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Public Outcry against San Jose Police Brutality
People who deal with the SJPD on a daily basis gathered to share their experiences with each other and the Chief of Police, bringing the horrors of police brutality out into public view.
San Jose Police Accountability Forum
1-18-07
More than one hundred community members came to the second of two public forums hosted by the San Jose Independent Police Auditor's office last night. The Police Chief and members of the City administration listenned to two hours of stories of the experiences of people who are targetted by the police every day. Racism, racial profiling, police brutality, and the arrogance of the SJPD were hammered home by dozens of speakers of all ages and races. The concreted demands were for the police to be held accountable by a community run police review board, firing of police who disrespect and brutalize the people of San Jose, an ongoing community tribunal to investigate police abuse, the banning of tasers, and anger management and cultural awareness instruction for all police.
The stories of the people were horrific. Here are some examples:
1-18-07
More than one hundred community members came to the second of two public forums hosted by the San Jose Independent Police Auditor's office last night. The Police Chief and members of the City administration listenned to two hours of stories of the experiences of people who are targetted by the police every day. Racism, racial profiling, police brutality, and the arrogance of the SJPD were hammered home by dozens of speakers of all ages and races. The concreted demands were for the police to be held accountable by a community run police review board, firing of police who disrespect and brutalize the people of San Jose, an ongoing community tribunal to investigate police abuse, the banning of tasers, and anger management and cultural awareness instruction for all police.
The stories of the people were horrific. Here are some examples:
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fuck da police.
Forum alleges police abuse
S.J. RESIDENTS DETAIL BEATINGS AND PROFILING
By Sandra Gonzales
Mercury News
With chilling complaints of beatings, verbal abuse and racial profiling by San Jose police officers, residents from the East Side on Thursday night lashed out at the department's practices and urged more accountability.
The emotionally charged community forum at the East Side Union High School District office drew about 200 people -- the second such meeting sponsored by the city's human rights commission and the city's independent police auditor in the past three months. The meetings -- attended by Police Chief Rob Davis -- were sparked by a Santa Clara County civil grand jury report last May that raised questions about the conduct of some officers.
For more than two hours, dozens of speakers -- many of whom have filed complaints -- painted a dismal portrait of racist, renegade officers who are quick to target Latinos, blacks and Muslims and stop them for little or no reason.
``Police officers are still the same, they go by color and mostly after blacks and Mexicans,'' said Rachel Perez. ``All they look at is your color, what you're wearing and what you're driving. When are police going to be accountable? Some things have to change.''
Speaking in Spanish, 15-year-old Armando Castro said he was charged with robbery at Independence High School by an officer who arrested him for sitting on a golf cart and then later verbally and physically assaulted him.
Neither Davis nor Barbara Attard, the city's independent police auditor, addressed Thursday's complaints, which will be presented to the city council and Mayor Chuck Reed.
But in an interview with the Mercury News after the meeting, Davis said he plans to share the information with his command staff and offer suggestions -- including increasing crisis intervention training and educating the public on police policies -- to help cut down on any problems.
``It's important to listen to this and hear the comments. It doesn't fall on deaf ears. We follow themes,'' Davis said. ``There are 1,800 people in the San Jose Police Department and they are human beings. There are officers who have issues.''
Davis said discipline cases have gone forward, but state law prevents the department from discussing any punishment that may have been meted out.
That was little solace to those like Concepcion Calderon, 65, who described a July beating he said he endured after he stopped to question officers who had stopped his nephew. Calderon, a longtime San Jose resident, recounted how officers slammed his head against a police car even after he retreated.
Others, like Carlos Padilla, urged the crowd to organize a citizen tribunal. Angel Luna, 22, also called for greater accountability.
``We don't need more cowboys. The police need to understand our community,'' Luna said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Sandra Gonzales at sgonzales [at] mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5778.
S.J. RESIDENTS DETAIL BEATINGS AND PROFILING
By Sandra Gonzales
Mercury News
With chilling complaints of beatings, verbal abuse and racial profiling by San Jose police officers, residents from the East Side on Thursday night lashed out at the department's practices and urged more accountability.
The emotionally charged community forum at the East Side Union High School District office drew about 200 people -- the second such meeting sponsored by the city's human rights commission and the city's independent police auditor in the past three months. The meetings -- attended by Police Chief Rob Davis -- were sparked by a Santa Clara County civil grand jury report last May that raised questions about the conduct of some officers.
For more than two hours, dozens of speakers -- many of whom have filed complaints -- painted a dismal portrait of racist, renegade officers who are quick to target Latinos, blacks and Muslims and stop them for little or no reason.
``Police officers are still the same, they go by color and mostly after blacks and Mexicans,'' said Rachel Perez. ``All they look at is your color, what you're wearing and what you're driving. When are police going to be accountable? Some things have to change.''
Speaking in Spanish, 15-year-old Armando Castro said he was charged with robbery at Independence High School by an officer who arrested him for sitting on a golf cart and then later verbally and physically assaulted him.
Neither Davis nor Barbara Attard, the city's independent police auditor, addressed Thursday's complaints, which will be presented to the city council and Mayor Chuck Reed.
But in an interview with the Mercury News after the meeting, Davis said he plans to share the information with his command staff and offer suggestions -- including increasing crisis intervention training and educating the public on police policies -- to help cut down on any problems.
``It's important to listen to this and hear the comments. It doesn't fall on deaf ears. We follow themes,'' Davis said. ``There are 1,800 people in the San Jose Police Department and they are human beings. There are officers who have issues.''
Davis said discipline cases have gone forward, but state law prevents the department from discussing any punishment that may have been meted out.
That was little solace to those like Concepcion Calderon, 65, who described a July beating he said he endured after he stopped to question officers who had stopped his nephew. Calderon, a longtime San Jose resident, recounted how officers slammed his head against a police car even after he retreated.
Others, like Carlos Padilla, urged the crowd to organize a citizen tribunal. Angel Luna, 22, also called for greater accountability.
``We don't need more cowboys. The police need to understand our community,'' Luna said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Sandra Gonzales at sgonzales [at] mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5778.
For more information:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...
Wow, Im sorry that I missed this event. My family was unarmed and shot and killed by the SJPD.
CORRECTION
*family member
*family member
"fuck da police" .. Nice this is the typical un-educated response and attitude that is what the police have to deal with on a day to day basis. Its not normal citizens that have bad encounters with the police, those are very few and far between. Its the people that have generations of family members that have been in and out of the criminal justice system. The liberal activists that just want to hate the establishment. We live in a society that listens to music, tv, and movies that promote hating police. It would be nice if people would just accept responsibility for their actions. Police don't go out of their way to "harass" people. They dont want to deal with the scum of society, but that is their job. You listen to comments like, "My family member was shot and killed by San Jose Police." Well, there has not been any incidents of San Jose Police Shooting un-armed people. I think you are referring to the BNE agent, which does not work for San Jose Police. Get your facts straight before you cast blame. That only proves how ignorant you are!
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