The Deputy Chief with A Durham Attitude

"What I know about the Duke lacrosse case and the need for us to rebuild in the community seems to be a perception that's portrayed by you guys in the media. ... I know that our citizens are tired of the Duke lacrosse case, our officers are not so much tired of the Duke lacrosse case, but are probably getting a little impatient with how it's being covered and played out in the media and probably more importantly how people are asking them questions about it out there in the public....[I don't] recall that the Durham Police Department has been involved in something where we made major mistakes in the past five years"

- Durham Deputy Police Chief Ron Hodges

I'm the Deputy Police Chief

With a "Durham attitude"...

It's the media's wrong "perception"

Which "outsiders" misconstrued.

-

We're "impatient" with this coverage

We're all "tired" of this case.

So the Lacrosse kids were railroaded ...Oops!

Not our mistake!

-

Stop with all the questions!

"Out in public" ... that's just RUDE!

(But a year of public scourging

Of those Dukies ... we approve!)

-

To the citizens of Durham I'd say,

"Don't pay them no mind!"

The media doesn't understand

It's how we do things all the time.

-

Yes, indeed, our cops KNEW Crystal

And we knew what Crystal "did."

Why, the first Cop she encountered

Even asked about her "kids"!

-

So why ignore her history

And her wildly changing tales?

Well, local politics needed Dukies

Handcuffed and marched to jail!

-

Alibis annoyed us.

Our reaction was severe.

We arrested the best witness,

Tried to flip Elmo with fear.

-

Witness intimidation?

Hey! Elmo forgot his place!

We'd never let inconvenient truth

Mess up a crimeless case!

-

If we don't like the things we hear,

Our tactic is delay.

We don't write notes immediately.

Which might give our case away.

-

We wait until months later,

When we can shape and obfuscate.

And add those pretty details like -

Watching Crystal "ambulate!"

-

We believe in creativity

When necessity demands.

Crystal's six failed ID efforts

Required a more "helpful" plan.

-

So with some ingenuity

And no wrong answers to confuse

We set the cameras rolling

And got indictments to pursue!!

-

So why this bellyaching?

"On information and belief"

The whole town wanted Dukies

Swinging from the trees!!

-

The DPD came through for Nifong,

Without questions or complaints.

So, if you enjoyed our methods,

Choose me ... I know the game.

-

Choose me! The loyal local!

"Don't ask! Don't tell! Don't know!"

And with my "Durham attitude" ...

I'll keep the status quo!

Joan Foster