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Santa Cruz Police to Procure $250K 'Rescue Vehicle'
As Americans across the country look to de-militarize their local police departments, following the police killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown and the over-militarized response to the related protests that ensued, the Santa Cruz Police Department wants to spend $251,293 for the purchase of a regional emergency response and "rescue" vehicle.
Item number 13 on Tuesday's Santa Cruz City Council consent agenda proposes the city accepts a Homeland Security Grant to fund the $250K vehicle.
The City Council agenda report (see PDF) states:
"The Police Department and the Santa Cruz region have a critical need for a contemporary rescue vehicle to safely transport and deploy first responders to hazardous situations where public safety is jeopardized. A key function of this vehicle is the ability to safely extract injured and at-risk victims from a high-risk environment. The vehicle is designed to provide maximum protection for first responders and crime victims. It is intended for use in emergency events including, but not limited to life-threatening public safety events, natural disasters, mass casualty incidents, high-risk medical emergencies."
The Santa Cruz City Council will vote on the consent agenda at 2:30pm on Tuesday, December 9 in council chambers.
The City Council agenda report (see PDF) states:
"The Police Department and the Santa Cruz region have a critical need for a contemporary rescue vehicle to safely transport and deploy first responders to hazardous situations where public safety is jeopardized. A key function of this vehicle is the ability to safely extract injured and at-risk victims from a high-risk environment. The vehicle is designed to provide maximum protection for first responders and crime victims. It is intended for use in emergency events including, but not limited to life-threatening public safety events, natural disasters, mass casualty incidents, high-risk medical emergencies."
The Santa Cruz City Council will vote on the consent agenda at 2:30pm on Tuesday, December 9 in council chambers.
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Brent's facebook has a photo of what this vehicle is supposed to look like at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152539647527263&set=a.10150916995612263.413000.706512262&type=1&theater .
Steve Pleich, Vice-Chair of the ACLU, told me he is not personally opposing this nor is the ACLU because it "is not military surplus DOD 1033", "has a Ford 450 frame", "is a civilian vehicle", and will be shared with two other counties in emergency situations.
He won't be appearing at City Council but apparently takes the word of Mike Rotkin and Chief Vogel that all is well and there is "no cause for alarm", as reassuring authorities like to put it. He declined to look over the photo Brent posted.
I've also asked Brent to give us his source for the photo.
I alerted both Brent and Steve to this posting, so they can clarify if they wish.
Frankly, I would wonder if such grants (which still involve expenditure of taxpayer money) don't come with strings. My attempts to get specific documents from the SCPD detailing connections and communications with Homeland Security, fusion centers, etc. was essentially ignored--other than on the publicizied license plate reader issue.
If there was ever a time to rein in police misconduct, insularity, and elitism in Santa Cruz--now is the time.
Steve Pleich, Vice-Chair of the ACLU, told me he is not personally opposing this nor is the ACLU because it "is not military surplus DOD 1033", "has a Ford 450 frame", "is a civilian vehicle", and will be shared with two other counties in emergency situations.
He won't be appearing at City Council but apparently takes the word of Mike Rotkin and Chief Vogel that all is well and there is "no cause for alarm", as reassuring authorities like to put it. He declined to look over the photo Brent posted.
I've also asked Brent to give us his source for the photo.
I alerted both Brent and Steve to this posting, so they can clarify if they wish.
Frankly, I would wonder if such grants (which still involve expenditure of taxpayer money) don't come with strings. My attempts to get specific documents from the SCPD detailing connections and communications with Homeland Security, fusion centers, etc. was essentially ignored--other than on the publicizied license plate reader issue.
If there was ever a time to rein in police misconduct, insularity, and elitism in Santa Cruz--now is the time.
they say that men tend to overcompensate for their small units with BIG guns and vehicles. SCPD as a group must be VERY unendowed and perhaps even impotent.
Santa Cruz activists were out in force to protest this.
after the pigs got what they wanted from the council vote, loud chants of SHAME, SHAME, SHAME from the public caused the city council to close their meeting and postpone all other agenda items until january.
if the council is that afraid of their own community, perhaps they plan on holding the january meeting protected inside the vehicle's armor. it does seat 12. however, if the council takes that route, i believe the Brown Act requires a podium side car.
after the pigs got what they wanted from the council vote, loud chants of SHAME, SHAME, SHAME from the public caused the city council to close their meeting and postpone all other agenda items until january.
if the council is that afraid of their own community, perhaps they plan on holding the january meeting protected inside the vehicle's armor. it does seat 12. however, if the council takes that route, i believe the Brown Act requires a podium side car.
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