Lt. Al Flowers, who has the reputation as sometimes being excessively hardnosed when it comes to law enforcement— he once arrested and jailed a man for feeding cats in Bayview Park after the park had closed— has received a letter of reprimand for criticizing another officer for being too hardnosed.
Last January, City Commissioner Tom Oosterhoudt rode with cops on the night shift as an observer. During the evening, he talked with Lt. Flowers, who was reportedly critical of Sgt. John Hardy for arresting so many women at Fantasy Fest for showing painted breasts or for playfully flashing their breasts for beads.
Oosterhoudt wrote about that conversation in his regular column in Celebrate newspaper. On Feb. 2, Sgt. Hardy filed a formal complaint against Flowers.
On Feb. 14, Capt. Thomas "Bill" Fortune formally reprimanded Flowers for violating department policy that apparently, prohibits officers from discussing controversial issues with any member of the City Commission.
"I know Commissioner Oosterhoudt was invited to ride with the department as an observer," Fortune wrote. "This was not an opportunity to discuss departmental issues as controversial as the arrest at Fantasy Fest. If you did, in fact have a problem with Sergeant Hardy's arrests, you should have brought them to the attention of the Captain or Chief of Police.
"The Chief of Police has directed officers on issues raised when meeting with a member of the City Commission, that he the Chief be made aware so the department may take appropriate action in response to those issues," Fortune's letter continued. "Lieutenant, it is only fair to warn you that any further violation(s) of departmental directions of this nature will result in more severe disciplinary action. You are hereby advised by written/verbal warning to adhere to the departments written and verbal orders and to set a good example to your subordinates."
Commissioner Oosterhoudt told KWTN Thursday that he disagrees with the reprimand.
"I don't approve of everything that Lt. Flowers does, but I do not agree that he should have been reprimanded for talking openly and frankly to a City Commissioner about the Fantasy Fest arrests—which almost everybody agrees were absolutely ridiculous in the first place," Oosterhoudt said. "The State Attorney has said those arrests were so bad that he won't even prosecute!
"Flowers' reprimand sends out a chilling message to police officers that it's not okay to tell their own elected Commissioners how they feel about controversial issues."