I am writing in response to an Opinion by Steve LeBoon, titled “Is FOP letter akin to a canary in a coal mine?” I have serious doubts that Mr. LeBoon did his homework or fact checking, especially after writing, “(C)rime in Dover has shown a steady decline under Chief (Tom) Johnson’s tenure.” This is like saying, “All those news reports on murders, shootings, robberies, etc., must have been clerical errors.”
This year alone, there have been multiple homicides in the city, not to mention a repetition of shootings. So, I might suggest that Mr. LeBoon take a look at past and present crime stats before saying we are living in a utopia.
As far as Mr. LeBoon’s attack on Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 15 and his statement that its complaints and lack of confidence in Chief Tom Johnson have no merit, I respectfully disagree. These police officers and FOP members work hard on the front lines every day, putting their lives at risk, while Chief Tom Johnson shields himself from the elements out on the street and, from my understanding, is hardly ever at police headquarters.
I support and believe the police officers, and if they are not happy with their leader (Chief Johnson) and the unethical behavior he has exhibited, then it would be prudent for him to step down. The damage has already been done and appears irreversible.
What is now transpiring in the city of Dover is called an “abusive power”!
Now is the time for Mayor Robin Christiansen to take his head out of the sand. Council President Fred Neil; Councilman André Boggerty, who is the chair of the Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee; and some others on City Council need to stop living in a fantasy world and take action against Chief Tom Johnson for his inappropriate behavior. He has violated the public trust of the citizens of Dover, and with police morale at an all-time low, I fear for my safety and that of others in the city.
Tyron Scott
Dover
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