Oakland Community Policing Advisory Board Member Rankles Anonymous

Oakland Community Policing Advisory Board Member Rankles Anonymous

By Lynda Carson -- February 9, 2012

Oakland -- During an organized counterinsurgency protest against Occupy Oakland on Monday Feb. 6, by Oakland authorities, Nancy Sidebotham, a board member of the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB) in Oakland, got the attention of the hacker group Anonymous for organizing around 3 dozen others to join her in a protest event against the Occupy Oakland movement.

As a board member of CPAB, Nancy Sidebotham admits to having organized the protest against Occupy Oakland on Feb. 6, even though it may have been a conflict of interest for her to do so, or may have been an ethics violation in the City of Oakland.

Notices posted on-line and sent out by CPAB's member Nancy Sidebotham for the protest against Occupy Oakland, claimed that her group was called "Stand for Oakland," and that it is a grass roots group that was tired of Occupy Oakland taking up so many police resources, from their communities.

However, the notices failed to mention that the protest being organized against Occupy Oakland was actually being organized by a board member of the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB's Nancy Sidebotham), which may be an ethics violation.

As a member of the board with CPAB, Sidebotham organized the event in front of Oakland City Hall against Occupy Oakland, and she also publicly stated to the media that this was a grassroots organized event. Meanwhile at the same time, Sidebotham was concealing her true position as a member of the board with CPAB from the public and the media, and she concealed her activites as an advisor to the Oakland police.

Additionally, District 4 Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) member Jill Broadhurst was also a part of the orchestrated counterinsurgency protest that was organized against Occupy Oakland by Sidebotham and authorities, and Broadhurst stated that most of the people who came out against Occupy Oakland on Feb. 6, were also from other crime prevention groups in Oakland (snitches and support groups for the police).

In response to Sidebotham's unethical activities against the political protests of Occupy Oakland, the hacker group Anonymous got involved in an attempt to expose the brutal tactics of the authorities in Oakland against Occupy Oakland, and the dirty tricks of Nancy Sidebotham, a board member of the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB).

In a message for Nancy Sidebotham posted on-line from Anonymous, it partially stated; "Nancy, After looking in to your background, it has come to Our attention that you are involved in a self-aggrandizing political game you should not have involved yourself in, as now you have drawn Our attention. You are currently attempting to use the negative attention that Occupy Oakland is receiving in the media to further your own failed political career. You claim that you have founded a "Grass Roots Movement" to counter Occupy Oakland, when the reality is that this is just a power-crazed attempt to keep your seat on the CPAB. What We have discovered is that you are a power hungry megalomaniac. There are also serious conflicts of interest with you claiming to be a concerned citizen, yet you work hand in hand with the Oakland Police Department as part of their Advisory Board. Did you really think that these facts would slip past us?"

During a Feb. 8, 6:00 P.M., Channel 2, KTVU news report, Nancy Sidebotham could be seen on the TV news show holding up a text message to her from Anonymous, while acting totally shocked in disbelief, and being shocked that Anonymous, or anyone else for that matter would dare to criticize her for her activities, such as concealing her position as a board member with the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB), while organizing a protest against Occupy Oakland.

Caught up in to a web of her own lies and deceit after being challenged by Anonymous, on KTVU news, Sidebotham claimed that she is a victim that is being targeted for standing up for what she believes is right. "In a way it's a threatening format which their targeting individuals that are standing up for what is right in their city," said Sidebotham.

The reporter on KTVU then went on to say that Sidebotham organized the protest that occurred on Monday Feb. 6, against Occupy Oakland, and mentioned that she was criticized a day later by Anonymous, which asked Sidebotham how many of the protesters that joined her against Occupy Oakland, were on the city payroll?

During the news report, neither CPAB's board member Nancy Sidebotham nor the news announcer Mike Mebak from KTVU (Channel 2), bothered to mention in the news story that Nancy Sidebotham is a board member of the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB) in Oakland, which is why Anonymous took action and criticized the activities of Sidebotham to begin with.

In a call to the news room of KTVU on Feb. 8, a fellow named Richard stated that he would have to look in to it, when I directly asked why KTVU failed to mention that Anonymous criticized Nancy Sidebotham for not revealing to the public that she was a board member with the Community Policing Advisory Board, while organizing the protest against Occupy Oakland. Richard went on to say that "we at Channel 2," have interviewed Nancy before, and we already know that she is a board member with the Community Policing Advisory Board.

During the closing seconds of the Feb. 8, KTVU news report, the Channel 2 announcer then gave a big plug for CPAB's board member Nancy Sidebotham's next scheduled protest against Occupy Oakland, which is to be held on Friday, according to the announcer.

It is alarming, that KTVU is remaining silent about the lies and deceit coming from Sidebotham, regarding her claims that this is a grass roots groups of protesters against Occupy Oakland, even though KTVU knows that Sidebotham is a board member of the Community Policing Advisory Board.

Anonymous also partially stated to Sidebotham; "What We would like to know, is how many others of the 30 or so that showed up for your "Grass Roots Movement" are on the City of Oakland's Payroll? While what you claimed in the media was all nice and peachy, you apparently have forgotten that We will fact check you. You have been caught in a lie, and you have lost face. Would you like to make a statement to the media now about what you have done? You may want to, as We are sending this to all of the media outlets who covered your "Counter Protest" which turns out, was being paid for by the taxpayers of the City of Oakland. Knock your silly games off.'

As a board member with the Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB), Sidebotham was appointed by Mayor Ronald V. Dellums, and is near the end of her first term, which expires on March 24, 2012.

According to the City of Oakland, the members of this board meet the first week of each month at 6:00 P.M., in Hearing Room 2, at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (Oakland City Hall), and that CPAB shall oversee, monitor and report at least twice yearly and provide recommendations to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and Director of Police Services.

According to Oakland's Governing Code, CPAB has 15 members (3-year terms), and all must be Oakland residents. This includes 3 Mayoral appointments, 8 City Council appointments, 1 Oakland Housing Authority appointment, 1 School Board appointment, and 2 appointments from the Oakland Home Alert Steering Committee. Board Members are allowed a second term, if they are appointed again.

Additionally, the members of this board (CPAB) must submit a Conflict of Interest form (Form 700).

Click below for more on Nancy Sidebotham.

http://clerkwebsvr1.oaklandnet.com/attachments/23061.pdf

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com