16 Responses to “Officers, not powers, are the problem”

1. Joe says:

   August 22, 2011 at 2:40 am

   Police brutality is not the exception to the rule. It’s quite normal. Such is the culture of the police.
2. Gideon says:

   August 22, 2011 at 6:31 am

   The problem with police is not the problem you see. By the time a beating happens, there have already been numerous breakdowns at many levels.

   You deal with individuals that ahve been trained to be alpha, and are given near total control over the lives of those they police. That’s a power that was never intended to be handed the government.

   The Judicial Branch of our government is the ultimate authority of a police officer – and the ultimate watchdog of the police. What I’m saying is that the police self regulate, and self correct under the Judicial Branch of our government and there are no civilian oversight procedures. The Grand Jury was intended to be that oversight, but the Supreme Court has ruled that the Grand Jury is not necessary.

   The Grand Jury is a civilian oversight committee. They review cases brought to the court, and are the ones that would bring charges to a police officer if he were to act out of line. The GJ changes from week to week, and is supposedly beyond corruption.

   The way things are today, if an officer beats the tar out of you, you get to go to the police station and file a complaint. Another officer (a friend of the one that beat you) looks at the complaint and decides if the beating was justified. If he feels it wasn’t, then he referrs the officer to the DA, who decides if the beating deserves to be charged as a crime on the officer. The DA is the person that this very oficer contacts if he has questions about the law, they know each other. IF he decides to press charges on the officer, then the Judge decides his fate, and the judge often refers to the police as “His Officers.” There are no outside safety checks.

   But what to do about it?

   Ammend the state constitution to require a grand jury oversight of all charged filed by the police. It would replace First Appearance in most states which is now handled by a judge. The Grand Jury has the total power to release and refuse to charge people.

   This will stop most of the brutality cases, and give people wronged a new avenue to seek true justice.
3. Karen says:

   August 22, 2011 at 7:33 am

   How the heck can you say that this is because of bad apples – and not systematic of our culture (homo sapiens sapiens – not just American!). The s*it hasn’t even hit the fan fully and are already tidying up with all those premature excuses.

   Damn, give it at least a few month before we cover everything up completely shall we?
4. john says:

   August 22, 2011 at 8:54 am

   While I applaud your attempt to focus in on the problem and not the procedures that some might blame. It is like this, either the officers were at fault because the existing procedures, which include training are adequate, or the existing procedures are not adequate which then at least partially, exonerates the officers. Personally, I think the officers were at fault. However-As it is impossible to screen potential police officers sufficiently to know how they will react in every conceivable situation, we are recruiting from the human race after all, we must address procedures and training. This at least gives us hope that we can eliminate or greatly reduce the chance that this will a happen again.
5. Jimmy says:

   August 22, 2011 at 9:52 am

   This opinion is not only poorly reasoned, it’s just dead wrong. The problem is the system itself. That’s why there is a national epidemic of police brutality, which mainly target working, poor, homeless people and people of color. This case tipifies why the problem is the system and nothing less. Sure, the policies and procedures are bad, and the officers involved acted badly, but they have a license to do so, and do, in fact, act this way on a daily basis.

   At the last Fullerton City Council meeting, over 30 people testified about being beaten, harassed and generally abused by Fullerton police. This isn’t just this or that “bad” cop. Its the way police are organized and what they are organized to do–protect private property, not to serve the people.

   There needs to be community control over the police, and there must be justice for Kelly Thomas and all victims of police violence. Hacks like the writer of this piece need to go out and experience life a little before waxing philosophic.
6. Jodi G says:

   August 22, 2011 at 11:22 am

   Although I agree with your stance on the prosecution of the six officers involved in this crime, I strongly disagree with your lack of regard for policy change. I understand that it is important for the public not to lose their focus on what is being fought for. However, to say that calling for policy change is unnecessary is, in my opinion, a bit uneducated. The policy change within the police department is going to prevent anything like this from happening again. Did you know that only 13 of the 145 officers on FPD have taken a federally funded course on encountering the homeless and mentally ill? There is a free course available to officers at Golden West Community College and only 13 officers have attended so far. I have my BA in Psychology from Cal State Fullerton and I have learned through Applied Psychology that these policies are well researched and exist to make this world a better place to live in for everyone. Thank you for your stance on prosecuting the officers involved, that is very important!
7. John says:

   August 22, 2011 at 6:07 pm

   Glad to see people commenting have more sense than this “journalist.”
8. darrell bezet says:

   August 23, 2011 at 4:24 am

   WHEN NOT IF YOU GET JACKED UP BY THE POLICE.ARE KILLED FOR MOVEING TO THR RIGHT AND NOT TO THE LEFT,THEN AND ONLY THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE COP,S ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND. BUT YOUR BOSS-HOG ON STARIODS!THAT WILL AND DO LIE EVERY DAY.THAT KILL AND DESTORY LIVE,S AVERY DAY.O AND THANK,S FOR BELIVEING FULLERTON COP,S NEED TO GO TO PRISON!!
9. Concerned Citizen says:

   August 23, 2011 at 6:08 am

   who’s blaming the system ? everyone is blaming the officers . how many cases do we see where an office acts outside of the guide lines and all he gets is a week unpaid leave from work and he’s right back on the street . Police officers should be treated just like a civilian, accountable and if they can’t handle the job, let go of their position . simple as that .
10. Jt says:

    August 23, 2011 at 11:20 am

    It’s not just a few bad cops. Case after case of brutality, abuse, witness intimidation, destroying evidence, false arrest, perjury. We need a Federal
    Investigation of the entire Fullerton Police Department AND the corrupt
    Orange County DA! People who don’t live here should boycott this town.
11. Carlos says:

    August 23, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    When you see a strayed dogs or cats on street, we take them to shelter to care for, trim nails, shower, feed them foods and even find adaption. If you see animal abuse, celebrities and Americans crying their heart out and go to jail cruelty to animals. Unfortunately yes, the fact that most Americans have become sanctimonious hypocrites.

    The sounds of a Taser can be heard, along with Kelly Thomas beg those 6 officers, ‘Please, please, please God, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’” and screaming and then yelling, “Dad! … Dad! … Dad!”in his last breath and desperation from the heart? You would be so heartbroken to know your child died crying out for you, and you wasn’t there to help them.
    When Fullerton polices and officials smell blood from your nostril, they are going wild and out of control. Begging will only make it worse like dumping fuel on fire on these cops.

    ttp://www.kfiam640.com/cc-common/gallery/photos.html?album_id=289539#/0/17414674
    http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/warning-graphic-photo-of-fpd-beating-victim/

    Take a look at his picture on deathbed and reach out to your soul and tell us about these enteprise criminals in America today. Every Murder Will Meets His Equals. The most disturbing story is corruption is everywhere in Orange County. As the story unfolds in front of our eyes, nothing has happened. We see nothing bbut corruption, lies, and coverup at all levels in this wonderful Republicans county in Calfornia.

    The blood may be wiped away; but the truth shall remains. You can dry clean your police uniforms or even wiped off from your city officials faces: Blood stain has memory. We need your unbiased investigative reports from you. Dear God, please help to bring justice for Thomas Kelly and unknown homeless victims in California.
    Sincerely yours;
12. Citizen says:

    August 24, 2011 at 7:49 am

    If you had actually researched the issue at all, you’d know that the public outcry is based entirely on multi-level corruption, NOT changes in procedure. City officials have conspired to keep these criminals employed via paid leaves and, more infuriating, the exclusive privilege of viewing surveillance footage before giving their statements. You characterize this incident as a rare “worst case scenario”; if this is what happens when the police savagely beat an unarmed man to death, just imagine how lesser abuses of power are handled!
13. Tom Burr says:

    August 24, 2011 at 7:55 am

    This was murder. These six men should be tried for murder, plain and simple.
14. AJ says:

    August 31, 2011 at 1:10 am

    There should definitely be a different procedure for the investigations that follow. If you look up officer-involved deaths in OC, you’ll see that many families are left in the dark completely about the investigations by the police and the OCDA.
15. Alai says:

    September 4, 2011 at 4:23 pm

    This terrible article is badly researched and the guy has no idea what he is talking about. It is offensive that the opinion editor is unaware of what’s going on in his own city. Joey, start paying attention or you will lose even more credibility.
16. David says:

    September 24, 2011 at 10:17 am

    Joseph Szilagyi, quit trying to dirty the waters even more. Let the FBI do its job then write another opinion article.