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Sarasota News Leader October 5, 2012 Police Department propelled several speakers to tell city commissioners they felt afraid to call city police. Last month, Childers was reinstated nearly three years after he was fired for excessive use of force, caught on camera kicking a hand- cuffed Hispanic man in his custody. "Recently we were shocked that a civic board of this city is reinstating into our fine police department a person who had a serious prob- lem with a member of the Hispanic communi- ty," said neighborhood leader Manuel Chepote. "I don't think it was right, and I don't think it was right the civic board reinstated him with three years of back salary." "Where is this going to lead us," asked Fran- cisco Suriano. "The fear is very real and very pervasive, when 20% of our population is afraid to call the police if they are robbed, if they are raped, because they fear the police." Page 35 The city's Civil Service Board voted unani- mously to dismiss charges of excessive use of force and three other violations against Childers. Video of the incident went viral on the Inter- net, showing Childers handling a drunken Juan Perez in the Sarasota County Jail sally port. Perez later sued the city and received a $40,000 settlement. Three city commissioners expressed disap- pointment in the Civil Service Board's deci- sion. Turner asked City Attorney Bob Fourni- er, "What authority do we have to right an injustice. What can we do or can't do?" The attorney said he would report back later in the month with some guidance. Commissioner Snyder, a retired Sarasota County deputy, said, "That's not how a pro- fessional acts or how an organization should respond to it." Keep medical decisions between a woman, her family, and her doctor. Visit www.VoteNoOn6.com VoteNoOn6.com Join the campaign today! Paid political advertisement paid for by Vote No on 6, 736 Central Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236. Distributed in-kind by Sarasota News Leader, Post Office Box 5099, Sarasota, Florida 34277. Take Your TimeYou Have All Week Enjoy The News Leader Anytime - Day or Night