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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/05/1955fl 1 1 1 SPECIAL CALLED ME =INC- City Hall, Friday August 5, 1955 - 5 P.M. A Special Called Meeting was held for the purpose of hclding a Hearing on complaints against the Police Department; Mayor Fred H.Lucksinger presiding. Present: Nels Beck, Lowell E.Christie, Warren G.Edwards, Kenneth W.Jones, Fred H. Luck Absent: None P'iayor Lucksinger explained to the people present the purpose of the meeting was to in- vestigate complaints received by the Council re; alleged indignities and brutalities by members of the City Police Dept. j'vayor Lucksinger then called upon the City Attorney, Wm. Houser, to report to the Council the result of his investigation on the complaints received by the Council at their meeting of August 1, 1955. Mr. Houser reported to the Council the method he used in his investigation of these complaints. Mr. Houser then read the affidavit of CHARLES 4. GOFORTH about his complaint of-his being struck by Police detective Daniel Owens . He also read statement of the following regarding the complaint of CHARLES 3. GG ORTH. 1 - Jerry L.Frederick, Police Officer 2 - Charles ".Goforth, Civilian 3 - :Lloyd Qualls, Police Reserve 4 - Alfred Dutra, Police Reserve 5 - Daniels Owens, Police Officer 6 - Don Silva, Civilian hir. Houser then read the affidavit of JA24-ES L. OVERTON re; his complaint of being struck by detective Daniel Owens. Mr.Houserthen read statements of the following people that he interviewed Re: the complaints. 1 - Robert Ramsey - Civilian 2 - William Sumner- Police Sergeant 3 - Daniel Owens- Police Officer Mr. Houser then read the affidavit of LEILA FERRE which was presented tothe Council on August 1, 1955 with the previous two complaints. Mr. Houser stated that he made no investigation of this affidavit as all of his time had been taken up with the inves- tigation of the CHARLES GOFORTH complaint and the JAMES L. OVERTON complaint as he believ that the last two were the more serious complaints. Pr. Houser then stated that based upon his investigation, he would recommend to the Counci that the two complaints of brutality be turned over to the District Attorney or Grand Jury for action as they saw fit, as one complaint was a felony and the other a high misdemeanor. 'layor Lucksinger thanked Mr. Houser for his work on this investigation and then asked if anyone in the audience had anything to add tothe City Attorney's report or if they had any other complaints against the -City Police Dept. Mrs. Leila Brownstein, ( formerly Leila Ferre) stated to the Council that she signed t`ie complaint because she was told that f ormer Police Sgt. Frank Vargas was forded to resign from the Police Dept. becauseln once gave her a ride home in a Police Car, late at right. i,Er. Solomon Brownstein then told the Council that he had heard from various sources the fact that former Police Sgt. Vargas had given his wife a ride home, - this had been used as a "prybar" to remove Sgt. Vargas from the Police Dept. giving him the choice of dismissal or resignTion. :fir. Brownstein further demaned that the Police Dept. stop spreading' rumors about his wife. Mr. E.C.Anderson, ex- police lieut., of Sgt. Vargas he heard many. stories and asked him what they story was on had three signed letters from police parked, with his lights out and that of the Police Dept. told the Council that at the time of the resignation in the case and that he had approached Chief Burns Sgt. Vargas. Mr. Anderson stated that Chief Burns officers wjio followed Sgt. Vargas and claimed he he had in his car with him a niece of Lt. Heidorn, Mr. Anderson then stated regarding the GOFORTH CASE that he was on duty the night Goforth was brought in the station, and that he, Anderson, had questioned Goforth about his lips being bruised and bleeding and that Goforth told him that he had been hit by detective Owens and Officer Frederick. Anderson further stated _that he did not inves- tigate this any further as all duty officers, by Chief Burns,.are. not to interfere with the detective bureau. On motion of Lowell E.Christie, seconded by Nels Beck, it was moved that the affidavits of GOFORTH and OVERTON be turned over to the Grand Jury for their action. Mayor Lucksinger again asked that anyone who had anything else to bring up against the Police Dept. that NOW was the time to do it as this was the reason for the Special Meeting to allow everyone an opportunity to be heard. He further stated that he wanted anyone who knew anything about any of the charges to appear before the Grand Jury and state them so that this matter could be cleared up once and for all. There being nothing further and on motion of Kenneth ti'-`.Jones, seconded by Warren G. Edwards, the meeting adjourned. Approved this LJ-day of Sir 4 Clark �7. r