Dear Editors, Pretty soon there will be no one left in Cedar Key that knows what a mullet is, much less like to eat them, i.e. "Cedar Key Special Breakfast." Many of our oldest residents are FLEEING. Our town of seven hundred full time residents has had as many as seven police officers on the payroll, and there are five fulltime proposed in the new city budget which includes $450,000 for the police department in an almost $2,000,000 budget. GOOD GRIEF. That is over $2,000 per person!! A police officer for every household!! When Susan and I moved here 15 years ago there was ONE police officer for all of us, and he was not very busy. The population has not had a significant net growth since then. We own other property near a community of 16,000 that still only has ONE police officer. Coastal Florida businesses and property owners are getting the "double whammy" already from the insurance industry and the tax assessor. Now we add law enforcement. There are vacancies on the dock for the first time since I have lived here! I am now and have always been a law and order kind of guy, but our police force is out of control. In one of my previous careers the Police and Fire Chiefs and the Director of Safety reported to ME. I agree that drunk driving is dangerous. However, almost every week there is a new intimidation to talk about. Every week we hear a variation of "you crossed the middle line, you rolled through that stop sign, get out of the car, you weaved, you were walking funny, WHY ARE YOU COMING INTO CEDAR KEY? Why are you out this time of night? What business do you have here? You have a cracked taillight! That certainly does not rise to the level of "probable cause" or "reasonable suspicion". Any excuse they can find to stop someone and ask, "Oh, by the way have you had a drink?" One local waitress, who does not drink, has been stopped four times on her way home after work, and followed repeatedly. Others tell the same story. Women seem to be followed most often. I understand that one young woman leaving work was stopped by officers in ski masks. Undercover? COME ON!! Can this be true?? Cedar Key has a resident Federal Law Enforcement Officer, a State Trooper, a Sheriffs Deputy, a DOT Enforcement Officer and a Probation Officer. If we really had a law enforcement problem I am sure these guys would help. Cars are being towed away when an OWNER(S) IS STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS HOME(S). Too many older residents and visitors are AFRAID OF OUR POLICE. What happened to "Serve, Protect and Defend" in the oath of office and the DOJ ethical conduct provisions. Break-ins, thefts and real crime are anything but rampant, but business owners are saying it is a waste of time to call the police. They do not want to come to the scene and do not want to investigate. I understand that there is also litigation pending/being considered for the aggressive behavior of one or more of our officers. What is the potential impact those lawsuits for damages will have on our budget? Travelers were being warned by AAA to avoid Cedar Key when Dan Swogger was our Chief, and more recently, in spite of how likeable our present Chief is, we are being laughed at all over the Gainesville, Tri-County area. Several years ago I personally saw our then Chief of Police help one of our alcoholically challenged neighbors into the police car for a ride home, NOT to Bronson. That made us very happy about choosing Cedar Key as our home. Then when we had a meeting at the Hooper residence to discuss the problems of our community being considered as a speed trap, Chief Swogger sat at the entrance to Piney Point watching who came and went. Not long after that Mrs. Hooper was followed half way across Cedar Key, to her home, stopped and arrested. Incidents of this type continue. Is there a follow home list? Will I be on it now?? Traditionally Cedar Key has been a community of neighbors helping neighbors. Is it still? Some of us have acquired breathalyzers for our cars, and carry a video camera and voice recorder. You can be sure we will be paying more attention to the behavior of our non-resident, "cruising" policemen from now on. The Withlacoochee Academy needs to conduct sensitivity training and attitude adjustment classes for these strangers to our shores. We do not intend to be the last to leave and have to turn out the lights. Sincerely, SHRADER R. MILLER |
