corrupt, immoral and unethical morons who act no better than the criminals they strive to put away!
tpaulson said I was talking with a Psychologist friend of mine yesterday about all of this. He was saying that what you folks are doing can actually be dangerous because you wind up believing what you are saying even if it isn’t exactly accurate, which can lead to a feeling of being paranoid of authority. I am not kidding, he actually said that. This is from someone I know well and trust completely.
Come on, we aren’t grade school kids here! There is nothing wrong with questioning authority. We live in a democracy where questioning authority is a given. We are only exercising our rights in this democracy.
Think of it this way; We are contributing to the balance. Remember the saying, “Power tends to corrupt & absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
My mother, used to quote a saying; “Everything comes out in the wash.” I say, let’s just see what happens, before we get too worried about it.
Good luck.
I do know the Legislators set the fine amounts and the city gets more than 40% back.
Thanks for the numbers. I didn’t count the people. During the open discussion two were favorable to the Police Deparment and ll were not…and there were more than half a dozen people shouting out to be heard. I believe the next City Council meeting will be worth attending.
Again, good luck.
Clifford latta
Mr. Latta,
I wasn’t around for your tooth pulling issue…I just repeated what I heard. I don’t know either way much about that issue. I do know people on the OHP but I don’t know enough about the good or the bad to voice an opinion.
You do know that the Cities do not set the fines and fee rates, right? Those are set by the courts and the State. The city doesn’t even get the entire portion of the fine imposed…infact a very small percent comes back to the city.
In any case, I guess we should just agree to disagree and go on with our lives.
Good luck to you in your endeavors…
Paulson
ps…Regarding your numbers for the council meeting…I checked and there were 41 people in attendance. Seventeen of those were there for the issue of Gas Taxes. Six more siad they came for the meeting but not for any one agenda. That leaves 18.
Mr. Paulson,
Double BINGO! You, too, make my point. Whether or not I could have gotten dental assistence from a tribe or anyone else is not the question. The fact of the matter is when I pulled my tooth a person on the Oregon Medical plan had to go to Gold Beach or Newport to see a dentist. No dentist in Coos County was taken new patients…which left a lot of poor people, single moms, low end working families, middle of the road working families, those people without health insurance, with really long waits for an appointment (only one dentist in Gold Beach was available) and then a long trip to the dentist. After I pulled my tooth it all changed. A friend of mine was starting college just after that episode and the group of new students, attending as single parents/displaced homemakers, was told that local dental care was now available to them because a guy named Clifford Latta pulled his tooth in public. I’ve heard other stories that make me believe that what I did surved a purpose and was actually successful. That, of course, is what the act was all about.
I have no idea who is loony, partly loony or not loony at all (may not be many of those). I do know that open discussions and vigorous debate moves toward truth. No doubt, some of the people who speak up against the behavior of some of the Coquille police are angry and ‘venting’. That’s cool if they want to take the heat that comes with it; however, most of the people must have some degree of legitimacy to their complaints or they would simply be mad…not just angry. When you realize that probably one out of twenty local people even knew about the Sunday meeting and the Monday City Council meeting and yet 40 to 50 people felt deeply enough about it to compromise thier safety (if they believe what they are saying, and they must if they aren’t insane, then they must believe that speaking up is a dangerous thing) you’d have to speculate that if everyone in town knew about the meetings that a lot more people would have been there…and, if the people who are speaking up are fearful, as they say they are, then they are heroes for overcoming their fear to promote the common good.
I have never said all the police were bad. I have said that there are some ‘bad’ officers and they are the ones that are destroying the reputation of the police department. That is sad…and, perhaps, much more meaningful, that is DANGEROUS. If enough people are unhappy with the relationship between the police and the public the police will never have any more money voted for them or their services. That is scary not only because the police need money to serve the public but because if the money isn’t given to them they will have to take it. What else can they do? The only question is, where will the money come from? Fees and fines…there is no other way. They can’t have a bake sale to get the money to run thier department. Non-criminal, law abiding citizens will have to be gouged for the money. There is no other way. We must save the reputation of the police department and make them our social partners once more…the way it was when we were kids.
If a few loons or semi-loons take this as an opportunity to bad-mouth the cops the rest of us who are not loons may wish we could include only non-loons but that’s not the way it works. Just remember, please, most of the people who are speaking up are afraid and sometimes speak up against thier own better judgement and the adament wishes of their loved ones…who frequently don’t want them to make waves. I honestly believe those people are true American Heroes and I salute them and thank them for thie courage and their commitment to social justice.
I suggest to all those who might think we are way over the edge with this effort, go talk to your friends and family. Ask them if they are happy or unhappy with the way the Coquille Police force is presently being operated.
Have a nice day.
Namaste.
Cliff
Mr. Latta….
BINGO!
That was exactly my point. I repeated in my message simply things I have heard around town about you. I do not know you. I don’t think I have ever even seen you. You seem very intelligent. Although to be honest, I do not agree with your tooth pulling message. If you are Cherokee, as stated on your website, couldn’t you get aide from your tribe? In Alaska where I come from originally, My Native American background enables any kind of medical care I would need If I so chose.
My point was that even though you are hearing all of these accusations you cannot take them at face value without knowing all of the facts. You just made my point.
I do not in a million years believe everything I hear about people. I am probably one of the most open minded people you would ever want to meet. I’m simply saying you can’t believe everything you hear and by your handing out all of those flyers you are going to get a bunch of people jumping on your band wagon who are going to hurt your case rather than help you. Some of those folks are really not telling the truth and that will hurt those that believe they are.
I do know that each stop here is recorded. The officer told me so when I was stopped a few months ago. He was very professional by the way. If you are telling the truth you need to go down and have your tape pulled up and listened to by the Chief and the Council and your point will be made without you having to say anything further about it.
When you get people saying “I was stopped for no reason” , I do not believe that. The officer told me his name and why he stopped me as soon as I rolled down my window. I’m assuming that is protocol.
I have Police Officers in my family (not here, but in other states) and each of them went in to Law Enforcement because they wanted to help people. I think that is the reason most, if not all of them go into that area of work.) I don’t think they get the praise they deserve for the work they do.
Who are you going to call now if your life is threatened, or in danger? The same people you are accusing of being corrupt?
I was talking with a Psychologist friend of mine yesterday about all of this. He was saying that what you folks are doing can actually be dangerous because you wind up believing what you are saying even if it isn’t exactly accurate, which can lead to a feeling of being paranoid of authority. I am not kidding, he actually said that. This is from someone I know well and trust completely.
I am not trying to say you are wrong and I am correct, I am just saying that I don’t think you people have all of the facts.
I know someone in Coos Bay who has had many dealings with the woman who owns City Brides and Country Ladies. If you believe everything she is saying you need to go pull all of her information from the County. It’s all public record.
I do know that the officer she accused of throwing her out of the bowling alley did not do that. My friend was working at the Bowling alley that night and she said the officer was going to throw the guy out and the employee at the bowling alley said, “No! he’s a good customer, he was here first, you’ve never been in here before, you are the one leaving”. I was told that the bowling alley attendant is going to the City to tell them the truth about that incident, which is probably in the report anyway.
I believe that we have good people in the Police Department, and I believe that you have to give them a chance to investigate and find out what the truth is behind each complaint seperately not as a whole.
I do thnk its a good idea to have an independant investigation done so that both sides will feel that thngs were done in an unbiased fashion.
I don’t think that dragging our town through the mud, however, with accusations and inuendo is the answer, and I don’t think that anyone has any reason to be afraid of the police. Try getting to know them on a different level…as people rather then Police Officers.
Like that fellow in LA said…”Can’t we all just get along?”
tpaulson
You are the first person who has ever found something negative in my tooth pulling event. It was done for what I considered a valid, moral reason and I believe it did a lot of good…or so I’ve been told by both private people and professionals involved in health care. Sorry that upset you but it actually did cause some positive changes. I really don’t think I have to defend that act…which, by the way hurt a lot as it did good.
WOW! The orbs are aliens. You must know something I don’t know. From the way you put it I suspect you want people to think I’m some sort of nut-case. Please, check out my website at orbs4us.com. All I’m doing is presenting a lot of photos, which took time and effort to bring together, from which others can draw their own conclusions. No where on my website do I even hint at the orbs being aliens. You have to admit, tpaulson, there are some mighy strange photos on the web site. Do you know what they are? I’m hoping to find out what they are and how they relate to our world through scientific examination. There are a 100 web sites involved in orbs. Google ‘orb research’. By the way, they aren’t dust motes.
Do I sound insane? If you know me, do I act insane? Well, I’d have to be insane to say the things I’m saying about the Coquille Police Department when I’m going to continue living here for, as far as I can see, the rest of my life. I’m 71 and my health isn’t great. Every time I look Chief Reeves in the eyes and make charges against his officers I’m setting myself up for disaster. Why would I do it? If I’m not totally insane then I must believe that I have a reason good enough for me to jepordize my personal peace of mind. I now live in a constant state of anxiety. I believe some of the cops are bad cops and if that is true, why wouldn’t they get their revenge. So, I’m either insane or about the most moral guy you’ll ever meet.
Hey, I hope we can be friends.
Namaste.
Clifford Latta
tpaulson,
We all have our own agendas in being involved in this.
For myself, I would like to see everyone treated fairly & justly under the law, no matter what I personally think of them or their lifestyles. We live in a diverse community, with many different kinds of people & the law is intended to work for everyone. Whether or not they are icons of the community.
Not everyone has the time or the means to get involved in everything that’s going on. You said Put your heart and energy into making this a better community by doing good things instead of bringing everyone else down. Maybe this is what these people think they are doing here, getting involved & making this a better place. It might not be YOUR way of doing things, but
it seems like you just want to believe these are all bad people. So what if they have different beliefs then you. So what if Cliff Latta is into orbs. Does that make everything he says invalid? Do you only listen to people that agree with you?
You talk like it’s a matter of course for police departments to be corrupt. Well, that doesn’t mean we have to lay down & take it.
Personally, I would like to see a better relationship between the Police & some of the community. I’d like to think we are in this together instead of divided into camps.
But, as it stands, people need to stand up & make themselves heard if they feel there is a problem.
You said, I think everyone needs to give him a chance to address the issues you have set before him before calling for anyones resognation.
I agree with this.
To tpaulson, I take full responsibility for my dogs and am deeply sorry about what happened and your loss. We are all animal lovers here, with a long history of rescuing pets, cats and dogs and am in no way trying to pass blame for what happened to anyone. We are dealing with the courts and fines, have apologized to the court and the victims and the dogs are gone.
As you say, there are two sides to every story and my issues with the police department go back three years and have nothing to do with dog violations.
I too have lived else where and seen other Police Departments at work. Portland parking fees are almost $30.00 for a parking violation. There is a lot of corruption in the Portland Police Bureau and you have no idea what corruption is.
I have had traffic tickets here, and I’ve paid them. I have had parking tickets here too. I’ve paid them. You are going to find issues with any Police Department any place you go.
My point here is that there are two sides to everything you are hearing. The people who are spouting off are the ones with issues. Most people who don’t agree with their tickets go to court. That’s the place that is set in force to make the final decision.
I know two officers here personally. They are good people and come from good families. They go out every day and put their lives on the line for us.
I think you all need to put your energy into help the community. Go to community sponsored events, be a part of things. Go to all of the Council meetings, not just when you have an issue with something. Go watch school plays and band concerts. Go to t-ball games and pancake feeds. Support the police departmnent in thier fund raisers for Dornbecher or special olympics or relay for life. See them at their best instead of trying to find fault with them.
I think you’ve taken your beefs to them. NOw give them a chance to find a solution.
Asking for people to be fired is rediculous. I don’t think you people are ever going to be happy with any out come that doesn’t involve ruining someone’s life.
The problem with your group is that some people may have a valid complaint, but other’s are completely crazy idiots and known liars. What kind of person throws a rally on the court house steps and procedes to pull their own teeth out with plyers because they don’t like the Oregon Health Plan? And who also believes aliens are sending Orbs to us. (Latta)
What kind of person keeps vicious dogs who are known to escape and kill other people’s pets? Geddry blames the PD instead of taking responsibility for her animals. Do you not think I loved my cat as much as she loved her dogs?
Put your heart and energy into making this a better community by doing good things instead of bringing everyone else down.
I wasn’t saying “mind your business” as don’t say anything about something that is wrong…I was saying Mind your own P’s and Q’s. rather.
I am very involved in this community. I’ve never seen any of those people at any civic events. Hmmmmmmm. Why so?
I believe that Chief Reaves is doing the best he can do with the budget he has here. I believe that he has changed the department around completely in the past few years. I think everyone needs to give him a chance to address the issues you have set before him before calling for anyones resognation.
My husband and I lived in Coquille for many years. Anyone who convinces themselves that there is nothing out of line with the Coquille Police Department should take a long hard look into the past history of that department. Some past and current CPD employees have come from other areas even though there was inappropriate conduct and questionable professionalism while working in that place. This information, while difficult to obtain, is available.
Quite a few years ago, there were a lot of Coquille residents stating that there were a number of Coquille police officers that were corrupt. At the time the cheif of police admitted to a 125% incresase in crime rate in less than a 12 month period. The “good” citizens of Coquille insinuated that those of us complaining were the problem and not the police officers. Strangely, the crime rate took a huge nose dive after those police officers were no longer employed with the department.
Short memories, being what they are, you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who will admit any knowledge of the events that took place in order for the corrupt officers to be forced out.
Since we moved away, we have had the opportunity to see how a real professional police department does and should operate. It is so nice to see officers actually “protecting and serving” the citizens of their city.
So glad to get away!!!
Hi!
The way I see it, there is a problem. There has been a problem for a long time. (BTW, I am a citizen with not so much as a traffic ticket)I have heard lots of “law-abiding” citizens in this town complain about the zealousness & harassment of the local police for a few years now. It doesn’t take much awareness to see that there is a problem here.
Is it just a bunch of malcontents bitching & moaning because they are getting their just desserts, as tpaulson implies?
I don’t believe that. For one thing alot of the people that are concerned about this problem are good people. Just because someone thinks the system stinks does that make them a bad person? Of course not! It is arrogant to think so. Is tpaulson anymore of a law-abiding citizen then the rest of us? Who knows…just because he/she has not been caught? Maybe he/she has just been lucky so far?
& “mind your own business”, WTF? A concerned person who sees a problem is supposed to just stick their head in the sand & “mind their own business”?
tpaulson isn’t taking her own advice , why? Is she more intitled to concern herself with the issues then others she sees as “less worthy” maybe?
We all have a right in this democracy to voice our concerns.
Keep up the the good work magix!
I’m sure you won’t post my reply, because you don’t actually want other views to appear here. THis is what is wrong with this society. People like you who can’t obey the law want to make it appear the police department is harrarsing people. It’s simple…mind your own business…don’t break the law…you have no problems.
Ms. Geddry…
Why do you believe that your side is the only side? You are just venting because you are in a heap of trouble because your dogs killed so many cats….mine included. Your troubles have just begun lady. I’m calling a rally to support the PD…and I am making sure that all of the media is aware of your killer pitbulls that you allowed to run wild even after they killed before. You are just lucky all they got was my cat…where would you be if my 2 year old was in my garage that day instead?????
You don’t deserve any one’s respect. I’ve heard things about you all over this town and I’ve never met you. Am I supossed to believe them all? So then I should just automatically believe all the crap you are trying to cause with the PD?
You should all be ashamed of your selves. Everyone of you have made your own problems.
You truly need some mental help.