If you're a regular reader of this newspaper, you know that, for the past couple of weeks, we've been trying to piece together the reasons why Police Chief Buz Dillon has apparently turned against Lt. Al Flowers, who was, until recently, one of the chief's fair-haired boys. Although Flowers has been controversial for years because of his aggressive law enforcement style, Dillon has consistently backed him.
Dillon was once quoted as saying, "I wish I had a dozen officers like Al Flowers."
The reason we're having to piece together this story is that neither Dillon nor his spokespeople will explain why Flowers was abruptly transferred last month from watch commander on the Midnight shift to a sergeant's job on days, reporting to another lieutenant. He was replaced on the Midnight shift by a sergeant who is now an acting-lieutenant.
Not only have police officials refused to explain what amounts to a de facto demotion of Flowers, they initially even refused to confirm that the transfer happened. We had to make a formal Public Documents request, invoking the state statutes, for duty rosters and internal correspondence to confirm the move.
We are still puzzled about why they would refuse to even reveal the name of the watch commander on the Midnight shift.
They told us: "The Key West Police Dept. does not discuss personnel matters with the press." But they send out press releases on promotions all the time. That's a "personnel matter." Apparently, the blue wall of silence only goes up when an officer gets spanked.
This week, as part of our Public Documents request, we were allowed to look at Lt. Flowers' personnel file— still trying to get a clue as to why he was abruptly transferred. The letter from Capt. Bill Fortune to Flowers, which formalized the transfer, provided few answers: "This transfer is for various reasons and with your best interest in mind and, ultimately, for the betterment of the department. After all the years you have devoted to the Key West Police Dept., I feel this is the best thing to do for the department and my honest way of being fair to you."
You should know that much of the paperwork we ssaw in Lt. Flowers' one-inch file is related to letters of commendation and complimentary letters from citizens. He has frequently been named "acting captain" to fill in for superiors during vacations or other absences.
We found it interesting that the most recent letter in the file is a letter from Key West Mayor Jimmy Weekley congratulating Flowers after his acquittal last month on charges of allegedly beating a man he and two other officers had arrested. In a hand-written postscript, Weekley wrote, "Just wanted to let you know you are appreciated."
But Flowers has also had his share of official warnings and reprimands over the years.
Back in 1990, he received a letter of reprimand for making careless mistakes on an accident report. His defense: "It is unjust for me to be reprimanded when at least 50 percent of all accident reports have mistakes on them."
He received a letter of reprimand in November 1992 for "verbal abuse of fellow employees."
He was "counseled" by Police Chief Ray Peterson in August 1993 for "problems with attitude toward the department, programs and superior officers."
He received a written warning in December 1997 for, in two separate cases, failing to alert his commander to unusual incidents that occurred on his shift.
As recently as last February, he was officially warned about publicly criticizing a fellow officer.
Even back in 1987, in his probationary evaluation after he was promoted to sergeant, Lt. David Lariz wrote: " . . . his quality of work is good and he strives for perfection but, at times, loses the path to meet that goal . . . Sgt. Flowers has the job knowledge but at times lets his feelings guide him."
But what may have finally led to Lt. Flowers' fall from grace in the Key West Police Dept. is his documented homophobia. On Oct. 31 of last year, Flowers was given a letter of reprimand "after a sustained Internal Affairs investigation concerning your improper conduct on the job which tends to affect your relationship to fellow workers."
According to the letter, Flowers on several occasions used derogatory and demeaning comments concerning gay officers employed by the Key West Police Dept. and about Key West's gay community in general.
"On Oct. 24, 2000, during the Internal Affairs investigation and after a formal complaint was received, you admitted that you had referred to a lesbian officer as a "Bull Dyke," the letter said. "You also admitted to using the term "Sodomites" in reference to the department's gay officers and the gay community in Key West."
On the same day he received the letter of reprimand, Flowers wrote a letter to Florida LEGAL Inc., a local organization of gay police officers. He apologized— but he said he made those comments to express his religious beliefs. Here's his letter, addressed to Alan Newby, president of Florida LEGAL:
"I wish to extend to you and your associates my sincere apology for my comments made that offended you, your associates, the general gay community and my fellow employees. I, at no time, meant to offend anyone by my comments concerning the gay lifestyle enjoyed by some of my fellow officers and some in the community. However, in retrospect, I can understand that my comments were improper and that they offended those who overheard or were told about them. Please try to understand that my comments were not uttered to offend anyone, but were rather stated by me to express my religious belief.
"I am a strict Baptist and I believe strongly in my Baptist teachings. It is hard at times for me to separate my religion from my duties as a police officer and as a supervisor. I am not perfect and have never claimed to be perfect. I make mistakes like any other human being. I realize that I need to resfrain from voicing my personal beliefs when at the work place and in a diverse area. I do not apologize for my religious beliefs but I do apologize for not using due care in considering what I may say will offend someone else with different beliefs or a different lifestyle than mine.
"Please remember that I will always protect the public and do whatever is legally necessary to protect any of my fellow police officers regardless of their alternative lifestyles or other beliefs. I would give my life to protect any officer regardless of whom that police officer is or what he or she believes.
"I sincerely apologize for my remarks that offended others and I apologize to those officers who were placed in a position to testify against me. We learn by our mistakes. I will demonstrate that I have learned by mine."
A personal note about public information and the Key West Police Dept. Years ago, I was fortunate to start my career in journalism when I was sent to the U.S. Army Information School. As a graduate, I was then sent to Fort Benning, Ga., to work in the Public Information Office.
Most of our work involved writing and sending out press releases about things like Armed Forces Day activities and changes in command. But we were also trained to handle breaking news that might be unfavorable to the military, such as a soldier being killed in a training exercise. There was a big sign on the wall at the Information School: "Full Disclosure, Minimum Delay!" We were instructed to research the story, run it by the commander to ensure accuracy, and release it to the press.
"Full disclossure with minimum delay may result in one or two negative stories," an instructor told us. "But if you try to hold back information or cover up, it could result in dozens of negative stories as reporters dig out the information piece-by-piece."
We think Police Dept. spokeswoman Cynthia Edwards knows this. But she is being hamstrung in her public information efforts by "pressaphobics" Dillon and City Manager Julio Avael.
When Police Dept. officials received the first question from the press about Flowers' rumored transfer, Cynthia should have been authorized to research the story, write it up and release it to the press. Instead they chose secrecy and coverup.
We were, of course, able to dig out the story anyway. But now the question is: How many other stories that the public should know about have been successively covered up? How can we trust a Police Chief that instructs his public information officer to refuse to even reveal the name of a watch commander?
Maybe there should be a big sign on the wall over at City Hall: "Minimum Disclosure, Maximum Delay."