PUBLIC DUE CAPE POLICE COMMENTS

Correcting Facts Easy Move For Chief Gibbs, Spokesman Bitsis

The story across the top of page 1A in The News-Press Wednesday examined
road safety and enforcement of traffic regulations.

Officials from Lee County and Fort Myers were quoted. But one paragraph
said, "Cape Coral police spokesman Angelo Bitsis refused to discuss traffic
enforcement."

A pattern has emerged the past several weeks. Over and over, we publish
stories that would be more complete if Cape Coral police gave information,
but they have been refusing.

Bitsis told me Jan. 16 that he would continue this practice until the chief
received a public apology for "how The News-Press treated the chief" during
the unfolding story of a drug arrest last August.

I asked Police Chief Arnold Gibbs on Friday his position on talking to
reporters from The News-Press.

Gibbs said, "Based on the inaccuracy of the information provided the public
by The News-Press regarding false allegations against myself and my
department, and the fact that members of The News-Press knowingly continued
to print those false statements, and have never attempted to apprise the
public of the error of their reporting, and the unethical practices
employed by the reporters, I believe that any statements to members of The
News-Press would only serve to perpetuate the damage to my reputation."

The police department's disagreement with The News-Press traces back to
Aug. 18.

Gibbs' daughter was at the scene of a drug bust. He and his department
refused then to discuss the case.

Some facts in the story are well established: Monique Gibbs' boyfriend,
Brandon Graham, was arrested on charges of selling cocaine, possessing
marijuana and possessing drug paraphernalia. (The possession charges aren't
being pursued, but Graham remains accused of selling crack cocaine.)

Monique Gibbs gave police a statement that she had flushed cocaine down a
toilet before officers entered the room.

Other facts have been disputed, and as new information has emerged the
original story has been fleshed out and made more complete.

For example, our early stories quoted Graham's attorney, Michael Hornung,
as saying the chief called Graham's family to say charges would be dropped
if the family fired Hornung.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated how Gibbs and the
department handled the investigation and determined that Gibbs had not
initiated the conversation about Hornung. Gibbs told FDLE that Graham had
called Gibbs and asked for help in finding another attorney.

That could have been correct in the very first story - if Gibbs had not
refused to talk to a reporter.

The News-Press investigated the original story for more than two weeks
before publishing the first account. We did that in order to give Gibbs
every opportunity to be interviewed.

Finally, it was necessary to run the story without comment by Gibbs.
Otherwise, we would still be holding the story and the community would
never have known about the allegations of impropriety by the department.

Gibbs and Bitsis are angry that stories repeatedly said that Gibbs offered
to find another attorney if Hornung was fired. They could have corrected
that at any time.

They argue that they couldn't comment on an ongoing criminal investigation.
The question of "who called whom about firing Hornung" wasn't part of a
criminal investigation. They certainly could have commented on that, and
many other points.

In the weeks since, they haven't been commenting on much of anything.

The department is giving The News-Press police reports that we request.
Information coming from Bitsis - the man hired to inform the public about
Cape Coral police affairs - has virtually stopped.

Why should residents of Cape Coral be denied information about road safety
and enforcement of traffic regulations?

Sheriff Rod Shoap said his deputies would do everything possible to make
Lee County roads safe, and discussed lots of ideas. What are Cape city
police going to do? That's a logical question for residents - and reporters
- - to ask.

There should be absolutely no misunderstanding: The News-Press staff will
continue to ask the questions.

It is then up to Gibbs and Bitsis to decide what information is given to
residents.

Gibbs said Friday that acting City Manager Howard Kunik had ordered Bitsis
to talk to reporters from The News-Press. "I suppose under pressure from
council members," Gibbs said.

In the days ahead it will come clear - in the text of stories - whether
Bitsis or others will answer questions from The News-Press reporters.

If Bitsis and Gibbs are going to wait for an apology from The News- Press,
the information blackout will continue.

We did our jobs.

The stories were as fair, accurate and balanced as possible when key
players refuse to talk.

Gibbs' accusation that we knowingly continued to print false statements is
wrong.

Of course, inaccuracies appear in the newspaper - we make mistakes.

But we do not - ever - knowingly, purposefully print an untruth.

No accusation is more offensive or intolerable to a journalist.

Gibbs may not like the fact that we reported on a drug bust involving his
daughter. What parent would?

He may not like the fact that we reported on an investigation into his
handling of the situation. What official would?

But that does not make the reports inaccurate.

We do not - ever - knowingly publish inaccuracies.

To accuse us of that is to defame us.