Mid-week activities and actions
Riverside's city council meetings have gotten so short, they only merit these briefs in the Press Enterprise.
Here, people are discussing the recent crackdown by the Riverside Police Department against street racing which led to 21 vehicles getting impounded, beginning with one of those who lost his vehicle. Not much discussion about people getting killed or injured from street racing or from the owners of the parts that might have been stolen to use in their racing cars.
Up at the state court of appeals, Riverside County's trial backlog is under the spotlight. And guess what? Divorces, child custody cases, domestic violence restraining orders, adoptions and probate not to mention small claims cases might not have venues to be heard. It's almost enough to make you reminisce about the days of former Riverside County District Attorney Grover Trask.
Almost.
(excerpt, Press Enterprise)
One of the prosecution challenges was that the Orange County judges who issued the ruling were not the same ones on the panel appointed earlier by George.
By the time the Riverside County matter was heard, two judges had been replaced through normal administrative changes. In the decision, only one judge is identified as sitting by assignment of the chief justice.
The matter eventually went to the state Supreme Court, which decided in March to send the judicial appointment issue to the 4th District, and suspended publication of the Orange County judges' ruling.
The issue appears to be whether the judges on the Orange County panel can be considered assigned by the chief justice to the Riverside case, in place of their predecessors.
If not, "are the judgments and opinions filed in these matters on Oct. 17, 2007, void for lack of jurisdiction?" the high court asks the 4th District justices to decide.
The appeal to the Court of Appeals is an attempt by Pacheco's office to avoid having to address the impact that changes they made in office regarding how to take cases to trial have had on a system that this office knew was already broken. Toss in an intracounty struggle between Pacheco, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the County Board of Supervisors over strategies to address the overcrowding of the county's jails. But the truth is, all the parties involved in this broken court system are going to have to put a lot into addressing its problems before the backlogs in both the civil and criminal systems will be reduced. Some of the parties seem more willing to do so than others at this point while others seem more invested in casting blame. It's going to take everyone.
An off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff Department deputy shoots another motorist during a confrontation. This incident is under investigation.
The response of the San Bernardino Police Department's officers is getting a mixed response in the Westside neighborhood.
(excerpt, Press Enterprise)
Lt. Scott Paterson, a Police Department spokesman, said response times citywide meet state standards. He emphasized officers' speed in answering the Westside's most pressing calls.
"We knew that was the fact before we even went into this," he said. "The chief wanted to show that our response time was fair throughout the city, that we weren't taking longer to respond in certain areas based on demographics."
Elliott said he is still concerned that different parts of the city might receive unequal treatment.
"The residents continue to cry out that there is a difference," he said. "There is an element of distrust within the community regarding the Police Department, and if there is an outcry from the public at our meeting, where people still feel they're being treated unfairly, we'll continue to look into that."
Both Elliott and Wells have questioned police handling of street confrontations that don't start as emergencies, but escalate to violence between the time they're first reported and when officers arrive.
The statistics do show a slower response to less-pressing calls on the Westside.
It took officers an average of 45 minutes, for example, to respond to calls rated as "possibly hazardous." That was the slowest response to such calls in the city -- about 10 minutes slower than the average for the Southern Patrol Area and eight minutes behind the Central Patrol Area.
The Westside also trailed in responses to "potentially serious" calls and calls regarding property crimes or administrative matters.
The Los Angeles Police Department is getting its digital video cameras.
(excerpt, Associated Press)
A $5.47 million contract to install video cameras in 300 Los Angeles police cars was unanimously approved today without discussion.
The Police Commission signed off on the contract with IBM Corp. in the fall, and it will take three or four months to put cameras in patrol cars assigned to the South Bureau.
In-car cameras were recommended by the Christopher Commission, which investigated the LAPD following the 1991 beating of Rodney King. The panel found that in addition to investigative benefits, the cameras could save money on court costs, litigation and officer-misconduct claims.
The cameras will also satisfy a requirement within the federal consent decree agreed to by the city in November 2000 to avoid a lawsuit from Justice Department over a ``pattern and practice'' of civil rights violations related to the scandal involving planted weapons and unjustified shootings by anti- gang officers assigned to the Rampart Station.
In the trial of three New York City Police Department officers charged in an onduty shooting, Joseph Guzman, one of the individuals shot, testified about what he witnessed, according to the New York Daily News.
(excerpt)
Mopping his face with a blue handkerchief, Joseph Guzman recounted on the stand how Isnora suddenly began shooting at him as he sat in Bell's car with their buddy, Trent Benefield.
"He's still shooting like he's crazy, like he was out of his mind," he said. "Like he's trying to kill us, like he's shooting at a tank."
Guzman said he had no idea that Isnora was a cop and denied he was reaching for a gun when the shooting started.
"The dude was crazed," he said.
Guzman testified a day after Benefield was battered on the stand by defense attorneys trying to cast doubts on his claim that police fired without warning - and without identifying themselves.
Guzman, who was hit 16 times by the barrage, hobbled to the witness box with the aid of a metal cane. He smiled as he squeezed his massive frame into a chair.
Unlike Benefield, who was raked over the coals for changing his story several times and forced to admit that he was a regular pot smoker, Guzman was animated on the stand and did not waver as he told his tale.
Dressed in a charcoal suit, a blue shirt and a multicolored tie, his shaved head glistening, Guzman took off his dark glasses and grinned when he spoke about Bell and became somber as he described trying to comfort his dying friend in the car by telling him, "I love you."
"I love you too," Bell said, according to Guzman. Then "he stopped moving."
More intrigue from Portland as the city auditor, Gary Blackmer, tries to submit a job description to fill an executive director position for the Independent Police Review which lost its last director to the Portland Police Bureau. Many take the announcement of this job opening as a sign that the report submitted by consultant Eileen Luna-Firebaugh which urged the city to make major changes in the IPR might be making a dent. Others said that Blackmer's introducing the position through the back door. At any rate, Portland's journey towards changing its form of civilian review continues.
City of Portland Announces An Open Recruitment for that position.
INDEPENDENT POLICE REVIEW DIRECTOR
Recruitment No. 08-026
Approximate Monthly Salary: $6,701 - $8,921
The Position
The Independent Police Review (IPR) Director is responsible for
managing
the Independent Police Review Division within the City of Portland
Auditor's Office. Duties include overseeing the acceptance and
resolution
of citizen complaints against police officers, managing the reviews of
policies, training and investigations of officer-involved shootings and
in-custody deaths, and monitoring Internal Affairs Division (IAD)
investigations and findings. Additional duties include auditing Police
Bureau and internal policies and procedures, writing the IPR Annual and
other public reports, maintaining open and constructive relationships
with
police and the public, and representing the City Auditor to the media.
The IPR Director is expected to carry out these individual
responsibilities with initiative, independence and creativity while
exercising sound professional judgment and problem-solving skills.
To Qualify
* Knowledge of federal, state and local laws and regulations and
procedures applicable to internal police investigations, whether
administrative or criminal, and police review responsibilities and
jurisdiction.
* Ability to define issues, analyze problems, evaluate
alternatives and develop sound, independent conclusions and
recommendations in accordance with laws, regulations, rules and
policies.
* Ability to supervise the work of others, set priorities and exercise
seasoned independent judgment and acumen within areas of responsibility.
* Ability to read, interpret and apply complex laws and regulations and
evaluate and review complaints.
* Ability to plan, conduct and evaluate the results of independent
investigations of sensitive police conduct matters.
* A valid state's driver's license and acceptable driving record at
time of appointment.
* Ability to successfully pass an in-depth background investigation
The Recruitment Process
An evaluation of each applicant's training and experience, as
demonstrated in their cover letter and résumé, weighted at 100%. Only the most
qualified applicants passing the cover letter and résumé evaluation
will be placed on an equally ranked eligible list. Additional evaluation
may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final
selection. Some positions may have a driving requirement. Candidates
placed on the eligible list will be required to complete and sign a
criminal conviction statement before being considered for hire.
Applicants must submit the following:
City of Portland's Scannable Application Form (Internet Applicants will
complete this form in the online application process. Applicants who do
not use the online application process may obtain the form at these
locations.
Cover Letter
and
Résumé, specifically focused on your qualifications for this position
as
described in "The Position" and the "To Qualify" sections of this
announcement. (Click blue button to see instructions in this
announcement.). (WE RECOMMEND YOU PREPARE YOUR RESUME OFFLINE ON YOUR
WORD PROCESSOR AS TEXT ONLY, THEN COPY AND PASTE IN THE TEXT BOX PROVIDED IN
THE ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS. AGAIN AS TEXT ONLY FOR HIGHLIGHTING,
TABLES, ETC ARE LOST WHEN PASTED INTO THE FORMAT OF THE TEXT BOXES.)
**NOTE: Your completed Veteran's Preference Form
with the
required documentation must be submitted with your completed
application
packet. If you are applying via the Internet, you may mail or fax (503)
823-4156 only your completed Veteran's Preference Form and required
documentation, referencing the recruitment you are applying for, or
deliver it to our office in person.
All completed applications for this position must be in the possession
of
the Portland Bureau of Human Resources no later than 4:30 pm, Monday,
April 7, 2008 . Sorry, we are unable to accept faxed applications.
Non-citizen applicants must be authorized to work in the United States
at
time of application.
Minorities, women, and qualified individuals with disabilities are
urged
to apply. If you wish to identify yourself as an individual with a
disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and will
be
requesting accommodation, the requests must be made to the Analyst(s)
named below or to the Human Resources Bureau Receptionist No Later Than
the Closing Date of This Announcement.
Bureau of Human Resources
IPR Director - 7335
Mary McFadyen Sr. Human Resources Analyst, (503) 823-3534
Posted: 03/24/08
An Equal Opportunity Employer
And what of this mental health training?
"Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time."
---David Bowie
"In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."
---Eric Hoffer
Here, people are discussing the recent crackdown by the Riverside Police Department against street racing which led to 21 vehicles getting impounded, beginning with one of those who lost his vehicle. Not much discussion about people getting killed or injured from street racing or from the owners of the parts that might have been stolen to use in their racing cars.
Up at the state court of appeals, Riverside County's trial backlog is under the spotlight. And guess what? Divorces, child custody cases, domestic violence restraining orders, adoptions and probate not to mention small claims cases might not have venues to be heard. It's almost enough to make you reminisce about the days of former Riverside County District Attorney Grover Trask.
Almost.
(excerpt, Press Enterprise)
One of the prosecution challenges was that the Orange County judges who issued the ruling were not the same ones on the panel appointed earlier by George.
By the time the Riverside County matter was heard, two judges had been replaced through normal administrative changes. In the decision, only one judge is identified as sitting by assignment of the chief justice.
The matter eventually went to the state Supreme Court, which decided in March to send the judicial appointment issue to the 4th District, and suspended publication of the Orange County judges' ruling.
The issue appears to be whether the judges on the Orange County panel can be considered assigned by the chief justice to the Riverside case, in place of their predecessors.
If not, "are the judgments and opinions filed in these matters on Oct. 17, 2007, void for lack of jurisdiction?" the high court asks the 4th District justices to decide.
The appeal to the Court of Appeals is an attempt by Pacheco's office to avoid having to address the impact that changes they made in office regarding how to take cases to trial have had on a system that this office knew was already broken. Toss in an intracounty struggle between Pacheco, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the County Board of Supervisors over strategies to address the overcrowding of the county's jails. But the truth is, all the parties involved in this broken court system are going to have to put a lot into addressing its problems before the backlogs in both the civil and criminal systems will be reduced. Some of the parties seem more willing to do so than others at this point while others seem more invested in casting blame. It's going to take everyone.
An off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff Department deputy shoots another motorist during a confrontation. This incident is under investigation.
The response of the San Bernardino Police Department's officers is getting a mixed response in the Westside neighborhood.
(excerpt, Press Enterprise)
Lt. Scott Paterson, a Police Department spokesman, said response times citywide meet state standards. He emphasized officers' speed in answering the Westside's most pressing calls.
"We knew that was the fact before we even went into this," he said. "The chief wanted to show that our response time was fair throughout the city, that we weren't taking longer to respond in certain areas based on demographics."
Elliott said he is still concerned that different parts of the city might receive unequal treatment.
"The residents continue to cry out that there is a difference," he said. "There is an element of distrust within the community regarding the Police Department, and if there is an outcry from the public at our meeting, where people still feel they're being treated unfairly, we'll continue to look into that."
Both Elliott and Wells have questioned police handling of street confrontations that don't start as emergencies, but escalate to violence between the time they're first reported and when officers arrive.
The statistics do show a slower response to less-pressing calls on the Westside.
It took officers an average of 45 minutes, for example, to respond to calls rated as "possibly hazardous." That was the slowest response to such calls in the city -- about 10 minutes slower than the average for the Southern Patrol Area and eight minutes behind the Central Patrol Area.
The Westside also trailed in responses to "potentially serious" calls and calls regarding property crimes or administrative matters.
The Los Angeles Police Department is getting its digital video cameras.
(excerpt, Associated Press)
A $5.47 million contract to install video cameras in 300 Los Angeles police cars was unanimously approved today without discussion.
The Police Commission signed off on the contract with IBM Corp. in the fall, and it will take three or four months to put cameras in patrol cars assigned to the South Bureau.
In-car cameras were recommended by the Christopher Commission, which investigated the LAPD following the 1991 beating of Rodney King. The panel found that in addition to investigative benefits, the cameras could save money on court costs, litigation and officer-misconduct claims.
The cameras will also satisfy a requirement within the federal consent decree agreed to by the city in November 2000 to avoid a lawsuit from Justice Department over a ``pattern and practice'' of civil rights violations related to the scandal involving planted weapons and unjustified shootings by anti- gang officers assigned to the Rampart Station.
In the trial of three New York City Police Department officers charged in an onduty shooting, Joseph Guzman, one of the individuals shot, testified about what he witnessed, according to the New York Daily News.
(excerpt)
Mopping his face with a blue handkerchief, Joseph Guzman recounted on the stand how Isnora suddenly began shooting at him as he sat in Bell's car with their buddy, Trent Benefield.
"He's still shooting like he's crazy, like he was out of his mind," he said. "Like he's trying to kill us, like he's shooting at a tank."
Guzman said he had no idea that Isnora was a cop and denied he was reaching for a gun when the shooting started.
"The dude was crazed," he said.
Guzman testified a day after Benefield was battered on the stand by defense attorneys trying to cast doubts on his claim that police fired without warning - and without identifying themselves.
Guzman, who was hit 16 times by the barrage, hobbled to the witness box with the aid of a metal cane. He smiled as he squeezed his massive frame into a chair.
Unlike Benefield, who was raked over the coals for changing his story several times and forced to admit that he was a regular pot smoker, Guzman was animated on the stand and did not waver as he told his tale.
Dressed in a charcoal suit, a blue shirt and a multicolored tie, his shaved head glistening, Guzman took off his dark glasses and grinned when he spoke about Bell and became somber as he described trying to comfort his dying friend in the car by telling him, "I love you."
"I love you too," Bell said, according to Guzman. Then "he stopped moving."
More intrigue from Portland as the city auditor, Gary Blackmer, tries to submit a job description to fill an executive director position for the Independent Police Review which lost its last director to the Portland Police Bureau. Many take the announcement of this job opening as a sign that the report submitted by consultant Eileen Luna-Firebaugh which urged the city to make major changes in the IPR might be making a dent. Others said that Blackmer's introducing the position through the back door. At any rate, Portland's journey towards changing its form of civilian review continues.
City of Portland Announces An Open Recruitment for that position.
INDEPENDENT POLICE REVIEW DIRECTOR
Recruitment No. 08-026
Approximate Monthly Salary: $6,701 - $8,921
The Position
The Independent Police Review (IPR) Director is responsible for
managing
the Independent Police Review Division within the City of Portland
Auditor's Office. Duties include overseeing the acceptance and
resolution
of citizen complaints against police officers, managing the reviews of
policies, training and investigations of officer-involved shootings and
in-custody deaths, and monitoring Internal Affairs Division (IAD)
investigations and findings. Additional duties include auditing Police
Bureau and internal policies and procedures, writing the IPR Annual and
other public reports, maintaining open and constructive relationships
with
police and the public, and representing the City Auditor to the media.
The IPR Director is expected to carry out these individual
responsibilities with initiative, independence and creativity while
exercising sound professional judgment and problem-solving skills.
To Qualify
* Knowledge of federal, state and local laws and regulations and
procedures applicable to internal police investigations, whether
administrative or criminal, and police review responsibilities and
jurisdiction.
* Ability to define issues, analyze problems, evaluate
alternatives and develop sound, independent conclusions and
recommendations in accordance with laws, regulations, rules and
policies.
* Ability to supervise the work of others, set priorities and exercise
seasoned independent judgment and acumen within areas of responsibility.
* Ability to read, interpret and apply complex laws and regulations and
evaluate and review complaints.
* Ability to plan, conduct and evaluate the results of independent
investigations of sensitive police conduct matters.
* A valid state's driver's license and acceptable driving record at
time of appointment.
* Ability to successfully pass an in-depth background investigation
The Recruitment Process
An evaluation of each applicant's training and experience, as
demonstrated in their cover letter and résumé, weighted at 100%. Only the most
qualified applicants passing the cover letter and résumé evaluation
will be placed on an equally ranked eligible list. Additional evaluation
may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final
selection. Some positions may have a driving requirement. Candidates
placed on the eligible list will be required to complete and sign a
criminal conviction statement before being considered for hire.
Applicants must submit the following:
City of Portland's Scannable Application Form (Internet Applicants will
complete this form in the online application process. Applicants who do
not use the online application process may obtain the form at these
locations.
Cover Letter
and
Résumé, specifically focused on your qualifications for this position
as
described in "The Position" and the "To Qualify" sections of this
announcement. (Click blue button to see instructions in this
announcement.). (WE RECOMMEND YOU PREPARE YOUR RESUME OFFLINE ON YOUR
WORD PROCESSOR AS TEXT ONLY, THEN COPY AND PASTE IN THE TEXT BOX PROVIDED IN
THE ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS. AGAIN AS TEXT ONLY FOR HIGHLIGHTING,
TABLES, ETC ARE LOST WHEN PASTED INTO THE FORMAT OF THE TEXT BOXES.)
**NOTE: Your completed Veteran's Preference Form
with the
required documentation must be submitted with your completed
application
packet. If you are applying via the Internet, you may mail or fax (503)
823-4156 only your completed Veteran's Preference Form and required
documentation, referencing the recruitment you are applying for, or
deliver it to our office in person.
All completed applications for this position must be in the possession
of
the Portland Bureau of Human Resources no later than 4:30 pm, Monday,
April 7, 2008 . Sorry, we are unable to accept faxed applications.
Non-citizen applicants must be authorized to work in the United States
at
time of application.
Minorities, women, and qualified individuals with disabilities are
urged
to apply. If you wish to identify yourself as an individual with a
disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and will
be
requesting accommodation, the requests must be made to the Analyst(s)
named below or to the Human Resources Bureau Receptionist No Later Than
the Closing Date of This Announcement.
Bureau of Human Resources
IPR Director - 7335
Mary McFadyen Sr. Human Resources Analyst, (503) 823-3534
Posted: 03/24/08
An Equal Opportunity Employer
And what of this mental health training?
"Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time."
---David Bowie
"In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."
---Eric Hoffer
Labels: Backlash against civilian oversight, judicial watch, officer-involved shootings
posted by Five Before Midnight | 4:18 PM
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