Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Subject: Pro-good cop. Father [David] Epps, almost weekly for more than one year now, I've had thoughts of sending you an e-mail to tell you how much I look forward to and enjoy your [columns] in The Citizen.

We met briefly while I was entering and you and your son, Jason, were exiting City Hall during a council meeting a couple of months ago. I stopped your son, Jason, to pass on words of thanks and gratitude for the exemplary job he does in his capacity as a law enforcement officer in Peachtree City. As a citizen of Peachtree City, your son makes me beam with pride to know that he serves me, my family, friends and neighbors. Second in line to you, I am as pro cop as they come. Pro GOOD cop, that is.

I have lived in Peachtree City for six years. Since moving here, I would periodically hear negative comments about our police force. This surprised me because these comments weren't coming from juvenile delinquents, or criminals, as you call people that might be anti-cop. These negative comments were coming from soccer moms, classroom volunteers and neighbors from upscale neighborhoods.

Almost two years ago, I had my first encounter with the police department of Peachtree City. Following is a list of reasons why I, along with many other Peachtree City citizens, are pro-good cop but anti-bad cop.

1. Instead of having a backup officer drive by the traffic stop, as the department SOPs call for, four officers in four different police vehicles will come to the scene.

2. Some officers will embellish or downright lie while under oath in a court of law.

3. You will ask the chief of police for an appointment with him to discuss concerns you have about his police department. He will refuse to talk with you.

4. Since the chief of police will not talk to you, you go down to the police department to file a written complaint. You are told by the major that they will not even look at or investigate your allegations until your misdemeanor traffic violation is adjudicated.

You are also bullied and intimidated and told that the police department will sue you if you cannot prove your allegations. Since it's your word against the officers, there is no "proof." With the threat of legal action, your complaint is never filed or heard by the chief or police or his administrators.

5. You file open records requests with the police department. By law, they have 72 hours to comply. But instead, they make available to you the requested information 10 days late and another time seven days late. Coincidentally, by not complying with the law, conveniently for the police, you do not have the requested information for your court date.

6. You request a video tape that has exculpatory evidence but the police department has "recycled" it.

7. You talk to neighboring law enforcement agencies and they always make unflattering comments about your own city's police department.

I could continue but I hope that you get my point. I am an American who knows that police officers can uphold our freedom and rights that our constitution ensures but they are also the very ones that can strip us of our constitutional rights more easily than the common criminal can if you encounter the wrong one(s).

Margie Swart

Peachtree City