Going through some files this past Friday, I find a photocopy of the State Police complaint I filed against Democrat Debra Altschiller for assault. It was given to me by the detective sergeant who interviewed me (with my attorney present, in case you were wondering). It was bright and shiny and easy to read and, wonder of wonders, had the case number assigned to it, handwritten in the upper right-hand corner, a number Department of Safety lawyer David M. Hilts refused to provide to me, telling me the case was considered “closed“.
So, copy in hand, I toodle on down to Troop D, park in the visitors’ parking area, walk in and ask the young woman behind the glass for a copy of case number D19-04018. She looks at it, looks at me and says they don’t have it, that I will have to get it from State Police Headquarters in Concord.
Copy still in hand, off to Hazen Drive I go……..walk in the first floor and head to the Bureau of Operations. A lovely young woman asks if she can help me, I hand her the photocopy and say I’d like a copy of the file. She says OK and hands it to another woman. The second woman glances at it and says we don’t have that here, you gotta go upstairs to the State Police.
Second-floor elevator doors open, a nice woman sitting in a chair says “May I help you?” I say I would like a copy of a file. She says sure and walks me over to a glass door where she flashes her lanyard-hung ID card and another woman walks out. “How can I help you“, she says, I say I would like a copy of a file and hand her the photocopy. Pointing to my name she asks, is this you? I say yes, do you require identification? She says no, just have a seat.
Some 15 minutes pass and she returns asking for my mailing address…seems the file is at Troop D and they will have to mail it to me. I said, I just came from there and they said to come here. She says that’s the procedure. I ask for a written copy of the procedure. She returns to her office. I return to my seat.
Well, between the 2018 Christmas edition of Good Housekeeping, numerous People magazines and some ratty Readers’ Digests, I spent 25 riveting minutes more watching while 4 or 5 women, many in flip flops, all with the same lanyard, came out, sat down, played with their phones and then buzzed themselves back in.
Woman who took the photocopy from me doesn’t return but, who to my wondering eyes should appear but a little man who looks a lot like an actor named Seth Rogen – though somewhat hairier – and introduces himself to me as “Attorney David Hilts“. He hands me my photocopy back and says “I have nothing further to add to my previous correspondence.” I ask are you telling me that this file doesn’t exist? Just like pulling the string on a not-very-Chatty Cathy, he says “I have nothing to add to my previous correspondence.” Then, drawing himself up on his toes for what seems like emphasis, he adds “And I am speaking for the Department“.
So, a statement by another sitting state rep who said he witnessed one of the assaults, video footage of me and others along with still shots shown to me and my lawyer in the bowels of Troop D, my statement and at least two more statements mentioned by the detective sergeant apparently do not a case file make?. I said I don’t know what you may be covering up here but it should be fun trying to find out.
So, shut my mouth and call me the Energizer Bunny……I’m off to find out what’s behind door number what, 5?
