The Observation Deck

I am furious with the Lakewood Police. They pulled my husband over yesterday after he picked up our daughter from Kindergarten because they "randomly" ran his plates, since Bush thought this would help the war on terror. Because we got severely ripped off from Callani and Chrysler dealership, both in Lakewood and together took almost $4000 in car repairs and left us with a car that didn't run, my husband bought a used car for $3,000 to get back and forth to work. With the odds against him, this car did not pass emissions so he could not get a tag for it. He got a temporary 30 day tag and switched the plates from the Chrylser until he could get the repair done. After learning all of this, running his license and finding nothing illegal on it, they put him on the side of the car and frisked him, in front of our daughter. They then had the car towed to a Cleveland company, three miles away, instead of giving him a warning and following him home the three blocks, like they should have done to a tax-paying citizen. In a time when there have been three hostage situations in a few weeks time, teenagers who speed down residential streets, etc., etc., are you telling me the police could not give a warning for this? I found out that the city that has the car towed gets a cut as well as the state getting a cut, which is why the tow company charged $123 for 3 miles and less than 24 hours. We paid $7,000 in property taxes for two houses in Lakewood last year and practically can't give away one of the houses, yet the police treat their own residents like dirt. Or maybe we are not "their" residents, maybe they don't even live in Lakewood and don't really care about Lakewood!

Justine

It is a fair question about how many of the police live in the city. It is also a fair question to ask the same about fire, schools, and city workers.

We must find a way to get these people to move into the city they work in.

What I find troubling is- the thought you were left with, that the city make money towing cars.

good luck


.

I am very troubled by it as I have seen other incidents that left me feeling not very good about the police here, and then I found out they didn't live in Lakewood! Imagine how much better the city would be if the Police were citizens of Lakewood! They would be neighbors and their concerns would be the same concerns that we have! I don't want a Parma resident overseeing my city! The ad in the paper for Lakewood Police positions had a starting rate around $45,000 with no higher education required! With the high taxes we pay, we deserve the best, and deserve to be treated better. I watched a young 23 year old neighbor who was nine months pregnant get easily evicted from a home during November for a couple months late rent, that she tried to make up but was taken to court. She left by eviction date but returned the next day to clean out the refrigerator! How many people would do that! The maintenance guy didn't even ask her to leave, he just called the police. They were very cold to her and she was in tears when she left. If anyone knew her life they would not treat her like garbage. If any of them were kicked out of their home at 14 and expected to be successful with no family support, well I wonder where they would be. Where is compassion? She hurt no one. But there are more pedaphiles than I can count in Lakewood. Please.

I share you concern. The story of the woman seems extreme, but I would never have any reason to doubt the validity of it.

What upsets many of us, is that if the police, fire and school members moved back to Lakewood would be safer then ever. When I grew up here, you would have not even been born at the time. The police, teachers and fire lived here. A young kid had no chance of being bad. There was a safety net of officials on almost every street. A parent could walk down and talk to a teacher or a policeman. But i fear those days are gone and we are worse off for it.

For the record Grow Lakewood and Sgt. Ed Fare are very much in agreement on this subject of city workers living in Lakewood. In their new paperwork they ask for the city to find ways to offer incentives to lure workers back to the city. Many of us feel it might be one of the small things needed to make Lakewood all it can be.

Thanks for sharing your story.

.

What upsets many of us, is that if the police, fire and school members moved back to Lakewood would be safer then ever

If you need an example, look to the south, just over the border. Westpark has a huge number of Cleveland Police and firefighters as residents. I doubt there is a coincidence that it is also one of the safest, and most stable areas of Cleveland.

Jeff

Wait a minute? Your husband was pulled over for a random search that revealed nothing illegal and they frisked him and towed the car?

What was the reason for the personal search? What was the official reason that the car was impounded?

I didn't think it was possible to transfer a title without the car passing inspection.

If the car didn't work, there are "Lemon Laws" that give you legal recourse. If there really was no reason for him to be pulled over, then I'd say challenge the ticket.

Maybe I'm not understanding exactly what happened, but it seems like you might have the makings of a nice LO article on your hands.

And I think there are probably more than a few lawyers in the area that could help you out.

Good luck.

Bret Callentine wrote:Wait a minute? Your husband was pulled over for a random search that revealed nothing illegal and they frisked him and towed the car?

What was the reason for the personal search? What was the official reason that the car was impounded?

I believe she said they car he was driving had plates on it from a different vehicle. There are multiple illegal things about that and completely within bounds for the policy to impound the car for the violation.

While in one sense I feel sorry for the treatment received, I also have to say that I'm having trouble giving full sympathy because switching plates is blatantly illegal. Expecting a little better treatment is a possibility, but expecting to get away with a slap on the wrist I think is expecting too much.

Maybe I just misunderstood but I also have issues with the concept of expecting that because someone pays 'X' amount of property taxes they should gain you extra leniency from the police.

Bret Callentine wrote:What was the reason for the personal search? What was the official reason that the car was impounded?

If the car didn't work, there are "Lemon Laws" that give you legal recourse. If there really was no reason for him to be pulled over, then I'd say challenge the ticket.

Bret

The story of the cars and various repairs was documented in a piece we did on Callani in the first couple issues of the paper.


Bryan

From what I understand of the story. Both cars were owned by the same person. They had gotten a temp or confusion came as the plates were to be changed back to the vehicle.

I do not think from what I heard that special treatment was asked for. But that he offered to have the police follow him the two blocks to the house so they could see that he did own both cars, and no funny business was going on. A simple misunderstanding.

I had a chance to speak with Justine about this, and she raised some interesting points. One, is the random calling in of plates. I also assured her that "fictitious plates" was a possible felony.

I have gotten many calls in the office about this one already. The over riding comment is two blocks from home, a five year old, belted in. Having to watch Dad get frisked and thrown in the back of a police car while she was crying uncontrollably watching Dad's arrest. Instead a expensive ticket, two squad cars off the street for maybe 30 minutes to an hour, the 3 minute ride and a ticket would seem not to crazy of an action.

What if he had not seen the police car until he readied to turn on the street 15 seconds away. Turned to get off the street and drove the handful of houses to his driveway?

On the flip side I was pulled over a couple weeks back with no taillights. The police officer pulled me over, ran my car as he helped me with a light to find the burned out fuse and replace it, then reminded me to check my lights at night as they are important.

.

In reply, I don't expect full sympathy because he should have gotten all the other stuff taken care of. The problem roots to the emotional and financial stress of the car "repairs" that cost almost $4000 and resulted in a car that was not safe to drive. Our car was literally sitting in Callini's garage when the story broke about his ethics and everything else. There was little we could do but pay him again to get the car out. We should have taken him to court, but you feel so powerless to prove yourself against car mechanics. That, and the fact that my husband works two jobs so I can be home with the kids and he is exhausted. When he got screwed over with the "new" car that he bought a warranty with, he was told the warranty covered it. With Christmas and gas bills and taxes on two houses, etc., he put it off. It was dumb but didn't warrant the treatment he got! Even a ticket and a follow home and a day to get a temporary makes sense! Never have I asked for special treatment because I pay taxes but humane and decent treatment. I read about political officials being let go for drunk driving for god's sake. My husband endangered noone. He works with the worst kids in the county to help them! Our first week in our new home our neighbor girl was jumped by a bunch of teenagers. I bought another home in Lakewood because I like it here, I am not one of the people who want to run out because of diversity! But things need to be done to keep innocent people safe and the tax-paying citizens staying in Lakewood!

I mistyped on my last reply. We were told the warranty he paid extra for DID NOT cover it so it was one more expense! We may still have a legal case with Callini or Chrysler Dealership, both who took money and did not fix the car. Regardless, the treatment doesn't warrant the "crime". Lawsuits are expensive and time-consuming with no guarantee and sometimes everything else in life becomes the focus of our energy. I do believe if Lakewood police were Lakewood residents that Lakewood would be safer. I believe police should be elected like judges so their personalities, IQ and work history would matter. For forty five grand a year I want more educated police too. Do you want someone working on a case you may have with a high school diploma? My last job in social work was paid $30,000, after several years of going into the inner city and areas that police told me they weren't allowed to go into without a partner and a loaded gun. Maybe my social work background taught me to look beyond people, like the 23 year old, to treat them like they matter, because they do. From what I have seen, aside from this incident, I just don't see that in Lakewood police. My teenager called about a month ago to report a man who circled the block and got out of his car to threaten his fifteen year old female friend with killing her and profanities (after she yelled at him for almost hitting her with his car). When my son called, it was forty five minutes after the incident since he didn't have a cell phone and his friend didn't want him to call because her parents are afraid Lakewood is becoming filled with criminals. So after I made him call, the woman taking the report yelled at him for waiting so long to report it and was quite rude. That is what I don't want my tax dollars for. I can't stand what appears to be arrogance and lack of empathy from the police to the city's citizens.

Justine Cooper wrote:I can't stand what appears to be arrogance and lack of empathy from the police to the city's citizens.

I have to agree with you completely. I think it's hard for some people to understand the importance of customer service, especially those in a job that isn't traditionally thought of as a "customer service job".

I do agree with you Bryan, which is why I write on small businesses in Lakewood. I think the warmth and customer service is worth my money any day. Police are paid by the taxes of the citizens so I think they are in one of the most focal customer service positions. And I strongly believe they would have different attitudes if they were citizens of the city.

I am sorry I stereotyped all Lakewood Police. When my emotions run high I tend to stereotype (like I do in poliltics). I am sure my comments aren't true for all Lakewood Police and for the record my husband was not arrested or thrown into a police car but he was sitting in the back of one with our daughter when I went to pick them up. It was a bit traumatizing as I have never had negative encounters with the law and I was shocked by the treatment. I do hope one day we can have the Police who are here to protect and serve us, live among us. I think that is only right.