GOA Email alert, complete text
Manchester Police Out of Control
Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
Friday, June 4, 2004
Michael Pelletier was browsing in a Manchester Barnes & Noble
bookstore this past March, and sipping a cup of latte, when he was
suddenly assaulted by a couple of Manchester police officers, Chris
Byron and David DuPont. (These officers were backed up by
Detectives Sean Leighton and John Petty, and a Sergeant Bartlett.)
Pelletier was carrying a pistol openly at the small of his back,
having taken off his jacket due to the warm weather. All of a
sudden, he was seized by the right shoulder and his holster and
pushed toward the corner of a bookcase by one of the cops. He was
told to place his hands on his head, which he did at once.
He was then disarmed and escorted out of the store by the police.
The cops ran a background on Pelletier and found that he had no
record. They proceeded to take the next five minutes cascading a
chorus of questions about why he carries a gun and what kind of
training he had.
(Truth be told, Pelletier’s training almost certainly exceeded that
of his inquisitors.)
After enduring various disrespectful and arrogant statements and
questions by the officers and detectives, Pelletier’s firearm was
returned to him and he proceeded to reload it and put it back on his
belt -- under his shirt. Pelletier then went back into the store to
complete his purchases before going home.
The cops were responding to an anonymous complaint from someone
alarmed by the sight of a private citizen possessing a gun. (The
caller to 911 likely left his or her name, but Pelletier’s attorney
has been prohibited from learning the caller’s identity -- allegedly
due to Emergency Services regulations.)
The cops assaulted Pelletier based on this flawed complaint in spite
of what their own eyes revealed to them -- a family man wearing his
gun openly and legally, peaceably browsing in a store. They claimed
that it was reasonable for someone to feel alarmed and threatened.
The reckless behavior of the cops resulted in a violation of
Pelletier’s Fourth Amendment rights and defamed his character,
making a spectacle out of him in public.
So far, the police department has offered no explanation, and
certainly no apology for the outrageous and unprofessional behavior
of its officers. An internal investigation is underway, but there
has been no public disclosure of any details of this investigation.
We believe the reason for Mr. Pelletier’s complaint being classified
as an internal investigation is to allow the police to keep the 911
call and other pertinent information secret from Mr. Pelletier’s
attorney. As long as the investigation is categorized as "internal,"
the RSA 91-A Right to Know law is said not to apply. To challenge
that determination and interpretation of the law would require Mr.
Pelletier to file an expensive and time-consuming lawsuit.
The Manchester Police Department needs encouragement to do the right
thing and to assure the public that what happened to Pelletier is
not department policy.
ACTION: Please send the text below in an e-mail to Manchester
Police Chief John Jaskolka. Also, please e-mail your state
legislators. To identify those elected officials, and to obtain
contact info for them, see
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/whosmyleg/ on the legislature's
website.
Please don’t forget to forward this alert to other New Hampshire gun
owners. The next victim of this official abuse could be literally
anyone.
CONTACT INFO for Chief Jaskolka:
John A. Jaskolka, Chief of Police
The Manchester Police Department
351 Chestnut Street
Manchester, NH 03101
Phone: (603) 668-8711
Fax: (603) 628-6145
manchesterpd@ci.manchester.nh.us
----- Pre-written letter for Chief Jaskolka -----
Dear Chief Jaskolka:
I was very disturbed to learn of the treatment Michael Pelletier was
subjected to in a Manchester Barnes & Noble on March 27.
What plans do you have to apologize to Pelletier for the behavior of
officers under your command?
What plans do you have to insure that such an outrage never happens
again?
Sincerely,
--- Pre-written letter for state representatives and senators ---
Dear ________________,
I have learned that the Manchester Police Department has taken no
public action to correct the outrageous behavior of some of its
officers when they rousted Michael Pelletier on March 27 at a Barnes
& Noble bookstore in Manchester. Pelletier was legally carrying a
pistol in a holster and was browsing at the store with his wife.
Please let me know what Chief Jaskolka tells you regarding his plans
to apologize for the officers’ behavior, and what actions he has
taken, or will take, to insure that his officers will not assault a
peaceful armed citizen in the future.
Sincerely,
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