Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,  

I have sent this to the Somerville Journal, not sure if they will publish, via email and mailing a copy to the Mayor and Chief of Police to share with all of his staff.

Please publish this in The Somerville News Weekly. 

Thanks,

Angela DiTucci

Letter to Somerville Journal:

Dear President and Journalists,
I read the article from the Somerville Journal- Thursday September 12, 2019, titled “There was no reason to arrest people”.

I consider myself an open-minded person but just by that title and a caption in the article “A protestor’s perspective” , I felt it was going to be a bias article. An on reading the article, I feel it was. Not sure why the author did not incorporate “ A Police Officer’s perspective”.

The last, very long paragraph soliciting formal statements or anonymous statements, pictures, videos, looking for “violations of the laws” and on and on further proved my initial reaction of bias.

So I will provide my name, Angela DiTucci- resident in Somerville and I will without hesitation provide several statements. The title should not lead the reader to think or believe the Somerville Police Officers did wrong. To reiterate- where is the “A Police Officer’s perspective.”

Do I ever read anything about what the life of a Somerville Police Officer is now a day? Has any of the Somerville Journal journalists done any reporting of bottles of urine or water , rocks, violence and execution style killings that we hear on national news that has happened to Police Officers all over the country if that and how has that affected the Somerville Police Department.

Did I read about the journalists investigating then reporting on Somerville Police Officers on 8/28/19 being assaulted at station in the Somerville Journal? Do I read how Somerville Police Officers show their commitment and care for the Somerville community beyond there call of duty? So I will tell you one of many from a personal experience.

My elderly mother-in-law fell very late one evening and we called 911. The Fire Department- Ladder 7 and EMT’s were wonderful. My husband just had shoulder surgery and unable to drive. I was frantic, it was very stressful and I could not even think about driving to the ER. I was able to go with the ambulance. The Police Officer saw the overwhelmed look my husband and I had in our faces and without hesitation and with compassion immediately provided my husband a way to get to the ER quickly to be with his mother.
So my take home point, show the same respect and concern and open forum that you obviously had for the protestor’s also for the Somerville Police Officers.

So thank you to the Somerville Police Officers for being a police officer and keeping our city safe!

Respectfully submitted
Angela DiTucci