As I mentioned in my recap of the Shoreacres City Council meeting held this past Monday, a member of the council held up a few pieces of paper claiming that she had received them in her mailbox even though they were addressed to the Mayor. City Administrator David Stall responded to my Texas Public Information Act request today.
Mr. Stall provided two documents. One is a list of complaints, one is “support” for the complaints. I combined them into one file:
Shoreacres PD Anonymous Complaint 8-7-13 (click that link if the viewer doesn’t open)
I hope you didn’t spew something while laughing at these “grievances”.
Goodness. I won’t say much other than I doubt that the Texas Rangers are going to come galloping in on their horses and lasso up the city administrator and police chief. Last I heard it wasn’t against the law to buy uniforms that an anonymous officer thought was hot. Or because a sergeant leaves his spit cup in a police cruiser. Can’t make this stuff up, folks.
I'd be really concerned about welfare and protection in Shore Acres. Men who face death, and bad crime, don't have the gumption or the adult action of presenting their gripes in person? This is childish.
The officers will remember your lack of support. Quite frankly I don’t live in your small town but to make your statements I think you would have to be employed there to know. It is sad that you blindly support certain folks before knowing all of the facts. It seems as if there is and/or will be an investigation under way. There are many other items that will probably come to light over this and when the investigations are over then we will see. I am not suprised that as a “reporter” you have only reported half truths and not the whole story. 7 pages worth of complaints seems like it would be due some credit. You should be ashamed to call yourself a “reporter” and I will use that term very lightly. Maybe if you educate yourself a little better it would help your ‘investigative’ skills.
These are griences that should be address within the Department. However, it appears that the griences are about the Sergeant, not Chief Newman. A Supervisor is there to lead by example, and to motivate his personnel to follow the Values and Objectives of the Police Department. This is an issue about LEADERSHIP! If the Sergeants screws off, then why not the Officers?
Well, as a resident of shorecares I am upset by your trashy reporting. First, Nancy recieved more votes than anyone else including yours. The city council was elected and had the biggest turnout and turnover in the history of the city. That’s because people wanted change from the top down. They have started to get it with a new mayor and most of city council. The former mayor (dolly) must have been spineless and a coward by your definition (not mine) because when she saw her career light flashing she jumped ship. It was a good decision. Now, we wait to see if the folks we elected to change things get it done. If not, they will be held accountable. We are waiting and watching. As far as the police are concerned I am surprised that you are not at least compelled to see where this goes. Apparently there is a huge problem stemming all the way back to the unjust and illegal firing of Ofc Danny Vela. As you may recall even the citizens and council saw right through that botched effort to rid the city of him. Thank goodness. He did not deserve what happened to him. That is still an issue. As far as your negative comments regarding our officers you should be ashamed. I had had a great opportunity getting to know them and their histories. You will be interested to know that amount those spineless guys there are 3 military veterans, 2 of which served in the combat arms roles. There are several firefighters and emt/paramedics as well as an elected official. 2 of the officers have previously run for other public officers as well. Furthermore, one employee is a former police assistant chief and highly respected in the community. Those cowards have raced into burning houses, arrested dangerous felons, and have served our community selflessly during storms and other times of need. I wonder Mr. Jennings, have you done that? Or do you just get to write about stuff that you know nothing about. Things like honor, service, duty and sacrifice? Have you taken the time to talk to the officers? Make sure the next time you call an officer spineless please take the time to do it to their face.
JD, typically I don’t respond to anonymous comments. I usually don’t even let them through. But since you are using the same IP address of one of the other commenters, I’ll play along.
The biggest difference between us is that I don’t think that the officers generated this anonymous complaint. I think a council member did, based upon some conversations with an officer and some wild imagination. I give the officers more credit than you do.
Your comments on Vela are pretty telling. Bitterness does the heart no good.
I write about stuff that I know about. And when I don’t know, I ask for documents from government. I do it every day.
I promise – if I ever get the opportunity to meet an officer that is afraid to confront another one about a spit cup left in his car, I’ll call him or her spineless to their face. I doubt that will ever happen though. Like I said, I don’t think an officer wrote this nonsense.
David
JD I am very interested to find out what changes some of you so adamant about having. SA is so small and has very limited funds. Council members also have very limited power so I do not see what huge changes you want except to get rid of some employees that either you do not like or want. I know personally several reasons why one council member wants to ax three of its employees. I would tread carefully, there are employment laws that are bigger than SA. But, on the other hand, keep pursuing this nonsense and you may find yourself in a subdivision and not a town. The way I see it, if LaPorte provides for our every need down to the water we drink and the dog catcher, and we get to pay more for being our own little town, maybe it time for a major change.
Wow, just wow……………….
Paul R. Croas, I agree, all of this should have been addressed within the department if they were real. I don't think they were, I think a council member wrote this up based upon some gossip. Look at the date and the lame reference to French. A real grievance has now been filed – I'll get a copy of that as soon as the investigation is over. There are right ways to file a grievance but you have to have something to be grieved about. The pettiness of the list in this case precludes any serious consideration of it.
I agree with you David this is coming from one council member. Perhaps the first thing Chief Newman needs to do is get rid of Cantu. That would be a first step in showing leadership. But I am sure that will never happen. One thing I would like to point out though, SA police department has always hired new police grads or retired police officers, to keep salaries low. It was never designed to retain for life time employment, just a stepping stone to move up and out. What has happened is this is a safe community and it makes for a safe job, minimum crime. What policeman would not want this job? Maybe it is time for some to move on and up. I hope that Chief Newman is given the chance to prove himself. I have known him for years he has always performed with total professionalism.
There is problems in Shore Acres police dept. I have confidences that the city council and the mayor can resolve the internal problems. Itake my hat off to Nancy, she doing a great job serving this community
I’ve personally known Sgt. Cantu for over 5 years and I highly doubt these statements about him are true. Any dealings I’ve had with him, he has been professional and always helped me out. I think this anonymous letter was very hateful and only tarnishes the character of Sgt. Cantu, the Shoreacres Police and the City. If there is an investigation ongoing for these matters, allegations should not be posted all over the internet due to the fact it may hinder the outcome or cost someone their job on hearsay.
As Dorothy would say in the Wizard of Oz…………..Toto, this isn’t Shoreacres anymore. Very sad that our
little community that once was so beautiful in all ways, have resorted to this. So disappointed.