I have been engaged in an email exchange with the Chief of Police of a local municipality whose police officers’ association used the same boilerplate racist fundraising appeal I diaried about last week when the sheriff’s deputies’ association used it. Deputies in this county answer to an elected Sheriff, so the county government has limited authority over him.
A police chief serves at the pleasure of the city government. The chief invoked the First Amendment in his defense of the racist letter. I asked the city government to instruct him to say publicly what he said to me in private communication.
The exchange speaks for itself, so here it is. It begins with my communication with the city administration, and I compiled my exchange with the chief below it I have anonymized it to protect privacy.
Begin email exchange with police chief
From: repackrider@xxxx.com
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2016 3:23 PM
To: [Police Chief]
Cc: [Town administrators]
Subject: Racist fundraising appeal
Sir,
I recently became aware of a form letter being used by several police officers' unions to raise funds, including the [City] Police Officers Association. I find it disturbing for several reasons, the naked and unapologetic racism being the most important. While I understand that this is a union and does not represent the police department itself, it is difficult to separate the ideals of the two organizations when the list of officers includes active members of the department.
The fundraising letter includes this phrase,"...we are mindful of the unprecedented wave of violence against our fellow officers in Ferguson, Baltimore and New York [City]..." These of course are places where communities erupted in outrage after the killing of unarmed black men by police, after accusations of remarkably petty misdemeanors. Eric Garner died in New York for the crime of selling single un-taxed cigarettes, Freddie Gray died in Baltimore without even being charged with anything.
The suggestion that the military vehicles, automatic weapons and riot gear deployed against unarmed protesters in Ferguson, Missouri was violence on the part of the community stands logic on its head. Federal investigation of the events in Ferguson revealed that a corrupt city administration was milking black citizens for the city coffers by arresting them and fining them at a rate so high that there were more outstanding arrest warrants than the number of people living there. Any suggestion that the citizens had no right to be angry at this racist treatment is contradicted by the investigation that exposed this corruption.
Recently here in [XXXX] County the taxpayers picked up a tab of $585,000 in a settlement over the shooting by a deputy of an unarmed black man named [Withheld], who had attempted to flee a citation for driving on a suspended license. The deputy emptied his weapon, 16 shots, of which fewer than half can be accounted for by damage to the vehicle, the rest flying around a residential neighborhood. A black residential neighborhood. The deputy then lied by claiming that Mr. [Withheld] threatened him with the vehicle, which the physical evidence showed was not true.
I presume that the standards of the [City] Police Department prohibit firing indiscriminately in residential areas over petty offenses, but black citizens of [County] are justified in sensing that there is a different standard applied in [the black enclave]. In light of this shooting it is of utmost importance that other local police agencies separate themselves from these dangerous and racist police practices. The fundraising letter does not separate them, it conflates them.
As crimes go, fleeing a Vehicle Code citation, when the officer knows the identity of the subject and can find him later barely moves the needle, but the response was overwhelmingly violent and uncalled for. In light of this local example, the racism inherent in the [City] Police Officers Association appeal is even more offensive.
The suggestion is made in the letter that police work is dangerous, but deaths in the line of duty have fallen year after year. 2013 was the safest year since 1887 to be a police officer, with 33 homicide deaths nationwide, ten in California. A police officer is more likely to die on duty in a vehicle accident than at the hands of a criminal. Suicides among police officers outnumber homicide deaths.
Every job I have ever had was more dangerous than police work. I was a truck driver for 45 years, and that ranks among the most dangerous jobs in the United States. I also served in the US Army (1966-1968, E-5, Honorable Discharge, and you're welcome) and in the 'sixties that was considerably more dangerous than police work. I do not care to be told that the job of a police officer is dangerous, when the numbers show that this is not true compared to other lines of work.
Any black person who reads this fundraising letter will be enraged by the tone. The only positive response to it will come from someone who is an avowed racist. This reflects so badly on the [City] Police Department that a response at the highest level denouncing this disgusting fundraising approach is vital for responsible citizens like me to regain confidence in police. I am 70 years old, a lifelong [XXXX] County resident, and I have never been arrested. I don't know how much more responsible I can get.
There is another reason I am offended by this letter, which as I have pointed out, is a form letter used by multiple local police unions. I have never heard of a public servants' union asking for donations from the public. Unions in every occupation support themselves by charging dues. You don't see, for example the Postal Workers' Union or the United Auto Workers asking the public to help them out. If police associations cannot support themselves in the fashion every other union uses, perhaps they should re-think the level of dues or curtail some of their expenses.
Thank you for your attention. While I expect an email response, a private apology for a public offense is worthless, and without an accompanying public statement, it would be an insult. It is far more important for the leadership of the [City] Police Department to denounce the offensive letter publicly and loudly so there can be no misinterpretation, and disassociate itself from the racism it represents so clearly.
[RepackRider]
-----Original Message-----
From: [Police Chief]
To: [RepackRider]
Cc: [City Administrators]
Sent: Thu, Jan 7, 2016 5:00 pm
Subject: RE: Racist fundraising appeal
Dear Mr. [Rider]
You are correct that the [City] Police Officer Association (XPOA) does not represent the [City] Police Department (XPD), but is a labor union that represents employees of the [XPD]. The [XPD], or the City of [XXX] has no authority over the [XPOA], or over their fundraising efforts, as long as employees do not violate any City or Department policies. In a review of the letter I do not see where any policies are violated.
I would recommend you directly contact the president of the [XPOA], [Name], and give him a chance to respond to your concerns. I see that at the bottom of the letter in question he encourages you to do just that.
Sincerely,
[XXXX]y
Acting Chief of Police
[City] Police Department
[Following is my response to the police chief’s email above, so far no response to this]
Sir,
I assume by your response that the racism expressed by your employees disgusts you as much as it does any patriotic American.
I understand that the members of the [City] Police Officers' Association have a First Amendment right to spew hateful racist crap, and I will defend that right, even to my black friends. If you had read my communication carefully you will see that we are in agreement on the First Amendment.
The general public may not parse the fundraising appeal that carefully. When they see that a police officer holds racist views, even if they are protected views, it shakes confidence in the motives and morality of those who are allowed the awesome responsibility of going armed in the community. Whether you like it or not, the public does not see the distinction between racist views held off the job, and the same person when he is on the job dealing with racially charged issues.
The documented evidence of racism among your employees creates a legitimate concern among black citizens that they are subject to a different brand of law enforcement than white people. Having accepted a leadership position, it is your duty to address these concerns.
Easy jobs pay minimum wage, and you are paid very well to do a hard job. This is the hard part of the job that you get paid for.
It takes leadership to speak out against protected but offensive speech in people who answer to you. We see hard evidence of racism in your department but we do not see any official opposition to these hateful statements.
You also have First Amendment rights sir, and I expect you to use them to speak out against racism when you see it at such close proximity. You have accepted a duty as a community leader. Use that position for good. Your silence on racism among law enforcement officers helps perpetuate it.
Citizens have a legitimate concern that you have a conflict of interest here, that you are too close to the people who have shown their true colors to speak out against their evil words. You have done nothing to allay that concern. If I read your statement right, you do not want any part of the discussion of the racism embedded in your department that is there for all to see.
I do not need to contact the [[XPOA] about this. They have made their position clear by putting in print. You have not made your position clear, instead you have offered excuses for not doing so. What I am not seeing anywhere in your response is a denunciation of racism, no matter whose. How difficult is that?
[RepackRider]
[Below find the text of the boilerplate fundraiser, with, logos removed. Google the bold phrase to see multiple uses.]
[City] Police Officers Association
Dear Friend and Neighbor,
As President of the [City] Police Officers Association (XPOA), I want to sincerely thank you for your past support of us and bring to your attention the effect of nationwide events which has cast a shadow in our community.
Today as I ask for your continued support of our community mission, we are mindful of the unprecedented wave of violence against our fellow officers in Ferguson, Baltimore, New York [my emphasis] and especially the execution murder of a Texas Sheriff’s deputy. Combined with the double punch of California’s AB 109 (early release of some prisoners) and Prop 47 (making most property crimes, theft and non-violent drug crimes a misdemeanor) your future support is more critical than ever.
Knowing we are not alone and supported by you makes all the difference to us and our families. As the holidays are approaching, we are thankful for holding us up in your generosity. In deep appreciation and support, we hope you will display our [XPOA] 2016 Proud Supporter decal, which are only available to our community supporters.
Your contributions to the [XPOA] support our police officers and families of fallen officers, and are invested back into the community through our sponsorship of local programs. Donations are solely used to support the [XPOA]; this program is NOT political in nature. Your solidarity with the men and women dedicated to protecting our city send an encouraging message to our youth and shouts a louder message to those criminals who might think no one cares. We know you do!
Sincerely yours,
[Name], President
[City] Police Officers Association
P.S. Any questions or concerns, please call XXX-XXX-XXXX.