VERBAL AGREEMENT?

ST. PETERSBURG - The striking photograph in CitiLife magazine shows a white cop handcuffing a black woman in a skimpy gold swimsuit as she steps into the back of his St. Petersburg police cruiser.

So how, in a city with a history of racial tensions, did CitiLife get a real St. Petersburg police officer and car for such a provocative photo?

Police Chief Chuck Harmon.

He approved the magazine's request without realizing what the photo would end up looking like, a police spokesman said Thursday.

Harmon relied on a verbal agreement and did not get any written assurances from the magazine, spokesman William Proffitt said. Proffitt called the photograph published in CitiLife's spring issue "inappropriate" and said it was completely different from the proposal Harmon authorized.

Harmon approved an officer's participation in a photograph featuring a woman in a "modest one-piece swimsuit" in the back of a police car, Proffitt said. CitiLife told the chief that readers wouldn't see much of the officer except maybe his hand, Proffitt said.

Instead, readers saw an officer handcuff the woman as she looks up at the camera with a sultry expression. She did wear a one-piece swimsuit, "but it was not modest," Proffitt said.

Harmon was on vacation this week and did not return a message. At an April 12 staff meeting, Harmon discussed the photo and said it was not what he agreed to.

Magazine readers Jim Brady, 70, and his wife, Ruth, 70, were so upset at the spread, they went to the City Council meeting Thursday morning to complain.

"It's surprising," said Jim Brady in an interview. "It's just wrong."

Sterling Powell, the publisher and editor of CitiLife, declined to comment. A magazine caption says he "conceived & styled" the layout including the controversial photo.

Mark Deasaro, a St. Petersburg police officer and president of the Police Benevolent Association of Pinellas County, critized the decision to approve such a photograph.

"Obviously, this has damaged our relationship with the public," Deasaro said. "I am amazed that we would allow someone in uniform to be involved."

Deasaro also said Harmon should be disciplined for approving the photograph without a written agreement. "He was ineffective in his duties as chief of police," Deasaro said.

The photograph is part of a photo spread called "Citi Vice" in the glossy magazine distributed for free at Publix and other local businesses. Local boxing star Winky Wright and race car driver Dan Wheldon chase the model in a series of photos that pay homage to the hit television show Miami Vice.

"Meanwhile, ready to take a ride downtown with Officer M. Steffek, Athena flaunts a new pair of bracelets with her Norma Kamali gold foil William 2000 swimsuit," the photo's caption says.

City Council members called the photograph inappropriate, too. They said Harmon should be more careful in the future.

"The chief needs to look very carefully at these thing and make sure he has a clear understanding of what he's approving," said City Council member Earnest Williams. "I think he should learn from this."

Williams said he didn't want to focus on the racial aspect of the photo. However, given the sometimes tenuous relationship between the city's black community and the police department, some might take particular offense to the photo's racial undertones, he said.

"It could get some people riled up," he said. "We don't want any racial tensions."

Council member Bill Foster said it was "not an appopriate use of a city asset."

Police officer Mauricio Steffek volunteered for the assignment, Proffitt said. Proffitt said Steffek did as he was asked at the photo shoot because he assumed the whole thing had been approved by the department. He doesn't face disciplinary action.

The mother of the model, Athena Arscott, says she doesn't mind either.

"It's a good photo," said Marva Arscott, 48, of St. Petersburg. "I showed it to a couple of my friends and they all liked it."

Poor Chucky????? NOT! Had any other person on the department other than Harmon or one of his distinguished staff had anything to do with this they would be the subject of an investigation and punishment. Poor judgement for anything at the SPPD is at a minimum an memo of counseling. Remember those Chuck...they are the catch all to document everything. I don't suppose you'll get one to make sure you will know better the next time.

This will be just another example of the unequal treatment that is given to the haves and have nots.

And you have to wonder why so many officers are leaving the department.

Racist fat pig, he should be fired, like that other craker

[Gladiator]

He won't be fired or even receive a momo of counseling as a reminder to not do stupid things. Councilmember Williams already took care of it by saying he just made a mistake and learned his lesson.

Some good precedence being set here. A couple of weeks ago it was Fosters chain who did it with his unauthorized cell phone use (how many thousand calls was that?) by saying in the discipline board that "that matter has already been taken care of."

Maybe some of the supervisors should grow some ball$ and take care of some of the little bullsh!t before they become BI's. Most of the time all that is needed is a slap on the hand and a don't do that again.

Imagine things being taken care of like they should....WOW what a dream that would be.

The chief should set an example. He should acknowledge his mistake to allow an inappropriate and embarrassing photo of a police officer in uniform while on duty to appear in a publication which damages the image of law enforcement professionals. It is akin to conduct unbecoming an employee. Instead, he is "on vacation".... not available for comment. Real leaders don't hide; they make themselves available to address and resolve issues. Chief Harmon should apologize to the citizens and police employees for allowing taxpayers dollars to be wasted on such a thing. Meantime, while the city image is tarnished by the sleaze factor, City Commissioner Williams says it's a "learning" opportunity for the police chief. Had an officer done anything remotely similar he or she would have been disciplined quickly.

Chief Harmon has lost his way. He is ineffective, immobilized by a city administration who directs his every important decision: it's obvious the police chief is told who to promote, when to take action, where police enforcement efforts will be directed, etc. Mayor Baker, Goliath Davis, Ass't Chief Williams, and crew are intent on orchestrating the police dept. SPPD is an example of unethical policing. What back door dealmaking! The Uhuru's must be proud of Daddy...

Let's break this "learning opportunity" for Chief Harmon into simple facts. 1- The photo depicts a uniformed police officer arresting a scantifly clad black woman; 2 - the woman's facial expression is at the least, suggestive. Which leads us to ask the question, THIS is the image the St Petersburg Police Dept desires to promote in the community? What type of law enforcement agency wants to reinforce the necessity of depriving its citizens of liberty? What type of law enforcement agency actually desires publicity about arresting a person? Is SPPD that desperate for attention - even negative attention - that Chief Harmon would give blanket authority to permit such an event? Is that the way we want the community to view us?

As Mayor Baker considers this publicity fiasco for the City of St Pete and SPPD, the question that must be asked is, what is the degree of harm? The answer is impossible to definitively calculate, but based on the banter at community meetings, civic associations, and casual conversations here and there, it is more than a black eye to both the city and PD. Citilife magazine was distributed broadly at supermarkets and other locales. It's not some pricey magazine that few people picked up or an underground rag that floated in the hands of a few college students. The segment about it local TV stirred more talk, and more internet comment - all negative. Anyone who has seen it has been by and large incredulous that it was actually approved by a police chief. Which brings this "learning" opportunity for Chief Harmon to the final point: it's time for the mayor to concede this chief continues to blunder over very simple matters, and worse yet, to not have a plan how to resolve or handle problems when they arise. Let's accept what SPPD has: a chief very much in over his head. It's time for Harmon to move along.

Look, Chief Harmon stepped up to the plate and was promoted quickly from major to ass't chief to chief when they needed a someone. He agreed to take the position. He was never actually qualified. He was never anything more than a patrol guy. He's never been a detective. He never worked investigations. Not criminal investigations, not internal investigations. When positions were available, he was never chosen or recruited.

Harmon can add and subtract, but he never could multiple and divide. He did what was asked and got promoted.

This way of thinking has brought us to where we are today. SPPD has a chief who can't quite figure it all out. The guy stutters, picks his ear, rolls his eyes upward and almost faints during press conferences.

The only reason the city admin keeps him is because he has proven to be a guy who will run back to the station and do what they tell him. Yeah, he gets red-faced over some bone-headed directive, but by God, he'll do what they tell him. With an inept crew like Rink and Henry and White surrounding him running propaganda thru the hallways, whaddya expect?

[Lawman]

Ever see him late in the afternoon? He looks like he is about to fall asleep half the time. To be perfectly honest, I'd rather have Chief Wiggim as my boss.

Listen, you guys wouldn't be so critical if you knew the truth. The chief really was given false information which led him to approve the shoot. If he had been told it would depict a white officer handcuffing a black woman, he never would have approved it because it would have made the department (and himself) appear racist. The only reason he approved it was because the editor told him it would be a photo of an officer handcuffing an Italian woman.

:shock: The Chief was given false information? The Top Cop should have critical thinking skills - like those possessed by patrol officers, who don't believe everything they're told. (Critical thinkers wonder why City admin. wants such a weakling in the PD.)

Not to mention, I'm getting tired of all of this white officer, black model crap...the officer is not caucasion damn it...so quit making more BS excuses about this bonehead move

City hall set Harmon up and as usual, the chief doesn't get or want all the details. He just nods and goes along for the ride. Only this time, it backfired and had a twisted race element for fun.

Mayer Baker pushes Harmon around for fun. When The Coalition gets together in Luke's office they must crack up over such torment. 'What can be done to Chucky next? God, it's so awful easy!'

There's little pity for such fools. Want help? Either get a real staff or try listening to them for a change.

[Picasso]

http://www.pwwhite.com/mansong.swf 8)