Oakland politics

by now I'm confused

Thu, May 1, 2003 9:46AM

Someone please explain to me what's going on...

I've attended the city council meetings, public forum and even a Citizen's Police Review Board meeting. Throughout all this, de la Fuente has been a complete bummer: antagonistic...lots of reasons to not like this guy. Then the big vote Tuesday night in a closed session...and de la Fuente turns out to be the only one supporting the CPRB as being the investigative body...which is what the community groups and the community at large wants and has been clamoring about for years. His lone dissent is probably the ONLY right thing he's done since being elected to the council.

§Look a bit closer

by Oaklander

Thu, May 1, 2003 10:24AM

Yes, Ignacio has apparently voted "on the side" of the CPRB on this one, but it is obvious why:

There is only one investigator, a substantial backlog, trouble getting quorum at meetings, and little political support for the institution as a whole.

When you compare that to an independent investigator who will address the Port protests with two months, which do you think has a better chance of getting to the bottom of what happened?

Now is Ignacio's motive a little clearer?

Also, the overwhelming majority of folks who have ever spoke before the Council have called for an independent investigation, not one by the CPRB, which many folks think is just an arm of the City Manger's office.

Giving an important job to someone you know can't do it is an old political tactic. His vote is also setting up an assault on the CPRB which will happen in the next few months, I guarantee it.

§No need to be confused

by Oaklander

Thu, May 1, 2003 10:36AM

No reason to be confused. The Oakland Citizen Police Review Board (CPRB) is a commission with little funding and little power that is comprised of Mayoral appointments. In Tuesday nght's City Council meeting, Nancy Nadel characterized the CPRB as being populated solely by lawyers and uniformed people, suggesting a lack of diversity and community activists.

Since the incident on the docks, activists (both anti-war and community) have been calling for an independent investigation. In their eyes, an investigation by a commission of mayoral appointees is NOT independent, particularly in light of Jerry Brown's eagerness to support the police.

Ignacio suggested that all investigations ot police practices should be treated consistently and that calling for an independent investigation undermined the prospects of making the CPRB relevant and effective. That actually may be a legitimate objective, but that should be started from the ground up (though funding, networking), not by handing the CPRB a high-profile incident like this one.

That said, the independent commission that the City Council is calling for is expected to be a three-person panel including legal and uniformed folks. Still no "regular" citizens. At least they won't be mayoral appointees.

An aside: I saw some of the video footage, and I am just amazed at how non-violent the protesters were in the face of relentless police aggression.

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§yes, but...

by confused still

Thu, May 1, 2003 10:56AM

Thanks for your comment. But isn't the reason the CPRB is ineffective is because the mayor has steadfastedly refused to give them the people and resources they need? They have 1 investigator when they should have 5 or 6. 8 commissioners when they should have 12. (or something like that). I think the mayor is guilty of dereliction of duty on this and we should be talking recall.

But I digress. The independent investigator chosen is actually going to be 3 people, right? A retired judge, an ex-cop and a "civil rights person". (or something like that). And who is in charge of selection? City Manager Bobb (who everyone hates) and the City Attorney...and we don't even know if HE attended that Apr 4 meeting between the mayor, the cops and the shipping companies. I mean, was the City Atty at that meeting? If not, did he know about it? (If yes, he's just as guilty) Last week it seemed pretty clear to me who the good guys and bad guys are. (altho Bobb, de la Fuente and Mayor Moonbeam seem to have been consistent in their negative effects on the city) Now all the shades of gray are appearing and things don't seem so clear cut anymore.

I feel like we're all hamsters running around in those stupid wheels. Thanks for answering, tho.

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§To confused

by bov

Thu, May 1, 2003 11:19AM

"But isn't the reason the CPRB is ineffective is because the mayor has steadfastedly refused to give them the people and resources they need"

Yes, but we aren't going to solve that by asking this powerless group to take over this investigation.

The way to solve that will be to expose it and get involved in implementing the changes, not by losing our own power.

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