Once again, Key West Police Chief Buz Dillon may be dragging his feet when asked to provide an explanation about the performance of his officers. Last Sunday night, shortly after Midnight, as many as a dozen police cars may have been involved in a high-speed chase through Old Town and across the Cow Key Channel bride, lights flashing and sirens blaring. The target of all this attention: A couple in a pickup truck fleeing from the cops after being stopped at Front and Duval for a routine traffic infraction.
A witness to the chase told us that one of the police cars in "hot pursuit" had lost a rear tire— but the officer continued to participate in the chase anyway, throwing a shower of hot sparks on civilian cars and property. The Keystone Kops would be proud.
But this is a serious matter— and it gets worse. Shots were fired by one or more officers! What if an innocent bystander had been killed or injured by an out-of-control police car? What if an innocent bystander had been killed or injured by one of the police officers' bullets? The cops now say that the pickup had been reported stolen and that the couple tried to run down a police officer during their getaway. But that doesn't justify cowboy-like actions by officers that clearly endangered innocent citizens.
And there's another side to this story. This was probably an emotional event for the officer who was almost run down and the others who fired their weapons. But when Dillon was advised of this situation at home, he reportedly rolled over and went back to sleep. He simply didn't care about his men.
Of course, in the insensitivity department, it might be hard for him to top the time he showed up for the funeral of an officer's baby dressed for the golf course.
You probably have questions about the high-speed chase and the gun-shooting. We do, too. On Tuesday, we sent a formal memo over to the cop shop requesting the following:
1. Copies of Dillon's written policies concerning high-speed chases and the discharge of police officers' firearms in Key West.
2. Information about how many shots were fired, where and by which officers? Did they hit anyone or anything accidentally or on purpose?
3. Information about the police car running on a bare rim. Who was that officer?
4. A copy of any report on this incident prepared for the City Manager and/or the City Commissioners.
The Chief has promised a report. Someday.