Misconduct on the Canal

getkevinfired · Baitfish Rank Joined: 07 Oct 2011 Posts: 3 Total Points: 3

Have you had any encounters on the Canal that seemed less than professional by an environmental police officer?

Is his name Kevin Clayton?

Please write getkevinclaytonfired@yahoo.com and tell your story.

This happened to me and my husband and we are trying to put a stop to this.

scoobystas · Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:23 pm Post subject:

what's "less than professional"? I had an environmental officer approach me one time and I just chose to skip the small talk and said "do you want to see my license?" She said "yes"...than "thank you" and went on her way.

markb · Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:26 pm Post subject:

This topic should be removed. the same person is going from board to board with this, and we have no idea who the named person is.

scoobystas · Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:40 pm Post subject:

haha, i just noticed the screen-name of the original poster. I'm not even sure this board has moderators...?

getkevinfired · Baitfish Rank Joined: 07 Oct 2011 Posts: 3 Total Points: 3

In our case it was being asked for a "threesome"

blackstonecarp · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 7:36 am Post subject:

getkevinfired · Baitfish Rank Joined: 07 Oct 2011 Posts: 3 Total Points: 3

Thank you for your understanding in not taking down this post.
I have filed a complaint with his superiors and they are going to start an investigation. This post is like you say trying to find anyone else that can come forward with any information or similar incidents.
This is not an angry retaliation to a fine. My husband has been fishing the canal for 20 years without incident and I have been fishing with him for 9 of those years.
This officer asked my husband and I for a"threesome", we are pretty sure he didn't mean golf. It will be our word against his so we need to find others that have experienced his gross misconduct while on duty and see that he is disciplined. Our state tax dollars should not be paying his salary.

markb · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:07 am Post subject:

The reason I said this should be taken down is that it's a personal attack on the individual, and we have no idea who he is, or who the person making that accusation is, much less whether it's legitimate. It's the same reason they cut people off on sports radio when they start claiming they met an athlete once, and the guy was a jerk. It may be true, but it's one side of a story, and we have no way of knowing whether it's true or not.

Ask yourself this - what if it was your name? How would you like it if someone went on the internet and tried to get you fired? If there's a complaint against a government employee, there's a standard way to deal with it. File a complaint.

blackstonecarp · Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:36 pm Post subject:

Sorry for the slight derail but this subject is always a hot topic for me.

However forums are a place of public discussion and free speech. Anyone has the right to not only talk about their experience but also to defend themselves against slander.

To be frank they did not really say anything slanderous, just asked if people had other issues with this person and asked for their feedback in private. All people should be held accountable for their actions, either for abusing authority or for falsely accusing someone of something. The difference between this and radio is this person has the same right to come here and tell their side. No one is barring them from doing so. If you google your name and find something you don't like on a forum about you, you have the right to go and clear the air or let it sit as is...

My biggest concern is always what the government does with information when given no opposing voices. The Blackstone Canal fish kill last year is a great example. After the canal was drained and approx. 3500 fish were killed I followed the proper channels to complain and raise awareness, The employees stated to me after initially bringing the fish kill to their attention " what do you want us to do about it?" I was basically told it wasn't an issue and that no one should be told of the problem...my only option was to film it myself, bring it to the public myself while the agencies stood by and tried to deny anything happened, to the point of even closing the public towpath/walkway and forcing park goers to leave so visitors to the park could not witness the dead fish. The only reason Masswildlife was called was because I forced the park to call them. The only press in newspapers was due to our group, the only information going out to any of the Blackstone River Watershed groups was from us. My point is, you cannot always trust the government and to silence the peoples voice is wrong.

I do not know if this is true, and chances are I never will. I will say this, I still kinda doubt it, however stranger things have happened. Many times if public light is not shown on situations there is no actual justice. We as citizens have the right to speak out against any official that abuses his/her authority and to silence that is unconstitutional in my honest opinion.

To your comment about ask yourself..I welcome it. I served my country to uphold its freedoms and the right of any person to speak their mind about me or anything they want. I may not like what they say but I will defend to the death, their right to say it. I say ask yourself what you would do if you were confronted by an individual who abused or otherwise compromised your safety or freedoms..would you want to be forced to keep your mouth shut?

To this I add one last note...anyone who brings false accusations against anyone else deserves the fullest punishment as well. This angers me just as much as silence because it is an abuse of our rights and bends our system to harm innocents.