Subject: Police
Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2000 12:25:50 +1100
From: "XXXXXXXX(Deleted)" <XXXXXX(Deleted)@primus.com.au>
To: <adder@lexicon.net>
Mr. Hoser,
To tell you the truth, I used to think you were a bit of a loon in relation to your claims against the Victorian Police.
That was until the day I was falsely accused of car theft and punched in the face by a police officer in full view of six of his colleagues who then denied the fact to the IID.
What followed my official complaint was a four-year ordeal of police harassment, during which I couldn't even go on my morning jog without being stopped by police from the Brunswick and Northcote stations. Over that time I was searched for "needle tracks", accused of being a suspected rapist, searched for drugs, accused of wearing gloves with the intent of hiding fingerprints, told that no help from the police would ever be forthcoming should I need it, followed to work by a divvy van, which loitered outside, with engine running for up to an hour at a time, and other more trivial acts of harassment to numerous to mention.
Before that time, during that time, and since that time,I have not been charged with a single crime or misdemeanor. My record is so clean you could eat off of it.
Since I have been free of harassment for the past couple of years, I thought it was over. But earlier this year, while on my way to buy a morning paper, I was assaulted in the street by an obviously deranged man wielding a picket. I escaped without physical injury and immediately contacted the police, who told me that a car would soon be dispatched to my address. The police never arrived. When I called back three hours later I was told that police resources were strained, and as I had not received any injuries my case was too trivial to investigate. As far as I knew, a shirtless madman built like a rugby player was still roaming the streets searching for a slower victim.
I can't help thinking that somewhere in the police system my name has been marked some sort of "do not assist" label.
Thanks for the work you do.