Open Letter to Chancellor Birgeneau, the UC Berkeley administration, and the UC Regents:

We, the undersigned faculty, lecturers, and graduate student assistants—all of whom teach at Berkeley and are invested in the educational mission of this university—are outraged by the unnecessary and excessive use more »]]> CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION

The Petition

Open Letter to Chancellor Birgeneau, the UC Berkeley administration, and the UC Regents:

We, the undersigned faculty, lecturers, and graduate student assistants—all of whom teach at Berkeley and are invested in the educational mission of this university—are outraged by the unnecessary and excessive use of violence by the police and sheriff’s deputies against peaceful protesters at UC Berkeley beginning on Wednesday, November 9, 2011.

We will not tolerate this assault on the historic legacy of free speech on this campus.

The protests on Sproul Plaza on November 9 were organized by a coalition of undergraduates, graduates, faculty, union members, and staff to clearly articulate links between the privatization of the university, the global financial crisis, the burdens of student debt, and the composition and power of the UC Regents, whose actions demonstrate a lack of concern with sustaining the public character of the UC system. The principles of these protests reach well beyond the Berkeley campus.

After a large demonstration at Sproul and a march into the city of Berkeley, the protesters formed a General Assembly that called for a non-violent encampment under the name Occupy Cal. As the encampment was being established, protesters were immediately met with physical violence by the police, including the jabbing and striking of students and others with batons. This assault by UCPD and Alameda County riot police against those peacefully assembled led to the forcible arrests of 39 protesters and one faculty member. Associate Professor Celeste Langan offered her wrist to the police in surrender, saying “arrest me, arrest me,” but was nevertheless aggressively pulled by her hair to the ground and cuffed. This began a series of tense confrontations—punctuated by further police violence—that lasted throughout the night and has persisted on our campus. The spectacle of police brutalizing members of our community does inestimable damage to our integrity, our reputation, and our standing as a public university.

We are appalled by the Chancellor’s account, in his November 10 “Message to the Campus Community,” that the police were “forced to use their batons.” We strenuously object to the charge that protesters—by linking arms and refusing to disperse—engaged in a form of “violence” directed at law enforcement. The protests did not justify the overwhelming use of force and severe bodily assault by heavily armed officers and deputies. Widely-circulated documentation from videos, photographs, and TV news outlets make plainly evident the squad tactics and individual actions of members of the UCPD and Alameda County Sheriff’s Department. This sends a message to the world that UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and student protesters are regarded on their own campus with suspicion and hostility rather than treated as participants in civil society.

We call on the Berkeley administration to immediately put an end to these grotesquely out-scale police responses to peaceful protest. We insist that the administration abandon the premise that the rigid, armed enforcement of a campus regulation, in circumstances lacking any immediate threat to safety, justifies the precipitous use of force.

We call upon the Chancellor to comply fully and in a timely manner with the Public Record Act request made in writing by the ACLU on November 10. We also call upon the Chancellor to initiate an independent investigation, separate from that to be undertaken by the campus Police Review Board, to ensure a fair review of events and procedures to prevent such attacks on free speech from happening in the future.

We also express our concern with the repressive policing that has occurred around the wider Occupy Wall Street movement—including Occupy Oakland, where undue force has led to numerous injuries such as those sustained by Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. In solidarity with Occupy Cal and the Occupy movements around the country, we condemn these police acts unequivocally.

We call for greater attention to the substantive issues raised at the protests on November 9 regarding the privatization of education. With massive cuts in state funding and rising tuition costs across the community college system, the Cal State network, K-12, and the University of California, public education is undergoing a severe divestment. Student debt has reached unprecedented levels as bank profits swell. We decry the growing privatization and tuition increases that are currently heavily promoted by the corporate UC Board of Regents.

We express NO CONFIDENCE in the Regents, who have failed in their responsibility to fight for state funding for public education, and have placed the burden of the budget crisis on the backs of students.

We express NO CONFIDENCE in the willingness of the Chancellor, and other leaders of the UC Berkeley administration, to respond appropriately to student protests, to secure student welfare, and to respect freedom of speech and assembly on the Berkeley campus.

A man and his fiancé recently boarded a bus while filming, just as a polite female passenger was told to get off the bus by law enforcement that was on the scene.

The female passenger (a special needs person according to eyewitnesses) then started yelling profanity at the officers.

After a short time, more »]]> By: www.sitfu.com

A man and his fiancé recently boarded a bus while filming, just as a polite female passenger was told to get off the bus by law enforcement that was on the scene.

The female passenger (a special needs person according to eyewitnesses) then started yelling profanity at the officers.

After a short time, the woman was outright attacked by the police.

The following video gives the detailed account.

Welcome to Colwyn, Pennsylvania, where copstaser each other for giggles, and the mayor declares a state of emergency after county agents raid the police department in the course of an investigation into the torture of a local teen in a jail cell. Followed, of course, by a fistfight between residents and police at a borough council more »]]> By: J.D. Tuccille  www.reason.com

Welcome to Colwyn, Pennsylvania, where copstaser each other for giggles, and the mayor declares a state of emergency after county agents raid the police department in the course of an investigation into the torture of a local teen in a jail cell. Followed, of course, by a fistfight between residents and police at a borough council meeting.

The current trouble revolves around allegations that three Colwyn police officers tased 17-year-old Da’Qwan Jackson while he was handcuffed and locked in a holding cell. A witness to a fight, Jackson was being held on the usual standard-issue disorderly conduct charge after refusing to cooperate with investigating police and crumpling up a citation.

But, what started as an … umm … simple police brutality incident? Well … it then took on charged political overtones that may explain why local cops feel safe in using Tasers and prisoners for entertainment purposes.

Thursday’s raucous town meeting was held a day after Mayor Daniel Rutland, a white Republican, suspended a racially mixed group of three officers — including the borough’s acting chief — and declared a state of emergency hours after investigators from the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office raided the police station.

The officers, Rutland said, were all suspected of participating in or trying to cover up the alleged repeated Tasing of 17-year-old Da’Qwan Jackson while he was purportedly handcuffed and confined in a holding cell April 24. …

The suspended officers are Trevor Parham, who allegedly Tased Jackson; Officer Michael Drucktor, who purportedly witnessed the Tasing and failed to report it; and Wendell Reed, the department’s acting chief. The mayor accused Reed of failing to notify proper authorities about the alleged incident.

None of the three would comment Thursday on the Tasing allegation.

Hours after they turned in their badges and guns, Rutland and his political rival, Pray, the council president, seized on the investigation as a cudgel with which to beat each other politically.

Pray had convened an emergency council meeting Wednesday night and had suspended another officer — Lt. Wesley Seitz, who first reported the Tasing allegations to Rutland. Rutland countered by declaring an emergency, reinstating his whistle-blower and promoting him to interim chief.

“They were trying to limit my authority over the Police Department,” Rutland said in an interview. “They are lying and putting this town in jeopardy.”

Then, at the council’s regularly scheduled meeting Thursday, the borough’s six-man force was upended again. After repealing the state of emergency, Pray and her allies voted to resuspend Seitz and reinstate Reed.

A YouTube video shows Colwyn Deputy Chief Wendell Reed Tasering a parking enforcement officer for laughs inside of the borough’s tiny police department.

Reed was ousted from the department yesterday for the possible cover up of an incident involving a juvenile who was allegedly Tasered by Cpl. Trevor Parham while handcuffed in a holding cell April 24. Parham was previously suspended by Lt. Wesley Seitz for the incident.

The video, which was uploaded in January, shows the parking enforcement officer on his knees inside of the police station. Reed, who is in the white shirt, hands the prongs of the Taser to the man while a third officer stands behind and watches. All three laugh hysterically before and after Reed Tases the man.

Remember, kids, leave this sort of thing to the professional law-enforcement officers.

Right now, the tasing of Jackson is being turned over to an “independent investigator” to be hired by the borough council, while the mayor separately contacts the (presumably Pennsylvania) Attorney General.

No, really — that’s Colwyn, Pennsylvania, not Bolivia.

Colwyn Police Department

222 Spruce Street
Colwyn, Pennsylvania 19023
Non-emergency: (484)494-4900
Fax: (484)494-4470

On Tuesday, the celebration of May Day in Oakland, California led to the arrests of 25 more »]]> Oakland police brutality was was at the forefront of the crackdown Occupy Wall Street protests as police fire tear gas at crowds full of children and beating protestors with batons.

By: Alexander Higgins   www.blog.alexanderhiggins.com
May 2, 2012

On Tuesday, the celebration of May Day in Oakland, California led to the arrests of 25 people. There were several clashes between protesters and the police force, even though Oakland law enforcement has been criticized in the past for its heavy-handed tactics against non-violent protesters. Jessica Hollie, an Occupy Oakland blogger, gives us her firsthand account of May Day in Oakland.

As I previously reported previously reported:

Occupy Wall Street May Day Protestors are clashing with police in Oakland with ABC news reporting police cars have been set on fire and trashed and banks have been smashed.

May Day Protests have turned violent in Oakland with Police cars being attacked and set and fire and bank windows being smashed following the Oakland Police firing tear gas on crowds full of children earlier today.

[...]

Earlier Business Insider reported on the police firing tear gas on crowds full of children.

Oakland Police Fired Tear-Gas On Crowds That Included Children

Police deployed tear gas  on Occupy protestors in downtown Oakland, according  to Robert Salonga. who tweeted this photo. The crowd included children like the one in the lower-right corner with the pink backpack.

Robert Salonga via Twitter

Gavin Aronsen, a reporter for Mother Jones, also tweeted that street clashes between Occupy Oakland and the Oakland Police department were escalating. Here is a police officer who “shoved a young woman” and another officer seen dragging a man that has been arrested:

Gavin Aronsen via Twitter

Police Administration Building
455 7th Street
Oakland, CA  94607
phone: (510) 238-3455

Petition Link:  http://www.change.org/petitions/pardon-wrongfully-convicted-autistic-youth-neli-latson

Reginald “Neli” Latson, is a 20 year-old autistic young man, who on the morning of May 24, 2010, sat in the grass outside the local library with a hoodie on waiting for the library to open. What happened next landed then 18 year-old Reginald “Neli” Latson in jail for more »]]>

Petition Link:  http://www.change.org/petitions/pardon-wrongfully-convicted-autistic-youth-neli-latson

Reginald “Neli” Latson, is a 20 year-old autistic young man, who on the morning of May 24, 2010, sat in the grass outside the local library with a hoodie on waiting for the library to open. What happened next landed then 18 year-old Reginald “Neli” Latson in jail for one year awaiting a trial without bond. During that jail time, Neli spent eight straight months isolation.

That morning the school crossing guard across the street made a claim that is debatable by 911 calls that three kids came up to her and said there was a black man sitting underneath a tree and that he may have a gun. Unbeknownst to Neli, he was now the target of a full-on manhunt by Stafford County’s sheriff department. When Neli was confronted by a sheriff deputy, he complied to a search and no gun was found. That should’ve been the end of the story, but the officer started to verbally harass Neli and Neli became afraid. He calmly tried to walk away when the officer choked him from behind and tried to place him under arrest. When Neli went to trial, he was convicted of four felonies of assaulting a police officer. The jury gave Neli 10 ½ years in prison. However, the judge gave Neli another year in the penitentiary. During that time, Neli was placed on a mental health unit where he spent most of his time in isolation.

My son Neli is innocent and went through a significant trauma. The injustice that Neli has endured has left him scarred for life. On February 13th Neli was released from prison and sent to a residential program court ordered by the judge not to be released until the age of 22. Neli made a very good transition into his new environment. After 30 days of Neli doing a great job, the commonwealth attorney personally called up his probation officer for a report. The report was a good one, yet further restrictions were placed on Neli. I am not allowed to leave campus with my son and he is not allowed to come home on overnight visits. So our family continues to suffer at the hands of a wicked and unjust judicial system. Please sign this petition so Neli can receive justice and end his suffering.

UPDATE!!!

Lisa Alexander, mother of Neli Latson, was convicted on 1/10/2012 of misdemeanor charges that for many would have resulted in little to no jail time. However, supporters were stunned that the trial concluded with Lisa being taken away as a prisoner to be incarcerated for one year, which was later shortened to six months.

Lisa Alexander is an 11 year military veteran with no prior criminal history. She left the military to dedicate her life to her children and to especially build a stable life for her autistic son, Neli. Neli was racially profiled, thrown in jail, and unjustly convicted in May, 2010 at the hands of the same DA’s office that prosecuted her. Lisa has been tirelessly advocating for Neli and the only constant throughout his terrifying ordeal has been his mother’s voice by telephone each day and their weekly visits. She is her son’s coping mechanism and is absolutely vital to him.

A number of Neli’s supporters believe that the incarceration of Lisa Alexander is in direct retaliation for her efforts to speak out against the corruption in Stafford County and her fight to have her son released to a facility capable of addressing his autism. Her internet campaign to win supporters to her son’s cause was even mentioned by the prosecution during the course of the trial!

Lisa has been under such an extreme amount of stress over the past few years since Neli’s arrest that she has suffered severe vision loss rendering her barely able to read. Family and friends are greatly concerned for her health and well being, as well as Neli’s.

A press release will be distributed soon and we are calling on everyone to please help support this family in crisis. Subscribe to the e-mail listserve for updates and/or follow at the Facebook page, Fight Against Autism and Police Injustice. Please also sign onto and share the petition for pardon for Neli when he is released so that he doesn’t have to be on parole for decades to come. He must receive a full pardon if he is to live any semblance of normalcy.

Petition Link:  http://www.change.org/petitions/pardon-wrongfully-convicted-autistic-youth-neli-latson

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas Police Chief David Brown is defending his department after having to place an officer on administrative leave following accusations that he drove drunk and shot at another vehicle while having marijuana on him.

“You can often paint the entire organization with a broad brush as if we’re out of control more »]]>

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas Police Chief David Brown is defending his department after having to place an officer on administrative leave following accusations that he drove drunk and shot at another vehicle while having marijuana on him.

“You can often paint the entire organization with a broad brush as if we’re out of control when that’s absolutely not the case,” Brown said Monday.

On Sunday morning, Officer Rafael Mendoza was arrested in Mesquite and charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault and possession of marijuana.

His girlfriend refused to press charges, but alleged he knocked her to the ground, handcuffed her and threatened to send her to prison.

LINK TO VIDEO

Mendoza was placed on administrative leave after Sunday’s arrest. Brown said an internal investigation is also underway.

“Less than one half of one percent get involved in behavior similar to this, but one is too many. We don’t have a tolerance for this type of behavior in this organization. This is a first class organization.”

According to department statistics, the force employs 3,400 officers. About 30 are terminated each year for various reasons. That’s less than one percent.

Brown says these isolated incidents paint a black-eye on the department.

There are currently 11 officers on administrative leave or restricted duty for questionable behavior, but despite that, Brown believes the department’s screening process works.

“We have one of the longest police academy’s in country- eight months and then field training, six months,” said Brown. ”We’re watching your behavior to be sure you are of the quality we want.”

Brown says those who wear the badge are expected to uphold the law, not break it.

As for Officer Mendoza, the chief said, ”We’re going to hold him accountable for his behavior.”

Mendoza’s girlfriend dropped the charges stemming from last July’s domestic disturbance. However, the department still suspended him five days.

Mendoza has now been placed back on administrative leave pending a hearing for his new charges.

The 34 year old joined the Dallas Police Department in December of 2008.

BY: www.dfw.cbslocal.com

A Conway police officer, who was arrested early Monday morning on a DWI investigation after wrecking his truck, has been fired for an unrelated issue.

According to Conway Police Department Public Information Officer LeTresha Woodruff, officer Jason Gregory Davis was fired Monday afternoon.

“As of 5 p.m. this afternoon, Jason Davis is no more »]]>

A Conway police officer, who was arrested early Monday morning on a DWI investigation after wrecking his truck, has been fired for an unrelated issue.

According to Conway Police Department Public Information Officer LeTresha Woodruff, officer Jason Gregory Davis was fired Monday afternoon.

“As of 5 p.m. this afternoon, Jason Davis is no longer an employee of the Police Department of Conway,” Woodruff said. “Davis was terminated due to previous issues unrelated to his arrest this morning.”

Davis was found in his vehicle following a wreck at the main entrance of Centerstone Apartments at 835 S. Donaghey Ave. just after midnight Monday morning. Witnesses reported to police that the driver looked intoxicated. Police responded to the accident and found Davis slumped over to his right. The truck received extensive front end damage.

After identifying Davis, a supervisor was called onto the scene. Davis appeared to have a cut on the bridge of his nose, and an odor of intoxicants came from the vehicle. Davis was unresponsive when officers attempted to wake him. After several attempts, Davis awoke in a daze. He was unaware where he was, and he did not realize he was in an accident. His speech was slurred and difficult to understand. Davis’ gun and badge were secured by the officer on scene, and he was handcuffed and placed in the patrol vehicle.

While being transported to the hospital, Davis repeatedly asked if he hit something. He then asked if the two officers with him were on duty and after seeing his handcuffs, he asked “Is that something you need to do?”

He allowed blood tests to be performed and was questioned by the emergency room staff about the accident. He said he did not remember being in an accident. He said he had a few drinks. After being treated and discharged from the hospital, he was transported to Faulkner County Detention Center and placed in a separate cell. His vehicle was towed.

Monday afternoon, Conway Police Chief A.J. Gary responded to the incident, noting that Davis was off duty and on administrative leave at the time of the accident. Davis was placed on administrative leave on an unreleated personnel matter. Gary would not comment on the first investigation but confirmed that it was not alcohol-related.

“We expect our officers to be held to a higher standard,” Gary said. “We will look at the entire incident before making any decisions regarding his employment. But like anyone else he will be faced with being convicted as well as any disciplinary action from us.”

Davis had been with the Conway Police Department since 2007, and officials said he was recently commended for his work with DWI incidents.

By:www.thecabin.net

 Conway Police Department

Newark Police Department officers arrested Demetrius Sharp, a 31-year-old officer with the University of Delaware Police Department, on Wednesday, May 2, following an investigation initiated on Feb. 21, 2012.

The investigation began when a 21-year-old female University of Delaware student reported that Sharp, a resident of Kennett Square, Pa., was harassing her.

The more »]]>

Newark Police Department officers arrested Demetrius Sharp, a 31-year-old officer with the University of Delaware Police Department, on Wednesday, May 2, following an investigation initiated on Feb. 21, 2012.

The investigation began when a 21-year-old female University of Delaware student reported that Sharp, a resident of Kennett Square, Pa., was harassing her.

The female student, who had ended a relationship with Sharp on Feb. 18, said she began receiving harassing texts, emails and voice messages from Sharp for a three-day period starting Feb. 19. Police say Sharp attempted to contact her in person while on duty as a uniformed police officer, including parking outside her home and shining a spotlight from his patrol vehicle into the victim’s windows.

Sharp turned himself in to Newark Police on May 2. He was charged with three counts of harassment and one count of official misconduct and released on $4,000 unsecured bond.

John Brennan, director of media relations for the University of Delaware, confirmed Wednesday that Sharp is University Police officer and that he has been placed on administrative leave.