Fresnan’s Support Effort for Greater Police Accountability

Fresnan’s Support Effort for Greater Police Accountability
By Mike Rhodes

Last Tuesday (May 22, 2007) Matilda Rangel and Gloria Hernandez set up a table on the Mariposa Mall, next to the Fresno Police Department, and asked people passing by to sign a petition to establish an Independent Police Auditor (IPA). Fresno is the only city of its size in California without a system of independent police oversight.

The issue of establishing an IPA will be on the agenda when the Fresno city council discusses next years budget on June 5. The mayor is proposing to fund an IPA that reports directly to him. The Central California Criminal Justice Committee (CCCJC) wants to see an IPA that reports to the city council and the mayor. To learn more about the CCCJC proposal, see < http://www.cccjc.org > and http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/05/17/18417744.php .

Several city council members have told CCCJC representatives that their constituents are not telling them they want an IPA. That is why Rangel and Hernandez set up a table to collect signatures in front of the police department. They want to show city council members that there is popular support for the proposal.

While gathering signatures, Hernandez said “we heard testimony of excessive force, abuse of authority, and about things stolen from them by police officers. People from all walks of life, from all parts of the city of Fresno came to our table to sign the petition.”

“I was waiting for the bus, just standing there when the FPD motorcycle officer yelled at me ‘what are you looking at you fucking wetback’ one person told Hernandez. She continued, in Spanish "You should see them looking at Chestnut and Belmont, only pulling over the Mexicans."

An African-American man told Hernandez "Yea, they hit me hard on my back because I asked them why they stopped me and when I complained the white officer told me ‘who do you think the judge will believe you or me?’"

Most people signed the petition for an IPA. Rangel and Hernandez said they were averaging about one a minute. While I was there, there was a line of people to sign the petition. But, not everyone signed. One older African American said "they make their own rules, it doesn't matter if I sign." He walked on saying he wasn't going to sign for fear they would know where to look for him.

"They pulled us over, sat us on the sidewalk" a high school student told Hernandez. She asked her "why do you think they did that?" The student replied "Because we are Black and young. But I am still signing, maybe this will stop them."

The CCCJC is urging as many people as possible to attend the budget hearings. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at City Hall in downtown Fresno and is scheduled to start at 10 AM. To get a copy of the petition that you can download and print, go to http://cccjc.org/home/

The mayor’s budget proposal, if adopted, would give the FPD over 50% of all the money allocated. Parks and Recreation, by comparison will only get 8.2% of the FY 2008 budget. The mayor’s budget also includes $800,000 for video surveillance equipment, which will be used by the FPD to expand their project to monitor residents.

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