Palm Springs Sting operation

In June last year, the Palm Springs Police Department carried out a sting operation in the Warm Sands neighbourhood using the 'pretty police' as agents provocateurs enticing gay men and arresting them for indecent behavour. There were 19 men arrested and they have been waiting for over a year for the cases to come to court. If found guilty, these men will have to register as sexual preditors for the rest of their lives. There have been a few letters to the local paper, some supporting the police (no suprises there) and some expressing their disgust at the Police Depatment use of the officers time. One officer was captured on tape issuing a gay slur. We don't know what it was but no doubt we'll find out.

Mr.Paul Abshire, President of the Palm Springs Police Officers Association had an article published recently in the Desert Sun praising his officers (of course he would)and defending the operation. Our dear friend Peter Fiske has been in contact with the Mayor of Palm Springs and has received some encouraging feedback. I have e-mailed Abshire, the Mayor and other members of the City Council and would encourage you all to do the same.
Here is a copy of my e-mail ... no response so far

TO: Paul Abshire

This is in response to an e-mail sent to you by Peter Fiske, dated 08/27/2010

I agree entirely with everything Peter has said but I want to add my own comments from the perspective of an hotel owner in Uptown.

The use of police officers as agents provocateurs is to be deplored. To entice men to commit sexual acts in public is outrageous.

A comment made by one of your officers at the hearing in Riverside is quoted in the Desert Sun as referring to the hotels in Warm Sands as ‘those so called inns”. I hope you realize how insulting that remark is, not only to the hotel owners in Warm Sands but hotels all over the valley. No amount of ‘sensitivity training’ will compensate for the damage done within the gay community and the trust in the PSPD is gone, perhaps never to return.

This outrageous incident has been covered extensively by the gay press not only in the United States but more importantly overseas. The damage done worldwide to the reputation of Palm Springs as a city of tolerance has been lost.

I hope you realize how much money comes into this town from gay travelers by way of room tax, retail spending and restaurants, a large part of which will be lost forever thanks to you and your officers. Not a force to be proud of.

All charges against the men enticed by your officers must be dropped. The officer responsible for uttering a gay slur should apologize. We need to hear more from the Mayor on what is being done by him and the city. An open letter to one of the local gay papers would be a start.

Sensitivity training indeed!!!! This is something you all should have been taught by your parents; not the PSPD.

Ian Harper
Chaps Inn, Uptown, Palm Springs

I have copied this to all the City Council Members, including Mayor Pougnet. No response yet!!
Here are their e-mail addresses:
rick.hutcheson@palmsprings-ca.gov; ginny.foat@palmsprings-ca.gov; chris.mills@palmsprings-ca.gov; lee.weigel@palmsprings-ca.gov; paul.abshire@palmsprings-ca.gov; steve.pougnet@palmsprings-ca.gov