I recently was thinking about the similarities and differences comparing the Tiger Wood’s DUI arrest a few days ago and the free cab service home provided thanks to the FPD and Danny Hughes for Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz back in the wee morning hours of November 9, 2016.
Former City Manager Joe Felz
Fullerton Police Chief Dan Hughes. Don’t let the cross fool you.
If only the same never seen DUI arrest protocol referred to by Danny Hughes was in place for the police department handling the Tiger Woods DUI arrest and booking, there could have been a different result for Mr. Woods.
Obviously, the police department dealing with Tiger Woods had not yet gone through a similar extensive and complete reformation as had already been accomplished by Danny Hughes in Fullerton. For Danny Hughes thank goodness had already completely reformed the FPD.
For if that reformed minded DUI arrest protocol was in place for Tiger Woods, he too could have gotten to speak to the police chief and that chief of police could have explained the protocol to Tiger, thereby negating any reason to arrest Mr. Woods. Yes if only Danny Hughes was in charge, Mr. Woods would not have had to be subjected to a very, very bad mug shot at police headquarters. Yes, if only Danny Hughes was in charge of the Tiger Woods case, Mr. Woods would have found himself taken directly from the DUI scene to his sprawling mansion to be tucked into bed like the proverbial bug in a rug!
Tiger Woods is known for starting and supporting various charities by giving millions of his own dollars, while Joe Felz as City Manager gave away millions of our tax dollars not his money for bigger and bigger safety raises and benefits. Yet with all his celebrity and his 100’s of million dollars of net worth, Tiger Woods had to face the laws just like any other citizen but FOD (Friend of Dan) Joe Felz is not held to account by the FPD.
We the entire Fullerton public were so darn fortunate that Dan Hughes ran the FPD ship (kind of like Jack Sparrow in the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean film) for so many years. In fact we were so darn fortunate that it is still paying the good people of Fullerton dividends.
Yes and if Tiger Woods had his little car problem in Fullerton, he too would have been assured that everything should be done following normal procedures, which was the alleged comment by Mayor Jennifer Fitzgerald to Danny Hughes in their phone conversation shortly after the early morning accident. I guess the Mayor also was a big fan of strictly following the FPD DUI arrest protocol. Thank God that our former Police Chief and our former Mayor were seeing eye to eye on this case. For I am absolutely sure that under the exact same set of events that Joe Imbriano or Barry Levinson would have received the exact same treatment as did Joe Felz. Does the good news relating to our Fullerton City Government ever end Fullertonians? I guess the answer to that is no unless we the people stop similar charades and/or farces like the one that took place concerning Joe Felz on the morning of November 9, 2016 going forward.
#1 by Barry Levinson on June 3, 2017 - 10:24 am
The City Council when they basically promoted Dan Hughes to be our permanent Police Chief until his retirement, knew or should have known that he was the supervisor of all the police officers involved in the horrific beating death of Kelly Thomas. The fact that they acted like he was some kind of breath of fresh air was totally bogus and they knew that as well.
They could have and definitely should have given him one or two year contract to be renewed at the discretion of the City Council and City Manager. They voluntarily chose to abdicate their oversight responsibilities. To do this under any circumstances is so wrong but to do it knowing how many recent problems we have had with our police department was totally reckless and indefensible. When you look at the major actions by our city council, it is easy to conclude that they so frequently do not do their jobs properly.