More Fake News from 'Big Joe' and 'Santa Cruz Keepin' it Real'

Joe Netro is a former prison guard at Soledad State Prison (Correctional Training Facility). He often refers to himself as a "cop" on his hate blog. Netro has also said on his blog that he is a "volunteer" with the Santa Cruz Police Department. Some consider Netro a "leaker" of department secrets, while others consider him a police cheerleader. In one post to the SCPD Facebook page, Netro said he wanted to start, "a movement where everyone gives a 'country wave' to our thin blue line when we're out and about".

Today's post contained a number of distortions and inaccuracies.

This is what the Public Safety Committee report states, in its entirety, concerning Santa Cruz Police Department use of force complaints received in 2017 and 2018:

"The Independent Police Auditor report also noted cases that included [...] complaints of use of force by SCPD officers. In several cases, the Independent Police Auditor found the level of engagement to be warranted to the incident occurring. Many of these cases involved domestic disputes and several occurred while the individuals were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Clearly, the abuse of alcohol, more than anything else, helped fuel several of the negative outcomes in many of these cases."

Here is what Joe Netro wrote in his Santa Cruz, CA: Keepin' It Real blog post from today:

"Of the several instances where the use of force was applied which resulted in a complaint filed, they were all deemed "justified.""

"The report finds that "the SCPD recognized the severity of each of these incidents, and the Independent Police Auditor recognized the SCPD's efficiency and professionalism" of the Professional Standards Unit."

"My findings? Of the cleared UOF complaints? The report noted that the subjects police were applying force to was necessary in all instances as these "citizens" were combative due to alcohol and drug abuse. Want to solve the use of force problem? Fix the substance use problem. Cut back through attrition the number of alcohol beverage licenses and jail repeat offenders."

In today's fake news post, Netro included a link to the Public Safety Committee report, which he uploaded to his website. However, considering their very accommodating response to his previous fake news scandal, it is unlikely any of his followers would ever read it and fact check 'Big Joe' for themselves. For example, without any critique or comment whatsoever, former Congressional candidate Joe Williams shared Netro's fake news post to his political group on Facebook, SCCCP - Santa Cruz and Central Coast Politics.

(Photo: Joe Netro aka 'Big Joe 77' speaks at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 14, 2019.)