This Black Man May Surprise You!
Help Me Howard Finklestein says the Fort Lauderdale Police are mistreating the black community by using DWB ( driving while black) , BBB (biking while black) even WWB ( walking while black) to unjustly stop and arrest black people.
Help Me Howard
But Fort Lauderdale community activist (and black man) Torren Poole calls Finklestein's stance - "racial profiling garbage spin!".
Poole disagrees with Finkelstein, says he wants to "go on record", that he supports the local Police. Poole, who recently organized a community get together to fight crime in his N.W. neighborhood, calls himself "just a guy who woke up".
Literally, Poole woke up a few years back when he was awakened one morning at 5 a.m. by his wife who said, "somebody's coming in the house"!
Poole confronted Alonzo B. Brown ( a black man about Poole's age) breaking into his house.
Alonzo Brown, who had earlier served time for molesting a 12 year old, had broken into the wrong house this time. When Brown pulled his knife on Poole and tried to stab him, Poole hauled off and punched Brown so hard he knocked him "clean out!" Poole says he hit Brown so hard, "I even dislocated my knuckle with the punch". Before the Police could arrive, Brown woke up and Poole knocked him unconscious again.
Brown says it's time to stop crying foul about Police stops.
The Chief of Police is a black man, for God's sake" he says. Poole thinks the profiling is a necessary evil that people in his community are going to have to live with to fix his area. "What are we gonna do, sit around and sing Kum-ba-ya?" he asks.
black Chief
"We gotta shake 'em ( the community), shake the tree! " He says part of the problem is the community, who are sometimes afraid to back the Police.
"We gotta let the Police do their job". "Black people gotta do their part"."We need to come together, specially my black people".
Poole
Poole is passionate, and pissed! Shortly after the home invasion by Brown, Poole says his shed was broken into and all his work tools, his air compressors, even his kids bicycles were stolen.
A few weeks later, Poole saw a young black teen riding down the street on one of the bikes. "I ran out and grabbed the bike, called the Police.
teen thief
When the teen went to his hearing, so did Poole. A public defender came over to Poole and asked if he was a relative, there to support the thief. "No", he said "that is the fool that broke in my tool shed".
Help Me Howard
But Fort Lauderdale community activist (and black man) Torren Poole calls Finklestein's stance - "racial profiling garbage spin!".
Poole disagrees with Finkelstein, says he wants to "go on record", that he supports the local Police. Poole, who recently organized a community get together to fight crime in his N.W. neighborhood, calls himself "just a guy who woke up".
Literally, Poole woke up a few years back when he was awakened one morning at 5 a.m. by his wife who said, "somebody's coming in the house"!
Poole confronted Alonzo B. Brown ( a black man about Poole's age) breaking into his house.
Alonzo Brown, who had earlier served time for molesting a 12 year old, had broken into the wrong house this time. When Brown pulled his knife on Poole and tried to stab him, Poole hauled off and punched Brown so hard he knocked him "clean out!" Poole says he hit Brown so hard, "I even dislocated my knuckle with the punch". Before the Police could arrive, Brown woke up and Poole knocked him unconscious again.
Brown says it's time to stop crying foul about Police stops.
The Chief of Police is a black man, for God's sake" he says. Poole thinks the profiling is a necessary evil that people in his community are going to have to live with to fix his area. "What are we gonna do, sit around and sing Kum-ba-ya?" he asks.
black Chief
"We gotta shake 'em ( the community), shake the tree! " He says part of the problem is the community, who are sometimes afraid to back the Police.
"We gotta let the Police do their job". "Black people gotta do their part"."We need to come together, specially my black people".
Poole
Poole is passionate, and pissed! Shortly after the home invasion by Brown, Poole says his shed was broken into and all his work tools, his air compressors, even his kids bicycles were stolen.
A few weeks later, Poole saw a young black teen riding down the street on one of the bikes. "I ran out and grabbed the bike, called the Police.
teen thief
When the teen went to his hearing, so did Poole. A public defender came over to Poole and asked if he was a relative, there to support the thief. "No", he said "that is the fool that broke in my tool shed".
i LOVE howard!
He's my mutha frickin' hero!
I'd like to knock him the frick out!
Help ME howard!!!!!
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Good for Mr. Poole. Observant and involved! If the FLL chief can't remedy this, any other chief, male, female, regardless of race definitely won't. So whats the plan? Lets get to work.
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Good for Mr. Poole. Observant and involved! If the FLL chief can't remedy this, any other chief, male, female, regardless of race definitely won't. So whats the plan? Lets get to work.
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I think Mr. Poole should run for Congress, or just move over to my neighborhood.
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Obviously,Howard dosen't have a clue about the goings-on of living in the hood!!
I have chosen over the past 20 years to live in neighborhoods that are challenged, and have prided myself on being involved with my community to have a better quality of life through crime fighting efforts,etc....
I'd like Howard to know that we ASK the police to be as agressive as they can in eradicating the thugs amongst us, be they black,white,rich or poor, so if that means "profiling", so be it!!! I personally have spent many a night doing crime walks in the NW, and those fine folks(many of them black) are very appreciative to the police when there is a high profile presence there....
I invite Howard over to the NW section,spend a night on the street with us on foot,and then tell us the police are doing the wrong thing...
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Hmmm... Is this the same Howard Finklestein that used to be a coke-head??? Was he ever arrested by FLPD? If so, why? He dosen't fit the profile!!
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I love that picture of Finkelstein, looks like in my opinion you caught him getting into character as a consumer advocate helping the little guy instead of the burn out hippy that spends his days as an elected official getting criminals off, race bating and harassing the Fort Lauderdale Police Department with what are in my opinion frivolous investigations meant to put stigmas on officers and institutionally cripple police tactic like enhanced policing which is the only measure keeping the current crime wave from escalating into street riots. Crime is bad enough in this city without Howard Finkelstein, a resident of safe suburban Plantation, over stepping his bounds as Broward Public Defender to grandstand to the basest elements of our society. Kudos to you Mr. Poole, did you ever think about becoming a cop yourself? We need people like you that actually live in the city and know how to deal a knockout blow when it counts.
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I have a challenge for Ms. Marsha. Publicly declare which side you are on, Mr. Finkelsteins or the side of your voting membership that wants the police to rid our neighborhood of crime?
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Who is Ms. Marsha?
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September 15, 2011 - Mayor Seiler reports campaign contributions from Boucher interests:
Jim Scott (Tripp Scott) $250
Alex Heckler (Shutts) $250
George Platt (Shutts) $250
Charles Perry (BBMFL) $250
Cheryl Perry (BBMFL) $250
October 19, 2011 - A Request for Proposals (RFP) #715-10794 was issued by Procurement Services
for the beach equipment rental franchise on Fort Lauderdale Beach. 526 prospective bidders were notified. The contract has significant value to the parties – the City’s guaranteed share is over $1mil.
November 28, 2011- The RFP was opened on. Of 526 solicitations, one bid was received from Boucher Brothers Beach Management Fort Lauderdale, LLC, (BBMFL) who is the incumbent and has held the contract for beach equipment rental franchise for the past 3 years.
November 30, 2011
Mayor Seiler reports campaign contributions from Boucher interests:
Heather Boucher (BBMFL) $250
James Rocco Boucher (BBMFL) $250
Loreto Z. Boucher (BBMFL) $250
Perry A. Boucher (BBMFL) $250
Edward Pozzouli (Tripp Scott) $250
Stephanie Toothaker (Tripp Scott) $250
Norman Tripp (Tripp Scott) $250
December 5, 2011
Mayor Seiler reports campaign contributions from Boucher interests:
Gina Pozzouli $200 (Fundraiser)
Jan 11, 2010
Mayor Jack Seiler meets with Lobbyist Toothaker (re: Lauderdale One Condo) – no disclosure regarding Boucher Brothers
Jan. 14, 2012 - Mayor Seiler reports campaign contributions from Boucher interests:
Maxine Calloway (Husband Shutts) $150
Joseph M. Goldstein (Shutts) $250
Anitra Lanczi (Shutts) $ 50
Jan 17, 2012
Fort Lauderdale City Commission approves 3 year contract with BBMFL
Approved on consent agenda – no public discussion or disclosures
Jan. 19, 2012 - Mayor Seiler reports campaign contributions from Boucher interests:
Brendan Barry (Shutts) $250
Jan. 26, 2012 - Mayor Seiler reports campaign contributions from Boucher interests:
Sidney Calloway (Shutts) $250 – Fundraiser
Stephen Tilbrook (Shutts) $100 –Fundraiser
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you forgot last entry-
Jan. 31 - re-elected for three more years.
make a formal complaint to state ethics commission or give us a break.
please. this is how 'business' gets done in Broward, and Ft Ldle
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Complaint was filed with Broward OIG
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ineffective department.
state ethics commission in tallahassee.
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Hey Tim Smith - Is this how business is done in Fort Lauderdale? 526 vendors and one response? When you were in office is this how things were done?
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Tim please delete this. It's unrelated to the subject that is so important to stay focused on.
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To InspectorGeneral Broward County
As you will see from the attached, Riverwalk Trust is paying formal "Tribute" to Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. "Jack" Seiler. I have suggested to Mayor Seiler this this appears improper on a few levels:
Riverwalk has a contract with the City - Seiler is receiving a gift/ direct/indirect benefit from the event as they honor him publicly and offer personal access to him at an elite gathering - that is prohibited under 2011-19
Riverwalk Board has one active political candidate (Ken Keechl)
Boucher Brother Lobbyist Stephen Tilbrook (Shutts and Bowen) is a Riverwalk Trust Board Member - gives an appearance of impropriety
City just approved a 28 story building on Riverwalk. The Developer's lobbyist is VP. of the Riverwalk Trust. - gives an appearance of impropriety
I think deserves note that for an additional cost you may spend an extra hour with the Mayor.
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he raised 125k for a 35k a year job
we know he doesn't get these 'visitors' because he gets to lead a parade every year
votes for approval of projects?
just don't call it quid pro quo
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It looks like quid pro quo - very efficient and well-orchestrated by the Mayor and his "supporters"
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I concur.
Time to contact State Ethics Commission. They don't fool around. Forget the local counselors.
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Come on -
unless this pertains to you or cohorts, Tim's perogative
we know no elected officials or lobbyists bother reading blogs, right?
thanks Tim for freedom of the press and an open minded blog taking the pulse of Ft Ldle
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Go to Earls blog if you want to bash the mayor. We stay on topic here.
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your 2 comments have yet to 'stay on topic' - you are not the first amendment police
no one is bashing anyone and posting someone on the city commission's visitor log clearly demonstrates that the lobbyists are not going to the 8th fl to propose solutions to ft ldle crime, neighborhood concerns or other issues that are serious Topics on Tim's blog, just how to get their deals done with our tax Dollars
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The problem is none of the visits were logged or disclosed in any way. Under the new rules that is illegal. Jack has Harry's opinion that even though the new law is in effect - it does not apply to this matter - sort of reminds me of that picture Tim posted of the ape with big testicles
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rt-
sorry to break the news here but with the exception of a few dozen at most the citizens taxpayers are being had - we don't vote and the 8th fl does 'whats best' for us, the apathetic, disinterested, distracted proletariat. the campaign donors/lobbyists/ developers/vendors, etc. are not running to the 8th fl with solutions to the homeless problem, the deterioration of downtown and public spaces as a result of the homeless problem, the widespread street flooding across the neighborhoods, the concentrated pockets of crime in some neighborhood like SMR and MRT, etc., etc. Until we participate we get what we get. some may want to offer a better direction for the city but they have no chance of getting elected because they are not 'players'. all the speculative developers who purchased property(ies) to do a deal, build something, sell and retire out of state will sit on their land for a long time before any gentrification on a scale similar to 5 or 8 years ago happens in central/downtown ft ldle.
to another post where comment was made on donations to others, all raised in mid-5 figures, but they only need 3 votes out of 5 to ram a sweetheart deal thru.
its just how its(always been) done and it won't change. get used to it or get moving (like out of S FL)!
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Ms. Marsha is President of NAACP, she went after Hill and Norvis, two great cops. When I worked district two I made sure to say hello to her and she refused to acknowledge me. What do you think would happen if a white member of the DDA refuse to acknowledge a black officer that greets them? I'm glad Mr.Poole is a stand up guy. The Black Community needs more leaders like him.
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Is she also the President of a neighborhood Civic Association? And is this Ron Centamore I am speaking with?
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Is a blog jack***. You're not speaking 'with' anyone. I believe his point was Ms. Marsha likes to be at odds with the police because it justifies her existance. Who cares who made the comment but no she's not president or her civic association. She doesn't even live in the area under discussion.
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If that's the case people should care just about as much what she says as they care when Plantation resident Howard Finkelstein opens his mouth. Neither of them has any standing, street credibility, and in Howard's case, In my opinion he has a pretty large conflict of interest with the Fort Lauderdale Poliice Department he should disclose before he opens his mouth again.
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sadly there will be some that will be at odds with law enforcement regardless of good faith efforts to curtail crime. I am sure FLL police would rather not have assignments in crime ridden neighborhoods and will do what they can and within their limitations to reduce crime, since stopping it is impossible. howard did himself and his office a disservice by not doing some 'leg work' first. if he did not want to reach out to Chief Adderley, maybe do a drive along, contact the district comm., etc. in an effort to suffuse tension, not increase it, they he is pandering to the liberals or whatever they want to be called who oppose pro-active neighborhood patrols. If the neighborhood is 90% of one race (whatever the color or shade), and crime is committed by the same race, do the residents deserve to have 'look the other way' enforcement because it'll appear to be racial profiling if the police are pulling over somebody other than WASP (thats a white anglo saxon protestant)? Mr. Poole wanted the quiet and safe enjoyment of his home, and some on his block/neighborhood likely want the same. I am disapointed in finkelstein, and he may not backtrack on this so how do we get someone who will work to curtail crime and make ALL of Ft. Lauderdale safe??? Why do we have to have these disagreements when the WHOLE city needs to be safe and crime reduced?
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Maybe Howard should take a break from his safe Plantation neighborhood and spend a night in the Peacemaker somewhere in the Great Northwest. And if I was Police Cheif Adderly I would pretty offended by little howie's comments that he is not in control of what's happening. In my opinion if there are any racist running around here that need to be caught, I might start by profile the hypocrites with ponytails and a secret past first.
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if he is elected to his position then lets vote him out. and if we don't then we can only complain. until citizens that vote do 'our job' we get what we get because we are apathetic and lazy. since 3 of the 5 are already back for 3 more years I'll bet nothing will change for the city except more whining from some
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Well I heard no none is running against him because of the unfair advantage he has due to his persona on Channel 7's Help Me Howard segment. Maybe there should be a law that sitting elected officials can't demagogue to the public from their own regular TV shows.
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Did anyone demand to see his entertainment contract for WSVN's Help Me Howard segment?
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I see nothing but criticism and sometimes mockery of anyone who steps up to run for elected office. No wonder no one is doing that for county defender as well. finkelstein gets an open ended contract no matter what we write here!
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help me howard.....
helping actual crackheads get restraining orders on citizens....
just like anal bleaching, he's all the rage!
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help me howard.....
helping actual crackheads get restraining orders on citizens....
just like anal bleaching, he's all the rage!
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Howard Finkelstein is an idiot!! He's completely out of touch with reality with what's going on in Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods to make a statement like that.
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Riding that train, high on cocaine
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I recall Howard signed a judge's name to false documents to receive illegal narcotics and was arrested. How did the Florida Bar allow him to retain his license?
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I have to tell you what my son passed on to me. He is worried that his new bestest friend Marsha is going to find out that out of all his investigators only one is black. In fact a couple of months ago there were two black investigators until Al Smith fired Eddie Robinson. During the unemployment hearing the hearing officer found that Al Smith lied about his reason for terminating Eddie and awarded him unemployment. After firing Eddie Al hired one of his white cronies, joel Maney who ran into troubles at Wilton Manors. Who's the racist now.
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nice work mom!
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Tim, I see a follow story in the making
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I guess Howard was right, there ARE lying cops. He just forgot to specify they were retired cops that work in HIS OFFICE!
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I think everyone that worked with Al Smith at the PD are tickled by his title "Chief Investigator." When I worked in the Bureau years ago, I recall reviewing one of super undercover investigations and it wasn't a good work product. Looks like there no change with his lack of investigative skills.
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I heard Help Me Howard is a no show tonight at the meeting between the NAACP and police and the Neighborhood. I guess Howard didn't want to get hit with a tomato from someone from the neighborhood who thinks we need the police force to be more effective not less.
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