Homeless man harassed in Orlando?

You all know I get a lot of emails. This one came in today about a homeless person being confronted by two Orlando Police Officers. While I was aware of how the homeless are being pushed out of the city and they are trying to stop the feeding stations at Lake Eola, I did not think they had taken up harassing the homeless. I hope this is not what is acceptable behavior of the police officers. While I do not know any police officers personally down here, I've met quite a few in my travels and they have all been very nice. I'm scratching my head over this one. Is it true? Is there more to the story? What about the people in the store? Did something happen in the past that caused all of this?

Strike up brownie points by belittling homeless!

Re: Officer Cody Jackson, Officer Gillespe
To whom it may concern on Tuesday evening around 11:00 pm I got off of work and went to the 7-11 across from the Wild Side restaurant near Lake Eola. "I believe that to be Summerlin" though not 100% as I am not very familiar with that area. While in 7-11 I was getting food, and over heard the workers there making fun of a gentleman outside who was homeless, and laughing about how the police officers in question told them (the workers) that this guy had a masters degree but was homeless. They then stated that the officers had run into this guy a few times and stated that the homeless person was one of Orlando's finest citizens. (Wow, way to go OPD.)

Any how I then proceeded to tell the gentleman provoking the conversation that he needed to put himself into this guys shoes before they were to sit there and bash the guy. He proceeded to curse me out, telling me I'm the f@#%ing reason that these "bums" were all over Orlando etc... Now, I am one to be civil - but I did exchange some words back and fourth, never as colorful as what you see above here. I the extent was pretty much telling the guy he deserve to be in the hell the homeless person was.

Now, as I walked outside you had a Gillespie sitting next to the homeless individual and speaking to him in a rather condescending fashion. While I did not fully hear all of the conversation at first, when people started coming outside (including the inside 7-11 guy to tell me to never return to his @#$%ing store) Office Gillespie started getting louder and louder asking him why he was at the 7-11, why he didn't have a place to go, why he was bothering people. He was not conducting an interview per say, he was making an example if this gentleman (homeless person) or trying to at least to make it look like he was doing his job but at the expense of this guys place in life at this time. As I had stated the kid inside decided to come out and scream vulgarities and to never come back into his store. Officer Gillespie asked me (from his sitting position) all comfortable, looking very UNPROFESSIONAL, what was going on. I began to tell him, and Cody Jackson who had his car parked (to the left 3 spaces) from where we were, tells me to get the hell out of here and that I don't know what I'm getting my self into. My words at the immediate time were telling the guy from 7-11 (worker) to go back inside - and I then focused on Jackson who was now walking towards me pulling his collar out, vest to vent, etc... trying to assert his position as a "cop". Jackson still sitting there telling me "to get the hell off the property." (NICE WORDS FROM ORLANDOS FINEST.) I was located in my car at this point, window down, and Jackson is still making statements like this, telling me "You don't know what world he came from" I guess he meant the homeless person or what not.

Maybe Orlando condones all of this action from these poor examples of public servants, but I think it's rather sad. I know several of your officers old and new. Some I grew up with, which has pushed me to pursue going to the Sheriffs Office as a Deputy. I can honestly say, as many times as I have ridden as a 10-12 I have NEVER seen a Deputy Sheriff act in the manner that your "boys in black" did. I am by no means saying it never happens, any municipality has it's issues, I am just saying the S.O. seems to have a different caliber of individuals on the road, and not some cocky kid (e.g. Jackson).

Finally I make a call to your com center (911) as I did not have the non-emergency readily avail. I asked for a Sgt. or LT. to please give me a call, as I wanted to discuss the issue that was outstanding. He calls me back, already very standoffish. I am aware you're to protect your soldiers so to speak, but if you're officers are making you look bad then you would think you would be interested in hearing about it. Clearly from the Sergeant's tone and demeanor you can tell where Jackson gets his professionalism from. I tried to explain the story to this gentleman only to keep getting (I don't see where they were unprofessional.) (I don't see where they were unprofessional.) Are you serious? While Gillespie didn't say too much, and was trying to find out what was going on, he was by no means in the right here either.

While I do not doubt the jobs of everyone there at the PD, I am sure this probably wont make it further than all the people I will email it to. I can only hope something is done about it. Maybe OPD needs to get Jackson out with an FTO for some more training! And maybe have him work for a homeless shelter for some community service and sensitivity training. I am not saying the homeless should be put on a pedistool, but they are human beings. I dont like being begged for money like any one else, but I can be a human being and not belittle them in front of everyone at a store. (Just to add to this.) Before I walked into the store the two OPD officers were inside. The gentleman outside (as I passed and another patron passed) never asked for anything. He was just sitting there. While we both could argue it was because of the officers inside, we could find that he wasnt actually bothering anyone. Maybe just asking him to leave vs. patronizing the guy in front of everyone and trying to make an example by being very loud would have been easier....

Thanks for listening,

Damon

http://youcanthandleit.blogspot.com/