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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNULL (358) i t MINUTES DANIA CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING NOVEMBER 29 , 1990 ROLL CALL: j Present : Mayor: Charles McElyea Commissioners : Jean Cook Bobbie Grace John Bertino City Attorney: Frank Adler City Clerk: Wanda Mullikin Absent : Vice Mayor: Bob Mikes City Manager: Robert Flatley i i i 1 . Concerns of local residents in Northwest Dania . r Larry Black informed the Commission that several citizens in the _e City wish to express their opinions and concern regarding a serious incident that happened between a BSO Policeman and a resident in Dania . At this time , Mildred Jones, clarified that she was not the individual who scheduled this meeting tonight as the press has stated. Mayor McElyea confirmed for Mrs. Jones that members of the Commission are the only individuals that can schedule commission meetings . Mildred Jones explained her interpretation of the incident that occurred between Police Officer Lahiff and citizen, Preston -r-^ Jackson. Mrs . Jones expressed the need for police officers to do j their jobs in a lawful manor and not to use force in every situation. Mrs . Jones stated that this is the third incident of abuse involving Officer Lahiff . Robert McCoy stepped forward to explain his own personal experience of being bullied by Officer Lahiff that eventually led ! to his being arrested by Officer Lahiff. j Marjorie McCutcheon stated that Officer Lahiff ran her off the road one night as she was on her way home and called her obscene names and threatened her with going to jail . Ms . McCutcheon i explained that this event created an altercation between Officer i Lahiff and herself that ended in her being charged with battery i of an officer. Ms . McCutcheon explained her legal and medical ordeal of being sent to Chattahoochee and her finally being G diagnosed as a manic-depressant . Ms . McCutcheon claimed that r Officer Lahiff was involved with having her fired from a job. and threatens to arrest her if she is seen walking on US 1 . Ms . McCutcheon explained that she must use US 1 in order to use the Public bus system to go for treatment at Henderson Clinic in Hollywood and to aide in finding employment . Ms. McCutcheon stated that she cannot tolerate Officer Lahiff ' s mental cruelty and harassment any longer. Preston Jackson stepped forward to express his concern for black ' citizens being harassed by Officers from the Broward Sheriff ' s Office District IS without probable cause. Mr. Jackson explained that most individuals in these instances are forced to serve time in jail as they do not have money to hire attorneys to fight on + their behalf . j WORKSHOP MEETING 1 NOVEMBER 29 , 1990 x$Hti „c't ,c I l Bessie Couch explained an incident that occurred when her son was i i arrested for driving with bald tires and for a pending traffic ticket violation. Ms . Couch stated that the officers left her 16 ; year old daughter to drive the car home with her son' s three children without a drivers license . Ms . Couch stated that her { daughter explained to the officers that she to dbad atrestric car anaway. license that was home but they j Ms. Couch couldn' t understand the actions of the officers in this 9 case. a Mayor McElyea requested Ms . Couch give him information pertaining to this incident so that he could request a response from BSO on exactly what happened in this case . Angela Spencer mentioned an incident involving an individual { driving her car who had a suspended license and the BSO having her car towed. Ms . Spencer mentioned that she was told by the officers that the towing charge would be $60 .00 but she was ing Company. Ms . Spencer stated charged $79 . 50 by Stuart ' s Tow jthat the car was towed even though she had proof of ownership. 'i Mayor McElyea stated that if an individual is driving a car with a suspended license , the car would be towed. Mayor McElyea could not respond to Ms. Spencer ' s problem without having further information pertaining to the circumstances for why her car was towed. Ray Long, MUPA (MEN UNITED FOR POSITIVE ACTION) , explained the . services provided by the MUPA organization within Dania and there efforts to assist the BSO District IX without acknowledgement . mmission take the following action: Mr. Long requested the City Co r i i 1 . Request that the City Attorney determine if there is a breach of contract between the BSO and City of Dania for providing of the police services . And if the contract has been breached, to have the agreement terminated and establish a police department to be operated by the City of Dania; j 2 . Whether the contract is terminated or whether the BSO :..u� remains until the act, establish a expiration of the contr superior powers and fact finding citizens review board to have authority with respects to the issues related to police conduct and regulations . The Citizen ' s Review Board would provide recommendations to the Dania Commission for action; i 3 . In order that Deputy Lahiff ' s services of the City of Dania be terminated immediately, an investigation be conducted by the Citizen ' s Review Board and determine whether the recommendation should be made by the Dania Commission to BSO for termination of Deputy Lahiff from the Department ; 4 . That the City of Dania Commission request an immediate change in the command staff of the BSO Dania Division and further conduct an investigation of the operation of the division during 1 the past contract period to determine if it has systematically violated the rights of the Citizens of Dania ; , 5. That the Citizen' s Review Board be authorized and provided funding to conduct a study of the arrests made from the i City of Dania to determine whether a pattern exists and the charges of resisting arrest and/or obstructing justice have been ly to subject poor, Hispanic and/or used wrongfully and unlawful black male or female to the criminal justice system. Mr. Long stated that the Citizens of Dania request a response to te these items to the next regular Commission Meeting and that they (' are available to assist in implementing the suggestions as stated. f I F WORKSHOP MEETING 2 NOVEMBER 29 , 1990 F7 _ i jCommissioner Grace stated that the same officer being spoken about tonight had sent her the same type of threatening conclusions that have been enforced on other citizens as discussed here tonight. Commissioner Grace stated the need to remove this type of officer from the Police force as there are several officers on the forca who are to be commended. Commissioner Cook suggested that this issue be referred over to the Mayor and City Manager for further discussion and action. Commissioner Bertino stated that he was not aware of this type of problem until the last meeting and expressed the need for citizens to contact their city officials who represent Dania . Commissioner Bertino agreed that this should be turned over to the City Manager and City Attorney and suggested a complete report be obtained from BSO on the incidents that have been expressed tonight as no one should tolerate police brutality. i Mayor McElyea explained that he has spoken with Captain Carney, Commander for BSO, who read him the police report from Officer Lahiff in this case. Mayor McElyea expressed the need for Sheriff Nick Navarro' s Internal Affairs Office to investigate Officer Lahiff ' s actions in this incident to determine if he acted wrongfully. Mayor McElyea commended the Sheriff ' s Office for decreasing the crime rate in Dania from what it was four years ago and expressed a desire to resolve this situation as i soon as possible. Mr. Long stated that he and the citizens that are here tonight have come directly to the Commissioners in an effort to obtain justice as they have tried to go before BSO without success . Commissioner Cook informed the audience that since Dania has a City Commission/City Manager form of government that she recommends this issue be turned over to the City Manager and City Attorney. Commissioner Cook stated that Mr . Flatley is out of town right now or he would be here tonight to respond . i Jay Field, C .A.R.E. , representing the residents from the newly i annexation area , suggested that an informal-committee of concerned citizens be formed to communicate with BSO regarding these types of matters . Mayor McElyea mentioned that there has been a Human Relations Board established in Dania for years but that it has not been activated for quite some time. i Ales Buchsbaum, Dania Civic Association, informed the audience that his organization has established a Crime Watch organization } that works directly with BSO and that mutual respect and trust can be obtained in helping the community with these types of s organizations . t Ray Long reiterated the need for Officer Lahiff to be investigated and that the citizens in the Northwest section have gone thru the proper procedures with BSO without obtaining satisfaction and that they now wish the Commission to take action in the matter. i Horace McCutcheon explained that his son and daughter have had a need to problem with Officer Lahiff in the past and expressed a 1 i remove have Officer Lahiff removed from the Dania force. S Mildred Jones expressed the need for everyone in the Community to work together black and white for better communication with the Broward Sheriff ' s Office. Vivian Warman suggested that this issue not be just turned over to the City Manager but to have a citizen designated to go with 1 the City Manager to BSO for better representation in this i incident . WORKSHOP MEETING 3 NOVEMBER 29 , 1990 s i Commissioner Grace stated that in accordance with the contract between Dania and BSO, the City Manager is the only person who can go to the Broward County Sheriff ' s Office to obtain satisfaction in this matter . City Attorney Adler stated that he felt Mr . Flatley should listen to this tape when he is back in town in order to hear the complaints expressed tonight and that he should be the only f representative to go to BSO to discuss this matter. Mr. Adler k stated that establishing a review board would be a very positive step in handling these types of issues . Charles Murphy expressed the need for the Commission to assist the citizens in this matter as a last resort . Discussion followed on the rights that the commission haswit over the Broward Sheriff ' s Office relating to the and BSO for police services . { I City Attorney Adler reconfirmed that the Commissioners are here to represent the citizens of Dania but that the City Manager is directed by the Commission as a whole to try to resolve problems like this . City Attorney Adler stated that an answer should be I obtained by the next regular meeting. Clarence Mitchell questioned how Officer Lahiff made Officer of i the Month for BSO with the type of conduct that has been discussed tonight . The Commission responded by explaining that the Officers of the Month are determined by BSO and not by the Commission. C.J . Walton , legal Council for MUPA, confirmed that efforts have i V, been made to meet with BSO before and that satisfaction is not being received. Mr. Walton stated that most of the arrest cases involves young people who do not have money to pay for legal assistance to fight the false charges against them. Mr. Walton § expressed a need for the Commission to address these injustices . Michael Curry expressed his lack of confidence in the job that Sheriff Navarro is doing as Broward County Sheriff . Alex Buchsbaum stated that if an Officer ' s behavior continues to be a problem within a community that it is basically a simple matter to have him transferred elsewhere. This workshop meeting was then adjourned. i , MAYOR-COMM' S ONEfj%" , Q i `CITY CLERK-AUDITOR _ I 1� i I i 1 I 1 J tm 3 NOVEMBER 29 , 1990 WORKSHOP MEETING � at 9 i AGENDA DANIA CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING NOVEMBER 29 , 1990 8:00 P.M. 1 . Concerns of local residents in Northwest Dania. i 1 j F f { j i i