OPINION & EDITORIAL
Police mistreat innocent residents
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by Letters to the Editor
Thursday, November 3, 2005
This letter is to inform you of the unpleasant events that I suffered this past Saturday, October 29, the night of the Halloween celebration. My name is Jose F. Munoz, I am a Research Assistant at the UW-Madison. I live in a building located on the corner of State Street and North Lake Street.
After the bars closed early Sunday morning, I headed home. Knowing that State Street might be closed off by the police, I decided to use the North Lake entrance to my building. When I arrived, I saw a line of police formed in front of my door.
At that point, 2:20 a.m., there was no rioting on North Lake Street. I approached the police, holding up my ID, and asked politely to speak with an officer. Their response was to shout: "go away," and to spray me with pepper gas. Although the police refused to speak with me, they did speak with the security guard from the parking ramp next door. The guard told me and a few other people that in 20 minutes the street would be reopened.
So, I was forced to wait 20 minutes with pepper spray on me until I could get into my house and call for medical assistance. In addition to the inconvenience, frustration and impotence that this incident caused me, it also produced an intense irritation of my skin and eyes. It took me three days to completely recover.
This experience made me wonder the following: Why did the police deny me the right to get into my house? If it was for security reasons, why didn't they inform me of this, rather than simply spraying me? Why were the police only willing to speak with the security guard? Is it because he had a uniform and I did not? If, after spraying me, the police wouldn't allow me access to my home in order to call for medical assistance, why didn't they call for me? What would have happened if there had been a more urgent situation and the police hadn't let me get into my apartment?
I have filed a complaint against the officer that sprayed me, with the hope that an investigation will be opened and that I'll get the answers to all of these questions. I think that it is important that these issues be investigated in order to avoid similar situations in the future. I have always believed that it is the duty of the police to "protect and serve" the people. Unfortunately, that night I did not feel protected by police; rather they attacked me.
Jose Francisco Munoz
Anonymous (November 3, 2005 @ 8:59am):
This is soooooo 1970s.
Maybe the mayor will be counting on the "decent people" to re-elect him, like Bill Dyke, back in the day.
Anonymous (November 4, 2005 @ 4:08am):
Policia Fascinerosa!
Anonymous (November 4, 2005 @ 2:03pm):
One thing that's missing is whether you were given prior notice that the street may be closed. While it does not excuse the officer for spraying you, it justifies their closing the street.
A similar example would be them closing Breese terrace to cars for football games, even if you live there, you're still not allowed to drive on the street. But the residents on Breese know ahead of time they won't be able to drive and are able to adjust accordingly.
Anonymous (November 4, 2005 @ 3:14pm):
This is just the way I felt too. Freaking police all over the place not to protect but to attack...
Anonymous (November 4, 2005 @ 7:56pm):
U know what I just thought about? it seems police act without fear and just keep up hitting people in the head and pepper spraying them, if they face lawsuit or the fear of lawsuits I bet they will act more responsibly
