BlogWood: MT Archives

Food not bombs

There's a good article in the SP Times today about the incidents in Tampa in which volunteers were arrested for feeding the homeless in a city park.

In a nutshell, the city backed off after being convinced that Tampa’s anti- homeless feeding ordinance was unconstitutional. Mayor Iorio has promised to rework the law to make sure that only the rich can eat in city parks, and the browbeating cop who made the first arrest has been rewarded by the city for continuing to use physical force against the powerless.

In July 2003, a homeless man complained that Balkcom beat him up while arresting him at the Tampa Convention Center. Witnesses said Balkcom ordered the man to stand against a wall, then kneed him and struck him with a nightstick. Balkcom said "he would throw the guy in the river to see how good he could swim," one witness said.

Internal affairs investigators cleared Balkcom of wrongdoing.

"Gary can be rough around the edges," said Peters, his supervisor.

Asked about the complaints filed against him, Balkcom said his job policing the streets is tough, and sometimes he has to be forceful if people don't cooperate. He cheerfully shared with a reporter a Chris Rock video - "How Not to Get Your A-- Kicked by the Police" - that he has downloaded onto his cruiser's computer.

He works hard, Peters said. Balkcom comes in at 6 a.m. when his shift doesn't start until 7. He has hired homeless men to do construction work for his side business, Peters said.

When Balkcom was named officer of the month, council member Rose Ferlita cited his efforts helping the homeless.

"Gary has gone over and above to try to resolve at least part of (the problem) as much as he can," she said.