A comment is needed regarding the accusations made by Philana Smoot in her letter to the editor. The incident she is referring to happened four years ago in May 2011. She did not file a lawsuit in federal court until 2013. It was dismissed with prejudice for being filed past the two-year statute of limitations in September 2013.
Police departments receive calls on a regular basis to escort people from property where they are no longer welcome. It seems to me if you were that mistreated by these officers, according to her, you would have filed immediately.
Why she is talking about this four years after the fact is anybody’s guess. As far as I’m concerned you do not get to disparage Fairview Heights police officers and go unchallenged. They are true professionals and I’m proud to live in the city they patrol.
Bev Mattison, Fairview Heights
Comments