Commissioner's Comment Sparks War Of Words
POSTED: Wednesday, June 21, 2006
UPDATED: 6:15 pm EDT June 21,
2006
A controversial traffic stop involving the son of Orlando Commissioner Daisy Lynum has led to a continuing war of words between Lynum and the city's police chief, according to a Local 6 News report.
The controversy stems from an incident that happened in May involving Lynum's son, Juan Lynum, 30.
While Juan Lynum was driving through Parramore in a Volvo, police noticed a headlight out on the vehicle.
During the traffic stop, Lynum called his mother and allegedly said he must have been stopped by a white police officer because of racial profiling, Local 6 News reported.
"Daisy Lynum later made the comment that she did not want 'some white boy shooting my son or Tasing him,'" Local 6 reporter Chris Trenkmann said.
Orlando Police Chief Michael McCoy then wrote Lynum a letter and said her comments have hurt morale at the department.
Lynum reportedly fired back, saying she no longer respects the chief and will not respond to his "inappropriate comments," Trenkmann said.
"It was offensive to many officers," Orlando police Sgt. Barbara Jones said. "But, once again, we have a job to do. We owe it to our citizens and we will continue to do that job. And, we will move on."
Wednesday, Juan Lynum was expected to propose a new ordinance before Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City Council that would require dash cameras on the cars of all Orlando police officers to videotape traffic stops.
An internal investigation is under way at the Orlando Police Department to determine if Lynum received favorable treatment since he was not given a ticket at the original traffic stop concerning the traffic light.
He was later mailed a citation.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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