by Susan Vespoli
“I think god has another plan for my life.” —Adam Vespoli, weeks before he was shot
City of Phoenix
solicits public input
on “Use of Force” policy.
Officer Donnell Lindo, the cop who shot
my son is gone.
Core Principles: Goal
of every encounter is
to resolve without force.
Turned in his gun,
his holster, badge.
Employees shall make
every effort to preserve
sanctity of human life.
was found by Critical
Incident Review Board to be in the wrong.
Referred for discipline.
Employees shall respect,
uphold value, rights, liberty,
dignity of all
Resigned before he was fired.
(Didn’t resign before he fired the gun.)
persons at all times.
Always use de-escalation
tactics. Shall be held
The cop who shot my son
is gone.
accountable for
violating policy.
Discharge of firearm.
Where’d he run?
“He no longer works for the department.”
—Clerk at Phoenix Police Public Records
Turned in his badge,
his bullets, gun.
Shooting person close
range in the head is Deadly
Force always last resort.
My son is gone.
Author’s note: Words in italics are “found poem” from mail conversation with Police Records and "Use of Force" Proposal.
Susan Vespoli writes from Phoenix, Arizona where she continues to write toward finding some sort of justice for her son, Adam Vespoli, who was shot and killed by police on March 12, 2022.
Editor's Note: The New Verse News previously published five of long-time contributor Susan Vespoli's poems about the killing of her son by police: "Before I Knew Adam Had Died" and "My Ex-Husband Calls To Tell Me Our Son Has Been Shot By Police," "Police Violence in Reverse," "Dear 2022," and “I Am Finally Handed the Critical Incident Review Board Report.”