FOLLOWUP: Hate crime training for Ptown police

original article

Followup:

Barry Scott, the openly gay DJ arrested last July while DJing at a private house party in Provincetown, is going back to court April 11 to ask Orleans District Court Judge Therese Wright to grant him access to an internal police investigation into his arrest.

Scott’s attorney, William Korman, said that Barnstable County District Attorney Michael O’Keefe’s office has indicated it will try to block the release of the internal investigation.

"We are attempting to get those internal review documents as well. It’s our allegation that there was a pattern of conduct that was engaged in by these officers, and we want to be able to bring it to the attention of the jury when this case comes to trial," said Korman.

Scott’s arrest was one of at least two major incidents in P’Town last year, along with police response to the alleged gay-bashing of Richard Hall in September, that prompted critics to claim that the Provincetown Police were ill-equipped to respond to hate crimes. In response to those incidents the department brought in the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) last month to do a hate crimes training for officers.

Acting Chief of Police Warren Tobias told Bay Windows that the department is currently finalizing the hiring of 10 summer officers to augment the department during tourist season, and the ADL will be coming back down in late May to train those officers about hate crimes, as well.

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Provincetown: Travel Warning update

Most of us think of Provincetown and "Gay Friendly" as coupled terms (like bread and butter). Maybe that's changing?

Richard (pictured) was visiting Provincetown this last weekend.

Richard decided to buy a pizza at Spiritus on Commercial Street. He left this well-known pizza parlor around 12:30 AM and as he walked down the street, came face to face with three men, one of whom calls him "faggot." Richard, as many of us would, replied with a "smart" comeback.

Richard continued his walk and within seconds felt a blow to his head. The last thing Richard thought to himself before he blacked out was "this is it, it's over..."

About an hour later he was awaken, on the beach, by Provincetown Police (they received an anonymous call). Officer Joudrey made the police report and sent Richard (distraught and confussed) on his way. Richard drove his vehicle back to his home town of New Bedford.

Around 12 noon the next day, Richard went to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. At immediate sight, the orderly puts him in a wheelchair, administers an IV, and puts on a neck collar (due to obvious head trauma). Richard was asked when this happened. He responded, "around 12 hours ago." He is told by the doctor "that is when you should have gone to the hospital, 12 hours ago."

Richard phoned the Provincetown Police and asked "what are the police going to do about this" and was allegedly told, "there is nothing we can do because you told us that you couldn't identify the three men that did this, so it is best to leave it alone."

Up until yesterday at around 2pm, the brother of the owner of Spiritus Pizza, Carl Yingling, was unaware of any incident near his establishment. So it seems that the police did not contact Spiritus or check out its webcam to see if any of this was recorded that evening.

Folks, this is a federal hate crime! Why would the police dismiss it so casually? Are the Provincetown Police lazy or bigots?

http://knowthyneighbor.blogs.com/home/2007/09/is-provincetown.html

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Gay Travel Warning: Provincetown

In the wake of three gay cases of violence (two of which involve the Provincetown Police) a travel warning has been issued.

The Anti-Violence Project has mounting concerns about the safety of LGBT visitors to Provincetown.

According to Chairperson Don Gorton, “We lack confidence that the Provincetown Police Department, under its current interim leadership, is willing or able to adequately protect LGBT visitors. The Department is incapably led, seriously understaffed, under trained, and under supervised”. Gorton announced that the Anti-Violence Project would continue and step up its advocacy efforts until confidence is restored in the Provincetown Police Department: “The Provincetown Police Department desperately needs to be reformed.”

Please join Don Gorton and I in personally contacting the Provincetown authorities and voicing your concerns:
mjarusiewicz@provincetown-ma.gov (Asst. Town Manager) 508.487.7087 wtobias@provincetown-ma.gov (Acting Police Chief) 508.487.1212
slynn@provincetown-ma.gov (Town Manager) 508.487.7002
mavellar@provincetown-ma.gov (Selectmen Chair) 508.487.7003

http://livelovelearn247.blogspot.com/2007/09/another-gay-bashing-in-provincetown.html
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Provincetown doesn't like gays

The Provincetown Police Chiefs' LACK OF ACTION allowed a woman to commit suicide (the Chief received 3 days off without pay - note: he already had the days off).

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/n1riw/ptnchief.htm

The Provincetown Police accused of gay bashing (throws a noncombative gay man into an object smashing his face).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x54545

And yet ANOTHER gay bashing in Provincetown (The victim was discovered unconscious at around 3 AM, lying on the beach covered in bruises, dried blood, and lacerations.)

http://livelovelearn247.blogspot.com/2007/09/another-gay-bashing-in-provincetown.html

These are three very recent articles which would suggest there is a major problem in Provincetown.

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