Detroiters complain of being frisked at polling location that opened late

Source: Detroit News

August 7, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Detroiters complain of being frisked at polling location that opened late
By Tony Briscoe and Christine Ferretti

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Darnell Wright, executive director of the Detroit NAACP, said he spent about 40 minutes at the high school Tuesday morning after a number of calls came in to its election protection hotline, complaining that the polls weren't open and that there was an individual dressed in "Army fatigues and combat boots" checking bags of voters attempting to gain admittance to the school.

Wright said the NAACP immediately was in contact with school officials to ensure "no voters were harassed, intimidated or impeded from voting today" at the building or any of the 14 other school locations being used as polling sites

"That kind of presence very well could lead to voters being intimidated and not wanting to approach the school building," said Wright, adding he didn't believe the intimidation was intentional. "The gentleman was nice in demeanor and wasn't abrasive, other than his image being abrasive to the situation. He was there to do a job, but extra sensitivity was needed … today is Election Day."

Wright said the issue was promptly sorted out with the assistance of the clerk's office and school officials. He said the searches were being conducted by one individual. The school, he said, had contracted a private security firm.

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Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120807/POLITICS01/208070365#ixzz22stagzbU

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Is anyone surprised by this?