We deserve to feel safe in our homes

Letter to the Editor: September 9, 2004

Star-Telegram

I found unbelievable the comment by North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino about the lawsuit filed by the estate of Troy Davis: "It's a litigious society, and you have to defend yourself when a lawsuit comes out." (See Tuesday news story "Lawsuit has cost city over $400,000.")

I wonder how litigious he would be if 17 SWAT team members illegally broke into his home without cause (as the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled they did) and shot to death his only son. The police department brought on this lawsuit by its illegal and immoral conduct.

I cry every day over the loss of my child. I would much rather have my precious son back than all the money in the world.

This department must be held accountable for the horrific actions that took the life of an innocent, 25-year-old man and ruined my life. Residents of North Richland Hills deserve to feel safe in their homes. If you can't feel safe there, where can you?

This department didn't even bother to do a simple stake-out, check out its source (who proved to be unreliable, with a personal vendetta against this family) or even try to set up a buy for drugs. If the department had done just one of these things, this senseless tragedy would have been avoided.

Instead, the police recklessly and illegally rammed in a citizen's door, entered the home and shot a member of the family to death within two seconds of entry. What does Trevino expect to happen with this type of reprehensible behavior?

I wonder if residents are aware that George Staples, the city attorney, who has an annual salary of $40,000, has profited almost $250,000 to date and will be a millionaire before this is over. What a terrific windfall for Staples! He can retire in comfort that was unattainable to him before this tragedy.

I find it the height of hypocrisy that Trevino speaks of supporting "your employees" when the employee (Allan Hill) who killed my son, was forced to resign. Where was the mayor's support for the "employee" then? Hill has spoken openly of his bitterness caused by the lack of support he received from this very mayor and his own police department, as well as by his forced resignation.

I have no doubt that if Trevino or Staples lost a child in this manner they would file suit so fast it would make your head spin. Nothing will bring my child back -- but maybe, just maybe, this lawsuit will hold this city accountable so that no other parents in our city will have to bury a child, suffering unbelievable pain, because the police didn't do the minimum investigation to prevent such a tragedy.

My son is gone, but other residents of this city deserve to feel safe in their homes and to never have to experience the pain of losing a child because of a police department that acts with total disregard for its citizens' safety and well-being -- the very citizens they're sworn to serve and protect.

Barbara Davis, North Richland Hills