WANTED

WANTED: Cedar Key Police Officer. Must be trustworthy, brave, friendly, and thrifty Must be willing to work long hours. Must not solicit bribes. Must be able to recognize local citizens and tourists with money. Must know the law and how to selectively enforce it. Must live in Cedar Key. Must be able to ignore published misinformation about police policies and practice. Must not take, sell or even recognize illegal drugs.

This past week a published letter claimed that Cedar Key has six police officers. That number has become "common knowledge" and has been repeated in print without confirmation. Police harassment has become a complaint in wide circulation. The facts are that Cedar Key has the equivalent of 3.3 full-time police officers and that arrests for jaywalking and running stop signs on bicycles have not happened. (Consider whether or not running stop signs on a bicycle is a safe practice.)

Last August the Cedar Key News ran an editorial entitled "Does Cedar Key Really Want Law Enforcement?" We want around-the-clock police protection, but not to pay for it. The editorial followed complaints to the City Commission that three people with two open alcohol containers and a gun in a vehicle were mistreated by an overzealous police officer. One solution to complaints about police practices is having a citizen`s police review board that takes sworn testimony and makes recommendations to the City Commission. Do we need a review board in Cedar Key?

The Police Department budget will be discussed at the Commission meeting on December 10th. Many years ago there was a study that found that when cotton prices went down lynching went up. Clam prices and tourist spending are down. Let`s find someone to blame. What do we do next?