AP News, June 28th, 2006
The head of the local police union is calling for the resignation of a town official, who referred to members of the force as "testosterone gushers" in an e-mail recommending the establishment of awards to honor town employees.
Finance Committee member Lisa Arnold, 63, said she was just joking when she used the remark in message to the town's selectmen to suggest police administrative assistant Nancy Braga be recognized for her long service.
"Lord, that girl has sat over there with those testosterone gushers for 37 years and lived to tell about it," Arnold wrote in an e-mail dated June 16.
Sgt. Thomas Plourde, president of the Police Officers of Westport Alliance, said Arnold should step down. He told the Standard-Times of New Bedford that he would ask town selectmen to look into her remarks.
"I don't think that she likes police officers or, at least, male officers," he said.
But Arnold said Monday she was one of the town's biggest supporters of the police.
"I mean, they've got biceps 10 inches around. My God," she told the newspaper. "I mean, have you seen their shoulders? They're huge. Their shirts are tight, they are busting out of them. ... Testosterone is just a metaphor.
"If I was in trouble, I'd want one of those big moose to be there," she said.
Finance Committee chairman Paul Schmid said he didn't think her initial remarks were representative of her feelings for the force.
"That is the kind of comment, however, that we should all learn not to put in an e-mail," he said.
