message from C.M.:
There's a whole lotta covering up going on in Solano County...
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENTS CODE BLUE PLEDGE " protect and hide any evidence from the scene of the crime... murder em... kill em and bag them up... then proceed with the cover up.
Protect the badge holder at all times.
Always bring guns and drugs to plant at the crime... this is the pledge that The Vallejo Police Department officers took on September 2, 2012 the night that they murdered Mario Romero.
Squad car 136 is the cleanup man... telling evidence from the scene of the murder.
How do you sleep at night mister clean up man? do you sleep?
GOD said whats done in the dark will come to the light... these skeletons just keep falling out of the closet...
hmm I wonder whats next?
"VALLEJO POLICE OFFICER HELPS HIS BUDDY, STEALS EVIDENCE FROM MARIO ROMERO" video upload 2012-09-22 to "youtube.com" by "lexthin56"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZapQYCHeBg]:
Vallejo Police Murder Mario Romero MURDERED IN HIS CAR THEN CUT OUT OF THE CAR IN A PANIC AND PLACED ON THE GROUND BEFORE BACKUP OR AMBULANCE CALLED. WHAT? THE EVIDENCE TAGS HAVE NOT BEEN PLACED, NO PICTURES TAKEN, AT THE TIME OF THE OFFICER INVOLVED THEFT
"MURDER OF MARIO ROMERO SOLANO COUNTY CORONER COVER UP. AGAIN!!!!" video upload 2012-09-19 to "youtube.com" by "lexthin56"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnpPUtIL57U]:
2012-101-18 analysis by La Mesha Irizarry of the "Idriss-Stelley Foundation", a non-profit advocating against systematic police violence and extra-judicial executions of innocent people:
In the early morning hours of September 2, 2012 Mario Romero was brutally killed by the Vallejo Police Department as he and his brother-in-law sat in front of their home on their way to return to their wives and children however before they were able to leave their car they were sprayed with bullets by blood thirsty police officers on a mission to seek and destroy.
The Vallejo Police Officers admit they Never identified themselves, Never asked for Driver's License, Insurance or registration. Instead they were told to raise their hands at the same time they were fired upon with brutal force that mirrored the actions of the Nazi's.
Round after round was reloaded into the clip as witness screamed for the officers to spare the lives of these two innocent men who police continued to spray their car with bullets living out a scene from a video game , Jumping upon the hood of the car of the men who they were supposedly threatened by two innocent unarmed men that they intended to kill not hurt but kill.
The community of Vallejo is outraged by the excessive force that has been used on the citizens of Vallejo California and all of the coincidences in the stories.
They have attempted to paint this man as a drug dealing gangster with ties to a neighborhood that he had just moved into in an attempt to smoke screen a murder that they committed.
They stole his body from the scene of the crime and have held it hostage from his loved ones.
They have intimidated the San Francisco Bay Area media by telling them not to cover the rallies on the front porch of the Vallejo Police Department filled with hundreds of saddened citizens in fear of their safety.
they have not allowed the mother of Mario Romero to see the body of her brutally murdered child.
The retiring head of the sheriff's department has considered this murder as minimal and has left this tragedy on the list of to do's for his unavailable assistant while this mother has been deprived of identifying the body of her son.
The Police chief has been unavailable to answer questions from the family and community but has been conveniently available for the media while the family was disallowed. As they cried out for justice for two days straight on the porch of the Vallejo Police Department, Police Public Relations Officer Mr. Basset eased out of the back door of the Police department and into his car to be with his family.
The Mayor of the city has been unavailable to speak to the family but has been available to speak to the media . The mother of this slain man was shooed away as she broke down and cried inside of Mayor Osby Davis' Office... Mr. Davis has taken an extended Vacation and will not be returning until the end of next week and no assistant is available.
Mr. Bassett has justified the actions of his subordinates but has failed to provide the video footage that supports his officers actions.
Meanwhile in a city not far away a CHP officer was gunned down and the tape to the patrol car was made immediately available and all involved parties were named. This has not been the case in Vallejo California where there have been 5 police killings so far this year. The computers and internet of all parties standing up for justice for Mario Romero have been hacked denying access to media outlets, The family home where the slain man lived has been revisited by the Vallejo Police Department but not to offer condolences. It has been revisited by officers shinning the same bright lights minus the guns that they shinned into the windows that very night that Mario Romero was Brutally murdered, windows dow,n laughing taunts about him deserving to die. In an attempt to intimidate and silence the family from seeking justice for injustice. We are all human and deserve to be treated the same. Somehow the Vallejo California Police Department does not agree.
They believe that it is okay to profile, Bully and intimidate the citizens of Vallejo California because they don't believe that anyone cares.
this is plea for everyone to take notice of the continued tragedy that is going on in Vallejo California. We want justice for Mario Romero and all of the citizens of Vallejo California who have been murdered and harassed by the Vallejo Police Department. "something has to be done immediately!
this could be you or your loved one.
It is imperative that the word gets out about the the corrupt actions that have been accepted by the officials.
Please repost and share with you family friends and community
2011-10-04 "The Blue Wall Of Silence"
[http://policedeviance.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/the-blue-wall-of-silence/]:
What is “The Blue Wall of Silence”?
The term “Blue Wall of Silence” also known as the “Blue Shield” first triggered in New York, United States [http://www.wisegeek.com/contest/what-is-meant-by-the-blue-wall-of-silence.htm]. This unwritten code can generally be defined as: “A rule among police officers not to report on another officer’s errors, misconducts, and or crimes when questioned about an incident of misconduct involving another colleague, during a course of an inquiry”.
Every country has a police force to enforce its laws and ensure that public peace is maintained overall. In a democratic system of government, the police are expected to maintain public order without violating a citizen’s civil or human rights. The idea that in a democratic country the police do uphold civil liberties and do not violate human rights is not necessarily accurate. The Blue Wall of Silence can be one of many contributing factors that help police officers uphold the deviance involved in their department.
The Blue Wall of Silence symbolizes the loyalty among police officers within the force [http://www.washburnlaw.edu/wlj/39-2/articles/koepke-jennifer.pdf]. To maintain this loyalty an officer may be forced to neglect the presence of police brutality which can hurt the victims by preventing them from getting justice. Moreover, the Blue Wall of Silence and police brutality have been and continue to be, protected and facilitated by the police culture. A mutual link then can be made between police culture and police corruption, which makes this topic significantly interesting.
According to Maurice Punch (2009), corruption in policing generally refers to: an officer perceptively doing or not doing something that is contrary to his/her duty for some form of financial or material gain. In most cases, it is geared largely in the direction of bribery and individual gain in return for favors.
Research has been collected through previous cases involving police misconduct that caught the media’s attention and went global, for example the New York Police Department [http://www.nytimes.com/keyword/blue-wall]. In New York City, some police officers have been associated with the Blue Wall of Silence that led to the Mollen Commission in 1994 [http://www.parc.info/client_files/Special%20Reports/4%20-%20Mollen%20Commission%20-%20NYPD.pdf]. Mollen’s mandate was to examine and investigate “the nature and extent of corruption in the Department; evaluate the departments procedures for preventing and detecting that corruption; and recommend changes and improvements to those procedures”. The Commission found that officers falsified documents such as arrest reports, warrants and evidence for an illegal arrest or search and they justified themselves by believing that this was not corruption but yet another way to “get the job done”. The Mollen Commission concluded by saying “The pervasiveness of the code of silence is itself alarming”.
During the course of my web audit, using the Google search engine, I entered the term “Blue Wall of Silence” and received approximately 3,950,000 hits with content extending from dated to more recent incidents. The first page consisted of information from the Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Code_of_Silence], News Media Articles [http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_36/b3697036.htm], Multimedia [http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/06/21/the_blue_wall_of_silence/], and from former NYPD Police Officers that went against the code [http://www.nondomesticatedthinker.com/2010/07/walk-behind-the-blue-wall-of-silence/]. I found the Wikipedia – the free encyclopaedia provided a good definition on the term and provided a direct link to the Mollen Commission, which made it easier to understand the whole phenomenon that took place in New York City.
Additionally, I found the first page is restricted by a lack of academic articles. However, found it interesting how there are a range of perspectives with respect to this topic. For example, the first page consisted of a link where a police officer spoke out regarding the issues associated with the unwritten code, within his department. Furthermore, this topic can be controversial towards the public’s eye and we can start to ask questions, Can this Unwritten Code The Blue Wall of Silence be broken?
References:
Punch, Maurice. (2009). Police Corruption Deviance, accountability and reform in policing. Willan Publishing. Devon, UK.
What is meant by the Blue Wall of Silence?
[http://www.wisegeek.com/contest/what-is-meant-by-the-blue-wall-of-silence.htm]:
The Blue Wall of Silence is the name used to describe the unity exhibited by Police officers in an aim to limit their co-operation when the accused is a police official. It is neither a morally justifiable act nor is it a legal act.
Experts say that the Blue Wall of Silence symbolizes the fierce loyalty among police officers. According to NPR’s Eric Westervelt, the idea of the impenetrable ‘code’ came into existence when a Haitian immigrant was tortured in custody at a Brooklyn precinct. In reality, the Blue Wall of Silence was built by Jerome H. Skolnick who reported the case in April 2000.The trial that began on May 4 of four New York policemen in connection with the August 1997 brutalization of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima took two surprising turns. In the second week of the trial, three NYPD policemen took the stand to support the prosecution's charges that one of the defendants, Officer Justin A. Volpe, had sodomized Louima with a wooden stick in the restroom of the 70th Precinct station house in Brooklyn. The three cops, breaking through the notorious "blue wall of silence," testified that Volpe had boasted of the crime, and they offered accounts supporting aspects of the charges. The fact that three cops had testified against another cop in a police brutality case took the media by storm. Then, the second surprising turn was that, Volpe decided to plead guilty to the charges. This confession shocked the community at large who felt that these killers in blue uniforms cannot be reformed but must be removed from our communities. Media reports said that the three cops who testified against Volpe were emboldened to cross the "blue line of silence" by the mass protests against police brutality that followed the murder of Amadou Diallo. Thus the Blue Wall of Silence came into existence.
The Blue Wall of Silence, does not have an official existence. This is not a written code. John Diedrich in the Milwaukee Sentinel article titled “Wall of Silence Not Breaking” calls it the ‘unwritten code of silence’. By common reasoning, it is easy to connect the existence of police brutality with the Blue Wall of Silence. Where there is police brutality, the issue of the Blue Wall of Silence coexists. Hence it can be concluded using deductive reasoning that the Blue Wall of Silence exists at all levels of the police. The existence of the Blue Wall of Silence affects the prisoners who face police brutality, as well as the righteous police officers who try to tear down the Blue Wall of Silence.
The case of Frank Jude Jr. merits special attention in this context. Frank Jude Jr., was savagely beaten Oct. 24 by a dozen men who, witnesses said identified themselves as off-duty police officers. This was a case in which the officers’ testimony became crucial. This is a case when the Blue Wall of Silence affects the life of Frank Jude Jr., a victim of police brutality. According to New York Daily News, Barry, a 16-year veteran of the force, contends she was demoted and brought up on disciplinary charges after whistle-blowing on the truancy unit of the Queens South Task Force in 1998. Barry was demoted, assigned to midnight tours and accused of failing to supervise her unit. She was further labeled by other cops as a ‘rat’."Cops will tolerate psychos, alcoholics, wife-beaters, dweebs and geeks, but they will not tolerate rats. Period," said Tony Bouza, chief of the Minneapolis Police Department from 1980 to 1988. In this particular case, the Blue Wall of Silence has affected the life of a righteous police officer, Barry.
The above instances show that the Blue Wall of Silence hurts the victims of police brutality by preventing them from getting justice and the righteous police officers who are punished for choosing to cross the Blue Wall of Silence. It protects the police officers who perpetuate the crime of brutality.
The Blue Wall of Silence is thus a barrier to the course of justice. It does more harm than good because it destroys the image of the police officers in the public eye. Supporters of the Blue Wall of Silence argue that police officers have friendships and allegiances among colleagues, much like workers in any office and these officers depend on each other with their lives. It can be reasoned that a police officer honoring the Blue Wall of Silence is merely following the instructions of his seniors. As such there can be nothing morally wrong in it from the viewpoint of the police officers.
Another police officer justifies the ‘code’ saying that it is the result of changing role of the police officer. The police of today are trained to look out for drugs and terrorists. They are trained differently in recent times. By heavily arming them, they are expected to be more aggressive in their jobs thereby promoting police brutality.
By indulging in police brutality, such officers commit crimes. When, in respect of the Blue Wall of Silence, colleagues maintain silence in this context, they are actually acting on the side of the criminals and hence will be considered as supporters of the crime. Thus, in the eyes of the public and the prisoners, it would be unethical for a police officer to protect his colleagues on the pretext of the Blue Wall of Silence. The Blue Wall of Silence, created by the media to define the unwritten code of police officers to protect offenders of crimes amongst their colleagues has become a hotly debated issue in the light of deaths due to police brutality. While protecting culprits within the police force, this Wall has been a barrier to obtaining justice for the victims of police brutality. It can be predicted that there is every chance that this Blue Wall of Silence can be finally broken by the powerful roar of the media in the voice of a communicative and aware public.
Father Say Vallejo Police Shoot His Son In the Head, Shoot Son Arms Off & Shoot Son Feet Off
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAeYXj4UGgc]:
Father Micheal Say Vallejo Police Shoot His Son In the Head and shoot his son arm off and shoot his son feet off. You must look at the VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wZJGMU3hZk AND SEE THE KILLING!!!!! Father tells the story that his son had three bullets holes in his head while he wipe off the makeup off his face while he laid in the coffin. You must see the video on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wZJGMU3hZk. The citizen in Vallejo is under attack by the Vallejo Police. When will the FBI come and Investigate the Vallejo Police Department..????
"Rev. Harris Stands With Guy Jarreau's Mother From Louisiana To Announce Class Action Law Suit" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHPYcBCk_Rs]:
National Network In Action President Rev. Harris Stands With Guy Jarreau's Mother From Louisiana To Announce Class Law Suit Against The City of Vallejo Police.
Civil Right Leader Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr Does Candlelight Vigil For Guy Jarreau 10-11-12 Part #1
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcM-URT8-OA]:
Civil Right Leader Revl Floyd D. Harris Jr Does Candlelight Vigil ( 10-11-12 ) Part 1. Guy Jarreau Was Shot And Killed By Vallejo Police. This Is His Mom Standing In The Alley Where Guy Was Smoked By The Police.!!!!!!
We Will Never For Get How They Took This Brother " LIFE "
Guy Jarreau Family Is Exposing The Corruption On Who Was Paid Off To Cover Up The Murder Guy
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkGJkBMKA1E]:
Guy Jarreau who was murder by the Vallejo Police. Guy mother has not receive the police report. This family as and the community have been demanding justice for Guy Jarreau. The day of the murder the Vallejo Police took cameras and other items at the crime sceen and have not return it back to the family. Why is the Vallejo Police Killling young black men? The Vallejo Police Department is averaging at least 1 murder a month.
by Al Osorio from "POOR" magazine [http://www.poormagazine.org/node/4560]: Last night's Town Hall in Vallejo drew a large crowd, at least eighty people - almost entirely people of color - filling a room at the North Vallejo community center. Cephus Johnson and his wife sister Beatrice X spearheaded the event, part of plans to specifically help the families of police murder victims in Vallejo while also incorporating them into the struggle of so many other black and brown families who have suffered at the hands of police violence. Needless to say fathers suffer as much as moms, however in so many cases moms have done the majority of the child rearing and thus bear the brunt of the pain of loss as well as the responsibility of seeking justice within a racist system with the odds stacked against them. Uncle Bobby (Cephus) unveiled the term MoM, Mobilization of Mothers. Sister Beatrice shared how she is a mom but can only imagine how much suffering this inflicts on a person. She recalled watching sharing a hotel room with her sister in law Wanda at the time of the Johannes Mehserle trial, observing her so consumed by pain she had difficulty getting up to answer the door. Minister Keith Muhammad spoke well, his words resonating with the audience. He related the struggles to get the DA to charge Mehserle, and how video evidence was what enabled them to turn a corner and get a measure of justice. As Uncle Bobby stated often, it was history but not victory. Each mom spoke of their loss, their pain, their fight for justice. Their courage. And not just moms, dads spoke too. Some brought us to our feet to clap as we witnessed their defiance in the face of overwhelming loss and pain. After they stood back to allow another mom to talk, we also witnessed what the love and the will for justice costs them. The quiver in the voice, the tears shining in the eyes, the body shaking as she is overcome by the endless agony of her baby stolen from her, dissolving into sobs as she is comforted by clergy and other moms. It's never easy to see a mom cry.
Announcing a Class Action Law Suit against City of Vallejo
Date: Oct. 15, 2012
Time: 12noon
Location: Vallejo City Hall 555 Santa Clara St, Vallejo, CA ( Steps of City Hall )
Press Contact:
Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr. (559) 803 - 0286
Vallejo CopWatch [Vallejocopwatch@gmail.com]
There will be a Class Action Law Suit file against the Vallejo Police Department for the past Murders citizens of Vallejo (with indications of a systematic cover-up). Many Citizens of Vallejo are saying "enough is enough" of losing their children's future to the Vallejo Police.
Guy Jarreau, jr., who was murdered by the Vallejo Police, had been filming a music video for his college's culture club about non-violence in a Vallejo alleyway along Sonoma blvd., and was shot in the chest by two plains-clothes Vallejo PD Officers for no apparent reason according to the many eye-witnesses on the scene. Andrea Jarreau, Guy Jarreau jr.'s mother, has came from Louisiana to announce the Class Action Law Suit, which will be joined by many families of victims of this grave injustice of street-executions of innocent community Citizens. There has been a large number of African Americans, and members of other nations within our multi-cultural community, who are all supporting this effort.
We must continue to Educate, Motivate, Energize, Organize and Mobilize and take our community to a higher level.
2012-10-11 "Rev. Harris Stands With The Mother Of Guy Jarreau's!! Family Announces Class Action Law Suit" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzUT1Ud19YE]:
Aundrea Jarreau's Griffen, the mother of " Guy Jarreau, comes to Vallejo, CA every month from Louisiana to fight for JUSTICE for her son who was murder by the Vallejo Police Department. The family tells the Mayor Osby Davis his time is up. The Vallejo Police Departmetn has not return items to the family that was taken for the crime area. The mother read off a list of name of people who lost there lives to the hands of the Vallejo Police Department. The Vallejo city is getting national and International attention on how the Vallejo Police Department is killing young black men. Since May of 2012 there have been 7 police officers shootings and 5 have been fatal. The families and community around the word is watching the Vallejo City. The community has camera NOW!!!!!!
2012-10-16 "Protest and tears continue over police shootings in Vallejo" from "Vallejo Independent Bulletin"
[http://ibvallejo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1534&Itemid=1]:
Yesterday, Rev. Floyd Harris and friends and relatives of Guy Jarreau and Mario Romerro were present for a press conference and protest on the steps of Vallejo City Hall.
Harris, who is president of the National Network in Action and an organizer of Vallejo Copwatch called for the protest. Among other things, he stated that the Nation of Islam has taken up involvement in the issues in Vallejo.
Speakers called for wearable cameras to become mandatory for Vallejo police.
Jarreau's cousin Bernice indicated that involved parties will be pursuing a class action suit.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ2ohhxXVm0]
Saturday, October 13, 2012
2012-10-13 "Civil Right Leader Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr Does Candlelight Vigil For Guy Jarreau (10-11-12 Part #1)"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcM-URT8-OA]:
Civil Right Leader Revl Floyd D. Harris Jr Does Candlelight Vigil ( 10-11-12 ) Part 1.
Guy Jarreau Was Shot And Killed By Vallejo Police.
This Is His Mom Standing In The Alley Where Guy Was Smoked By The Police!!!
We Will Never For Get How They Took This Brother's "LIFE"
MALCOLM X: "The Police Are Working With the Criminals", excerpt of a lecture given during his time with the Nation of Islam, 1960s. As true today as it is in any age. Power corrupts, unaccountable power corrupts absolutely.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0KZnt9UB3A]:
Press Release from
* National Network In Action
* Oscar Grant Foundation
* Vallejo Cop Watch
Town Hall Meeting
Date: 10-11-12
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: North Vallejo Community Center 1121 Whitney Ave Vallejo , CA
Contact: Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr [559-803-0286]
Mario Romero 23, known by friends as “Papaya,” was shot 30 times by the Vallejo Police on September 2, 2012 in front of his home. The Romero family needs your continued support. Stand with this family and all other families who have lost a loved one to the Vallejo Police Department.
There have been seven police shootings in the past six months; five of the seven have been fatalities. Every 36 hours a black man, black woman or black child will die at the hands of police officers. If you have been a victim of police harassment or brutality, come and learn what you can do to protect yourself.
There will be training on “Cop Watch, Know Your Rights When Confronted by a Police Officer" and how to file a complaint against the Vallejo Police Department. We continue to encourage all Vallejo citizens to arm themselves with cameras to protect themselves.
We must continue to Educate, Motivate, Energize, Organize and Mobilize and take our community to a higher level.
"The Angels are watching over us" photographs taken at 2012-10-11 "Justice for Mario Romero Town Hall Meeting"...
Even though you cannot see me don't ever doubt my presence....
Changes are starting to happen just keep the faith.
There was a whole lot of spirits in the building...
Our loved ones are watching over us guiding us on our journey for justice.
Civil Right Leader Revl Floyd D. Harris Jr presides over Guy Jarreau, jr.'s Candlelight Vigil ( 10-11-12 )
Guy Jarreau Was Shot And Killed By Vallejo Police. This Is His Mom Standing In The Alley Where Guy Was Smoked By The Police.!!!!!!
We Will Never For Get How They Took This Brother " LIFE "
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcM-URT8-OA]:
2012-10-11 "Police Shootings" by James D. Davis, published by "Vallejo Independent Bulletin"
[http://ibvallejo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1528&Itemid=1]:
A recent article on police shootings in New York City during 2011, based on a report published by the Police Department itself, showed officers shooting and killing 9 suspects and injuring 19 more, “the second-lowest annual toll in recent city history” (a city of eight million people with 515 homicides in 2011). (Five of Vallejo’s 18 homicides so far this year have been officer-involved killings.)
The New York City report concluded that the experiences of the 62 officers who fired at suspects demonstrated that “restraint is the norm” in police shootings. In those 36 separate encounters, more than two-thirds of the officers involved fired five or fewer shots. And more than a quarter fired only a single shot. In none of the episodes did the police officers reload. The 28 suspects wounded or killed by police bullets in 2011 represented a slight increase over the 24 suspects shot by the police in 2010, the lowest number in recent history. (As a point of comparison, in 1971, the police shot 314 suspects.)
According to newspaper accounts I’ve read about the latest Vallejo officer-involved shooting and killing—to wit, one Mario Romero, Sept 2--more than 30 shots were fired at close range into Mr. Romero’s car by two officers. Reloading was probably required at some point during this orgy. And they were probably shooting with weapons that required pulling the trigger each time; pretend you have a gun and pull the trigger fifteen times; it took me fifteen seconds. The police said Mr. Romero had a replica gun and Ecstasy pills. He made a move for the replica gun and they opened fire, at one point jumping up on the hood of Mr. Romero’s car—to get a good look or a better shot. Mr. Romero wasn’t shooting then; indeed, Mr. Romero was never shooting. The police would have you believe Romero reached for his fake gun when confronted by two police officers, headlights and maybe spotlights blazing into his eyes, red lights flashing. It wasn’t like he thought he could escape or have a gun battle with the officers.
Yes, this whole story is absurd. But we’re never going to hear what happened. The police investigate themselves, assisted by the DA. They’re both police agencies. There is no independent citizen review. And the police don’t discuss the results of their investigation; it’s police business. Mr. Romero and his case have died. You won’t read about it anymore. There will be no report.
The only way I know to find out what happened is to have the AG or the U.S. Department of Justice file criminal charges or allegations of civil rights violations against the officers. Then there would be an open court hearing and we would hear from the officers and witnesses. A civil action against the officers would probably not succeed because the police have nearly unqualified immunity for actions taken in the course of their duties (a lawyer could argue that the police were “on a lark of their own,” not pursuing lawful duties).
How would we get a Justice investigation? One or more of the council members could write and request it. Mayor Davis at least made a feint in this direction; the other council members and the city manager are silent. They have confidence in the system that exists, even though it remains hidden from us. They think we should trust them to take care of the police department. Yes, we’ve had a spate of officer-involved shootings and killings this year, but the council is taking care of it. You think? --- Comments posted by readers at "Vallejo Independant Bulliten": 2012-10-11 from "Anonymous" - Jim, when did you write this article? Burris has been hired by the daughter, and another lawyer was hired to represent the mother. They are the only 2 who have standing to sue civilly for wrongful death. Excessive force is a violation of civil rights; that will be the focus of the case. Police Governmental Immunity does not apply to violations of civil rights. As long as the family wants to pursue the wrongful death action, there will be at least some limited information available. The court file is open to the public, but depositions are not filed with the court file, so unless one of the parties made the deposition transcript public, and if there is no protective order stopping someone from purchasing a copy from the court reporter, you could buy a copy. (which would be in the hundreds of dollars or more depending on the length of a transcript). The City Council has already voted unanimously to ask the AG office to investigate. It is up to the AG office to decide if it will investigate. Burris in his public statement said he was submitting a request to the feds (FBI and Justice Dept) to investigate. Again, it is up to the FBI and Justice Dept. to decide if it wants to investigate. No one can force them. You've identified one of the more serious problems with all CA police departments - the privacy laws, and statutes which protect police officers - identities, claims against them, investigations, recommendations, conclusions. This is not a Vallejo PD issue - it applies throughout the state. Time to talk to Sacramento. - 2012-10-11 "Anon, get your facts correct" - At City Council one of the daughters specifically said she had NOT hired Burris. Osby's invite to the Dept of Justice was ultimate grandstanding as he knows they wont come in for a long time (after the case is closed by VPD and the DA) - 2012-10-11 from "Anonymous" - Got my facts right. On Sept. 21, Burris, said at a news conference that he is representing Joseph Johnson, 21, and Mario Romero's 3-year-old daughter. Since Romero only has 1 daughter, who is 3, I doubt she spoke at city council. The sisters have said they did not hire Burris. That is correct. Under CA wrongful death statute, the mother and daughter have standing to bring a lawsuit, the sisters do not, so they have no reason to hire a lawyer. - 2012-10-12 from "Jim Davis" - Good to know Burns is trying, no matter who hired him and who has standing. The latest development is the city council calling on a Justice mediating program to improve relations with the community. That strikes me as wide of the mark. The problem is the police department, not the community. No one is in control of the department. I hope we get a fuller story one day, but I'm not holding my breath. Love, Jim
2012-10-10 "Ad Hoc Public Safety Review Committee Shows Compassion" by Hatfield McCoy from "Vallejo Independent Bulletin" [http://ibvallejo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1527&Itemid=1]: The Ad Hoc Public Safety Review Committee was tolerant of many speakers during their last meeting on October 3rd, and despite the constant verbal protests of Assistant City Manager Craig Whittom, the committee, for the most part, showed civility to the speakers, and in some instances, even compassion. Committee members DeJesus and Worel were absent. Both liaison council members Gomes and Davis were also absent. One of the first speakers spoke angrily about the lack of diversity (color) on the Ad Hoc panel. Chairwoman Joanne Schivley quickly explained that that would be a matter to take up with the City Council as they are the ones who made the initial appointments from the citizenry. Speaker Claudia Stevens asked why the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief are not required to live in Vallejo, and why the City Manager does not hire Vallejoans to hold these posts at all costs. Several speakers from the family of recent police shooting victim Mario Romero, and others who have lost sons at the hands of the police over the last few years, spoke with passion of their pain and frustrations. Chairwoman Schivley (for the first time since Mario Romero’s death) offered her condolences to the family. To that Ms. Mitchell (Romero’s mother) replied: “My son has been dead thirty-one days now; you are thirty-one days too late.” No other committee members offered verbal condolences, in fact at one point during the speaker presentations, Mr. Tweedy was seen rudely and actively engaging on his cell phone. “All we want are answers,” said one of Romero’s sisters, “we want to know why we do not yet have the police report of my brother’s death, and why it has taken so long for my mother to see her son’s body,” she pleaded. Another speaker spoke of the reprehensible behavior of a Vallejo police officer stating: “He trained his service weapon on my three year old grandson.” Yet another speaker had this to say: “None of us can hide behind thick eight feet high walls in front of our houses, or thick metal gated fences with security guards in front of our homes. We have to live down here among the people.” And yet another woman simply recited names: “Officer Badour, murderer 6/3/10; Officer F. Rodriguez, murderer 6/3/10; Officer Tipoli –murderer 12/11/10; Officer Melville – murderer 12/20/09; Officer R. Greenburg – murderer 6/4/09; Officer Wylie, murderer 6/14/09; Sgt. Bassett Badge number 485 – murderer 6/9/10, and there are many more,” she said before she sat down. (She forgot to mention Officer Chase Calhoun who killed a beloved eleven year old family dog recently). Chairwoman Joanne Schivley explained that all of these matters were out of the purview of the committee, and asked the speakers to go address the City Council. Much of the meeting was centered on whether or not the committee would have enough time to bring full and final reports of recommendations to the City Council by mid October. After much debate, it was determined that the fact finding mission of this volunteer committee (De Jesus of Vallejo Police and Dunn of Vallejo Fire are getting paid, but all other members are volunteer citizens) would need additional time to hear from final speakers and to prepare their reports in detail for City Council review. In the end it was determined that they would culminate their fact finding mission on or before December 19th. One of the things that the City Council had proposed during a recent City Council meeting is their unanimous desire to resurrect the Vallejo City ‘Human Relations Commission’ which serves as a liaison between the public and the city, and offers a means of support and an avenue in which citizens may register concerns. Since she had previously been a stalwart member of this committee, it was determined that Ms. Liat Meitzenheimer would be invited to speak to the group as to how the Human Relations Commission operates, and/or submit suggestions for “giving it more teeth,” as Councilmember Gomes had suggested. According to Committee Vice Chair Bob Schussel, other future speakers to come before this committee will include the Police Chief of Richmond, Chief Magnus who has reputedly done a phenomenal job of lowering the crime rate in the city of Richmond, Ca. Chief Magnus is due to speak on November 7th. (Will someone please tell our City Manager Dan Keen? Keen needs to attend in order to hear how Chief Magnus is turning the city of Richmond around.) On October 17th the committee hopes to entertain the Chair of the San Jose State’s Criminal Justice Dept. who will speak about communication policies. (Many agree that one of the biggest problems surrounding the Vallejo Police Department is a lack of communication). On November 20th, the Ad Hoc committee hopes to host a speaker who will address some aspects of a Citizen Review Committee illuminating models of citizen oversight among other issues. “After the final speakers, we will make every attempt to distill the information we have gathered and put it into a final, easy to understand report for the City Council’s review,” said Committee Vice Chair Bob Schussel.With the upcoming holiday season encroaching after December 19th, it was understood that the Ad Hoc Public Safety Review Committee culminating reports would not be submitted to the City Council much before the New Year. (But not to worry because past Ad Hoc Public Safety Review meetings are available at the Vallejo City website should you have difficulty sleeping some night).
2012-09-30 "OFFICER INVOLVED IN RECENT POLICE FATALITY
IDENTIFIED" press release from "Justice for Mario Romero and Joseph
Johnson Movement":
Vallejo, CA –
Officer involved in Romero death had a long history of unlawful and abusive behavior.
On
September 2, 2012, Mario Romero was approached and gunned down while
sitting in his parked car in front of his home by a Vallejo Police
Officer, identified by multiple witnesses as Officer Dustin B. Joseph
(age 32).
Public and Court Records indicate a series of multiple
complaints that detail a history of unlawful abusive and questionable,
to say the least, behavior of Officer Dustin Joseph.
Reports
detail claims, that Vallejo Officer Dustin Joseph, and another officer,
physically assaulted Anthony Trapps in Kaiser Hospital Vallejo. Trapps
said he was angry, that his son had been Tased multiple times during an
alleged break up of a fight at Vallejo High School. Mr. Trapps felt
Officer Joseph used excessive force with a disregard for the life of his
minor son, in light of a recent Taser Related Death involving Vallejo
Police Department.
Trapps admitted to cursing at the officer out
of frustration when Officer Joseph refused him access to his son,
preventing Mr. Trapps ability to ensure the wellbeing of his
hospitalized son. Trapps had no idea what would follow... when he turned
around to exit the hospital, Trapps was attacked from behind, beaten,
and then arrested.
Another report states Officer Dustin Joseph
deployed his pepper spray recklessly on a group of students, as well as
other adults with their small children, while eating at a Jack in the
Box restaurant. Officer Dustin Joseph unloaded the entire contents of
his canister, an Action most people believe is reserved for extreme
situations. The report describes the Restaurant having to be evacuated.
Vallejo Fire Department 911 Emergency Services were summoned for
immediate use of their industrial blowers to restore safety and
financial Productivity .
In another report, Officer Dustin
Joseph is accused of an unlawful search and arrest of a Female Minor,
where a subsequent or secondary search interestingly produced 13 Ecstasy
Pills. Officer Dustin Joseph claimed the minor “told” him she planned
to sell the drugs. In another similar report, a complaint of
inappropriate physical contact filed at Vallejo High School on behalf of
a female minor attending Vallejo High school in the 2008-2009 school
year claims Officer Dustin Joseph (a male Officer) performed a physical
body search on the female minor. The minor stated she asked Officer
Joseph not to touch her. The minor said that the Officer immediately
grabbed her arm twisted the arm turning her around placed her in
handcuffs that cut into her skin, then moved his hands all over her body
smiling and laughing. He then placed her in his patrol car. The minor
was not charged with any crime, she dropped out of High School fearful
of Officer Dustin Joseph. She stated “He is a Bully and uses his big
Size and job to violate us".
The Murder of Mario Romero, a man
sitting in his car in front of his home, unknown to the officers at the
time of the shooting, suspected of nothing except being an American
exercising his right to just exist, minding his own business, murdered
by this non-upstanding Police Officer "on Steroids"... the once 300
Pound menace lost a hundred pounds and decided to practice his new
agility by spraying Mario full of bullets! Then, like a homicidal Rambo,
he jumped on the hood of the car and emptied the next clip like the
first into Mario Romero’s windshield at close range. Officer Dustin
Joseph could not see him, the officer never used the loudspeaker nor
did he identify himself. He ran up to the vehicle like a common thug,
Murder under Color of the Law.
Officer Joseph did not want the
neighborhood to witness his ongoing premeditated abuse of power. His
name was not released early for good reason... He has a lot to hide!
Murder, Excessive Force, brandishing firearms on people is not a new
behavior for this officer, “He was a ticking time bomb waiting to
explode”.
# # # #
We ask that anyone who has had an encounter with this monster to to please leave details in comment area. Thank you.
Comments:
L.B.:
Thats the same ass hole that slammed a girl on her neck 2009 at bethal
what are they waiting for they clearly have proof action must be tookn
into consideration this is straight bull shit... they sure did shit when
that officer capoot was gun down this has everything to do with race!
---
D.K.:
i used to get harassed daily by him at vallejo high. we called him
officer d joseph. i believe he was the one that tasered this girl when i
went there n 2007. she started havin seizures and had to go to the
hospital. it was horrible. that man loved pickin on people that wasnt
white or if u looked like u was affiliated. he tried to say i was a gang
member for wearing red. but guess what. it was Friday which was spirit
day. vhs colors. red. i got kicked out of school on the last day. i
wasnt able to go to my graduation cuz it said i was a danger to the
school and myself. omg. my mom was so mad. and they had to let me come
back. i had to do a half semester cuz i failed my last two finals for
not bein there. thank u officer fuck head. he tased hella people. i
wanna say atleaat three cuz kids kept going to the hospital. thats what
really opened my eyes to how vpd brutalizes people. he had a partner too
his name officer huff. two big white assholes.
---
C.M.:
Yes, D.K. this is true. I was passing through VALLEJO high when this
took place. My god son who now R.I.P Kevin Morgan was also taken from
school while attending Bethel in 2003- ? And taken to Richmond by
officer huff n his police car. For what aparent reason it is still
unclear to me.
---
B.B.: I went through the same thing the
young lady did at Vallejo high he used alot/too much force wen arresting
me caused me to bleed cause the cuffs were too tight, tried to brake my
arm wen putting it behind my back, searched me knowing a female officer
was suppose to made me sit in the car wit a big ass puff coat on
windows rolled up w the heater on & the list could go on . Everybody
has a damn story bout this man.. I was arrested by both D joseph &
Huff.
---
L.H.: man i know that dirty ass cop cus i went to
da high he dipped the fuck outtda me put his knee all up n a bitch neck
fuk him i hope they see what type of dirty ass cop he realy is so he can
b stripped of his rights as a cop n thrown n jail forever!
---
L.A.:
Im not sure if this is the same officer but about a year ago me and two
african american men were at the park on fair grounds minding our
business which is legal & two vallejo police men drove threw the
grass coming from fairgrounds dr going toward whitney the side of the
park we were on they got out drew there guns & demanded all three of
us to get face down on the ground mind u im 17 at the time the only
female & we are all guilty of no crime ... they run our names &
pat us down while face down in the dirt If im remembering correctly male
officers are not to touch females so I remind them that I am a minor
one of the officers kneels down & whispers to me "i dont give a fuck
what you are" they handcuff one of the young men I was with but made no
arrest after they realized they had nithing they let us go about our
business .... This is harrasment & I agree that something needs to
be done about the VPD they should not be getting away with this bullshit
any longer
---
L.M.: I wasn't assaulted by d Joseph N
officer huff while i attended Jesse bethel high school, I was harassed
an treated daily an one day iwas caught by these same officers off
campus and was beaten an arrested on false charges that where later
droped. I remember Joseph laughing an sayin I told yu I'd catch yu
---
My name I wish to withhold...
I am the uncle of the person whose Facebook this belongs to [www.facebook.com/JusticeForMarioRomero].
I lived in Vallejo but moved out because of police encounters...I too
encountered officer D. Joseph...me and the mother of my child in south
Vallejo at the motel 6 where I was brutally beaten and my pocket knife I
held in my right front pocket was pulled from my pocket and placed to
my throat by officer Joseph with him threatening to cut my throat and
using racial slurs...he and his partner whose name I can't remember
pulled my dreadlocks and continued to kick me repeatedly in my face
because I was not wanted on the property of motel 6 by the owner...I
didn't have a stay away...nor did I possess any drugs or weapons except
for a four inch pocket knife...he told me not to show my face in south
Vallejo any more...I obeyed...I attempted to make a police report only
to have my report discarded...I never persisted after that...I just left
Vallejo...
---
A.L.: D. Joseph had a Long history of
threatning My brothers life(rest in peace) hed told him repeatedly ” im
going to get you. Ur Granny wont always be able to save you”. Hes partly
responsible for my brothers reputation being tarnished & him being
killed.
---
S.W.: Well shit since ur talking about it dont
forget the 6 yr old child that was having a temper tantrum over crayons
that he snatched out of the moms car put him in the back of his patrol
car against his mothers will only for this child to have a panic attack,
then placed him on a 51/50 hold take him to the hospital have the
doctor give him a tranquilizer and ship him off to St. Helena mental at
6yrs old. Vallejo filed bankruptcy after the family filed a lawsuit. Oh
and dont forget the civil rights violation lawsuit filed on 2/29/12,
this lunatic is out of control
---
2012-09-27 "Justice for Guy Jarreau!" interview
with Dr.G. on the Northbay Uprising radio news, broadcast Thursdays 5 to 6pm, 89.5 FM-KZCT Vallejo [http://northbayuprising.blogspot.com]:
Dr.G.
interviews Bunnie, cousin to Guy Jarreau, jr. and a leader in the Civil
Rights movement in Vallejo with "God First!", and organization founded
by Guy Jarreau's mother which is working to seek justice for all victims
of community fascism in Vallejo including People's Programs such as aid
to the homeless. She updates us on the latest weapon in defense of the
people... a CLASS ACTION lawsuit which will enable folks to seek justice
on an equitable level by joining with the lawsuit their reality of
murder and terrorism by the Police.
[nburadio.blogspot.com/2012/09/justice-for-guy-jarreau-interview.html]
NOTE:
* the first minute is chopped off.
* an advertisement is placed at the beginning.
*
the man seen in the video is Ozcat Radio DJ Doug the Jitterbug.
Vallejo Copwatch
feels it is important to mention that "God First!" is helping to better
the conditions of all victims of fascism. Right on! Including a "Gobble,
Gobble!" program with Thanksgiving Turkeys for the Homeless, with a
"Blanket, Blanket!" aid program providing blankets for those in need. This
program was originally organized by Guy Jarreau, jr. before he was
murdered by Vallejo Police plain-clothes officers.
2010-12-05 "Guy Jarreau's Mom Speaks"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uQ9UkURQ1A]:
RIP Guy Jarreau, shot and Killed by Vallejo PD -- this is his mom standing in the alley where Guy was smoked by the police.
March For GUY JARREAU'S JUSTICE
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeRY3Uw6kw8]:
MARCH 11TH 2011!!! {3PM} (Sonoma & Florida st)
MARCH FOR GUY JARREAU'S JUSTICE!!!!
WITH Music Video Shoot for Joshua and Marty JR Song Called, "Natural."
(PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THIS POSITIVE MOVEMENT)
We will be walking where Guy Jerreau was shot and killed by Police to the police station.
PLEASE WALK WITH US!
* God First
* Umoja (Black Student Union)
* Associated Students, Napa Valley College
* Indecent (SLAP-MASTERS)
* Karl McKnight
2012-09-25 Rev. Harris interviews a Mother who explains how the Vallejo Police murdered her Son
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxBlG3RoxNA]:
There are more and more stories residents are telling about how Vallejo Police officers have abused their families. This mother was in jail when the Vallejo Cop murdered her son, and she requested to go to her son funeral but the request was turn down by the Vallejo Police Department. A heart breaking story!!!
2012-09-25 Oscar Grant's Uncle Bobby tells Vallejo City Council "You Don't Want Your City To Go Up In Flames"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuept1dlhBE]:
Uncle Bobby gave a very powerful message to tell the community that they have the power to put people in office and to take them out of office. The Vallejo community is fired up and ready to go!!!!!!!!!!!!
This video shows that Vallejo police has broken the law by taking
his phone and then arresting him...
He has the right to file a lawsuit for the camera filing and violation of civil rights, as it is an illegal detention.
Check out this video
on YouTube:
2011-04-22 "Man Filming Police Threatened"
by "The Alyona Show" from "Russia Today" news
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzGqDYhSICk]:
Lonnel Duchine, a Vallejo California man, was handcuffed and fined for
shooting cell phone footage of police while standing in his garage.
Filming a police officer is not illegal, at least not in California.
It's just one of the latest cases where police get caught on camera, and
the photographer ends up in handcuffs. Shouldn't the public have the
right to document the police's actions?
by "LRJTV News" [www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e8Ev8H-U3c]:
Family outraged at police for fatally shooting her son and injuring another in an officer-involved shooting in Vallejo, The 23-year-old man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The 21-year-old passenger was struck by a bullet or shrapnel in the buttocks and was taken to a hospital to be treated.
2012-05-28 "VALLEJO POLICE MEMORIAL DAY SHOOTING OF UNARMED BLACK MAN; CORRUPT NORTH
BAY POLICE DEPARTMENT PLAYING PART OF THE SYSTEMATIC \ INSTITUTIONAL
OPPRESSION OF BLACKS IN VALLEJO" by RBG scholar Ming Wu, analysis of the root racism shown by Vallejo Police
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT7seX3JPhA]:
2012-05-29 "Vallejo officer shoots, kills man after mistaking wallet for gun" from "Bay City News"
[http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=194772]:
(BCN)
- A man fatally shot by a police officer following a vehicle pursuit in
Vallejo early this morning has been identified by police as 41-year-old
Anton Barrett.
The pursuit began shortly after midnight when
officers on a DUI saturation patrol saw a white 1999 Lexus driving
without its headlights on near the intersection of Santa Clara and
Indiana streets, according to police.
The Lexus was speeding and did
not stop at controlled intersections, and did not yield when the
officers tried to pull over the vehicle, police said.
The Lexus led
police on a pursuit and eventually stopped behind an apartment complex
in the 200 block of Wilson Avenue, where the driver and two passengers
got out and began running away in different directions.
The driver of
the car, later identified as Barrett, and an officer encountered each
other in between the apartments, and the officer told him to stop and
put his hands up, police said.
Barrett did not comply and continued
running toward the officer, who began backing up and telling him to show
his hands, police said.
The officer then saw Barrett allegedly
reach into his jacket pocket and pull out a dark-colored metal object,
prompting the officer to fire his gun several times, striking Barrett,
according to police.
The object was later determined to be a metal wallet.
Barrett tried to get up but was immobilized by another officer who used his Taser to subdue him.
He was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek where he succumbed to his injuries at 5:34 a.m.
The
front passenger in the car, Barrett's son 18-year-old Anton Barrett
Jr., was arrested after running south toward Farragut Avenue and hiding
from officers, according to police.
A police canine was used to
search for the younger Barrett, who was eventually found hiding in some
bushes and suffered some minor injuries from the dog, police said.
The
officer handling the canine also suffered bites from the animal. Both
the officer and Barrett were taken to hospitals and were later released,
and Barrett was then booked into county jail on suspicion of resisting
arrest, according to police.
The passenger in the back seat of the
Lexus fled north toward Hichborn Street when the car stopped. He has yet
to be found or identified, police said.
Vallejo police and the
Solano County District Attorney's Office will conduct a joint
investigation into the officer-involved shooting. The officer who shot
Barrett is a seven-year veteran of the force, and has been placed on
paid administrative leave during the investigation, as is standard
department policy.
Investigators planned to discuss the case further at a news conference scheduled for noon at Vallejo police headquarters.
The
fatal shooting is the second involving a Vallejo police officer in the
past week. Late Thursday night, an armed man, whose name has yet to be
released, was shot and killed by an officer in the 2000 block of Sonoma
Boulevard, police said.
Location: Solano County District Attorney’s Office, 355 Tuolumne Street, Vallejo, CA
Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr., founder of the National President of The National Network in Action [www.nationalnetworkinaciton.org], a civil and human rights organization, has called for a demonstration in front of the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
The community is demanding Justice for Mr. Mario Romero & Mr. Joseph Johnson, who were both gunned down by two Vallejo Police Officers while sitting in their parked car in front of their home on September 2, 2012.
We can not and we will not let the fire simmer beneath the Vallejo Police Department's feet. As a community we must all continuously remind them that we are going to keep our feet to the pavement in making sure that we get JUSTICE and that we are not tolerating these types of malicious attacks. We seek justice, not only for the brutal murder of Mr. Mario Romero and attempted murder of Mr. Joseph Johnson but for all individuals and families that have endured unjust attacks from any Vallejo Police Officers (i.e. Police brutality, Harassment , Racial Profiling, Excessive Force or Deadly force ) in our city. These suspicious officer-involved shootings and murders are becoming quite alarming with a total of 7 so far this year. None of us should be a victim of these types of gruesome circumstances. We encourage you all to come out and support our demands for JUSTICE & EQUALITY.
These officers should not only be charged, but should stand trial and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The Vallejo Police Department does not have the right to be the JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTIONER!
Politicians who are scared of the People will attempt to secure their standing in the community, and secure votes for their ideology, by making concessions, such as "Investigations" which may white-wash evidence of a department-wide system of obstruction... as long as the public is fooled to think that some type of progress is made, no Justice is met. Remember: Justice for Guy Jarreau, jr.! Justice for Jared! Justice for Mario Romero, and Joseph Johnson! Justice for ALL Victims of Harassment, Violent Abuse, Smear Tactics, and for the Families of those Murdered by Police.
2012-09-19 "Vallejo mayor seeks independent probe of Romero shooting; Davis says state attorney general should review controversial officer-involved fatality" by Ted Vollmer, Sarah Rohrs and Irma Widjojo from "Vallejo Times-Herald"
[http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_21583987/vallejo-mayor-seeks-independent-probe-romero-shooting]:
Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis said Wednesday that he will seek an independent investigation into the recent officer-involved shooting death of Mario Romero.
Davis said he will ask the City Council to request that Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris' office look into concerns raised since police officers killed Romero while he sat in his car outside his North Vallejo home early Sept. 2.
Police contend that when officers approached Romero's car, he reached for a weapon that turned out to be a pellet gun, and that is why they fired at him. Family members, however, have vehemently denied that he had such a weapon. They also denied contentions that there were 50 ecstasy pills in the vehicle.
"It must be understood that this request should not be taken as an indication of a lack of confidence in the established Solano County Officer Involved Shooting Protocol, or any lack of confidence in the Vallejo Police Department or the ability of the District Attorney's office to conduct fair investigations," Davis said in a statement.
"However, it is my belief that under the current circumstances a secondary review will help to establish trust in the process."
Family members who had called for an outside investigation were not immediately available for comment.
Under the current protocol, officer-involved shootings are investigated not only by the Vallejo Police Department, but also by the Solano County District Attorney's office. No results of those investigations have been completed, but Romero supporters last week called for an independent investigation either by an outside police agency or the attorney general.
Interim Vallejo Police Chief Joseph Kreins said shortly after Davis issued his statement that he sees the independent review as a good thing if it will "restore or enhance the public's trust and the department's credibility."
"The more set of eyes you can put on something is a good thing," Kreins told the Times-Herald. Kreins added that he does not think that any attorney general review will produce a different outcome than the district attorney's office investigation.
"The (D.A's investigation process) has worked for many years and continues to work," Kreins said. "But when folks are suggesting that they don't have the confidence in that process, then I have no problem with an independent review."
Davis' statements were issued a day after the Vallejo City Council abruptly ended a study session on the economy after protesters suddenly filled the council chambers and demanded to speak about the officer-involved shootings. The week before, dozens spoke to the council decrying not only the Sept. 2 incident but also four other fatal officer-involved shootings this year.
In addition to asking that Harris intervene, Davis said he will ask that the city manager move to buy in-car cameras to be integrated with the vehicle's mobile data computers and emergency systems in every Vallejo police patrol vehicle.
He also proposed buying more body cameras for all patrol officers. Currently, only some officers wear them, and then only on a voluntary basis.
Neither camera type were available in the Romero case, Kreins said.
Kreins said his goal is to have all officers issued a body camera, but keeping it as a discretionary process.
"My issue with not keeping it discretionary is that it might interfere with the officer's safety and the critical incident at hand," Kreins said. "The last thing I want my officer is worried about the cameras at a critical scene. In our job things happen very quickly."
However, it might take months until all 45 vehicles in the Vallejo police fleet to be equipped with these cameras.
"I'm hoping it's something that we can do in the next few months. But there's the issue of money and technology," Kreins said. He added that it will cost about $10,000 per car to get the cameras set up and the officers trained with them.
"I'm hopeful the City Council will authorize those funds," Kreins added.
A proponent of in-car cameras, Kreins said that they will eliminate those worries since they will turn on and off automatically.
Davis also asked City Manager Dan Keen to:
• Conduct research to select and implement a decision-based firearms/use of force training simulator system.
• Reaffirm the Police Department's protocol and procedure for communicating with the public and families in incidents concerning loss of life or great bodily injury as a result of violence. The Romero family, in particular, has angrily contended that police have not communicated properly with them, or in a timely way about the shooting.
• Propose a time frame for re-establishing and reconstituting the Vallejo Human Relations Commission.
"It becomes difficult at times to protect and serve when trust and communication may be in doubt," Davis said. "City Hall, including our police department, must have the trust of the public."
Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis (Times-Herald file photo)
All governments are beholden to a set of standards which, if broken, are called "Human Rights Violations". Often, we hear about violations of Human Rights in Iraq, Colombia, China and elsewhere... and nowhere near do we hear about similar violations happening against our own People. But it is happening systematically in Solano County, and in the City of Vallejo (the "city of God"). Human Rights abuse by agencies of the City of Vallejo is made manifold by the common discourtesy by many residents of Vallejo to not advocate for Human Rights alongside those who are abused, including (sad to say) many churches, faith and civic organizations. Many people still view the many incidents of violence by police against their neighbors to be an issue affecting only a certain "minority" or of people with a criminal history, as an issue of no consequence by the dominant set of the "good ol' boys" of the many races & cultures within the City of Vallejo. As seen by the conduct recently of Vallejo's Civilian Review Board,
those who are of the dominant set will shut down any criticism of their regime. "Their"
officers of law have all the power to obstruct any inquiry into history
of violations of Human Rights against people not of the society in power. Until these goodly folk of "High Society" subordinate themselves to a higher purpose for truth and justice, nobody in any of Vallejo's higher offices will seek to uphold Human Rights. And this problem is repeated in any tyranny across the world, so what is seen as good by the monopolized media when reporting about "people's movements" against tyranny abroad, is vilified here, at home by our neighbors, and by fascists elsewhere who care not to uphold Human Rights and the Constitution.
2012-09-17 "Our own Civil War" by James D. Davis
[http://ibvallejo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1502&Itemid=69]:
Note: All opinions expressed in the "Primal Scream" column are those
of the writer and not necessarily those of the Vallejo Independent
Bulletin.
---
This is the first town I’ve lived in where there is a civil war between a part of the community and the police.
A part of the community thinks it is disrespected, mistreated, and murdered by the police.
[ ... ]
The police, on the other hand, slough off accountability.
The mother could not see the body. The chief told her it was out of his hands.
Whether she can see the body is the business of the coroner, not the chief.
And the coroner?
He’s unavailable.
The
police have not explained why officers thought it necessary to fire
more than thirty times at a young man with a replica gun.
What was so scary for the police about this encounter?
The police have not taken the statement of the mother.
She’s welcome to come down to the station any time.
The police have not met with the mother.
(It’s not likely she has any useful information, but it might make her feel better to talk about it, or shout, if she chooses).
I’ve encountered this lack of government responsibility throughout my years in Vallejo.
I
was told plainly by a council member that whether or not the chief
busts marijuana dispensaries, wasting police resources, is none of the
member’s business; it is out of the member’s hands.
When I tried to
investigate the officer-killing of another man (Guy Jarreau, Jr.), a
few years ago, I was told the police and DA were doing an
investigation.
They weren’t sure when it would be done; I was not going to be given a copy of the report anyway.
No one was going to be given a copy.
It was police business.
I don’t blame the complaining community.
They are overcome with emotion, resentment, and victimhood.
They generally lack the sophistication and maturity to deal with the government.
I blame the police department and an incompetent council and city manager.
They should have been on top of this; that is why we have a government.
They are supposed to be the adults in the room, but they are helpless.
This civil war has to stop.
It feeds on itself.
There are ways to stop it.
This should be at the top of the agenda for the newly created Public Safety Committee.
Our city-manager form of government is not working.
The council has no jurisdiction over anyone.
The mayor stays out of it (he “prays”).
And the city manager?
He leaves it up to the police.
No one is in charge.
from "Vallejo Times-Herald" [http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_21556449/copwatch-instructs-vallejo-citizens-about-their-rights-dealing]: Always know your rights. That was the message Saturday of Andrea Pritchett, co-founder of Berkeley Copwatch, to about 40 people at Wilson Park. Pritchett came at the behest of Fresno Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr., who hopes to establish a Vallejo Copwatch in response to this year's officer-involved shootings. Five of them, including that of Mario Romero on Sept. 2, were fatal. Romero's family, as well as family members of Guy Jarreau, who was shot and killed by Vallejo police in December 2010, were at the meeting. The training session began in front of the Vallejo Police Department before moving to Wilson Park in order for people to sit down and discuss both what to do when approached by police, and how to document interactions with officers. "We have a right to refuse a search," Pritchett said. The Berkeley Copwatch members went over the difference between a consensual encounter with a police officer, being detained and being arrested. If a police officer is asking permission to search a house or a bag, then a person can say no, Pritchett said. Additionally, Pritchett said the rights of assembly, due process and freedom from unlawful searches and seizures contained within the Bill of Rights gives people the right to record police officers. For more information, visit [www.vallejocopwatch.blogspot.com].
