Pubdate: Sat, 26 Aug 2000 Source: Daily Gazette (NY) Copyright: 2000 The Gazette Newspapers Contact: P.O. Box 1090, Schenectady, NY 12301-1090 Fax: (518) 395-3072 Website: http://www.dailygazette.com/ Author: Patrick M. Creeden DEFEND CONSTITUTION, NOT BAD SCHENECTADY COPS I am writing to you in response to the letter by Wendy Swezey, which appeared Aug. 21. I found Ms. Swezey's letter disturbing for a number of reasons. First and foremost, her assertion that officers Richard Barnett and Michael Siler are "super cops" is totally incorrect. They are nothing less than a disgrace to the honest cops who risk their lives every day. Second, her statement that "the worst thing they did was drop off a drug dealer in Glenville with no shoes" is also false. In fact, the narcotics, which they supposedly confiscated, were found in their lockers. Presumably, they intended to distribute or resell these drugs. In that case, what makes them any different than the criminals they arrested? I don't claim to know whether or not they harassed a "hard working kid," but I would not put it past them. Ms. Swezey refers numerous times to civil rights, and asks why the drug dealer in question should have any. The simple answer is that we all have civil rights, even dope dealers. Let's reverse the scenario at hand. What if the Galway cop stripped her of her shoes, and dumped her in Hamilton Hill? Would she consider civil rights "baloney" then? The part of her letter I was disturbed the most by was the reference to bringing drug dealers to Galway, and assuring us that they will not be seen again. When last I checked, we did still live in the United States of America. This is not the old Soviet Union, or Red China. We do not make suspected enemies of the state disappear. Ms. Swezey ought to reread the Constitution, and pay particular attention to the Sixth Amendment. In case she forgot, that is what guarantees all citizens a fair trial before a jury of their peers. In conclusion, I do support the honest members of the Schenectady police. I also do care whether our youth grow up addicted to drugs. I do not support drug dealing on the streets of Schenectady, or any other city. I do, however, expect my city's police officers to obey the same laws they enforce against its citizens. PATRICK M. CREEDEN Schenectady - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart