Grateful Hands

NOTE TO READER: If anybody finds any statements or assertions to be materially untrue, I ask that they use contact E mail address at the bottom of the page as a tool for notification. If necessary corrections and/or retractions will be made. Thank you for your consideration to this matter.

 I recently won an appeal from Harrisburg in a “Right-to-know” case involving records of towed cars. What was alarming to me were the lies the city put forth. I ask that the following individuals be charged with fraud for issuing an fraudelent “Right-to-know” response to me:  

Gerard Dessoye (W-B chief of police) signed a notarized affidavit claiming "no responsive records." Yet below are listed four sources of records!!  Under his notarized affidavit he claims to be subject to penalties contained in 18 Pa C.S. Sect. 4904 related to unsworn falsification to authorities. As it turns out, he lied and is guilty. They would later disclose that they did have internal records... which can only mean Dessoye was lying to me in his sworn affadavit (when he claimed to have no "responsive records.").

External:    He could ask LAG (the city contracted tower) to provide records

Internal:     1)   Through internal police department records.

2)      In the filings of file reports on every vehicle towed

3)      The towings listed on every ticket.

Evidence for the existence of the internal records was provided by W-B police chief Dessoye in quotes that he and his spokesman made last summer. This is the evidence I am using to illustrate his lie on the affidavit.

Citizen's Voice 07/12/11 (verbatim)... city spokesman Drew McLaughlin said in a statement that the logs are unnecessary because Dessoye can track city-directed tows through internal police department records.

Times Leader  07/13/11 (verbatim)...   Dessoye said he does not need the (LAG's) report, noting that his officers file reports on every vehicle towed and towing is listed on every ticket issued by police.

             I believe their lack of transparency reflects nothing less than a cover-up to a corruption scheme that has been ongoing for years. Dessoye purposely tries to bury the tracks. In terms of the city contract with LAG towing…

W-B Police Chief turns a “blind eye” to inventories. Yet the contract holds him responsible for inventories.

W-B Mayor Thomas Leighton allows for stratospheric, monopoly prices. The contract instructs him to set prices according to the “industry generally.”

City Contract (INVENTORIES): Section 18 (f) of the city contract with L.A.G. says the Contractor shall provide to the chief of police an accurate and running log of all vehicles currently in storage; the tows made by the Contractor under this contract for the preceding month; and a copy of all inventories held. If requested, the Chief of Police is entitled to information pertaining to the amount of money collected under this or pursuant to this contract and other information that the Administration or the Chief of Police find relevant to maintaining the integrity of the city.

City Contract (FEES): Section 19   Contractor is permitted to charge its own fees, with approval by the city (Mayor) for such things as towing impound, storage or other services provided so long as towing, impound, storage, or other services provided so long as the same are reasonable and according to the industry generally.