Letters to the editor, Dec. 3, 2008
Being Guardsmen not relevant to police case
I am concerned as a resident over the recent flurry of events surrounding the alleged treatment of two people by the Wisconsin Dells Police Department.
It seems that two people were confronted by Dells Police officers in the course of their regular duty and in connection with suspected urination in public. Beyond that, confusion sets in.
The reporting of this by some of the media has been especially misleading and harmful. At least one newspaper, the State Journal, and the CNN Web site, have headlined and written that the persons confronted were National Guardsmen and further, that they served two terms in Iraq, implying rather clearly that the policemen knew this.
That they are in the military is completely irrelevant to the incident: I understand that they were not in uniform and, at least at the beginning, the policemen did not know that they were Guardsmen.
Even if the policemen did know, unless they discriminated against the Guardsmen because of their association with the Guard, it is irrelevant. And I doubt very much that these Guardsmen believe that the police should treat them differently than people who are not in the military. That is not what you are taught in the service.
It is tragic that, by headlining that they were Guardsmen, the media have created news by slanting and sensationalizing the event. This is very wrong and very harmful. It produces a lunatic response like the one you printed from a person in South Carolina. It will have negative consequences for a long time, for the officers involved, the Dells Police and the community.
I do not diminish the seriousness of the act that the officers are alleged to have done. The alleged act was abhorrent. But at least at the time I write this letter, the facts are in dispute, and until they are certain, we cannot be certain of what happened.
I am disturbed that this very serious violation may have occurred. It appears that the police have been on top of the issue since almost the moment it happened. If the Dells Police made mistakes, then I am confident that they will correct them. We all make mistakes. I have complete confidence in the Dells Police, including the Chief and the supervisors involved in this incident, and I hope my fellow citizens will share this confidence with me.
The best solution is for the truth to come out and for corrective measures to be taken, where needed. If a lawsuit occurs, then presumably that will bring out the truth. If they have not already, the Dells Police will have to assure that they have taken all of the corrective measures needed. And if it is true, as it appears that it is, then the State Journal and other media should publish that the Guardsmen were not in uniform; that there was no way that the offending policemen could have known that they were in the service; and that, even if they knew the suspected people were Guardsmen, they could not treat them differently, either better or worse.
Bill Brown, Wisconsin Dells
What kind of meme exists in police department?
Words have always intrigued me. Over the past year or so, I've seen a number of words frequently used that I don't remember seeing years ago. For example kerfuffle, which is becoming almost passé, has appeared in columns by Maureen Dowd and George Will, among others.
Diaspora has been around forever but, recently, has showed up repeatedly in diverse national newspapers, utilizing its secondary meanings. Look these words up, as I had to, for them to be truly meaningful to you.
I also had to look up meme, a word which pops up consistently in online blogs — and which just garnered red underlining from my word-processor, so it must be relatively new. A meme is "an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture."
Meme is a word that immediately got me thinking about the recent kerfuffle involving the summer help in the Wisconsin Dells Police Department. This, in turn, brought to my mind a series of articles penned by a Dells Events reporter revealing his ride-along experiences with the local cops.
To what extent the disgusting details of the WDPD's summer help and the National Guardsmen are true has yet to be determined in court if the city doesn't settle. To my way of thinking, settlement is almost a given. Furthermore, to say this incident is disturbing, if not despicable, is an understatement.
Also disturbing to me was the behavior at times exhibited by the officers whose actions were closely chronicled, and occasionally wryly commented on, by the ride-along reporter. If memory serves me, these stories spurred several letters, questioning the wisdom of running such a series, praising local police officers, and extolling the profession itself.
Nevertheless, the upshot of this is simple: Just what kind of police department does the Dells have? Where did the summer help get the idea that they could behave like common thugs and coerce and humiliate people? Most importantly, just what kind of meme — if any — exists among the local police force?
This last query is one that needs answering, not merely to enhance public relations in this ultra-image-conscious community, but to secure and ensure the trust, confidence and respect of ordinary citizens. I look forward to the Dells Events keeping its readers apprised, in a timely manner, of what is certain to be a developing story.
I don't personally know any of the individuals involved in this nastiness, but after reading newspaper accounts, it seems that two Dells cops take their oath to protect and serve seriously; at least in this case they did. Sgt. Perry Mayer and Lt. Brian Landers did what the situation demanded: They did their duty in recommending, "action be taken against the three officers" involved.
If there is a meme to develop within the WDPD — a behavior or style that spreads from person to person within a culture — let's hope it begins with Sgt. Mayer and Lt. Landers setting the example. And let's hope that this is their conventional and consistent mode of operation — and not an aberration.
As for the summer help, those two young men who clearly demonstrated their sadistic tendencies; their immaturity and cruelty; and their unfitness to wear a law-enforcement badge. They still have most of their lives before them. Undoubtedly, over the years they will suffer as intensely mentally as the men they mortified on that summer night in the Dells. However, the difference is that they won't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to assuage that suffering.
Robert Reid, Wisconsin Dells
Look at officer selectionIt's disturbing to see Dells cops making front page news. I worked there as a bartender for many years. They have great cops. They bust up a lot of fights and take care of a lot of freaks.
I know from talking to a couple of cops that Wayne Thomas and Colin Jacobson should have never been there in the first place.
From the news I read, it sounds as if Chief Bret Anderson was doing favors in giving jobs to these children. Maybe the city needs to look into that.
Trevor McPherson, Wisconsin Dells
Chief embarrasses officers, city and residents
I love hearing from my distant family at this wonderful time of year. It is so sad that the first thing they have to talk about is our cops and pee. This is sick and disgusting. The cops must have done something wrong or they would still have their jobs, right?
What is wrong with Chief Bret Anderson? He has embarrassed his officers, the city and all of us with this foolishness. How great for a tourist town. I think we need to stop blaming the cops and ask Anderson why he gave his friends jobs in the first place?
Connie Francis, Wisconsin Dells
Vet says thanks Applebee's
I thank Applebee's and staff for truly being our neighborhood restaurant on Nov. 11. The meal was delicious as usual, and have been this local's favorite ever since opening.
The restaurant really brought in the business with the special for vets. I heard it did two-thirds more business than normal for a fall night? It looked like a couple vets were there from the Civil War. Thank you
Chuck Volkey and family, Lake Delton