Monday, October 27, 2008

Fraternal Order of Police Letter to the Department of Justice

Readers have emailed me asking us to post the Lower Columbia Lodge #12's FOP letter to the Department of Justice in regards to the certain investigation of the Vancouver Police Department. The Willamette Week published this in regards to the FOP letter to the DOJ:

From 10-22-2008 The Willamette Week's Murmurs Department:


Trouble in the ’Couv : Two weeks ago, Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard requested a federal investigation of his city’s police department after the city paid ex-officer Navin Sharma $1.65 million to settle his wrongful termination case (see “Good Cop, Mad Cop,” WW, July 30, 2008). Now Officer Ryan Martin, president of the 293-member Fraternal Order of Police, Lower Columbia Order, is broadening the mayor’s call. “Mismanagement and the possibility of corruption not only exists within the Administration of the Police Department but also exists within the City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office,” Martin wrote the Seattle U.S. Attorney’s Office in an Oct. 16 letter.

HERE IS THE LETTER FROM THE FOP:


October 16th, 2008

Mr. Kelly Harris
Assistant United States Attorney
United States Department of Justice
700 Stewart Street
United States Courthouse, Suite 5220
Seattle, Washington 98101

RE: DOJ Investigation of the City of Vancouver, Washington

Dear Mr. Harris:

It is my pleasure to write to you on behalf of the membership of Lower Columbia Lodge 12 of the Washington State Fraternal Order of Police. We have 293 active members within our organization consisting of law enforcement officers and agents from municipalities, county government, state government, and the federal government here in Southwest Washington. We take pride is serving our communities and feel that it is both an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of this great country. I’m sure you are aware of our organization as we are part of the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police consisting of over 325,000 members nationwide with over 2400 local lodges.

The reason I am writing you today is because we have grave concern over the mismanagement of the Vancouver Police Department with which the majority of our membership is comprised. I am aware that a letter was sent to you by Mayor Royce Pollard requesting an investigation into the Navin Sharma vs. City of Vancouver case in which Officer Sharma filed a Civil Rights Lawsuit against the defendant alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. I understand that your office has referred this request to Washington DC to conduct a preliminary review. We would like to ask you for more than a preliminary review and simply request that the investigation be initiated and conducted in a thorough and complete manner.

Our membership has concerns and has had concerns for an extended period of time with regards to the mismanagement and the possibility of corruption within our administrative ranks at the police department. Through the discovery process in the lawsuit of Officer Sharma it has been brought to my attention that the mismanagement and the possibility of corruption not only exists within the Administration of the Police Department but also exists within the City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office. It is my understanding that documents indicating such will be disclosed during your investigation and that other groups have and will be sending you additional documents revealing such conduct.

It is not my place to judge, nor is it my place to wrongly accuse anyone of criminal wrongdoing, but it is my place as President of this organization to ask for your assistance and help by conducting a full investigation into this matter. It is my responsibility to my membership to ensure if such conduct has been committed, that justice is served and the constitutional rights of my members is and will be protected. It is inherent for the citizens of our great country and our community to trust the government that serves it or else that same government will become totalitarian in its very existence merely to survive. If we cannot trust our government, and we work for that government, then what government do we have? I do not believe that is what our founding fathers intended.

I will close with two quotes from President Ronald Reagan; “Don’t be afraid to see what you see.” And “Democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.”

Please fell free to contact me with questions or concerns via e-mail at fopwa12@msn.com or by phone at (360) 904-3652.


Respectfully,


Ryan Martin (Lodge 12 President) on behalf of the Lodge 12 Membership

Citizen letters to the DOJ to come! -- Goldie Davich

No comments: