FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Honorable Mayor Walkup, 

My name is Scott Maciag. I live in New York state and just recently purchased a Ducati ST2 motorcycle out in Tucson, AZ. Because I love riding my intent was to ride out there, pick the bike up and maybe spend a day or so checking things out. I haven’t been back since I was there in the United States Air Force. 

This gross neglect and dereliction of duties with regards to Ben Thompson’s stolen vehicle case is completely inexcusable. That the fact that it was found (no thanks to the Tucson police) is irrelevant. No one held a gun to these officer’s heads to join the staff. It is employment at will and they can leave at anytime of their own choosing. If they remain in their jobs, they must do so with a higher level of professionalism then the rest of the public because of the nature of their jobs, the fact that they are truly representative employees of the community and, because they are supposed to be the ultimate role models: law-abiding, courteous, competent and always professional. 

What a let-down this was. I hope to get a response back from you, because I can always have my bike shipped if I feel this town is unsafe–particularly if the officers do not care to make it so. I urge you to take a much closer look at what I believe is a deliberately negligent, “laissez-faire” approach towards practices, policies and procedures that your Tucson police are supposed to follow.

I ask you to check out this link to their self-titled “Office of Professional Standards” page. (~http://www.ci.tucson.az.us/police/Organization/Chief_s_Office/Professional_Standards/Internal_Investigations/internal_investigations.html~)

It concerns make greatly that an such otherwise nice and beautiful city, has to have a special office called the “Independant Police Auditor”. I expect that from a city as large as New York, where I currently work dowtown. I don’t expect that with regards to the Tucson Police Department. I’m cutting & pasting this email in my contribution of effort to ensure such incompetent, discourteous and very unprofessional practices aren’t further condoned or allowed ruin the splendor and circumvent the safety of people anywhere else in the great state of AZ. 

Respectfully yours, 

Scott Maciag 

Warwick, New York 

cc: Honorable Governor Janet Napolitano 

RoadRacing World 

Special Investigations Division, Tucson Police Department