Being made a victim twice

Your View
Published: November 16, 2008

An article in the Nov. 6 edition of the News & Messenger announced the sentencing of a Frederick, Maryland police officer, who had been convicted of public intoxication. He was arrested by Prince
William County police when he attempted to report the vandalism of his vehicle. It was interesting to note that there was no mention of whether or not the PWC police had solved, what in my opinion is the
more serious crime, the $5,000 worth of damage to the Frederick officer’s vehicle.  In fact, it seems to me that the victim was doubly victimized by our county police.

It seems almost as if the PWC police, in concert with the commonwealth’s attorney, seek to deter folks from reporting crime. In late September, I was the victim of a hit and run (property damage only).
Initially, the PWC police were extremely reluctant to investigate.  However, because there was an eyewitness and because the same driver damaged my vehicle and public property, they eventually made
an arrest. 

Since that arrest was made, I have tried multiple times to obtain the police report, only to be met with surly responses from PWC police staff. To add insult to injury (literally), the commonwealth’s
attorney has served me with a subpoena to appear in court, meaning I will lose a day’s wages. I cannot file a claim with my insurance company, because the PWC police will not provide me a copy of the
police report, and I will lose a day’s pay because I will have to appear at the trial of the individual who crashed into my vehicle. I can’t testify to anything about the crime itself, I was in France at the time of
the accident. The lesson is, I would have been much better off if my son had not reported the crime. Maybe that’s what the PWC police and the commonwealth’s attorney’s office are after — better crime
statistics for Prince William County.

JESSE ROSE

Woodbridge