Paul Burgett was still the Coos County district attorney when local citizens tired of being targeted by the Coquille Police Department for petty infractions to bring in extra revenue began complaining loudly at city council meetings. The group called itself Concerned Citizens of Coquille and Dian Courtright was one of the spokespersons and launched a website to air grievances with then police chief, Mike Reeves. DA1_resignsLetters were written to the editor listing abuses by the police department and demonstrations were held effectively accusing the city council and the city manager, Terrence O’Connor of negligent retention for refusing to replace Reeves and adequately reprimand the officers. Also threaded throughout all these complaints was the matter of the unsolved murder and botched investigation into the death of Leah Freeman.

The city council deliberately ignored the pleas of its constituents and took a “pro-police” stance and even accused the complaining public of lying, exaggerating and being unwashed. Burgett never publicly spoke out in support of the people at that time but his recently filed lawsuit against the City of Coquille and the police department makes many of the same allegations. According to the Register Guard the suit alleges “the city has tolerated or been deliberately indifferent for the need for training and discipline of its police officers.” The lawsuit goes on to make identical charges levied upon the city council by Concerned Citizens of Coquille.

Among the areas the lawsuit claims police lack proper training or knowledge are the legal basis for stopping and arresting citizens, the use of force and the proper exercise of police powers.

The suit further accuses the city and police of failing to monitor officers with emotional or psychological problems, take action against officers named in misconduct complaints and to sanction officers who conceal or aid in violations of citizens’ constitutional rights.

It also says officers pursue false charges against people to stop them from seeking civil claims.

The council still retains three members from the Mike Reeves era, Loren Wiese, Linda Short and Fran Capehart although Capehart has almost twice been ousted by two time challenger Dian Courtright. Citizen pressure finally led to Reeves early retirement claiming a bad shoulder and the council replaced him with Mark Dannels. Dannels quickly demonstrated the difference between a good police chief and Reeves and turned the department into a crime fighting unit rather than just a ticketing industry. Dannels also brought closure to the family of Leah Freeman with the successful prosecution after months of investigative work by the revamped department of her killer, Nick McGuffin.

The contrast between Dannels and his predecessor couldn’t have been more stark nor done a better job of confirming all the complaints made by the citizen groups but the council remained unapologetic. The worst offender in my opinion is Fran Capehart who blindly defends the police department in deference to her late husband, a state trooper. She has shown nothing but contempt for the citizens of Coquille and maintained a deaf ear to their complaints and concerns. Capehart owes the entire city a very public apology for standing by while Reeves’ department terrorized the town.

Burgett didn’t step forward back then but he may be the citizens best hope of waking up the city council today. Since Dannels departure there are complaints that the PD is beginning to revert to its former ways but this new council seems no more inclined to act than before. In fact, this council has a reputation for being one of the rudest councils in recent memory and the new city manager, Ben Marchand, isn’t receiving high marks for his listening ability either.

Burgett shouldn’t have too much trouble proving in a court of law that the city has a long established tradition of ignoring complaints against the police department.