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Careers: Police/Police Racism during Hit and Run Accident

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Expert: - 3/20/2009


Question
Hello,

what could I do if I feel my father has been discriminated by Lake county Sherriff during a Hit and Run Accident.

2 days ago my father was driving home from work, he works in Lake county and lives in Orange county and suddenly he sees a car coming towards him he started honking the horn over and over but the driver kept on coming into his lane the driver was going to hit him head on but my father was able to drive onto grass and driver still hit him on drivers side and did not stop to see if he was okay my father turned around and started following this man and lost him so he turned around to go back home and then he sees him again and he started following him till he made him stop, my father started screaming for help someone came out and called the police a Lake county Sherriff shows up and tells my father that they had to drive back to the scene of where the accident happened when they arrive there the Sherriff tells my father he is going to call Florida Higway patrol because accident happened in orange county and he can't do anything because he is Lake County Sherriff and he also, tells my father the driver said it is your fault because you don't speak English and then he leaves without even testing driver to see if he was drunk or had drugs or anything. He did not call an ambulance, he did not wait for the highway patrol to come or anything he just gave my father his business card and that is it. My father is a diabetic he could have died from a diabetic attack and this sherriff just left him alone with the driver who also left because the highway patrol did not arrive right away. The driver gave my father his insurance information and that was it. My father also left because the driver and sherriff had left. Next day I call the Highway patrol to report this accident and press charges against driver and I was told I had to do a self report and that since driver had gave my father his insurance information it was not a hit and run and that the lake county sherriff was going to call me to explain that to me I never received a call from that sherriff. I feel that if it had been the other way around my father would have been in handcuffs right away because he is mexican. My father was injured from this accident he has been getting therapy for his back, shoulders and neck.

if there is still justice out there please let me know what I could do.

thank you,

Answer
Hi Sulikey,

If you feel your husband was treated unfairly because of his race, then you have the right to call the department and file a complaint. And if you think he was I recommend you do so.

Please understand you have the right to ask for this to be looked into. Call the department and ask to speak to the internal affairs department.

Be well..

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I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!

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