Sun Sentinel Article October 14, 2008

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... 5184.story

Remarks on Web site target Wilton Manors police chief, gay residents
By Elizabeth Baier | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 14, 2007

It started with a vague question about Wilton Manors Police Chief Richard Perez that implied he played favorites.

Though it did not mention him by name, the May 9 posting on the city's forum on leoaffairs.com, a Web site for law enforcement agencies that encourages frank discussion, quickly changed the way officers in the small Broward community vent and communicate.

Writers have called the Wilton Manors Police Department a "HORRIBLE place to work" and described the agency as "filled with backstabbing, 'yes' men & women, fear, intimidation and retaliation."

The initial author of the "Where to start ..." message board, identified only by the name "Lovin the Manors," started what is now one of the longest thread of comments posted to the 48 topics on the city's forum.

As of Saturday, the thread had been viewed 5,098 times and readers had added 101 comments.

Since those initial postings, some residents and city officials say the city's forum, which is not password-protected, has turned into an outlet for personal attacks and offensive remarks, most of which are anonymous.

Writers about the police department have repeatedly referred to what they say is unfair treatment and an iron-fisted style of management by Perez, who took over in January 2006. The comments, many of which contain creative spelling and punctuation, also have targeted commissioners and the gay community, estimated to be 35 to 40 percent of the city's population.

Someone identified as "Guest" posted a message on a July thread titled "WHY ARE THEY MAD AT ME!!!!!!!!!" asking, "So is WMPD going to start painting the patrol cars the colors of the rainbow [a common gay symbol]? If so, it would match the demographics of the city and the ever changing dept."

Perez has known about the site for about six months but says he doesn't read it. Other officers, though, tell him about the posts, he says, and he finds such comments offensive and unrepresentative of the sentiments of city residents or officers in his 42-member department. Morale, he says, is "very good."

"People hide behind anonymity and don't want to use their real name. It's frustrating," Perez said. "It's kind of hard to defend yourself or rebut what people are saying if you don't even know who they are."

The department was criticized in 2005 after the city hired California-based Dhillon Management Services for $30,000 to assess the agency. The report said management was overstaffed and that the city could save $1 million by cutting back on overtime and eliminating several high-ranking positions.

Controversy continued with the departure of then-Chief Richard Wierzbicki, a 24-year veteran of the agency, who was placed on administrative leave before retiring, and protracted contract negotiations between the city and the police union.

The forums on leoaffairs.com are meant to allow officers to talk freely about their department, share tips and promote public participation in police affairs, said Chip DeBlock, a Tampa police detective who co-founded the site in 2002. The site hosts more than 400 community forums for police departments in nine countries and receives about 8 million hits a month.

On the Wilton Manors' forum, Perez is the biggest target.

"Wasn't the new chief suppose to build the department into a great place to work? What on earth does he think he is doing?," one writer wrote. "This isn't the Mafia."

Perez said he is disappointed that some of his officers might be posting, but said they are entitled to do so off duty on their own computers.

Fred Neely, president of the city's Fraternal Order of Police, said the message boards have empowered officers in the small city to speak their minds without fear of retaliation.

The officers are "frightened that if they speak out or show resistance to the current administration, they'll face repercussions," Neely said. "With Perez, it's kind of his way or no way."

Mayor Scott Newton said he does not understand why officers are still disgruntled, since the city recently signed a contract that provides a six-year, 3-percent annual cost-of-living adjustment for Police Benevolent members. It also allows officers with at least 15 years of service to retire early without penalty.

"It's baffling sometimes to understand why some of them are writing these things," Newton said. "They got pretty much everything that they were asking for."

Some posters on the site have responded to the criticisms.

One, identified as "SomeoneWhoPaysYourSalary!" in an Aug. 15 post, said: "Did you ever stop to think for one moment that all this carrying on is being witnessed by the very people you're sworn to protect and serve?"

Neely, of the Wilton Manors FOP, agrees that "some of it is really over the top."

"I certainly cannot agree with everything that's on that Web site," Neely said. But "many of the officers have turned on each other. The cohesiveness is gone."

Elizabeth Baier can be reached at ebaier@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4337.

SO this is what we were all supposed to be waiting breathlessly for?!?!?!?! This article is typical of the drivel this woman always writes. She's once again spouting off at the mouth without bothering to verify any of her facts. No wonder they let her cover Wilton Manors. The only place with less going on would be Sea Ranch Lakes. Sorry, DR, your big, bad, explosive expose is a bust. GET A LIFE.

Why would WM paint the rainbow symbol on their vehicles? Why is there a need for an agency to take a position on human sexuality? Why not chrome girlie mudflaps? Why imply support for ANY sexual attitude. Why not a swastika, a cross, a star of david, or a witch? Celebrating a social movement based on rubbing body parts against like minded citizens is buffoonery.

SO this is what we were all supposed to be waiting breathlessly for?!?!?!?! This article is typical of the drivel this woman always writes. She's once again spouting off at the mouth without bothering to verify any of her facts. No wonder they let her cover Wilton Manors. The only place with less going on would be Sea Ranch Lakes. Sorry, DR, your big, bad, explosive expose is a bust. GET A LIFE.

This is only the beginning. Just a little poke at the buffoons who run the city. Told you much more will come out when the time and place are right. Elizabeth actually had the facts right. This story will be published nationwide before the clock strikes 12. :P

What now the Sun Sentinel picks and choses what article that people can comment on. I am so pissed at this MAYOR, CITY MANAGER and CITY COMMISIONERS for what they have done to this police department which reflects directly on it's relationship with our community. People need to speak their minds at commission meetings and vent their frustrations on how this city administration has ruined one of the finest police departments in Broward.

[quote=The Gatekeeper]

SO this is what we were all supposed to be waiting breathlessly for?!?!?!?! This article is typical of the drivel this woman always writes. She's once again spouting off at the mouth without bothering to verify any of her facts. No wonder they let her cover Wilton Manors. The only place with less going on would be Sea Ranch Lakes. Sorry, DR, your big, bad, explosive expose is a bust. GET A LIFE.

This is only the beginning. Just a little poke at the buffoons who run the city. Told you much more will come out when the time and place are right. Elizabeth actually had the facts right. This story will be published nationwide before the clock strikes 12. :P[/quote:9vf01ujq]

Do you think the buffons know how to spell buffoon?

"Perez has known about the site for about six months but says he doesn't read it. Other officers, though, tell him about the posts, he says, and he finds such comments offensive and unrepresentative of the sentiments of city residents or officers in his 42-member department. Morale, he says, is "very good."

"People hide behind anonymity and don't want to use their real name. It's frustrating," Perez said. "It's kind of hard to defend yourself or rebut what people are saying if you don't even know who they are."

THANKS ALOT ELIZABETH.
You asked some real hard-hitting questions here didn't you. Look at the chief's and mayor's quotes. No follow up questions like
1. To the mayor and chief: What would your answer be to some of the quetsions posted on LEO AFFAIRS?
2. To the chief: Why would you need to know the posters identity if it wasn't to retaliate against them?
3. To the mayor: Don't some of these postings concern you that maybe there is a REAL problem here?

You threw them some meatball questions and wrote another Wilton Manors FLUFF piece. You wouldn't want to pin the chief down would you or maybe get him stumbling on his answers. No wonder you couldn't get ANY COPS to comment for your little article.

Don't you think we are afraid you will reveal us to the chief or the mayor? Please.... Where is your editor? Where is the Miami Herald?
Citizens HELP US!!!!!!!!

[quote=The Gatekeeper]

SO this is what we were all supposed to be waiting breathlessly for?!?!?!?! This article is typical of the drivel this woman always writes. She's once again spouting off at the mouth without bothering to verify any of her facts. No wonder they let her cover Wilton Manors. The only place with less going on would be Sea Ranch Lakes. Sorry, DR, your big, bad, explosive expose is a bust. GET A LIFE.

This is only the beginning. Just a little poke at the buffoons who run the city. Told you much more will come out when the time and place are right. Elizabeth actually had the facts right. This story will be published nationwide before the clock strikes 12. :P[/quote:ajj46021]

"Published Nationwide" Yeah right! And what difference would it make to you? I doubt Highlights for Children will be carrying it, so none of your friends will be reading it. And beyond that little group, who are only interested because of your problems, really, NO ONE cares what goes on in WM. As I said before, why don't you GET A LIFE?!?Q You aren't part of this community in any way anymore, so butt out.

the sentinel is a second rate paper and everyone knows it

these forums are far from good material and are often populated by spineless people who will not stand up and be counted

if you do not like something, change it over time

airing your dirty laundry on a public chat board is pathetic

I know there a few people that feel the need to come on here and say all kinds of things about other people. I have bad news for you. I know of several Wilton Manors residents that are not city employees and are aware of this site. Whatever you may have been trying to accomplish, in some warped way, it is not going to happen. All of the garbage that is being said about others has turned these residents away from whatever you were trying to accomplish. You have turned these people against you rather than gaining their support. These people have their beliefs about who is posting all of this nonsense. I do not think they are far off the mark. There are a few malcontents that have many, many personalities on the site. They are some former employees as well as some current employees. The names may change by the minute, but the garbage remains the same. It has grown really stale. It is time to step back into reality, get on with your life, and do something productive instead of all of this garbage.

By the way, I would not use the Sun Sentinal to line the bottom of a bird cage, put into a cat's litter box, or anything else. I would be afraid that some of the garbage in that newspaper would adversly affect the poor animal. I would not want to be charged with animal cruelity.