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The daily press and the Detroit Fire Department seem determined to continue covering up the volatile racial situation in the city's engine houses, despite escalating attacks on members of Phoenix, the black firefighters' organization (SUN, April 8 and 22). Although 36 affirmative action promotions of blacks were overturned in court on February 10 on grounds of "reverse discrimination", harassment of Phoenix leaders has intensified.

Clarence Tobias and Jim Brown of Ladder Company 19--both principals in the SUN's interview-had their car windshields smashed last week. One witness reported seeing a white firefighter toss away a two-by-four and leave the scene. Other black firefighters have had their tires slashed.

Nevertheless, no investigation of rampant day-to-day racism in the Department seems to be forthcoming, and the Free Press continúes to give the white firefighters' side exclusively. The removal of dogs from the station houses, for example, was reported as a callous move against the harmless practice of keeping pets, when in fact many dogs were adopted and fed by white firefighters, were given names like "Coleman" and "Nigger," and sometimes bit black residents who came to the stations to use the phone or the restrooms. The rule against pets in the stations has been on the books for years. 

Paul Garrison, one of the black firefighters promoted to Fire Sergeant by the City of Detroit during the affirmative action program, has returned to the City the added amount paid him during his short tenure as Fire Sergeant. Due to the court's ruling against the affirmative action program, Garrison felt that Detroit taxpayers shouldn't pay double for something that they are not receiving." 

Garrison, a 10-year veteran of the department, and a Phoenix member, says, "We not only have to contend with the fires, we have to contend with racism on the job. To get any action, you have to prove it to a court or to the Fire Commissioner, and it's usually subtle. But it's driving a lot of good men out of the Department." If Smashing windows and using dogs to "protect" firehouses from residents is "subtle", we'd hate to see what's blatant. 

The trial of black Flint police woman Madeline Fletcher (SUN, June 3) is underway after a surprisingly short eight days of jury selection. 

Fletcher is on trial for a December 27 shootout which took place behind Flint Police Headquarters. The shootout was triggered by an argument between the 20 year-old Fletcher and white male officer Walter Kalberer, 34, over who would drive the car. A scuffle ensued, with Fletcher shooting Kalberer in the thigh, and at least 14 shots being returned by Kalberer and other officers standing nearby. 

Kalberer was hospitalized for nine days, put on sick leave, and returned to active duty. Fletcher was hospitalized for six weeks, suspended from the force, and Kalberer was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm. If convicted, she could receive up to ten years in jail. 

The jury of ten men and four women, including four blacks, was agreed upon last week after Kenneth V. Cockrel, Fletcher's defense attorney, requested a change of venue to Detroit because of massive pretrial publicity. Genesee County Circuit Court Judge Donald R. Freeman denied Cockrel's request, giving no reason.

One of the first prosecution witnesses was 21-year-old police officer Peter Yaquinto. According to Yaquinto, Fletcher had threatened "to shoot his head off" on December 6. Under cross-examination, it was learned that Yaquinto was playing pool with Fletcher on that day, and that in August 1975 he had submitted two written reports complaining about another black female police officer. But the most interesting development was that Yaquinto hadn't filed a report of the threat heall.egedly received from Fletcher until December 31 , four days after the shooting, and then only at the suggestion of his commanding officer. 

Kalberer, who was another early witness, admitted that Fletcher hadn't touched him first. He said that he was startled by Fletcher's talking back to him after ordering her to move over. 

He admitted to then collaring Fletcher. Under cross-examination, Kalberer also admitted to an earlier argument with a black female officer over the temperature in a police cruiser. Kalberer ended that argument by pulling out the heater hose under the hood. 

Then, an startling move, witness Kalberer pulled out of his pocket a copy of a fall 1974 letter he had written to the Police Department objecting to women on the force. In the letter, which Kalberer read aloud in court, he threatened a possible lawsuit and said that women joining the apartment would cause marital problems for male officers. 

John T. McCraw, chief assistant prosecutor, attempted to paint Kalberer as a "by-the-book" policeman who was cautious enough to wear a bullet-proof vest and carry a second pocket weapon. Cockerel pointed out that a second gun is in violation of Department regulations.

Fletcher's chances ride on Cockerel's ability to prove that the Flint Police Department is guilty of racism and sexism, and thereby throw the guilt for the December 27 shootout on the Department--not on Madeline Fletcher. 

The continuing disagreements between certain local feminists and the new Feminist Women's City Club continues to have unfortunate consequences for the women's movement here. Now three black women, saying "We don't want to be part of the hassle of the white feminists," have resigned their positions at the Downtown Detroit Feminist Women's Health Clinic (located in the City Club) to work on their own. 

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