…… The hearing for the former Fort Lauderdale Police Officer trying to get his job back after being fired for racist texts ended today …..
….. fired by Police Chief Frank Adderley
…….The hearing lasted 3 days, and after the Judge/Arbitrator heard what we spectators heard, I think the former Cop better be enjoying his new job as an electrician! …… Read on !
.. … The former Cop’s name is Wells ….
………………..Wells
…… Wells and four other fellow Officers were linked together in a secret texting club, with racist and homophobic texts, and homemade movies deriding blacks, gays and the like …. downright despicable behavior by anyone ……. especially Cops !!
…. Here is an example of the texts that they spread between them as they rode the streets of Fort Lauderdale, hired to protect and serve !
…… Wells explained this text by saying that in his response to Officer Alvarez, he didn’t mean “physically” hurt them, said he just meant he might write them a ticket ( seriously, he said that !)
……. This afternoon was the highlight of the three day case – Wells’ testimony…. About 60 people were in the room ( third floor City Hall), comprised of mostly black citizens, some Cops, and a few white guys like me …. Notably in the room was Ted Galatis, (you might remember the former Wilton Manors Commissioner was caught yelling racist taunts to a car of blacks a few years back)…. . Also in the room was former building official Greg Brewton, builder Bob Young, and NAACP officials …..
…… Here is another text that was on display for all of us to see just behind Well’s head….
…. Wells explained that the term s/5 meant “kill him” ( the suspect), but that he didn’t think his fellow Cop Alvarez “really” meant he would kill him, or he said he would have “done something” !
………… The 5 foot by 5 foot display of Wells and his secret frat’s texts, plus the relentless tough questioning by the City’s attorney ( not Cynthia Everett) seems to have sealed his fate…
….. The Judge has 30 days to rule whether the Cop gets his job back ….. but I can’t imagine it ….. and certainly hope not !!
This is an email I got from former Wilton Manors Commissioner Ted Galatis today …
… Hi Tim, in your comments about Wells, you say that I was caught yelling epitaphs at a car load of African Americans – not true! I was followed home from my local Publix Sunday evening by three African Americans – June 1, 2014 to be exact
….And when I asked what their business was, a black male jumped out of the car and ran up to me with his fist clenched and threatened “I’m going to f*^% you up white boy” – as I saw no weapon, I pulled my badge and said “back off n*#%+=” – thank God that worked, because they were on my property and I was in fear of my safety and I have a concealed carry permit. I am the one who called the police and I am the one who told the police the truth about what happened and what was said. The man turned out to be a 16 yr old with his mother (a two or three time convicted felon from Sunrise named Latoya Pinkney). The young man (Charles Bush, Jr.) then threatened my wife when she came outside “white bitch I’ll slice you up”. I pray to God you and your wife never have to go through that ordeal yourselves.
Bravo to the person that came forward to expose these texts- they are shameful to say the least, especially coming from an officer of the law that worked in the northwest. How do we move forward from the path of bigotry which causes some to have disrespect for law enforcement if an individual such as this gets his job back? In this day and age, bigotry and predjudice should not be tolerated in any form, especially in a City that is as diverse as ours…