Comments for Progressive Pensacola

Comment on Looking to 2010: Florida Governor by Elena Papa

Elena Papa — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:09:05 +0000

I was wondering if you can please give me some inportant imformation like your state flag,your state animal,your state seal and ect.please send it to Orrenmaa Elementry school @ Filmore street Riverside California 92503.

Comment on Round-up, 03.09.10 by ED

ED — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:57:22 +0000

Staff report to council: 933 calls A & Jackson in the city’s primo downtown Redevelopment district

Response: only 933 calls? Find another city to compare that has many more to miminize the perception of crime in the area

Next item: tap into the reserve fund for staff pay raises

Comment on CRA moratorium delayed again by EPHresident

EPHresident — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:54:51 +0000

We can bet there is a reason, if he is speaking up on an issue.

We won’t forget his push to get his friend’s ice machines in inappropriate zoning going so far as to promise free ice during a hurricane.

Comment on CRA moratorium delayed again by James

James — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:37:31 +0000

This council would rather delay than make the tough decisions. The money behind Wiggins obviously has a vested interest in this issue. Strong mayor — hardly. What I fear is that every strong mayor candidate will be obligated to those who funded their election.

Comment on Video: Steen death by Stacie

Stacie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:18:55 +0000

This is very wrong, i believe that some police officers get into the business just to kill. & for everyone who’s saying this wasn’t done intentional, then you are all just as wrong as officer ARD. He could have esily called for backup. & the thing is, he wanted Steen to stop because he “Looked” suspicious .. Come on now, that’s beyond crazy. I pray for Officer Ard, because he need’s it. Steen did not deserve that. He really didn’t … NO human being does , & i bet that if Steen was another race, Ard would have not even stopped or even harrassed him like he did..

Comment on Independent News on point by Dave

Dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:44:31 +0000

“The death of Victor Steen is representative of the larger issues faced by minorities and lower-income residents of Pensacola. With no leadership from their elected officials, where do they turn for help? Where do Council members Jerralds, Townsend, and Cannada-Wynn stand on the Steen case?”

Why don’t you run for office Derek? You could become the shining beacon for poverty and social injustice.

Comment on Independent News on point by Dave

Dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:40:15 +0000

Well done Mr. Obama…Spot on funny.

Comment on Steen case: On-scene photos by Derek Cosson

Derek Cosson — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:40:49 +0000

Fair enough… :-)

Comment on Steen case: On-scene photos by Jerry

Jerry — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:32:48 +0000

Thanks Derek for your kind words. These are the kinds of debates I really like participating in because no one is making it personal and calling each other names. Everyone here is agreeing and disagreeing with civility.

I realize that a person is not considered a felon until trial and conviction. Please allow me to rephrase, Officer Ard was attempting to stop someone that was committing a felonious act(fleeing and alluding a LEO is a felony in the State of Florida).

As for Officer Ard’s justification to stop Steen being moot, a LEO is required to stop and question anyone that he deems suspicious. Steen being at or going through a construction site at 2AM is quite suspicious and gives Ard probable cause to question the subject. I have stopped and questioned suspicious person for a lot less in my career.

As you have probably already read some of my other posts, you will see that I do not believe that Ard is completely innocent of this. However the incident could have been avoided had Steen just headed Ard’s command to stop. Now this is pure speculation, but I believe that the reason that he did flee was because of the gun.

Comment on Steen case: On-scene photos by Derek Cosson

Derek Cosson — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:48:17 +0000

Jerry: I appreciate your continued participation in the debate here.

I do want to point a few things:
(1) someone isn’t a “felon” until they’re tried and found guilty.
(2) Officer Ard’s justification for the stop may be moot. s. 810.09(2)(d) F.S., which establishes trespassing upon a construction site as a felony, requires signage to be posted at the site. According to the FDLE report, no such signage was present at the site.

Comment on Steen case: On-scene photos by Jerry

Jerry — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:39:34 +0000

Mrs D, unfortunately you have so much hatred for the police officer that you are blinded to the reality of what actually happened.

Please read the accident investigators report that said Steen either jumped from his bicycle or was thrown off when he his the curb. The video clearly shows him rising from a kneeling position(as the investigator stated, from a runner’s position) with 1 second before impact. Human response at night is 2.5 seconds, so Ard had no possibility to prevent him from hitting Steen.

Again, I will say that had Steen not fled from Ard when Ard turned on his lights and yelled for him to stop, that he would be alive today. Ard was just doing his job in the attempted apprehension of a felon.

Comment on Steen case: On-scene photos by Mrs D

Mrs D — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:30:15 +0000

@retired once, you say, unfortunately he was run over by Ard’s patrol car once Steen “abruptly fell” directly in the vehicle’s path.

Wrong! My view: He only jumps off the bike in a failed attempt to avoid this demented officer, in his rage racing vehicle onslaught…