Lakewood library incident

[Dan Alaimo]

To bob Collinwood--as a self=admitted rude, inconsiderate patron of Library, you also make wild, unsubstantiated claims that "transgendered persons likely to be killed by police"; can you provide any facts to support that? Remember that rules are rules, regardless of race, and those who refuse to obey are subject to removal--and apparently Ms Robinson did not go quietly. And those writers talking about civil rights (huh?) and discrimination--it was a Black policeman here. Is he prejudiced against his own race? This is nothing more than parents who didn't teach daughter how to behave in public looking for payout. and isn't this the same "liberal" Lakewood that recently settled decades-old lawsuit about refusing a Black-resident shelter to open?

I'm reading this late in the day and I'm a little baffled.
First, we've covered most of this ground already, not that a lot of it doesn't bear repetition.
Second, who is "bob Collinwood", where did these he say these things, and how do they relate to the Madison Library incident?

Some context please.

[Bridget Conant]

An article in the Forum section of the most recent Observer print edition.

[Dan Alaimo]

Ohhhhh, The TIM Collingwood article. Thanks.

[Matthew Lee]

Completely agree with Michael. Nobody is saying that Lakewood PD is racist. At least, I don't think so.

But what this is constitutes, at least in my opinion, someone overstepping their bounds and taking it out on someone not in the same "class sphere". It was completely over the top and there was no reason for it to happen. Racist? No. Overreaction? Absolutely.

And, I am also wondering why this took so long to come out if everyone seems to have known about it. Not a cover up, per se, but definitely something nobody wanted to talk about.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Completely agree with Michael. Nobody is saying that Lakewood PD is racist. At least, I don't think so.

But what this is constitutes, at least in my opinion, someone overstepping their bounds and taking it out on someone not in the same "class sphere". It was completely over the top and there was no reason for it to happen. Racist? No. Overreaction? Absolutely.

And, I am also wondering why this took so long to come out if everyone seems to have known about it. Not a cover up, per se, but definitely something nobody wanted to talk about.

First, I am a firm believer in letting things work out if they can be.

So you are sure it was not racism. I agree. Why are you so sure, "class sphere?"

So, is the police officer guilty of class sphere? Are the library workers, that deal with the most diverse group of people in Lakewood guilty of class sphere? Perhaps James Crawford, the director of the Library, who spends 90% of his vacation time in some god-forsaken areas of India, Turkey, the Mid-East helping people?

There was no cover-up, and I would say, no one heard about it until discussions broke down, and it moved to the legal system. This stuff happens everyday.

Now we all believe there is no wide spread racism, or brutality at Lakewood police, or at the LPL.

Do you believe this off duty police officer, was really taking this girl out to, "rough her up because she is lower class" Premeditated? Or, a bad situation handled poorly in retrospect and admitted by all, where a person overreacted, a poor girl got hurt, and is looking, rightfully so, to get her bills paid?

Because one of the best lawyers in the area took the case, I am sure more money will be needed to stop the nightmares, heal the mind, and pay one of the best lawyers in the area. And I hope they get all they dream of and more.

I really see this as no insight on Lakewood Police, the City of Lakewood, Lakewood Public Library, the poor girl, and or her lawyer. All seem to be doing, exactly as they are supposed to do. We are now talking nuance, and ability. Sometimes mistakes happen, and somebody has to pay the bill.

Matthew, I do not hold back, especially when it comes to Government. I can point to handfuls of hiring mistakes, cover-ups, misdirection, out right lying, and even criminal behavior by some on the west side of City Hall. But Lakewood Police and Fire are pretty solid humans on all levels. I know people they have arrested in the past that deserved a good ass kicking or fall down the steps, which would be criminal I get it, instead they always got access to a phone and if there long enough, burritos from Chipotle.

My fascination is, that this draws massive public outrage while Mayor Summers hiring friends and criminals without proper background checks that commit acts against residents that disagree, draws a yawn.

Just fascinating.

.

[Matthew Lee]

My fascination is, that this draws massive public outrage while Mayor Summers hiring friends and criminals without proper background checks that commit acts against residents that disagree, draws a yawn.

This is obviously just my opinion but what happened at the library is much worse than what you reference in the above quote. It is something that could happen to any of our children and is not representative of, again MY OPINION, what Lakewood is. To each their own but I find what happened at the Madison Library more reprehensible than anything that Mayor Summers specifically has done.

[cmager]

My fascination is, that this draws massive public outrage while Mayor Summers hiring friends and criminals without proper background checks that commit acts against residents that disagree, draws a yawn.

This is obviously just my opinion but what happened at the library is much worse than what you reference in the above quote. It is something that could happen to any of our children and is not representative of, again MY OPINION, what Lakewood is. To each their own but I find what happened at the Madison Library more reprehensible than anything that Mayor Summers specifically has done.

Which may explain in part why the Lakewood electorate has not hammered the alleged thieves that are our local politicians. The theft of the hospital in what amounts to a public corruption case does not appear to directly or personally affect people, which creates the space for public corruption to operate. I too am fascinated. Again, to each their own.

[Michael Deneen]

The theft of the hospital in what amounts to a public corruption case does not appear to directly or personally affect people

Good point....the hospital closing affects people, but largey "those people".....that's why the majority of Lakewood voters don't give a damn.
Same thing goes for the Library Incident....it affects "those people", not those that fit City Hall/Build Lakewood's perception of what "real" Lakewoodites are.

[Jim O'Bryan]

UPDATE

I would like to update what I wrote earlier.

Conversations were going well between all parties, when they hired a lawyer. Their lawyer gave the cityI get being upset at the LPL 7 days to answer a call to mediation.

The insurance company allowed it to pass.

I really do not see this changing the story, just wanted to get it right.

Matt,
So a policeman over reacting, that falls on someone, is worse than a City Hall hire, with incomplete background check, covered up, using a Lakewood Early Childhood PTA Directory to find people he has no connection to and act out against them. Hmmmmmmmmmm?

What about if it happens with 2 hires at City Hall?

Three?

Officer Evens doesn't know who you or your family is.

The others, know all about you, have reached out to, worked somewhere on something to get your email, and personal information.

Bet on it.

.

[Dan Alaimo]

I've been watching this discussion with some bewilderment for awhile now. Mostly I understand the upset, but I thought the LPD had dealt with it appropriately and in a timely matter, and we had discussed it thoroughly awhile ago. I can think of several reasons why it wasn't made public at the time, so I don't have a problem with that. I don't understand the attitude of the insurance company, but don't see how why that is an issue with the LPD, LPL, or the city administration.

Why people are more worked up over this than the malfeasance of our City government is another matter. I kind of understand. It's a hot button topic. Also, once I was on the civic sidelines, with young kids, a job involving frequent travel, and all I required from the city was schools and services. But it seems to me the current issues are much bigger in scope and we need to find a way to get more people to understand them - most people don't care and wish the "noise" would just go away. They are all too willing to cooperate with the Mayor and Inspector Clouseau's efforts to silence them. Jared's article was a good start, but we need more. For one, I wish the council candidates would publicly voice these issues.

[Bridget Conant]

I've been watching this discussion with some bewilderment for awhile now. Mostly I understand the upset, but I thought the LPD had dealt with it appropriately and in a timely matter, and we had discussed it thoroughly awhile ago. I can think of several reasons why it wasn't made public at the time, so I don't have a problem with that. I don't understand the attitude of the insurance company, but don't see how why that is an issue with the LPD, LPL, or the city administration.

Why people are more worked up over this than the malfeasance of our City government is another matter. I kind of understand. It's a hot button topic. Also, once I was on the civic sidelines, with young kids, a job involving frequent travel, and all I required from the city was schools and services. But it seems to me the current issues are much bigger in scope and we need to find a way to get more people to understand them - most people don't care and wish the "noise" would just go away. They are all too willing to cooperate with the Mayor and Inspector Clouseau's efforts to silence them. Jared's article was a good start, but we need more. For one, I wish the council candidates would publicly voice these issues.

I completely agree that the pillaging of a city asset for private gain and the corruption that accompanied it are worthy of attention and outrage, but we live in a video world where people are on social media and the visuals are what inspire action. People are more watchers than readers.

The video of the girl being thrown around is more compelling and invites more outrage than reading about what some politicians conspired over.

If we had a video presentation equally shocking, (or maybe we do,) perhaps it would raise the interest of the public to the same level.

[Kate McCarthy]

Why people are more worked up over this than the malfeasance of our City government is another matter. I kind of understand. It's a hot button topic. Also, once I was on the civic sidelines, with young kids, a job involving frequent travel, and all I required from the city was schools and services. But it seems to me the current issues are much bigger in scope and we need to find a way to get more people to understand them - most people don't care and wish the "noise" would just go away. They are all too willing to cooperate with the Mayor and Inspector Clouseau's efforts to silence them. Jared's article was a good start, but we need more. For one, I wish the council candidates would publicly voice these issues.

First, with the library incident, there is video. A video of a girl being roughed up by an off-duty police officer is going to elicit a strong response. It is there to see and cannot possibly be spun to be anything else. However, I do not think most people are “all too willing to cooperate with the Mayor and Inspector Clouseau's efforts to silence them” because I think most people do not know anything about it. Was there ever an article? There was a police investigation. Can that be reported on in the print issue?

I recall seeing some computer logs posted here that seemed to indicate work was being done on a city computer that was unrelated to city work and appeared to be an effort to create fake news regarding the mayor’s opponent. This is my recollection, but I would need to search through the deck to find the evidence.

I really think that if first-hand documentation published on the deck via what many characterize as “click-bate” headlines, was readily available it would be easier to share and harder to ignore…particularly by council candidates. The documentation discovered to date needs to be aggregated in one place and I would be happy to help with that. And if this has already been done, please let me know where it can be found.

[Dan Alaimo]

Previous Deck discussion about this incident:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... t=off+duty

Deck discussion regarding city hall campaign work:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... ll#p170192

[bentleymike]

First off, I think the police officer was out of hand and completely overreacted, and I hope the girl gets her money for her injuries, it seems fair. Insurance companies are very, very tight in this day and age. It takes many battles to get them to pay for anything.

I do want to ask something...did you notice the video that her attorney put out had no sound, until the very end? Why do you think that was? There was definitely sound from the body cam at the end, where the girl was screaming.

I will not justify his actions, it's just the peanut gallery is going on and on about classism, racism, and discrimination of transgender people by the LPD. Generally, the LPD are extremely friendly, and relatively forgiving in many situations. The only time that I've seen a different response is when someone goes out of the way to verbally or physically attack them, or is completely disrespectful.

In our world where there are hits out for police officers, they have a right to be paranoid and very cynical. This case was handled perfectly with an unpaid suspension and requirement for classes, and Officer Jones was given a deserved second chance. It doesn't seem that he's had other incidents.

To get a full understanding, one would have to hear the entire encounter's audio. There is a reason that wasn't made public, which from a legal standpoint, if you're her attorney, you may not want it out there.

[bentleymike]

First off, I think the police officer was out of hand and completely overreacted, and I hope the girl gets her money for her injuries, it seems fair. Insurance companies are very, very tight in this day and age. It takes many battles to get them to pay for anything.

I do want to ask something...did you notice the video that her attorney put out had no sound, until the very end? Why do you think that was? There was definitely sound from the body cam at the end, where the girl was screaming.

I will not justify his actions, it's just the peanut gallery is going on and on about classism, racism, and discrimination of transgender people by the LPD. Generally, the LPD are extremely friendly, and relatively forgiving in many situations. The only time that I've seen a different response is when someone goes out of the way to verbally or physically attack them, or is completely disrespectful.

In our world where there are hits out for police officers, they have a right to be paranoid and very cynical. This case was handled perfectly with an unpaid suspension and requirement for classes, and Officer Jones was given a deserved second chance. It doesn't seem that he's had other incidents.

To get a full understanding, one would have to hear the entire encounter's audio. There is a reason that wasn't made public, which from a legal standpoint, if you're her attorney, you may not want it out there.