Open Letter to the citizens, City of Cedar Key Mayor and Commissioners: An article titled, Residents vent on Cedar Key Police, by Karen Voyles appeared in the Gainesville Sun on December 11. 2002 has sparked me to write to you concerning your police department. If Cedar Key wants more visitors, I strongly suggest the Mayor Roy Sills, commissioners and all Cedar Key citizens fully support their local police department in providing a safe and secure environment where visitors feel comfortable and safe. If you cannot support Chief Dan Swogger, you are sending me a message that you do not want visitors to feel safe in your community. As a recent visitor to Cedar Key, I wanted you to hear directly what concerned me about Cedar Key citizen comments and my personal direct observations regarding your police department. Recently I attended a festival in your community. One thing particularly alarmed me. There was no security for vendors at your festival. I took a walk about 1am and heard something drop and break at one of the vendor\`s booths. At the same time, I saw three very obvious drunks near the same vendor booth. I suspect they had just left a bar in your downtown community and were headed home. I went to the police department and informed them of the problem, and gave them a description of the drunks. Even though I did not see the police department take immediate timely direct foot action, I did see them get in a patrol car and look for the men I described. Vendors who cannot count on Cedar Key to provide an active police force to protect their merchandise and to provide a level of personal safety during special events or at any time in Cedar Key can expect a reduction in visitors and in participation by vendors at future events. Need I remind people of the events that have occurred at Florida rest stops in recent years, or the statistics related to rural communities and crime? Some visitors may no longer feel safe in Cedar Key. After my experience during the festival, I know I am having second thoughts about overnight visits to Cedar Key. Also, be advised, I am a past member of AAA. I made a direct personal choice to drop AAA because they targeted Waldo Police Department and labeled Waldo as a speed trap. I viewed what Waldo Police Department did to stop speeders as the \"right thing to do\" to prevent costly injuries. Further more, I would like to see the State of Florida remove the 10% revenue limit placed on communities
with regard to passing out speeding tickets. Why?...because of what I have seen from working in hospitals. A law is only as good as the citizens who are willing to abide by the law. I have often wished I could be hired by a judge through a community service agency to take groups of people who receive 3 or more speeding tickets in 6 months, or who drive drunk and under the influence of other substances through visits to rehabilitation centers, hospitals and morgues to see for themselves the consequences of automobile speeding, and driving while under the influence. I\`d also love the same peop!le to meet the people I know who are in wheelchairs as a result of auto accidents. Again, I strongly encourage Cedar Key to fully support your local Chief and police department, if you want future overnight visitors. Sincerely,
M. L. Anderson
Resident and Voter in Gainesville | 