I tend to agree with EMOM.
Being a "local" to the area i have heard numerous stories and "law enforcement facts" that Disney World is a pro at "covering things up" hiring ex agents and officials with varying expertise. From minor incidents to deaths and kinapping and from simple food poisoning to an epidemic like a cruise line. The problem is that they never get in trouble or even a slap on the hand for anything they DO or in most cases they DON'T DO.
I understand that they are the largest single taxpayer in Florida and they are responsible for bringing in local tourist dollars and hotel tax revenues to the area, but there is also a thing called CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, which Disney is fully lacking in this instance.
In this instance Disney refused to call local authorities taking it upon themselves and the Mouse Police to take matters into their own hands. Responsible for taking witness statements and the such. Unfortunately because of this, it cost Orange County Tax Payers much more on the case at hand than it should have if properly handled in the first place. The Mouse Police did not take the witness statements on standard court admissable forms (that they have) thus making the real officers unable to arrest Victoria Walker on the spot.
Orange County had to do a full blown investigation and get ahold of these witnesses that they were unable to speak to at the scene, taking time and man-power, after concluding the investigation they had to issue an arrest warrant and serve it to AL. officials to extradite Ms. Walker back to Florida. Orange County picks up the tab on this expense from the investigating after the fact to the charges of extradition from Alabama. I am sure the Mouse House was counting on the fact that witnesses would just go about there merry time within the park and no one would come forward, heading back to where ever they came to visit Disney from. This is the reason they refused to call the Sheriff's office in the beginning and when they did, they made everyone go to the front of the park to meet with them as they didn't want to ruin the other guest "Magical Time" having a uniformed officer respond within the park.
Being able to sweep it under the rug once again with their un-enforceable onsight police handling the case.
Dinsney bungled this case in two ways it seems: first the CM was either ill-trained to know what proper steps to take in the case of this occurring, or he wasn't empowered to take the corrective steps when asked to contact security to help with the situation at hand. If the CM took the correct steps this would have never been able to progress onto the ride platform itself.
Secondly: Disney refused to call local police when demanded to do so, allowing this vicious attack to almost go unnoticed by local law enforcement and being swept under the rug. It sounds as though they victim is fortunate enough that the witnesses were not the type that didn't want to witness anything and came forward and were willing to speak to the Police Dept. bringing this to fruition.
Disney's spokeswomen is what tipped me off that they had no plan to ever report this. In her first interview with NEWS13 she said, "A Disney spokeswoman said the park doesn't limit law enforcement access, but in this case, didn't see an immediate need to call deputies." On her second interview, after Krause told the Orlando Seintinel, "she and others asked at least twice for the rides operator to call security and have Walker removed.
Walt Disney World spokeswoman Andrea Finger said employees followed the proper procedures and security responded to the scene right after the attack.
Cast members are trained to contact security when they identify a disturbance. In this incident, the cast member did just that," Finger said
The CM in this incident did not only NOT identify a disturbance but did not care enough or know what to do, to take control when asked by numerous people to contact security and the disturbance was being pointed out to the CM. Was the ride just simply understaffed for the holiday and he wasn't able to respond accordingly and the way they had been "trained to do so?"
In this instance Krause is right in what she says, you cant take the false sense of security at Disney just because you see CM's or Mouse Security around. You have to be aware of your surroundings and just becuase you are supposed to be in the "Happiest Place on Earth" that does not mean that everyone shares your thoughts, you must think twice before you do as a CM tells you to do something, they may be putting you in harms way and not react accordingly when they do.
Why two differring stories within as many days of this occurring from Ms. Finger?
A sweep under the rug gone wrong?
I give the victim kudos for coming forward and making sure that this gets treated the same as any other crime would have if it were not on Disney property and the Mouse wasnt trying to control the situation on there own and assume or act as though they had the power to do such.
I do have one question though, does anybody REALLY know when you call 911on Disney property where does the call go?
I cannot believe as someone said prior :"looking at that ROCK on her hand in the interview that she could not afford a cell phone to call Orange County herself if she needed them so badly."
Cant wait for this to go to trial and see what Ms. Walker gets in the end, God knows it will be more than what she turned down on a plea bargain of only one year.
Heres cheering for you Ms. Walker!
Heres your Jury
