Oakland Police Department has been a bad legend for many years. And has been under a court ordered monitor for many years (since 2003).
We like to think that our police department is made up of heroes. That when we need them they will be there to protect and defend us. But the Black community and the Latino communities know very well there is a dark side. DWB (Driving while black) has been a justifiable reason for cops to stop a car and search it. And cops are arrogant and hostile to those within those communities.
I live in a mixed neighborhood. I firmly believe that cops carry a bag of dope around with them so that they can plant it on people they don't like. I firmly believe that they stop and detain and even arrest blacks every day with very little reason and do so with impunity. I see them do it. My cops are angels compared to OPD.
Judge considers contempt of court for cops:
Federal Judge Thelton Henderson and the court monitors overseeing the Oakland Police Department have been frustrated for years by the lack of accountability in the department when it comes to police officer misconduct. Typically, the department places officers accused of wrongdoing on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation. But then if internal affairs recommends an officer be disciplined, or even fired, that recommendation often is overturned later by an arbitrator.
The article goes on to state that the union has required the arbitrator but the arbitration system has worked to protect the cops from discipline which might range from firing to demotion to suspension
OPD purchased 350 Vievu cameras in September 2010 at a cost of $540,048. The devices were intended as a transparency tool to hold officers accountable for their actions during interactions with the public, and to deter false complaints against officers. Each device has four gigabytes of memory and can record up to four hours of video. OPD's official policy for camera use states that officers must keep their cameras on while conducting vehicle or walking stops, and while making arrests. No stipulations are made for crowd control situations in the policy. But department instructions for lapel camera usage in OPD's operations plan for November 2 stated that officers that had been issued lapel cameras were required to wear them and turn them on "if directly engaged with the crowd (i.e. dispersal order given, skirmish line moves toward crowd or during arrests or physical contact with members of the crowd)." However, videos and images from January 28 appear to show several OPD officers with their lapel cameras off during confrontations with demonstrators and while making arrests, including at least one officer who was photographed firing less-than-lethal rounds from his shotgun at fleeing demonstrators at 10th and Oak streets.
On January 27th, Judge Henderson issued a new ruling. For the independent monitoring team that has been watching over the OPD, the new ruling gives them considerable new investigative powers. They can now launch independent investigations as well as investigate incidents that the Judge or the lawyers (John Burris and Jim Chanin who brought civil rights cases against OPD) request. There can then be contempt of court proceedings against the individual members of OPD who violate the orders. This will circumvent the arbitration process and also a 6 year law that has prevented disclosing police officer misconduct.
Now consider the Civil Police Review Board. They can only instigate investigations when somebody makes a complaint. And when they complete their investigations they can only suggest remedies. This is probably true of a lot of civilian review boards. So police officers have a tough job, but they have a lot of systems in place to protect them. So who protects the citizens from the cops?
And Oakland PD isn't the only offender in the offensive policing.
From Spokane PD and their weaponry comes this satirical comment: Spokane area law enforcement preparing for the end times under a photo of cops crawling in a line holding weapons.
Previous diaries on this issue:
NYPD targeting Muslims
The OPD Civilian Review Board
We've seen an aggressive push to squelch protestors abilities to protest. Pens for protestors to keep them away from anybody important that might even hear a protest have been common. And the militarization of the police department. Why do they need armor for a peaceful protest? Who protects our right to free speech? Evidently not the cops. Evidently not the justice department. But at least we have one judge who believes in the law and is intent on one pd following the law.