Comments on: Oscar Grant and Police Accountability

By: John Mathiesen

John Mathiesen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:58:43 +0000

I’m not sure when our policemen and forces adopted the attitude that so many of them carry. It’s almost as if we need to go through every police force and pschologically test every policeman.
I live in Canada where we have the RCMP which for the most part is a very good policing body. Their biggest problem in my opinion is that their training is still carried out by the old school which keeps propogating the old attitudes, the old practices.
We need to weed out the existing policemen and the police educators who train police to believe that they are a gang working against the citizens. They need to be trained to be part of society and to realize that they work for society. They are extremely, necessarily important to a democratic community but when poorly trained, poorly suited people are put in these positions, they bring down public confidence in policing. We have too many really bad examples of this lately. I give as an example the Jakansky affair at Vancouver International Airport where four armed RCMP officers murdered an innocent man. They exhibited gang mentality and behaved like children playing with their new toys; their tazers. After killing him they attempted to fabricate information to shift the blame to Mr. Jakansky. This was one of the blackest marks ever on our national police force. This horror was followed by another when their superiors closed ranks to protect the guilty among them.
There are too many examples of this behavior in recent years,not because the behavior is new but because so many ordinary citizens carry cameras and are willing to use them.
The behavior by police is systemic and the only way to change it is to throw out the upper management who are only there to climb the salary and pension ladder within a sick system. Unfortunately bullies like cream always seem to rise to the top.
Lately I’ve heard our police complain that they have to behave as social workers. Police ARE social workers and any policeman who thinks differently should find another vocation.
Maybe part of the problem is that some become adrenalin junkies and can only feel fullfilled when aggressively taking someone down.
Police forces need to drop the word FORCE and they need to think of themselves as the babysitters of society. I say this very seriously.
We have for too long used police as tax collectors, bouncers and bullies and part of the blame lies with us.
We need to change our attitude but we also need to discard the bad apples within all police departments. The rot they spread will never end until they are publicly and legally removed or imprisoned. They need to live by the same rules by which they are supposed to guide society.

By: Karen Nolan

Karen Nolan — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:57:02 +0000

Last weekend my husband I had a verbal dispute. At some point the Norfolk Police were called and although I had the visible injuries to my body, I was “asked” to stay somewhere else for the night. I cooperated and stayed with a friend. The next evening, that officer (and 3 others for reasons still unknown to me) showed up at my home. My husband and I were still having an off and on dispute through the day but there had been no physical violence between us. At one point, all 4 officers, my husband and I were standing outside talking. I was a little upset and crying lightly but talking rationally. The next thing I knew, one of the officers grabbed me around my left arm very hard, dragged me to a nearby patrol car, pushed me in to the car, yelled “you’re under arrest” then slammed the door. I sat there upset and confused as I had NO idea what was going on or why he did that. I wasn’t even patted down and still had my cell phone on me. About 5 minutes later, a different officer let me out of the patrol car and told me I was to stay away from my house for the next 72 hours (although the protective order – signed by the officer and NOT my husband) expired after 36 hours. The next morning I noticed bruises from where the one officer grabbed me around the arm and couldn’t believe it. I was ultimately NOT arrested or charged with anything. HOW IS THIS LEGAL? I feel like my civil rights were violated by false imprisonment, police officer brutality, etc. I plan on contacting the IA Dept asap but at the same time I am scared about this whole situation. I know I didn’t do anything wrong and certainly didn’t deserve what that officer did to me!! As a former law enforcement officer (of 13 years) myself, I am outraged as to the actions of this Norfolk Police Officer.

By: kyla alford

kyla alford — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:02:52 +0000

I feel everyone has the right to live and disagree with what police are doing, but I feel that it should be up to the court systems to decide if the police were in the wrong or not. If it is left up to the citizens to view police’s everyday job it wouldn’t work on simple biases that they aren’t as aware of the laws and how the justice systems work, this would make a lot of extra work for the court systems. Things would also be made up just to see if they lye if they can get away with it.

By: kyla alford

kyla alford — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:30:20 +0000

The government doesn’t want to not support the police but at the same time try to support the oversight. So with government is trying to save its but and look good and the police think their alone in fixing crime so the stick up for each other whether the partner did right or wrong, at the end of the day they only have each other back when push comes to shove. If people get the public oversight then the polices having each other’s back doesn’t work and it will turn into a very bad working environment.

By: kyla alford

kyla alford — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:23:03 +0000

I think that oversight is needed, because not everyone is perfect and I feel that the police make mistake and try to get away with it. If police do, do something wrong they could lose their job and that is their income, so they would try to keep public opinion out because that means the people would be watching constantly for them to screw up, or make simple mistake which raises their chances of losing their job, or being penalized.
kyla alford

By: Joe Milbury

Joe Milbury — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:23:43 +0000

I got handcuffed, beaten up, choked, taunted with mace, thrown half way over a guard rail, kicked to the ground, dragged on the ground by a MBTA Transit Police Officer who pulled me over on the Mass Pike who was driving like a lunatic after I put my high beams on behind him after he passed me to get his license plate to report him. The officer said he had just worked a 20 hour shift and “didnt need to deal with some guy who cant handle a beer” (I don’t drink). The officer then proceeded to uncuff me and let me go. Since then I have received a citation for Reckless Driving (criminal) and also 6 separate civil charges that will follow me in MA for years. I currently now have no license because of the incident and everyone I call gived me the run around and I cant figure out what to do. I am afraid to pursue it but I don’t think I have a choice. I need help. Can anyone give me any advice? My phone # is 617-620-4630. Thank You.

By: Nancy Lewis

Nancy Lewis — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:05:37 +0000

Civil trial January 2012 in Sacramento Please check out the web site joeypinasco.com

By: radioproject

radioproject — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:13:59 +0000

There are some very deep comments on this page. Thank you all for sharing your stories. It’s important that lines of communication on this troubling subject are kept open and that we keep an eye on accountability.

By: Sarah Harper

Sarah Harper — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:09:01 +0000

Yes, I’ve been dismayed at the contact that I’ve had with the Emeryville
police, I’ve been witness to them being an obstruction to the law and
justice rather than upkeepers of it in my last two encounters with them. They were snide, rude, untruthful and unprofessional.
they were the problem more than the solution, they make me feel
unsafe in my own neighborhood, And act more like para-military than
peace officers. Yeah, the ‘Good Ol Boys’ are alive and well in Emeryville.

By: kelly

kelly — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:29:48 +0000

July 23, 2011
I was stopped this evening by a police officer that had obviously been working with another officer. I heard a “beep” or noise from an officer I saw sitting on the side of the road. Its almost as if he has signaled the officer who came up on me immediately after I had the signal. Needless to say, he stopped me for dead tags. I had paid my registration on line and never received tags. I called DMV…no such luck. Went to DMV and the line was out the door. I finally wrote a letter. DMV stated I needed proof of insurance. I mailed that in and NEVER heard back from DMV. In addition, I had a MD license and now live in CA. I admit I lost my license, but I did have my passport to show my identity. The officer was rude and decided to have my car towed. I had me in a mini dress and high heels, my 3 yr old and my 16 yr old daughter and her friend with me. Finally around 10pm the two cops told me they were going to impound my car even though they clearly saw that I paid my bills. I had a copy of the bill and of my bank statement in the car in the event I did get stopped. The bad part is that the arrogant officers offered to call a cab. I told them I did not have the money. they said they could drop me off at some McDonalds I dont even know about. They said call a friend or family. I have one friend ( I just moved here and dont know anyone yet) and my family lives 6 hours north of me! So guess what! Yes, the officers had me walk home, in the dark 10m at night, with my 3 yr old and my daugher and her friend. The friend had to carry the car seat, I had the stroller so I put my son in that and the rest will be history! I contacted Diane Feinstein, will be calling Internal affairs on Monday AM, will be filing a law suit for Negligence and the Lt. Maisano who asked for the impound HAS NOT HEARD THE LAST OF ME! Where is the humanity in this country. You have a woman and children out on the streets at night in this day and age with all these whacks on the street? I called the Chief of Police and will be in his face first thing MONDAY! This gentleman has not heard the last of me. I WILL BE A THORN IN HIS SIDE. These officers endangered my life and my kids lives. Leaving us on the street to walk 5 miles to home in high heels???? STROLLER? AND COLD…I called the office where Lt. Maisano works and Srgt. Warren offered more care and concern and his boss is Lt. Maisano. Mr. Warren said he would send a police to pick me up and take me home and the police who came was Lt. Maisano. COULDNT HE HAVE JUST TAKEN ME HOME INSTEAD OF ASKING ME TO BE DROPPED OFF AT MCDONALDS??? FUNNY HOW ONE WILL REACT WHEN I HAVE CALLED HIS BOSS!!!! Doesnt matter. I wont stop until justice is served!