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[FirstonScene]

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.

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Copyright © 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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

That's why they have the whistle blower law smart one. So those that expose issues like that are protected. Obviosly attacks on ones personal sexual orientation are banned.

*quit sucking up and take more photos of your girlfriend in a bathing suit for her my space page. Its sad when cadets know her page address by heart"

Cadets? Try explorers...they all know her my space page...

Why don't you also put the link to the Fort Lauderdale Police FOP newspaper article when they and the fire department stood up to the city who was crying poor with millions and millions of dollars in reserve. It goes both ways!

And please "will the last one to quit please turn off the lights"

Why don't you also put the link to the Fort Lauderdale Police FOP newspaper article when they and the fire department stood up to the city who was crying poor with millions and millions of dollars in reserve. It goes both ways!

And please "will the last one to quit please turn off the lights"

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... 4543.story

http://cbs4.com/local/local_story_158155710.html

http://fop31.org/Newsletters/money.htm

That's why they have the whistle blower law smart one. So those that expose issues like that are protected. Obviosly attacks on ones personal sexual orientation are banned.

*quit sucking up and take more photos of your girlfriend in a bathing suit for her my space page. Its sad when cadets know her page address by heart"

Who are we talking about here?

I dunno either. But it is probably someone who is jealous because

1) Their girlfriend/wife is not as hot as whoever they are referring to, or

2) The girl they are referring to would not piss on them if they were on fire, or

3) Their girlfriend/wife looks like JonB with a wig :roll:

golden showers for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's why they have the whistle blower law smart one. So those that expose issues like that are protected. Obviosly attacks on ones personal sexual orientation are banned.

*quit sucking up and take more photos of your girlfriend in a bathing suit for her my space page. Its sad when cadets know her page address by heart"

Who are we talking about here?

We're talking about TP and his live in girlfriend DD.....please someone post the myspace name so we can all see what there is to be jealous of because I just don't see it!!

[51-94]

I really dont understand some people. Nobody wants to give credit where credit is due. Some peoples goal in life is to discredit others because of their own sub-par status. All of the good Sgt's that have been mentioned here have been bashed. Who is doing it? Not the people they supervise, thats for sure.

If someone has their stuff together and has a life outside the Dept we must hate them too. Dont be mad because some people have girlfriends that can fit into a bathing suit.