When letters spell names
Officers A, B, and C now have names, deemed the city attorney's office in Riverside.
The Riverside Police Department has decided to release the names of the three officers involved in two recent fatal onduty shootings after all. This development provided a layer of transparency to a process that many members of the public feel remains shrouded in secrecy.
Initially, the agency had nixed releasing their identities after an attorney retained by the Riverside Police Officers' Association reminded City Attorney Gregory Priamos of the recent Copley Press v Superior Court decision released by the California State Supreme Court which prohibited the release of police officers' names without their permission. The department was advised to withhold the names until Priamos's office reviewed the ruling. In order to release their names, the officers involved in the shootings probably gave permission to do so or the city decided that the ruling didn't apply to officers' identities.
In two press releases written by Press Information Officer Steven Frasher, the names of the officers were disclosed.
The officers who shot Douglas Steven Cloud were Officers Dave Johansen and Nicholas Vazquez.
Oct. 8 shooting
Release of names of officers in Oct. 8 police shooting
Riverside, Ca- The Riverside Police Department is releasing the names of Police Officers involved in the recent shooting incidents in the City of Riverside.
On Sunday, October 8, 2006, Officers Nicholas VAZQUEZ and Brett STENNETT were en route to a robbery call at the Home Depot when they encountered the recently-wrecked suspect vehicle on Indiana Avenue near Jefferson. Officer David JOHANSEN also arrived within one minute of the suspect’s collision with a tree and parked truck.
According to the investigation to date, Officer Stennett was trying to physically remove the suspect, identified as Douglas Steven Cloud, 27, of Riverside, from his wrecked vehicle. Cloud struggled to break away and accelerated the vehicle at a high rate of rpm, working the steering wheel back and forth in an effort to escape. Fearing the car would lurch into one of the officers, and because suspect Cloud several times appeared to reach for something in the vehicle console officers feared might be a weapon, Officers Vasquez and Johansen fired their duty weapons.
Cloud died at the scene. Subsequent investigation found no weapon. The investigation continues.
The officer who shot Joseph Darnell Hill was Jeffrey Adcox. The officer who was with him was Officer Giovanni Ili.
Oct. 19 shooting
Release of names of officers in Oct. 19 police shooting
Riverside, Ca- The Riverside Police Department is releasing the names of Police Officers involved in the recent shooting incidents in the City of Riverside.
On Thursday, October 19, 2006, at approximately 10:15 a.m, Riverside Police Officer Jeffrey ADCOX conducted a traffic enforcement stop in the 5800-block of Crest Avenue, near the corner with Babb Avenue, on a motorist who had made an illegal U-turn and had failed to stop at a stop sign. Officer Giovanni ILI arrived within minutes as a backup.
During the enforcement stop, the suspect driver became belligerent with the officers. The incident escalated when the suspect physically attacked the officers. During the violent struggle the suspect and the officers fell to the ground. Once on the ground the suspect grabbed Officer Ili’s duty weapon and tried to pull the gun from the holster. As the officer fought to maintain his handgun the suspect grabbed the officer’s taser and pointed the taser at the Officer Ili. Fearing for the safety of Officer Ili, Officer Adcox fired his duty weapon striking and killing the suspect, identified by the Riverside County Coroner as Joseph Darnell HILL, 34, of Riverside.
The investigation continues.
The Riverside Police Department has decided to release the names of the three officers involved in two recent fatal onduty shootings after all. This development provided a layer of transparency to a process that many members of the public feel remains shrouded in secrecy.
Initially, the agency had nixed releasing their identities after an attorney retained by the Riverside Police Officers' Association reminded City Attorney Gregory Priamos of the recent Copley Press v Superior Court decision released by the California State Supreme Court which prohibited the release of police officers' names without their permission. The department was advised to withhold the names until Priamos's office reviewed the ruling. In order to release their names, the officers involved in the shootings probably gave permission to do so or the city decided that the ruling didn't apply to officers' identities.
In two press releases written by Press Information Officer Steven Frasher, the names of the officers were disclosed.
The officers who shot Douglas Steven Cloud were Officers Dave Johansen and Nicholas Vazquez.
Oct. 8 shooting
Release of names of officers in Oct. 8 police shooting
Riverside, Ca- The Riverside Police Department is releasing the names of Police Officers involved in the recent shooting incidents in the City of Riverside.
On Sunday, October 8, 2006, Officers Nicholas VAZQUEZ and Brett STENNETT were en route to a robbery call at the Home Depot when they encountered the recently-wrecked suspect vehicle on Indiana Avenue near Jefferson. Officer David JOHANSEN also arrived within one minute of the suspect’s collision with a tree and parked truck.
According to the investigation to date, Officer Stennett was trying to physically remove the suspect, identified as Douglas Steven Cloud, 27, of Riverside, from his wrecked vehicle. Cloud struggled to break away and accelerated the vehicle at a high rate of rpm, working the steering wheel back and forth in an effort to escape. Fearing the car would lurch into one of the officers, and because suspect Cloud several times appeared to reach for something in the vehicle console officers feared might be a weapon, Officers Vasquez and Johansen fired their duty weapons.
Cloud died at the scene. Subsequent investigation found no weapon. The investigation continues.
The officer who shot Joseph Darnell Hill was Jeffrey Adcox. The officer who was with him was Officer Giovanni Ili.
Oct. 19 shooting
Release of names of officers in Oct. 19 police shooting
Riverside, Ca- The Riverside Police Department is releasing the names of Police Officers involved in the recent shooting incidents in the City of Riverside.
On Thursday, October 19, 2006, at approximately 10:15 a.m, Riverside Police Officer Jeffrey ADCOX conducted a traffic enforcement stop in the 5800-block of Crest Avenue, near the corner with Babb Avenue, on a motorist who had made an illegal U-turn and had failed to stop at a stop sign. Officer Giovanni ILI arrived within minutes as a backup.
During the enforcement stop, the suspect driver became belligerent with the officers. The incident escalated when the suspect physically attacked the officers. During the violent struggle the suspect and the officers fell to the ground. Once on the ground the suspect grabbed Officer Ili’s duty weapon and tried to pull the gun from the holster. As the officer fought to maintain his handgun the suspect grabbed the officer’s taser and pointed the taser at the Officer Ili. Fearing for the safety of Officer Ili, Officer Adcox fired his duty weapon striking and killing the suspect, identified by the Riverside County Coroner as Joseph Darnell HILL, 34, of Riverside.
The investigation continues.
At a forum held on Oct. 19, many community members expressed frustration at the fact that the department had released little information on the shootings, especially their names. Local attorney Andrew Roth who attended the event as a panelist explained that the justices on the state's highest court had made the Copley ruling based on state law.
posted by Five Before Midnight | 8:58 PM
1 Comments:
The officer's involved did not give the department permission to release their names. They were told the department was going to release their names as directed by the City Attorney's office. The City Attorney doesn't think Copley applies to OIS's. But OIS's are subject to discipline because shooting's are included in the Use of Force Policy, which will be reviewed by IA to see if they are within policy. Apparently the City fears being sued by the Press Enterprise more than violating the Officer's rights and California State Law. We'll wait and see what happens next.
Sincerely,
The Insider
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