2. Some officers will embellish

or downright lie while under oath in a court of law.

3. You will ask the chief of

police for an appointment with him to discuss concerns you have about

his police department. He will refuse to talk with you.

4. Since the chief of police

will not talk to you, you go down to the police department to file a written

complaint. You are told by the major that they will not even look at or

investigate your allegations until your misdemeanor traffic violation

is adjudicated.

You are also bullied and intimidated

and told that the police department will sue you if you cannot prove your

allegations. Since it's your word against the officers, there is no "proof."

With the threat of legal action, your complaint is never filed or heard

5. You file open records requests

with the police department. By law, they have 72 hours to comply. But

instead, they make available to you the requested information 10 days

late and another time seven days late. Coincidentally, by not complying

with the law, conveniently for the police, you do not have the requested

information for your court date.

6. You request a video tape

that has exculpatory evidence but the police department has "recycled"

it.

7. You talk to neighboring

law enforcement agencies and they always make unflattering comments about

your own city's police department.

I could continue but I hope

that you get my point. I am an American who knows that police officers

can uphold our freedom and rights that our constitution ensures but they

are also the very ones that can strip us of our constitutional rights

more easily than the common criminal can if you encounter the wrong one(s).

Margie Swart

Peachtree City