City Hall 101: Let the games begin
"How did you do that?" said the Wind.
"It was easy," said the Sun, "I lit the day. Through gentleness I got my way."
---Aesop who unfortunately never went into the field of running political campaigns.
Both Councilman Frank Schiavone and Mayor Ron Loveridge have proposed a list of committee appointments which will be discussed at the city council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m., not long after the four winners of Election 2007 are sworn into office. It's on the discussion calendar which means that it's likely some of these appointments will be challenged or the two elected officials anticipate that this will be the case.
Judging by the list, bloc building by Schiavone and Councilman Steve Adams has already begun in earnest. The list proposed smacks of favoritism as it is easy to see which city council members make the grade for both Schiavone and Loveridge (who's clearly found a compromise from the failure of his bid to sway the voters into allowing the mayor to pick committee chairs).
As is usual in games played of the political kind, already there are winners and losers.
Winners:
William "Rusty" Bailey, Ward Three
For being such a neophyte, Bailey's landed most of the plum committees in a way which is probably historic. He'll head Land Use and Public Utilities, serve as vice-chair on the all-important Governmental Affairs Committee and be a member of the Finance Committee. It's not clear whether or not Bailey is or will be his own man giving the line of current elected officials that lined up to endorse his candidacy before he even filed papers, but it's much more clear that other elected officials on the dais don't expect him to be independent.
Chris MacArthur, Ward Five
You'd think that after his xenophobic behavior during his campaign and the abyss that exists between him and the city's Latino leadership as a result, that other city council members would keep him at arm's length. It's not happening. MacArthur is clearly a member of the club, based on the fact that he's been nominated to chair the Finance Committee, be vice-chair of the Transportation Committee and a member at large of the Land Use Committee. His race and gender definitely help.
BASS, the sequel
Aesop the sage and storyteller
I guess he's been immortalized once again here. All right!
On the Cusp:
Mike Gardner, Ward One
Although he's done fairly well in securing committee assignments on the Public Safety Committee and took over Dom Betro's spot at chairing the Development Committee, Gardner still has to deal with the Schiavone-Adams duo who have the latter committee cornered. Still, at least he has the appearance of being independent of the newly forming voting bloc, unlike his colleague Bailey. But since he's been predicted by some naysayers as destroying the free world as we know it, his committee appointments should please those individuals.
William "Rusty" Bailey
There is of course, another way to look at Bailey's plum committee appointments. So what will it be, man or marionette?
Frank Schiavone, Ward Four
On paper, his position looks excellent as the city council's most senior member. But the highest price thoroughbred yearling in history, which became the Green Monkey, has yet to win a single race. Paper of course can only take a horse or a person so far.
He's chosen well for himself in terms of his committee assignments, but he's a big fish in a little pond trying to jump into a much bigger pond with much bigger fish. His appointments make it clear that he's pacing in place and not quite prepared to take a leap up yet at the same time, begging the question, will he be too busy campaigning for the county seat he hopes to win to even attend or conduct these meetings?
He's yet to show that he can hold his own as a single player and how he'll fare against a majority rule, an important tool he'll need to serve on the ship which runs the county.
Losers:
Andrew Melendrez, Ward Two
Either other councilmen like Schiavone and Adams view Melendrez as an independent voice they don't need now that Dom Betro is no longer "advising" him or Latinos just aren't going to be members of the club, but Melendrez was robbed of an assignment that due to his seniority was rightfully his on Governmental Affairs. The fact that Melendrez was snubbed in favor of newbie Bailey suggests strongly that the more experienced members of the dais have expectations of Bailey's service on the dais.
Melendrez' exclusion from Governmental Affairs puts his supporters in a pickle given the overlap between those who campaigned for him and those who did Bailey. Given that Adams is probably firmly fixed in that position, where will their loyalties lie. Will anyone who was in the Melendrez camp make noise?
Let's just put it this way. When the choice is often between a White man and a man of color, it's almost always the former who gets the support and the latter is often told to support them and be patient until it's "his turn". But in actuality, Bailey should be waiting a couple of years until the next election cycle and it's "his turn".
Public Expression at city council meetings
Want to reduce restrictions on public comment and restore the pulling of the consent calendar by people attending the meetings? With the configuration of the Governmental Affairs Committee which includes two people opposed to that and one newer member that many people have questions regarding his independence on the dais, it's not likely that any attempt to do so would survive that committee.
Nancy Hart, Ward Six
Aesop, the sage and storyteller
It appears my blog pissed someone from the Betro camp off again and those at Craigslist are treated with this charming fable. It's not clear from the posting whether the poster goes back over 100 years or the fable does. Actually, though I can't speak for the poster, the fable itself is actually quite a bit older than that!
It's kind of cute and in the interest of generosity and gift exchange, here's one for those in Betro's camp who still reside in the valley of angst that really fits.
As you can see, still ( not really) anonymous even without the initials but it serves as a reminder that many of those who fronted Betro's campaign (which this individual did) also fronted Bailey's campaign.
Hemet managed to do what Riverside could not and that was to save the KidZone Museum within its city limits.
Originally, the museum was housed on Main Street and University in downtown Riverside but it moved several years ago to find its current home in Hemet.
Will there ever be a kids' museum in Riverside again? No one seems to know. In fact, it's not clear that there's any room for young children in what the Riverside Renaissance has proposed for downtown.
Not much response yet on the Press Enterprise's latest survey on whether raising the electricity rates was the right thing to do right after the election.
In Chicago, the city has agreed to pay four Black plaintiffs nearly $20 million in connection with a torture case involving its police department and former commander, Jon Burge, according to the Chicago Tribune.
(excerpt)
The settlement total, which is expected to be considered by the City Council next week, exceeds the amount paid to the family of LaTanya Haggerty, who mistakenly was fatally shot by police in 1999. They received a record $18 million in 2001.
In typical City Hall fashion, the news of the big payout came on a Friday afternoon, and also while Mayor Richard Daley was out of town and unavailable for comment. The Daley administration insisted the timing was coincidental.
The City Council's Finance Committee is expected to consider the settlement when it meets on Monday, setting the stage for approval by the full council on Wednesday.
"I am euphoric," declared Ald. Ed Smith (28th), one of several mostly minority aldermen who for months have been calling for a settlement. "We have been pushing for a long time. . . . We have been pursuing it vigilantly, and it's about time it reaches fruition."
Officials must now find a way to bring criminal charges against Burge and strip him of his city pension, Smith said.
"These [victims] will have to live with what this man did to them for the rest of their lives, and he is living off the fat of the land."
Burge, who was dismissed, is now retired, collecting his pension and living in Florida.
In Bolingbrook, state police debunked one of the stories told by a trucker involving former Sgt. Drew Peterson.
(excerpt)
On Saturday, state police released a statement saying that at about 3:30 a.m. Oct. 29 two men—one of whom matched a description of Peterson—approached two drivers at a Bolingbrook truck stop and asked them to transport a package to an undisclosed location.
Peterson, 53, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, has been named a suspect in the disappearance of his wife, Stacy, 23, who was last seen at home Oct. 28.
Today, Trooper Mark Dorencz said information from one of the truck drivers "was deemed unfounded." He said it was unclear whether the trucker intentionally gave misinformation to investigators, and he declined to say whether criminal charges would be brought against the man.
"Did he lie? I don't know," Dorencz said. "Is it possible that he was thinking of a different situation? I don't know. Truckers are often approached by people asking them to do things."
Peterson's preoccupation appears to be not his missing wife or his deceased third wife, but not being able to get another date, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
A U.S. District Court judge has held Hartford, Connecticut in contempt of court over its failure to comply with a 2004 legal agreement mandating better accountability in its citizen complaint process, according to the Courant.
(excerpt)
In a ruling filed Nov. 29, U.S. District Judge Ellen Burns agreed with three of five civil contempt recommendations filed in July by Special Master Richard A. Bieder against the leadership of the city and its police department.
Bieder was appointed by Burns seven years ago to monitor the Hartford police. Part of Bieder's job has been to monitor the city's compliance with a 2004 court order to improve the department's investigation of citizen complaints and to eliminate an existing backlog.
City attorneys had attempted to have Bieder removed and exempt Mayor Eddie Perez from the contempt order, saying he was neither a party to the original 1973 consent decree nor the subsequent 2004 order in which the police department was found in violation for the haphazard way citizen complaints were being handled.
"Mayor Perez was properly held in contempt for violations of the 2004 order," said Burns, who also said Perez holds the same level of responsibility as any chief executive officer of Hartford since the original court order and consent decree were reached.
The judge's exact findings were as follows.
(excerpt)
In her decision, Burns determined:
•The police department failed to appoint at least eight investigators to internal affairs to clear the backlog of citizen complaints, which three years ago numbered more than 100. Rather than transfer officers to the division to handle the cases, the police department passed on those duties to officers in the field.
•The department failed to notify complainants within 15 days after an officer was disciplined, as required.
•The department failed to comply with an order to complete internal affairs investigations within 30 days.
•The commander of internal affairs failed to notify complainants in writing when a complaint was not sustained and mail them a summary of the investigative report, along with a brochure explaining the civilian police review board procedures and an application for appeal.
Although the city was slow to train community organizations how to take complaints against police officers, that conduct did not rise to the level of contempt, the court ruled. "The court agrees that this lengthy and unnecessary delay was clear and convincing evidence of defendants' initial noncompliance with the 2004 order. However, defendants initiated action to correct their failure shortly after the contempt motion was filed," Burns wrote.
Failure to complete an investigation within 30 days? Oh no, if you're the Riverside Police Department which has complaint investigations which can take up to 10 times longer than that to complete on average during some months. If you want to know how long on average it takes a complaint to work its way through both the department and the Community Police Review Process, just check out the monthly reports.
More staffing of the Internal Affairs Division and another reconfiguration of its operations was done by the police department to address this pressing situation.
In Humboldt County, it looks like the push for civilian oversight is taking some more steps forward as two community forums will be held to receive public input on the process, according to the Arcata Eye.
What's good about the process is that a diverse group of agencies, individuals and organizations have been invited to participate on panels for the public forums but most of what's good about the process will be contributed from those in communities like those in Arcata, Eureka and others who participate in the process.
(excerpt)
The county’s Board of Supervisors delivered support for the forums at its Nov. 27 meeting, approving a $1,280 contribution for videotaping them, paying for panelists’ travel costs and hiring security. During a presentation, Rick Botzler, the chairman of the county’s Human Rights Commission (HRC), described the forums as a response to longtime and recent community concerns.
“The issue of increased citizen oversight over law enforcement activities has been a controversial issue over a number of years,” he said. “Community attention has been focused more intensely on this issue during the last few months. The (HRC) recognizes the importance of this matter and believes it should be clearly addressed in the community.”
The HRC has already sponsored one forum, held last September, but its scope was restricted to explaining how advisory committees work. The next two will sharpen the focus – the first, set for today, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. in supervisors chambers – will allow police and community commentary on whether an oversight committee is needed.
Botzler said the forum will have an “open mike” format and in an interview he stressed that those with opinions on police oversight will be “warmly welcomed.” If there’s enough support to go further, a second forum will analyze how an oversight committee would operate.
“Our approach is three-fold,” Botzler told supervisors. “We want to increase public education on the general workings of citizen advisory and oversight committees, we want to identify more clearly perspectives on whether such oversight is needed in the community, and finally, to assess the practical issues affecting establishment of such a program.”
The New York Sun published an article about how the New York City Police Department is asking for input on how to improve its services from past complainants.
A renowned coroner who gave a lecture on "excited delirium" at a recent conference in Las Vegas was paid to do so by Taser International.
Many of the deaths blamed on "excited delirium" which is a very controversial diagnosis for incustody deaths have resulted after the use of tasers which are produced and sold primarily by this corporation.
(excerpt, Toronto Globe)
James Cairns, one of the country's most high-profile coroners, who publicly advocates the use of the stun gun, has become one of the top Canadian
experts Taser officials turn to for help shoring up public support for their
products in times of crisis. Since the death of Robert Dziekanski, a Polish
immigrant, at Vancouver International Airport last month, Taser has
repeatedly urged journalists to contact Dr. Cairns for his pro-taser views.
Dr. Cairns has recently given seminars at two conferences hosted by Taser
International - one in July in Chicago and another last year in Las Vegas.
He has also spoken at a Las Vegas conference for the Institute for the
Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, a small private company with ties to Taser.
It is headed by John Peters, a communications specialist who often acts as a
course instructor for Taser International. Its only other director is
Michael Brave, a Taser legal executive.
Dr. Cairns was slated to deliver a talk yesterday, titled "Excited Delirium
Deaths: Public Inquiry Process; ED Training for Ontario Provincial Police
Officer and its Impact on the Coroner's Office" at the institute's 2007
conference. He dropped out because he was testifying at an inquiry in
Ontario, where he admitted to shielding disgraced pathologist Charles Smith.
In an interview with The Globe and Mail yesterday, Dr. Cairns said he
doesn't believe his participation at the conferences is a conflict of
interest. He said he attends the conferences on vacation time and paid his
own way to attend the first one.
However, he allowed Taser and the institute to pay his hotel and travel
expenses for subsequent conferences.
A New York City Police Department detective testified against a teenager on the witness stand, claiming he had never asked him a list of questions during the interrogation but much to his horror, the teenager had recorded the entire conversation on his MP3 Player according to the New York Post.
(excerpt)
"[The teen] was recording the whole conversation and the detective never knew it," one source told The Post. "He said, 'No, no, no' - and then everything he said he didn't say was on the tape."
Now the detective has been charged with perjury.
Here in Riverside,
One night
One man
One officer
One baton
Many blows
No sergeant
Investigation?
One question
One answer
One response
Accountability?
Visitors this week included the following.
City of Riverside
County of Riverside
University of California, Riverside
SEIU United Healthcare Workers- West
Coreix Ltd (London)
Rock Creek Corporation
Wellesley College
Northwestern University
LEWIS OPERATING CORP (city council development firm donor)
Embarq Corporation
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Jefferson County Public Schools
Central New Mexico Community College
Executive Security
McLeodUSA Incorporated
"It was easy," said the Sun, "I lit the day. Through gentleness I got my way."
---Aesop who unfortunately never went into the field of running political campaigns.
Both Councilman Frank Schiavone and Mayor Ron Loveridge have proposed a list of committee appointments which will be discussed at the city council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m., not long after the four winners of Election 2007 are sworn into office. It's on the discussion calendar which means that it's likely some of these appointments will be challenged or the two elected officials anticipate that this will be the case.
Judging by the list, bloc building by Schiavone and Councilman Steve Adams has already begun in earnest. The list proposed smacks of favoritism as it is easy to see which city council members make the grade for both Schiavone and Loveridge (who's clearly found a compromise from the failure of his bid to sway the voters into allowing the mayor to pick committee chairs).
As is usual in games played of the political kind, already there are winners and losers.
Winners:
William "Rusty" Bailey, Ward Three
For being such a neophyte, Bailey's landed most of the plum committees in a way which is probably historic. He'll head Land Use and Public Utilities, serve as vice-chair on the all-important Governmental Affairs Committee and be a member of the Finance Committee. It's not clear whether or not Bailey is or will be his own man giving the line of current elected officials that lined up to endorse his candidacy before he even filed papers, but it's much more clear that other elected officials on the dais don't expect him to be independent.
Chris MacArthur, Ward Five
You'd think that after his xenophobic behavior during his campaign and the abyss that exists between him and the city's Latino leadership as a result, that other city council members would keep him at arm's length. It's not happening. MacArthur is clearly a member of the club, based on the fact that he's been nominated to chair the Finance Committee, be vice-chair of the Transportation Committee and a member at large of the Land Use Committee. His race and gender definitely help.
BASS, the sequel
The new quartet rising from the ashes of the older one is looking pretty good with Schiavone and Adams consolidating their positions and throwing some pretty lucrative bait at prospective corners, Bailey and MacArthur to join the club. The political rulebook states that this is often done to flatter the new arrivals, with hopes that their naivety in the political arena will motivate them to repay these kindnesses. You scratch your back, I'll scratch yours, a rule in politics that even those in the day of Aesop could probably appreciate.
Aesop the sage and storyteller
I guess he's been immortalized once again here. All right!
On the Cusp:
Mike Gardner, Ward One
Although he's done fairly well in securing committee assignments on the Public Safety Committee and took over Dom Betro's spot at chairing the Development Committee, Gardner still has to deal with the Schiavone-Adams duo who have the latter committee cornered. Still, at least he has the appearance of being independent of the newly forming voting bloc, unlike his colleague Bailey. But since he's been predicted by some naysayers as destroying the free world as we know it, his committee appointments should please those individuals.
William "Rusty" Bailey
There is of course, another way to look at Bailey's plum committee appointments. So what will it be, man or marionette?
Frank Schiavone, Ward Four
On paper, his position looks excellent as the city council's most senior member. But the highest price thoroughbred yearling in history, which became the Green Monkey, has yet to win a single race. Paper of course can only take a horse or a person so far.
He's chosen well for himself in terms of his committee assignments, but he's a big fish in a little pond trying to jump into a much bigger pond with much bigger fish. His appointments make it clear that he's pacing in place and not quite prepared to take a leap up yet at the same time, begging the question, will he be too busy campaigning for the county seat he hopes to win to even attend or conduct these meetings?
He's yet to show that he can hold his own as a single player and how he'll fare against a majority rule, an important tool he'll need to serve on the ship which runs the county.
Losers:
Andrew Melendrez, Ward Two
Either other councilmen like Schiavone and Adams view Melendrez as an independent voice they don't need now that Dom Betro is no longer "advising" him or Latinos just aren't going to be members of the club, but Melendrez was robbed of an assignment that due to his seniority was rightfully his on Governmental Affairs. The fact that Melendrez was snubbed in favor of newbie Bailey suggests strongly that the more experienced members of the dais have expectations of Bailey's service on the dais.
Melendrez' exclusion from Governmental Affairs puts his supporters in a pickle given the overlap between those who campaigned for him and those who did Bailey. Given that Adams is probably firmly fixed in that position, where will their loyalties lie. Will anyone who was in the Melendrez camp make noise?
Let's just put it this way. When the choice is often between a White man and a man of color, it's almost always the former who gets the support and the latter is often told to support them and be patient until it's "his turn". But in actuality, Bailey should be waiting a couple of years until the next election cycle and it's "his turn".
Public Expression at city council meetings
Want to reduce restrictions on public comment and restore the pulling of the consent calendar by people attending the meetings? With the configuration of the Governmental Affairs Committee which includes two people opposed to that and one newer member that many people have questions regarding his independence on the dais, it's not likely that any attempt to do so would survive that committee.
Nancy Hart, Ward Six
Women don't seem to be allowed to be members of this club. Hart seems motivated to try to avoid the antics of the boys' club when making her committee selections. But will Governmental Affairs or the Finance Committee ever see a woman on them again? Of course, more women would have to be elected to the dais. Looking up there now, it's hard to remember that at one time women were actually the majority of those serving on the city council and in actuality, it was still inside this century.
Aesop, the sage and storyteller
It appears my blog pissed someone from the Betro camp off again and those at Craigslist are treated with this charming fable. It's not clear from the posting whether the poster goes back over 100 years or the fable does. Actually, though I can't speak for the poster, the fable itself is actually quite a bit older than that!
It's kind of cute and in the interest of generosity and gift exchange, here's one for those in Betro's camp who still reside in the valley of angst that really fits.
As you can see, still ( not really) anonymous even without the initials but it serves as a reminder that many of those who fronted Betro's campaign (which this individual did) also fronted Bailey's campaign.
Hemet managed to do what Riverside could not and that was to save the KidZone Museum within its city limits.
Originally, the museum was housed on Main Street and University in downtown Riverside but it moved several years ago to find its current home in Hemet.
Will there ever be a kids' museum in Riverside again? No one seems to know. In fact, it's not clear that there's any room for young children in what the Riverside Renaissance has proposed for downtown.
Not much response yet on the Press Enterprise's latest survey on whether raising the electricity rates was the right thing to do right after the election.
In Chicago, the city has agreed to pay four Black plaintiffs nearly $20 million in connection with a torture case involving its police department and former commander, Jon Burge, according to the Chicago Tribune.
(excerpt)
The settlement total, which is expected to be considered by the City Council next week, exceeds the amount paid to the family of LaTanya Haggerty, who mistakenly was fatally shot by police in 1999. They received a record $18 million in 2001.
In typical City Hall fashion, the news of the big payout came on a Friday afternoon, and also while Mayor Richard Daley was out of town and unavailable for comment. The Daley administration insisted the timing was coincidental.
The City Council's Finance Committee is expected to consider the settlement when it meets on Monday, setting the stage for approval by the full council on Wednesday.
"I am euphoric," declared Ald. Ed Smith (28th), one of several mostly minority aldermen who for months have been calling for a settlement. "We have been pushing for a long time. . . . We have been pursuing it vigilantly, and it's about time it reaches fruition."
Officials must now find a way to bring criminal charges against Burge and strip him of his city pension, Smith said.
"These [victims] will have to live with what this man did to them for the rest of their lives, and he is living off the fat of the land."
Burge, who was dismissed, is now retired, collecting his pension and living in Florida.
In Bolingbrook, state police debunked one of the stories told by a trucker involving former Sgt. Drew Peterson.
(excerpt)
On Saturday, state police released a statement saying that at about 3:30 a.m. Oct. 29 two men—one of whom matched a description of Peterson—approached two drivers at a Bolingbrook truck stop and asked them to transport a package to an undisclosed location.
Peterson, 53, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, has been named a suspect in the disappearance of his wife, Stacy, 23, who was last seen at home Oct. 28.
Today, Trooper Mark Dorencz said information from one of the truck drivers "was deemed unfounded." He said it was unclear whether the trucker intentionally gave misinformation to investigators, and he declined to say whether criminal charges would be brought against the man.
"Did he lie? I don't know," Dorencz said. "Is it possible that he was thinking of a different situation? I don't know. Truckers are often approached by people asking them to do things."
Peterson's preoccupation appears to be not his missing wife or his deceased third wife, but not being able to get another date, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
A U.S. District Court judge has held Hartford, Connecticut in contempt of court over its failure to comply with a 2004 legal agreement mandating better accountability in its citizen complaint process, according to the Courant.
(excerpt)
In a ruling filed Nov. 29, U.S. District Judge Ellen Burns agreed with three of five civil contempt recommendations filed in July by Special Master Richard A. Bieder against the leadership of the city and its police department.
Bieder was appointed by Burns seven years ago to monitor the Hartford police. Part of Bieder's job has been to monitor the city's compliance with a 2004 court order to improve the department's investigation of citizen complaints and to eliminate an existing backlog.
City attorneys had attempted to have Bieder removed and exempt Mayor Eddie Perez from the contempt order, saying he was neither a party to the original 1973 consent decree nor the subsequent 2004 order in which the police department was found in violation for the haphazard way citizen complaints were being handled.
"Mayor Perez was properly held in contempt for violations of the 2004 order," said Burns, who also said Perez holds the same level of responsibility as any chief executive officer of Hartford since the original court order and consent decree were reached.
The judge's exact findings were as follows.
(excerpt)
In her decision, Burns determined:
•The police department failed to appoint at least eight investigators to internal affairs to clear the backlog of citizen complaints, which three years ago numbered more than 100. Rather than transfer officers to the division to handle the cases, the police department passed on those duties to officers in the field.
•The department failed to notify complainants within 15 days after an officer was disciplined, as required.
•The department failed to comply with an order to complete internal affairs investigations within 30 days.
•The commander of internal affairs failed to notify complainants in writing when a complaint was not sustained and mail them a summary of the investigative report, along with a brochure explaining the civilian police review board procedures and an application for appeal.
Although the city was slow to train community organizations how to take complaints against police officers, that conduct did not rise to the level of contempt, the court ruled. "The court agrees that this lengthy and unnecessary delay was clear and convincing evidence of defendants' initial noncompliance with the 2004 order. However, defendants initiated action to correct their failure shortly after the contempt motion was filed," Burns wrote.
Failure to complete an investigation within 30 days? Oh no, if you're the Riverside Police Department which has complaint investigations which can take up to 10 times longer than that to complete on average during some months. If you want to know how long on average it takes a complaint to work its way through both the department and the Community Police Review Process, just check out the monthly reports.
More staffing of the Internal Affairs Division and another reconfiguration of its operations was done by the police department to address this pressing situation.
In Humboldt County, it looks like the push for civilian oversight is taking some more steps forward as two community forums will be held to receive public input on the process, according to the Arcata Eye.
What's good about the process is that a diverse group of agencies, individuals and organizations have been invited to participate on panels for the public forums but most of what's good about the process will be contributed from those in communities like those in Arcata, Eureka and others who participate in the process.
(excerpt)
The county’s Board of Supervisors delivered support for the forums at its Nov. 27 meeting, approving a $1,280 contribution for videotaping them, paying for panelists’ travel costs and hiring security. During a presentation, Rick Botzler, the chairman of the county’s Human Rights Commission (HRC), described the forums as a response to longtime and recent community concerns.
“The issue of increased citizen oversight over law enforcement activities has been a controversial issue over a number of years,” he said. “Community attention has been focused more intensely on this issue during the last few months. The (HRC) recognizes the importance of this matter and believes it should be clearly addressed in the community.”
The HRC has already sponsored one forum, held last September, but its scope was restricted to explaining how advisory committees work. The next two will sharpen the focus – the first, set for today, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. in supervisors chambers – will allow police and community commentary on whether an oversight committee is needed.
Botzler said the forum will have an “open mike” format and in an interview he stressed that those with opinions on police oversight will be “warmly welcomed.” If there’s enough support to go further, a second forum will analyze how an oversight committee would operate.
“Our approach is three-fold,” Botzler told supervisors. “We want to increase public education on the general workings of citizen advisory and oversight committees, we want to identify more clearly perspectives on whether such oversight is needed in the community, and finally, to assess the practical issues affecting establishment of such a program.”
The New York Sun published an article about how the New York City Police Department is asking for input on how to improve its services from past complainants.
A renowned coroner who gave a lecture on "excited delirium" at a recent conference in Las Vegas was paid to do so by Taser International.
Many of the deaths blamed on "excited delirium" which is a very controversial diagnosis for incustody deaths have resulted after the use of tasers which are produced and sold primarily by this corporation.
(excerpt, Toronto Globe)
James Cairns, one of the country's most high-profile coroners, who publicly advocates the use of the stun gun, has become one of the top Canadian
experts Taser officials turn to for help shoring up public support for their
products in times of crisis. Since the death of Robert Dziekanski, a Polish
immigrant, at Vancouver International Airport last month, Taser has
repeatedly urged journalists to contact Dr. Cairns for his pro-taser views.
Dr. Cairns has recently given seminars at two conferences hosted by Taser
International - one in July in Chicago and another last year in Las Vegas.
He has also spoken at a Las Vegas conference for the Institute for the
Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, a small private company with ties to Taser.
It is headed by John Peters, a communications specialist who often acts as a
course instructor for Taser International. Its only other director is
Michael Brave, a Taser legal executive.
Dr. Cairns was slated to deliver a talk yesterday, titled "Excited Delirium
Deaths: Public Inquiry Process; ED Training for Ontario Provincial Police
Officer and its Impact on the Coroner's Office" at the institute's 2007
conference. He dropped out because he was testifying at an inquiry in
Ontario, where he admitted to shielding disgraced pathologist Charles Smith.
In an interview with The Globe and Mail yesterday, Dr. Cairns said he
doesn't believe his participation at the conferences is a conflict of
interest. He said he attends the conferences on vacation time and paid his
own way to attend the first one.
However, he allowed Taser and the institute to pay his hotel and travel
expenses for subsequent conferences.
A New York City Police Department detective testified against a teenager on the witness stand, claiming he had never asked him a list of questions during the interrogation but much to his horror, the teenager had recorded the entire conversation on his MP3 Player according to the New York Post.
(excerpt)
"[The teen] was recording the whole conversation and the detective never knew it," one source told The Post. "He said, 'No, no, no' - and then everything he said he didn't say was on the tape."
Now the detective has been charged with perjury.
Here in Riverside,
One night
One man
One officer
One baton
Many blows
No sergeant
Investigation?
One question
One answer
One response
Accountability?
Visitors this week included the following.
City of Riverside
County of Riverside
University of California, Riverside
SEIU United Healthcare Workers- West
Coreix Ltd (London)
Rock Creek Corporation
Wellesley College
Northwestern University
LEWIS OPERATING CORP (city council development firm donor)
Embarq Corporation
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Jefferson County Public Schools
Central New Mexico Community College
Executive Security
McLeodUSA Incorporated
Labels: Backlash against civilian oversight, battering while blue, City elections, City Hall 101, civilian review spreads, consent decrees and other adventures, public forums in all places
posted by Five Before Midnight | 12:46 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home