Chief Williams accused by officer of admitting to bugging the bathrooms at VPD

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Here's an odd twist: one of the police officers at the Venice Police Department is claiming that Chief Julie Williams has admitted to bugging every room at the department, including the locker rooms (i.e., bathrooms) in an attempt to find out who is talking to the media (i.e., myself and/or Herald-Tribune reporter Kim Hackett).

Officer James Frascatore, who has just resigned to move back north to join the NYPD, is claiming that Williams has accused him and other officers of leaking department info to city council and to the media. Frascatore claims that Williams confronted him with the accusation and that Williams stated that she has proof in the form of taped conversations from the VPD's men's bathroom and locker rooms as well as all of the other rooms in the police department building.

Frascatore's allegations became public when he made a public records request to review and receive copies of any and all such recorded conversations.

In a related disclosure, a ranking officer at the department, under promise of anonymity, told me that Williams is claiming that she has initiated criminal investigations into myself and Kim Hackett over the Herald-Trib's reporting of a botched search-and-seizure job of an alleged smuggler, this having taken place at the Venice airport a few months back. Williams has reportedly stated that Hackett and I somehow violated the law in learning about the department's screw-up, and that she will use the investigation to seize and examine Hackett's and my computers in the hopes of ferreting out more department moles.

I would probably be highly concerned except for the fact that this is about the fifth time in the last decade that someone in city government has come up with this same bright idea.

For example: ex-city manager George Hunt and ex-utilities director John Lane tried to convince City Attorney Bob Anderson to file a lawsuit against myself and Venice Florida! dot com in the hopes of seizing both the web site and the computers used to create and maintain the site. Anderson reportedly told Hunt to get his meds checked.

About a year or two before that, then ex-police chief Joe Slapp tried nearly this exact same tactic, this when he tried to cover up his previous cover-up of embezzlement within the city's computer department. That was an odd little caper that eventually caused the computer department head, Steve Randall, to resign and contributed to the woes that befell Slapp in forcing his later early retirement due to (cough, cough) health reasons (look up our old "Putergate" stories, still online, from around 2002 or so).

So Slapp, who at the time had been promoted up and out of the police department to some make-work job title at city hall, was about to get uncovered. His brilliant solution was to connive with then-councilman David Farley in trying to fabricate a case of felony extortion against me, an attempt that was fouled by then-Chief Jim Hanks' ultimatum to Slapp and Farley that if they tried it, somebody would be going to jail but that it wouldn't be me.

Back to the present: things are so seriously weird that I'm beginning to wonder if there really is a Julie Williams or if she is really just Joe Slapp in drag. Before you laugh, is it just oddly coincidental that the two have never been photographed together or even seen in the same room? I think not.

But wait. There's more.

Slapp and Williams have the same body types, they apparently visit the same barber, it looks like they use the same brands and shades of makeup, and they both share an eerily identical contempt for the constitution and for the concepts of civil rights and due process.

Below is a chain of emails to City Clerk Lori Stelzer, a dialog between Frascatore and Stelzer, that contain Frascatore's allegations.

Just to top things off, included at the very end is a BONUS SURPRISE email, YET ANOTHER threat of lawsuit against Williams and the department for yet another act of alleged malfeasance. This makes what, six? Eight lawsuits pending against Williams and the department?

Add popcorn, sit back, and enjoy.

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From: James Frascatore
To: City Clerk Lori Stelzer
Date: June 18, 2010

Lori,

On the morning of June 16, 2010 I took part in a meeting that was conducted by Chief Williams, Captain Dunaway and I. During this meeting Chief Williams stated that Police Officers that are employed by the city of Venice and the Venice Police Department have no expectations of privacy. Chief Williams stated that the agency has the right to monitor and record officers in the agencies locker room, patrol vehicles and other places within the Police Department. Chief Williams stated that she is aware which officers are talking to council members and media and made accusations that I am one of them.

At this time I am requesting all audio, visual and electronic recordings that the Venice Police Department and or the city of Venice have of me while being employed by the city.

I am also requesting at this time all audio, visual, electronic recordings and all written documentation and notes taken during the meeting of June 16, 2010 which included Captian Dunaway, Chief Williams and myself.

Thank you for your assistance fulfilling this request.

Sincerely,

James Frascatore

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From: Lori Stelzer
To: James Frascatore
Date: June 18, 2010

James,
I received your request and need some clarification. I believe this request, as presented, will be rather voluminous, time consuming and costly. In order to minimize your costs and staff time, does your request include recordings of
1) all police radio transmissions where you were involved;
2) all MDB communications;
3) mobile/video recordings on certain police vehicles if you were in one of those; and
4) citizen complaints (which I have been advised you have already received copies of)?
After I fully understand the extent of the request, I will provide you with an estimate and request a deposit prior to proceeding. If you would like to discuss this, please feel free to call. Thank you.

Lori Stelzer, MMC, City Clerk
City of Venice

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From: James Frascatore
To: Lori Stelzer
Date: June 18, 2010

Lori,
Chief Williams eluted to possible recordings of police personal being tracked and monitored and recorded by the department and or the city of Venice. I am interested in all video, audio, and or electronic transmissions in which I would not have knowledge of while at work. (The agency secretly taken video, audio, and electronic recordings of myself while at work.) I am not interested in radio transmission, MDB transmittals, evening vehicle camera systems or citizen complaints.

On the morning of June 16, 2010 I took part in a meeting that was conducted by Chief Williams, Captain Dunaway and I. During this meeting Chief Williams stated that Police Officers that are employed by the city of Venice and the Venice Police Department have no expectations of privacy. Chief Williams stated that the agency has the right to monitor and record officers in the agencies locker room, patrol vehicles and other places within the Police Department and track vehicle movement. Chief Williams stated that she is aware police officers are speaking with council members and members of the media discussing issues within the agency. Chief Williams made accusations that I have been meeting with Councilman Emilio Carlesimo and members of the media.

At this time the Chief stated that there are recordings of officers in which we would not have known or been aware we were being recorded, such as the locker room, briefing, room bathrooms and vehicles.
I am requesting all audio, visual and electronic recordings that the Venice Police Department and or the city of Venice claimed to have of myself meeting with council members and media staff while during my employment of the Venice Police Department.

I am also requesting at this time all audio, visual, electronic recordings and all written documentation and notes taken during the meeting of June 16, 2010 which included Captain Dunaway, Chief Williams and myself.

Thank you for your assistance fulfilling this request.

Sincerely,
James Frascatore

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SPECIAL EXTRA BONUS LAWSUIT THREAT EMAIL

From: Eric Reisinger, attorney
To: To Whom it May Concern
Date: June 16, 2010

My name is Eric Reisinger and I am an attorney representing Mrs. Mary Walters. I mailed a claim letter to the Mayor's Office on April 9, 2010, seeking damages for the illegal entry and arrest of my client by your police department. As of this date I have not heard anything from either the mayor's office, your insurance company, nor your City's Attorney.

I would like a written response back from your City Attorney within the next week so we can try to resolve this incident and avoid any litigation. However, if i do not hear back from anyone with the next week i will be forced to bring a law suit against your city for violating my client's civil rights.

Thank you for your time.

-- Eric Reisinger, Esq
Mata & Reisinger, PA
Bradenton, Fl 34205