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Indybay Feature
SCPD's Strange New PR Campaign
While the economy tanks, the SCPD pours it on a little thick.
The police department has begun a very strange public relations campaign lately and I’m a bit confused about the message I should be getting.
As we all know, the economy is hurting and difficult cuts are being felt in most areas. The City of Santa Cruz is grappling with this reality and has just settled on a medium-range funding plan (massive cutbacks). There is increasingly a large amount of available office and retail space downtown and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the economic climate is desperate, which is why I’m a little surprised at what I’ve been seeing from our local police department.
A few weeks ago I attended the Santa Cruz Police Community Town Hall Meeting at the University Inn. It was officiated by a detective in a very expensive looking business suit. There were many police officers lining the room that was sparsely filled with attendees including some folks who represented a couple token community groups. We were welcomed to write down questions on cards and pass them to a very large uniformed officer at the back of the room as the detective spent most of the hour slowly highlighting some of what they’re doing to keep us safe. It sounded like a bad infomercial for the SCPD. A few minutes were given to the spokespersons of the community groups who legitimately represent some concerns of citizens and then, instead of reading from any of the cards that were passed back and forth between snickering cops, two words were written on a grease board at the front: Prostitution and Violence. My card, and I’m sure those of many others were not represented by these words. These may have been the two words written on the board regardless of what the cards contained. No other mention of the cards was made and only a few minutes were given to these two scary words. This is not my idea of a “town hall meeting,” this was a public relations demonstration with no ear at all to the public. It was all mouth.
Over the past week I’ve been seeing the large police sub-station parked at various locations around town. It is a brand new tandem trailer with a fancy portable building on it pulled by a huge diesel truck. It was seen at sitting at local parks and strangely, beside the newly closed Border’s Bookstore downtown. The officers inside said they were there to show off the sub-station , offer residents a tour and to have more of a police presence around town.
What are we to take from this? Crime statistics are level or are dropping but the new police presence is increasing and in an in-your-face kind of way. When one sees a large police sub-station parked right downtown or at a peaceful park and there isn’t a crime being investigated, I’m wondering what message is being sent? Downtown is for meeting up with a friend or grabbing a bite or a movie; it is our town square, it’s where we gather. The police department would like us to be reminded in these tough economic times that we are being well policed. I don’t want to feel well policed I want to feel free. Keep the police station at the police station until there is a crime being investigated or some emergency is happening. If the department wants to have a town hall meeting, come prepared to listen to the people of the community instead of making a mockery of them.
~Brent Adams, Santa Cruz
As we all know, the economy is hurting and difficult cuts are being felt in most areas. The City of Santa Cruz is grappling with this reality and has just settled on a medium-range funding plan (massive cutbacks). There is increasingly a large amount of available office and retail space downtown and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the economic climate is desperate, which is why I’m a little surprised at what I’ve been seeing from our local police department.
A few weeks ago I attended the Santa Cruz Police Community Town Hall Meeting at the University Inn. It was officiated by a detective in a very expensive looking business suit. There were many police officers lining the room that was sparsely filled with attendees including some folks who represented a couple token community groups. We were welcomed to write down questions on cards and pass them to a very large uniformed officer at the back of the room as the detective spent most of the hour slowly highlighting some of what they’re doing to keep us safe. It sounded like a bad infomercial for the SCPD. A few minutes were given to the spokespersons of the community groups who legitimately represent some concerns of citizens and then, instead of reading from any of the cards that were passed back and forth between snickering cops, two words were written on a grease board at the front: Prostitution and Violence. My card, and I’m sure those of many others were not represented by these words. These may have been the two words written on the board regardless of what the cards contained. No other mention of the cards was made and only a few minutes were given to these two scary words. This is not my idea of a “town hall meeting,” this was a public relations demonstration with no ear at all to the public. It was all mouth.
Over the past week I’ve been seeing the large police sub-station parked at various locations around town. It is a brand new tandem trailer with a fancy portable building on it pulled by a huge diesel truck. It was seen at sitting at local parks and strangely, beside the newly closed Border’s Bookstore downtown. The officers inside said they were there to show off the sub-station , offer residents a tour and to have more of a police presence around town.
What are we to take from this? Crime statistics are level or are dropping but the new police presence is increasing and in an in-your-face kind of way. When one sees a large police sub-station parked right downtown or at a peaceful park and there isn’t a crime being investigated, I’m wondering what message is being sent? Downtown is for meeting up with a friend or grabbing a bite or a movie; it is our town square, it’s where we gather. The police department would like us to be reminded in these tough economic times that we are being well policed. I don’t want to feel well policed I want to feel free. Keep the police station at the police station until there is a crime being investigated or some emergency is happening. If the department wants to have a town hall meeting, come prepared to listen to the people of the community instead of making a mockery of them.
~Brent Adams, Santa Cruz
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I think the difference boils down to perception Brent.
When most of us see police, we don't think of enemy, or intimidation tactic, or trying to control our lifestyle. I think you see that. I could be wrong; if so correct me.
I base part of this opinion on your history of posting, and part of it on this post alone, which I find riddled with PR of it's own sort.
What does the quality of the detectives suit have to do with anything? What's a "token" community group? Why is the size of the "very large" officer relevant? "Snickering cops"; really?
My point being that you are working as hard to paint a picture, or sell your pr perspective of the police...as you complain that they are. And so, why cry foul when you're doing the same thing?
When most of us see police, we don't think of enemy, or intimidation tactic, or trying to control our lifestyle. I think you see that. I could be wrong; if so correct me.
I base part of this opinion on your history of posting, and part of it on this post alone, which I find riddled with PR of it's own sort.
What does the quality of the detectives suit have to do with anything? What's a "token" community group? Why is the size of the "very large" officer relevant? "Snickering cops"; really?
My point being that you are working as hard to paint a picture, or sell your pr perspective of the police...as you complain that they are. And so, why cry foul when you're doing the same thing?
True, I'm intentionally using words and imagery to communicate ideas and thoughts. This report is obviously not purely objective. I have a personal investment in the peaceful nature in my community and for me the parading of a sub-station around town and positioning it in key locations where people peacefully congregate has me concerned. I'm not an outlaw or one of these types who hide behind a cryptic user name. That is my actual name you see there. I clearly represent myself and my opinions. I'm not pumping up the story using hyperbolic rhetoric. What I've written is what I've seen. I attended the community town hall meeting and I'm reporting things as I perceived them. I encourage you to find any other report of said meeting.
Why say the suit was expensive looking? The expensive business suit instead of regular "guy" clothes or an actual uniform does communicate something.. I've seen the chief's suit and Mr. Friend's suits and they seem way overly extravagant for their roles and for these economic times.
Why say the community groups are "token?" ..because everyone knows that TBSC IS a token community group that has played up the fears of citizens in the past. Lately, I'm happy to see that they've tempered their rhetoric a bit and are becoming more effective. They do work hand-in-glove with the department, while many other groups weren't invited.
Why say the cop was very large? .. because the idea of having to stand up during a meeting of the police department and walk over to a police officer who is nearly 7' tall and hand him what may be a critical question of the department is highly intimidating. It was not at all a safe seeming place for a person who wasn't prepared to cheerlead the department. A more equitable method of receiving the questions, if you they were meant to be considered at all would've been to have some neutral place to deposit them.
Why mention that the police officers handed the cards with our questions back and forth to each other with snickers? That seems intirely relevant in the spirit of the article here. I watch the cops laughing as they read them and then I watched as the cards were never read at all.
The town hall meeting was a sham. I'm not skewing my report to make it seem that way. That is how it was. Brent Adams was there and that is what he saw.
Why say the suit was expensive looking? The expensive business suit instead of regular "guy" clothes or an actual uniform does communicate something.. I've seen the chief's suit and Mr. Friend's suits and they seem way overly extravagant for their roles and for these economic times.
Why say the community groups are "token?" ..because everyone knows that TBSC IS a token community group that has played up the fears of citizens in the past. Lately, I'm happy to see that they've tempered their rhetoric a bit and are becoming more effective. They do work hand-in-glove with the department, while many other groups weren't invited.
Why say the cop was very large? .. because the idea of having to stand up during a meeting of the police department and walk over to a police officer who is nearly 7' tall and hand him what may be a critical question of the department is highly intimidating. It was not at all a safe seeming place for a person who wasn't prepared to cheerlead the department. A more equitable method of receiving the questions, if you they were meant to be considered at all would've been to have some neutral place to deposit them.
Why mention that the police officers handed the cards with our questions back and forth to each other with snickers? That seems intirely relevant in the spirit of the article here. I watch the cops laughing as they read them and then I watched as the cards were never read at all.
The town hall meeting was a sham. I'm not skewing my report to make it seem that way. That is how it was. Brent Adams was there and that is what he saw.
Hey Brent, you might want to try experiencing something outside of Pacific Ave sometime.
The last few times I visited Paris, there were Military Professionals walking around the streets wearing full combat body armor, with machine guns at the ready. I found it very relaxing to know that if anyone did anything really stupid, they would get the entire 30 round clip before they could blink. They're still under Napoleonic law BTW.
If you weren't such an unachiever, and earned more than your occasional part-time-minimum wage gig pays, you might be able to afford to travel.
But you're MUCH better off whining about Policemen that had the nerve to snicker at what some Idiot wrote.
The last few times I visited Paris, there were Military Professionals walking around the streets wearing full combat body armor, with machine guns at the ready. I found it very relaxing to know that if anyone did anything really stupid, they would get the entire 30 round clip before they could blink. They're still under Napoleonic law BTW.
If you weren't such an unachiever, and earned more than your occasional part-time-minimum wage gig pays, you might be able to afford to travel.
But you're MUCH better off whining about Policemen that had the nerve to snicker at what some Idiot wrote.
"When most of us see police, we don't think of enemy, or intimidation tactic, or trying to control our lifestyle."
What we have here is not a person of color, or impoverished... by circumstance, or social design as occurs with great regularity in Santa Cruz the shopping paradise that never was... but since it runs on cheap college student labor which could give about as much of a shit about the job as the job gives about them, it muddles by, with the help of some judicious (and often illegal) scapegoating by the SCPD, the Sentinel (Yellow Journalists R' Us since inception) and the Downtown Association which represents SOME businesses downtown.
If you lived in LA's Ramparts territory or the Lower East Side of New York, you'd think differently, but truth be told, no matter where, the police have exactly the same function.
To protect private property and kick the shit out of people who don't have any.
This morning, on the Cabale News Service news report for the day, Travus T. Hipp's archive @ archive.org, I added a piece that shows the end result of California's hyperjackass sociopath-stroking social system, as epitomized by the gentrification of my town... Santa Cruz:
In OTHER News:
California Is Numero UNO! In Social Inequality...
(Do you suppose that's where the responsibility for it's economic decline originates?)
California still leads U.S., including in inequality
By Peter Henderson
Thu May 19, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Perennial trend-setter California still represents potential aspects of the future of the United States, ranging from wealth and opportunity in Silicon Valley to abject poverty in the agricultural Central Valley.
The Golden State has always seen itself as the best, and it still is for some, but a new study of federal census and state data covering longevity, education and income shows the state is also home to arguably the worst-off parts of the nation.
Its diversity, continued attraction to immigrants, and a fast-changing economy that is still the world's eighth largest make it a harbinger for the globe as well as the nation, according to the study released this week.
"Some Californians are actually enjoying the highest levels of well-being in the world, where the rest of the world won't be for another half-century," said Kristen Lewis, one of the authors of "A Portrait of California."
But the report by the American Human Development Project, which uses United Nations-based indicators of health, wealth and education rolled into a Human Development Index score, also sheds light on less fortunate parts of the state. (here)
The Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts, which exploded in riots in 1965, only now scores at levels enjoyed by the rest of the county that year, while a companion study found the nation's worst-off congressional district to be in Fresno, California -- not the Mississippi Delta or Appalachia as researchers had expected... [More @ Reuters]
http://www.archive.org/details/CabaleNewsServices
What we have here is not a person of color, or impoverished... by circumstance, or social design as occurs with great regularity in Santa Cruz the shopping paradise that never was... but since it runs on cheap college student labor which could give about as much of a shit about the job as the job gives about them, it muddles by, with the help of some judicious (and often illegal) scapegoating by the SCPD, the Sentinel (Yellow Journalists R' Us since inception) and the Downtown Association which represents SOME businesses downtown.
If you lived in LA's Ramparts territory or the Lower East Side of New York, you'd think differently, but truth be told, no matter where, the police have exactly the same function.
To protect private property and kick the shit out of people who don't have any.
This morning, on the Cabale News Service news report for the day, Travus T. Hipp's archive @ archive.org, I added a piece that shows the end result of California's hyperjackass sociopath-stroking social system, as epitomized by the gentrification of my town... Santa Cruz:
In OTHER News:
California Is Numero UNO! In Social Inequality...
(Do you suppose that's where the responsibility for it's economic decline originates?)
California still leads U.S., including in inequality
By Peter Henderson
Thu May 19, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Perennial trend-setter California still represents potential aspects of the future of the United States, ranging from wealth and opportunity in Silicon Valley to abject poverty in the agricultural Central Valley.
The Golden State has always seen itself as the best, and it still is for some, but a new study of federal census and state data covering longevity, education and income shows the state is also home to arguably the worst-off parts of the nation.
Its diversity, continued attraction to immigrants, and a fast-changing economy that is still the world's eighth largest make it a harbinger for the globe as well as the nation, according to the study released this week.
"Some Californians are actually enjoying the highest levels of well-being in the world, where the rest of the world won't be for another half-century," said Kristen Lewis, one of the authors of "A Portrait of California."
But the report by the American Human Development Project, which uses United Nations-based indicators of health, wealth and education rolled into a Human Development Index score, also sheds light on less fortunate parts of the state. (here)
The Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts, which exploded in riots in 1965, only now scores at levels enjoyed by the rest of the county that year, while a companion study found the nation's worst-off congressional district to be in Fresno, California -- not the Mississippi Delta or Appalachia as researchers had expected... [More @ Reuters]
http://www.archive.org/details/CabaleNewsServices
For more information:
http://auntieimperial.blogSPOT.com
I used to be a Santa Cruz resident. You know what I realized might be one of the city planning flaws harmful to day-trippers from out of town, and shopping on Pacific?
Several times I have mentioned Santa Cruz to people in other cities and they say that they had the chance to visit once or twice, and they have an impression of it as a dirty or run down beach town where 'there are liquor stores with bars on the windows 2 blocks from the beach' (as a friend said). Now, we know this area is pretty expensive and the neighborhoods have a lot of upscale stores. Why do they think this? It's because the city put up a lot of signs coming from highway 17 and 101 directing people down Ocean avenue to the boardwalk area, and the one way streets make it very difficult to even get into the neighborhoods or nicer areas like Natural Bridges without a map. Even if you turn down River street, you might not notice that Pacific ave is even there unless you had heard about it, and you'll be routed by trader Joe's to the boardwalk. The beach there isn't overwhelming. They'll spend an hour at the wharf and go home, somewhat unimpressed. Ocean st and the poor apartments by the boardwalk are where the city has designated as the poverty zones of the city
Several times I have mentioned Santa Cruz to people in other cities and they say that they had the chance to visit once or twice, and they have an impression of it as a dirty or run down beach town where 'there are liquor stores with bars on the windows 2 blocks from the beach' (as a friend said). Now, we know this area is pretty expensive and the neighborhoods have a lot of upscale stores. Why do they think this? It's because the city put up a lot of signs coming from highway 17 and 101 directing people down Ocean avenue to the boardwalk area, and the one way streets make it very difficult to even get into the neighborhoods or nicer areas like Natural Bridges without a map. Even if you turn down River street, you might not notice that Pacific ave is even there unless you had heard about it, and you'll be routed by trader Joe's to the boardwalk. The beach there isn't overwhelming. They'll spend an hour at the wharf and go home, somewhat unimpressed. Ocean st and the poor apartments by the boardwalk are where the city has designated as the poverty zones of the city
Even the police thought it was a sham of a meeting. An officer told me it was a 'PR stunt' where nothing was accomplished.
It is kinda ridiculous that they wasted the people's time that really wanted to discuss community issues. Sorry Brent. And to the people defending it, are you really that daft? If you went and thought it was anything more than a staged PR event, you really are. Brent is right.
It is kinda ridiculous that they wasted the people's time that really wanted to discuss community issues. Sorry Brent. And to the people defending it, are you really that daft? If you went and thought it was anything more than a staged PR event, you really are. Brent is right.
I was born and raised within eye-shot of Coney Island and I'm here to tell you that there is no such thing as a 'nice neighborhood' near a beach boardwalk or large amusement park. Who the fuck would want to live with the noise, the confusion, the house lights that flicker each time they start the roller coaster or other large ride.
No matter where...
Just another example of how Santa Cruz has it's development head up it's ass. Just like the FACT that EVERY STUDY EVER DONE on homeless issues, the very same studies cities use to plan their policies about homelessness, show that community disfranchisement and criminalizing the resultant behavior DOES NOT WORK and COSTS HUGE SUMS OF TAXPAYER MONEY (I reiterate: to implement absolutely ineffective and counterproductive policies), the city of Santa Cruz thinks itself somehow special and not subject to well known sociological principle.
Either the people who plan and run this city are incompetent, or they're corrupt.
I think it's the latter.
New York found a solution to gentrifying a beach area... They're tearing down 90% of Coney Island... Just leaving the part closest to Brighton Beach, Astroland, with the landmark rollercoaster, the Cyclone, standing alone.
Santa Cruz COULD do that... AAMOF, the redevelopment plan for lower ocean calls for an arch, just like the "Welcome to Redwood City" arch. The developers even cribbed the picture untouched and used it in their promo.
Redwood city is not a wonderful tourist playground, and further, the current residents of lower Ocean would most likely no longer be able to afford to live there with the people coming to live there who could afford it not wanting to live there if the BoredWalk still existed, for the reasons I stated at the top
I figure ther corrupt motherfuckers who run this town are of the "Get In Get Over Get Out" persuasion and will leave Santa Cruz a socio-economic mess within the next decade unless we take them out (of office... just for clarity), en masse, or one at a time. Preferably en masse.
No matter where...
Just another example of how Santa Cruz has it's development head up it's ass. Just like the FACT that EVERY STUDY EVER DONE on homeless issues, the very same studies cities use to plan their policies about homelessness, show that community disfranchisement and criminalizing the resultant behavior DOES NOT WORK and COSTS HUGE SUMS OF TAXPAYER MONEY (I reiterate: to implement absolutely ineffective and counterproductive policies), the city of Santa Cruz thinks itself somehow special and not subject to well known sociological principle.
Either the people who plan and run this city are incompetent, or they're corrupt.
I think it's the latter.
New York found a solution to gentrifying a beach area... They're tearing down 90% of Coney Island... Just leaving the part closest to Brighton Beach, Astroland, with the landmark rollercoaster, the Cyclone, standing alone.
Santa Cruz COULD do that... AAMOF, the redevelopment plan for lower ocean calls for an arch, just like the "Welcome to Redwood City" arch. The developers even cribbed the picture untouched and used it in their promo.
Redwood city is not a wonderful tourist playground, and further, the current residents of lower Ocean would most likely no longer be able to afford to live there with the people coming to live there who could afford it not wanting to live there if the BoredWalk still existed, for the reasons I stated at the top
I figure ther corrupt motherfuckers who run this town are of the "Get In Get Over Get Out" persuasion and will leave Santa Cruz a socio-economic mess within the next decade unless we take them out (of office... just for clarity), en masse, or one at a time. Preferably en masse.
That is a pitiful tactic; posting to defend your stance while pretending your someone else.
"Brent is right! And an unnamed cop just happened to tell me exactly what Brent said"..say's the anon. poster.
*hairnt*
"Brent is right! And an unnamed cop just happened to tell me exactly what Brent said"..say's the anon. poster.
*hairnt*
I'd never use the word "daft."
To listen to more examples of our "secure and protect" SCPD in action, check out this three-car harassment stop by Officers Winston, Forbas, and Warren to hassle a couple sitting next to the vacant Borders building during last Sunday's 2 PM meal for the poor, given out by Ronee and Scott Currey.
http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb110519.mp3 at 1:55:20 (an hour, fifty-five minutes, and twenty seconds into the audio file).
For those interested later today there are protests in San Francisco (and Berkeley) against the Sitting Ban. Here's an e-mail from Bob Offer-Westort of the S.F. Coalition on Homelessness:
> From: Bob [at] pathawi.net
> Subject: Sidewalks Are Still For People: SUNDAY!
> * NEED MATERIALS?
> * DOCUMENT YOUR ACTION
> * LOCATIONS FOR EVENTS
>
> Happy impending Milk Day!
>
> It looks like we're going to have six events in San Francisco, one in Berkeley, and one in Portland. Sidewalks Are for People is going coastal!
>
> ===NEED MATERIALS?===
>
> Do you need Sidewalks Are For People signs? Flyers? One-page explanations of the sit/lie law?
>
> Either come by the Coalition on Homelessness office (468 Turk Street between Hyde & Larkin), or give a call to Bob (415.346.3740 x312) to arrange a delivery or to arrange to pick things up tomorrow.
>
> ===DOCUMENT YOUR ACTION===
>
> We want to create good materials to describe and show what happens on Sunday, and what we're here for. If you're helping coordinate an event and want to borrow a video or still digital camera, let us know!
>
> There's a community journalist who's doing a story for all three cities' street newspapers and the Huffington Post. If you've got a car and still aren't sure what you're doing on Sunday, she could use a ride getting around to all the events.
>
> ===LOCATIONS===
>
> IN SAN FRANCISCO
>
> CASTRO
> *QUEEN-In & HRC Protest
> *Harvey Milk Plaza
> *11:00–2:00
> *Organized by QUeers for Economic Equality Now!
> Live music and testimony from a soap box in front of Harvey's old camera store.
>
> HAIGHT
> *Barbecue & Board Game Showdown
> *Corner of Haight and Cole
> *11:00–2:00
> *Organized by the Coalition on Homelessness and Homeless Youth Alliance
> We'll be barbecuing and playing board games to celebrate the long history of public life in the Haight.
>
> MISSION
> *The First Gathering of "The Finer Things Club"
> *Dolores Park, 19th and Dolores
> *12:00–5:00
> Dress in your Sunday best and bring some classy food to share. BYOB. Dogs welcome! Bacon quiche (!) and croquet provided.
>
> TENDERLOIN
> *Sex Workers Agree Sidewalks are for People
> *Corner of Polk and Sutter
> *2:00–3:00
> *Organized by the US PROStitutes Collective and Legal Action for Women
> Live music and a memorial for murdered sex workers, as well as a reclamation of public space for all criminalized people.
>
> UN PLAZA
> *Food Not Bombs Meal and Chalk Art
> *UN Plaza
> *Organized by Food Not Bombs
> Vegan food and chalk art in protest of politicians' lies.
>
> IN BERKELEY
>
> *Chair-A-Pillar
> *Downtown Berkeley BART
> *12:00
> *Organized by Keep Sitting Legal
> Bring a chair for joint public art against sit/lie!
>
> IN PORTLAND
> *Harvey Milk's Birthday Party and Testimony Against Sidewalk Oppression Laws
> *Corner of NW Couch and NW 6th
> *Organized by Sisters of the Road
> *10:00–12:00
> Birthday cake, video of Harvey Milk's civil rights speeches, a film from homeless people in Portland testifying to their experiences with the "sidewalk management law," and live testimony from atop a soap box.
>
http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb110519.mp3 at 1:55:20 (an hour, fifty-five minutes, and twenty seconds into the audio file).
For those interested later today there are protests in San Francisco (and Berkeley) against the Sitting Ban. Here's an e-mail from Bob Offer-Westort of the S.F. Coalition on Homelessness:
> From: Bob [at] pathawi.net
> Subject: Sidewalks Are Still For People: SUNDAY!
> * NEED MATERIALS?
> * DOCUMENT YOUR ACTION
> * LOCATIONS FOR EVENTS
>
> Happy impending Milk Day!
>
> It looks like we're going to have six events in San Francisco, one in Berkeley, and one in Portland. Sidewalks Are for People is going coastal!
>
> ===NEED MATERIALS?===
>
> Do you need Sidewalks Are For People signs? Flyers? One-page explanations of the sit/lie law?
>
> Either come by the Coalition on Homelessness office (468 Turk Street between Hyde & Larkin), or give a call to Bob (415.346.3740 x312) to arrange a delivery or to arrange to pick things up tomorrow.
>
> ===DOCUMENT YOUR ACTION===
>
> We want to create good materials to describe and show what happens on Sunday, and what we're here for. If you're helping coordinate an event and want to borrow a video or still digital camera, let us know!
>
> There's a community journalist who's doing a story for all three cities' street newspapers and the Huffington Post. If you've got a car and still aren't sure what you're doing on Sunday, she could use a ride getting around to all the events.
>
> ===LOCATIONS===
>
> IN SAN FRANCISCO
>
> CASTRO
> *QUEEN-In & HRC Protest
> *Harvey Milk Plaza
> *11:00–2:00
> *Organized by QUeers for Economic Equality Now!
> Live music and testimony from a soap box in front of Harvey's old camera store.
>
> HAIGHT
> *Barbecue & Board Game Showdown
> *Corner of Haight and Cole
> *11:00–2:00
> *Organized by the Coalition on Homelessness and Homeless Youth Alliance
> We'll be barbecuing and playing board games to celebrate the long history of public life in the Haight.
>
> MISSION
> *The First Gathering of "The Finer Things Club"
> *Dolores Park, 19th and Dolores
> *12:00–5:00
> Dress in your Sunday best and bring some classy food to share. BYOB. Dogs welcome! Bacon quiche (!) and croquet provided.
>
> TENDERLOIN
> *Sex Workers Agree Sidewalks are for People
> *Corner of Polk and Sutter
> *2:00–3:00
> *Organized by the US PROStitutes Collective and Legal Action for Women
> Live music and a memorial for murdered sex workers, as well as a reclamation of public space for all criminalized people.
>
> UN PLAZA
> *Food Not Bombs Meal and Chalk Art
> *UN Plaza
> *Organized by Food Not Bombs
> Vegan food and chalk art in protest of politicians' lies.
>
> IN BERKELEY
>
> *Chair-A-Pillar
> *Downtown Berkeley BART
> *12:00
> *Organized by Keep Sitting Legal
> Bring a chair for joint public art against sit/lie!
>
> IN PORTLAND
> *Harvey Milk's Birthday Party and Testimony Against Sidewalk Oppression Laws
> *Corner of NW Couch and NW 6th
> *Organized by Sisters of the Road
> *10:00–12:00
> Birthday cake, video of Harvey Milk's civil rights speeches, a film from homeless people in Portland testifying to their experiences with the "sidewalk management law," and live testimony from atop a soap box.
>
It is poor form to accuse someone of posting to themselves to discredit a post that supports something you either do not like or wish wasn't true. An officer did tell me that. Sorry you are so confused.
Brent- The word daft is underutilized in this part of the world. It can be spot on without being overly insulting, a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee kind of word. Try it on sometime.
Brent- The word daft is underutilized in this part of the world. It can be spot on without being overly insulting, a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee kind of word. Try it on sometime.
great post brent and good insights leigh.
but you have to admit that the police are the most successful
criminals in town. they defraud the public out of millions
every year. a little perjury can go a long way to make those
illegal arrests stick. a touch of brutality to get respect.
load down the temporarily homeless with fines they can
never pay, so they lose their drivers license, and become
permanently homeless on our streets.
hey - that's JOB SECURITY for cops.
then just look the other way when fellow officers or the da
break the law and you can retire at 50.
but you have to admit that the police are the most successful
criminals in town. they defraud the public out of millions
every year. a little perjury can go a long way to make those
illegal arrests stick. a touch of brutality to get respect.
load down the temporarily homeless with fines they can
never pay, so they lose their drivers license, and become
permanently homeless on our streets.
hey - that's JOB SECURITY for cops.
then just look the other way when fellow officers or the da
break the law and you can retire at 50.
how does a municiple code ticket that is not a moving violation result in the loss of a drivers license?
The first rule of government is that transparency aids in creating accountability. Thus I argue for a Sunshine Ordinance, like the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley have or are considering. When the activities of the Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) are open to scrutiny, the police can more easily be held accountable. See the ACLU's position on a Sunshine Ordinance for the San Jose Police Department after Mercury News reporting brought police misconduct to light:
http://www.aclunc.org/news/opinions/shed_sunshine_on_police_records_of_drunk_arrests.shtml
Second, Santa Cruz needs an citizen oversight committee of the SCPD, one which is uncorrupted by the City's political establishment. This would put some breaks on the police. Another option would be a strong independent police auditor like San Jose has in Judge LaDoris Cordell:
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/ipa/
We need average citizens to become advocates against and witnesses to police misconduct, to put the police on notice that they aren't operating in the shadows anymore. Berkeley has a Copwatchers group:
http://www.berkeleycopwatch.org/
Here are links and resources from the National Police Accountability Project:
http://www.nlg-npap.org/html/resources.htm
Finally, we need local attorneys who will donate a percentage of their time to represent civil rights cases pro bono.
But the first three options are activities citizens can take to hold the SCPD accountable, to ensure they do not abuse their position. The fountain in front of the entrance to the SCPD station says to treat with dignity and respect and to protect and serve. It's time for these words to be made a reality.
http://www.aclunc.org/news/opinions/shed_sunshine_on_police_records_of_drunk_arrests.shtml
Second, Santa Cruz needs an citizen oversight committee of the SCPD, one which is uncorrupted by the City's political establishment. This would put some breaks on the police. Another option would be a strong independent police auditor like San Jose has in Judge LaDoris Cordell:
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/ipa/
We need average citizens to become advocates against and witnesses to police misconduct, to put the police on notice that they aren't operating in the shadows anymore. Berkeley has a Copwatchers group:
http://www.berkeleycopwatch.org/
Here are links and resources from the National Police Accountability Project:
http://www.nlg-npap.org/html/resources.htm
Finally, we need local attorneys who will donate a percentage of their time to represent civil rights cases pro bono.
But the first three options are activities citizens can take to hold the SCPD accountable, to ensure they do not abuse their position. The fountain in front of the entrance to the SCPD station says to treat with dignity and respect and to protect and serve. It's time for these words to be made a reality.
The following points to questionable priorities by the SCPD and the Santa Cruz political establishment.
1. Westside Santa Cruz has 2 officers patrolling it at any one time, even after the gang murders of Carl Reimer and Tyler Tenorio.
2. The police divert a disproportionate number of officers downtown, and much of that is directed at the homeless.
3. The City's planners see Downtown as THE most important part of Santa Cruz and RETAIL business being integral to the success of the Downtown. Their utopian documents leave no room for homeless people: the homeless must be removed and made invisible.
Thus in time of a burning deficit, Santa Cruz politicos and the SCPD still wage a war on the homeless, throwing money down a black hole, while ignoring crime closer to home for the Citizenry. The City's neighborhoods are arguably more dangerous than ever while waging war on the homeless instead of housing and providing for them just wastes jail beds, bundles of money, and precious police resources.
1. Westside Santa Cruz has 2 officers patrolling it at any one time, even after the gang murders of Carl Reimer and Tyler Tenorio.
2. The police divert a disproportionate number of officers downtown, and much of that is directed at the homeless.
3. The City's planners see Downtown as THE most important part of Santa Cruz and RETAIL business being integral to the success of the Downtown. Their utopian documents leave no room for homeless people: the homeless must be removed and made invisible.
Thus in time of a burning deficit, Santa Cruz politicos and the SCPD still wage a war on the homeless, throwing money down a black hole, while ignoring crime closer to home for the Citizenry. The City's neighborhoods are arguably more dangerous than ever while waging war on the homeless instead of housing and providing for them just wastes jail beds, bundles of money, and precious police resources.
Incidentally, the police have extensive resources. According to the new budget, about 21 million dollars of the 55 million dollars (about 38%) goes to SCPD. With misplaced priorities targeting homeless individuals downtown and the such, we should all be appalled and work to do something about it.
While it does not seem like the police are not doing things about gang violence of the such, they follow the New York PD model they used to cut down on the crime fest they had around 15 years ago: heavily attack the small crimes (erase the graffiti in the subway and ticket those skipping out on the subway fare). However, essentially no wealthy individuals use the subway thus the targeting of low-income persons. This cut down on more than half of the crime in New York by discouraging those on the verge of committing a crime or not committing a crime dot not commit a crime.
However, the city cannot target a particular population. In the 60's, Civil Rights protests attacked the targeting of African American's and women. The city doesn't directly attack homelessness, they attack the common acts of homelessness; the sleeping, sitting, panhandling, loitering etc. These so-called "easy" tickets (which they amount heaps of) justify the need for such a large budget. So it is beneficial threefold for the City and SCPD: it keeps the SCPD with high funds, discourages homelessness (improving business sales), and decreases on the overall crime following the NYPD model.
While it does not seem like the police are not doing things about gang violence of the such, they follow the New York PD model they used to cut down on the crime fest they had around 15 years ago: heavily attack the small crimes (erase the graffiti in the subway and ticket those skipping out on the subway fare). However, essentially no wealthy individuals use the subway thus the targeting of low-income persons. This cut down on more than half of the crime in New York by discouraging those on the verge of committing a crime or not committing a crime dot not commit a crime.
However, the city cannot target a particular population. In the 60's, Civil Rights protests attacked the targeting of African American's and women. The city doesn't directly attack homelessness, they attack the common acts of homelessness; the sleeping, sitting, panhandling, loitering etc. These so-called "easy" tickets (which they amount heaps of) justify the need for such a large budget. So it is beneficial threefold for the City and SCPD: it keeps the SCPD with high funds, discourages homelessness (improving business sales), and decreases on the overall crime following the NYPD model.
Hi John Colby,
You, and many others I presume, seem very passionate about the necessity of a CopWatch holding officers accountable for their injustices, like the beating of a man a week or two ago reportedly. You should e-mail me (and ANYONE else interested in the cause). A couple other people and I have been meeting in regards to this idea within the past week.
Hope to hear from you, your stories, fears (if any) and passions:
kclivingood [at] hotmail.com
You, and many others I presume, seem very passionate about the necessity of a CopWatch holding officers accountable for their injustices, like the beating of a man a week or two ago reportedly. You should e-mail me (and ANYONE else interested in the cause). A couple other people and I have been meeting in regards to this idea within the past week.
Hope to hear from you, your stories, fears (if any) and passions:
kclivingood [at] hotmail.com
As many critics have pointed out, Giuliani's tough on small crimes policy, which disproportionately targeted the poor and people of color, was NOT a successful crime fighting strategy. Thus pursuing it in Santa Cruz will just lead to more civil rights violations without successfully tackling the real crime problem Santa Cruz has.
http://www.brendan-nyhan.com/blog/2006/07/the_myth_of_giu.html
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2007/sep/01/how-much-credit-giuliani-due-fighting-crime/
Say NO to Giuliani police tactics in Santa Cruz!
http://www.brendan-nyhan.com/blog/2006/07/the_myth_of_giu.html
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2007/sep/01/how-much-credit-giuliani-due-fighting-crime/
Say NO to Giuliani police tactics in Santa Cruz!
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