|
This is a political advertisement paid for and approved by Sandra Downs (NPA) for Sheriff. |
 |
|
|
|
A group of boys played hide and seek at Sugarloaf Elementary School. A teacher’s son was caught on the roof and he was warned to not go up there again because of the danger. The deputies of MCSO were called and after interviewing the boy they sent the teen home and that was the end of that (or so we all thought). Some days later a zealous detective asked for the case and swore under oath in a statement that damage had been done to school property; all the while knowing there had not. He attempted to obtain a warrant for the teens’ arrest, but was denied. This did not deter him. He sent three squad cars with 5 deputies to the homes and school of the 5 teens. The officers entered their homes without warrants and ignored the protests of both parents and teenagers. They handcuffed all 5 juveniles. They were the taken to the adult jail. No regulation process of incarceration was followed. Their rights were violated. The ACLU and two attorneys said the arrests were illegal, the incarceration was illegal, and what went on in the adult jail for over ten hours was illegal. The parents’ attempts to retrieve public copies of the paperwork ended in threats for their arrest. They parents were threatened, harassed and lied to. The paperwork was altered and then later went missing. The parents filed a petition to MCSO for an investigation. A cover-up began. Parents learned MCSO Internal Investigations Department Head, Cindy Peryam, is the wife of Captain Peryam in the MCSO. One parent attempted to go to the FDLE. The head of FDLE is the wife of a Key West Police Officer. The parent then went to the FBI, but they would not investigate the matter. Next an attempt was made to have FDLE in Tallahassee investigate. This met with another dead end. The lesson learned is that the Sheriff’s office runs independently and void of any oversight. If the Sheriff’s officers or personnel are found to have committed a violation, a felony, etc. the most an outside agency can do (FDLE) is take away their accreditation, which means they lose some government funds. There is no one that can correct a lawless situation in the MCSO, except the MCSO, the Governor or the State Attorney. State Attorney Mark Kohl was not willing to investigate, nor did he require the deputies to explain these felony offenses the parents say they had committed. But he did attempt to prosecute the youth knowing the charges were fraudulent. He showed disrespect for the law and for the taxpayer’s money in his attempts to “persecute and prosecute”. When the kids had their day in court the judge found no evidence of a crime and dismissed the charges against the youth. These officers committed felonies when they crossed the line into the homes without a warrant and another felony when they seized a person without a warrant. They committed felonies and international civil rights violations when they incarcerated youth in an adult jail facility for ten hours. They committed violations of jail procedure when they did not perform proper “intakes”, medical assessments and notification of parents. They committed violations when they used the jail for interrogation purposes without a parent of guardian present. They committed violations when they fingerprinted the juveniles and incarcerated them for a misdemeanor after the “fresh pursuit” clause in the law had expired. They committed felonies when they swore under oath to false statements. They committed felonies when they denied the juveniles the presence of a parent or attorney and moreover when they hid the teens from their parents for ten hours. That is considered kidnapping by the UN. The MCSO acted in a lawless and careless manner, which begs the question of the integrity of our laws and those enforcing them. They exhibited an extremely terrifying example of corruption and breaches of public trust. When the MCSO violates international laws as well as national laws and nothing is done about it, it is time for a visit to the County Sheriff himself. Sheriff Roth said, “I cannot control my deputies” This experience contributed to my decision to run for Sheriff. This also serves as an example of why we need an oversight committee (Citizens Review Board). I respect our laws. I respect our civil rights. I believe in firmness and fairness for everyone. I will make sure the officers and all Sheriff personnel have a complete understanding of the laws of the US and have access to someone who can keep them informed. The MCSO personnel must have a complete understanding of their job, their duties and obligations. It is incredible and completely unacceptable that such a blatant series of violations and felonies committed by these officers would go unaddressed and unexplained. Behavior such as this creates a community that has fear of the Department and its officers and no respect. It is impossible to undo this kind of damage without accountability within the MCSO. Certainly it is a conflict of interest that the Director of Internal Affairs is the wife of a Sheriff Captain. It seems impossible that she would be able to administer without prejudice. Certainly it would be natural for a wife to defend and protect her husband and his interests; and it is a difficult concept to imagine that her interest would be in justice more than damage control. It has been said, “If you are not willing to fight for freedom, then you do not deserve it.” The laws and their application must be fair to have any order in society. If the laws are not equally applied then they mean nothing. If the laws are only words in a statute, then they mean nothing. If civil rights abuses are occurring, then we have already crossed a threshold of lawlessness in our County. If officers can violate international sanctions and rules and there is no recourse in the Florida Keys then we have already strayed beyond what any of us want. I am proud to say that I have not been part nor will I ever be a part of this problem. I have seen wonderful officers quit because of the unfair situation in the MCSO. I am interested in making it possible for those good officers to return. It is important that good and responsible behavior be rewarded with elevations in position and rank. I am afraid this has not been the method of evaluations and promotions for far too long. When I am elected everyone will abide by the law. We need to have the positive involvement of our deputies with the youth of the Keys. We don’t need to teach our children to live in fear of the law, but to have respect for it and the safe society it attempts to create. These children are our next generation, and what we do to them as children affects them forever. |
|
|
