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6 - PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, September 5, 2001 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PUBLISHER, GEN MGR Don MacLeod PHONE 905-985-7383 FAX 905-985-3708 E-MAIL: editorial@portperrystar.com advertising@portperrystar.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 Year - $37.45 (includes GST) brought to the editor's attention. We reserve the right to edit or refuse publication of any material submitted. ADVERTISING POLICY: The publisher is not liable for sight changes or SENIOR REPORTER == Chnis Hall oCna | & : & { Ny : OFFICE MANAGER = Gayle Stapley ORT ERRY TAR ADVERTISING MGR Deb McEachem == Beet MEY Se ---- CREATIVEMGR = Pam Hic N A ~~ - REPORTER .. = Rik Ihc ewshaper Assoc Publications Mail Registration No. 07881 Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 187 Six Months - $19.79 (includes GST) Member Canadian cory (Wo CN A Association We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) towards our mailing costs. Foreign 1 Year - $96.30 (includes GST) BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy Dudley, Janet Rankin, Lesley West ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse, Linda Clarke, Lisa Monk, Janet Archer, Lor Bradbury PRODUCTION: Trudy Empringham, Daryle Wright, Arlene Cheel freelance Wniter<- Heather McCrae, John 8. McClelland EDITORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by columnists, contributors and letter writers are not necessarily those of The Port Perry Star. Letters must be signed and the telephone number (which will not be published) nduded. Requests that a name be withheld will be honoured only if there 1s a compeding reason 10 do so. Errors wall be corrected if : ve the aphical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher is not able for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement in any tissue or the refund of any monies paid the advertisement. All daims of eor in publication must be made by Wednesday, noon, prior to the next week's publication, , if not made, will not be considered. No daim wll be allowed for more than one insertion. Editorial Comment Police, SIU should work together Tre Durham Regional Police Service and its employees have a concern with the way the province's Special Investigations Unit conducts its business. Local police officials, from Chief Kevin McAlpine to rank- and-file members and their union leaders, each have diffi- culties understanding when the SIU's investigators have the authority to probe any potential wrong-doing by cops. Under its mandate, the SIU is charged with investigating any injury, fatal or otherwise, to civilians in connection with police actions. Where exactly the provincial agency should step in is what the local police service is concerned about. Most recently, a suspect filed a complaint after he claims he was bitten by a police dog while being apprehended by officers. Another man who was pointing a knife towards offi- cers and other civilians suffered injuries when struck from behind with a baton by an officer. As well, a motorcyclist suf- fered injuries when he slammed into a marked police cruiser which was parked in the middle of a roadway with its lights on In all three cases, those involved either suffered injuries or claimed to have. | While it may seem to be an inconvenience to police officials, is it not the public's right to have an independent outside agency come in and look at the situation? There have been very few charges ever laid by the SIU, and nobody's saying police officers are crooked, but the fact there is some organization watching over those who look after us is at least a little comforting. The SIU are in no way easy to deal with either, and in most cases believe in keeping to themselves, but their input from time to time on police issues which involve civilian death or injury should be welcomed. Local police officials are currently at loggerheads with the agency; perhaps more communication is needed between them in combined efforts towards public safety. HAT DOYou ™M IOR"? W "WHERE'S JUN ~~ 5 AN NI ' 9 d) \ 3 - - -_ -_ -- -- | t ' <0 v.. Exactly when the Ocean House in Seagrave first opened isn't known, but it likely began business during the 1870s or 80s. During 1896 over two-thirds of the residents of Seagrave signed a petition to have the hotel's bar closed down, but were unsuccessful. But two years later they succeeded In making the village dry. To the right of the Ocean House is the Seagrave General Store, which Is currently owned by Wayne Wanamaker. I EB BE ,.,, LETTERS Teens have their say on the matter To the Editor: We have heard from the busi- nesses, from the parents, the police and the press, now how about a few words from us, the accused. We live in Port Perry, work part- time, volunteer, go to school here and yes - we are teenagers. (You know, some of those loitering, van- dalizing, spitting, littering, swear- ing, smoking, working the system, bank robbing, property destroying, intimidating, holding up the wall, don't know where the library is kinda teens). Seriously, though, after reading some of the letters and comments, it seems that many of you are still missing the basic point, which seems simple to us. Ms. Truax said it in her letter: do not judge us all based on the actions of a few. According to the remarks we've read, several of you claim to agree with this princi- ple. Yet your actions contradict this, to say the least. After dividing our days between school and homework, working part-time, helping at home, and shopping at the mall, we still have time to spend with our friends. Sometimes several of us go off to town and meet up with other friends. We shop, we walk and yeah - we sit and chill. But not for long, 'cause you know - we might have just committed a string of bank robberies (being that there's nothin' to do). Joking aside, whether we are at the park, walking on the street or sitting in front of a store, it doesn't take long before we get a dirty look, hear a nasty comment, or get instructed to move it along. Funny enough, we've watched as adults and seniors stand in plaza parking lots talking, and not once have we seen any of them accused of loitering. We would like to invite your reader, Mr. McCoshen, to come with us as we walk through town, or sit with us while we hold up one of the plaza walls, or shop with us as we're 'watched' closely, so he can see exactly what brush we are painted Turn to Page 7