Hello Everyone,
On behalf of my Wife, Self and Family, we wish to thank the broad support from ALL of YOU - by listening, signing ( and sharing) we were able to reach nearly 500 petition signatures!
Filing the actual complaint proved to be quite the “learning” challenge. Sadly through this experience we saw firsthand how deeply the Little Elm Police department has underserved the people of it’s community. With outdated policies, no apparent review or oversight of said policies, et al.
I’m so proud of my Wife! They gave her the run around for over a week. On multiple phone conversations I listened in on the commanding officer (Sergeant St.Pe #609) refusing my wife’s request to accept the “Formal Complaint”. Even after sending the written request with the city’s own Citizens Complaint Policy that requires the commanding officer to accept the complaint - Sergeant St. Pe REFUSED.
We were able to meet with Sgt. St.Pe’s commanding officer yesterday (Lieutenant Barfknecht). He asked a city admin (unfamiliar with the situation) to print the policy and complaint form. It was with that very same policy that we were are able to underscore, cite and inform THEM of THEIR POLICY.
We do acknowledge and thank Lieutenant Barfknecht for stepping up and fulfilling his duty bound obligations yesterday. He assured us that the complaint and petition with ALL 26 pages of OUR signatures will be delivered to the internal affairs investigator when he returns from vacation on Monday (6/29/20).
We also wish to inform our community supporters that a complaint was also filed against Sgt. St.Pe for ( in our assessment) breaking the Little Elm Citizen Complaint policy.
We were blessed beyond belief for both our children. God gifted us a beautiful daughter that has been an inspiration to us in so many ways.
She’s now soon to be 11 and along with her other impairments she is non-verbal. She lights up a room with her smile and anyone that has met her knows how she can touch your spirit and your soul. We have grown quite accustomed to “ being her Voice”; through that we faced the shocking reality of the many other people that loose their voice through administrative stonewalling and SOME of those in positions of authority choosing NOT do the RIGHT thing.
It was ( and is) NOT our family’s intent to serve as judge or jury to these officials. ORIGINALLY, we were simply wanting to pass along feedback and educate Officer Conley (and his supervisor) that using more tact in engaging community members - those with disabilities INCLUDED.
It was only when we were met with hostility and with an apparent lack of understanding of their own city’s (Profiling, Complaint Filing, etc.) policies AND these individuals cluelessness to the federal American’s with Disabilities Act that we were implored to take action -you CANNOT ask someone the nature of their disability, validity of disability, nor accuse them of “stealing a dead relatives handicapped placards.... and defrauding the state” with NO cause or justification. That is wrong AND ILLEGAL.
We knew then that God was calling us and through that -YOU - to take a stand FOR THOSE, LIKE OUR DAUGHTER, THAT DON’T ALWAYS HAVE A VOICE.
We asked Officer Conley be removed from the field to allow a proper investigation and put our faith that JUSTICE will prevail.
Thank you all SO much for listening to our story and for your support. If you can take anything from us sharing this experience we ask that it be this:
We are ALL GOD’s Children
We are Brothers and Sisters
Love and be Loved
Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV) “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
With Him,
The Martinez Family
Reference
https://www.littleelm.org/DocumentCenter/View/8731/Citizen-Complaint-Procedures?bidId=