Sherry Davis wants City Council to create policy for informing bereaved
COATESVILLE – Sherry Davis, the mother of murder victim Alex Davis, presented a heartfelt letter to the Coatesville City Council at its meeting on Monday night.
In a letter read by Geraldine Turner, the mother of another murder victim, Davis said that that police handled the situation improperly.
After hearing that her son had been shot, Davis and her husband waited at the hospital for three hours before being called into Alex’s room. She said that no one told her that her son was dead, and she only found out once she went into the room and saw for herself. None of the hospital staff or police present informed her of her son’s death, she said.
“There were many officers lined up against the wall [of the hospital room] and when I saw my son lying on the table, I thought he was just asleep,” the letter stated. “No one at any point told me that my son was dead. I just realized it on my own.”
Davis said that no one from the police department has apologized for how the news was handled.
“I was so hurt and angry by how we were treated. You knew my son was deceased,” she said in the letter.
Davis asked for City Council to create a policy to make sure such an incident does not occur again.
With the case still unsolved, she also asked for her son’s killer to be brought to justice.
“I’m sure they’re [county detectives, who are heading the investigation] doing as much as they can with what they have,” responded City Council Member Jeff Loprinzi.
Police Chief Jack Laufer said that he could not comment as an investigation and grand jury proceedings are currently underway.
In other city news, the city’s policy on street closures is still under heavy discussion.
Earlier this summer, City Council found out that with police and equipment costs, the city loses money every time it closes down a street. Council members discussed charging a $600 fee with the possibility of a waiver for non-profit groups. However, some Council members thought $600 was too high, so they weighed the possibility of changing the cost to $300 without a waiver for non-profits.
“We felt that it was a heavy burden on the individual that wants to close the street; we felt it was unfair,” said City Council Vice President Joe Hamrick.
But some City Council members thought the cost was still too high.
“I don’t know if we really received a real breakdown of where the expenses come from,” said Council Member Arvilla Hunt. She also said that some groups, such as churches that want to hold services outside, are working to improve the city, and it would be unfair to charge them so much.
Loprinzi believes the cost is justifiable, saying that police should be present at any event requiring a street closing.
Chief Laufer said that in the past, citizens on closed streets have complained about inconvenience from closures as well as thefts of lawn furniture and other types of misbehavior. Much of the cost in the proposed plan comes from paying a police officer overtime to be present at the event as well as wear and tear on equipment and gas usage of a police cruiser.
Hunt said that she believes that citizens should not be allowed to close streets for excessive amounts of time and that the city’s attempt to “nickel and dime” citizens is also excessive.
Council agreed to discuss the matter further and vote at a later meeting.
Representing the Chesco Grand Prix, Crosby Wood asked City Council to consider moving the date of the city’s annual Celebrate Coatesville day.
The Grand Prix staff, who hold their Coatesville Classic in conjunction with the celebration, thinks that moving the events to Aug. 9 or 10 next year could improve volunteer and spectator turnout and provide better weather conditions.
He also said that they have been discussing the possibility of adding new events that would draw more participation from community members. A 5k foot race and a casual ride through the city are two possibilities. Such events could allow more people to run or ride by businesses downtown.
“At the end of the day, we’re all trying to revitalize,” said Wood.
Though no decisions were made, Brazzle said that he would like to see Council accommodate the requests, as the Grand Prix is good for the city.
