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Posted on 09/08/2001 3:55:53 PM PDT by Come And Take It

FORT STOCKTON - A diverse group of residents from all over far West Texas packed the Pecos County Civic Center in Fort Stockton Monday night to address Texas Department of Public Safety officials and state Rep. Pete P. Gallego with concerns regarding perceived harassment by DPS troopers and license and weight officers.

"DPS has undergone some transformations over the last few years that do concern me," said Fort Stockton resident John Morrow as he addressed a crowd of nearly 200 people.

Gallego, D-Alpine, told the audience that both he and state Sen. Frank Madla, R-San Antonio, have been hearing stories for some time and thought that it was best for everyone to have an opportunity to voice their concerns.

"We're very interested in hearing your testimonials, concerns and thoughts," he said.

Emotional and angry testimonials lasting more than two and a half hours attested to the fact that people weren't happy – only two had positive comments about DPS activity in the area.

DPS Captains David Baker, representing state troopers, and Tom Cummings, representing the license and weight division, attended the meeting at the request of Gallego, businessman Rocco Wiest told the audience. He added that individuals shouldn't be afraid to speak up or name the officer they may have had a problem with.

Wiest began the testimonials with his own complaints about license and weight procedures and officer conduct.

Although an Associated Press article in Wednesday's San Angelo Standard-Times said Baker told them that no specific troopers were singled out, numerous troopers had been named individually, as well as pointed to, during the forum.

Kenda Furman, a resident near Fort Stockton, cited several incidents of how she felt troopers harassed her when she was taking her daughter to school, "tailgating" her being the main complaint.

"I asked that they please quit harassing me," she said of when she spoke to a Fort Stockton supervisor. "I don't know about y'all, but I think it's a little bit more than normal."

DWI profiling was another complaint voiced by several in attendance.

Alpine resident Frieda Powers, who was active in obtaining signatures for a petition regarding DPS harassment, cited the many law enforcement agencies in Alpine and their drug-busting efforts.

"Now we have more drugs than ever," she said. "And now we have to put up with cocky, power-hungry cops that harass us because they can't stop the real crooks."

She also read headlines from stories regarding DPS troopers in trouble with the law or their department, saying that they weren't all "squeaky clean."

"If you think I'm insinuating that they don't always tell the truth, that's exactly what I'm doing," she said.

Fort Stockton resident Ray Siegmund, however, had a different approach to DPS treatment when he's been stopped: "We've heard a lot about discourteous highway patrolmen," he said. "I can't understand that because in every case they've completely honest.

"I don't care who's against them. I'm for them," he added.

Another woman stepped forward and told of how her youngest daughter becomes hysterical every time she sees anyone in uniform because of the way her husband was treated when their daughters were with him.

Although a gun was pulled on him and he was arrested for what the trooper said was a felony warrant, her husband only had a misdemeanor that had already been cleared.

"The damage that was done to my children is unforgivable," she said.

Kent Martin of Alpine, who often has trucks on the road, said he used to be a minister and he's proud of his values.

"The preacher in me wants to challenge the DPS today," he said. "God has made each and every one of you ministers under his direction. You're going to have to stand accountable … do you understand that?"

Martin addressed the officials in attendance, telling them that DPS troopers are ministers of God against the evildoers and it was time to stop protecting each other and weed the bad ones out.

"It's a real sad deal when people like this have to get together and meet," said Mike Powers, addressing license and weight problems. "What's sadder to me is the people who are scared to me."

Morrow wrapped up the testimonials with an observation that troopers in the past moved to the small communities, made a home and got involved, but now they have no intention of living in the communities they serve.

"For some reason we're getting droves of new trainees here in this area," he said, adding that he'd like to see DPS lessen the neighborhood street patrols and leave that to local law enforcement.

Both Baker and Cummings ended the meeting with a pledge to listen to concerns.

"This is the way we can communicate better," Cummings said. "If we've got some problems, we're committed to correcting them. We will commit to that with you. Please help us to make this better for both of us."

Cummings added after the meeting that he would like to address some of the misinformation that was presented and he would like to at a later time.

"Enforcement is not going away," he added. "We will continue to enforce in West Texas what we're paid to do."

Baker commended those in attendance for their hard work to make the forum happen.

He added that he tells his troopers that they should put themselves in the shoes of the person they pull over. "Obviously that message hasn't gotten through," he said. "We know we have some issues. We're going to work to correct these issues."

Gallego admitted that the general thought in the past was that officers are friends. "Somewhere we got away from that, and we need to get back to it," he said.

He also reminded the audience that when troopers make a stop, they are thinking somewhere in the back of their minds that it could be the last stop they ever make.

"I feel like it was very successful," Gallego said of the meeting. He added that he would like to see these issues worked out through education and attitude on the part of both law enforcement and residents first at the local level rather than in Austin.

"The stories I heard tonight told me there were instances where the department was out of line," Gallego added.

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