JUDGEMENT ERROR WASN'T BY POLICE

Re the Aug. 11 letter, "Haunting vision of scared young man":

The writers note how frightened Mr. Diotaiuto must have been as a SWAT
team executed a search warrant at his residence. They seem to imply
that Sunrise "made a grave error in judgment" by sending a SWAT team
to a location "because neighbors reported a lot of activity at the
house...," as if the activities there were somehow a minor noise
complaint. Their letter misrepresents most of what is known at this
point in the investigation.

Mr. Diotaiuto's family and friends have talked about what a fine young
man he was, though they do concede that he may have been a
"recreational" cannabis user. I hate to seem a wet blanket, but
possession of any amount of cannabis for any use is still illegal in
this state. Further, the police recovered 2 ounces of the drug in the
search of the residence. A 2-ounce joint would make Bob Marley blanch.

Further, the police investigation documented at least one sale of
cannabis from the residence. This fact, omitted in the numerous
eulogies for Mr. Diotaiuto, makes him not a casual user, but a drug
dealer. Somewhere in the Sunrise investigation, officers discovered
Mr. Diotaiuto's concealed weapon permit. This discovery would lead a
reasonable and cautious person to conclude that Mr. Diotaiuto was an
armed drug dealer.

I feel for Mr. Diotaiuto's family and their loss. However, my sympathy
does not erase certain facts: The Sunrise Police are paid to
investigate, among other offenses, drug dealing. It is truly tragic
that Mr. Diotaiuto chose to arm himself to resist uniformed police
officers. But the emphasis should be placed on Mr. Diotaiuto's choices
and actions, not the necessary reactions of the officers on the scene.

Like the letter writer, I am haunted by the final moments of a young
man's life, a death caused in large part by a grave error in police
judgment. I refer to the tragic death of Dep. Todd Fatta, killed in
the execution of a search warrant at the residence of another armed
criminal.

As a Sunrise resident, I suspect that I shall see a portion of my tax
dollars go to Mr. Diotaiuto's family and their attorney. This fact
galls and offends me beyond words. Still, I prefer that bill, no
matter how large it is, to paying for the funeral of another police
officer.

Kelly Woodroof

Sunrise