- December 21, 2024
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Arrest request
8:55 p.m., 2100 block of Seventh Street
Dispute: Just wanting to be left alone, a man called police because he wanted his wife “to go to jail for a couple days.” An officer interviewed the complainant's wife who advised that her husband recently had knee surgery and is on medication. She keeps an eye on him, she said, but he gets frustrated and emotional. She stated that her daughter is coming to visit her, which he doesn't like.
Interviewed separately, the complainant said he didn’t want his wife’s daughter in the home. The officer determined the man was attempting to create a problem so he could be alone and avoid his wife and stepdaughter, who arrived while the officer was on the scene.
The man stated that he did not need the police after all and he would be by himself in his room.
Sidewalk squabble
2:16 p.m. 1400 bock of First Street
Dispute: Activism taking place on a sidewalk outside a retail establishment brought police, and eventually city legal staff, to settle a dispute between the store and the activists who had set up a table to solicit signatures on a petition.
A store manager told police it has been long been understood that all sidewalk area surrounding the store was private property, owned by the retail with sole jurisdiction over the space. The petitioners, meanwhile, claimed the sidewalk was deeded to the store with the understanding that it was treated as a public right-of-way and thus available for such use.
The responding officer contacted a sergeant, who contacted a captain, who contacted a city of Sarasota legal advisor, who then contacted the city attorney about the matter. The sergeant and legal advisor arrived on scene and ultimately determined the outer sidewalk surrounding the store was public easement, however, the sidewalk directly in front of the store's main entrance and along its frontage are privately owned by the store.
Due to the vagueness of the boundaries and potential for legal backlash, though, officers were given direction to not take any action and leave the issue for debate between legal counsels. Officers left the scene after asking the activists to take their stand to a sidewalk bordering the outer perimeter of the store property, a request that was “politely” declined.
Going postal
3:25 p.m., 2000 block of Siesta Drive
Dispute: A woman seeking signatures on a petition at a post office location claimed she was verbally attacked by a male. While the officer was en route, the complainant advised that the subject had driven across the street to store parking lot. The complainant told the officer the subject blocked her in and began to argue with her over the nature of her petition.
The officer then made contact with the subject who said when he voiced his opinion about the complainant’s petition that she became “extremely upset.” He said he proceeded to have a civil discussion with a second petitioner as the complainant made racial accusations toward him. The man then got into his vehicle and left the area. No further action was taken.
He can’t take a hint
5:12 p.m., 3500 block of Cheshire Square
Family dispute: A woman told police she was attempting to get her brother-in-law to leave an apartment community’s pool area after he made two juvenile females uncomfortable by not leaving them alone. Officers reported the man was calm and cooperative, but obviously was intoxicated. Community management staff had alerted the woman that he would not stop harassing the females, and when they tried to block his access back to the pool area he pushed them aside.
The two juveniles told police the man sat by them and insisted on talking to them, but they tried ignoring him and moved to another area of the pool. After moving near them again, they complained to the management.
The man does not live in the apartment community, but was there visiting family members, who arrived to take him from the pool area. No probable cause existed to show any crime had occurred.
