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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2008

Look Into Jail Policies
Regarding "Toss From Wheelchair Brings Jail Suspensions" (front page, Feb. 13):

First, what was she thinking? Even if Sheriff's Detention Deputy Charlette Marshall-Jones was skeptical of Brian Sterner's claims of disability - skepticism patently untenable given the fairly self-evident nature of his condition - summarily dumping the man from his wheelchair and onto the floor as her supervisors look on gives new meaning to the term "excessive use of force."

If this is the kind of conduct we can expect from experienced detention officers, then policies and procedures regarding the way inmates are handled at the Orient Road Jail bear serious looking into.

JOHN FEENEY

Tampa

Case Needs More Review

The incident at the Orient Road jail concerning the wheelchair victim and the disgraceful way he was treated is an outrageous and totally disrespectful way of treating another human being.

I am glad to see that the case is being given to the state attorney for further review. This definitely should not be tolerated in any form or fashion.

We have worked too hard to establish a positive image in law enforcement to have these types of employees tarnish our reputation.

IRMA FERNANDEZ

Tampa

Incident An Aberration
As a part-time chaplain in the Hillsborough County Jail System, I am absolutely certain that the Brian Sterner incident is an aberration and does not reflect how deputies relate with inmates. I have been greatly impressed with the high caliber of men and women who serve as deputies. I have found deputies to treat inmates with the greatest respect, empathy and understanding. In my years as a chaplain, the Brian Sterner incident is not indicative of deputy decorum toward inmates.

JAMES N. HOLMES

Tampa

Don't Judge All Deputies
I believe there is going to be a huge backlash against the sheriff's department and all police officers in general. Due to the national coverage of the event this issue will not be swept under the rug and those officers involved will get their just punishment. On the other hand, I beg all of you not to paint the entire department with the same brush.

There are good, hard-working dedicated officers out there who are appalled by what took place. Yes, there are a few bad apples in the batch, but it is unjustified and unfair to target the entire department.

Maybe this issue will make the bad ones think twice and keep themselves under control and serve with the dignity that the job deserves and requires.

MARK P. ENERING

Wesley Chapel

Area Now On 'The List'

Your city has just joined the list of places to avoid while on vacation.

I am a retired USAF Master Sergeant and a disabled veteran. I am also planning to take an extended vacation within the next three years and use my motor home to sightsee throughout the lower 48 states. As part of the planning, I've been compiling a list of places to avoid. As a disabled veteran, concern over how I might be treated puts your community at the very top of the list.

Hopefully, your community leaders and business people realize I have better places to spend my money - places where I don't have to worry about being abused by out-of-control deputies.

MICHAEL D. GRIFFIN

Two Rivers, Alaska

Considering Another City

I was thinking of retiring to Tampa, but when I saw the story of the police dumping a disabled man out of his wheelchair I was sickened to think this can happen in your city. I am now considering another city to retire in!

MARJORIE COX

Nashville, Ind.

Ashamed To Be Floridian

Watching that deputy - a public servant - dump that man out of his wheelchair onto the floor made me ashamed to be a Floridian, and especially ashamed to be a taxpaying, voting resident of this area. The act was terrible, and the entire United States of America is watching this inhumane display perpetrated by one of our public servants over and over on every broadcast network.

This despicable act should be enough to force us to closely examine the way human beings are treated in every corner of our "corrections" system. The attitude of the other deputies in the room was unimaginable and unforgivable. Is this an example of the "highly trained professionals" our tax dollars are paying for?

MICHAEL COOLEY

Palm Harbor

What If Races Reversed?

This is one of the most disturbing pictures and accounts of actions by county officials I've ever seen. Pictured is a black deputy ejecting a handicapped white person from a wheelchair. If the races involved were reversed, we would have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson converging with an army of protestors to the Hillsborough County seat demanding the heads of all involved.

This deputy should not only be fired but fined and jailed for assault as well.

BILL RULLI

Sebring

Special Training Needed

After watching the video of the quadriplegic man being dumped out of his wheelchair onto the cement floor, I am wondering if the police receive any training on how to treat disabled people?

If not, they should not be touching them. Not only could the fall to the floor hurt him, but he was then picked up under the arms without any support to his lower limbs and dumped back into his wheelchair with his legs all askew. Any one of these harsh treatments could seriously hurt a quadriplegic, not to mention the fact he was searched while lying on the floor, even having people put their hands down his pants without any privacy for him.

This treatment is so dangerous and callous and demeaning I would not want anyone who is capable of treating others this way on my police force, and I hope the people of Tampa feel the same way.

ROBYN STEVENSON

Tallahassee

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