Subject: Report to City Council - Parolees From: SCCW Sub-Committee To: All Date Posted: Sun, May 16, 1999 at 18:33:49 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: The preliminary report to City Council for Tuesday evening, May 18th is available at the link above. Comment and suggestions are welcome as is testimony from anyone interested in the topic. Citizen's Report on parolees crimewatch.us/pal99.htm

Subject: Re: Report to City Council - Parolees From: Tale of the Tape To: SCCW Sub-Committee Date Posted: Sat, May 22, 1999 at 18:53:20 (PDT) Email Address: whynot@justicemail.com Message: Citizen bashing aside, I took notes on the two council meetings and just like your fax, here's what they said. City Council Operating Budget Workshop May 11, 1999 3:47 Cohn's questions of Venegas on authorized vs filled positions. 643/623 for 95% filled 3:48 Cohn question on reductions in Patrol for Sector 3 by 15 officers 3:50 Cohn's restatement of same question 3:51 Venegas statement of Oak Park in East Area has grants 3:53 Cohn asks when council will see final breakout of staffing - Answer June 19th 3:59 Fargo asking about increase of $650,000 in Chief's Office (unclear answer - administrative??) 4:01 Panell restating loss of 15 positions in East and questions about Reserves 4:02 Venegas states he doesn't count Reserves but SPD has gained 30 reserve positions (actual or ??) 4:04 Kerth stating 'It's a status quo budget and we all wish it wasn't. (Same since 1994??) 4:11 Jones asked for rationale for the loss of patrol officers assigned to East Area PAGE 84 4:12 Venegas turns over to Powers who says it's 'because of sizable reductions of calls for service' 4:14 Jones presses for District numbers and impact on calls for service 4:14 Venegas starts to say 'you will see an increase in time ...' but falls short of saying 'responce time' 4:15 Jones asks for report back on distribution of cuts within East Area 4:20 Jenest questions reducing Patrol officers on the basis of last year's data 4:21 City Manager Thomas says no cuts in Patrol City Council Agenda Item 11.2 Parole Issues/Public Safety - Public Testimony May 18, 1999 8:38 - Oak Park resident Judy Jones asks about transfer of officers from her area (East) 8:39 - Serna turns to Venegas 'there's the man that run's the place' - Venegas says 'no proposed transfer of people out of the Oak Park area'. Serna says, 'You've come to the right place for the right answer.' There's still a math question here ... they said they were moving 15 patrol officer from east area - eleven were to go to south and three north. That still leaves one unaccounted for. If everyone is being honest about the numbers, and there are cuts in patrol, where's that last officer going?

Subject: COPS Grant Questions From: Kendra Perry Finley To: All Date Posted: Fri, May 14, 1999 at 09:07:47 (PDT) Email Address: FinleyKP@aol.com Message: From Editor's Notebook - Inside the City This month, let’s tread where even our City Council members apparently fear to go. Be brave. This is long and complicated; though I’ve tried to make it as clear as possible, let’s face it, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Some questions have been raised regarding grant funds the city has received from the U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). There seems to be some uncertainty as to how much money our Police Department has actually received from the federal government, and how that money has been used. This is a sticky wicket. The only information I’ve been able to find on my own, without going directly to the council and/or the Sacramento Police Department (SPD), is at least one year old. Even the SPD’s website contains statistics only to 1997. Apparently, just about the time the SPD moved into the technological age with their website, they ceased to provide current data. The website staffing ratio chart, for example, illustrates the number of officers per thousand population for the years from 1975 (2.0 officers per thousand) to 1995 (1.48 per thousand). The online personnel staffing chart shows 536 sworn officers in 1985, increasing to 642 in 1997. For various reasons, chief among them a certain skepticism that going directly to city officials would net me any more current information, I decided to go ahead with this column, in spite of the somewhat long-in-the-tooth data. Maybe just airing all of this will result in better public access to, and more clear presentation of, significant public safety information. A May 1998 DOJ Audit Report examined federal grants to the SPD and the SPD’s compliance with grant terms. The report stated that, from October 1994 to October 1996, Sacramento had been awarded four grants, totalling $31,081,270, to either hire additional sworn officers or redeploy sworn officers into community policing positions. As stated in the audit report, “The purpose of the additional officers under each of the grant programs is to enhance community policing efforts.” To loosely paraphrase a DOJ definition of community policing, it is a philosophy that promotes strategies to address the causes of crime; a shift from traditional, reactive policing toward the prevention of crime before it occurs. At least a couple of citizens have been looking into what they view as discrepancies between what the DOJ seems to have offered and, when all is said and done, what the SPD has to show for it. After reviewing a number of documents and the DOJ and SPD webpages, I think I understand the problem. The information immediately available to the public is clear as mud. During the public comments segment at the end of a City Council meeting in early March, Sacramento resident Jim Hastings presented to the Council what he views as conflicting COPS/SPD data, with a request that the issue be agendized for thorough discussion at a future meeting. At one point, Councilman Robbie Waters said he would make a motion to that effect, but somehow it never happened, and the meeting was adjourned with no real response to Hastings’ multi-million dollar questions. During the brief discussion, one telling statement by Councilman Rob Kerth might serve as a caution to Sacramentans any time city officials come to us with figures illustrating a need to pony up more tax dollars. In this case, the comment had to do with the ratio of sworn officers to population. “There’s definitely some statistical slight of hand that gets played with that number, depending on who’s using it,” Kerth commented. No kidding. Statistics aren’t always what they seem? Who’d’a thunk? Following is my take on what I’ve found so far. Keep in mind the information I have only takes us to the May 1998 DOJ audit report. For the faint of heart, you can quit here. Just know that something seems fishy in River City. For the rest of you, read on. On the SPD website, it is reported that there were 585 sworn officers at the end of the 1993/94 fiscal year, and the same number, 585, for FY 1994/95. SPD figures provided to the DOJ, and cited in the audit, indicate only 552 officers in FY 93/94 (a discrepancy of 33 positions), and 585 in FY 94/95. The four grants awarded to the SPD were as follows. GRANT #1 According to the DOJ audit report, as part of COPS Phase I, on October 12, 1994, the SPD was awarded $1,985,665 to hire 23 sworn officers. The report makes the point that “any hiring under the COPS program must be in addition to, and not in lieu of, previous hiring plans.” If, in that year, the numbers did go from 552 to 585, the city gained the 23 officers plus ten, for a grand total of 33 (remember the discrepancy mentioned in the paragraph above?). GRANTS #2 and #3 The Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) grants “are awarded for up to 75 percent of the cost of equipment and technology, support resources (including civilian personnel), or to pay overtime. For each $25,000 in federal funds received, agencies are to redeploy the equivalent of one full-time sworn officer to community policing.” With the COPS MORE 95 grant (7/1/95), Sacramento was awarded $2,441,184 to redeploy 33 (there’s that number again...) sworn officers into community policing activities. MORE 96 awarded funds to redeploy 282 officers, at a funding level of $9,401,500. GRANT #4 And, finally, the fourth grant -- the Universal Hiring Program (UHP) -- awarded Sacramento $17,252,921 to hire 101 new sworn officers, on July 1, 1997. On the surface, it looks as though, after Grant #4 funding was received, Sacramento should have hired 124 brand new community policing cops and improved civilian services and technology enough to be able to redeploy 315 sworn officers into community policing positions. So, if we go with the 552 figure in FY 93/94 and add 124 new COPS hires, you’d think, in FY 97/98, Sacramento would have had 676 sworn officers. And with the beefed-up civilian services and technology that were supposed to free up 315 officers to move to community policing assignments, the number of cops working in those jobs should have reached 439 (124 new, plus 315 redeployed). (We don’t know for sure because, again, the figures for the last two years don’t seem to be available.) Assuming that, over the last couple of years, additional grant funds were received and spent, we might expect the numbers today to be even rosier. Now that you’ve plodded through all these figures, you might be asking, “So what’s the problem? The 1998 audit report brought up a laundry list of problems with the city’s non adherence to some of the grant requirements. The DOJ found that the SPD “could not document or demonstrate the redeployment of 33 sworn officer FTEs (full time equivalents) to community policing,” and “failed to develop a plan to document the redeployment of 282 sworn officer FTEs for the MORE 96 grant.” In addition, in 1997 DOJ says the city asked for a “reduced baseline of 455, rather than 556, locally-funded sworn officer positions as of FY 97/98.” This is important because grant rules do not allow cities to reduce the level of local funding for sworn personnel as a direct result of the receipt of COPS funding. The grants are supposed to add to the force, not be an excuse to divert local funding elsewhere and keep personnel levels static. Chief Venegas wrote to the DOJ in March of 1997 saying that, due to impending budget cuts, the SPD was facing a reduction in force from 556 to 455 sworn personnel. The DOJ essentially responded that they agreed with Venegas’ explanation of budget shortfalls and wouldn’t penalize the SPD for reducing their force by 101 positions, and then paying for 101 “new” positions with COPS funding. In a letter to the chief in April 1997, the DOJ told him, “You are authorized by this letter to continue implementing the COPS grants with a reduced baseline of 455 sworn officers (556 minus the 101 positions eliminated) as of July 1, 1997... As you are aware, all COPS-funded positions must be added as new, additional positions, over and above the reduced baseline of 455 locally-funded sworn officer positions.” Even though the SPD asked for and was granted approval to use the reduced baseline, they still got into trouble over it. Sacramento included the original 23 cops, hired under Phase 1, in the 101 paid for by the later Universal Hiring Program grant -- a big DOJ no-no. The feds for some reason didn’t want to pay twice for the same 23 positions. All of the problems cited in the audit report amounted to a potential $13.5 million in reduced funding from the DOJ to Sacramento--as of May 1998. I don’t know if, or how, the SPD responded to the audit. Today, federal officials brag about how many new sworn officers their grants are putting on the streets of cities across the nation. Yet, here in Sacramento, we constantly hear there’s a crisis even in status quo funding. The SPD, in spite of its problems complying with the DOJ grant terms, seems to have gotten millions of federal dollars and at least some of the positions requested over the last few years. How much money, and how many new positions, are questions needing to be answered. Open questions to the Sacramento City Council and Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr. 1) What is the total dollar amount of all COPS Grants awarded to the City of Sacramento? What is the total dollar amount actually received to date? 2) How many NEW positions, both civilian and sworn, have been funded by COPS Grants? How many new positions have actually been added to date? What is the net gain of actual, new, sworn officers -- not positions, but human beings actively protecting the citizens of this city? 3) In 1997, the city received a DOJ letter approving a reduced baseline for locally funded positions. Were 101 locally funded sworn positions cut? If yes, were they vacant positions, or were they filled positions, resulting in officers losing their jobs? 4) In 1997, when the city was allowed to reduce its baseline of locally funded sworn positions from 556 to 445, did the city receive COPS Grant funding to hire 101 new officers? If so, were those hires made and, if so, were they individuals new to the SPD force? 5) How much money has actually been received for equipment, technology, and support resources (including civilian personnel) from COPS Grants to date? How much has been spent? To date, how many sworn officers have been redeployed to community policing positions as a result? 6) The May 1998 DOJ Audit Report cited a number of non-compliance areas, including $1.7 million in unsupported costs charged by the city to the MORE 95 grant. It recommended DOJ actions to put federal funds to better use: a) deobligating $75,000 from the MORE 95 grant to reflect the hiring of 32 civilians, not 33 as required; b) deobligating almost $4 million from the reduction of 23 sworn officers funded by the Phase I grant; and, c) putting to other uses the $9.4 million awarded to redeploy 282 sworn officer positions to community policing jobs, due to the city’s “failure to develop a plan to document and demonstrate the redeployment.” Did the city respond to the audit? If so, please provide a copy of response documentation. Did the city actually lose any/all of the funds listed above? If not, how much was actually received, how many and in what ways did the money received affect the total number of sworn officers in Sacramento? 7) How much COPS Grant funding is expected to be received for FY 99/2000? And for what purpose(s)? 8) What funding crises are expected in the next three years -- i.e. which grants expire, what is their dollar value, how many sworn and/or civilian positions will that affect? What solutions are being considered by the Sacramento City Council and the Police Chief.

Subject: Parole Report to Council From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Thurs, May 13, 1999 at 09:12:29 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The Discussion Forum returns: The report to City Council is complete and will be delivered Tuesday, May 18th at 7 p.m. Expect City Officials to fight back with passion as we closely examine the factors that have made Sacramento a haven for California's worst.

Subject: Suing God via Boy Scouts From: Capitol News Wire To: All Date Posted: Fri, Apr 16, 1999 at 12:06:22 (PDT) Email Address: CapNsWire@aol.com Message: Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 11:18:35 EDT From: CapNsWire@aol.com To: webmaster@crimewatch.us Ref: Chicago, Illinois, Apr 16, 1999 /Capitol NewsWire - Chicago Bureau - Religion Correspondent. ACLU AGAIN COMES OUT AGAINST GOD, SUES CHICAGO SCHOOLS OVER BOY SCOUTS In a new blast at the Boy Scouts, the American Civil Liberties Union sued Wednesday to halt government sponsorship of Scouting programs on grounds they exclude individuals who don't affirm a belief in God. The class-action suit, naming the Chicago Public Schools and Scott Air Force Base near St. Louis as 'representative' defendants, was filed on behalf of five Chicago-area taxpayers. It does not name the Boy Scouts as defendants. One of the plaintiffs is Douglas Ferguson, 27, of Lake View. He said he freely took the Scout oath that begins, 'On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God,' before he made Eagle Scout at age 17. He continues to be a Christian who believes in God, he said. But he also believes in the constitutional separation of church and state, said Ferguson, a government lawyer. 'Although the Boy Scouts of America as a private organization may choose to exclude certain people on the basis of their religion [or lack of religion], they shouldn't be allowed to do it using taxpayer support.' A previous ACLU suit, against the City of Chicago, was settled a year ago after the city agreed to stop sponsoring Boys Scouts of America programs until the group stops requiring a religious oath and discriminating against gays. The new suit is statewide and national in scope. Although the Scouts aren't named, the group's national office responded, 'Government sponsorship has permitted Scouting to serve disadvantaged youth . . . and numerous other boys. It is regrettable that the ACLU should seek to deny these boys access to [Scouting] simply because they promise to do their duty to God.' Chicago Public Schools attorney Robert Hall said the suit fails to mention any instance of a student or Scout leader who suffered discrimination through a school-sponsored program. No comment from the Air Force was available. In a separate federal lawsuit also filed Wednesday, the Boy Scouts of America sued the United States Postal Service, challenging another, more direct hit at the group. The spat began late last year when a manager in the Postal Service's Milwaukee district office nixed the Scouts' annual effort to mail its catalog to members nationwide at the special rate allowed for nonprofit organizations. Higher-ranking officials in Fox Valley affirmed the decision a month ago, saying some of the items in the catalog were not necessary to meet the group's educational purposes. The Boy Scouts, which has published its catalog since 1913, fired back, saying the decision was wrong and violates the law. The organization is seeking a refund of $218,000.

Subject: Suit Against Garment Workers' Union From: Brad Dacus To: All Date Posted: Wed, Apr 14, 1999 at 23:04:11 (PDT) Email Address: braddacus@pacificjustice.org Message: April 14, 1999 For Immediate Release Contact: Attorney Brad Dacus (916) 857-6900 PJI Joins In Suit Against Garment Workers' Union To Defend Religious Workers San Bernardino, CA- Pacific Justice Institute has joined in defending 26 employees of Sorrento Coats who have suffered persecution because of their deep convictions against belonging to a union. In 1997, 42 of 52 Sorrento employees exercised their legal rights and personal convictions by signing a decertification petition with their local union. The Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE) responded by cutting off Sorrento's main client, filing an unfair labor practice action against Sorrento and threatening the employees, including verbal threats and unannounced visits to the homes of the employees. The lawsuit alleges that the union violated their rights and obstructed justice by threatening the employees with jail and deportation if they did not terminate their suit. UNITE has inundated the plaintiffs with voluminous discovery and has prolonged depositions of the 26 plaintiffs. 'Because of the hard hitting tactics known to be used by this union, this is by far one of the most intense religious freedom cases we have undertaken,' said attorney Brad Dacus, President of Pacific Justice Institute. 'Nonetheless, we could not turn our backs on this handful of workers who had deep convictions against being a part of this union.' Pacific Justice Institute is an organization dedicated to the defense of religious freedom, parents' rights and other basic constitutional civil liberties. P.O. Box 4366, Citrus Heights, CA 95611 Phone (916) 857-6900 Fax (916) 857-6902 www.pacificjustice.org Forum Admin note: Pacific Justice Institute defend Community Watch when the police department tried to shut us down claiming we were operating as a private patrol service or security company in violation of state law. Other cases include: Married couple forced to wait to begin health benefits. A city policeman filed for health benefits after his wife resigned from her position to stay home with their new child. Her health care benefits ended a short time later. When he attempted to add his wife to his health coverage, he was asked if he was married or just living together. The clerk said that cohabitants, i.e, 'domestic partners'could be added to health coverage at any time, while spouses are only eligible to enroll during the annual open enrollment period. He was initially told he could obtain an exemption due to his wife’s changed circumstance. Later his request was rejected. There was also a four month wait from the sign up date until coverage was effective. During that time, his wife experienced medical problems that required expensive treatment. A PJI attorney has taken on the case. Sacramento mall denies group right to protest child pornography A group is protesting because a bookstore is selling a book of pornographic pictures of children. They were originally told they could only protest on the sidewalk by the street. The Mall says the groups can only protest in two designated areas, far away from the bookstore selling the materials. Pacific Justice Institute www.pacificjustice.org

Subject: Yes Virginia, there are pedophiles From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Wed, Apr 14, 1999 at 22:26:47 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: So for all those bleeding heart 'protect the hundreds of child molesters at the vast social services megaplexes' and those SRO's on the K Street Mall, hold on to your food stamps. Holly SSI Batman, first 'they say' it's not 'Public Info' !!. Well, FEDERAL LAW is alive an well in Virgina no matter what Pravda and the Protectionists say here: Want proof? Sample PUBLIC record - State of Virginia Registered Sex-Offenders website. Virginia State Police http://www.vsp.state.va.us/ http://www.vsp.state.va.us/images/sseal.jpg

Subject: Thanks to a Stranger From: Dave Jenest To: All Date Posted: Wed, Apr 14, 1999 at 16:20:59 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: While personalities flare, issues heat up and hate stirs under the surface, sometimes when you've lost all faith in your fellow human beings, something happens to set you straight. As my last remaining phone line rang off the hook yesterday, I didn't make it to the bank to get a few bucks for chow and possible cab fare for last minute speed runs. I go to a local neighborhood market but the ATM is down. The manager who knows me from 5 years of daily visits and that I'd be good for the tab for a couple hours wasn't there. Enter a perfect stranger in line behind me. He offers me a twenty and his business card. I'm speechless, embarrassed but grateful at a trust that seems so absent most of the time. Josef, if you ever visit, thank you! The payback is on it's way.

Subject: Tonight's Virtual ComWatch From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Wed, Apr 14, 1999 at 14:51:15 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: To Arrest or Not to Arrest, that is the question. Tonight's Hot Topic in Virtual Watch on Pow Wow Police in California often request a citizen's arrest in order to aid a victim of a misdemeanor crime. Attempts to change the law have failed, raising concerns that the legislature is reluctant to broaden police powers. Meanwhile 'Good Samaritan' bills neglect this issue and fail to provide protection to citizens that exercise their citizen's arrest power by conveying protections afforded police officer when suspects resist or a third party interferes with a lawful arrest. Some officers may seek a citizen's arrest to reduce potential liablity against the city in instances where the officer has authority to act. Is this a trend that's proper? Who pays the price for public safety?

Subject: Change will Continue! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Mon, Apr 12, 1999 at 19:37:01 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message:

The Chief has spoken! He says tomorrow it's history but perhaps he can't let go of the past nor can his close supporters.  Tuesday night they will come to City Council to support the embattled chief.  Some in the media accuse Arthur and Shaw of being the first to play the race card in filing suit against the city.  Others say it's the price to be paid in order to achieve diversity in a former male white dominated 'Good Old Boys Club'. To both sides:  GET OVER IT!  Bring the discussion here and on the public record back to where it rightfully belongs. ISSUES - Public Safety Issues!  Is the department better off today than five years ago?  Does the average citizen feel safer? Is crime really down or is it disinformation? Is Community Policing really working?  Is it working with equity for all or just a privileged few that have favor within the power structure?

Subject: Re: SPEAK UP NOW! From: Dave Jenest To: SCCW Date Posted: Mon, Apr 12, 1999 at 19:47:59 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: I'f you are afraid of the rumors about IA, posting in this forum or standing next to me at City Council, e-mail the message you'd like delivered to council Tuesday. Keep focused on ISSUES! If there's nothing to say, so be it.

Subject: Sacramento County Criminal Records From: Bill Baker To: All Date Posted: Mon, Apr 12, 1999 at 14:16:27 (PDT) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: A tangential matter related to parolee issues in the city: what's up with the county's criminal records? When I was fighting the crank pit next door, I had a helluva time tracking down the (extensive) criminal records of a couple of figures well-known to our NPO's and veteran Sector 1 cops. One guy in particular had over a dozen known aliases listed in the court docket, yet I could only find records of my beefs against him and nothing related to other arrests under his real name or those myriad aliases. I understand the difference between arrest records and other police records, which aren't public, and criminal convictions, which are. But I know this guy had actually been convicted for some number of his pops. When I asked around with various folks in the know I found that Sacto. Co. has the worst criminal recordkeeping in the state. In fact, it's the worst of any high population county by a startling degree. What's the deal? Why are the county records so munged? It drove me crazy that when I would call in a complaint officers would respond, ID the specific individuals involved and check 'em for warrants and then come check out the beef with me afterwards, and when we'd sort it out, usually with the sleazebag standing out front watching, I'd be the one person in complete ignorance. The officers know this guy's history from running his ID, the guy himself sure knows, but I don't know. A lot of the busts that came from calls I made were due to parole violations. The officers would cuff the guy up, sure, but I'm left there knowing nothing other that there's a dude with a felony record who's gonna be pretty pissed at me when he makes bail. I've got no idea if this guy they just shook down for a gram of crank did a stretch for check fraud or manslaughter. All I know is he may come back looking for me. There are legitimate issues of privacy, even for people with felony records, that pertain. Nor would I expect responding officers to provide, at the time, information that's public record, such as convictions or outstanding warrants. But you can't invite the public to partner with law enforcement to do neighborhood policing and then give them no way to check *public records* to determine the danger they're putting themselves into.

Subject: Re: Sacramento County Criminal Records From: Dave Jenest To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Sun, May 23, 1999 at 11:58:13 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: IT'S HERE ... still bugs to work out, but it's a start! Click on the above image to Search records

Subject: Re: Sacramento County Criminal Records From: Dave Jenest To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Mon, Apr 12, 1999 at 16:21:40 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: I plan to answer your question and WHY THIS CITY DOES NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW and some of the background on what brought me to this city at the AG's invitation. There were many people in state governement that DIDN'T WANT COPS TO KNOW EITHER First, some homework for anyone that really cares to begin uncovering the truth. Go to police headquarters and visit the press room. Look at the daily reports for the last week and see how many parolees at large or caught in new crimes were arrested and where some of them 'floated in' from! Find out that this city's soft underbelly of social service providers harbour criminals with active warrants but are on expensive Eupopean vactions when the press seeks them out for comment. Find out where these elete do-gooders came from, who their friends in high places are as they gain wealth and fame in printed lies within the covers of slick publications like The New Yorker and Time. Then know that community victims are told the name of a meth dealer's probation officer can only be released to the family of the creep or his lawyer. This is a taxpayer's public employee for god's sake!! We pay for that supervision! It's arrogance run amoke that you are addressing here Mr. Baker. You could be told by the Clerk's office that a probation report is a public record during the trial and for a brief period after sentencing (but only by one former cop that works there) Then it's sealed, even for a cop!!! WHY? Protection of the convicted's privacy? Try to find out if the scumbag is receiving SSI while in jail ... who the hell are you to question his right to double dip from the public's troth? Well, the era of granting privacy for the convicted felon is coming to an end in California even if very few people in this soft cowardly city could care less. The first crack in the privacy dam has begun in a post Megan's Law era. More later on L.E.A.D.S., PAL's, MUPS, CLETS and other networks designed to aid cops up against bad boys. Here's a recent Bee item that should offer some hope! County's court system putting records online By Ramon Coronado Sacramento Bee Staff Writer (Published March 23, 1999) Want to know if your daughter's dating someone charged with a crime? Wondering if the doctor who is about to do your surgery has ever been sued? Would you like to know if a paternity suit has ever been filed against your fiance? Answers to these and many more questions will soon be available at the click of a mouse from your home computer, thanks to officials at Sacramento Superior Court. In May, the Sacramento County court system soon will join several other counties to offer online access to courthouse records. No address has been released yet. Court officials say the volume of information provided online is a far cry from what is available in the paper file, but for many it will eliminate unnecessary treks to the county courthouse and its long and burdensome lines. The Internet access to criminal, civil, probate and family law records should also free court staff to spend more time processing cases, court officials said. While instant access to public records has some privacy rights advocates worried about abuse, court officials view the Internet connection as the first step toward what will ultimately be 'paperless' courthouses. 'It is a revolution as profound as the Gutenberg printing press,' said Victor Rowley, manager of technology policy and planning for an advisory committee to the Judicial Council, administrative arm for the state's court systems. That revolution won't be received by everyone with open arms. Last year, in a move intended to lead the state's courts into the future, the Judicial Council's committee recommended every public court document be accessible electronically. The recommendation was greeted with a chorus of opposition, said Sacramento Superior Court Presiding Judge Thomas M. Cecil, the committee chairman. Lawyers and advocacy groups in family law argued that divorce and custody files contain personal and financial information that could damage people's reputations. Civil rights groups and some court officials were opposed to the release of ages and addresses in criminal records. Though the same information is considered public under the state public records act, having the same information available at the click of a button was a concern to many, Cecil said. Critics believed, he said, that the paper system, which is more cumbersome, time-consuming and irritating -- serves as 'a disincentive' for those who most likely would abuse the information. Such people would be discouraged simply by the time it takes to drive to the courthouse, look for parking, wait in line, pull the file and then go through it. Instant access to court records 'has prompted a re-examination of what a public document is, and that re-examination is no doubt going to move into the Legislature,' Cecil said. Though the online information will be limited, the service is expected to have a dramatic effect on how the courts do their business. For those who live out of the area, online data about their next court date will be a tremendous service, court officials say. On any given day, there are hundreds of inquiries made in person and over the telephone about the 288,000 court cases filed annually in Sacramento Superior Court. With the online system, typing in a person's name in a search of criminal records can show aliases and criminal case numbers. Business names can be typed in to identify civil suits. Family law searches will show if someone has a divorce or paternity case on file. The user can see if a case is pending or resolved. The other areas with this service are Los Angeles, Alameda and Marin counties. Jodi Beebe of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse a San Diego-based advocacy group, worries the online service will provide information about people without their knowledge. 'It can be another source of what is being called 'data mining,' which is collecting personal information without your consent or knowledge,' Beebe said. State Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Marina Del Rey, sponsor of legislation curbing use of supermarket buyers' club cards, said those who provide online court records are walking a thin line between two competing public policies. On one hand, there is public interest in having broad access to court records to assure accountability of the judicial system. People have a right to know if someone they are about to hire has a criminal past or if someone they are about to go into business with has a history of financial problems, she said. 'However, not everyone charged with a crime or sued has necessarily done anything wrong,' Bowen said. 'It seems to me the best thing is to have broad access to such information with some kind of correcting mechanism like credit reporting.' If an error appears in a credit report, consumers have the right to challenge errors and have their corrections posted along with their credit reports. 'How that would work with court records, I don't know,' Bowen said. Court officials said state privacy laws and technological limitations prevent them from listing any more information. Mike Roddy, Sacramento Superior Court executive officer, said when questions arise, anyone with doubts ought to come to the courthouse to pull the complete file. End Bee item. Bill, you've heard me beef about "REPORT NUMBERS" being branded confideential by Sac police dispatchers, Crime Reports unavailable except to victim's or their lawyers at $10 for a face sheet and edited copy. Ask about Dumbell Wright's rap sheet and cops quake in fear that you might name them as the source! Hell, just ask the police chief or a deputy chief how many cops are on the job and you may to get yelled at. You know buddy, you were branded a criminal by the city attorney who threatened to send you to "PRISION". Were Winston Churchill to say on the streets of Sacramento, "The only thing to fear is FEAR itself" hed's be branded a radical MAWB and enemy of the state. AND IF HE COMPLAined to the council, the Brown Act would be shoved up his "you know what".

Subject: Of the People, By the People From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 02:26:33 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: Contempt and Denial - SOP for Sacramento U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb, presided over the bitterly contested suit against the city and Chief Venegas. A jury of four white males, three white females and two African American males found Monday in favor of the two former officers. Mayor Serna called an emergency executive session, closed to public debate, Shubb excused the jurors until after lunch; when everybody assembled again, the deal had been struck. After the judge informed the jurors, there was an extraordinary moment before he released them. First, he had his clerk distribute a packet of Sacramento Bee articles about the trial to each juror.  Then he told them they would find in Tuesday's story former City Manager Bill Edgar's quote that he thinks their verdict is "wrong."  "Nobody can tell you that your verdict is wrong," an obviously agitated Shubb declared. "You are the jury in this case. You have spoken. You are the conscience of the community. "Some bureaucrats and politicians think they are the government. They are not. This is a government of the people." The jurors refused to offer any insight into their deliberations. "We feel very comfortable with the verdict," forewoman Peg Taylor said. "It really speaks for itself."   City Manager Bob Thomas, with Venegas at his side, declined to comment in detail "because of the ongoing post-trial matters." Then he went on camera to plea: "It's important that we get this issue behind the City of Sacramento, both from an emotional standpoint as well as a good business standpoint. Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to make any additional comments or answer any of your questions." Accountability, shared ownership, partners? The double speak gets thicker as more truths are revealed and the heat turns up. Just the day before, Venegas growled at reporter Mark Hedlund, "It's not over!" The next day Shaw agreed calling for perjury inquiries. It's about time!   After Chief Arturo Venegas Jr. took command of the force, Arthur and Shaw said, they were subjected to an intolerable work environment because of their race and age. Shaw and Arthur, both 57, served the department for 28 and 30 years, respectively.  Shaw spends his time on projects for his church and working with youth organizations. Arthur is a law enforcement consultant.

Subject: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Wed, Apr 07, 1999 at 13:07:33 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: This is a letter sent to council and media in reply to an item about about one of our former members. It speaks to the central issue we face at the hands of the chief. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Thomas and Members of the City Council I've attached an item from today's Sacramento Bee for your perusal. One more soldier in the fight to reclaim midtown from criminals has given up. This is a man who served his country but is not trusted to maintain his concealed weapons permit in this city despite no incidents that would justify it revocation. Don worked many hours out on the street with Community Watch and patrol officers. He adopted the park across the street from his home, keeping vigil for the senior's safety he served so well. Don is not the first, not the last to give up against a lack of respect from Chief Venegas and those under his immediate command. This council recognized Mike and Carol McAmis, whose 10 unit apartment yielded 34 arrests in two years until officers were ordered to cease their community policing partnership with us in particular. It's that 'management style' and lack of leadership' that brings me to you today. Police Chief Arturo Venegas called our activities criminal, his Deputy Chiefs have assailed us at every opportunity, in public meetings, and police captains following their lead have made a mockery of a Community Policing Partnership any other city would be proud of. Mayor Serna, you once called us a 'Model' ... then recanted after 'The police' said otherwise. Our unblemished record in court, some 137 cases, not to mention the first major graffiti cases funded by our poor members, means nothing to chief Venegas who may also view us as Middle Aged White Boys. From grant interference to slander, we've been targeted. It's time for the Chief to go, not hard working, law biding citizens like Mike, Carol, Clara and now Don. Mr. Thomas ... DO YOUR DUTY for us who remain. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Thomas members of council, read Don's story ... your people rest! Click this link to read item if you question the source as reprinted below

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Thought for the day To: SCCW Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 12:46:55 (PDT) Email Address: - Message: 'False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils, except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm those only who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.' Ceasare Beccaria, An Essay on Crimes and Punishments 87-8 (1764) (Note that Thomas Jefferson was so impressed with this statement he copied it longhand into his personal collection of favorite quotations.' Like your friend Don, Jefferson would be considered a Middle Aged White Boy by the power structure of Sacramento.

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Bumper To: SCCW Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 02:59:50 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: A post-Arthur/Shaw memo from the Chief's office to all SPD managers states 'THE FLOGGINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES!'

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: SCCW To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Apr 07, 1999 at 18:27:08 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: Sick of the city, he's outta here By Anita Creamer Published April 5, 1999 After spending all his 64 years in California, 31 of them in Sacramento, D.H. Fibush Jr. couldn't leave without saying goodbye. And so in the weeks preceding his March 27 departure for his new life in a small town in Churchill County, Nev., he wrote farewell letters to any number of people at the newspaper, as well as to Gov. Gray Davis and Mayor Joe Serna Sr. and other elected officials. 'I never heard a word back from any of them,' said Fibush. 'And I was careful not to use language that would offend. I thought 'toilet town' wouldn't be nice, so I said 'cesspool.'' A wise choice. Still, it was clear from what he wrote that he was beyond fed up with us. Consider one letter: 'Sacramento and the state of California have a bad reputation due to the caliber of people who have been moving here, and I need to move out. I'd like to spend the rest of my life being able to take a walk at night, ride my bike when I want to, maybe even go to a movie. But that's not the way it is in Sacramento.' Said Fibush: 'I told Gov. Davis that I'm a Navy veteran, but I'm ashamed to say I'm a Californian, and if I had to go to war to defend this state, I wouldn't do it.' Is that true? 'No,' he said. He smiled a little sheepishly. 'There's nice people I'd want to help.' Our visit occurred on a sunny morning only two days before his departure. His small midtown apartment overlooking a park was in mid-packing mode, with boxes in the bedroom stacked and ready to go. Despite his strong words for Sacramento and California -- despite, frankly, the annoyance and bitterness that come through in what he says -- Fibush was in person friendly and cheerful, a former security guard and car salesman with an easy smile. A longtime member of Capital Christian Center, he helped lead a divorce recovery class there for almost a dozen years. Since going on disability in 1982, he'd spent many years volunteering at a local seniors center. He was also a gun owner given to wearing pro-gun caps, a man who'd been active in a neighborhood watch program. He'd threatened to leave Sacramento so often you could almost call it one of his hobbies. In letters to the editor in the early 1990s, he was already saying how fed up he was. But the revocation of his Isleton concealed-weapons permit was the last straw. Earlier this year, he made arrangements to rent an apartment in a town in the arid flatlands some 60 miles from Reno. And he started sending out letters about his imminent departure. 'When I first came to Sacramento, it was wonderful,' he said. 'I loved it.' What changed? He mentioned a brief list: Transients. Gangs. Drugs. Immigrants. Urban decay. The same things that led him to leave the East Bay in the late '60s; the usual suspects, really, behind what boils down to white flight from the city. 'The good book says that racism isn't right,' Fibush said. 'Everybody's created equal. I try to remember that. But it's hard.' Beyond that, of course, lots of retired folks can't wait to pack up and go live in the country. You hear them complain about life here all the time: They miss the slow, quiet, farm-town Sacramento they knew as younger people. They're dissatisfied, overwhelmed by traffic and the complications of life, convinced they'll be happier elsewhere. They seem to lose sight of a simple fact, however. They can find a location that's new and different, but they'll be the same. There's no escaping that, even on the edge of the desert. D.H. Fibush Jr.'s plan was to pick up the rental truck early on the morning of March 27, load the boxes and the furniture and be on the road before noon. 'When I get to the top of Donner Summit, I'm going to stop and thumb my nose,' Fibush said. Really? 'No,' he said, smiling again. 'I'm not even going to stop.' Wish him luck. ANITA CREAMER's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Scene. Write her at P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852, or call (916) 321-1136. Problems? Suggestions? Let us hear from you. Copyright © The Sacramento Bee

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Kevin Nowicki To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Apr 07, 1999 at 16:26:38 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: This is a copy of an email I sent Heather Fargo: Dear Heather Fargo, I know it's been a long time since we've had an opportunity to talk. It's been a long time away from South Natomas. I was retired from Sac. PD in November, 1997. When I was working out there before I was the NPO, while I was the NPO and even after leaving the NPO spot, I felt we had a fairly good working relationship. Even now I remember talking with you on some side street off Azevedo Dr. while I was monitoring the stop sign there. Let me get to the point. Although I know we have 'political' differences, I believe we shared alot of the same concerns for South Natomas and what we believed a neighborhood should be like. I've respected you for sharing that common ground. As you know, I'm not a resident of the City. I still harbor interests for South Natomas and the great people living there. And, I still have pride in once being a member of the Sacramento Police Dept. You're well aware of current events surrounding SPD and its recent loss in court. You may or may not also be aware of several more pending actions regarding much the same sort of thing. The issues surrounding the Mike Shaw and Fred Arthur case is only the tip of the iceberg. There has been much more flagrant harassment sanctioned at lower levels of the department. Those other 'victims' may be encouraged to seek redress in light of recent events. It's not hard to see. Look at how many terminations have been overturned, the pyramid scandal and the ensuing coverups. I also understand there may be serious allegations arising from grant funding. I highly respect the majority of the men and women who work for SPD. Morale is said to be at its lowest; front line cops are afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation from management. I am asking that you seriously consider removing Chief Venegas before he does further damage to an otherwise honorable police department. Sincerely, Kevin Nowicki

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: SCCW To: Kevin Nowicki Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 14:12:08 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: Thanks for breaking through the anonymity barrier. If it causes you any grief let us know. I think you've seen the PSOL legal counsel's e-mail address here before. The First Amendment is alive and well.

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: truthful To: Kevin Nowicki Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 14:09:26 (PDT) Email Address: none Message: Unfortunately Kevin is right. They won't fire Venegas as harrassment is not only tolerated it is encouraged. Top managers disregard federal and state law routinely. How else do yo explain that someone is formally reprimanded for insubordination for telling a supervisor that the General Orders violate federal law. it happened recently. Although federal law requires miltary people be allowed time off for weekend drill the General Order supersede this law according to Sac. PD. If you question this then, you get a letter for insubordination. although Venegas testify he welcomes subordinates to question management. The SPOA is right to investigate management for perjury. The General Orders also, say that it is the department decision on whether to grant extended time off for illness. Once again this conflicts with federal law which states up to four months must be granted. It's about time these people are held accountable.

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Kevin Nowicki To: truthful Date Posted: Fri, Apr 09, 1999 at 00:13:04 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Here it is the night of April 8th and IA still hasn't called. They must be slipping. I have to hand it to the Locker Room's readers, I half expected a bunch of emails telling me how stupid I am to put my name to my last message. It's early, but I'll still look under my car for unknown mechanical devices. I read the Bee's article regarding the chief and the outpouring of support of various minority groups. I think someone here mentioned the whole list. I can see it now, the Bee burying the whole issue. I wonder if it would have been so quickly buried had Shaw/Arthur been black or asian or some other 'recognized' minority? I'll admit the Chief has been beneficial in opening up federal wallets for the department. I'm still not convinced he's the Chief we want to lead SPD into 2000. Is the oppression worth it?

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Rejected MAWB To: Kevin Nowicki Date Posted: Fri, Apr 09, 1999 at 02:05:25 (PDT) Email Address: - Message: I'm waiting for someone to drag Jeff Katz' corpse up the steps of City Hall and try to say he's behind this forum. That's about all they haven't pulled out of there hat. They rush to a settlement in the federal verdict, then scream foul. Go figure. Nowicki, watch out for black copters (opps ... uhhhh blackhawks, ummm, ye gads, is there anyone we won't offend with an 'objects' name? I'd go to Taco Bell, but I'm afraid Najera might spot me there and super size me!

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Rejected MAWB II To: Rejected MAWB Date Posted: Sat, Apr 10, 1999 at 12:40:42 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The only bodies that should be dragged up the steps of Sleezy Hall are Federal Marshalls to put Venegas and company in handcuffs, cart them off to jail, and hold them until they go to trial for perjury.

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Forum Admin To: truthful Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 14:15:07 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Forum Admin note - your messages didn't post. You can e-mail it to webmaster@crimewatch.us if you are experiencing problems. If you had second thoughts and removed it, I'll just delete the blank post. UPDATE: The message worked fine ... thanks for the post. The issue of General Orders is one that flies in the face of every citizen in this city. Since DC Powers wants to stamp everything with "INTERNAL DOCUMENT" there's no doubt some managers believe they are the SECRET POLICE. The public should have a right to it's own copy of the GENERAL ORDERS to see what policies have emerged from management. Some would scare the pants off "normal" taxpayers. Once and a while, I.A. has been good enough to read a General Order so I could understand the logic of some comcenter civilian telling cops "we don't do that" or "report/call numbers are CONFIDENTIAL. You folks keep kicking ass and taking notes out there!!! We appreciate all of you, even if you don't agree with us at times. Our common ememy is ARROGANCE and worse, ABUSE of civil rights under color of authority, by management against its own coppers. Last time I checked, that was a federal crime. Thanks

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: Bumper To: Forum Admin Date Posted: Thurs, Apr 08, 1999 at 17:55:54 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I agree that Venegas will probably escape Kearns' fate ('early retirement'). The reason: He's a minority trying to 'right' all the injustices of the past. He is a martyr to special interest groups (Urban League, Manuela Serna, poverty pimps, welfare warlords) because he put his head on the block by ridding the department of 'oppressive' middle-aged white guys (okay, a drunk and a bible-thumper). Reverse discrimination is okay to those folks.....go figure. I hope that the rush of euphoria that 'right has prevailed' doesn't cloud good judgement. In other words, don't expect a rush for truth because of a court case or legal decision. That Judge Shubb ranted from the 'bully pulpit' about how great the jury system isn't a validation of that system. He's politically conservative and is, undoubtedly, joyous at the verdict. He secretly cries in chambers when liberals win..... Venegas will stay and the City will fight this case. They may even win in appeal. The 'code of silence' will still be intact. Racism, whether reverse or the more common variety, will continue to plague public service organizations. Inefficacy, incompetence and self-serving behaviors will continue to be the behavioral norm in the corner office. How to fix it? I'd suggest listening to Cream (Sunshine of Your Love, Crossroads, White Room or Tales of Brave Ulysees) while enjoying a six-pack (soda, beer..it doesn't matter, it's great rock n roll!). Maybe require all police officers to take college classes in logic, ethics and philosophy. At the very least, all rookies ought to be required to have 20 hours of ethical decision making in the academy. That type of training would do wonders for improving cop's work product and the way in which they relate to the more significant dilemmas that face modern centurions. It would also put an ethical values stamp on every potential manager and, hopefully, give them a similar moral compass as the people whose work they supervise.

Subject: Re: Letter to Council & Bee - Fire Him! From: taxpayer To: Bumper Date Posted: Fri, Apr 09, 1999 at 15:02:31 (PDT) Email Address: none Message: Your right self serving and inefficiency is the hallmark of this management team. Another fine example of management is their periodic update of the top 100 in overtime. Rather than, thanking these people for working hard by working backfill, working late writng reports or heaven forbid testifying in court against bad guys management compiles a list so that there can be harrassed and scrutinized. Is management worried that some people make as much as they do having fun and fighting crime rather than, sitting around harrassing cops. How about we start a list of the 100 top abuses of city money by management. Here's a few to start. 1. Venegas getting paid to take 20 or so trips a year. 2. Managers getting new cars evey few years but, patrol cars only getting replaced when they hit 100,000 miles. 3. Cell phones used for personal calls. 4. No detectives working nights. 5. More cops on non-street patrol than on the street.

Subject: money,money,money From: maxx To: All Date Posted: Wed, Apr 07, 1999 at 10:56:44 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: So, the city is to pay $500,000 in attorney fees for Shaw and Arthur. It is unknown how much the City's own private 'outside' attorney will be paid........hmmmm. I just have a few questions: How many City of Sac attorney's (besides worthless Jackson) do we have, what is their salary, and what is their job description? Dave, (or anyone else) can you shed one light on this subject?

Subject: Re: money,money,money From: Bill Baker To: maxx Date Posted: Fri, Apr 09, 1999 at 03:04:40 (PDT) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: >How many City of Sac attorney's (besides worthless Jackson) do we have... Nineteen are budgeted. >...what is their salary... Between $35,892 and $113,652 per year. Jackson earns $126,288, plus benefits. The Bee had an article a few months ago detailing, in passing, how our civil service pay rates compare to other municipalities. The top salary of a city janitor in Sacto is about two-thirds the top rate in San Francisco, but we actually pay our top-rank attorneys *more* than S.F. does ($109,776/year). I wonder how ol' Joe justifies that to his SEIU supporters? See the following for more details: http://www.sacto.org/budget/Charter_Offices_98-99_Budget.htm http://www.sacto.org/personnel/salsched.htm

Subject: Re: money,money,money From: maxx To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Fri, Apr 09, 1999 at 13:56:04 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Thanks for the salary info., but now I would really like to know how they justify hiring outside council?

Subject: Re: money,money,money From: Bill Baker To: maxx Date Posted: Sat, Apr 10, 1999 at 13:15:43 (PDT) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: > Thanks for the salary info., but now I would really like to > know how they justify hiring outside council? Generally, due to potential claims of conflict of interest. City attorneys provide internal legal advice on all sorts of city policies and actions, plus they usually advise management on how to handle particular grievance cases. By the time a city employee actually files suit against a city, a city attorney was probably already involved in the matter and could be called as a witness, which would essentially prevent him or her from acting as defense council against the suit. So it's not unusual for governmental organizations to retain outside council to defend against such suits, especially for high-profile cases. However, the Sac. City Attorney's Office seems to contract out an inordinate degree of their caseload. Other California city attorneys make a point of handling the bulk of tort defense in-house as a cost-saving gesture to taxpayers, and it's not really difficult to do so if you have competent legal practice management in charge. There is a more sinister reason organizations, government or business, contract out their legal defense, and that is to hide foreknowledge of wrongdoing during court proceedings, such as perjury.

Subject: Re: money,money,money From: MAWB To: maxx Date Posted: Fri, Apr 09, 1999 at 14:18:34 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Eubonics and lawbonics. Savy?

Subject: Re: money,money,money From: Lares To: maxx Date Posted: Wed, Apr 07, 1999 at 13:09:23 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The City routinely contracts defense cases with Porter, Scott, Delahant et al. The legal defense business is big money with the City (they routinely piss off plaintiffs and attorneys so that no possible pre-trial resolution is reached!). The City spent nearly $750,000 (estimated) defending the Lister case to reach a hung jury. They then spent nearly $100k in the appeal process. The estimates on other officer litigation (where City is defendant) easily runs into the $250k range.....Stafford's was probably close to $500k (and still growing since the City won't settle!). They cut their nose off to spite their face in officer/department litigation. The decision makers, (Contreras, Venegas, Jackson) are a pretty incompetent (not to mention COSTLY) folks who don't know how to strike a deal! The lawyers love them and they are invited to every New Years Party, Bar-b-que and picnic hosted by every defense firm in Sacramento!

Subject: Hello From: Concerned To: All Date Posted: Sun, Apr 04, 1999 at 11:19:12 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Where did everyone go? Let's get some discussion going.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Not Concerned To: Concerned Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 00:21:00 (PDT) Email Address: - Message: FEAR... that's your answer 'Concerned' ... Men and Women of your department can suit up and risk it all to protect and serve ... yet quake in fear from your own bosses!   Take a look at what you fear   take a hard look! There is one thing they fear...TRUTH Maybe some backbone will emerge before another 20 or so of your peers are targeted for 'early retirement'. I'll be the first to admit that by the Bee's account of the trial, Arthur and Shaw didn't seem convincing. It wasn't until the jury asked for re-reads of Venegas testimony that suggested they knew what we all know about the top police administrators in this city ... they're not to be trusted, they convey no confidence in most citizens and insult us at every opportunity. Now a jury of their peers have found them as guilty as we have. Now maybe the city government will question the conduct of this oppressive mix. Maybe perjury will enter someone's mind as they question some of the testimony in this case. Bottom line, maybe this will break the blue wall of silence so "We the People" will hear some facts for a change. Post Script - 3:30 a.m. Another prowler over my rear gate stirs me from sleep. We engage, he fights but I doubt he'll prowl here again. Instant replay of two weeks ago, absent the lecture from officers who can't get here soon enough due to calls pending - so no call this time. 05:50 a.m. awakened to a call pending, 927 circumstances at 1812 H in the laundry room (scene of the brutal rape/robbery on March 15th) no units, call pending. Call dispatch to advise I'll be in alley till officers arrive ... this is a gated apartment building. A lone officer eventually pulls a transient out but can't find him in the system, so I guess he walks. But at least the now defunct Community Watch had the IB on the rape suspect that the officer didn't have and in some small way we helped one more cop who wants to do his job as best he can. While I make my morning coffee, a 459 silent (burglary) is a call pending ... I wonder, are there units available? And you wonder why I think it's time for the chief to look elsewhere for a job? As he sleep soundly in his gated community, off the hook for how he and his supporters on city council have decimated this police department, it's little wonder he seeks counsel from a third world police chief in the Bahamas. At the rate this city is paying out judgments for his management style and those he promotes who have engaged in criminal conduct on the job only to face civil consequences or eight month paid vacations, it's small wonder there's no gain in street cops here. We pay a higher price! When is enough, enough? At the end of the day, who pays? The citizen's of this city, not the guilty, but the innocents. But then again, they get what they deserve because they are more concerned about doggie parks than parolees who control the streets at night in parts of my hood, assault, shoot and kill police officers. Their constant quest for materialism and "can't we all just get along" mentality when faced with adversity, only becomes fleeting anger when they become victims. Then who do they blame? Not the chief, DCs or egocentric career climbers ... oh no, they take it out on the street cop and NPO. Remember Franklin Villa or a dozen other community activists who accused cops of being cowards. Will they show up now to defend the chief in his hour of fading power? You bet they will! I can hear the speed dialer at work as they read the morning news. My final words for the few that continue to venture into this forum for the occasional vicarious thrill, yet have nothing to say on substantive issues or fret that I.A. is on their tail, you've lost the only free speech forum in this city.

Subject: Re: Hello From: SAM To: Not Concerned Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 11:01:02 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I agree that there is much silence due to fear, but unless you know how it feels to be targeted by Venegas' regime, it is unfair to sit in judgement. Venegas has taken the careers of many good officers and ruined any chance of a successful career within the department. Worse than that, though, is these officers are portrayed to the public, and ultimately the media, as law violators. Now, I will be the first person to admit that there are some that have violated the law and thus deserved any punishment given. I do however know that there are more than one Officers/Sergeants/Lieutenants that did not. These people have had to look over there shoulder for the past six years while Venegas has hunted them like animals. It concerns me that you seem to get the fact that Venegas and his management style is wrong, yet you can't see that he could also be wrong about a few of those people who are on 'eight month paid vacations'. Is it possible that they have done nothing other than be on Venegas' hit list? I understand your frustration of paying these people for eight months, but you need to direct your frustration to such avenues as City Council. The department is the investigative body so it should not surprise you that Venegas uses administrative leave, not only to humiliate these officers and their families, but to provide information to the public so that it appears as though these officers were in the wrong. He loves to be judge, jury, and sentencer but what is interesting is that the majority of his sentences do not hold. Is this nothing more than 'grand-standing' to further his career? I agree with Bumper when he/she refers to the recent decision in favor of Arthur and Shaw. He stated something to the effect that this 'isn't a great day just because one set of losers won over another'. I have no doubt that these men have skeletons in their closet. I am just as sure that the people who may have been discriminated or harassed by them, lived in the same type of fear that those being targeted now by Venegas have. We should not be so quick to judge those that have been on admin. leave. After all just because they are on admin. leave, or have been, doesn't mean that they did anything to deserve so. Unfortunately, until they too have there day in court, you may not agree with me. When they are successful in court, we need not fault them for large judgements that the City of Sac. does not have. We need to fault those that are responsible. If City Council would do there job and look into the injustices in management of the P.D. they could thwart several lawsuits that are just waiting to happen. Those of us that have followed and contributed to this site will be able to say 'I told you so'.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Dave Jenest To: SAM Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 14:59:54 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: Sam ... thank you for joining the discussion and responding to my rant ... I could be wrong, but I guess you don't know me, my organization or our philosophy. Let me respond to a couple things if I may. ' but unless you know how it feels to be targeted by Venegas' regime,' Ask around ... I have been targeted! Even though the chief, on first meeting me at CPOA in '95 invited me to assist your department 'connect up' with the half dozen technology partners that shared my resource center booth at that conference, his memory lapsed when he called my activities illegal a year later. Ask Paul Marshall if you doubt me ... ask Jim Hyde about the emerging technology committee where I was invited twice! Ask Rick Brazil before I was branded a 'vendor' with a secret agenda instead of what I've always been, a lowly volunteer like dozens who take reports and support a failing investigations division (due to severe staffing shortages) ' Worse than that, though, is these officers are portrayed to the public, and ultimately the media, as law violators.' Ask around! Look at sight-seeing at disaster scene 402a p.c. and explain how four white juvenile taggers that I did a citizen's arrest on (thanks to Dave Nakata two weeks later on the same roof finishing what they started on 1-6-97) were turned into 3 to 4 black burglars. The list goes on and on, and I have the one thing they hate ... the truth on my side! 'yet you can't see that he could also be wrong about a few of those people who are on 'eight month paid vacations'. ' I made my public speech and wrote letters about the officers suspended by the chief when other agencies didn't ... I felt Joe Valenzuela let my neighborhood down, stood us up on a prostitution gameplan that led to a murder the same night! I didn't have to like him, or respect him to feel he was served up for political purposes! But that's my opinion, not my organizations. I know a number of your peers who have walked in those shoes, and come back while others didn't. 'Those of us that have followed and contributed to this site will be able to say 'I told you so'. There's too many of these folks already ... what we need here is some people who can honestly say, 'we made it so' ... in federal or state court, the Congress or anyone outside the sphere of political influence that grips this city. I'm just one loud mouth busy body (as one of your peers said) but I've offered to take on anyone, any time, any place on a discussion of facts ... guess what? You got it! At the end of the day, some of us put what little money we had where our mouths are. The city has more to spend on the spin than we do ... after all, it's not their's ... it's your's and mine too.

Subject: Re: Hello From: SAM To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 17:02:09 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Dave...you are right that I do not know you personally, but I have been following this site for quite some time. I, too, would like to respond to you... First of all, I agree with just about every issue you have raised in this forum. I do not, however, agree with blanket statements concerning individuals on admin. leave. If you are the author of the entry posted by 'not confused' (which it appears as though you are by your response), then I am actually surprised at a few of your comments and I feel it necessary to respond. It does not surprise me that your name would be on the 'hit list'. What I was referring to was those within the organization that depend on their employment for their survival. Those that can't afford to speak out at council meetings (at least not yet). I thank you and your site because we are getting closer to this being acceptable. None the less, the fear is different for those within. I feel that if you have an issue with any one person that has been on admin. leave (ie. Valenzuela) then you should address it as such. When you make blanket statements you lump all together. I guarantee that under Venegas' reign there are more individuals who have been placed on admin. leave for incidents where such is not appropriate, than those that truly deserved termination. It was amazing to me that within several days of Robbie Waters questioning the length of time that Pat Dowden was on admin. leave, he was back to work. Was it a coincidence that the investigation just happened to be completed? Prior to Venegas, admin. leave was a pre-cursor to termination. What are the guidelines of admin. leave? As it stands, I can only recall a small percentage of those that have been placed on admin. leave (by Venegas) that have been terminated. Venegas makes decisions based on biases and those that he feels will further his career, not on facts. If his decisions were based on facts, all that have been placed on admin. leave would have been terminated. Lastly, in regards to 'we made it so', that was exactly my point. Unfortunately, those that are buckling down for the long haul to the courtroom, cannot tip their hands in this or any other forum. All in good time...or better yet...what goes around is begining to come around.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Dave Jenest To: SAM Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 18:26:54 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: 'When you make blanket statements you lump all together. I guarantee that under Venegas' reign there are more individuals who have been placed on admin. leave for incidents where such is not appropriate, than those that truly deserved termination.' No Contest ... you are right and I know I have likely been guilty of generalizations here before now. And not only do I agree with you about that, but I know first hand the havoc supporting an activist can bring to a guy/gal on the job. Some of you have paid that price and that's to be dealt with in the appropriate legal forum, not here. Some of you may recall our quest for IA summary reports, specifically, those brought from within the department by management. It took a year to get that report in our hands, after several rounds with Mike Busch and Mike McCarthy at community meetings. When I compared what we were given by SPD against what was brought out at council in the Blue Ribbon Report from staff, guess what? The data was different ... not suprising ... then again, it's not the first time. Several years ago during the floods, I made a statement on the Tom Sullivan show .. that there was another river running over it's banks in Sacramento ... denial You saw and heard the chief say it to Mark Hedlund yesterday .... 'It's not over yet.' He's right! After thought Sam - Remember the statement the chief made about the pyramid scheme . no one above the rank of sergeant involved ... or the allegations against Shiraishi by female officers, and alledged stonewalling by superiors who looked the other way on their complaints. Those are more in the vein of "criminal conduct" that I am thinking of ... those cases will be maturing soon.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Bumper To: Not Concerned Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 07:34:50 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I wish I could feel indignant about whatever happened to Fred and Mike but I honestly can't. I worked for both of those guys. It's sort of like the kettle calling the pot black for them to accuse another administrator of selective discrimination or prejudice. Fred spent his career being a self serving, manipulative and mean-spirited asshole who would do anything to feather his own nest (an example is the 'deal' he cooked up to get $60,000...in addition to his $95,000 salary...taxpayers dollars so that he wouldn't have to come to work for the last 4 months of his career AND THEN SIGN A HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT!). He was rude when sober and even more rude when intoxicated. He followed the party line passed down from Kearns and Finney. He never understood the concept of being a 'facilitator' for his troops or someone who would 'go to bat' for a cop out on a limb. He was, in short, exactly like Arturo Venegas. Many cops hated working for the guy because he was an unfair lout. Mike Shaw was as much a milk-toast as Fred was a jerk. Mike got religion after being on a hunting trip and having a bolt of lightning kill his partner and damn near kill him. Guess he saw Jesus....anyway, Mike never had the backbone to stand up to Finney when one of his guys was on the boiler. Mike even told a guy, 'you know I wish I had your guts...'. An amazing declaration coming from a police commander! Amazing because they are expected to have more guts than the people they manage. Mike let good men get turned on Finney's spit because he didn't have the balls to stand up to the Carroll Johnsons, Mike O'Kanes, Lee Dohms and Tom Starks of SPD. He was exactly like the Matt Powers and Al Najeras of the Venegas group. The major difference is that he kept a bible tucked under his arm when he walked into the corner office to sign one of Finney's personnel actions against a cop. There will be no disintegration of the 'code' because of this case for several reasons. Firstly, the environment that allowed Kearns to flourish also allowed Venegas to reign. Kearns was toppled because of the 'I's been tacized' scandal.....racially charged.....and now Venegas' foundation is eroding because of 'reverse discrimination'.....racially charged. In other words, the events that led to the problems in both administrations (race based events) haven't been addressed by either internal or external review. The dozens of female and male cops (of all colors) who suffered under BOTH ADMINISTRATIONS never came forward at the time because of fear, sloth or self interests. Having less than honest managers like Mike George come forward to help an old friend (Fred) doesn't mean the wall has a crack in it. Pat Dowden and Greg Twilling have their own interest in seeing Venegas tumble. Where were they years ago when decent men and women were getting screwed by their benefactors (among them Fred Arthur...I'm surprised that the Bee and defense didn't go into their long lasting and close relationships). Pat's reputation for training (and having them consistently fail ) women endeared him to Captain Carbine (Carroll Johnson). Sexism is every bit as insidious as racism. This isn't a great day for anybody just because one set of losers won over another. The wall will remain standing.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Dave Jenest To: Bumper Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 08:44:01 (PDT) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: Of the few that still post here, I have to thank you... even when the media asks what I think of your comments about the pre-Venegas era (I wasn't here then) I have to yield to those who served under them and just comment on what I see happening today. There are some buffers out here, sheriff and CHP officers will weigh in once and a while. One noted that if the players in this suit were of different ethnic makeup, there would be calls for resignation instead of hiding in closed session of the city council. God help us, if the people who will ultimately pay the bill, would have a voice! Besides, I hate the race card being played in any hand dealt to the public, but it's a fact of life and we better get used to it and take a stand somewhere. I was a little dissappointed by one officer's comment last night ... 'It will depend on how much money Shaw is awared' [before reaction sets in] he said. That's kinda like asking Mrs. O'Leary how she liked the hamburger, don't you think? In any event, if if we agree not to agree, I've appreciated your support of the forum while it lasted.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Sac Cop Retired To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 11:13:24 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I was half expecting to see an outpouring of messages regarding the Chief's loss in court yesterday. I was hoping the remaining courageous men/women still on the force would see the Chief's loss as their opportunity to speak up without fear of retaliation. Maybe it's too soon. Bumper makes a good point in that alot of what makes Venegas' regime viable is the same that made Kearns' regime viable. Ok, so they both used the same tools to dictate. Does that make it right? I think we could agree that it doesn't. Gone are the days of people just taking orders/commands/and blindly following 'policy'. Now is the time for all of us to speak up. The Bee may downplay this as much as it likes but it won't be able to run from the truth. The truth of what this regime, as others, have done to stay in power. Of what they have done to cheat the citizens out of grant monies, additional street cops, and of keeping good cops from doing what they do best.

Subject: Re: Hello From: maxx To: Sac Cop Retired Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 17:11:04 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Do you really think the Chief's loss will stop him from setting his sites on people who expose their true identity in this forum? What's really funny, is by judging from your moniker you're retired, and 'you' can't even identify yourself.....what's up with that? What do you have to fear? I mean no disrespect but hell! You're a retired cop, I still am a cop. You can't use your name but you expect us to use ours and face being placed on the black dot list??? Get real!

Subject: Re: Hello From: Sac Cop Retired To: maxx Date Posted: Wed, Apr 07, 1999 at 16:20:51 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Maxx, you have a valid point. But think about Bumper and Concerned's responses as well. Oh yes, the ccw has already come up and there's more to come in that arena as well later. I have been the target under the current regime so I know. I've even been accused of undermining a certain captain's authority. From there it filtered down to a rookie sergeant trying to protect his pet project. What surprised me, at least when I was there, was the reach or extra effort exerted to discredit me. Yes, I'm retired. Yes, I've still been harassed and made to jump through hoops. Yes they can review the retirement matter all they want. I would be among the first to put my name down here if I truly felt that my statements/opinions would not affect me negatively. Far be it for us lowly cops to actually do what Venegas tells the federal court he wants us to do 'challenge' the way things are. Venegas says he wants forward thinkers, critical review of process/procedure. But give him that critique and you've got IA reviewing your 'to' messages.

Subject: Re: Hello From: Concerned To: maxx Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 19:48:39 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The chief could refuse to renew a retired SPD cop's concealed weapons permit if he didn't like what the retiree says on this forum. Am I not right? Sac-Cop-Retired can you comment on that?

Subject: Re: Hello From: Bumper To: Concerned Date Posted: Tues, Apr 06, 1999 at 23:19:33 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: There are a couple of things that can be done to retirees that fall within the 'payback' arena. Concealed weapons permit is one. If they received a disability retirement or work comp benefit, they may be subject to review or taping by a P.I. (hired by the City of Sacramento). If they have friends still on the department, those people may fall under frequent review by D.C. Najera. Listen, there is a whole range of possible actions that could happen to people who identify themselves as critics of the Chief. If you spent any time at all around SPD, you would know that 'campaigns' have been launched (in the past and the present) against officers on the basis of expression, race, gender or age (any pending lawsuits against the City of Sacramento may now claim the Arthur/Shaw case as evidence of discrimination in at least two of those Federally protected categories! The City Attorney and Dee Contreras are crapping large green apples at this possibility! The liability exposure from the Shaw/Arthur case is enormous!). It's enough to honor another's anonymity wish and not attack them because of it.

Subject: Charles 46 - 908 From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Wed, Mar 31, 1999 at 11:24:15 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Our prayers and condolences go to Don's friends and family in their hour of grief. I know it's harder sometimes to accept the loss of a friend under these circumstance than when they're lost while on the job or to an accident. By all accounts, Don was a good cop whose domestic issues didn't impact his work, he was proud of his kids and kept a smile on his face in spite of the turmoil inside. We'd like to offer a resource for your consideration: Just click on it or pass it on to anyone who could find it useful.

Subject: Re: Charles 46 - 908 From: Bumper To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Mar 31, 1999 at 14:13:29 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Don was as good a cop as could be found. He knew his beat, took care of it and kept the crooks running. He had a ready smile and pleasant demeanor in weather, fair or foul. He was always ready to lend a hand on every type of call....high risk arrest or bull-shit caper, it didn't matter. He wanted to help as much as he could, oftentimes you didn't have to ask...he'd show up wanting to throw in with you. He never bum beefed anybody that I knew of and had the respect of felons he'd arrested (and that was a bunch) for his honesty and integrity. He had a forthright manner, concern for citizens and was a beat cop problem solver....long before they became known as 'community oriented police officers'. I've been to too many cop-friend's suicides to go to this one. I'll pass on this one. Don would understand.

Subject: Gun Suit - a National Net Forum From: Virtual NitghtWatch To: All Date Posted: Tues, Mar 30, 1999 at 22:01:05 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Wednesday 3-31- 1999 7:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time: a national internet audience will have an opportunity to weigh in on this topic: "Following the murder of a Sacramento police officer by an armed and wanted parolee, the city's mayor and council wants to sue gun makers in the state. Opponents, which include many police officers and friends of Officer Bean, object to the use of tax dollars this way and suggests it sends the wrong message to armed felons." Hold criminals responsible, gun makers or both? Up to 300 visitors join in this weekly online program. Tribal Voice makes the process as easy as 1-2-3 and you can log in with any identifyer you please. Getting Setup & Started: Step One (Optional): Register for Advanced Notification by e-mail to watchdog@pacbell.net detailing your interests and for updates on conference location and future topics ( i.e., Neighborhood Watch Group, Law Enforcement Activity, Concerned Citizen's Issues). Please include your correct e-mail address and internet web address (homepage) if applicable. Step Two: Click on the Download Image to install Pow Wow Step Three:   After launching PowWow, choose "Join a Community" from the Pow Wow Dialogue box. (See screen sample on right) Type comwatch@tribal.com in the address field and then click the "Join" button. It's as simple as 1-2-3. If you get lost, you'll find PowWow Guides both friendly and knowledgeable. They are always ready to lend you a hand. Click Here for more instructions on how to join Virtual Community Watch Online Conferences (PowWow) Conference Software

Subject: A COPS Success Story - Maybe! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sun, Mar 28, 1999 at 19:16:22 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message:

He works hard for the money... or so the song goes... But a local newspaper isn't real happy about this career criminal's avocation that's costing them plenty. Pictured on the left is one Everett McMillan, a 2 strike felon whose primary source of income is the quarters he pilfers from newspapers racks throughout downtown/midtown. It supports his drug habit. In a typical 'petty theft' McMillan nets as little as 50 cents or, on a dimly lit corner as much as $15. Time and visibility are Everett's nemeses.

Were it only the theft of this 'chump change', McMillan might only be viewed as just another of Sacramento's hundreds of repeat petty criminals. The method of McMillan's madness costs the newspaper $50 to $210 per break-in depending on how aggressive he is to gain access. The photo above, on the right, shows the electronics package that is often irreparable when broken into. The vandalism toll in the last 90 days alone is over $36,000, with the allegation that McMillan's share is the largest.  But wait... there's more to the story! Everett has been caught by police and even Community Watch many times.  His career choice was interrupted on August 9, 1997 when he was once again arrested, but this time, charged with a felony under Section 666 of the Penal Code. The D.A.'s Felony Team 3, represented by Lori Earl drafted a six count felony complaint including the required allegation of McMillan's prior armed robbery conviction on October 19, 1988.  The police and the District Attorney, victim and Community Watch worked in consert to rid the city of this career criminal. McMillan showed no remorse, glaring as we addressed the court on behalf of the victim and generally in contempt of the judicial process.  Over the DA's stern objections, Judge Uri noting the defendant's drug dependency, tossed the felonies and sentenced him to a county jail term.  But wait... there's even more to the story! Everett did his time, was released and promptly resumed where he left off.  Immediately, Community Watch began a high profile apprehension project, interrupting McMillian's crime in progress twice, in as many weeks, at 2 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.  McMillan began working days but was again caught by SPD with burglar tools after a run on news stands on J Street in broad daylight. With no room at the Inn, he wasn't booked but was cited. Still, the victim racked up huge vandalism losses in the weeks that followed.  Saturday, a subject was seen breaking into news racks at 27th and Broadway.  At the time the call came out, no patrol units were available. Persistent witness kept SPD advised and Community Watch contacted dispatch with background info should the suspect be identified as McMillan. An hour into the call, the subject was apprehended by a community policing team at 28th Street in Sector 2. Thanks to the Sector 1 Watch Commander Lt. Tom Sweeney, Officer Dave Nakata and George Chargin, knowing McMillan's legacy, stepped in to assist Sector 2's David 22 team.  Even though the original witnesses were unwilling to perform a citizen's arrest at the request of police, McMillan was booked for charges similar to the August 1997 case. So now we're back to square one with the criminal justice system.  Some may wonder why so much effort has gone into this case.  Should society and a local business be victimized by a career criminal with a thirty page rap sheet?  Would justice best be served if Everett was stamping out license plates in state prison? It's time to draw a line that Everett is not permitted to cross by a failed justice system.  It's time to put an end to this abuse.

Subject: Re: A COPS Success Story - Maybe! From: Bumper To: SCCW Date Posted: Mon, Mar 29, 1999 at 09:08:15 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: There's a couple of ways to look at what Ev is doing to American civilization. 1. He's a modern day Robin Hood (stealing from the rich, McClatchy, and giving to the poor, himself). 2. He's a petty thief who gets caught a lot (evidenced by all the local pinches) and contributes immeasurably to the clearance rates. 3. He's learned from his past (earlier armed robberies have now degraded to stealing coin from metal containers). There are probably a couple of other ways of pigeonholing ol' Ev but why push things too far. Jane probably has seen this guy (or many like him) in her court many times and sees him as some local yokel who's just a pain in the rear for McClatchy Inc. Who knows? The nice thing is that he's just a newstand coin thief (I know, I know, it's dumbing down crime) and not Jeffrey Dalmer. I don't understand why McClatchy hasn't hired a goon or two to bust Ev's knees with a baseball bat. Putting him on crutches would slow him down enough that he couldn't break into as many newstands. Plus, even Nakata could run him down!

Subject: Serna's Run at Your Gun From: Bumper To: All Date Posted: Sat, Mar 27, 1999 at 07:07:51 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Perhaps Serna is overcome with the possibilities of raking in hundreds of millions of bucks by having Sam Jackson (and possee) go after gun manufacturers. I'm positive he will 'direct' the police department and Jeff Gibson's report to reach the conclusion that guns are worse than dope, illiteracy, teen pregancy, moral decay and disingenuous college professors. They need some numbers to use as a frame of reference (U.S. News & World report, May 25, 1998): 1995 suicide deaths totalled 31,284 and 18,503 were by firearm (firearm opponents include this stat in their murder by firearm stat). Suicide counted (in '95) for over half of all firearm deaths in '95, murder accounted for 44%. Accidental firearm deaths compared to other forms (1997) Motor vehicles- 43,200 Falls- 14,900 Poisoning my solids or liquids-8,600 fires, burns and related deaths-3,700 Suffocation by swallowing object-3,300 Firearms--related-1,500 all other causes (including 'medical misadventure')-13,900 (Source: National Safety Council's 1998 Accident Facts) Most common Activities that lead to ER visits 1. Baseball/softball 404,000 2. Dog bites 334,000 3. Playground 267,000 4. ATV's, Mopeds 125,000 5. Volleyball 98,000 6. In-line skating 76,000 7. Horseback riding 71,000 8. Baby walkers 28,000 9. Skateboards 25,000 THERE WAS NO MENTION OF GUNS OR SHOOTING ACTIVITIES! (Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) Professor Gary Kleck (School of Criminology, Florida State University) examined facts and stats from the DOJ, FBI and discovered that Americans use firearms to PREVENT crime 1 million to 1.5 million times per year. Robbery victims who defended themselves with a gun suffered lower rates of injury than did those who resisted without a gun OR EVEN THOSE WHO COMPLIED AND DID NOT RESIST WITH THE ROBBER! Despite the overwhelming evidence that construction workers, miners and agriculture workers die at astronomically higher rates, Gibson will undoubtedly point to police officer deaths by gun fire. The national stat, unchanged for decades, on officer death due to firearm hovers around 50%. You, as a cop, are much more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident, hit by a blunt object, assaulted with physical force or suffer injury through some form of lifting accident than a gun attack. You can rest assured that the City of Sacramento, should these accidents befall you, will be slow to act on your Work Comp case, present a hurdle every step of the way, deny your claim and deny you any WC rights/benefits. You will be pushed aside like so much clutter. I seriously doubt that Gibson's report will contain any of the non-firearm injury stats that are sitting out there. Such a report wouldn't assist Serna to dig into the pockets of another group of American business people! I doubt Gibson's report will include stats on officer killings. We usually kill 10-12 times more people than officers killed by firearms. That's an argument (along with Professor Kleck's) FOR GUNS. It's hard to take it when a cop drops (most common banner waved by gun control or gun liability fanatics) , whether to Chevy's or carbines, but the truth is the truth and all stats (even Kleck's, the National Safety Council's and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) need to be included.

Subject: Re: Serna's Run at Your Gun From: Bumper To: Bumper Date Posted: Sun, Mar 28, 1999 at 18:59:18 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I've included some police officer assault stats (FBI) for a ten year period from 1988-1997 that goes to the issue of firearms used against police officers. Like I said earlier, this is usually the banner used by citizens or gun control advocates. These FBI stats refute their argument against firearms. Law Enforcement Officers Accidently Killed, 1988-1997 Auto Accidents 327 Motorcycle Accidents 52 Aircraft Accidents 67 Struck by Vehicles 44 Struck by Vehicles (directing traffic) 59 Accidental Shootings 26 Accidental Shootings (self inflicted) 1 Accidental Shootings (training sessions) 1 Others (drowning,falls) 48 For 1997, there were 49,151 line-of-duty assaults reported by 8,692 agencies employing 451,980 officers (stats include correctional officers, detention officers) Assaults resulted in personal injury to 13,145 of the officers. EIGHTY THREE percent of assaults on law enforcement during 1997 involved 'personal weapons (hands, feet, fists) and 27% of the officers suffered injury. Firearms were used in FOUR percent of all assaults; of the officers attacked with these weapons, only 15 percent were injured. 2 percent of the assaults were with knives or cutting instruments and 19% of those victims received injuries. 11% of the officers were attacked with other dangerous weapons and 29% of those officers were injured. The odds of being killed by any means other than firearms are nearly equal. Your chances of being seriously injured by being beaten with something, over being shot, are astronomically higher. An important factor in gun related cop deaths is that they are usually ambushes or surprise shootings. If SPD and the SPOA wants to do something to really help it's working men and women they will read the FBI's report and do two important things: 1. Assign two officer cars during hours of darkness (CHP guidelines). 2. Give officers a vest that has protection between the panels. Hopefully they won't wave the 'dead cop' flag when they go after the gun dealers because the FBI stats don't support it.

Subject: Re: Serna's Run at Your Gun From: SCCW To: Bumper Date Posted: Sun, Mar 28, 1999 at 19:34:28 (PST) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: GREAT INFO! Thanks for bringing substance to the forum.

Subject: Make that 13 From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Fri, Mar 26, 1999 at 02:03:27 (PST) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: 23rd Street & 53rd Avenue is the site of the newest March madness and another homicide. The city may now have to expand it's lawsuit to include shotguns. The call came out just after midnite and the victim was pronounced about 30 ago. Suspects are still outstanding as all Sector 2 units search and maintain the perimeter. Case #99-23242

Subject: Re: Make that 13 From: AKBAR To: SCCW Date Posted: Fri, Mar 26, 1999 at 09:43:34 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: SCCW: Thanks for keeping us apprised of what is going on in our city. Keep up the good work.

Subject: Re: Make that 13+1+1/2 From: SCCW To: AKBAR Date Posted: Sat, Mar 27, 1999 at 02:19:43 (PST) Email Address: webmaster@crimewatch.us Message: Sector 3 had another 187 tonight. Meanwhile in Sector 4, a fresh buffed parolee, Tracy Hart, is alledged to have tried unsuccessfully to blow a relatives head off with a shotgun. The weapon was at the victims head as the round was discharged. The victim's life was spared when he wrestled the shotgun away from Hart.

Subject: Re: Make that 15 From: UPDATE To: SCCW Date Posted: Sun, Mar 28, 1999 at 12:20:53 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Sector 3 reports another possible187 arrest this weekend bringing the informal count in the first three months of 1999 to 15, just short of half the total homicides in the city for all of 1998. The latest victim, Wiley Emitt Andrews, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 3300 block of X Street. The suspect, a woman, Sarah Lee Bennett, 33 was booked pending further investigation.

Subject: Re: Make that 15 From: Bumper To: UPDATE Date Posted: Sun, Mar 28, 1999 at 18:18:26 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Gee...sounds like Wiley had his rights violated by Sarah 'Nobody Doesn't Like' Lee. Wonder if she used a cookie cutter? Maybe Joe 'Sue 'em' Serna can go after cookie cutter manufacturers for building weapons of 'less than' mass destruction. Capt. Gibson can include in his report how cookie cutter related murders have driven police resources into the RED! The real money is in suing cookie cutter makers because the damned things are all over town...in the kitchen, in restaurants, in bakeries.....Sue-Sue Serna thought he had a brain boner with the gun manufacturer's litigation...baby, they aint' seen nothin' yet!

Subject: Re: Make that 15 From: Bumper To: Bumper Date Posted: Mon, Mar 29, 1999 at 05:08:13 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I just read the Bee and it turns out that Wiley was sliced with weapon that produced 'sharp object trauma'. Now how is that for non-descript! Burt Yoshioka is a nice kid but he's got to develop a little flare when dealing with the press! Clinton's influence on the legal language ('depends on what your definition of is, is' or 'I didn't lie...I merely intentionally misled the grand jury') was devastating but who would anticipate that it would filter down to local police spokespersons who would use such bland descriptions of murder weapons! I'm sure that Wiley would be much more descriptive in his account of what Sarah used to ex-sanguinate him. The Ding Dong syndrome of public policy making regarding affixing blame to inantimate objects (guns in Serna's case) is alive and well in Sacramento. Serna's gotta make dough somewhere....might as well be at the expense of the Second Amendment and firearms manufacturers throughout the world.

Subject: Re: Make that 15 From: Curious To: Bumper Date Posted: Sun, Mar 28, 1999 at 21:08:00 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Sarah Lee will no doubt use the Twinkie Defense ... too many Ding Dongs. What did someone say about Serna ... 'let them eat cake!' See what happens when they do?

Subject: Call Report Writers From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Mon, Mar 22, 1999 at 20:05:08 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Victim in the 3300 block of J Street: 'Police? ... okay, we heard several shots fired near our business ... we found a what looks like a bullet hole in a car here ... can you send someone out? No? Oh, report writers? Okay, what's the number?' ComCenter: 'All units, caller at xxxx J Street called about 10 ago stating several shots were fired outside his business and RP found a hole in a car there, advised to call report writers, nothing seen, only heard. KMA 1800 hrs.' Watch Commander: 'Lincoln 1 ... what was the time element of that shots fired call?' ComCenter ...'about ten minutes ago...' Watch Commander: DISPATCH ON THAT CALL PLEASE! --- -- earlier last week --- -- Rental Car Company manager: 'Hello, police? Hi, one of our rental agents mistakenly rented a car to a guy police say is an armed and dangerous parolee at large named Anthony Taylor... you folks are looking for him ... he used a phony Florida driver's license and credit card under the name James Robinson,... I guess he's lost in space because he used his real date of birth 12-31-70. This guy has rented cars from about everyone in the city in the past four months using stolen credit cards and false i.d. .... uh, no ... well, where would we mail the registered letter? Uh, but,... but... no... that's his assumed name and address ... five days? But... no, it's overdue today, that's what called my attention to it... I saw his photo... same guy as last time, his parole agent is .... oh, so it's borrowed? Wait a minute ... no... better yet, can I talk to a cop.... can you send one out here? .... The station? ... what station ... what's the address? Think we're kidding? See 99-21456 Tonight 19:18 hours --- patrol officer: 'any results on records for the victims of that burglary in the 600 block of 17th Street? And we need another unit to assist on this search of the suspect's apartment...' ComCenter ' Sorry, I sent what we had to your MDT... (they know officer is not in her car and is with suspects in the upstairs apartment) Baker 13: 'We called records, they wouldn't give us the information over the phone ...' Civilianizations ... ain't it wonderful? Lincoln 1 ... watch your back ... a certain acting DC may have put you on the hit listfor questioning civilian authority! Note: I edited a previous comment about a rumor passed on to me yesterday. Shame on me. I doubt we'll ever be able to get a council person to confirm it, so it dies here unless someone else can get a source.

Subject: Re: Call Report Writers From: Bumper To: SCCW Date Posted: Mon, Mar 22, 1999 at 21:41:44 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: This is exactly why it's important for every police officer to pen his experiences on this website. The closed shop mentality that fostered the 'code of silence' must come to an end. Law abiding and decent people listen to the radio, hear the incredulous and, oftentimes, incompetent rules and day to day practices generated out of a Chief's office. They sometimes hear unforgiveably stupid transmissions from dispatch to officer such as the one about records not revealing anything over a phone line to an officer who NEEDS THE INFO to make an important search and seizure decision. Thank God for the internet! The records clerk is probably citing some poorly designed rule or regulation developed from the Chief's office or at his direction. The dispatcher who moronically fails to dispatch a uniform to investigate shots fired into an auto during late afternoon is a symptom of the greater problem of mismanagement. How do you fix these things if you're a beat-humping, ball-busting son of St. Jude (patron saint of cops)? You do what you took an oath to do...uphold the Constitution. That means practicing the First Amendment and encouraging others to do the same. It's the greatest right in the world and more cops ought to use it in public. We stand around in locker rooms, at funerals, in bars, at softball games and other venues decrying the floundering mismanagers and losing policies. Hell, we abdicate representation, oftentimes, to less enthused folks (SPOA) who may have promotion and political agendas that don't align with our immediate needs of training, equipment and staffing. The burden to speak out falls squarely on the shoulders of those who want to stand up individually (sometimes anonymously in forums such as this). It's not unlike the kind of bravery that's exhibited when it's just you and a recently paroled ape-man who doesn't want to give it up....you suck it up and say to yourself, 'this is going to be a fight...' and do what your duty requires. It's the same kind of thing....different venue. All the events listed in the previous message are symptoms of a greater problem and that's mismanagement of resources leading to an erosion of skills, service delivery and mission. Why the City Council can't see that is nothing short of disgraceful. The City Manager is a guy I've known for nearly 20 years and he's got a military background (Reserve.....what the hell) and ought to be able to nail down the problems that SPD's laboring under. His failure to act may be a serious reflection on his character.........and character does count, doesn't it?

Subject: Not Alone Here From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 18:24:50 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Should you think you're alone, not ONE pro Serna item in the Bee... here's a hint from 4 of them: 'Mayor Joe Serna Jr. wants the city of Sacramento to sue manufacturers of handguns. He says he is upset because he had to tell the family of Officer Bill Bean that he had been murdered, a felony, by a parolee, convicted of multiple felonies, in possession of a handgun, a felony. This excuse for suing gun-makers is as illogical as saying that because the accused murderer is black, therefore blacks should not be allowed to have guns.' 'Serna disgraces both the Sacramento police and Bean's family by refusing to place the blame on the individual who is responsible.' 'I cannot believe that Serna would stoop so low as to try to blame Officer Bean's death on the gun manufacturers. If he was really upset about Bean's death, he should be calling for an investigation as to why a felon with five prior gun charges and convictions was still on the streets of Sacramento. He would also be asking Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr. why his officers are not trained to recognize when and how to institute a felony stop.' 'If Serna wanted to do something really constructive and worthwhile, he could use his position and influence to push for mandatory five-year prison sentences for the use of a gun in any crime.' Read the comments in full - just click this link Too bad the Bee doesn't want people to know about this place.

Subject: Re: Venegas From: Dave Jenest To: AKBAR Date Posted: Mon, Mar 22, 1999 at 20:30:43 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Some will say they are only words from man; somehow those words come just in time to answer a burning question, give rise to faith where no light shines and questions of mortals are answered with another's questions. There is no truth in unanswered questions. But His Word is an internal document ...internal to the heart, not secrets in the darkness, rather, to be shared and loved by all who believe. These words appear as witten: (verbosity removed) none rearranged to change their meanings. They are as fitting today as the were nearly two thousand years ago. Matthew 26 - 27 Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief ... , And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief ... Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent ... And they said, What is that to us? ... And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. Romans 13 Thou shalt not bear false witness ... And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Subject: Re: Venegas From: IA redball To: AKBAR Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 13:03:15 (PST) Email Address: not_me.com Message: Tough words AKBAR; in a chat with some activists this a.m. the question 'how do you spell PERJURY came up'. The Beeman Furillo summed it up in my mind with this quote; "The chief testified that he wanted his top-level executives to seek input from below, that he encouraged lower-level officials to challenge their superiors." And, "Venegas testified he had no use for 'yes men.'" Gregson looks like the only man with any spine to show up at this trial. Maybe that's because his city loves him, respects their cops and chief; no wonder he didn't cut it here. A man who can weep is a man's man... not Clintonite crocodile tears, but from the sorrow in his gut for what's happened to California's most historic and soverign city.

Subject: Re: Venegas From: Tammuz To: IA redball Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 14:00:21 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: GAWD, BUT AIN'T IT FUNNY! Arturo Venegas replaced someone who was as inept and incompetent as he. Talk about management meetings turning into zoos....gimme a break. Here are a few names that SPD's managers used to call themselves during meetings (and not one word of rebuke from Kearns about disrespectful behavior): 1. Captain Crazy 2. Captain Carbine 3. Captain Cowboy Fred Arthur, Jerry Bedwetter and Rich Gregson were as self serving and self promoting as Al Najera, Larry Gibbs and Matt Powers. The difference was that the climate changed and they weren't politcally geared up for it. There never has been, historically, a bottoms-up approach to SPD management. How else do you explain sworn depositions in which Kearns said 'I don't know' 150 times to the most basic questions about the training program? Geez, you woulda thought he'd spent his life in Kosovo! How do you explain Jerry Finney keeping boxes of confidential IA files in his office for years after they should have been purged? How do you explain Lee Dohm keeping confidential IA files IN HIS GARAGE for years after his retirement? I'll tell you what, Venegas doesn't have a chance at rising to the level of disrepute, incompetence and favoritism that reigned during Kearns' tenure. Regarding Rich's crying on the stand. Send him a box of Kleenex's and a pair of balls. He's had more than a hand in questionable personnel actions that lead to termination of decent officers. The difference between them and him is that they never had the opportunity to 'bail out' and land in another department. The adage, 'what goes around, comes around' seems to fit best regarding Mr. Gregson. Also, is there anybody in this town who hasn't been called a name by a drunk Fred Arthur? Fred's most lucid moments were when he was a 2.0 because when he was sober he was usually so wrapped up in office politics and intrigue that he was a mute! The best defense the City has is Venegas is not half as screwed up as Kearns' management team...the team on which Fred, Mike, Rich, Dohm, Stark, Finney and Ledbetter flourished!

Subject: Re: Venegas From: Tammuz To: AKBAR Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 15:31:26 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I worked for both of regimes. I really can't make the distinction between one kind of reptile and the next....snakes are snakes (professionally, of course). It's not unlike asking someone if they'd prefer death by hanging or firing squad. Morale was abyssmal under both Chiefs, there was little true 'leadership', politics ran the department, the favored few were promoted, principled/competent people who were in disfavor suffered retaliation for speaking out, the SPOA was oftentimes misdirected or otherwise manipulated by the Chief. In other words, things haven't changed for the rank and file cop. It's the nature of provincial policing in America. The City Manager isn't going to appoint someone who doesn't dance to the tune he plays. In this case, the Mayor. All this about poor Fred is a sort of poetic justice being played out in court. If only Fred would be totally honest and discuss all the screw-ups, cover-ups and mismanaged fiascos under Kearns. He's contracted the same type of selective 'amnesia' that Kearns, Finney et al suffered when under oath with the City's 'window of liability' open all the way! The last thing that Fred wants to talk about is the way things were done in the 'good old days'. He doesn't want to talk about the way good cops were railroaded into terminations or overt favoritism during promotion or transfers. His day in court is rapidly turning into a stage for high order hypocrisy.

Subject: 187 rate in '99 From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 02:12:45 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: With all the hype about violent crime being down, has anyone else noticed the almost daily homicide call outs in the last week? Most have been 245's gone fatal, drive by shootings etc etc. Something alarming here?

Subject: Re: 187 rate in '99 From: J.L.Fox To: AKBAR Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 18:00:44 (PST) Email Address: fox@rcip.com Message: Maybe the Chief can use the 8 or so people coming from the Bahama's to work his 187's. I can't imagine running a department without an open door policy for all personnel. I learned from some 'Old Time' 'Peace Officers' and great Sheriff's.

Subject: Re: 187 rate in '99 From: SCCW To: J.L.Fox Date Posted: Wed, Mar 24, 1999 at 20:15:18 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Here's some number's now that the Mayor talked council into moving forward on suing gun makers: In a report submitted to the council, Sacramento Police Capt. Jeff Gibson estimated that gun crimes cost the city $48 million in 1998. But he said he was unsure of that figure's accuracy and promised the council more incisive information with more research. He did report that there have been 12 homicides so far this year, six involving firearms. Last year, 13 of the 31 homicides in the city involved guns, and there were 179 firearm assaults. Of the nearly 1,000 handguns confiscated by police in Sacramento in 1998, a little more than 600 were destroyed because they were in unlawful hands or couldn't be traced to a legitimate owner. Speakers before the council who opposed the lawsuit argued that safety devices are expensive and would be used only by responsible gun owners. But most of the speakers supported the idea of suing. They included representatives of the Sacramento City Unified School District, Sacramento Police Officers Association and the Interfaith Service Bureau. Thought they said violent crime was down? 12 murders in three months and we're not even into the murder season yet? You know when that is, right? Summer ... when the Bahama trip is on!

Subject: Re: 187 rate in '99 From: Bumper To: SCCW Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 25, 1999 at 12:57:13 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The argument based on the proposition that a THING can be guilty of causing a crime is an abdication of personal responsibility. It's the same 'dumbing down' of the legal system by Bill Clinton et al.. Clinton and Crew argued that 'it's not perjury....it's just lying under oath...', 'it's not perjury....it's saving Hillary, Chelsea and Socks from the pain and agony....' Funny how liberals can be about things....they holler, with regularity, that it's okay to do most things that are questionably moral...that there should not be moral outrage regarding sexual irresponsibility (AIDS, teen pregnancy, increased abortion), that most drugs ought to be about 'personal choice' (just don't inhale, Mr. President), that people need to be more 'tolerant' and accepting of commonly agreed upon perverse or repugnant behavior (again, Mr. President) and that people just need to 'forgive' ,generally, everyone of anything (with penance, read the Bible tucked under your arm each Sunday, Mr. President). These same liberals scream for increased governmental responsibility for spotted owls, tobacco use (huge tax revenues there), environmental polluters (huge fines, huge revenues), the NRA (lots of potential money there....the vultures are circling) and racial quotas (no parental responsibility, attackers of the Bell Curve, race baiters, poverty pimps and welfare warlords). They surrender, with each word, any idea of personal accountability for actions (that may include shooting someone with a firearm.). The argument becomes....alcohol kills people, why not sue Budweiser for alcohol related traffic wrecks? Then, because they were driving Chevy's (hello, DC Najera), why not sue people driving Chevy's (the killing instrument) in those alcohol related wrecks. HEY, YOU GET A TWO-FER WITH THAT ONE! Many people are killed with knives...why not sue the makers of Buck knife when that knife is used in a homicide? All of these arguments are designed to make money for government...why else would a guy like Serna be interested in this angle? Forget reasonable judgement, liberals argue, and become 'tolerant' like us. The tolerance they speak of is rampant in our society...go to the war zones that our classrooms have become, visit one of the thousands of drug rehab centers across America, go to a foster home, go to an adoption center, go to divorce court, listen to your police scanner, drop in at UCD Med Center ER....in all these places you will see and hear the product of 'tolerance' as preached by liberals. Liberals such as the ones now speaking in favor of pinning responsibility on a thing and eliminating personal responsibility. Jeff Gibson will do detailed work in his investigation about gun crimes. That detail will be provided by Chief Venegas, who gets his marching orders from Joe Serna. Gee, I wonder what that 'detailed investigation' will have as it's conclusions?

Subject: Gun Control From: J. L. Fox To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 18, 1999 at 20:37:56 (PST) Email Address: fox@rcip.com Message: First, my hat is off to all the line officers of SPD. It has been said so many times, 'Guns don't kill people, people do'! Every attempt possible is being made to disarm the general public, to control CCW's and then to control the people. We have sufficient laws to handle the problem, let the Police do their jobs, then lock the animals up that use guns in the commission of a crime. The Joe Serna's and other liberal policy makers need to get real. Use the resources available and quit trying to find scapegoats and additional money to fund their personal agenda at the expense of those of us that choose to have bad habits, ie; smoking, owning and using handguns, etc. They want more Officers on the street, cut down on management, pay the officers a reasonable salary to risk their lives and families day and night after day and night. Thanks for this forum. John L. Fox Former Chief of Police

Subject: SCCW legal advisor note From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 10:58:36 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Subject: Press Release Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:11:29 -0800 From: 'Brad W. Dacus' Organization: Pacific Justice Institute To: Pacific Justice Institute PACIFIC JUSTICE INSTITUTE PRESS RELEASE March 17, 1999 For Immediate Release Contact: Attorney Brad Dacus (916) 857-6900 Students and Coach Attacked for Student Initiated Prayer Sacramento, CA- Pacific Justice Institute committed yesterday to defend the rights of students at Grant High School to pray at the State Finals basketball game this Friday. This pledge came after the school district was threatened with a lawsuit by Americans United for Separation of Church and State which protested the students praying before their basketball games. The coach of the team has also been attacked for his willingness to stand next to the students and bow his head during their prayer time. Pacific Justice Institute President, Brad Dacus , has offered assistance to the school district's superintendent and attorney. 'We have been assured by the school district that they will in no way inhibit the students from praying, nor will they punish the teacher for being near the students at the time of their prayer,' said Dacus. 'There is nothing unconstitutional about the students praying, nor the coach standing next to the students with his head bowed while they pray. The presence of a teacher helps maintain supervision, and bowing his head out of respect for the students' religious practices does not constitute a state endorsement of religion.' Pacific Justice Institute is an organization dedicated to the defense of religious freedom, parents' rights and other basic constitutional civil liberties. P.O. Box 4366, Citrus Heights, CA 95611 Phone (916) 857-6900 Fax (916) 857-6902 www.pacificjustice.org

Subject: Re: SCCW legal advisor note From: Antigone To: SCCW Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 18, 1999 at 09:50:46 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The 1st Amendment guarantee regarding religion is that their shall be no state sponsored church or denial of how others practice their religion. Consentual praying has been a part of American public life as long as there has been a group of people willing to bend knee or head to their divine being. Our Congress begins it's day with prayer (and you can't get much more 'state' than Congress!). Many of our state legislatures duplicate the daily prayer of the US Congress. Geez, remember how many reverands, preachers and deacons Bill Clinton had around him in the Rose Garden during the impeachment trial! Where was the Americans United for Separation of Church and State when Prez Bill gave over $2,000,000 to INTER-CITY CHURCHES TO FIGHT STREET CRIME! How much less of a church function can anybody engender than fighting street crime! A group of high school basketball players, and their coach, have a guaranteed right to stand together with their hands clasped and request divine guidance for every three pointer tossed heavenward!

Subject: Re: SCCW legal advisor note From: Pacific Justice Institute To: Antigone Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 18, 1999 at 15:23:27 (PST) Email Address: braddacus@pacificjustice.org Message: Many of you will no doubt have heard of the coach at Grant High School in the Sacramento area who will not be allowed to pray with his team tomorrow night at the State Finals. Our Constitution guarantees people freedom *OF* religion - it does not coerce people to abstain *FROM* religion. Yet, a Washington D.C. group has threatened a poor, largely black school district with legal action if the coach prays with his team and - for now - the school district is backing down. Some of you have heard my interview on KFBK radio today and know that Kelsey and I are the instigators of a grass-roots prayer-in tomorrow night at Arco Arena. Please join us - the particulars are below. Pacific Justice Institute and Sunrise Community Church are already standing with us and we expect many more churches will be there by tomorrow night too. If you cannot join us there, please, at least, pray for us and with us. Also, please pass this message on to as many as possible who will join us either in-person or in-prayer. Where: ARCO Arena When: Friday night, March 19, 1999. Game starts at 8. Please arrive no later than 7:30 pm PST. Why: To pray for our nation and our school leaders. To ask God for His Mercy in allowing His Church to continue to communicate His Truth to a world gone insane with evil. To ask God for His Mercy in allowing our Constitution to prevail in this matter. To ask God to bring revival in our community and our nation. How: Tickets start at $8. If you can, buy a ticket, go in and kneel in prayer (bring something to kneel on). If you cannot, join Kelsey and me outside the entrance nearest the ticket booth we hope to encircle Arco Arena on our knees in prayer and worship. Please be praying for this endeavor and us. This will not be easy. But, the nation will be watching... they need to know that people cannot and will not be intimidated and silenced from being allowed to pray. Whatever you do, please remember that we will be representing our Lord tomorrow. Stand firm. Show love and gentleness. Pray. Be peaceful. Finally, I want to encourage all of you to be in prayer and to read the entire passage of Romans 8 as we prepare for tomorrow. Love & Blessings To Each Of You, Tom

Subject: God Bless Bob... From: Yasir To: All Date Posted: Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 09:57:48 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Hello, hello ... Dave, didn't this happen to you about three times? Isn't Serna on his 3rd Strike? Bless ya Bob! R.E. Graswich: Now, another Serna moment Sac Bee: (Published March 17, 1999) 'Hold the phone: My favorite moment in Sacramento City Council meetings is when Mayor Joe Serna Jr. goes to the telephones. Setting down his gavel and striking a Larry King pose, the mayor punches up Line 2 and wanders into the digital abyss. The exercise can be funny -- especially when someone pokes a needle at Serna. Such was the case when a citizen named Max Montoya called to complain about city building inspection fees. Montoya was cut off halfway into his three-minute chat -- the time allowed every caller. His sin was to suggest that Serna -- gulp! -- retire. The trouble began when Montoya mentioned an earlier conversation he had with Serna. Responded the mayor, 'Maybe I'm having a senior moment. I don't remember your discussion.' Retorted Montoya, 'Maybe you ought to hang it up then, maybe you should let it go if you're having a senior moment.' With that, the mayor punched a button and whacked the caller. 'I took Max's advice and hung up,' Serna said with a laugh. Meeting adjourned. If Serna loses the senior citizen vote in next year's mayoral election, you know why. . . .' Chief? ... hello, Chief? This is Mark Hedlund, .... HELLO?

Subject: Senate Judicial Committee From: Thor To: All Date Posted: Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 05:24:01 (PST) Email Address: N/A Message: It appears all too clear that the City of Sacramento, State DOJ and other investigatory bodies are not going to check into this site's complaints and information regarding the lack of additional police bodies while accepting Fed monies for same. None of these folks want to take on a political issue that connects local malfeasance with President Clinton (my theory). I'd suggest contacting two people that may give this matter immediate attention. The first would be your nearest Republican Senator (Doolittle?) and the second would be the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee or one of his staff (Orrin Hatch). There is enough of a scent here to have every dog barking! From what I've read, the intransigent attitude of the City Council to hear you out and the failure of City Government to provide information should be repeated in the halls of Congress. This is a story that should be told nationwide because it may be that more agencies are dipping their hands liberally into this '100,000 Cop' Clinton pork barrel. Quit fooling with the locals and get this information to Washington!

Subject: Re: Senate Judicial Committee From: COPS Sub-Committee To: Thor Date Posted: Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 13:17:21 (PST) Email Address: whynot@justicemail.com Message: The following communication was sent to both House and Senate Judiciary committee on behalf of the committee. If you support the request, we hope you'll communicate it to the addresses below. The Honorable James Sensenbrenner , The Honorable Bill McCollum , The Honorable Howard Coble , The Honorable Charles Canady , The Honorable Bob Goodlatte , The Honorable Bob Barr , The Honorable William Jenkins , The Honorable Asa Hutchinson , The Honorable Edward Pease , The Honorable Christopher Cannon , The Honorable James Rogan , The Honorable Orland Hatch , The Honorable Strom Thurmond , The Honorable Charles Grassley , PLEASE NOTE - This is a JUDICIARY COMMITTEE REQUEST for immediate consideration of a national public issue. This citizen's group made a prior request to your office on January 15, 1999. We are anxious to have a reply. Our request includes input to the President's '100,000 new cops on the street'. We are encouraged to seek the assistance of the Judiciary Committee because some of it's members solicited and reviewed testimony on the subject in 1993-94. Our information is current and compelling. It deserves your attention. The COPS Initiatives have National impact and the potential for improving public safety or the elements of a local or National disgrace. For months our group of citizens has attempted to get specific details of the City of Sacramento's participation in this program. Using the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, we sent numerous inquiries to the US Department of Justice and it's various entities. Those inquiries have been met with obfuscation's and delays. We were amazed to find that the responsible agency repeatedly claimed 'exemptions' about financial and head count information that should have been a matter of pride for every one associated. with these initiatives. The information requested related to the specifics of this city's police department, the money and the manpower. It appears that these specifics are far too confidential to release to the public. Why? Is Federal Government money given to City Government a secret too volatile to release to ordinary citizens. It certainly raises suspicions about the President's claims of 93,000 Cops and headed for 100,000 goal - and under budget? Why should the City of Sacramento refuse to make grant details available to inquiring citizens? Isn't public and grant financing of police personnel, information that should be available to ordinary citizens. Not in Sacramento Why? We now have a copy of a letter from USDOJ-COPS' Associate General Counsel, Charlotte C. Grzebien, to Sacramento Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr., which authorizes the reduction in the number of actual sworn officers (in the City of Sacramento) from 556 to 455 (for purpose of a baseline measurement?) The documented fact that we had 556 sworn officers was irrelevant, one hundred and one of them simply disappeared from the record.. On June 23, 1998, Police Chief Venegas reported to the City Council and the local newspapers, that as a consequence of various grants and the hiring of civilian employees, 101 more sworn police officers were now on the force. This year, in an effort to effect the outcome of a public ballot measure, we were warned we would lose these same officers if we failed to approve a sales tax increase and generate $18 million a year to fund them. Changing the assignments on a deployment list does not change the fact that there are no new officers on the street. High school mathematics and common sense have been replaced by confusing numbers. Five hundred and fifty six is not four hundred and fifty five. The one hundred and one officers are not new in Sacramento or the results of a COPS program. Nothing really changed. The ultimate in new math is achieved on the DOJ report on the Internet. ( http://www.usdoj.gov/cops/readingroom/97_grantee.htm ) Page 14 of that report indicates that Sacramento now has 439 new officers and more than $31 million at it's disposal. If Associate General Counsel, Charlotte C. Grzebien is right we started with 455 (we know that we had 556) adding the new 439 would give us 894 sworn police officers on the street. Sacramento has 602 sworn police officers on the street - 21 fewer officers than we had in 1993. Given our population today, 403,000, this ranks our city at 1.4 officers, near the bottom of the national average of 2.9 officers per 1,000 residents. (Source AG Reno last month) The 602 number is not easily obtained. We know the number because some loyal citizens inside the SPD have risked their sworn jobs and retirement plans to gather the numbers. Please open an investigation into this matter. We are imploring your committee to conduct formal inquiry into the practices of the DOJ COPS Office and into the deployment of money and personnel that support the claim of 100,000 Cops on the street. We urge that Sacramento be selected as one of the principals in conducting an inquiry and hearings.

Subject: Re: Senate Judicial Committee From: Bumper To: COPS Sub-Committee Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 18, 1999 at 07:50:43 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Excellent job! Perhaps Tim Russert, Chris Matthews (cnbc.com) and Larry King's producers would jump all over your report and give your spokesperson some air time. The media, given the current political crisis (credibility among them) of President Puff Daddy, would see this as an important and airworthy topic. Chris is out of San Francisco. The Sacramento Bee sure won't publish your side! Keep it up! Fight the good fight.

Subject: Re: Senate Judicial Committee From: Bandar To: Bumper Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 16:40:51 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: ABCNEWS.com has a great story about Orrin Hatch challenging Jan 'the Man' Reno and Clinton's crime bill with one crafted by the GOP. I'd recommend that your group contact Senator Hatch forthwith and give him your package. He can use it as ammo to shoot down Clinton's failed policy. The window of opportunity presents itself! Move now or you'll lose your opportunity.

Subject: Re: Senate Judicial Committee From: COPS Sub-committee To: Bandar Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 18:43:45 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Thanks ... good suggestion and we're on it! Hatch clashed with Attorney General Janet Reno last week on her proposal to cut several anti-crime grants from her budget proposal. Reno said crime was down significantly nationwide, and she wanted to shift money to other priorities. But Hatch said Friday that crime in the United States is still ``significantly high by historical standards,'' and violent crime rates here remain the highest of any industrialized nation. Much of the funding in Hatch's ``21st Century Justice Act'' is set aside for grant programs Reno wants eliminated, the chairman told reporters. Click here for full text

Subject: Equal Time Comment Anyone? From: SCCW Bike Patrol To: All Date Posted: Tues, Mar 16, 1999 at 16:22:46 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I belong to a bike advocate list and seldom do we hear from them on public safety issues. (unless it's bike-jackings). I thought some of you might want to weigh in on this. There's fed grant money here, maybe if a citizen's group controls the purse strings it might give you some enforcement tools. A lot of you have kids, and I'm sure you'd be interested. Subject: RE: AB1475 'Safe Routes' web site & weekend reading Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 13:21:17 -0800 From: Kathy Orr To: Gerard_Seubert@dot.ca.gov, PGentry@sd.WRTdesign.com CC: mcbc@bikadelic.com, cbc@cycling.org, la-bac-news@cycling.org, saba@cycling.org, sdcbc@cycling.org, svbc@cycling.org, bvolk@inetworld.net, morf@jps.net, bike@sbbike.org Some officers do take the initiative to learn about bicycle safety. As a matter of fact, several officers have participated in an annual health and safety faire held at Tahoe Park where they(city police officers) have orchestrated events evolving around cycling. The city budget limits what can be spent in this arena. Their bicycles as I recall, were purchased for them by Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association. Kathy Orr >>> 03/16 12:56 PM >>> It seems that there is not a lot of police officers that truly know what they are talking about when it comes to bicycling. There should be a regulation that they must attend a certified bicycle safety class before going to schools Contrary to what was common belief 'putting on a Badge does not make one All-knowing! Peggy Gentry on 03/15/99 10:09:02 AM To: ''William Volk'' , cbc@cycling.org, svbc@cycling.org, sdcbc@cycling.org, bike@sbbike.org, saba@cycling.org, mcbc@bikadelic.com, la-bac-news@cycling.org, Chris Morfas cc: (bcc: Gerard Seubert/D11/Caltrans/CAGov) Subject: RE: AB1475 'Safe Routes' web site & weekend reading In response to the request if these funds could be used to educate children on how to ride safely.... Local Police Depts. are often given money to go to schools and provide bicycle safety discussions and events. Unfortunately, few police departments direct their staff to actively use these funds and many times only conduct these events at the request of the school. There should be pressure on the Police Depts. to use these funds to develop a regular program and go to schools and teach children on bicycle safety or redirect this money to groups that would actually conduct the safety classes similar to the Operation Lifesaver. Operation Lifesaver uses funds from FHWA and FRA to conduct rail safety. It would seem that these funds could be directed to bicycle groups... ie. Bicycle Coalition to provide bicycle safety training. Peggy

Subject: Sue Who? Who's next? From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Mar 16, 1999 at 11:20:53 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Where do they find these lawyers? Did Sacramento follow this bread trail too... will Mayor Serna ask Sam Jackson to research our lotto chances on this one too? Subject: Capitol NewsWire: Drugs, Crime, Law, Crack Epidemic, USDJ, CIA, Suit Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 09:52:25 EST From: CapNsWire@aol.com To: watchdog@pacbell.net San Francisco, California, Mar 16, 1999 /Capitol NewsWire - San Francisco Bureau - Drug Correspondent SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITIES SUE OVER CRACK EPIDEMIC City residents who claim the federal government did nothing to stop crack cocaine sales in their neighborhoods in the 1980s sued the CIA and Justice Department on Monday. The complaints were filed on behalf of mostly black residents whose babies were born addicted to crack, whose relatives died in drug-related drive-by shootings and whose communities were affected by crowded emergency rooms and gutted business districts, the lawsuit said. 'This is not some sort of litigation lottery ticket,'' attorney Katya Komisaruk said. 'The government contributed to what happened to us, so now we need the government to come and help us.'' The federal civil rights lawsuits, filed in Oakland and Los Angeles, were partially prompted by last year's disclosure of a 1982 agreement between the late CIA Director William Casey and former Attorney General William French Smith that the spy agency had no duty to report drug crimes to the Justice Department. Komisaruk said she wants a judge to declare the agreement illegal, order the CIA and Justice Department to report crimes they are aware of and issue reparations to cities affected by cocaine sales. Justice Department officials had not reviewed the lawsuit and will not comment on it until Tuesday, spokesman David Slade said. The CIA did not return a telephone message left by The Associated Press. The complaints are the latest result of a 1996 San Jose Mercury News series that claimed a drug ring funneled profits to the Nicaraguan Contra rebels for the better part of a decade. The series traced the drugs to traffickers who were also leaders of a CIA-run guerrilla army in Nicaragua during the 1980s. The executive editor of the Mercury News later acknowledged in a letter to readers that the series had shortcomings. Last summer, an 800-page internal Justice Department report exonerated the department and the CIA.

Subject: Re: Sue Who? Who's next? From: Bumper To: SCCW Date Posted: Tues, Mar 16, 1999 at 17:34:59 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The clients represented by people like Attorney Komisaruk spend their lives standing with their hands out in the direction of Washington. They're championed by welfare warlords and poverty pimps like Al Sharpton, Maxine Waters, John Conyers and President Puff Daddy. They don't understand concepts such as personal responsibility, ethical reasoning or moral decision making. They let government do that for them because of generations of dependent living. They're not bright enough nor are they inclined to take careful stock of their predictament and solemnly say, 'I AM THE GOVERNMENT AND I'LL TAKE CARE OF MY PROBLEMS.' Lawyers like Komisaruk are ushering in a new round of litigation when they place blame for individual failure at the hands of faceless organizations like the CIA or Dept of Justice. They forward the illogical claim that law enforcement depends on spy agencies to tell them that dope is being smuggled across our borders. What a crock! An extension of their wrong thinking is that local law enforcement suffered because the CIA didn't call SPD intelligence and let them know that tons of cocaine was being distributed in black neighborhoods by black drug dealers. More crappola.....SPD's asset seizures and dope seizures are as high as any other agency. Gee, do you think the Coast Guard, FBI, DEA, BNE and other dope cops didn't know that dope was being smuggled into Kalifornia? I hope there is an outcry and castigation of Komisaruk and her clients by responsible people. They're a bunch of crack babies without a cause!

Subject: Air Miles From: Stealth1 To: All Date Posted: Mon, Mar 15, 1999 at 07:00:01 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Thanks for the immediate response in regards to my letter on the Chiefs air miles. It furnished me with facts that I wasnt aware of. I, along with other officers dont have as much of a problem of police officers going on exchange trips but the focus is more on the selection process of who is going. Hopefully some day the chief can shed some light on this. Rumors are running rampant throughout the department. Unfortunately at Sac PD where theres smoke theres fire. Ive been an officer for 24 yrs and the morale here has never been lower. We can attribute this to this administration and the way they run this department. You're right that we shouldnt be continuously bashing the chief but this forum at least allows us to voice our frustration and to exercise our first amendment rights.

Subject: Re: Air Miles From: Bumper To: Stealth1 Date Posted: Mon, Mar 15, 1999 at 19:05:37 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: One issue that leaps out is this: What is SPD doing 'exchanging' ideas or, for that matter, anything else with a Bahaman Police agency. They are renown for dope smuggling activities and banking-Sacramento is not. They are a third world country-Sacramento is not. They are not an 'emerging democracy'-okay, maybe Sacramento has something in common with them. This is a complete waste of taxpayer's money and that's the issue. There is nothing that is comparable with either of these law enforcement agencies. There is nothing that SPD will learn that will enhance the quality of living for Sacramento residents or positively affect the working lives of officers. In other words, this is exactly like Venegas's proposal for SPD officers to participate in 'exchanges' with Tijuana PD cops....easily the most corrupt law enforcement agency in North America. Arturo Venegas is THE representative of Sacramento Police Department. He is THE decision maker for the department. This issue should call to question his judgement in allocation of Federal monies, his day to day operational behavior regarding SPD's law enforcement mission and, lastly, his lack of leadership. Call this bashing if you want but this incident is a symptom of a greater problem that effects each and every citizen in this town.

Subject: Re: Air Miles From: Bumper To: Bumper Date Posted: Mon, Mar 15, 1999 at 22:07:19 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: A story that captures the point: Venegas was gone 70 working days last year on junkets. The SWAT team puts in for 5 training days (outside development at exotic places such as Fort Ord) and has one day approved.....at Fort Ord but with no outside development...they must provide all scenarios, bodys and material. Anybody who knows tactics and training will tell you that, at the very least, training with inside people is 'old' hat, repetitious and a 'non-learning' experience. SWAT officers are the guys who respond to hostage situations. They are the ones who kick the door on armed suspects and conduct other high risk entries. They are the ones upon whom you will pray have the best weapons and better training. They are mission specific assets. To the man, they are highly competitive, highly motivated and should be highly trained. They take care of the first two among themselves....the department has failed in the third category. A true leader would have said to the training cooridinator....'scrap one of my trips and send the SWAT team to a training school'........Venegas would never consider doing that. However, I leader would.

Subject: Re: Air Miles From: Dave Jenest To: Bumper Date Posted: Tues, Mar 16, 1999 at 11:31:31 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbellnet Message: I offered our comments to KXTV-10 News today. We'll see what gets on, what doesn't. By now you pretty much know what I had to say. City Council members should have responded to the Chief's request... 'Code 12 ... sorry Artie ... no units available.'

Subject: Re: Air Miles From: Yasir To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 10:17:03 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Hastings and you done good ... maybe the city will hire you guys as consultants too ... guess that's how they shut some folks up. I noted with interest, the last paragraph in Furillo's item today: The plaintiffs also called former Deputy Chief Jerry Ledbetter to testify. He said he retired in April 1994 ... Ledbetter said he felt 'excluded' from important decision making under Venegas. He stepped down with a six-month $40,000 city consultant's contract on top of his 71 percent pension. He said the city never called on him as a consultant. 'Not one call or letter, no sir,' Ledbetter testified.

Subject: Re: Air Miles From: SCCW To: Yasir Date Posted: Fri, Mar 19, 1999 at 09:34:46 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: R.E. Graswich: Fighting crime is no vacation (Sacbee - Published March 19, 1999) Travel cops: Sacramento Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr. is on the move again. Next week, he visits Nassau, Bahamas, to set up an exchange program with the Royal Bahamas Police Force. In a memo to the City Council, Venegas noted it will help Sacramento police 'combat the growing threat to national security posed by international organized crime.' Plans call for Venegas -- plus a deputy chief, a captain, a lieutenant, two sergeants and three officers -- to visit the Bahamas for two weeks in July. And it's no picnic! Nassau is very hot and humid that time of year. Thank goodness heat is no deterrent to our Chief Venegas, International Crime Fighting Man of Intrigue. . . .

Subject: Frequent Flyer Facts From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sun, Mar 14, 1999 at 13:36:58 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Vaction Time? You be the Judge! R.E. Graswich: He's leaving on a jet plane (Sac Bee - Published March 12, 1999) Around the world in 70 days: The Sacramento City Council probably won't go for this, but Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr. could use a corporate jet. With all the traveling he does, Venegas would be a more efficient executive if he didn't have to hang around airports waiting for commercial flights. Last year, the chief took 20 trips spanning 70 days. These weren't vacations. Venegas attended a police panel in El Paso, Texas, a Department of Justice workshop in Chicago, an FBI institute in Sun Valley, Idaho, an international chiefs convention in Salt Lake City, a corrections symposium in Knoxville, Tenn., and a terrorism conference in Leesburg, Va. He went to Miami to pick up an award, which suggests vanity but keeps the chief in good stead with his peers. On the bright side, 13 journeys were paid for by people other than the taxpayers of Sacramento. And the chief didn't visit Las Vegas! ... R.E. Graswich Now... just out of the hat! What the Bee didn't print! Happy landings in 1999. . . The Chief leaves Sunday for a preview! After media questions ... it's on his dime? Sacramento can really afford the loss of 9 sworn people on salary for two weeks in prime time crime season? Someone has to hold down their jobs while they're gone. Right? February 17, 1999 Ref: 2-13 MEMORANDUM 900  I STREET SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM: ARTURO VENEGAS, JR. CHIEF OF POLICE SUBJECT: OVERSEAS TRIP FOR SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES This memorandum is to inform you that the Sacramento Police Department has been selected to participate in a very prestigious international exchange program through the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). This unique program, funded by a grant awarded to IACP from the U.S. Department of State, provides 21 United States police departments the opportunity to participate in professional exchanges with 21 cities from newly emerging democracies in Central America and the Caribbean, Russia, Ukraine and the Newly Independent States. Program Goals and Objectives The goals and objectives of this international exchange program are as follows: to combat the growing threat to national security posed by international organized crime; to help emerging democracies strengthen their national judicial and law enforcement institutions; and to provide training and technical assistance to criminal justice personnel in community policing, internal controls, crime scene investigations, operations, management and forensics. Travel and per diem expenses are paid for by IACP. In addition, this is a home-stay program. whereby visiting law enforcement officers are housed in the homes of officers within their police department or other suitable hosts within the community. This allows both the hosts and guests the chance to become familiar with the culture and daily life experiences of their counterparts. Hosting families are compensated at a rate of $40 per day to defray the cost of food, lodging and local transportation. Program Details The Royal Bahamas Police Force will be the hosted department and send eight officers to Sacramento followed by a subsequent vist to The Bahamas of eight officers from the Sacramento Police Department. The program, designed by IACP and the U.S. Department of State, is in four phases as described below: Phase 1:  Chief of Police Arturo Venegas, Jr. will visit Nassau, Bahamas from March 21, 1999 to March 24, 1999, at which time a training itinerary and specific areas of interest will be determined. Phase 2:  Royal Bahamas Police Force Commissioner Bernard K. Bonamy is planned to visit Sacramento from April 5, 1999 to April 8, 1999. Phase 3:  Royal Bahamas Police Force officers are planned to visit Sacramento from May 9, 1999 to May 22, 1999. Phase 4:Sacramento Police Department officers are planned to visit Nassau, Bahamas from July 10, 1999 to July 24, 1999. Attendees In addition to Chief of Police Arturo Venegas, Jr., the Sacramento Police Department is planning to send one Deputy Chief, one Captain, one Lieutenant, two sergeants, and three officers/detectives. The specific personnel will be selected immediately following the Phase 1 visit. If you should have any questions or concerns regarding this memorandum, please feel free to contact Captain Ted Mandalla of my staff at 264-5330.   AV:rmm cc:  William H. Edgar, City Manager

Subject: Venegas Mile High Club From: Harry Callahan To: All Date Posted: Sun, Mar 14, 1999 at 11:17:24 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I read the article by Stealth 1 and was appalled at the latest travel plans by the Chief of Police, Arturo Venegas. I recently read an article by a local columnest suggesting that the chief obtain a corporate jet for all the travelling hes been doing. It would be interesting to see how many days he's been absent from his department and how much city money has been spent on his travels. This certainly has been an absentee chief. What really is of interest is one of the alleged selections who are going on this 'research trip'. If I remember correctly one of the alleged choices you mentioned was allegedly one of those involved in the pyramid scandal and was on administrative leave for some time during that year. He was then a Sgt. Since that time he has been promoted to lieutenant and now is going to the Bahamas on behalf of the taxpayers. It appears that disciplinary action on behalf of the chief is a pre-requisite for being promoted and being included in Venegas's mile high club. Another individual allegedly involved in the scam was promoted to Sgt shortly after Venegas's case fell apart. I recently heard from those close to the chief that he now is not going in June but will go down earlier to 'check things out'. He has changed his plans because hes learned that the media is interested in his travel plans. It will be interesting to see what changes hes made to cover his tracks.

Subject: Venegas's Air Miles From: Stealth 1 To: All Date Posted: Sun, Mar 14, 1999 at 08:32:37 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Once again our fabled leader, Fat Cat Arturo Venegas, is taking advantage of his position as Chief of Police. Venegas, who has more traveling time than an airline stewerdess, now has planned a trip to the Bahamas at the expense of the federal government and the taxpayers in Sacramento. It has been discovered that Venegas plans to take eight of his favorites with him on this trip. It should be noted that none of these people going on this trip are patrol officers. Apparently he has made his choice of who goes on the basis of a reward system to those who have remained loyal to him during his tyrrantical reign as chief. The trip is allegedly planned for some time around June and will last for two weeks in the Bahamas. Federal money is picking up the travelling expenses and the city taxpayers will be picking up the police salaries of those attending. The so called purpose of this trip is an exchange program with the police force down there. It should be noted that the force down there is alleged to be almost as corrupt as that of Mexico. Maybe theres a hidden meaning in this Arturo. Those rumored to be going on the trip are Lt Joe Felonzuela and Deputy Chief Larry Fibbs. It looks like Matt Flowers missed out on this one and will be staying home holding down the fort. The problem I have with a trip of this kind is what kind of selection process did fat cat use? Where are the street line officers who day in and day out go to the trenches? Sources in the department say there wasnt any selection process except for a reward system to those loyal to fat cat. It certainly has numerous officers upset. Second, why pick the Bahamas? What possible information would they have to benefit Sac P.D. It certainly appears to be another con job on the part of the Venegas regime at the expense of the taxpayers and the street level cops. Look for further info as I obtain it. Stealth 1

Subject: Re: Venegas's Air Miles From: Dave Jenest To: Stealth 1 Date Posted: Sun, Mar 14, 1999 at 15:37:47 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Afternoon folks, it's 1521 hours in Sector 1 and we're CODE 12 - No units available - 415p.c. and 417 p.c. calls pending: and now a word from Pepsi.... FOCUS - FOCUS Sometimes you guys seem like your own worst enemies... I thought I had a bad rep! I see no evidence to support who's going on the trip other than the chief this month. He told the media, he was taking vacation time. I'm sure the PIO said she was looking into it and would get back to us. The city council didn't raise any eyebrows back in February, but you can bet, now that it's out, some will wring their hands and look perplexed. Let's get off the 'Bash the Chief and his clan' for a while and deal with ISSUES HERE! More importantly, help with FACTS not rumor mongering. We sat on this story so the media could investigate and I have no doubt 'Dirty Harry' is right... as soon as the media got wind of it, travel plans shifted. I attended my first IACP Conference in Houston before most new officers on this department were out of diapers. Art was probably a rookie in Freson at the time. My dream of high tech cops was formed, in part during that conference. There were no laptop computers in those days let alone MDTs. I had a 25lb 'Lunchbox' p.c. that I felt 'could revolutionize the way cops worked on the street' Some laughed at the notion, no... most chiefs did. The feds didn't, some state police heads didn't.... they saw the vision. The IACP exchange program is worthwhile and I've had friends who participated in it. But what we need to focus on here is WHY Sacramento should or shouldn't embarrass itself by joining up this year. Also, unless the rules have changed, you don't necessarily have 'to be selected' for this 'very prestigious' program as though it were some 'reward' for outstanding achievements! But lets say the latter were true! Are you proud that as a city, we're poor - too poor to hire realistic sworn staffing levels? Are you proud that you can't post your name here for FEAR of retribution by your bosses or your own? Are you proud of the patrol cars that are on the dead line, get towed every shift, loaded shotguns that have to be left in the units because fleet can't seem to fix the lock? Are you proud that Fairfield and Reno sends their down and outs here to engage in crime or suck off the public troth because we have that rep? Are you proud that parolees flock here to assault our cops, shoot our cops or kill our cops? Are we proud that rookies can't drive a Chevy because they are too fast, too powerful? Are we proud that Archie Bunker is alive and well in the hearts of Sac coppers according to a DC? Are we proud of our sterling crime clearance rates thanks to bulging investigative resources? Are we proud that a Captain would call a community watch group unlicensed security people? Are we proud that we had 622 cops in FY 93 but only 602 in '98? Are we proud that we had 368 civilian police department employess in '93 but have 482 in '97? Are we proud that due to staffing shortages we're at 156% of approved overtime and spend $2.9 million for it? Our how about night shift differential at 229%? Are we proud that Management Leave pay is at 344% of budgeted amounts? WE CAN'T AFFORD THE MANPOWER LOSS Chief Venegas!!! Now if you and your DC's and five captains want to suit up and hit the streets as patrol officers, NO RANKS, maybe then? Hell, maybe you could come down here to the Center and learn something first hand for a change instead of bashing who and what we are without benefit of personal knowledge! Yeah, sure, in our dreams! Anyway folks, I put up what we have on the travel matter to date. We looked at the travel budget and found no glaring numbers Friday. We did wonder why 'meals' were $35k yr. or 144% of budgeted amount. And we were curious why the department spends $10k yr. on newspapers. Someone has a BIG scrapbook.

Subject: BOL - Wanted Parolee From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sat, Mar 13, 1999 at 14:27:01 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: HELP SPD CAPTURE THIS PAROLEE Felony Warrant - 273.5 & Assault on a Police Officer Suspect: Kevin O'Brien Male White 33 years old 6' - 180 pounds Last seen 1200 North B Street SPD Case Number 99-19494 Call 911 if you see this individual. Call 264-5471 if you have information

Subject: Re: BOL - Wanted Parolee From: AKBAR To: SCCW Date Posted: Sat, Mar 13, 1999 at 15:23:27 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: What are the circumstances and which officer was assaulted?

Subject: Re: BOL - Wanted Parolee - Correction From: SCCW To: AKBAR Date Posted: Sat, Mar 13, 1999 at 17:35:35 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: As you probably know, we're not privy to the hard facts other than having sat just outside the perimeter, monitoring radio traffic and being eyes and ears in case he made it over the levy. We do know it involved a female officer and she was not injured. I would imagine she's more upset by the dirtbag getting away then the tussle that was reported earlier today ... we're thankful he didn't go for her service weapon or this could be a far worse incident.

Subject: Deadbeat's Choice From: Dave Jenest To: All Date Posted: Fri, Mar 12, 1999 at 17:06:50 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: It is about choice - The case is U.S. vs. Ballek, 97-30326. Sometimes I rant about the court's failure to consider victims, even when the victims are a community at large! Or taxpayers who foot the welfare bills while bubba sucks up cocaine, burgs my neighbors and collects $624 from SSI for his depression while two moms of his six illegitimat offspring try to go from welfare to work to makes ends meet. Hope does spring eternal - it's a good thing! It's not slave labor to lock up a parent who owes child support and refuses to take a job that would pay the debt, says a federal appeals court. In a 3-0 ruling Thursday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal law, making it a crime to 'willfully' fail to support a child in another state, is violated by a parent who rejects available work. 'Congress did not mean to let absentee parents evade their parental obligations by refusing to accept gainful employment,' said the opinion by Judge Alex Kozinski. The case involved an Alaska man who owed nearly $57,000 in support for three children in Missouri. Although the Constitution forbids imprisonment for debt in most cases, prison can be used to enforce a parent's obligation to a child, 'a matter of vital importance to the community,' Kozinski said. The California Supreme Court reached the same conclusion last year in a case based on state child-support law. Thursday's ruling, which involved the federal Child Support Recovery Act, is binding on federal courts in Alaska, California and the seven other Western states in the circuit.

Subject: One for the Good Guys From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Fri, Mar 12, 1999 at 16:38:41 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: This from today's Cal report: Police report of confession can be used against codefendant. LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Under a prosecution-sponsored law, a police report of a defendant's confession can be used to hold another defendant for trial, a state appeals court has ruled. Changes in state law have repealed a former rule that barred use of one defendant's admissions to incriminate a second defendant, the 2nd District Court of Appeal said Thursday in a 3-0 ruling. The court said a 1990 crime initiative, Proposition 115, included a provision that allowed an experienced police officer who had investigated the case to give a hearsay report of eyewitness testimony at the preliminary hearing, which decides whether there is enough evidence to go to trial. The court also said the former ban on the use of one defendant's testimony against another was based on a concern the jury might give the accusation too much weight. That concern is misplaced at a preliminary hearing, conducted by a judge without a jury, the court said. The court ordered reinstatement of double murder charges against Luis Miranda, accused of taking part in the drug-related shootings of two people in an apartment in suburban Maywood in October 1996. Miranda was released after a judge barred use of the codefendant's testimony against him and dismissed the charges, said his appellate lawyer, Victoria Stafford. She said she has never met him and doesn't know where he is. Prosecutors could seek the death penalty against Miranda. Jose Canela, the codefendant who implicated Miranda and who also admitted firing shots at each victim, was sentenced to life without parole for the two murders, Stafford said. She said she would appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court. The decision is 'one more step in the process of rendering the preliminary hearing an empty formality,' she said. Deputy District Attorney Shirley Sun, the prosecutor, was away from her office and unavailable for comment. According to a statement by Canela to police, reported by the investigating officer, he, Miranda and a third man planned to rob the victims. Miranda pulled out a semiautomatic pistol and either shot or struck one victim in the head with it, and Canela then shot both victims, the statement said. At a preliminary hearing for all three defendants, a Superior Court judge ruled that Canela's reported statement could not be used against Miranda, and that there was not enough independent evidence to connect Miranda to the murders. But the appeals court said Proposition 115 had allowed an investigating police officer to report eyewitness testimony at a preliminary hearing so that the witnesses did not have to testify at the hearing. Once the hearsay barrier is removed, codefendants' confessions can be introduced at a preliminary hearing because the judge 'is presumed to be able to avoid the risks of prejudice posed by limited admissibility,' said the opinion by Justice H. Walter Croskey. Stafford, the defense lawyer, said prosecutors would have to produce actual witnesses at trial and could not rely on hearsay confessions. 'What's the point of having a preliminary hearing if you can present evidence there that can never be presented at trial?' she asked.

Subject: Re: GUN CONTROL From: Hoopla Hoop To: AKBAR Date Posted: Fri, Mar 12, 1999 at 14:50:47 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: You wrote: 'What is really pathetic is that Serna believes everyone will believe that he is doing something honorable in behalf of Bill and his family.' AMEN BROTHER! How many cops do you know that would buy this crap? I doubt Billy would have! The SacBee also wrote: 'Serna said he does not know exactly what form a city lawsuit against gun manufacturers would take. First, he said, he intends to seek City Council approval in principle during a closed-door executive session. (NOTICE HIS PROTECTION OF US FROM THE EVIL GUN OWNERS who might show up if this was on Tuesday night at an open meeting?) Then, the council would direct City Attorney Sam Jackson to research possible ways of fashioning a lawsuit. Jackson said his office would not look to sue over a particular case, but probably would try to assess the cumulative effect of guns used illegally in the city over the course of time, such as the costs to law enforcement in dealing with crimes involving guns. 'All we have to find is negligent or malicious conduct by the industry that has negatively impacted the city,' Jackson said. Such a suit might include manufacturers of guns that are often used in crimes who aggressively market their products here. At least one of Serna's colleagues on the Sacramento City Council likes his idea. 'I can support it,' said Councilwoman Lauren Hammond. 'Although crime is down generally, everybody seems to have an automatic weapon with a lot of bullets in the clip. I say, 'Let's do it.' ' What crock from these three!!! I'll throw my support to wackin a few more 3056's on the real culperts and lock them up for life if we grab them with a gun. Jaaaackson did say one good thing; All we have to find is negligent or malicious conduct! Hell, what are we waiting for? let's sue him, Serna and the rest of city hall for what they continue to do to us!!!

Subject: Re: GUN CONTROL From: Dave To: AKBAR Date Posted: Fri, Mar 12, 1999 at 18:22:35 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: My, my, my, you just don't get it! ;-] This suit isn't about officer Bean. It's about double speak and political hacks looking for sympathy. I almost had a tear when the mayor spoke about the phone call to Bill's family. Then I remember what someone said a few years ago about his alledged statement in his political science class about police officers. You know the one... we're still looking for that source to come up hear and say it. But actions speak louder than words my friends: What if Bill's funeral had been outside the 50 mile limit imposed by management for your department's participation? It's not about parolees packing in this county with impunity and immunity!!! Here's what it's really about: utter abhorance to the expectation of personal responsibility and making 'the other guy' pay up for people's bad CHOICES! California will collect an extra $444 million from the multibillion-dollar legal settlement between 46 states and the tobacco industry!! I smoke, like a dumbass ... but I made the choice to smoke. Why should some scum sucking lawyer get fat on my bad habit? Until a few more soft bellied, born-again, group-hug, save the kangaroo-rat, cop haters are robbed, raped or shot by the Dumbell Wright's of this world, parolees will continue to enjoy the sanctuary of Sacramento. You guys are out there night after night, rolling them up only to see them back out doing us again. I ask you.... no.... I beg you: Come forward, lay it out for public inspection. Why should we have to go down to HQ and pour through the activity logs to find that our neighbors in Franklin Villa are under siege by parolees. March 4th, six of your guys hooked up with BNE, SSD, DOJ and swat to check out 18 parolees hunkered down in the villa for prayer meetings. What did you find? Seven of the bad boys went down for drugs and three weapons were recovered. I was asked by a Bee editor yesterday, how does a guy who's been under fire by a PAL after a pursuit, lost his girlfriend who died in the line of duty and a partner shot by a PAL have it left in him, to come back to work? Good question, no? Our prayers were for the living after Bill's untimely death. Dave was centermost, because I suppose each of the tragic events took their toll on him in ways none of us can imagine. I've come to know another Dave who's life is the streets he loves. The dirtbags are like his 'Peck's bad boys' and their victims, Dave's other family. Nakata's seen his partner shot by a PAL, he's tangled with hundreds of them in my hood, and keeps on going, and going and going. It was fun seeing Dave break in the 'new kid on the block'... but the happiest day here in a while, was to see George back riding shotgun with Dave on late swing. To close this, you'll have a chance to see this and other PAL issues put before City Council April 6th. Council may well use the closed session process to once again 'speak for the citizens of Sacaramento, but we'll put it on the PUBLIC table. While the Serna, Venegas, Campos Law gets debated, maybe rank and file will silently and with real purpose, move Billy Bean legislation to lock these real criminals up for life and reduce the risk for the real cops of California. You know the ones ... that drive chevies and fords, not luxury cars and a desk.

Subject: Re: GUN CONTROL From: SCCW To: Dave Date Posted: Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 11:13:52 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Sacramento: Gun-suit plan delayed A proposal by Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna Jr. that the city consider suing gun manufacturers for the cost to the city of dealing with gun crimes has been put off one week. Serna, who suggested the lawsuit during his annual State of the City address last week as a way to fight back against gun 'carnage,' originally planned to discuss the matter with the City Council during a closed session this week. The council would have to give its approval for the city to pursue a lawsuit. On Tuesday, however, Serna said he would open the session at next Tuesday's council meeting, in response to requests by residents to speak on the issue. The city attorney and the police chief also will advise the council. A handful of large cities around the country are initiating such lawsuits, patterned after the federal government's battle to force the tobacco industry to help pay for health costs of cigarette smoking. --Tony Bizjak

Subject: Re: GUN CONTROL From: John To: SCCW Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 18, 1999 at 20:32:14 (PST) Email Address: fox@rcip.com Message: First, my hat is off to all the line officers of SPD. It has been said so many times, 'Guns don't kill people, people do'! Every attempt possible is being made to disarm the general public, to control CCW's and then to control the people. We have sufficient laws to handle the problem, let the Police do their jobs, then lock the animals up that use guns in the commission of a crime. The Joe Serna's and other liberal policy makers need to get real. Use the resources available and quit trying to find scapegoats and additional money to fund their personal agenda at the expense of those of us that choose to have bad habits, ie; smoking, owning and using handguns, etc. They want more Officers on the street, cut down on management, pay the officers a reasonable salary to risk their lives and families day and night after day and night. Thanks for this forum. John L. Fox Former Chief of Police

Subject: Re: Canine question From: Alan To: Alan Sneed Date Posted: Fri, Mar 12, 1999 at 02:31:39 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: --- I'm new at this community watch stuff and screwed this up already so help me out ok. This morning I worked the center solo for the first time listening to radio calls and reading these messages in here and watching video tapes on neighborhood watch. The radio was more busy then what I remembered from Torrance when I was a volunteer. I was wondering if anyone knows the officer who was injured. I feel sorry for the officer but also the police dog and his handler too. It was nice to hear so many cops volunteer to sit with the guy while he is in the hospital. Another thing I couldn't figure out was what happened. First there was a robbery with five black guys in a white car, a car stop and all of a sudden it was three or four mexican guys in a blue car and what they called a robbery then a beer run and then an attempt robbery? Sounded like it was three different calls all at once. I asked Dave who was out on patrol but I guess when we do that we stay on the channel for downtown and this other stuff happened in the north part of town so he didn't know either. How long will this take the officer off the street, what happens to the dog and his officer partner? Does this happen very often?

Subject: Re: Canine question From: Forum Admin To: Alan Date Posted: Sat, Mar 13, 1999 at 01:55:04 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Thanks for the help last evening... your posts here can be edited while you're still online, but no biggie, Remind me to run thru it next week. On the K-9 matter, it was covered on Fox-40 tonight. The officer is okay, but took some good bites. They kept him overnight as you said. It was the dogs first slip up from reports.

Subject: Fight Back - Turn Around From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 11, 1999 at 15:16:35 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: We want to personally thank Chief Venegas for vindicating us... given his earlier public accusations that the leadership of Community Watch and our 'activities' were illegal. In calling me a criminal, the chief suggested we violated parolee's, drug user's and dealer's expectation of privacy by our 'in your face' and 'on Crook TV' videos. It didn't take Safe Streets and River Park Citizen's Patrol long to march in lock step with the chief and call our methods 'the antithesis of what a neighborhood patrol should be'. Ms Gregson will surely have her pantyhose in a bunch now. Walter Mueller may feel a little relieved having described SCCW's leader by 'Sometimes he has an 'in-your face type attitude' or Dale Kooyman who suggested midtown isn't one bit like River (walk in the) Park, a nest of current and retired police officers, opposed to midtown's aggressive criminal infested 'walk on the wild side'. While the chief didn't call us before council or on the phone to speak of his dramatic turn around, the message is none-the-less clear in the Regional Community Policing Institute's recent actions. They retained Dr. Herman Wrice as Guest Speaker in next months training class and workshops. It's nice that the chief found someone from Philadelphia to come out West and teach us effective measures in crime prevention. You all remember Philadelphia, the city that withdrew it's notorious 'Crime is Down' FBI figures for the last 3 years, and provided the true 'Crime is Up' numbers. Philadelphia by the way, had 3.9 officers per 1000 in 1995. Quoting from a recent press item in Palo Alto Weekly: 'Herman Wrice of Philadelphia came to East Palo Alto last week to meet with both residents and police and tell them about his special method for residents getting rid of neighborhood drug dealers. His method is to be loud and in-your-face. He leads residents with bullhorns and bright lights and video cameras who stage loud--very loud--vigils outside of crack houses, driving the drug dealers batty and, eventually, driving them out of town. Wrice's neighborhood troops, clad in white hard hats and white T-shirts, take to the streets enthusiastically and basically do what the police can't do, by harassing the dealers and making their lives miserable by driving away their customers. Dennis Scherzer of Turn Around East Palo Alto, who has used Wrice's methods since 1992, organized the training sessions for East Palo Alto police officers and community members last Thursday and Friday. Scherzer said that Wrice got involved with fighting drug dealers through an unusual episode. 'Ten years ago, Wrice was a football coach in Philadelphia and found out his quarterback was on drugs,' Scherzer told about dozen officers in last Friday morning's training session. 'He tracked down the drug dealer, broke down his door and drove him out of town. He has dedicated his life to fighting drugs since then.' Wrice said he doesn't bother with the niceties of being polite when he's out on the street or worrying about what people think of him and his methods. 'I have a right to tell you you're a drug dealer and can't sell on my street,' Wrice told the officers. 'I didn't come here under the pretense of being a social worker or a magician. All I am good at is getting people to fight drugs.' He said that a lot is at stake when drug dealers move into a neighborhood. 'Either you take the neighborhoods back, or you give it to (the dealers) and get out,' he said.' SCCW Footnote: THANK YOU CHIEF! Watch for excerpts from Fight Back - a real strategy from a real cop - the FM-22-5 version of our Community Watch training. Maybe now, we'll make so progress.

Subject: PALs & Sector 1 From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Mar 09, 1999 at 21:27:25 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: First pass at the numbers the chief won't give city council. Likely the same numbers that the 'Intellegence Unit' told us to get on our own! Do you suppose it has anything to do with some of these PALs sucking off the social services that offer them shelter, food, medical aid, SSI, clothing, home-boys and privacy? Sector I (Area 1) 310 Registered Parolees 48 Parolees At Large (Wanted) 3.7 Parolees to the total Sector 1 patrol force of 83 officers 44.3 Parolees to the average number of patrol officers on any given shift. Salvation Army / Bannon Mission listed as place of residency! 63 Parolees 17 At Large (Wanted) SPD District 13 - Our Community Watch 'hood! 40 Parolees

Subject: Re: PALs & Sector 1 From: Dave To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Mar 10, 1999 at 22:35:30 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: On the earlier topic of police/parole agent cooperation... we're seeing a lot of effort made in not only snatching parolees up, but making sure new beefs get max impact. Tonight, an officer with a homeless parolee that was bagged with a syringe and pepper spray, got on the radio. He asked for a number to parole for a 3056 hold quiry. Within seconds, a CCAT parole agent was up on 5 requesting the parolee's CDC number and name. He went on to say, no problem he'd do the paper and then, went on to say go ahead, do the crime report 'the syringe will get him a half but the pepper spray will get him a bullet' cop talk for six months vs a year violation. It clear the parole agent wanted to see the cop get the best bust he could for the violation. While the City Manager's office still had not agendized the parolee at large issue as of today, the number of PALs and violated parolees getting hooked and booked continues to rise. If it's even remotely connected to the public's concern over the death of Bill Bean or their own fear of these repeat offenders, that's fine with me. I doubt there's a cop in the city, that doesn't get a lot of pleasure out of taking these failures off the street. Government may posture and preen, but you folks are just plain mean!!! THANK from all of us!!

Subject: 459 Warning From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 19:28:31 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Well, I thought I had heard everything there was to hear on SPD's radio traffic. 3:30 p.m. 'Would you admonish them again, that if they want to live safely in this neighborhood, to get a ringing burglary alarm!' What a statement of our times, when this comes, from one cop to another, answering yet one more burglary call for an upset citizen. This isn't a slam on the cops, it's an indictment of the city that refuses to put enough patrol resources on the street to serve as ANY deterence whatsoever. I'd suggest it's time to put some fear back into the minds of the criminal scum that crawl around this city at night like maggots on a dead animal. For all it's daytime beauty and charm, the underbelly is a harsh reality only cops and victims see. Our city dies at night. Meanwhile, city officials stare blankly, like Bambi caught in the headlights, when we point out the great lie of DOJ's 439 new cops and the $31million in COPS grants. When we prove that the 101 community cops we would lose, absent Measure M, are in fact, a federal/city ploy to legalize supplanting for Clinton's political agenda, Kerth insults us and Cohn acts confused. Well, all said and done, I see someone put up tomorrows council agenda where they expect to approve millions of dollars in new FTE civilian employees, gardening, developement etc etc. Remember when the city said economic development was what we wanted and it was the number one priority... public safety came in a distant third? Each time we go to council to discuss public safety, THEY up the amount THEY say we spend on public safety. 5 years ago, the number was 65% of the general fund discretionary dollars. Last week, Councilman Kerth upped it to 82%. Yet, not one dime was suggested to be spent on new cops with the budget surplus they say we now have ... Ms. Hammond wants an olympic size swimming pool for their community center in Oak Park. Compare Oak Park's crime stats to Midtown Ms. Hammond. Still, we support your resident's call for hooking up John's cars Ms Hammond, to make prostitution shoppers uncomfortable. Why can't you get the ordinance on the city council agenga? Why is Sam Jackson stalling on yet another community mandated call for help in a long battle to take their streets back. Sgt. Mike Cooper fights a good fight in partnership with Oak Park activists, only to see the City Attorney drag his heels. Wake up Mr. Cohn! Crime is once again out of control in midtown while you look helpless and police administrators stonewall even your milk toast requests for data. When will you put your law degree to work for us, and challenge a city attorney's rulings in open council session. I'd suggest you reserve a spot on the April 24th Regional Community Policing Institute and learn that 'confrontation' works elsewhere... it can and has worked here... but who are we to say when your chief calls us criminals for doing what you invite out-of-towners in who've proven it works in their cities.

Subject: A Day at the Bank From: TaxManic To: All Date Posted: Fri, Mar 05, 1999 at 15:50:11 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Too broke to hire cops? Visit City Council next Tuesday, where; 4.3 Staffing increases for Development Services and Technical Services. (D-All) - authorize 18 new full time employees (FTEs) and appropriate budget adjustments for funding 15 additional FTEs in the Neighborhoods, Planning, and Development Services Department, Development Services Division and 3 additional FTEs in the Public Works Department, Technical Services Division for FY 1998/99. 4.4 Planning Staffing increase to meet economic expansion - authorize 4 new full time employees and appropriate budget adjustments for funding the additional FTE in the Neighborhoods, Planning, and Development Services Department, Planning Division for FY 1998/99. or, how about.... 4.5 Arts Stabilization Program. (D-All) 1. Implement the Long-term Stabilization recommendations: A. Appropriate prior and current year set-aside funds totaling $574,310 to develop and implement a long-term arts stabilization program in FY 1998/99; B. Conceptually approve $475,000 for the FY 00 Cultural Awards and Stablization/ Marketing programs from the 0.5% (one-half percent) TOT designated for cultural arts; C. Conceptually approve $62,000 for FY 00 marketing and business planning support for the Regional Art and Cultural Agency from the 0.5% TOT designated for cultural arts; 2. Funding: A. Approve allocation of 1999 Sacramento Cultural Arts Awards program funds ($180,000 City funding approved in FY 1998/99) to 51 arts organizations totaling $440,168 and designating $54,832 for technical assistance, fellowships, and other grants programs; and B. Authorize an agreement between the City and County of Sacramento for the transfer of $125,168 to the County for Re-granting purposes. oh but wait ... get there early so you won't miss these items: 1.2 Award of Services Agreement to Grover Landscape Services, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $850,000 for green waste diversion. (D-All) 1.4 North Natomas Community Facilities District (CFD) No. 2 (Basins 5 & 6) - amended Revenue and Expenditure Budget in the amount of $9,409,277. (D-1) 1.6 (B). Authorize the City Manager and City Clerk to execute a Consultant Services Agreement with CH2M-Hill for an amount not to exceed $617,790. 1.11 Purchase of Fleet Management Information System Software Upgrade and Training in a total amount not to exceed $110,000.00 - suspend formal competitive bidding, authorize the City Manager to accept the results of a request for proposals and to execute the necessary purchase from Control Software, Inc. [requires two-thirds vote] (D-All) Boy oh boy, let's not go out to bid on THIS ONE. Might find some college kid who can make standard business software work where Fleet's don't! If you UPGRADE a p.o.s. what do you have? A more expensive P.O.S. that's a bigger PITA. But what do we know ... let them feed us cake ... what do we need cops for anyway, if we all have cake?

Subject: Internet Power From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 04, 1999 at 22:34:42 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: As I watched Mark 'Hondo' Hedland on the 6 p.m. Team Action News about the cracked out moms, 290 p.c. male role model and CPS once again under fire for gross failures, I was pleased he didn't forget little Adrian Conway. I hope cops who wanted that case in front of the Grand Jury remember it too, and the lack of support we had back then. Rather than launching into the diatribe that scene engenders, and at risk kids walking away from 'protective custody' (oxymoran) I'd rather share a link to someone we met last night in our virtual Community Watch on the net. It's great to know there are people looking for other people who aren't professionals in the clinical terms, but have consider life's experiences to form opinions. It's worth sharing. Click here to read our new friends thoughts on Gangs and Family Values.

Subject: March 2 City Council From: Cops Sub-Committee To: All Date Posted: Tues, Mar 02, 1999 at 00:49:00 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The final report of the COPS Sub-Committee will be turned over to our council representatives tomorrow morning. We will go on the public record seeking a formal agenda item be set for the immediate future for a post Measure M report and accounting by the city budget director and the chief of police with respect to $31 million in federal grants that US DOJ claims funded 439 new officers in the city. The chief claims 101 officers were hired, while document from SPD to DOJ reveal 23 officers were hired.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bumper To: Cops Sub-Committee Date Posted: Tues, Mar 02, 1999 at 04:36:20 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Lots of luck. If it has anything to hide, the City will do everything in it's power to discredit your group, deny you access to records and, otherwise, not cooperate with you. The upside for you is that the head of the City's legal team is Sam Jackson! Look for the City to support Arturo only until it becomes all too apparent that someone's head has to roll...his will be the first. Serna will probably swing the ax personally. Such is the length and breadth of their loyalty.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Cops-Subcommittee To: Bumper Date Posted: Tues, Mar 02, 1999 at 22:23:01 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: After meetings with council throughout the day, e-mails and calls from supportive community members, the city manager's office provided the June 24th letter from Chief Venegas to COPS Director Joe Brann. It was handed to us as we walked into council chambers to request placing the parolee at large (officer safety) issue and a review of the federal grants status on a formal agenda for public review before council in the immediate future. Four of the six member delegation spoke and presented issues. Council members agreed to set a firm date and report back on when that will take place. We attempted to have a date set on the spot, but the City Clerk and City Attorney both claimed such an action by council would violate the Brown Act. There was some back and forth on the numbers cited by DOJ (439 officers) and the 123, or 101 or ??? Councilman Kerth took exception to the USDOJ citing of 439 funded positions credited to the Presidents goal of 100,000 new officers. When a careful review of the resolution letter from the chief is complete, we'll post it in the COPS section. Anyone participating in the Locker Room that would like to share in that review is urged to contact us. Councilman Kerth, off camera, made a rather insulting comment that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing". I'd have to agree with him, only suggest that it's he who has failed to educate himself on the realities of political spin doctors who prey on the public's disinformation deficit. I offered to go head to head with him anytime he's inclined when he sneered that crime was down in midtown compared to his district. Where have we heard that before? There's a chance for some candid dialogue in the near future folks. I hope you'll take advantage of that and put your concerns and issues up here for public review.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bill Baker To: Cops-Subcommittee Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 00:48:57 (PST) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: > We attempted to have a date set on the spot, but the City > Clerk and City Attorney both claimed such an action by > council would violate the Brown Act. This caught my eye. Why would the Brown Act, which is specifically designed to force open meetings, prevent scheduling a future agenda item on the spot? Short answer: it doesn't. From State Code 54954.2.(a): '...Furthermore, a member of a legislative body, or the body itself, subject to rules or procedures of the legislative body, may provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information, request staff to report back to the body at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter, or take action to direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.' Not only is there nothing (that I could find) preventing the council from setting future agenda items on the spot, the Brown Act specifically permits them to do so. They just have to comply with the notification rules.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bill Baker To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 13:16:24 (PST) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: Interested parties may wish to check out the Brown Act pamphlet produced by the California Department of Justice (http://caag.state.ca.us/piu/batest.htm). With regard to legal precedents it's current as of 1994, and I really doubt a court has struck down the specific authorization of legal bodies to set agenda items on the spot in the meantime, so this tenet is almost certainly still in force.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Dave Jenest To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 01:29:52 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Hastings had the same question as you and I, only objected more forcibly. (THAT was not on camera even though you can here Yee ask Hastings about the objection. If you want to see them dodge the bullet, drop by to view the tape. Hell, I even gave them a precedent... NO MATTER!... another willful act against the right of the public to speak. When I brought the video tape showing officer's frustrations, unable to enter a senior complex on the report of a dead or dying resident, I handed it to the City Clerk saying it was two minutes of my three minute 'Citizens addressing city council. The clerk took the tape. During open session, Serna left his chair. He returned much later but before my turn to speak. He said the tape would not be played because such a presentation would violate the Brown Act. He called to Sam Jackson, over my objections, to rule. Jackson said it would be improper too. Serna agreed that the Knox box issue had become an embarrassment. Waters said it was absurd and Cohn said it reminded him of the Keystone Cops. THAT NIGHT, the City manager was directed by council to agendize the matter. That, in my mind, was an appropriate action based on a citizen's request while the prohibition against my presenting taped testimony was not. As I left council chambers. I found two deputy chiefs in the men's room. THIS was 10:30 at night. Do you suppose the mayor, city clerk or someone summoned them there to review the tape? Do you suppose the content so embarrassed the city and police, for a gross violation of public safety, that they didn't want the public to see the tape? Within days, the city was cutting 600 Knox Box keys for the cops in this city. This was something they had waited ten years to get. At this latest council meeting, as the subject of setting the item on the agenda approached, the city clerk and city attorney came huffing and puffing into the room. Her words, not mine, 'we came running back here to be sure the council didn't violate the Brown Act by taking a vote on agendizing this matter tonight... we'll have to get back to you on that.' It's sad, but there doesn't seem to be anyone in this city, willing to fund litigation to protect us from the constant abuses of public law by Jackson and others. The Public Records Act, Prop 209, the Brown Act and others, are bent and twisted under color of Jackson's authority. I would doubt that there's a crime there somewhere, but who's going to defend us? Suggestions anyone?

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bill Baker To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 02:09:55 (PST) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: "I would doubt that there's a crime there somewhere..." Hmmm, let's look at the Brown Act again. Section 54959 reads: "Each member of a legislative body who attends a meeting of that legislative body where action is taken in violation of any provision of this chapter, and where the member intends to deprive the public of information to which the member knows or has reason to know the public is entitled under this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor." That's pretty clear to me. Further, the B.A. code sections on public testimony prohibit interference by the legislative body. That's also pretty clear. Certainly if they were to impose a peculiar and discriminatory restriction on your testimony--say, not allowing you to present a videotape when other members of the public are allowed to freely (which is the case)--that's a misdemeanor. And the body and its constituent members couldn't disprove intent by claiming advise of council. Basically, if you're a cowed member of the council sitting by while Serna runs roughsod over the Brown Act in obviously inappropriate aspects, it doesn't matter what Sam Jackson advises you. You may still find yourself under indictment. All it takes is a referral from the grand jury. You're still on the hook.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bumper To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 21:32:30 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Guys, take a breath, step back and relax. There are numerous watch-dog groups out there who would love to step forward and be your advocate. I told you earlier that the City of Sacramento would clumsily pull out all the stops in their attempts to block, obfuscate and obstruct you from information to which you're entitled. Serna is working his political/legal machinations to protect his interests (Arturo). THAT'S THE FIRST CLUE THAT YOU'RE ONTO SOMETHING THEY WANT TO HIDE! Hook up with one of those interest (pro bono) groups and have them do what the City has failed to do....represent the interests of the citizens of Sacramento.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Jim Hastings To: Cops-Subcommittee Date Posted: Wed, Mar 03, 1999 at 22:46:12 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Jim Hastings 916/443-5076 March, 3, 1999 To: The Mayor and all City Council Members, During the City Council Meeting of March 2, 1999, you requested a copy of the report that was the source of my concerns regarding the number of officers and grant dollars. The report is available on the Internet at http://www.usdoj.gov/copsreadingroom/97_grantee.htm. I refer You to page 14, line item: CA03404 Sacramento Police Department of the report titled “Cops Grant Advisors” from the U. S. Department Of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Grants Administration Division. The availability of this DOJ report was brought to my attention by Mr. Dave Jenest several months ago. Since being made aware of this report, I have tried to ascertain the actual numbers of “sworn” police officers in Sacramento and the methodology used by SPD to account for the sworn officers that were added as a result of the COPS Grants. I assumed that detectives were re-assigned, desk officers returned to the field and that civilians had been hired to take their place in non-patrol functions. My goal was to determine the actual number of new officers on the street and to determine the cost of civilians to replace them in non-patrol activities. Getting the current number of sworn officers and comparing it to the number of sworn officers on patrol before COPS is one of my objectives in asking that this matter be placed on the Council agenda and publicly debated. Perhaps you will be more successful in getting the numbers. I certainly recommend that Council request these specific numbers in writing from the office of Chief Venegas. Not paragraphs of rhetoric - not detectives and civilian employees, but the number of sworn officers that were and are on the street in COPS defined roles at the start of the awards and today. It appears that COPS has provided Sacramento with a minimum of 439 officers and $21 million dollars to get officers hired or reassigned out of offices into the patrol ranks. President Clinton is understandably proud of 90,000 new officers on the street as a result of these programs. Among that 90,000 is our 439. Either we have put these 439 additional officers on the street and spent the $21 million dollars or we have not. In either case we need to advise the COPS Program and the citizens of this city the exact number that we have added as a consequence of this great program. The State of California has also provided SPD with money for COPS type programs. I suppose that they have “counted” the number they have funded -- somewhere. Perhaps Council could ask SPD to provide the public copies of the State contributions to our SPD prior to our requested public hearings. Mr. Yee suggested that the numbers difference may be “just government funny numbers.” I don’t think many people would think the numbers funny if $21 million dollars has been provided for 439 Officers, and we don’t know where the money is or where the officers are. The very least we could do is deny the number and report the true numbers. Mr. Yee also indicated that some 82% of our “discretionary budget” was in police and fire resources. I’m sure he knows his numbers, but do we need SFD ambulance service? Could we out source ambulance service and use that public safety money on for more officers on the street? Do we need to dispatch a fire unit on every non fire emergency call? Are we making public safety decisions on what is good for Sacramento citizens or what is good for Sacramento employees? As Council persons you are keenly aware the good decisions in one environment can change to a bad decisions when that environment changes. You know that good governance is based upon discerning those changes in environment. Crime is down? Maybe – but maybe crime down because we now track and measure “crime” differently? Changing the measurement changes the statistics but not the crime as citizens experience it. Please agendize this important issue. Jim Hastings Attachment: Portions of pages 1 an 14 of the DOJ report (pasted together for brevity) Enlarged lines from that same report pertaining to Sacramento County and City

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Undercover4life To: Jim Hastings Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 04, 1999 at 00:27:46 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Well done Mr. Hastings! Rank and file cops would agree and back you were it not for the iron fist that grips them in fear. Get them away from Matt Power or Big Al, you might hear the truth, maybe. We were grilled, growled at and given written DIRECT ORDERS not to talk to people like you. You might consider a public records act demand for some of those management briefings and memorandum. It's a disgrace the public needs to know. I looked at the document package provided to councilpersons Waters and Cohn by your committee. An impressive and well researched body of work. I also read the now infamous June 24, 1998 missle from one Chief to another Chief eg; Current Art Venegas to former Hayward chief, now Clinton TOP COP, Joe Brann. The letter brought images of two canine 'officers' greeting each other to mind. Need I be more graphic? My read? Two liberals finding a way to bleed on one another and break the rules for birds of a feather. You can bet, a Clinton critic would have his balls busted for doing what this chief did. He'd be looking for a job in the security market by the time JR was through with him. I notice we have a budget surplus and public safety is way down on the liberal list. Swimming pools in Oak Park? Or maybe another homeless shelter, halfway house for parolees. I heard from a source that watched your groups presentation Tuesday. I never thought much of Waters when he was Sheriff or cop here for that matter. Still, you would think Venegas would be leading the charge on parolees killing one of us instead of a group of citizens and an ex-cop. One also wonders why Venegas, if what Waters said was true, is holding back on critical information about the number of wanted parole violators in our city. Why does watchdog know? Apparently, he asked! What's the big deal chief? CCAT got your tongue? Does someone want to do them like the Falcon boys? Well, I guess I better go now; before I slip up and you figure out how many cops fit my writing style and IA knocks on their doors to take their weapons and badges. I don't need 8 months of paid admin leave; I enjoy being a cop more than being in your company or in your cross hairs. Oh! don't bother dusting that keyboard for my prints, most of the gear at GRF or the hall of injustice doesn't work anyway.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bumper To: Undercover4life Date Posted: Thurs, Mar 04, 1999 at 18:01:00 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Kudos to Mr. Hastings and his group. Every taxpaying citizen in this City should leap behind him and support his work. 21 million taxpayer dollars was given to the City of Sacramento to create 439 street cop positions and there isn't a single digit percentage of increase! The City Council and City Manager should open their books to the people they serve and come forth with the reasons why there aren't 439 additional cops! Regarding parolees....Deputy Chief Matt Powers (as an earlier writer contributed) pissed off the downtown State Parole office so badly that they quit sending SPD current PAL (Parolee At Large) packages. The stuff SPD received after the fiasco was worked over files. Parole was right to get upset with Powers' behavior in 'taking over' and dictating as opposed to cooperating. The sad result is that parolees, many facing the 3 strikes rule, are out there armed and running. This may sound like a stretch, but Bill Bean might be alive today if Powers hadn't acted like an idiot with downtown Parole officers. We may have been able to wake up the shooter one bright morning with an interagency raid of hard working coppers and PO's. Keep the truth coming guys and press on!

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Cops Subcommittee To: Bumper Date Posted: Fri, Mar 05, 1999 at 13:08:17 (PST) Email Address: whynot@justicemail.com Message: From the City Clerks Office: 14.0 CITIZENS ADDRESSING COUNCIL AGENCY OR AUTHORITIES BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE OR TELEPHONICALLY ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA (For those wishing to phone in to address the Council, the number is 264-TALK (8255); a three minute time limit is imposed on all speakers addressing the Council under this heading.) 14.1 Dave Jenest spoke in support of increasing the number of police officers in Sacramento to reach the national average of 2.9 officers per thousand population. He requested that an item be agendized to discuss public safety, officer safety and parolees in the Sacramento area. 14.2 Bob Clay, a property manager in the downtown area, spoke of the need for more police officers in the downtown area to deal with increased crime activities. 14.3 Anthony Chaney also spoke of the need for additional police officers. 14.4 Jim Hastings spoke of discrepancies with information on the Internet about the number of police officers provided to Sacramento through Federal grants and the actual number of police officers serving in Sacramento. He requested an item be placed on the agenda to discuss these discrepancies. Councilman Waters stated that he had yet to receive a requested report back on the disproportionate number of parolees in the Sacramento area. He asked that this issue be agendized in the near future. Councilman Kerth requested that staff report back on the issue of officers per thousand population, and if Sacramento was using comparisons similar to other cities. A REPLAY OF THIS MEETING CAN BE SEEN THIS WEEK ON SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1999, AT 7:00 P.M. ON METROCABLE CHANNEL 14. Footnote: The Cops Sub committee reports that SPD's Sgt. Kuntz felt it more appropriate for CDC Parole to supply the data on the number of wanted parolees at large (PALs) to the committee. He stated that more up to date records might be available from CDC as the reason for not responding to the request. That was following his question, 'Did CDC say they would supply you with the information?' We share Mr. Waters frustration. Mr. Cohn encountered the same resistance when he made a request for a report back on the number of Code-12s (No units available to respond to a call) SPD said that data was unavailable. At the Blue Ribbon Committee report to council, the former foreman of the Grand Jury cited similar refusals to supply them with requested documents. We are reviewing Wilder vs Superior Courts 66Cal.App.4th.77, 1998 to see if the Police Department has chronically violated the California Public Records Act in its refusals to supply documents that are public record in other cities.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Dave Jenest To: Cops Subcommittee Date Posted: Fri, Mar 05, 1999 at 13:55:59 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 6250-6270 6250. In enacting this chapter, the Legislature, mindful of the right of individuals to privacy, finds and declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (emphasis added) 6251. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the California Public Records Act. Click here for full text of the CPRA Interested in legislative advocacy for improved officer and public safety? Call 448-4169 We need volunteer's assistance to author and address an Officer Bill Bean resoultion to the state legislature. While pro/con gun lobbiest scrap over meaninless lawsuits against gun makers, we believe in shifting the focus where it belongs: PAL with a gun? Your time has come! ("PAL" means "Parolee at Large" and wanted by authorities - usually for return to prison) LIFE - NO MORE CHANCES to kill a cop!  (or anyone else for that matter)   Parolee with a gun - Your parole is done!   Automatic revocation to full term imprisonment!   Wright the Wrong!   No deals, no plea bargins, reduction to misdemeanor if you pack on parole!

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bumper To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Fri, Mar 05, 1999 at 20:53:39 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: What's a Bill Bean resolution going to do about parolees running the streets? There are enough gun laws out there that address ex-cons packing. Another one makes no sense. Apparently I didn't make my point strong enough in the earlier posting. Deputy Chief Matt Powers set Sac PD apart from the downtown State Parole office with his outrageous behavior at one of their meetings. Following Powers' display of uncooperative behavior, State Parole shipped over 'worked over' and useless PAL (Parolee At Large) packages to SPD. The message was 'screw you and your attitude'. We used to work with Parole in the spirit of cooperation that fosters information sharing. Our CSU (crime suppression units) would load up with fresh, workable PAL packages and nail them with regularity. Parole kept us abreast of 'problem children' and we helped them when they requested it. However, Chief Venegas has decided that our CSU units should be used for Thursday night markets, City Council 'honey do's' and that CSU and SWAT didn't need to chase high risk parolees. Couple that losing enforcement attitude with Powers blow-up and you have a dangerous environment for citizen and cop alike. Why not lay some of the responsibility for Bill Bean's death at the doorstep of the corner office? Why not point to Door Matt and say, 'Hey, you silly bastard...if you hadn't acted like an idiot and pissed off Parole, maybe Bill Bean would be alive and out humping the streets for the losers that make this town unsafe!' Why not say to Venegas, 'Hey, Jefe....get CSU and SWAT hooked up with parole and let's clean the streets of PAL's. In other words, take them off the chicken shit, honey-do's for Waters, Yee and the rest of the council and have them go after crooks! That's why they're the highly trained professionals that they are!' You don't need to create or hire any new cops to do that...all you need to do is let them do their job as it's been done in the past (prior to '93). It's simple...but they won't do it because they don't have a clue how to make cops work.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Dave Jenest To: Bumper Date Posted: Sat, Mar 06, 1999 at 18:11:44 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: There are enough gun laws out there that address ex-cons packing. Another one makes no sense. Okay, let me rant and rave a little! I'm in the mood after three bank robberies just blocks into the county with SPD keeping fingers crossed that there's not one here. (See, it's Saturday, no units available with pending calls) Now, four hours later, another foot pursuit in the north area, can't use K-9 on the convicted felon juvenile burglar and the copter has no FLIR to help in the search. Beeper's on and you can hear the usual happy campers cackling over the dispatcher's voice. Oh well! Back to the future Bumper: As long as one D.A. or judge ignores the remedies available to deal with an armed parolee, all the existing laws are meaningless. That's exactly why we need a Billy Bean bill; to remove discretion from those who would allow Wright's prior gun beefs to just go away. Will it be a tough fight? You bet! Worth it? Ask any number of your peers who've survived being shot or injured by parolees. I thought about your message early this morning as two humping street cops compared notes on the four PALS they bagged on grave yard. About half the scum in midtown that Sector One swing and grave yard units deal with are on parole or are PALS. Del Paso Heights is just as bad, if not worse from time to time. Twice now before city council, I have pointed to Nakata's 62 wanted parolee busts last year within blocks of my home to underscore the size of the problem. Sure he's a 'street monster' as some of you would say, but what if we had the number of cops we should have for a city our size? Why have the number of police department civilian employees grown expotentially over sworn officers? I said it in 1993, as Joe Biden crafted the crime bill ... a plot to civilianize America's police ... just look at COPS More if you don't believe me and hundreds of law enforcement agencies that refused to buy into the b.s. Ask why CSO units have to be 'escorted by patrol' into the G or Strawberry and god know how many other parts of the city. Ask about the Adrian Conway crime scene clean-up. (Since that was back in the news last week) Meanwhile, ask many area's county/state workers why they don't trust social security and don't pay into it. They know why many parolees at large, people in jail, dope dealers and their families collect SSI to subsidize their ciminal conduct in our neighborhoods. They changed the rules in '98 you say? Yep, and the same scum claimed they were now depressed over it, and whoopeeeee... new grounds to restore benefits, retroactively!!! Here in Sacramento, the city's social services rule while advocates and agency leaders for the down and out come forward and attack cops as racists brutal, brutes who beat their 'clients' for up to 45 minutes, stops them just because they ride a bike the wrong way on a one way street, no lights, and then flee from a black and white. Things have changed since you were out here, I think. Since the powers that be are intent on stonewalling every reasonable request we make for public information, I have to assume the present hook and book 3056 strategy between parole and get down street cops is being driven by rank and file. As I type this, a pair of swat guys are hooking up with YA and Adult parole field sups to do a crew in the Franklin Blvd area. One officer was concerned about a dirt bag parolee who launches a blue sheet every time his crib is tossed. The comment, as they agreed to hit them again was, 'Threre's two parole supervisors and probation going with us, so he'll have plenty of people to complain about.' Given the management's propensity to do blue sheets on it's own, it's fair to ask who the enemy is. In my way of thinking, such an action against an effective street cop is a 'Blue Badge of Courage' more than likely and would look good on a resume for ANY other agency. We have a new moto here ... you can yell, but you can't hide! Truth is the great equalizer.

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Bumper To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Sun, Mar 07, 1999 at 07:09:31 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Here's how gun laws get 'bent' by judges and plea bargains. The 'use a gun, go to jail' law required a 5 year enhancement in addition to the sentence for the crime committed. Plea bargains were routinely hammered out that said, 'we'll agree to low term on the crime and concurrent with the use a gun'. Sentences for offenses were lower than they would have been had the gun law not been in effect. Also, that particular gun law did nothing to reduce the number of guns used by crooks...... The DA/enforcement issue surfaced in Mike Cooper's shooting. Dwayne 'Pistol Pete' Logan was a PAL at the time he shot Mike in front of Norm's Liquor in a shooting matching Bill's. He was arrested and booked two days later for attempted murder, assault on a police officer, ex-con in possession. John Daughtery, the DA for Sac County, personally tried the case. He managed to screw it up so badly that Logan was convicted of ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON ON A CIVILIAN! The jury bought the story of 4 jailbirds who lied and said Cooper was pushing Logan around before the shooting and that Logan was only defending himself against the cop. Logan, an ideal inmate in the joint, walked in half the time (good time). In 1989, Jim Lister and Chris Bowman jumped a parolee armed with a gun and got into a brief furious close proximity gunfight in DPH. The parolee had a pocket full of crack and a gun when he was arrested and booked for AWDW at the scene. He did 7 years on the AWDW and walked. This was after the 'use a gun' law. In other words, even the gun law gets dealt down. The point is this...don't put faith in laws. Put your faith, support in the Nakatas, Coopers, Bowmans, Listers, Wagstaffs, Kellers, Beans, Satchwells, Hogges. They are the guys who will hump your street. They will cultivate interagency cooperative strategies for nailing the PAL's. They will put them to bed and wake them up. They will kick their door and drag their drug addicted, worthless asses to the slammer. They will sit, saddled up, with their car windows next to one another in your parking lots, drink bad coffee and come up with a workable scheme to nail the neighborhood asshole. They're the ones who will knock on your door and ask about crooks down the street. You have to support them at every turn.....because, oftentimes, they don't enjoy the support of their bosses. It doesn't surprise me that two cops are working with parole to nail a PAL....they're doing at the line level what isn't being done at the management level. Good for them! I have no reason, based on my experience with DA's and attorneys, to think that another gun law will do anything to effect PAL's. About crime bills.....it's all politics. Joe Biden is a diaper wearing, cry baby Clinton (is RAPE an impeachable offense?) apologist with a social democrat agenda. He wouldn't know a crook from a hamburger. Anything that comes from his office is laced with pork for social programs and 'leveling the playing field' (giving my money to people too lazy to earn it). Clinton's Crime Bill was more of the same. He gave it to political hacks and fellow Dems so that they could pad their budget and used displaced law enforcement money for 'jobs' programs for unemployable drug addicts. There will never be 430 additional cops hired at SPD with Fed money...but they will use Clintonese logic when they say 'we created 430 new COP positions' by terming police officers 'community oriented officers'. Officer Jennifer Look did an excellent piece of work a few years ago while working narcotics. She began collecting information on the number of drug addicted parolees who qualified for Social security benefits solely because of their drug addiction. She was astounded at the number of parolees who were physically fit to work but received SSN benefits due to 'addiction'. They were all slinging and selling at the same time they received the benefit. One guy, a 3 time loser on parole, had a separate bank book that showed regular monthly deposits of $839. When asked he said, 'Hey, that's my SSN check. I just deposit it in the savings account...I don't use it.' He had over $14,000 in that account. Jennifer found other such stories and, like the good narc cop, she seized all assets! California convicts are routinely advised of their SSN rights and how they can collect X number of dollars per month because of their INCARCERATION, DRUG ADDICTION and any other disabilities. Guys like Biden don't look at inmates as anything other than constituents. No more laws....just more street monsters!

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: Michael Levine To: Bumper Date Posted: Mon, Mar 08, 1999 at 03:54:06 (PST) Email Address: Expert53@aol.com Message: Why do crime statistics say crime is down, yet communities affected by drug trafficking continue to be war zones? Why is there so much conflict between communities and police? Why is there so much drug-related corruption among police? Why do so many people feel frustrated at the inability of police to stop the drug trade? Why have many people given up on even calling the police to stop a drug-dealing problem? After almost thirty years of being involved in the war on drugs as an officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration, being responsible for some of that agency’s biggest cases in their history, as well as working street level cases from the Bronx to Miami, and then, after my retirement working as a sheriffs department bureau chief and as a writer, journalist and consultant, I have learned that our war on drugs philosophy of aiming the majority of law enforcement’s efforts at stopping supply (drug dealers), instead of demand (the buyers) simply does not work. Not only is it doomed to continued failure, it creates more problems than it solves. And that, if we are to win a drug war, it will only happen if we have a new battle plan. Why, when a citizen calls the police about drug activity does nothing seem to happen?: To gather enough evidence to arrest a drug dealer—called Probable Cause— requires around the clock surveillance, perhaps undercover operations, perhaps electronic or other surveillance techniques, and may take weeks or months, and the detailing of a dozen or more officers to full time work on the investigation. To free up police personnel for this highly work intensive job would mean removing them from normal patrol duties. Most police departments simply do not have the manpower to fully investigate more than a tiny percentage of the complaint calls they receive concerning drug trafficking. It is simply mathematically impossible. And lets say, by some miracle, the police could immediately arrest every single drug dealer complained about, it would do absolutely no good at all. Why? because the day after the arrests they would all be immediately replaced on the street by waves of others attracted by the huge profits, just waiting for the opening. (see specific examples in Fight Back). This situation will continue as long as our philosophy of going after the unending supply of dealers continues. But there is a solution, which, as opposed to almost everything police across the country are now doing to stop drugs, has proven effective: FIGHT BACK. The FIGHT BACK answer to the scourge of drugs is, first, is to communicate to the community with a drug trafficking problem, that the reason they are so afflicted is NOT the dealer it is the BUYER; that the buyers of illegal drugs are committing a felony and that it is their cash dropped into the community that buys the guns and bullets that kill children (often just a few feet from where the illegal drug buy was made) and turn that very community into a war zone; that it is the buyers’ cash that brings an unending supply of drug dealers into the community in the first place, not vice versa. Second Fight Back focuses the communities resources and energies in an effort, similar to those that have been used effectively to rid communities of johns (prostitution customers), to rid itself of drug buyers. Because an amazing thing happens: when pressure is put on the buyers, the dealers, like the prostitutes, disappear. (See 109th Street Experiment from book). Are we not told daily that drugs are the worst enemy of our society today? And, is it not a felony to give aid and comfort to the enemy? Did we not ostracize all those who did business with Apartheid South Africa? How can we not realize that the buyer of illegal drugs is the fuel for this drug scourge; that he is a lot more directly and immediately damaging to our community in every way than most of our traditional enemies, and that without him we have no drug problem? And as we showed in the book, the majority of buyers (85%) are easily dissuaded without prosecution and/or jail—they are the so-called casual users. The hard-core users (15%) are usually those committing the majority of crimes, many of them violent, many committed within a short distance of where they buy their drugs. Hard-core addicts usually have lengthy criminal records, often for violent crimes, and must be controlled by the judicial system for the safety of the community. Third, Fight Back creates a community-police Partnership aimed at making your community a hostile place for the drug buyer; a partnership wherein community volunteers become the professionally trained 'eyes' and 'ears ' of law enforcement, (i.e. specially trained auxiliary police) which means they receive training in all phases of narcotic investigation, including the use of technical equipment such as radios and video cameras. The community itself becomes the deterrent. The result of a fully operating Fight Back anti-drug trafficking plan is that wherever and whenever a drug business is opened in your community, it is quickly identified with professional quality, accurate reporting by a trained core of civilian volunteers, dramatically increasing the effectiveness of the local police effort. Another side benefit of trained community watchers is that hard-core, crime committing addicts are identified by the community, as they make multiple purchases of drugs. Why is this important? Because we know that hard-core addicts are committing crimes, often within a short distance of where they buy drugs. Thus local patrol officers can be armed with the license numbers and descriptions of hard-core addicts on the prowl. Fourth, under a Fight Back program, Law enforcement, to complete its part of the partnership, must form one specialized enforcement squad that works in cooperation and partnership with the community squad, training it, encouraging it, and responding to the community group's information with, from time to time, police action against buyers, thereby giving the threat “teeth.” You can call them an 'Angeling-off' squad after the technique described in my book. Once the community has identified a drug dealing location, the Angeling- off squad immediately goes into action. They set up an ambush. As the drug buyers leave the location carrying drugs, they are arrested for possession and, when on wheels, their cars seized. When I set up this type of operation while working for the Drug Enforcement Administration, we would usually seize more than enough vehicles to pay our salaries and then some. (Story of NYC community meeting and car seizure operation). The buyers are then given the 'opportunity' to testify against the dealer who had just sold them the stuff. You will find most buyers are either frightened people with jobs and families, or hard-core addicts with long arrest records, both categories of which will be quite willing to testify to get themselves lenient treatment. The last guy to get arrested is the drug dealer, after his business has slowed to a trickle. Once the community spreads the word that drug buyers run a real risk of being arrested, via local media, well posted signs, people wearing community organization shirts, blazers, etc., seen on the street with video cameras and/or or in community organization patrol cars, (the “Circle of Fear” as described in the book), you will find, as I did, that drug buyers will go elsewhere and dealers and suppliers will follow. Your drug-related crime statistics will drop drastically as happened in Charleston, South Carolina under police chief Ruben Greenberg and as is happening as I speak in Natchez, Mississippi, under the leadership of City Councilman Paul O’Malley and in at least one community in Sacramento, California, now employing Fight Back tactics under community leader, David Jenest. How does FIGHT BACK stop police corruption and violence ? The FIGHT BACK program by combining police and the community as crime-fighting partners will limit opportunities for corruption, in that the police will be responding as partners to the, not as an independent invading force. Community members will be aware of ALL problem situations in their midst and will take part in their resolution. The police will be responding directly to the needs of the community with full knowledge, understanding and agreement of the community. There should be NO opportunities for independent contact between law enforcement and drug dealers, thus no opportunities for corruption. One of the principal reasons behind the violence between police and the communities they serve is the fact that police are acting as an invading force, working independently of the community they serve. They perceive the community as antagonists protecting the drug dealers and other criminals in their midst. The community is not to be trusted. Drug dealers and other types of criminals take advantage of the police-community separation for their own gains. In the end both the police and the community lose. The Fight Back program, on the other hand, creates a partnership whereby the police train the community to work as their partners with one focus and one common enemy. As the community learns the realities of the law enforcement officer's job and the law enforcement officer learns the fears and needs of the communities through first hand contact with individuals, feelings of mutual understanding and respect will replace those of fear and alienation. It is no longer the police entering the community as an invading force, they are working as partners of the community toward a common goal. Once the community sees that an effective plan to stop crime has been put into place, anger, frustration and fear will be replaced by a new found hope. How does a FIGHT BACK program serve as the best crime prevention program available? Statistics tell us that as much as 80 percent of all crime is drug related, crack alone accounts for 60 percent. Thus, by arresting hard-core crime committing felons (some armed) with lengthy police records; people who will have to commit five and six crimes a day to support their habits, the police are given their best opportunity to catch dangerous felons BEFORE they commit their next crime, and, if the individual case warrants, put them into treatment as an alternative to prison. I had the misfortune of having lost both a son and a brother to drugs. My son, a New York city Police Officer, was killed by one of these crime committing addicts, a man who was on the streets after having committed two previous homicides—a drug buyer. A “victim” of drugs. My brother was a heroin addict for 19 years, kept on the streets and addicted by a legal system that considered him a “victim.” He ended his misery with a bullet to his own head. If a Fight Back Program had been in effect, both my brother and son would be alive today. Fight Back makes sense no matter how you look at it—both common sense and dollars and cents. As some communities are already learning it works! FIGHT BACK ANTI-DRUG PROGRAM WEB SITE: http://idt.net/~dorisaw

Subject: Re: March 2 City Council From: JLFox To: Michael Levine Date Posted: Sat, Mar 27, 1999 at 09:45:48 (PST) Email Address: fox@rcip.com Message: Michael is absolutely correct, while a Chief in a small Northern California Town, we had a crack house that it was impossible to get sufficient evidence to shut down, I had the officers sit across the street with a camera (not even any film), when a buyer came up, the officer stepped out of the patrol car and snapped a pic. Within 3 days, the dealers source of income dried up he snuck out of town during the night. It does work, dry up the source of income and the problem seems to vanish. Also have you noticed we have a 'War' on Drugs, a 'War' on poverty, a 'War' on illiteracy, do you suppose that has anything to do with the President's having the power under the 'War & Emergency Act'? Maybe we need to forget the word 'War' and get back to Congress having that power under the Constitution and remove it from the president. That is just a thought. And consider what Michael has said, it could well be a beginning solution to the problems of drugs and drug dealers in the neighborhoods, remember how effective the Prostitute was resolved on Auburn Blvd, when they went after the 'John's', it's about time for a program that works. This Cop mentality, 'Us against them', meaning dealing with the average Citizen, needs to be replaced by 'Us & Them' working together as a team to make our jobs better, safer and their neighborhoods better places to live.

Subject: DoubleSpeak - Now it's our kids! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 25, 1999 at 13:31:28 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Crime is Down! Sure, sure... duh! If adults buy into it, maybe we can pull it off on our children too! Only one problem... they're not asking kids how they feel and the proof is in their own words! The Bee, in reporting decline in violent school campus incidents guotes 'the third annual California Safe Schools Assessment, released Wednesday by the state Department of Education. The report, which covered the 1997-98 school year, showed a 12 percent increase in the number of weapons confiscated at schools, fed largely by an increase in knives found on campuses. 'California is doing a better job in promoting and securing safe schools,' state schools Superintendent Delaine Eastin said, adding she was disappointed to find no improvement in the drug and alcohol category. 'That is a chronic and severe problem in the state of California.' 1. If kids feel safer because crime is down, how do you explain an increase in weapons violations? 2. Fact: Where drugs and alcohol abuse is high in a community, crime is higher! Are they saying this is not true of school 'communities'? Now our new AG weighs in ... see, crime is down, let's prove it since we said it, but spend more money to 'reduce it more' 'In a joint news conference, Eastin and California Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced the formation of a task force that will study ways to further reduce crime in schools. They want the panel to study programs that reduce violence, as well as safety measures such as surveillance cameras, metal detectors, peripheral fencing and additional police.' WAIT A MINUTE ... didn't you say crime is down? The only truth between the lines comes from this hint ... 'Eastin called the report a solid indicator of school crime patterns. However, she and her staff noted it does not provide a completely accurate picture because data are self-reported by districts, which vary in the way they interpret reporting categories and reveal campus crime levels. For example, when the state reviewed separate data kept by districts on suspension rates for drug and alcohol offenses, it found the Safe Schools Assessment captured about 78 percent of the offenses that should have been reported. Two local districts -- San Juan Unified and Elk Grove Unified -- were among those found to have discrepancies that indicated they had under-reported those offenses, said consultant Jean Scott.' Remember when parents asked for school crime reports but were stonewalled? I heard that DC Matt Powers finally weighed in on the complaint that school police officers were not allowed to obtain crime report numbers from dispatch... second-class coppers? (Real good way to reduce crime stats, huh?) The excuse, offered in the past, was that school cops would forget to do reports and screw up Records. (what's the beef, Records loses reports filed by regular officers all the time... crooks walk and cops have to start all over again) It's about time for school cops to get the respect they deserve and curb the distortions of public officials. Some might say we've lost middle and high schoolers anyway, so why bother? To them, 'bunk ' is the most polite four letter word that comes to mind. While politicos slap each other on the back and sniff one another, our kids are paying the price. They watch adults play them off with high sounding remarks, well intentioned bs and laugh at them. Meanwhile, the juvenile courts exact meaningless dribble, idle threats and offenders reoffend with impunity, parents walk with no attaching liability and victims remain victims of a system collapsing under its own weight. Tell them crime is down! The report is available on the Department of Education's Web site:Click here if you enjoy fiction at taxpayer's expense. Footnote: Parolees, parolees, parolees... while we talk about kids feeling safe at school, scool crime and 11 year olds packing guns and knives; consider another case in the same Bee edition: Jess Perry West pleaded no contest Wednesday to murdering 47-year-old Michael Logsdon in front of dozens of horrified children and parents outside Creekside Elementary School in the Arden-Arcade area. West was sentenced on the spot to life in prison without parole. In return for his plea in Sacramento Superior Court, the possibility of receiving the death penalty was dropped. ... In years past, West, a parolee, had served time for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping. Another gun totting parolee ... wonder how many gun beefs he had (like cop killer Wright) before this murder in front of our kids.

Subject: 'DWB' ? ? ? From: maxx To: All Date Posted: Wed, Feb 24, 1999 at 23:08:41 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I was stunned and amazed regarding the article in Tuesday's Sacramento Bee: bridging the minority gap. Particularly Deputy Chief Matt Powers comment of the 'Archie Bunker' mentality which still exists in SPD. To compare a professional group of police officers to a racist like Archie Bunker is prejudicial. Is DC Powers relaying to the citizens of Sacramento how he operated as a patrol officer? If he honestly believes the officers of SPD are operating with an 'Archie Bunker' mentality, then why would he not take the necessary steps to correct this unacceptable behavior? I'd like to know when the last time DC Powers was in a patrol car, made a vehicle stop, or even witnessed a vehicle stop. I'd also like to know where the stats are to back up his statement that more minorities are pulled over. I don't recall a field requiring the entry of a race on the computer screen in the patrol car... someone help me out here. Please tell me Matt hasn't once again inserted his big foot into his big mouth!

Subject: Re: 'DWB' ? ? ? From: Bumper To: maxx Date Posted: Fri, Feb 26, 1999 at 11:37:13 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Matt Powers is like the rest of his contemps...he will play political double speak and be as politically correct was his milk toast butt will allow. Matt, as a police officer, was like a goose...he kept his head upward in the rain. Geese are also herd animals (like SPD management). It's convenient for testicular deprived white police commanders like Powers to mouth crap like the 'Archie Bunker' statement. It endears him to all the minority groups that regularly scream at City Council folks. The Al Sharpton's and Maxine Waters (poverty pimps and welfare warlords) of the world love guys like Matt. They grind their racist anger and spite into Matt's soft underside at every opportunity. He's their door Matt. Every white officer on the department could stand up and complain...to what avail? DC Al Najera made a racist, sexist remark about MAWB's in a meeting a few years back and went unpunished. He said, to those assembled, that 'MAWB means middle aged white boy and we've got enough of them already!' The City Manager, Chief of Police and City Attorney were all notified of that insidious, inflammatory remark and they did nothing! Powers has plenty of company when it comes to saying hurtful, racist remarks.

Subject: security issues From: Vincent Dominguez To: All Date Posted: Tues, Feb 23, 1999 at 20:06:05 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I would like to address thee isues concerning security officers or guards you could say. It is in my mind as a security officer that certain issues must be paid serious attention to. I beleive that there are security companies that are hiring people that should not be in the security bussiness in the first place; such as people who are unknown/known felons. There are guards to this day who are watching over public and private institutes that are hired by security companies. Security companies that dont take care into really knowing more about the people they hire to place at certain sites to guard. It is because some security companies need guards to watch over the company's clients property so the company makes money from clients that contract such security companies. This is dangerous and security companies need to do serious background checks on their employees. But some companies don't care as long as they have guards to watch their clients property/bussiness in order to make money. The result? They hire guards to bring in the dough and to expand their contracts regardless of their past. Just as long as they have someone watching their clients property. I could name a few such security companies but I won't. Another issue to be brought up is when good guards are hired. Such as an example that I will be showing right now. A guard is confonted by a store shopper and is harassed by the shopper. Well the guard does the right thing by telling the shopper to just go shopping but the shopper contiues on with the nonsense. The guard then tells the shopper to leave the property. Then the shopper wants to speak to the store manager. The shopper complains to the manager and threatens to sue the store for harassment. What happens? Well the manager makes good on the threat and calls up the security company telling the company that they don't want this guard at the store anymore. Then the company talks to the guard and suspends them or fires them so the company won't lose their business with their clients. A good term is used for this. Expendable! To security companies guards are expendable. This is an issue that needs to be discussed the most besides what type of people are hired. Now I saved the best issue for last and that is training. Approximately seventy five percent of security companies that hier people to be a guard, don't train them well. Unfortunately a lot of people, when they see a guard at a site, think the guard is trained. Except for the weopons they carry, they have little training. Guards need training in making citizens arrests and handling certain predicaments that they face at their site. Most of the time a guard is hired, placed at a site and told that they are preventing thefts. Then they are told "they can't do this and they can do that, etc." Fine and dandy... in the first place, a guard's duty is to observe and report. But what about extreme and unknown situations? They need to know and understand the law. Example: codes for trespassing, the difference between petty theft, burglary and robbery Facing a crowd of people or just one person requires good judgement and communication skills. Guards need to be trained how to handle mental stress in dealing with various situations. Guards need to be trained on their social skills too. I have seen guards with bad attitudes while they are on duty. I have seen guards act like cops because they have a badge. They aren't police officers! I have seen guards present themselves with hostility. Examples range from having their chest bared out, swagger, to getting in someone's face. Maybe that's why many people stereotype security officers. As a security officer I know. I've had people come up to me and talk about the way guards are towards them when they were on duty. I would apreciate your comments. what suggestions can you offer?

Subject: So Art ... our tactics illegal? From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Feb 23, 1999 at 19:04:19 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I'm so pleased to see our Regional Community Policing Institute feature Dr. Herman Wrice as their guest speaker, April 24th. at the RCPI Community Partnership for Safety Forum. It's time someone put the American Criminals Liberty Union in their place! Drug Dealers Sue Texas Town For Helping Anti-Drug Group After several years of threats by the state ACLU against small cities and towns in Texas, a lawsuit has been filed against the City of Plainview (pop. 24,000) for assisting the anti-drug protests of a local community group. The group, 'Turn Around Plainview,' is part of an informal 'Turn Around America' network organized by Herman Wrice of Philadelphia that has successfully used Gandhian techniques of non-violent confrontation against drug dealers across the country. The Wrice groups hold marches and vigils at crack houses and other drug sites. Wrice, a former high school sports coach in a low-income neighborhood, began developing these direct-action methods after watching in frustration as the lives of several of his star athletes were ruined by drugs. The ACLU has charged that any governmental assistance to Wrice's protests violates the privacy rights of drug suspects. It has objected to the police providing the marchers with information about drug activity and even the protesters' use of meeting rooms in public housing projects. However, Texas' Democratic Attorney General Dan Morales has ruled that it is proper for the police to share information with community groups. CCI has successfully represented Wrice's marchers in previous cases in Texas and Ohio.

Subject: 148 pc Newly Defined From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Feb 23, 1999 at 16:18:52 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Never fear, the medico's here!! I thought there were no more suprises left in Scarycramento... until this afternoon. Yet another 'At Risk Missing Person' walk-away from one of the musical chairs medical facilities. Put out as an 'all units', the juvenile who elected to take a powder from one such liberal lodge was described as having 'Post Traumatic Stress Oposititional something-or-other'. So thanks to a medical label all the 'at risk' triggers will be pulled for what's likely a spoiled brat who has an authority figure problem. Wait till the jail nurse hears this one! Kiss 148's goodby, say hello to mental health taxi rides. Trade those Public Administration degrees in for a social services psch major if you expect to cut it here.

Subject: What now? From: maxx To: All Date Posted: Wed, Feb 17, 1999 at 23:44:41 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The long winded pastor at Billy Bean's funeral did ask a question that I just can't get out of my mind....'What now'. That applies to so much of what is going on in the current Sacramento Police Department. We are only a shell of what we used to be, the pride we all carried when wearing the uniform. I've heard it said before that the rank and file have two wars to fight..the criminal element and then the administration. It's is totally amazing to me how one person, with his own warped perceptions can change an entire organization of tradition and pride. It is actually very sad to look at where we are today. I understand that things change, but this is terrible. The unfortunate part is that it will take 10 years to undue the damage that step-father Venegas has done to this family.

Subject: Re: What now? From: Bumper To: maxx Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 18, 1999 at 05:55:48 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I've been to a dozen cop funerals and it seems like every one of them has a preacher who wants to quote every scripture and move every female cop present into sobbing seizures! I guess they view funerals as weekday practice for Sunday sermons, hell I don't know. I've heard their question, 'What now?', asked at each funeral and I thought to myself....'What now, what?'. Billy Bean was a good kid but he was a cop. He had a circle of buddies that thought the world of him, he worked a tough job, he paid his taxes, lived out some dreams...WHAT ELSE SHOULD THERE BE IN LIFE? I quit going to cop burial services because of the question 'What now?'.......it infers that there should have been more and that's just a crock of crap. About Venegas ruining Sac PD. That may be a big reach. Apparently you didn't sit on the SPOA board when Assistant Chief Finney was screwing every cop that came along with unreasonable discipline (and then chortling about it with his contemps). I guess you missed Tony King's depositions where Kearns was asked hundreds of questions about his training program (including field training) and he dumbly replied 'I don't know....I leave that to my subordinates.' (The reason Jack developed amnesia was the training program was key to King's case...). Assistant Chief Finney proudfully sat on the City's negotiation team and bargained against the interests of police officers and their families. Assistant Chief Finney encouraged subordinate managers to be less than truthful at depositions ('If you don't review your reports, you can truthfully say that you don't remember.') Finney was so upset with Lt. Gaithel Ware's honest testimony on the stand that he told him, 'You won't make captain because you remembered too much.' The key here isn't that one bad apple ruined the bunch....it's that one bad apple RAN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT IN A DISINGENUOUS, DECEITFUL AND UNETHICAL MANNER. The 'tradition' you speak of has its roots in the police officer, not the chief's office. Kearns and Krew were as bad and dysfunctional as Senior Venegas, just in different ways. . You can rail against it but to no real avail. You can be as right as rain but it won't matter because they will line up snakes like Segura, Najera et al to 'dispute' the truth (we live in a Sophist society). Go to work, saddle up and work your beat. You'll get more out of life than them and feel better about it all when your days are fading. That may seem like small measure now, but I think Billy Bean's thoughts might have drifted that way toward the end.

Subject: Re: What now? From: gdavis To: Bumper Date Posted: Fri, Feb 19, 1999 at 15:47:50 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I have to agree with Bumper about 'tradition' having its roots at the police officer level. We can't depend on a politicial in uniform to instill in the rank and file a sense of tradition and honor. The 'upper crust' have their own agenda which is to save their own ass. Often this is done at the expense of rank and file. I am a transplant to the SPD having worked for a Bay Area police agency first. We got rid of one chief and brought in another thinking it was the answer to all of our prayers. At first things were good, but slowly and surely things went right back to the way they were. The save your own ass politician with a gun theory strikes again. I don't know what the answer is and I'm not sure if anyone really does. Doing the job we've sworn to do and developing a sense of pride and tradition among ourselves might be it.

Subject: Re: What now? From: LETS Officer Safety Workgroup To: gdavis Date Posted: Sat, Feb 20, 1999 at 16:55:38 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: There is a challening 'What Now' folks ... same as after Deputy Frank Trejo was gunned down by Robert Scully, a reject parolee at large from Pelican Bay. Recent events bump up the awareness a tad, sadly, just a tad. Anyone want to help with the legislative agenda? (like one of your own did in uniform before the Legislature in 1995) To some people, what you think and say if FAR more important than the hollow words of politicos. I do think there's room for a Billy Bean Bill, just as a community supported a Megan's Law and Montoya Bill. Call, e-mail or just borrow the video to see what CAN happen if a team effort is made.

Subject: OfficerBEan From: Gene Taylor To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 11, 1999 at 14:02:35 (PST) Email Address: gstaylor1@aol.com Message: To the family, friends, and comrades of Officer Bean: I and my family wish to offer you our sincere condolences. The loss of this courageous young man is profoundly felt even by those who did not know him personally but benefited by his presence on the Sacramento Police Force: Sacramento citizens

Subject: Officer Bill Bean - David-47-908 From: Dave Jenest To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 11, 1999 at 11:02:53 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: At the National Law Enforcement Memorial, in our Nation's Capitol, a plaque bears this inscription: 'It's not how these officers died that made them heroes, but how they lived. Officer Bill Bean Jr. was the epitome of those words. His zest for life was evident in all of his endeavors. His loss and a community's sorrow cannot be explained in mere words. It represents not only the removal of a trace in the thin blue line, but a strand in the social fabric that binds us all together. We offer to Bill's family, friends, classmates and fellow officers our sincere condolences. Celebrate what he was in life, for surly he has passed into the arms of God having left a place he served so well. His memory will live in all your hearts and those he touched as one of Sacramento's finest.

Subject: Re: Officer Bill Bean - David-47-908 From: Abe Low To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 11, 1999 at 12:42:25 (PST) Email Address: LowA@csus.edu Message: That Officer Bill Bean Jr. died so suddenly and so young is tragic. That he lived a life worthy of emulation is grand. My condolences go everyone who loved him. Abe Low

Subject: Officer Bean From: L. Smith To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 11, 1999 at 08:08:27 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Officer Bean. My concern is for the safety of all as I know was this fallen officer's concern.

Subject: CODE 900 - Officer Down From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Feb 09, 1999 at 21:06:40 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: ATTENTION SPD OFF DUTY OFFICERS - Code 900 Officer down as of 8:25 p.m. Click on this Link to hear actual call. NORTH AREA - Officer is enroute via Life Flight - condition unknow. Channel 4 is dedicated to the search for the suspect. CP setting up at Kightlinger, south of Morey. The officer was shot across from 704 South Ave.   Shooting Scene as of 10:50 p.m. With great sadness and our condolences, we report that officer Bean has died from wounds sustained by a suspected 9mm semi auto handgun. Family and friends are with SPD staff and chaplins. Chief Venegas is reported enroute back from Fresno where he's been today. Media reports attributed to the PIO that a possible suspect was involved in the stop that took this officer's life have been recanted at the moment. The alleged suspect called the Sheriff's Department to advise he'd been home all evening. We will update information as it happens. 11:08 Officers and K-9 are checking a prowler report where resident reported that someone knocked on her rear door shortly after shots were fired (resident at 700 block of Kesner). Resident reports garage door was open and is now closed. A house to house search and evacuation is underway, supported by Sheriff's H20 and SPD Air-1 copters. Suspect is described as a male black adult, tall (5-10 to 6 feet) The officers originally attempted to make a traffic stop on the suspect's vehicle. There was a short "slow speed failure to yield" according to Deputy Chief Larry Gibbs. The vehicle stopped. The officer in the passenger seat of the unit approached when the fatal shots were fired from the suspect's vehicle or in a foot pursuit immediately thereafter. 11:35 p.m. - There has been reports pouring in from concerned and watchful residents about barking dogs and unusual sounds in backyards. PD, CHP and Sheriffs are following up on each. The house to house continues, reaching to within three houses of the original shooting scene. In a bazarre turn Sheriff's are detaining a suspect sought in connection another SPD 187 (homicide) from March 1998. The subject was trying to exit the tight perimeter when he caught the attention of Sheriffs' deputies. 11:50 p.m. - The lengthy search is taking its toll on police equipment. Batteries are fading for radios and flashlights. The swat vans and Command Post are arranging back up as needed. The efforts of all personnel are clearly focused on apprehending this armed and dangerious cop killer. Our prayers are with you all. Updates as they emerge. We've received one call from a former SPD officer who works down south. Keep checking in bud, we'll try our best to keep you all posted. If you need to call - use the hotline 916-448-4169 or 916-444-0103 for a radio feed. 00:05 a.m. Officers have just cleared 717 South Ave as their house to house search of the inner perimeter continues. Officers obviously have not had Code7 chow all evening, hot coffee is being distributed to some by CSO's and PD is asking the City to open the community center for support and logistics. Meanwhile, CHP and Sheriffs are assisting Sector 4 with calls for service. The teamwork couldn't be more evident than it is now, sad that it's brought on by such tragic circumstances. 00:10 a.m. The search continues Early news reports about the vehicle pursuit make us wonder about what happened to the car? The unit had ran a plate that came back to an Oldmobile just before the stop. It's unknown if detectives have followed up on that lead. 00:20 a.m. PD is looking for a vehicle that attempted to black out and leave the area while other leads continue to flow into the Communications Center. Sheriffs and SWAT are following up on each. A caller just advised that her phones and lights just went out and her dogs are barking in the 2000 block of Renee Ave. 00:45 a.m. Air units are going down for fuel and crew changes. They will be resuming in a few. Off duty officers are calling in to volunteer for relief and search teams. The inner perimenter has been all but cleared as the pattern stretched outward. I'll be taking a break unless there is a hot development. 01:10 a.m. H-20 is back on scene. There was some traffic earlier as I reviewed audio logs on the computer. It seem the registered owner of a possible suspect vehicle called SPD to complain that the person that had her car had not returned home and was missing. Detectives must be working that lead because we've heard nothing further. One would think, if you had a vehicle, K-9 would have been hot on the trail from scents left behind. Just a few minutes ago, a more detailed description of the suspect and his clothing was updated. We're left to assume that came from the officer's partner or back up. 01:20 a.m. Search teams have broken up into two teams as the area spreads. Officers are checking an attic in a house, alerted to something suspicious. K-9 is checking a crawl space. 01:25 a.m. Radio traffic on both 4 and 5 and Tac 1 has groiund to a hault. I'd like to have uploaded the initial moments of the call, but the file is to large to even load into memory. The log which pauses when there's no traffic, is 2 hours fourty six minutes of continuious audio. We I figure out how to parse it, it will be available. I can't imagine how SPD officers handle this so calmly after the intitial call. 1:30 a.m. Break may have just come ... green pants or shorts believed to have been worn by the suspect have been found under a car at 704 Kestner... Beeper on ... Suspect located ... at gunpoint! 1:32 a.m. Suspect in custody .. weapon recovered!!!! More in a minute !!!! 1:35 a.m. A field show-up is being set up, but officers continue the search and are maintaining the perimeter. We're just now learning that another suspect has been detained from earlier and IV units say he's an integral part of the investigation. The suspect taken into custody had shed clothing... except the red cap and the weapon. Lincoln 4 just had KMA announce the field show-up was about to take place and that a Code 10 could be issued as early as twenty minutes from now. DC Gibbs asked KMA to inquire if the suspect had be injured in the course of arrest??? It's now suggested that the second subject held for investigation may be Christopher Wright, the earlier named suspect. There was some speculation earlier that the shooter had told officers his name was Christopher Wright before the foot pursuit took place. Detail are still sketchy at best. 01:53 a.m. Sam-1 just called for a tow of the SPD unit and the suspect vehicle... guess that solves the vehicle mystery. Channel 4 announced Positive I.D. on the shooter. Code -10 on the search but the perimeter is being held because local media has broken out of the Community Center press staging area and were seen trying to get inside the crime scene. Units are awaiting the Code-10 so that weary evacuated residents can be shuttled back to their homes. As this winds down, I'm still scrathing my head about a call I got after the 11 o'clock news. "They really go all out when a cop ges shot" the caller said. Well, maybe she learned something ... What's happened here tonight is proof how little many of the public understands what you're doing out there for them. Sure, everybody wanted to see this guy go down ... but the people who live on Kesner and Knigthlinger must appreciate the massive lock down of the area, evacuations right under the armed suspects nose from his place of hiding. You kept an armed and dangerious fugative from escaping or taking as hostage some curious resident. 02:25 a.m. Residents are returning home ... safe from harm's way. One Sacramento Police Officer goes with God tonight ... the ultimate sacrifice to the citizen's he served. You are in our prayers as are your loved ones, family and fellow officers.

Subject: Re: CODE 900 - Officer Down From: WasOne To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Feb 10, 1999 at 15:33:31 (PST) Email Address: N/A Message: GREAT JOB COVERING THIS TERRIBLE INCIDENT. THANKS

Subject: Pissed off From: P.O.'dP.O. To: WasOne Date Posted: Fri, Feb 12, 1999 at 18:45:24 (PST) Email Address: - Message: You do damage to every cop in this city by empowering this guy. If you believe for a minute any deputy chief would ask if the suspect was injured while a cop was killed, you belong in the nut house with this guy.

Subject: Re: Pissed off From: Bumper To: P.O.'dP.O. Date Posted: Sun, Feb 14, 1999 at 17:38:29 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The managerial pattern and practice of SPD managers to focus on use of force issues is well established, be they in a murder suspect's arrest or a shoplifter's arrest. Jerry Finney ROUTINELY read every 148 PC arrest report written, kept a 148 log on officers, copies of the reports and kept the City Attorney (Sam 'Bam' Jackson) abreast of his 'findings'. Jerry also logged 243 and 245b reports. He commented, oftentimes idiotically, about them (files) and his policies to officers during AOT, following roll call or at any other venue that he felt compelled. Once, in AOT, Finney said flatly 'An officer is never justified to STRIKE A SUSPECT WITH THIS HAND OR FIST.' Kurt Campbell called him on it by presenting the most extreme example of an officer being throttled by the suspect, with no other alternative available other than to strike to bad guy with a fist. Finney said that such an event would result in disiplinary action up to and including termination. The entire assembly of officers openly laughed at him. The people who are now Deputy Chiefs of Police for SPD were, and continue to be, close friends of Jerry Finney. Matt Powers vacations with Jerry. Najera and Gibbs' careers were nurtured by Jerry. They embrace his ideas on use of force, as unreasonable and unrealistic as they may be. I remember once when a well known north area cop arrested the guy (Dwayne 'Pistol Pete' Logan) who shot Officer Mike Cooper outside Norms Liquor. He was debriefed by Finney, as the story goes, and the first question from Finney's mouth was about the cut on the suspect's forehead. Finney furrowed his brow at the copper and asked, 'Did you follow department policy in arresting this guy......did you rough him up?' The disgusted copper looked at Finney and, on his way out of his office, said...'I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Chief. There was at least 5 of us there who were hoping his hands would have gone down instead of up when we took him down. If he'd given us reason, the least injury would have been multiple gunshot wounds and not some @#@###@ scratch on his forehead.' It's painful to admit that some managers are complete zeros when it comes to the passions of policing an urban community. They don't understand, nor do they want to, how a 'street monster' cop can connect so well with the crooks, the citizens and the role of urban cop. They want to reduce important events, such as Wright's arrest, into narrow slices of City liability. They impugn the integrity of their charges when they ask over a public medium, a radio transmission, questions about use of force. That's a question that needs to be addressed in person and at the scene. Bean was a good guy and the people he worked with are cut from the same fabric....they are professional police officers working within the law, not outside of it. It's sad that that level of quality doesn't creep up the ranks.

Subject: Re: Pissed off From: Dave Jenest To: P.O.'dP.O. Date Posted: Sun, Feb 14, 1999 at 00:47:43 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Click on this Link to hear it for yourself!. I edited my original reply to you, given the events of the 24 hours where you elected to vent your frustration. I'm sorry I took your comment so personally, given what every cop in this city must be going through... I should know better. The hope I had for this forum is not coming to fruition, rather, continues to pit personality against personality, cop against cop and cop against citizen. This also seems to be the pattern within SPOA, CHP vs SPD, SPD vs SSD etc etc. that has a dampering effect on civil and intellegent discussion. Rather than deal face to face with the management, that created a climate of fear about posting in the forum, some of you blame me for creating the Locker Room in the first place. Some of my best pals on the department say things can't change in this city and that I shouldn't push so hard for resolution of long standing issues THEY raised! Frankly, I care squat what the mayor or chief think of me, and I've publically called for them get a case of honesty on more than one occassion. You should know that, because SPOA board members were in the audience several times as we dealt with budget issues, Knox box keys and officer safety. I have faith in the cops of this city, that one day, you'll say enough is enough. I've seen the support for your issue grow from totally apathy by community leaders, to actual engagement with some of them. You'll see some of those folks appearing before council in weeks to come, asking tough questions of people that seem blind to facts, it's impact on you and our citizens. If we all end up in the nut house, at least I'll be in good company!

Subject: Re: Pissed off From: WasOne To: P.O.'dP.O. Date Posted: Sat, Feb 13, 1999 at 18:48:14 (PST) Email Address: N/A Message: EAT THAT CROW NOW. YOU HAPPEN TO NOTICE HE DIDN'T MAKE FUN OF THE K9 THAT CHEW LEW PEASE A NEW ASS. THE TV NEWS DID, YOU DIDN'T GO AFTER THEM. THE THING ABOUT K9 TRACKING IS AN ISSUE AND I HEAR THE BEE ASKED ABOUT IT. THE ANSWER FROM OUR DEPT 'THE WIND WAS BLOWING THE WRONG WAY' UTTER CRAP AS ANY EXPERIENCED HANDLER WILL ATTEST. I NOTICE WRIGHT'S TOSSED GUN ALLEGATIONS WERE COVERED HERE WELL BEFORE THE BEE DID THEIR JOB- HALF-ASSED AT BEST. INSTEAD OF RAGGING ON A GUY THAT TRIES TO REPORT THE TRUTH AND MAKING MANY ENEMIES IN THE PROCESS- YOU OUGHT TO SAVE YOUR WRATH FOR THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN RECORDS WHO LOSE FILES AND CAN'T GET THEM TO THE DA OR CASES SITTING IN DETECTIVES INBOX ONLY TO BE TOSSED FOR LACK OF PEOPLE TO WORK THEM. IF SOMEONE HAD DONE THEIR JOB ON WRIGHT SOMEWHERE IN TIME HE'D BE WHERE HE BELONGED- INSTEAD HE KILLED A COP THANKS TO A SYSTEMS FAILUE. SEEMS TO ME YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THE ENEMY IF THEY WALKED UP AND KISSED YOU- MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE BUSY KISSING SOME DC'S BEHIND

Subject: Re: Pissed off From: SCCW To: P.O.'dP.O. Date Posted: Fri, Feb 12, 1999 at 21:06:04 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Click on this Link to hear it for yourself!. This came over Sector 4's frequency which was dedicated. DC Gibbs was doing the news sound bites throughout the night. There was also back and forth on 5 and one of the tac freqs. I could have been wrong about Gibbs but the audio track speaks for itself. It says a lot to YOUR critics (by that I mean cop haters), that Wright was NOT injured in the arrest process given the weapon hadn't been recovered. You'd be better off attacking a city government that attracts parolees at large by the droves and grants them the social services and privacy rights this city is legendary for. Ask how many gun allegations were tossed on Wright's former crimes before you allow YOUR critics to suggest he was picked on for that broken windshield. The people rest!

Subject: Re: CODE 900 - Officer Down From: Dave Jenest To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Feb 10, 1999 at 11:59:45 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Suspect Dundell Wright by all accounts, was one of Sacramento's many drug dealing parolees at large. Department of Corrections spokesman told Community Watch today, that Wright had been at large since November 3, 1998. He had been released from prison after serving a four year term for possession and sales of cocaine in September 1995. Wright has served three stretches in state prison for drug related crimes. His sheet doesn't reflect crimes of violence like armed robbery, ADW or the like. Update Notes: Recall the discussion we had here about Chesterman's case (98-84569) and the issue of 148's not showing on a suspect's sheet? Well, sadly, Wright is a classic case of this and the plea deals that wash the unwashed of the criminal justice system. We have long sought parole reform that says," find a parolee with a gun, lock him up and pump sunshine into his cell for the remainder of his life on the planet." Had Wright been returned to prison to complete his FULL term for violation of parole instead of the cap of a year, consider the consequences! We tried to get the Bee to cover that aspect, pointing to the 19,000 other PAL's in the state. Furillo was too busy and his editor says they're working on it. These are the kinds of issues we wish cops would discuss on this forum! Click to read Bee coverage I couldn't help remembering the testimony of Sgt. Tom Cooper as we appeared before the State Legislature May 9, 1995. Tom spoke of the armed assault on Office Dave Hogge by a parolee at large where the suspect was intent on killing every officer in his line of fire after a 'routine traffic stop.' He came out firing with a semi-auto assault rifle. It's an ironic twist of fate, that Dave was partnered up with young officer, Bill Bean, who was murdered by Wright. Tom's words ring as true today, as they did in 1995 ... 'The unintended consequences of three strikes'... Another Califoria police officer falls to a parolee at large .. fearful of another strike? There are 19,000 parolees at large in California... each one is a threat to the men and women in blue. The average age of an officer killed in the line of duty in the U.S. is 36 years of age. Bill was only 27.

Subject: Re: CODE 900 - Officer Down From: The Stuart Family - Phoenix To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Wed, Feb 10, 1999 at 21:30:36 (PST) Email Address: sstuart10@aol.com Message: We often vacation in Sacramento. We have met a few officers there from IPA events. Our deepest condolences to the officer's family. Please tell his partner our prayers are with him as well. It is tough to lose a partner on duty or off.

Subject: CONDOLENCES From: Alan Sneed To: The Stuart Family - Phoenix Date Posted: Wed, Feb 10, 1999 at 23:46:01 (PST) Email Address: - Message: God bless each heart whose love and warmth for officer Bean suffers from thier personal loss of a friend and co-worker.

Subject: Mario's Madness From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Feb 09, 1999 at 03:35:41 (PST) Email Address: - Message: ALPHA 13 and 14 responded to 18th and H Street on a burglary in progress call at 2:30 a.m. this morning. The suspect was breaking into a residence occupied by a single female. The suspect made for the roof and refused to come down. It was raining as additional units rolled in Code 3 to cover. The suspect eventually gave it up to waiting officers for a second reunion in as many weeks. Taken into custody was Mario Gonzales, arrested just a couple Monday's ago by the same officers for prowling. You'd think Mario would be gun shy of 18th and H Street ... that's where he was popped last time. Thanks to Sector 1 officers for another nuisance abatement ... maybe Mario will move!

Subject: TrainWreckedDispatchers From: Curious To: All Date Posted: Mon, Feb 08, 1999 at 12:39:50 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Can anybody explain why SPD dispatchers were totally out of the loop for half an hour and sending officers to the wrong 'mass casulty' location? The radio newsmedia was right on top of it broadcasting live for the noon news. Fire was there, RT was there, why was PD still looking for the crash?

Subject: Re: TrainWreckedDispatchers From: SCCW To: Curious Date Posted: Mon, Feb 08, 1999 at 15:19:19 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: RT police had it under control, fire was hauling injured to local hospitals. Your really wanted PD there? What would that do for the 'injured' that had a chance to jump on the train after the wreck? Just kidding! I caught the tail end of this while on the phone with a neighborhood activist who said 'B Street overpass? That doesn't make sense' Guess he was right. I think I heard a confused WC asking what was up later... seems the call to dispatch came second hand from CHP or Fire. More fodder for getting them hooked in SPD expensive new radio system. The question should be, if RT uses SPD's radios, why didn't they fill in dispatchers? Asking those questions is sure to get us in trouble... maybe you'll be willing to. Thanks

Subject: I-5 Pursuit - Good Job!! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Mon, Feb 08, 1999 at 06:02:52 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: It began in the north area at 0418 and ended without incident in the soft dirt off the freeway deep south into the county. Three suspects were taken safely into custody at gunpoint. Speeds reached 120 mph with practically no freeway traffic. Suspects tossed papers out of the vehicle over Richards Blvd. and at one point, just past the J Street turn off, threw what officers believed to be a fire bomb at pursuing units. Three police vehicles and the suspect's had to be winched out of the mud where the pursuit terminated. It was great to hear the watch commander and shift supervisors hang in and not let these felons elude capture. Let's hope the DA and the courts hold the line with the multiple felony charges for the grave threat posed to the officers and the public from this trio. Good job SPD!

Subject: Code3 Cover - Could it happen here? From: CopLink Member To: All Date Posted: Sun, Feb 07, 1999 at 16:50:33 (PST) Email Address: copsupport@aol.com Message: Officer Scott Smith of the New Milford Police Department was charged with Murder for defending himself. Is it really necessary that the Police take the first bullet???? MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE CLICK HERE TO VIEW DETAILS

Subject: Independant audit update. From: Cops Sub-Committee To: All Date Posted: Tues, Feb 02, 1999 at 04:10:50 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Statement of goal: Bring Sacramento Police Department up to the national avaerage of 2.5 officers per 1000 residents. (409,000 -/- 1000 X 2.5 = 1,186 officers) Some will say our population is 392k or 403k. 409k is based on more up-to-date projections based on the state's regional growth numbers. Also keep in mind, our city's population grows by hundreds of thousands day workers and we've not factored that in like many cities. Also, last year, AG Reno announced an average ratio of 2.9/1000. We used the FBI's number. For the moment we're still awaiting the documents requested of the City Manager. US-DOJ financial records arrived Saturday. There may be good news if some assumptions play out later in the week. The following is raw data and should be treated as such: Through the end of September 1998, Sacramento PD was listed with five grant accounts that DOJ provided FSR's for. (Financial Status Reports filed by SPD) The total of the grants (fed share) is $30,345,605. SPD drew $5,180,744 from those accounts and matched $1,393,551 from city funds. The 439 officer positions (FTE's) still remains on that DOJ ledger too. The local accounting to date, still reflects 23 sworn FTE's and 32 CSOs/CSI's on the payroll as of 9-30-98. We reported in December that the city had 585 sworn officers in 1995 and 619 in FY 1998 an increase of 34 officers or a gain of 5.5% despite $31 million in COPS grants. If the city balances it's checkbook the way I do mine, $30 in - $5 out = $25 (only their's are in millions of dollars) there should be $25,164,860 available to hire the cops they said we had already. Our fingers are crossed. Then there's the state COPS grants ... pass the asprin! Thanks to Bill Baker, here's a link to the state issue... just click and enjoy the ride. If you're alergic to Bay Area News, go deep south. They haven't heard about their Capitol City yet. The PR mill here is damn fine! Just click on the Register's logo. Remember, while you read these accounts, we've not asked about the state money .... yet!

Subject: By the Numbers From: Fluffy Fan To: Cops Sub-Committee Date Posted: Tues, Feb 02, 1999 at 11:30:22 (PST) Email Address: - Message: DIANA GRIEGO 'FLUFFY' ERWIN'S column ought to make you happy. The oxymoron was her quote vs closing argument. Venegas oughtta have Fluffy for his PIO: Rumor doth double, like the voice and echo, the numbers of the feared. -- William Shakespeare. Great line! You guys come just short of making criminal accusations about grant funds, yet put up the figures as you suck them out of a dry pipe and keep us all in suspense. Like you, I want to know what our balance in the grants checking account is. Why can't the city just come out and say Bill Clinton lied about 200 cops, 165 cops, 30 cops and so on? They can blame it on on him and satisfy us all, right? We'll forgive and forget, right? It's no wonder you can't get them to come forward or that Rev. Matt gets pissed when asked for data. He don't want you to know! It would paint him 'disloyal' and that black balls him for that chief's slot somewhere else. Chiefs are a bit like geese in a rain storm, looking up to see what just landed on their heads. It's obvious Fluffy doesn't want to hang out in a smelly locker room, or she'd have answers to her questions. At least she's starting to count something besides the homeless. Let's see how she does in getting the data. If I remember right, juvenile crime statistics were linked here not long ago. Like a day old cotton candy, the Fluff from Fluffy ends as follows: 'But getting an accurate snapshot of crime on individual campuses is no easy feat for parents. Try getting crime statistics on your kid's school and you're likely to run into brick walls. It's not because the numbers aren't known. District-by-district statistics are compiled annually for the California Safe Schools Assessment, a mandatory crime-reporting program for all public K-12 districts. Reportable crimes include property crimes, crimes against persons, drug and alcohol offenses and incidents such as bomb threats and weapons possession. Schools report to their districts, which in turn report to the state. Results for individual schools are not made public. The question is, why not? How better for parents to make decisions about their children's safety than to have a complete accounting of school incidents routinely posted? It could be done. Releasing this information is an individual school district decision, said Jean Scott, a Safe Schools consultant with the California Department of Education. Incident reports filed by schools do not include student names. Sacramento city schools' spokeswoman Maria Lopez said her district's public information office would release it to any parent who requested it, but other districts said they'd refuse such requests. Because of the way they collect the information, San Juan schools would have trouble providing a school-by-school list, said Mike Parks, director of pupil services. Elk Grove spokesman Jim Elliott said his understanding is the information isn't public. Administrators may find the district-by-district stats released annually valuable, but they are practically worthless to parents. If there was a fight after the school dance last month, my kid might not go to the next dance. Whether that's valuable information to me should be my decision, not the district's. Parents need and deserve to know what's going on in their children's schools.' Sound familiar? It should! Just changes a few key words and its Venegas-speak!

Subject: Re: By the Numbers From: Fluffy Fan II To: Fluffy Fan Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 18, 1999 at 23:13:26 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Did you catch this one? Maybe you've underestimated her. Diana Griego Erwin: Can't we recognize paths to violence? (Published Feb. 18, 1999) As the 20th century comes to a close, few things are as complicated as the laws we live and die by. Ask a prosecutor what length of sentence a specific crime might bring and be prepared for a 20-minute answer. There are a thousand sound reasons for this, many of them necessarily complicated in the interest of justice. But when something is amiss, someone should say so. Today that someone is me. Me, and those left behind. A letter from a Sacramento County jail inmate that arrived in the mail this week provides the counterweight for the rest of this story. The author said he faces 25 years to life for possessing 'a couple of hundred dollars worth' of drugs, this being a third-strike case. 'It doesn't seem real that I am facing so much time for something so non-violent,' the writer said. Against that you weigh the history of the man accused of gunning down Sacramento Police Officer Bill Bean Jr., who was buried Tuesday amid the tears of his family, friends, colleagues and an entire anguished city. His arrest record showed that Bean's accused murderer had long been gearing his life to be intertwined with a tragedy involving gun violence. Now it is. The question, then, is: Could the pattern toward violence have been altered or stopped? Thirty-five-year-old Dundell Wright's arrest record would have told anyone who cared to look that he liked guns -- liked them too much. I can imagine that he likes the metallic heft of a gun in his hand; the raw power; the way he could carry it concealed near his self, silent as a secret. Between 1984 and 1991, the cops arrested Wright three times on gun charges. One charge was dropped, another resulted in a parole revocation and the third was never filed -- pretty good odds for the criminally inclined. His record reminded me of another man facing the possibility of the death penalty for killing a cop, this one from Garden Grove. Police believe John J.C. Stephens shot and killed Officer Howard Dallies of the Garden Grove Police Department during a traffic stop to avoid going back to prison. Stephens was believed to have been carrying a gun and drugs when Dallies pulled him over on a stolen motorcycle. Stephens liked guns, too. Like Wright, all the wrong signs were there. No one paid enough attention. This was what Stephens was up to before he's alleged to have shot and killed Officer Dallies in March 1993: Jan. 21, 1992: Arrested for pointing a gun at a man and taking him hostage. Stephens pleads guilty and gets three years of probation. July 8, 1992: Arrested on suspicion of concealing a stolen handgun. Aug. 17, 1992: Arrested on suspicion of receiving a stolen shotgun. Aug. 31, 1992: Probation revoked. Sentenced to 150 days in jail. Dec. 19, 1992: Arrested on concealed-weapon charges. (Jan. 19, 1993: A security guard is shot in the face and body by the same gun that later kills Officer Dallies.) March 9, 1993: Officer Dallies is killed. The case went unsolved for four years, during which Stephens was implicated in two additional shootings. In fact, Stephens was set to be released from prison in five days when Garden Grove detectives showed up in his Tehachapi state prison cell and started packing his things for a stay in Orange County. The next day he was charged with the Dallies murder case. Who can't figure out that records such as these are precursors to tragedy, whether the victims are police officers or innocent citizens? 'This is how it always is,' said Janie Stokes, the mother of a dead teenager shot and killed by a man accused in five prior crimes involving guns. 'You find out there were many signs, many other opportunities to get this dangerous person off the street and because no one did, your baby is dead.' DIANA GRIEGO ERWIN'S column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Write her at P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, 95852, call (916) 321-1057 or email her at dgriego@sacbee.com

Subject: Re: By the Numbers From: guy who posted this To: Fluffy Fan II Date Posted: Thurs, Feb 18, 1999 at 23:16:38 (PST) Email Address: - Message: can you fix this --- it didn't fit right and the edit thing asked for some kind of password

Subject: Positive Changes! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Mon, Feb 01, 1999 at 17:14:48 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Use the revamped policy with Common Sense All characters and artwork are copyrighted by S. Todifcop1998. Posted to Locker Room with permission. There has been a change in SPD handling of drug activity calls to the Communications Center.  It's been announced that such calls will be dispatched if units are available.  In the past, such calls were often put out as 'All Units' info only and if a squad car happened to be in the area they would likely check it out.  Per Lt. McCarthy today, SPD management has directed patrol to respond to these calls and complainants whenever possible.  In his words (to the effect) 'We ask people to call and when we don't respond it creates additional concerns.'  We also talked about the need for community activists to be educated by police in spotting and detecting factual drug trafficking so that innocent folks don't suddenly find themselves being detained.  That's a touchy issue as you can well imagine. We look forward to a positive response and the promised scheduling of an orientation by Communication Center supervisors.

Subject: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 18:50:15 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Bicycle Owner's Beware - A Community Crime Warning! Sacramento Central City and Midtown, January 31 -- (Media Release) Following the death of a bike jacking victim this week, from a robbery last October 9th, 1998 that left him critically injured in a midtown alley, Sacramento Community Watch is calling for immediate action by city government and police. The group calls for licensing of all bicycles in the city, registration at the point of purchase, enforcement of traffic laws to be stepped up against bicycle violators and the checking serial numbers by the officers during the stop. Citing the unnoticed death of a robbery victim that Community Watch had been monitoring after dozens of armed and strong armed robberies for victim's bicycles, the director of the watchdog group calls on the media to urge citizens to record the serial numbers of their bicycles in an effort to assist police in eventually curbing these rising incidents. 'There may be claims that crime is down, but we don't see a decline in these violent offenses that ultimately took this victim's life' says SCCW director Dave Jenest, 'in fact, there are more than our volunteers can track.' All police have to go on is a serial number where bikes have been stolen in many of these robberies or burglaries. The vast majority of the time, victims are clueless. The culprits could be stopped by police in another district and still elude capture. Parents especially need be concerned. Recently, two 14 year old suspects, using force, robbed two 10 year olds of their bikes. Community Watch posts information about stolen bikes and other crimes in it's Bulletins and Alerts section on the internet (crimewatch.us) and is pushing police administrators to be more open to providing citizens with suspect descriptions, mug shots, composite sketches and other public information not covered by Crime Alert and the police department's own web pages. 'They must depend on the public as eyes and ears' notes Jenest, 'but that's dysfunctional at best and evasive at worst. We've been unable to reach police supervisors all day to follow up on this tragic incident. The was only one watch commander city wide and he was from the south station and likely unaware of the facts in this case. SCCW passion for protecting bike riders and urging immediate city action in Sacramento stems from an incident two years ago behind Harv's car wash in midtown. As the lead player in documenting graffiti crimes in the city, Dave Jenest was brutally attacked by two subjects, one wielding a hand fashioned iron club. He had taken down one suspect who had tried to snatch the groups hi-tech Bike-One and video camera. Jenest was preoccupied video taping vandalism. While trying to cuff the subdued would be thief, the other came up behind him and struck a blow to Jenest's head. As the suspect delivered a second blow to Jenest's face, he responded with pepper spray and the two suspect fled on foot with the community watcher in pursuit. 911 was called but no officers were available in the twenty minute chase that resulted in the suspects making good their escape. Then patrol officer now POP officer Tom Anglesey took the report and CSI took photos. No suspects were ever arrested and requests for follow-up by detectives remain unanswered. (SPD Case Number 97-11948) 'It's a simple matter of limited resources' muses Jenest, 'Sacramento residents must lend a hand by taking inventory of their property, recording serial numbers and helping police. Since they seemed to have failed in that personal responsibility, government has an obligation to mandate it in other ways. The media is our last hope to get the word out and garner support for safety measures.' UPDATE The watch commander was notified that this release had gone out and several news agencies had called. He confirmed that the victim died this past week and that homicide is investigating (a very cold trail) We appreciate police supervisors who stick their necks out to help us report facts. It confirmed information that was still up in the air when official sources were unavailable. (sometimes for weeks). Thank you Lt.

Subject: Re: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: David Takemoto-Weerts To: SCCW Date Posted: Mon, Feb 01, 1999 at 15:40:17 (PST) Email Address: dltakemotoweerts@ucdavis.edu Message: I saw your alert on the SABA list. As the person in charge of bike licensing in Davis, I thought you may want to know a few things about the program. You can find out the basics of the program here: The only place I know of Sacramento county to license a bike is at CSUS Police, and they don't follow the rules (as spelled out in the vehicle code) very closely. We register over 6000 bikes annually in Davis. And, be aware that finding and recording bicycle serial numbers is not as easy as it is for things like stereos, cameras, or other valuable items. See the following for more info: The following are some tips to prevent bike theft that I wrote a few years ago... over 10 years of dealing with bike theft on a daily basis here at UC Davis: >Best recommendation: Use a beater bike for commuting and utility trips. >Not always possible if you've got a lengthy commute, but expensive road >bikes and ATBs are best used for what they are designed, sport and >recreational riding --trips which are less likely to put your bike at risk >of theft. If you're worried about what your cycling peers might say when >you encounter them at the 7-ll on your Huffy, you're hanging with the wrong >cycling crowd. > >But, if your good bike is being used where theft is a possibility (& yes, >it can happen anywhere), try the following: > >Always secure the bike frame to something solid and secure. I've known >bikes to be stolen when U-locked to signs by thieves who remove the signs >and pull the bike off the top of the pole. Make sure that you're locking >the bike to something legal. In other words, don't lock to a wheelchair >ramp railing, for example, or to some sidewalk furniture where your bike >might block foot traffic. Doing such is sometimes illegal under local >ordinance. At UC Davis you can legally lock only to a bike parking device >(bike rack or bike 'pod'). > >Some businesses may tolerate you bringing a bike inside, but I recommend >doing so only if you are really not causing a problem. If you go in a >market for a few small items, as you normally would if you were on a >trailerless bike, it seems to me no more of an intrusion to push a bike up >and down the aisles than pushing a shopping cart. But I've never tried it >and imagine most store managers would not grasp the logic. Put in a polite >request for decent bike parking as they throw you out! > >Quadrachains and Kryptonite's New York Chain are perhaps the best locks out >there now, from what I hear. But they are expensive at $60+. > >U-locks and Clubs are good, but knowlegeable thieves can defeat them in >seconds with jacks or prybars. Bad Bones and collars improve the standard >U-lock. Krypto's New York lock and Evolution 2000 are also very good. Try >to fill the open space in the U with something --front wheel, pole, etc. > >Thieves are not using freon, liquid nitrogen or other exotic >super-coolants. No need to when other techniques, easier and safer, exist. >Some lock cores on good locks are being drilled out with portable drills >equipped with special bits, but this is rare. > >You tend to get what you pay for in locks. Cheapo U-locks are not as good >as the more expensive ones. The metal seems to break easier on the cheap >ones. We cut lots of U-locks here every year, so I have some first-hand >experience with how easy different ones are to cut with a 4' Makita disc >grinder. > >Armored cables, like Cobra Links, are okay, but can be defeated if the >cable can be placed on a hard surface and pounded with a hammer to separate >the links exposing the cable. > >It doesn't matter how much you pay for an unarmored cable, they can all be >defeated in under a minute with a simple pair of side cutters cutting a few >strands at a time. > >Using two different locks, like a U-lock and a separate cable/lock combo, >may deter a thief who comes equipped to deal with one lock type only. > >Parts theft. Some things are obvious. Do you really need a Q-R seat post? >Replace with standard allen bolt seat binder or use a seat leash or other >means of securing the seatpost more securely. Q-R wheels: Use a cable. >Sure, cables are easily cut, but the thief is more likely to look for a >bike with unsecured wheels. Other parts: handlebar assembly theft is not >unheard of here in Davis. The thief loosens the stem bolt, cuts the four >cables, and runs away with an item that will probably cost you a minimum of >$100 to replace (bar, stem, cables, brake & shift levers). You might try >putting silicone adhesive/sealer in the stem bolt allen head recess, >thereby preventing the thief from immediately fitting the allen wrench in >the hole. That might deter him/her. You can readily remove the 'plug' >with a knife when it's time to overhaul your headset, adjust bar height or >whatever. The silicone plug scheme can also be used on any other >vulnerable allen bolts: seat binder bolts, some crank bolts, brake center >bolts, brake lever clamp bolts, rack attachment bolts, etc. > >If you're caught without a lock and have to park the bike briefly, you >might try opening the Q-R levers and positioning your shift levers to force >the bike to clunk into high gear as someone attempts to ride off. Of >course, you must remember to resecure the wheel before you ride off. I've >heard an interesting bike tourist strategy to avoid carrying a heavy lock: >carry a chaintool, as a well-prepared bike tourist would do, and using the >chain tool as a 'key' secure the bike with the chain! Sort of a hassle and >not effective for lengthy times away from the bike, but probably good for >the occasional restaurant stop. I used to do something similar with toe >straps. Remember those? > >Stolen bike recovery tips: > >Make up some small labels that say 'This bike stolen from (your name here). >Ser. # (bike's ser. # here). Contact police with this ser. #.' Waterproof >'em with clear contact paper. Stick them inside lots of places, not just >in the bottom bracket or head tube as others suggest. Best place to put >them might be between tire and tube. The most likely repair on your stolen >bike is going to be a flat fix. If your bike is sold to some unsuspecting >buyer, who then discovers the label when s/he's fixing a flat, Voila! >Maybe an honest person or mechanic calls the police and you get your bike >back. Or at least the wheel. Yes, the bike may have been parted out, but >even the recovery of a wheel might provide clues to allow it to be traced >back to the bike and the thief. If you do add the note to contact the >police, make certain you report the theft! More on this below. > >SERIAL #s!!! I can't overemphasize this. If your bike doesn't have one >(custom and some high-end bikes, some very old ones, new Roadmasters, and a >bunch of others), find a bike shop that will put one on your bottom >bracket. Have them use dies (stamps), not an engraver. Stamped numbers >can often be raised by special techniques even if the number is totally >filed off. I know it works, cuz I used to do that for the UCD police >regularly. Use a driver's lic. # or soc. sec. I'm constantly amazed by the >number of stolen bikes reported on various newsgroups with very detailed >descriptions of components, colors, sizes, etc. but no serial #. Most of >the brands I see reported I know have numbers, and yet the victims fail to >report the one thing that will positively identify the bike as theirs. >Sure, ser. #s are sometimes filed off (but not nearly so often as you might >think, probably because it would make re-selling the stolen property to a >cautious buyer somewhat risky). In Calif. it's illegal to be in possession >of a bike with a defaced or otherwise mutilated ser. number. Our police >dept. will confiscate such bikes when found (as during traffic stops or >when someone brings in such a bike for licensing), apply the serial number >raising technique, and, of course, return the bike to the owner if the >number turns out to be reported stolen. We always see a few of these each >year, maybe 6 or 7, and here, because of the prevalence of licensing, such >finds often result in a recovery and sometimes an arrest. > >Bike registration (licensing). If you've accurately recorded your bike's >ser. #, registration is just icing on the cake --but it does have some real >additional benefits. License #s are easy to read and find, unlike many ser. >#s. They serve as a back up to ser. #s. If the sticker is on the bike, a >police officer is not going to have any trouble finding and reading the >lic. #. A wary thief may also think twice about stealing a registered bike >knowing that a record of the bike's ser. and lic. #s exists that can be >used to foil his/her attempts to resell the machine. > >The following scenario has happened a number of times over the years in >Davis. The police stop someone in the wee hours driving a van or truck >with a bunch of bikes loaded in back. The police call in the serial >numbers and nothing comes up as reported stolen. Of course not, the bikes >were lifted ten minutes before and their owners are in dreamland. So, the >police then access the local bike license database, find out the owner name >and phone # of one or more of the suspect bikes, calls and wakes them >asking them to check on the whereabouts of their 16-speed Zamboni >Carboniferous Ultra-Bike. The owner looks --no bike. The suspects go off >to the slammer. This would not have happened without the registration >stickers or some other way to immediately identify the owner. > >Reporting theft. Always report the theft. If you have a record of the ser. >#, that's the most important part of the process. The police will enter it >into a state-wide data base of stolen property so that if any police >officer across the state has contact with your bike, it gets identified as >yours. If you don't have such a record, try calling the bike shop where >the bike was purchased. Some shops are good about keeping such records. One >shop in Davis has receipts filed annually by purchaser's name going back to >1967! But, if you don't have any hope of finding a ser. # record, you >should still report the theft. Here's why. The police will never find your >bike even with a super-detailed description if you don't provide a ser. #. >However, imagine that you spot your bike a few months later; let's say it's >locked up somewhere that you can't just grab it and run. You call the local >gendarmes and say 'Hey, I see my stolen bike locked in front of the local >min-mart!' The police are going to be very reluctant to deal with it >unless they can call up a report that describes in some detail a bike >similar to what you now see in the hands of another. Another good reason >to report a theft is simply that it provides information to law enforcement >about the volume and nature of this kind of crime in the area. > >Engraved I.D. #s. Some people decorate their bikes by engraving DLs or SSs >on frame, parts, etc. This may be more effective in preventing theft than >in recovering bikes and parts. Most of us wouldn't do it to our nice bikes >for aesthetic reasons and because it would lower the resale value. The >choice is yours. > >Final thoughts. When my job was at the police dept., I used to take >hundreds of bike theft reports yearly. 99% of the thefts could have been >prevented --usually by locking the bike fixed to something solid with a >U-lock. If you've ever had a bike stolen, chances are that you are kicking >yourself for having not really secured the bike in a reasonable manner. If you have any questions, contact me at the numbers below: ***************************************************** David Takemoto-Weerts ph.: 530/752-BIKE Bicycle Program Coordinator fax: 530/752-8875 Transportation & Parking Services One Shields Avenue University of California Davis, CA 95616-8724 USA LAB bd. of directors/secretary Effective Cycling Instructor #569 CABO Dist. 3 Representative

Subject: Re: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: Jacques Graber To: SCCW Date Posted: Mon, Feb 01, 1999 at 12:50:18 (PST) Email Address: jgraber@CIWMB.ca.gov Message: I was provided the message from a co-worker. All too scary. In my commutes etc. I see some pretty shady characters. Serial numbers is a good idea. Forcing persons to license bicycles, I feel is unnecessary and an imposition on one of the last 'free' things we have left in society. Notification of the Authorities that a bicycle is stolen with your own recordation of a S.N. should be ample to assure recovery. After all, it is your stolen property and the police should be responsible for catching the crooks and returning your stolen bike. We don't 'license' all our other possessions yet, if, and, when they are eventually recovered, they are returned to their rightful owners. Another adjunct to theft is photocopying your driver's license and the bike sales slip or the S.N and other bike vitals on a piece of paper, putting it in a plastic wrap or such and slipping it down the seat tube. A phrase like 'if this bicycle is not with the person on the enclosed ID, the bike is stolen' could cinch the deal. When your bike is absconded, you notify the appropriate authorities, bike shops etc. Then when the bike of appropriate description /S.N. shows at a bike shop, they'll know to look inside the seat tube, find the I.D. packet and nab their suspect. As a collector of antique bikes, I have over 100. I constructed my own database with all the vitals in each bikefile. Maker, Model, Frame size, Serial No. Price/appraised value. Vital details are all in my database. I did that with my modern bikes too. We need bicycle police on the trail. When the old bike tunnel on 14th St was open, there was a perfect loop to send police through onto the worst stretch of the bikeway around Discovery, through old Sac and up K' St. mall. I figure it was about 4 mi round trip, two officers going in opposite directions could have kept an eye every 20 minutes. They really blew it closing off the Tunnel. Thanks.

Subject: Re: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: David Takemoto-Weerts To: Jacques Graber Date Posted: Mon, Feb 01, 1999 at 15:49:49 (PST) Email Address: dltakemotoweerts@ucdavis.edu Message: While bike registration is mandatory at UC Davis and at well over a hundred communities in California, I don't think that having a local mandatory ordinance is a sine qua non for Sacramento --for a whole variety of reasons I don't have time to explain here. In my experience dealing with this question, there is a great deal of misunderstanding of bike registration issues in California. In addition there are good reasons for and against mandatory vs. voluntary registration programs. In either case, you're not likely to get very high compliance in the Sacramento area. FYI: the city of L.A., which has mandatory registration, also requires all new (and probably used bikes sold at bike shops) to be registered at time of sale. However, compliance even with this is estimated at less than 30%. Also, remember that the vast majority of bikes are not sold at bike shops where the employees are generally more knowledgeable about finding serial numbers. Most bikes are sold at places like Target, Wal-Mart and Costco --places that prefer not to be bothered with and are ill-equipped to deal with the issuance of bike licenses. Here at UC Davis we have high compliance for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that most bikes registered here are registered by freshman during the first week of the fall term --it's just one of many things new students are supposed to do, so it's almost like having a captive audience for bike license sales. Click here for a little more info about our registration program.

Subject: Re: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: watchdog4monitor To: SCCW Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 20:42:31 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Hey Watchdog ... I read your e-mail while watching 48hours (the usual 60minutes slot) when it hit me! Thanks to this forum and that archive feature, I found it. The powers-that-be underestimate the value of cops with good memories. I'm glad you and your members hold these people accountable if we can't. At least you know someone else is paying attention and using what you created for the rest of us. I think 48hrs or 60minutes needs to cover what is going on in Sacramento. I hope the cop that replied to Mr. Colbert's message will step up when they do. Subject: Code 12 - 245 victim waits for fire From: COPS Sub-Committee To: All Date Posted: Fri, Oct 09, 1998 at 17:16:41 (PDT) Email Address: colbert@tomatoweb.com Message: As a member of the COPS Sub Committee on officer shortages, I've been asked to seek your comments on the following incident that took place this afternoon in our midtown neighborhood (17th/18th - K & L) Sometime after 3 p.m. today Community Watch alerted two watch members to BOL for two suspects believed to have assaulted a victim in an alley down the street. We had a member on foot and one in a car. The member on foot had a scanner. We saw the fire department parked southbound on 18th in what was reported as a 'staging' mode. A call was put out by dispatch for a policeman to respond so fire could go in to render aid to the victim. It sounded like the only available car was out on Sutterville Road. We heard someone come on the radio and question why fire had not gone in since the suspects were long gone? The fire truck began to move right after that question and the ambulance followed shortly thereafter. Community watch has been involved twice before on lack of units in midtown at shift change. Once over an escaped parolee/child raper and second an attempted robbery-assault on one of our watch members. We've asked for more information on what seems to be a series of bike jackings in midtown by similar suspects. Robberies seem to be increasing again like last year and the year before. Do we have enough officers considering the situations just described? Is this thing called minimum staffing working when officers are tied up on calls and can't respond? Who comes up with this minimum staffing thing anyway? I was just told that Sgt. Hinkson was the officer that questioned why fire held back and that he handled the call himself arriving eight minutes after the call went out. We need more Hinksons out here for sure, but wonder what might have happened had he not been downtown. THANK YOU Sarge!!! And what about communications between police and fire? Why is West Sac fire and police on the city's system and Sac fire not? When is CHP, who has officers all over downtown and seem more than willing to assist SPD not in the communications loop with PD? I am sorry, there are more questions than answers so please bear with me. I'm going back to the hospital tonight but would like to hear from some of you about what our committee can do to support better policing in midtown. Subject: Re: Code 12 - 245 victim waits for fire From: SacCop To: COPS Sub-Committee Date Posted: Sun, Oct 11, 1998 at 15:24:07 (PDT) Email Address: Not Provided Message: You sound a bit uninformed and more than a bit frustrated. Please allow me to offer some information that may help. Minimum staffing is an arbitrary staffing level for all 4 sectors in the City. That staffing level differs according to shift. For example, there are more officers assigned to swing (mid) shift than to graves (late) shift. The jnumbers are shifted whenever they drop too low.....that may be the most confusing point thus far. In other words, a patrol commander may say, 'We determine that 8 single officer units assigned day watch in Sector 4 is our minimum staffing level.' Yet when the Chief says, 'I need 2 units from Sector 4 each weekday for the next 2 months.', the commander now says unequivocably,'We determine that 6 single officer units assigned each day in Sector 4 is our miniumum staffing level.' Neither of these people listen to: 1) the radio blaring 'Code-12 units to respond to the armed robbery in progress at Truxel-San Juan, Code-12 two units to respond to a 415 involving a pistol, Code-12 two units to respond to a burglary in progress at 2400 Del Paso Blvd. 2). The people who hump the streets without proper cover, equipment or training. Minimum staffing, reduced to its most basic definition, is the fewest number of officers assigned to a sector to safely and efficiently meet the demands of that sector. SPD's definition is much different and simply states, 'Minimum staffing levels are whatever we say they are...'. Think of Bill Clinton's definition of sexual relations when you think about the department's description of minimum staffing. Exclude the cigar, of course. Hinkson did a good job in offering that perhaps Fire could go in and check on any victim due to the time lapse. Believe me when I say that cops do that sort of thing all the time. A hard charging cop will handle a call when enroute to another call.....he knows most of the actors in the sector and feels that he's either 1) got the skills to handle calls without backup or 2) realizes his backup is either non-existent or a liability. On many Code-12's the cover unit may be 'sitting' on a disturbance call while bullshitting with pals or otherwise 'dodging' a call. What citizens don't realize is that not every cop wants to be a patrol officer and not every cop is going to stretch his/her neck out there. The '5 per centers' that work the street and hump their asses are the ones who put the biggest dent in the Code-12's that blare on Friday and Saturday nights. They've done without adequate or competent cover so long that they just drive on. You won't hear these folks crying for 'cover', 'assistance' or to meet with a supervisor on calls. They may get into a few more fights and foot chases but that's why they're in the game. They are the minority and administrators like Najera, Powers, Gibbs and El Jefe (Venegas) don't know how they think or where to find more of them. They're an independent, physically tough bunch of coppers that don't bother with promotional exams. The thing that Hinkson did is something they do nearly every hour of every shift. It's no big deal for them...it just clears one more call. Fire and Police dispatchers sit in the same room and often shout across to each other about calls involving both services. The Fire truck has the same computer in it that the squad car does. The big hurdle between Fire and Police isn't communication...it's policy. Don't look for it to change. Too many candy asses in the mix. CHP and SSD used to be in the commo loop when we had a cheaper, more efficient radio system. The City bought into Motorola's $56 million system and a communications facility that was outdated and too small the day communications moved into it! Motorola has brought the citizens and cops of the City of Sacramento a system that 1) has numerous 'dead' spots 2) no real way to broadcast from agency to agency. There continue to be notorious stories about interagency high speed pursuits of felons in and out of the City. The informational lag time is what creates the danger. Sometimes those car pursuits become 'shots fired' calls. A few years ago a team of SSD plainclothes coppers got into a running gunfight from Rio Linda into the City at speeds up to 90 MPH. SPD found out about the pursuit only after the bad guy crashed into a pole, bailed and got away into the night after shooting it out with the deputies. The deputies their radio advised throughout the chase and asked that SPD units position themselves to intercept......our guys never got the information until we got to the scene and saw 2 very upset and out of bullets (worse than upset when the bad guy is using a more powerful piece!) deputies at the wreck scene. The City of Sacramento exposes each and every citizen to danger because of a system that doesn't interface or otherwise allow real time exchange of communication. Take the Chief of Police to task on minimum staffing and the communications issues. Don't accept his bullshit about remanufacturing minimum staffing levels. SPD changes those levels like most people change underwear and it's just too dangerous. Ask him hard questions like 'Why do we have fewer cops on the street now after you accepted $30million in taxpayer money in which you agreed to put more cops on the street?' Ask him 'Why don't you use more two officer cars if they're proven to be safer, more efficient than 1 officer units?' 'Why is it that your policies contribute to lowering officer morale, creating potentially dangerous situations (driving policies) and otherwise creating wealth for personal injury attorneys? Haven't you ever considered the problem may lie more with your management style than with the working men and women of your agency?' Be a good citizen, learn the issues from cops, ask the hard question and, otherwise, let them know that you're onto their game. Good cops do it to crooks every shift. ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail

Subject: Re: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: Dave Jenest To: watchdog4monitor Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 22:46:00 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Good cops do it to crooks every shift. Can we use that on a bumper sticker? I had forgotten that one. On the message itself, WOW !!! what can I say! I'm blown away that someone would dig in the archives that even I forgot. To keep the forum loading fast, I dumped all of 1998's messages in to a file that will eventually make it's way into the library. Bless you for saving my bacon and giving the media a tool I had forgotten. Dave

Subject: Re: Input sought ... 211 turns 187 From: Bee Bit To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Sat, Feb 06, 1999 at 22:44:05 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Newswatch: October beating victim, 39, dies (Published Feb. 4, 1999) A 39-year-old Sacramento man died at UC Davis Medical Center last week from head injuries he suffered in an afternoon attack three months ago in midtown, city police announced Wednesday. Homicide investigators are seeking additional information about the Oct. 9 assault on Krzysztof Zielinski, who died Jan. 23 in the apparent robbery, officials said. Michele Quattrin, Sacramento police spokeswoman, said the victim was attacked in the alley between Capitol and L Street on 19th Street shortly after 3 p.m. Quattrin said detectives have determined that robbery was the motive of the assault, but they have no suspects. About 3:10 p.m., Rich Tyson, an employee at Waldo Bowers Floors Inc., called 911 after spotting a man lying on the ground and moaning. Tyson said Zielinski kept trying to get up but was very dizzy. Zielinski was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he remained until his death, Quattrin said. --Bee Metro Staff

Subject: Councilman's Question From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sat, Jan 30, 1999 at 14:38:14 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: I was recently asked for some feedback on the following topics by our city councilman. I hope you'll take advantage of the Locker Room to offer your thoughts. If you would rather e-mail your private thoughts or contribute to the dialogue with Steve, feel free to do so. At worst, we're being asked, at best, he may listen: The Questions: I will be interested to hear your feedback on whether the NPO/Patrol reorganization that took effect on January 1 has been working well... and, whether the misdemeanor arrest policy changes significantly after all of the new jail bunks are added. Watchdog Comment When asked where he stood on revamping of sectors and captain promotions, he made the following comment. 'Regarding the more recent attempt by the Chief to change the watch commander/captain/lieutenant assignments, I think there is some momentum to change that proposal significantly. Steve Cohn I think he's right!

Subject: Re: Councilman's Question From: AKBAR To: SCCW Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 12:07:08 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: NPO/POP Reorg: Too soon to tell. Wait until summer to evaluate. Misdemeanor Jail: It will fill up in two weeks, and the city will be faced with the same problem again. Revamping of LT's and Captains: Who in the hell really understands what that is all about?

Subject: Re: Councilman's Question From: Bill Baker To: SCCW Date Posted: Sat, Jan 30, 1999 at 17:54:09 (PST) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: Classic Steve Cohn line: it could mean everything or nothing, but it's undeniably crafted to leave himself the maximum maneuvering room and minimum of commitment to a position. I would bet, however, that Steve is unlikely to side with any major revamps by Venegas as this point unless extreme duress is applied by Serna. Steve does not want to run for mayor against Robbie Watters in an election in which the premier issue is public safety, and if Serna does indeed vacate the mayoralty this spring with Venegas' proposal still under consideration, that's exactly what will happen. Doubtless there are many sound policy reasons why Steve might or might not support the Venegas revamp, or float his own proposals, but I've found with Steve that evaluating his basest political motivations is the best (albeit still unreliable) method for predicting which way he'll jump on contentious issues.

Subject: Re: Councilman's Question From: SCCW To: Bill Baker Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 22:38:09 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Bill, Bill ... is there an answer buried in there somewhere? Maybe I can help you out: On the jail space... A SPD officer wanted to hook up a chronic 'revolving door' troublemaking drunk tonight. He needed help from the Sergeant. It seems the PD got a memo saying it's time to crack down on detox rejects who because of a failed security system, used to walk in one door and when the wagon departed, head out of another. Today's Bee offered a clue: It's mid-afternoon, and Jerry Valdez is just too sober. Valdez is a 'frequent flier,' one of several dozen chronic downtown public alcoholics, living in a perpetual spin cycle of binge drinking followed by forced detention at the Comprehensive Alcohol Treatment Center off Richards Boulevard. Most are homeless. Valdez was the center's second-most-frequent detainee in 1998. He was picked up 91 times, but like many downtown alcoholics, he persists. SPD spends an inordinate amount of time providing taxi service for folks like Jerry. Now the brass want to do something (a good thing) but perhaps they neglected to get everyone else plugged in (like the jail and detox) Seems street cops need to know the secret code to put on the yellows to keep 'Marvin' off the streets for a couple days. Unless he has a headache, which likely means round trips to the Med Center, detox (who may reject him too) One more reason why we need a city jail and a chief who knows how to run one.

Subject: Re: Councilman's Question From: Bill Baker To: SCCW Date Posted: Tues, Feb 02, 1999 at 01:22:56 (PST) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: Tony's article on the new detox program and associated policy changes on dealing with street drunks was full of holes, unfortunately. Everyone who has considered Sacramento's hardcore homeless patterns knows that no amount of enforced detox, street sweeps, buying back liquor licenses, etc., will produce more than a modicum of change. There's simply too much subsidy of the behavior pattern, too conveniently located. Unless we pass a city ordinance mandating two or three month sentences for public inebriation, no increase in cell space is going to get rid of the street drunks downtown. To give him credit, Steve probably realizes this as well. He did vote to sue Loaves & Fishes, after all, perhaps his only gutsy vote in five years as a city councilman. Actually, though, maybe we should reserve a certain percentage of the new cells for community policing busts. I bet it would enhance the credibility of our NPO's if they had the authority to tag certain busts for incarceration priority, even minor ones. As in, 'If I catch you holding works again you _will_ do ten days at county.' Or budget those cells for busts occurring at a listed POP project address. If word got around that getting busted at a certain address meant automatic maximum sentence recommendation by the DA, no reduction for plea, no work release, etc., it might put a dent in the retail foot traffic. >One more reason why we need a city jail and a chief who >knows how to run one. Normally I would disagree since the general rule is that the cost of redundancy in duplicate city/county services and facilities is too high to be worthwhile (I've gotten an earful from my cousin re. this pattern, since he was for years the public safety budget analyst for Travis County, TX). For Sacramento, though, I've got to agree with you. Most Sacramentans have no idea that there is virtually no incarceration deterrence in this city for 'minor' crime. I got a helluva education on what the lack of misdemeanor cell space means in real world terms when I sat through the 'plea 'n flee' arraignment cattle calls down at the courthouse when I was pushing a couple of my citizen cites through the system last year. I couldn't believe some of the charges on which the ADA offered work release, and when you factor in the large percentage of work release sentences that are blown off because savvy perps know the county has no resources to enforce misdemeanor bench warrants, you can't help but conclude that there is a threshold below which local law enforcement simply has no credibility. No wonder Sacto is such a haven for anklebiter crime. I've lived in poor urban neighborhoods for about half my adult life, and I've never seen the rate of petty crime as high elsewhere as it is here. Case in point: When I lived in New Haven, CT, it was known for having the _worst_ police force in the entire country. Property crime rates were astronomical; you just did not walk away from your car if there was anything valuable in it, even for a second. But the downtown core had maybe one-third to one-fifth the grafitti that Sacramento has, and as far as I know New Haven had no dedicated grafitti-busting squad then, either. When your basic credibility to protect the quality of life of your constituents is at such risk, on a multi-year basis, a city _has_ to take matters into its own hands to any extent possible, even if enforcement costs escalate substantially. If only because the indirect costs in lost property value and sales tax revenue far outweigh the direct costs of enforcement infrastructure.

Subject: Back to the Future From: Dave Jenest To: All Date Posted: Fri, Jan 29, 1999 at 11:27:54 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: It hasn't taken long for State Attorney General Bill Lockyer to flex his weight on the left. The Bee reported today it's the second time this week Lockyer reversed a Lungren 'hands off' position in a civil rights suit. What's alarming is the language he used in the brief before the courts arguring his position surrounded by police chiefs from several western states. It asserted the states' 'compelling interest' in protecting tenants' privacy rights 'to associate with whom they please... ' Landlords beware ... that drug dealer may soon have a new set of tenant's rights to fight you with.

Subject: Re: Back to the Future From: AKBAR To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 11:57:50 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I heard from a good source that Lockyer has sent word out to all local DA's offices that he is very interested in any civil rights cases where police officers can be charged.

Subject: Re: Back to the Future From: Dave Jenest To: AKBAR Date Posted: Sun, Jan 31, 1999 at 13:17:11 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Get ready for the carnage I was monitoring a tac channel hearing how a subject was baiting one of you with racial explicative and remarks, refusing to id himself to the officer, and being borderline combative. The officer was doing the CYA number with his supervisor and you could hear the Adam Henry screaming in the background. Fortunately, the Sam unit had the balls to let the officer use his discretion on booking the miscreant or not. It's sad that a sworn officer has to CYA and haul in one more defendant (his sergeant) in what will likely become another civil rights suit the city will settle. LETS' officer safety sub-committee was looking into a 69/245(b)pc case and the issue of no 148pc priors on CII's sheet. DOJ staffers I've talked to don't want to touch this with a ten foot pole. The winds of change are upon you. As much as we wanted to follow the Chesterman matter and show community support in some way, we're buried in the COPS grant issues. Here's where we think SPOA should draw a line in the sand ... is that unreasonable thinking? If it is, and you find that as appalling as we do, maybe one or two of you will volunteer some off duty time to support your own. We have the contacts, phone numbers and a rough idea of the strategy. What we need is details, facts and a messenger. The latter can be a civilian who supports cops with more than idle chatter (we think we have a candidate). What's at stake folks? The Police Officer's Bill of Rights! Is it worth fighting for?

Subject: Early Christmas? From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 28, 1999 at 21:59:13 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: R.E. Graswich: (Published Sacramento Bee Jan. 27, 1999) Cop beat: Betting among I Street blues has Sacramento Police Chief Art Venegas exiting his post by Christmas. Seems the city manager's office is lukewarm to Venegas. A possible replacement candidate: Rich Gregson, former Sacramento captain, current chief in Walnut Creek. . . . Comments anyone?

Subject: Re: Early Christmas? From: CopSup To: SCCW Date Posted: Fri, Jan 29, 1999 at 23:09:18 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Venegas will be out of the picture, hopefully by April '99. Why? Thomas and he do not see eye to eye, matter of fact, they butt heads more often than not. Both are strong willed, but Thomas is on top politically. Re: Gregson....I wish that were the case, however. Rich has just recently bought a home closer to Santa Rosa than Sacramento, makes more now than Venegas could ever hope for, has a wealthy city and a council that loves its cops....why would he leave? On the other hand, I'm sure it would give him great pleasure to come back, look some of those Captains, DCs and kiss asses in the eye and tell them, 'Adios MFs, and don't let the door hit you in the ass!'

Subject: Re: Early Christmas? From: Geryon To: SCCW Date Posted: Fri, Jan 29, 1999 at 20:19:01 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: What's the difference? Listen, Rich Gregson will do whatever he's told to do by the politicos....it's the nature of the position...not the nature of the man that determines what municipal chiefs of police do during their tenure. They operate at the pleasure of the City Manager who, in turn, operates at the pleasure of the City Council. They are political animals and do not make policy or personnel decisions based on any compelling sense of professional ethics. Venegas survived as long as he did because he served a political purpose for those who appointed him. Jack Kearns ceased to serve a political interest (ie...he became a political liability when the 'We's Been TACized' scandal hit the City). Jack was allowed to operate as he wanted until the TAC scandal. He ran the department like a disfunctional family....nepotism, favoritism and racism were the order of the day. There are, literally, dozens of stories that represent the worst of the type of closed system that Kearns maintained for his tenure. Venegas, in his tour, has kept that legacy alive. Rich will be no different. He is affable and likeable but he gained his captains bars under Kearns tutelage......not a high recommendation for honesty, above board professional behavior by any stretch! In other words, more of the same.....

Subject: Re: Early Christmas? From: Geryon To: Geryon Date Posted: Sat, Jan 30, 1999 at 07:04:55 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Addendum..... I've always had the hardest time trying to understand how people, especially sophisticated people, can assume that it's the organizational head that makes the difference. I've seen it around SPD (along with other organizations) for much too long....cronies scaffolding a managerial 'Rainman' with rumors of 'He'll make a difference....'. It has never happened because of the nature of the position at the top. Think about it...we were inundated with poorly written General Orders, Office Orders, Special Bulletins, manuals, policies and procedures from every angle under Kearns. The department was awash with paperwork......you couldn't wipe your tail without using a pound of paper! And how did things actually move in the department? By favoritism....if a Captain 'liked' you and you interviewed for a job (despite qualifications)...then you got the job. If you were a female (ask Tina Tanghetti, Bogy-Kercheval-Johnson and others) then you got put at the rear of the line. If you were a white guy......move up to the front. I'm not bitching about it...it was just the way things were and we all knew it. If you were Jerry Finney's punk or Fred Arthur's punk...you got taken care of in terms of assignments. It was the way business was done. JUST LIKE IT IS WITH VENEGAS NOW! It's an organizational enigma..... How do you fix it? You can't because it's provincial policing in America. Maybe it shouldn't be fixed for that reason (locals deserve what locals want...). Val Shiele and Blake Kollar were two strong labor advocates for the SPOA (opinion based on direct observation) and both termed Kearns 'a f**king idiot' when it came to personnel decisions. They,however, kept an open door to him despite their prejudices! I think the answer may lie with a stronger police association that keeps perfumed princes like Jack and Arturo in check with job actions, law-suits or the sure knowledge that someone is watching them and keeping them in line with current employment law and the MOU. Expecting Rich to make a 'difference' is an extremely naive belief. Such a 'difference' has to come from outside of the department........either the City Manager's office or the SPOA.

Subject: Tough object lesson! From: SCCW Graffiti Watch To: All Date Posted: Wed, Jan 27, 1999 at 17:35:20 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Our Graffiti Section will cover the continuing saga of Ben Lopez, aka RIOT whose criminal career as a juvenile is living proof the system is a failure. Now an adult, CHP has made their case and we'll follow it from arraignment through the last dime he owes in restitution to the hundreds of victims he vandalized. Another career tagger and friend of Lopez, Scott Cooley, used to scale the roof behind my building and plaster his 'Dope' moniker on the east side second story of the 1801 I Street office building. Riot and Dope often tagged there together. That was until Dave Nakata and I busted their pals XS Crew there. That wall hasn't been tagged since February '97. Lopez faces two felony charges from the CHP gameplan arrest but his pal has met a different fate. In the words of his tagger peers .... 'On a more solemn note, DOPE - END was killed in a car wreck this past week. Much love goes out to the END crew on the loss of their boy. RIP DOPE, ENDK 1999.' The Sacramento Bee covered it this way. Bee Metro Staff (Published Jan. 25, 1999) A single-car accident Sunday morning killed an 18-year-old Sacramento man and injured two 16-year-old girls, officials said. Scott Francis Cooley was a passenger in a Mercury Sable being driven by Amber Hawkins, who was seriously injured. A second passenger suffered moderate injuries. California Highway Patrol Officer Brent Carter said Hawkins was traveling southbound at a high speed on Mather Field Road when she apparently lost control of her car and hit a light pole. The car overturned and rolled a few times before coming to a stop at the intersection of Convair Liner Road, Carter said. Passenger Erin Copeland, who was sitting in the back, managed to crawl out of the car and flag down a security guard who called for help around 4:35 a.m. Cooley was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical officers. Hawkins and Copeland were both transported to a local hospital. Carter said alcohol was a factor in the crash. Any charges will be determined after investigators complete a full report, he said. Those who might suggest we're too tough on juveniles tagging our buildings in the early a.m. might look to Scott's other crew member's tags ... 'ends' and wonder where their parents are if their kids are allowed to race around, doing drugs and alcohol at 4:30 a.m. Was Scott and his pals just finishing another night of tagging? It's a sure bet he wasn't speeding off to work so he could pay off the restitution owed to dozens of his victims. It's tragic when a young man loses his life before it really has begun. In this case, he did little with his 18 years on earth leaving one to speculate when his life really ended. Without question, it was gone without any effort to turn it around! Next month SCCW delivers a package the County Grand Jury that suggests the Department of Revenue and Recovery, juvenile court judges and some Superior Court Judges can share blame for a failed juvenile justice system that turns out the likes of Scott Cooley and Lopez. The system refused to honor the victims of their crimes ... no pain.. no gain... no punishment exacted. Had Cooley been held to the terms of probation and forced to pay restitution, he'd likely be alive today. Is there a lesson here?

Subject: Egual Time From: COPS Sub-Committee To: All Date Posted: Sat, Jan 23, 1999 at 17:37:41 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message:
	EQUAL TIME - US-DOJ If you have an interest in the present questioning of our nation's 100,000 new police initiative, take some time to read through this site. Then, if you're still not convinced, join the SCCW COPS Sub-Committee, review the data and contribute to the congressional inquiry.

Subject: Atta Boy !!! From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sat, Jan 23, 1999 at 04:25:57 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: While I'm reluctant to get into details, someone please thank Winston and the team for their hard work late last night and early this morning. We have friends whose loved ones were victimized. Hope you guys bag the remainder. I heard someone say that last victim was the mom or grandmother of an SSD deputy. It's fitting swift arrests were made. THANKS FROM A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY

Subject: union files suit From: maxx To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 15:59:34 (PST) Email Address: none Message: Thurdsay's article in the Bee regarding SPOA filing suit against the city is the first pro-active step SPOA has taken in a very long time. I tip my hat! It is also interesting to note that when Venegas first arrived at SPD, he stated 'I plan to flatten out the organization'. Even now, SPD has about 5 more Captains than SSD....even though SSD has 3 times the employees. What's the old saying, 'more chiefs than indians'? And in response to AKBAR, maybe there is some political motive on Venegas' behalf to re-organize the department prior to leaving.

Subject: Re: union files suit From: Dave Jenest To: maxx Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 19:27:14 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: I think there's a more sinister ploy at work here ... distancing the community from command ... too many friendlies engaging in Community Policing? Here's a hint from the Bee item: Sacramento police lieutenants who work as street-level watch commanders currently are assigned to their shifts by seniority. Under the draft proposal, the watch commander assignments would be taken away from them. Either the remaining lieutenants or the newly appointed captains would then be assigned as 'station commanders' in charge of eight new patrol sectors, with top department officials more closely in control of their appointments. I've lost count lately... but I hear 'Lincoln 4, I'm on a stop ... I've got a 927 at XXX ...' I have a hunch that some management types don't like a WC out here 'working the streets', let alone, talking to 'those people'. Lieutenants return our phone calls, Captain's traditionally hand them off. Lieutenants have authority to solve problems, make decisions and we've found many who bust their humps to work with concerned citizens on neighborhood problems. I think the chief and deputy chiefs need more brass around them to protect them from the vollies of cheap shots they've taken at rank and file ... maybe they worry, when you've had enough, you'll start shooting back. Now there will be eight more bodies to blame ... ask Ron ... I hear he's taken a bullet or two in the fire fight!

Subject: Re: union files suit From: maxx To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 22:46:13 (PST) Email Address: none Message: Sinister is a great way to put it...... Currently there are 4 captains assigned to the 4 sectors. If there is an increase of 8 new captains to over see the 8 new sectors, what becomes of the original 4 sector captains??? Is this not a surplus of 4 captains?....or is this the managements way to create more smoke and mirrors with the numbers game? As far as more 'brass' for protection...I agree, but how does the 'brass' protect themselves from themselves? They are their own worst enemy.

Subject: Re: union files suit From: CopSup To: maxx Date Posted: Fri, Jan 29, 1999 at 23:00:39 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Ok people, listen up and hang on to your shorts: The unofficial proposal the city wants the SPOA to present to them regarding the Lieutenants' issue is: No OT, no five day notice(change shift at will), Fex time upon approval of Capt.(currently employee agrees), No shift bid, Dept to pick and chose which Lt. goes where AND if doesn't work out...gets moved, no appeal right, no return rights...etc...BUT, the best part is this....11% pay increase, car AND management package! Total benefuc....packegae approximately 20-24%...and it gets better! Lieutenants leave the Association. You tell me who is smpking what with whom!?

Subject: Crime Stats Cookbook From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 01:58:05 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I listened to our president tonight. Now I listen to yet another perimeter being set up in Alkali Flats (1321 D Street POP Project). Another visitor to our city, staying at the Clarion Hotel has his car stolen, but tonight, alert cops take the bad guy out of the POP project and the visitor will think twice about staying at 16th & H next time. Another 10851 pursuit just started in Sector 4. I remember a conversation between two cops today, about 602 K signs at the coin-op laundry at 16th and F because more gun totting, drug dealing gangsters mix it up with cops there a couple times last week. Nakata took one off the street just a few days ago. Barrio Centro gang bangers recruit more kids, kids are having kids and the cycle continues. It's a live Jerry Springer show, where 'my main man is doing my sister' only to find he has 7 kids by four other young women. So, what's this rant all about? The answer can be found in some simple numbers from BJA and DOJ in weeks past ... granted, they are always behind by a year or two. Are poverty level citizen's having fewer children? Is crime down in this sector of our society? Do we not see this cycle of hopelessness in Sacramento? Is growing crime predictable despite hard working cops out numbered by younger car thieves, burglars, robbers and gun weilding fools that run from police nightly? Only a fool would believe crime is down. Cook the books anyway you like it, but time has to catch up with you for the following reasons, no matter what Clinton or Venegas tell you! 98 percent of violent crime falls under the jurisdiction of state and local government, not federal authorities. In fact, there is not all that much president Clinton can do directly about most crimes, other than use the bully pulpit in his State of the Union to talk about crime's causes, cures, decline and more cops. And because much crime is committed by young people, the ebb and flow of demographic change affects crime rates, too. That's a worry because the number of people under age 18 is expected to grow from 69 million in 1995 to 74 million in 2010. Already, more young people are getting in trouble than a decade ago. The arrest rate of children age 10 to 17 accused of violent crimes doubled between 1983 and 1992 and at best, could double again by 2010, according to the Justice Department. If demographics is destiny, the nation could experience a wave of 'superpredators' -- young street thugs from single-parent homes and bad schools who know nothing but crime and violence. One of our spokesman came before City Council two years ago and said he doubted the numbers too, Mayor Sena frowned. Council members looked at one another. Low and behold, when the year end figures came out, we were right... crime in midtown and downtown was indeed up, higher that most areas. But Bill Clinton came to town and said we had two hundred new cops thanks to the crime bill. (A crime Bill) Al Gore brought us 30 more his last trip into town. Tuesday, February 13, 1996 news headlines read, "Capitol Among Worst at Solving Violent Crime", clearing only 28.9% of them. Why? We said then, and hold to it today, not because we have poor cops, we don't have enough. Another reason to cook the books? I'd bet on it! Fewer crimes, less unsolved ones? Maybe tomorrow I'll ask Captain Hyde to provide us with the names of the 101 cops we'll be losing? Maybe I'll ask him just how much shoe leather is on the streets. Matt Powers answered the question, with a question when asked by Jim Hasting for a number, 'How many would you like?' Maybe now they have an answer ... they had one for DOJ! At the end of the day folks I know one thing. Most of you like this highly charged workplace. Why... heck, it's risky and most cops thrive living on the edge. Some of your managers (a small few that will even look me in the eye let alone talk to me) worry about that. I've learned a lot from these endangered watch commanders and adjust my thinking accordingly. But there's something else I'm learning about Sac cops who take their jobs very seriously, even take it home with you from time to time, calling partners off duty and comparing notes or returning pages from people like me on your days off. You know the enemy ... the ones in front of you and many of those behind closed doors. As long as you're in the game, there's a chance to win it! A little curry powder with poached crime stats won't make it with Martha Stewart, nor with you!

Subject: Re: Crime Stats Cookbook From: Bill Baker To: SCCW Date Posted: Mon, Feb 01, 1999 at 23:54:20 (PST) Email Address: wab@well.com Message: There was a front page article on the COPS grant program in last Saturday's SF Examiner (http://eXaminer.com/990129/0129cops.shtml). It mostly focuses on state funding for COPS grants but since the same stats are used by California PD's to meet both state and federal grant requirements, I assume, the patterns detailed in the article are just as damning for expenditure of federal bucks. The skinny: --San Francisco PD openly admits that none (nit, zero, nada) of their COPS funds have gone to pay for new officers. --Sacramento is singled out as one of the localities which has done the most to use COPS money for officers. 'Other counties have been much more resolute about hiring officers. Sacramento County, for example, has hired 56 officers with its state COPS money.' --Many other urban/suburban California PD's have used their COPS grants as a slush fund to pay for everything but new badges on the streets. The article is a little too elided to figure out how the reporter was calculating federal/state grant disbursement, but I'm sure others, reading the claim of 56 new Sacto officers ensuing from state money, have the same question I do: did Sac PD or the Sheriff's dept. claim to have funded any of these 56 with federal money? We aren't double-billing the state and the feds for the same cops, are we?

Subject: Re: Crime Stats Cookbook From: CopSup To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 02:16:59 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I was listening to Mr. Matt the other day. It was early in the AM and he was talking about crime stats and how the officers on the department we doing a great job at holding the line on Crime. He explained that the new population for Sacramento city was somewhere in the 403K range and that per capita crime was down by 18%. I looked around the room and could see the disinterested look on the officer's faces and their total lack of belief in this guys words! Crime is down in Sacramento! On paper! When you supply the stats, you make your own dreams come true! This guy has such a great regard for the way Santa Ana polices its streets and take away business from Sacramento that he's constantly quoting someone or another from their....I wish he'd just pack up and go turn their stomaches.

Subject: Re: Crime Stats Cookbook From: AKBAR To: CopSup Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 11:11:42 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I was told by several who attended the roll call that Matt didn't make sense when he answered an officer's question. I was also told that Matt was once considered a good and fair manager who was developing some pretty good leadership skills. However, now he has deteriorated to a point of being considered dangerous. This opinion comes from a few of his closest peers. Any comments?

Subject: Police Monitor From: Sac Cop Retired To: All Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 01:17:09 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: The City wants a monitor. It would seem that certain groups in the city also want a monitor. I venture to guess, the way IA has been running lately, that even the cops want a monitor. I would like to nominate you Dave, as the Police Monitor. When you've finished laughing, hear me out. You've been actively involved in the community for quite a few years now. You've already been exposed to most of the movers/shakers in city government and are aware of various policies in government. But your strengths are in the community, in fairness and common sense. I've known you for a period of time and not once have you said nor intimated any type of discrimination. You have the wherewithall to see a wrong, regardless of race, creed color etc. If it's wrong, it's wrong --- regardless of who did it. You also have to ability to garner community support. If a job needs to get done you're rolling up your sleeves and working with everyone to get it done. I think the community would be well served. I think the cops would appreciate your oversight as well. Your oversight would give a sense of legitimacy to IA cases, even if the cop screwed up.

Subject: Re: Police Monitor From: CopSup To: Sac Cop Retired Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 01:41:38 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Looks like you have been nominated and should consider the position! You asked what it is we, cops, are looking for in a monitor. Well, let me put it as simply as possible and I'll be brief. We are looking for someone who will not be obligated to the COP or the Mayor. Someone who will not only monitor the complaints AGAINST the coppers but someone who will monitor the complaints of officers against MANAGEMENT. Too often the rules of the job are applied only to the officer on the street and any wrong doing by a manager is very quietly swept under the rug. Venegas made several statements at the city council meeting about the blue ribbon committee's report that should raise the red flag. He stated that officers themselves are reporting other officer's wrongdoings. I agree that there are some officers who report other officers, as it should be. However, if a review of the internal complaints made were to be conducted, one would probably find that most of these 'internal' complaints are in fact generated by Mr. 'Departmental'. And, if you look back at the statements made by Venegas at that council meeting, he indicated that those internally generated complaints would not be monitored by the monitor! Why? ANY complaint, whether generated internally or from an outside source should be monitored. What is it that would exempt that complaint from the process, other than the control the department wants to exert? If I file a complaint against a manager, shouldn't my complaint be monitored for completness, accuracy and proper investigation and resolution? There are absolutely no checks and balances when it comes to internally generated complaints against managers and those at the top. If this safeguard is in place and the Monitor is allowed to oversee these complaints, I think we will all see changes at the top!

Subject: Re: Police Monitor From: Dave Jenest To: CopSup Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 17:01:49 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: An officer I trust and respect offers the following: Dave, Good idea buuuuuuut,, I think you tend to be too tempermental for a job like that and, at times, refuse to consider the possibility that you may be wrong. I agree with him! I also agree with your statement: Someone who will not only monitor the complaints AGAINST the coppers but someone who will monitor the complaints of officers against MANAGEMENT. I will fight for that with our new city manager if you will back us !!!!! It's time to draw a line in the sand folks and before, not after, the monitor is selected. In my personal e-mail to those who suggested me for the slot, asked that they support an ex-cop who I'd love to nominate. A public statement from me would be the kiss of death. I hope you all agree, that what I do best, is cover issues here and on the pages of our site. There's more than enough of that plate ... for example: I wanted to throw up after reading today's Bee and the item about Gunter's wreck. This city and the City Attorney's Office is about a weak and cowardly as one can get. A drunk driver can blow a light in this city and win the lottery. Officer's in this city are in big trouble, citizen's won't back you up any more than the nervous nellies in silly hall. Sam Jackson needs to find another day job and officers of this city need to apply the backbone you show on the streets to some of the criminals running this city. If these insensitive statements of fact offend, TOUGH! Get over it, fix it, or crawl back under the rock you slithered out from under. And to my pal Robbie .. yeah, I like two-man cars too. But only if you double this police department to bring it up to national averages. L:et's not forget, dumb ass liberals in San Diego, years ago, screwed law enforcement by putting forward a 'study' that concluded 'two man cars are dangerous' ... agancies all over California bought into the lie, uncovered years later by agencies like Oakland PD. Very quietly, after discovery of 'flawed data' guess what you find in San Diego ... TWO MAN UNITS! Over the years a bunch of cops bought it thanks to these money grubbing egocentric 'managers' who never see the street. This town is full of them and you're paying the price as are we, in quality of life. But like you, we're not giving up, we're proud of those who belly up to the bar every day and night against increasing odds. Thank You!

Subject: Another Shot at Community Policing From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 00:35:30 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Well... you heard it here before, now it's the next management by darts thrown at the board. SPD is critically short of street cops and officers to fill the new Delta/David POP Teams. But a plan may well become fact this week and be implemented the next. Top heavy will be an understatement. Not a shot will be heard as more Captains are created in an already management rich, over staffed, high paid management team. What may be offered to temper outrage by street cops and people like me? A Captain over the ComCenter ... at long last, some accountability over an out of control civilian authority that seems to be running the police department instead of the other way around. They promised us accountability and shared ownership with Community Policing and the light of day before city council! Steamed rolled! 'There is no Sector 5', they said ... just call it Metro. A rose is a rose... They begged for Measure M but stonewalled answers about staff shortages. Confronted with proof, they scream foul with claims 'those are internal documents Mr. Jenest!' Where was SPOA in all this, silent... contempt for it's non-management members, allowing threats and intimidation by I.A. to rule the day and shut up the voices of rank and file. Now Sac PD is about to become even more management oppressive. We need bread ... 'Let them eat Captains and make Lieutenants powerless pawns on the Management's chessboard. Is this the parting shot across our collective bows by a vacating Venegas who brings his world class leadership to even lower levels while crime soars in Sacramento despite claims to the contrary? Yes, he will call them Captain I and Captain II to avoid criticism that 'Commander' is fine for LAPD but not Sacramento. Will the Deputy Chief's get an additional star on their collar for all the new silver bars they will have to rule over? You who pay the bill will have no say in this decision ... why should you? You had no say in the selection of the City Manager did you?

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: UBDATE To: SCCW Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 10:35:42 (PST) Email Address: - Message: City pitches union on plan to revamp police By Andy Furillo Bee Staff Writer (Published Jan. 20, 1999) Sacramento city officials met with representatives of the police union Tuesday to try to sell them on a departmental reorganization plan that could be forwarded to the City Council as soon as next week. Under a draft proposal already delivered to some City Council members, sources said the plan would eliminate the Police Department's current four patrol sectors and replace them with eight new ones. The proposal, as outlined to City Council member Robbie Waters, could increase the number of captains by reducing the number of lieutenants, who would then no longer work the streets as watch commanders. Waters, however, said the final details on that arrangement have not been worked out by Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr. and his staff. Department officials declined Tuesday to discuss the reorganization. The plan could get its first public airing Tuesday. The City Council's preliminary agenda for next week includes a review of the Police Department's strategic plan. Steve Campas, the president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association, said Tuesday he did not know the contents of the plan. Campas did not attend the meeting with city officials. He said only that 'there is a dialogue' going on about the reorganization plan between the city and the union. Waters said that portions of the plan sounded 'nebulous' to him, particularly in regards to lines of on-duty authority. The plan, as roughed out to him by department managers, calls for an increase of four captains, to be funded through the elimination of an undetermined number of lieutenant positions, Waters said. The councilman said it was not made clear what the new captains' responsibilities would entail, or whether captains or lieutenants would be designated as the patrol commanders of the eight new sectors. 'They said they were still working those details out' Waters said. Some Sacramento police patrol lieutenants are currently assigned to their jobs according to seniority. The reorganization plan could give top managers more authority in slotting lieutenants. One department source said the issue is 'highly volatile' for lieutenants, who could be reassigned to less desirable work shifts. Moreover, some officers said they viewed the reorganization plan in part as a first step toward getting lieutenants out of the police union. Waters said Venegas denied that that was his motivation. 'The chief volunteered this is not a union-busting issue,' Waters said. SPOA President Campas said 'I don't think that is a focal issue any longer.' Campas and at least one other union board member are police lieutenants. Meanwhile, the Police Department followed through earlier this month with a plan to roll its neighborhood policing officers into the patrol mainstream. The 'NPOs' had been working in about 20 communities around town, mostly freed from handling calls for service to concentrate on neighborhood crime problems. Department officials said the idea behind the elimination of the NPO program is to get more patrol officers working on community policing. Copyright © The Sacramento Bee

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: AKBAR To: UBDATE Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 12:00:33 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Question: Why would the chief reorganize the whole department just to get a few LT's out of the SPOA???? I don't know about anyone else, but I am having trouble making any sense out of that.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: maxx To: AKBAR Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 12:31:30 (PST) Email Address: none Message: Removing a 'few' Lt's out of SPOA is the first step in bringing down the wall. How convenient is it that Campas didn't attend this particular meeting? Could it be a promotion is in his sights? By not protecting and standing up for the rights of SPOA members, Campas continues to show the brass that he would be the best candidate for Captain. As stated by members of the brass: 'a monkey can do this job' and 'if they don't like it here, leave'...rank and file is not important. Does anybody else see the correlation between this mindset and Campas' inactions?

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: AKBAR To: maxx Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 10:32:34 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: It just seems a little drastic for a chief who will sell his first born to get out of SPD. Does he want to make an unprecedented change at SPD just to get a few LT's out of the SPOA and then move on? I'm having a problem buying that logic. I'm still scratching my head as to the reasoning behind such a dramatic reorganization. It might have something to do with creating more control for himself and for the chief who will replace him.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: Dave Jenest To: AKBAR Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 21, 1999 at 19:40:50 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Hey, just remember what your instructors teach at the academy ... 'shared ownership, decision-making, accountability, 'relaxing the traditional 'chain of command' without regard to rank, etc etc' Akbar, you cannot apply logic to, in your own words, 'a chief who will sell his first born to get out of SPD.' All we can hope for, is that a change of the guard in city hall means a passport for Venegas. I think Thomas might just be the man to cancel his stamp and political clout!

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: SacCopRetired To: Dave Jenest Date Posted: Sat, Jan 23, 1999 at 03:09:49 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Let's put a different spin on this. Currently, the chief has 4 sectors and several captains. Each sector has several active community groups. These groups have learned how to be the squeeky wheel. They're coming of age in terms of finding out things like: where does all this federal money go? what does the COP grant really say? How is it affecting our community? What is my community seeing out of those dollars? In each sector there are several definable community groups. But so far what has taken place is these groups identify with other groups within that sector because of proximity and the cops and captains they have to deal with. So now as these groups become smarter in making their demands, Chiefy sees this as a threat to unveiling the shell game he's been playing with their money. So the answer? Divide and conquer. Make 8 sectors out of 4, force the groups to deal with different managers. You know how SPD works --- you never get the same answer out of two different managers. So now the information trail to these groups is further diluted. Now that you've forestalled the biggest threat, use the same leverage to quell any potential uprising within the ranks. Yes I agree there are sgts/lts out there, although few, that do hold SPOA/officers' rights sacred. Now chiefy can hold the carrot in front of them. Someone earlier said he gets what he wants if he holds out enough brass. They were right. How many rank and file are actually represented on the SPOA board? Has anyone ever wondered why most past board members have either gained rank while in office or shortly thereafter? During Campus' campaign, his opponents brought forth the notion that he was non-confrontational to management. Do you see SPOA in the limelight fighting for the rank/file? Why would they? Rank and file isn't represented on the board. We all knew the writing was on the wall when chiefy first signed on. Did he ever go rub elbows with the troops? How many RAL's did he do? Ever bother to introduce himself personally? No, we got videos. And that's what we're gonna be getting too. We'll see the press conferences of federal auditors unveiling investigations into grant fund mismanagement, we'll see our fellow rank/file on news footage from pursuits, shootings and crime scenes or worse, being put into ambulances because SPD now has 8 shorthanded sectors instead of 4 and the poor cop's cover was coming from two sectors over. SPOA elections can't come soon enough. We arent' getting backing from city hall, not from our own administration and certainly not from SPOA. Our only hope at this point is the communities we work in. It's their collective voices that have a chance to be heard.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: CopSup To: SacCopRetired Date Posted: Fri, Jan 29, 1999 at 22:45:31 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: I really wish you and/or everyone else who decides to take pot shots at the entire SPOA board would be just a little more specific about what we are not doing! I realize the Campas isn't doing what he swore on to do and that I really think he's in this only for the tracks, however, to put the rest of the board in the same boat is stupid and unfair. There are some of us who fight our asses off for the rank and file only to be accused of some sort of wrongdoing! You got proof that the entire board is not working for the best interest of it's member? Then let's hear it!

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: No Sup To: CopSup Date Posted: Sat, Jan 30, 1999 at 15:08:03 (PST) Email Address: - Message: Face it! A house divided cannot stand. Brown snips at Dowden (personal vendetta?) Nepotism keeps board members from cleaning up communications and life threatening mistakes. Campus cowtows to el heffy, secret meetings among the 'priviliged' and zip accountability. You may be the exception but I'd bet you are in someones cross hairs too. If the membership had any balls, there would be a recall. Unstack the deck and maybe that can happen. Meanwhile, we feel so threatened we have to use little POS nicknames and not post our mail address for fear you know who will come a calling. It only takes a couple rotten apples brother!

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: Gyas To: SCCW Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 06:07:20 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Creating more police Captains during a period of line staff shortages is nothing more than irresponsible. Why not fire the lieutenants along with all captains to hire more cops with what you save? Or go to George Berkley's model of civilianizing all ranks above lieutenant, saving huge amounts of salary, benefits. Why not cut at the top......and apply the savings to the people who do the real work...the cop on the beat. When is the last time that any management idea made the street cop's job more efficient and easier to do? There has been a proliferation of rules, regs and 'plans' in the past 5 years that has done nothing other than put hurdle after hurdle in front of the street cops. It has been a mindless, empty-headed pursuit of something SPD managers have no clue of.....how to catch a crook, how to police a neighborhood effectively and how to make people feel safer in their homes, places and beings. Matt 'Mo' Gas' Powers never did it as a police officer, neither did Al 'Graveyard' Najera, Larry 'Leave Me Alone' Gibbs or anyone else in that management team. They were cops only because they had to be in order to take the sergeant's test. They didn't spend enough time on the street to know when a crook is bullshitting or conning, they didn't spend enough time in a community to know the crooks or good guys and they know what they know because they heard a story or read about somewhere. The test of leadership is credibility with the troops. Right now, I'd say that the folks at the top are pretenders who fall short of true, effective leadership. This condition is exacerbated by their collective disingenuity. Remember the story of the SWAT commander needing water for his troops? Remember the story of the SWAT commander coming up with critically needed and readily available side-arms for his troops? These stories are but of dozens about the failure of SPD management to make the troops more effective and their jobs easier. Where should the SPOA be in all of this? They should be right in the middle of it. They should be soliciting stories from the troops about mismanagement. The SPOA has members who have information about SPD's non-compliance with Fed money, they should debrief those members, memorialize their statements and forward them to the DOJ or you. The SPOA should tell Arturo Venegas, 'You've crossed the line too many times, amigo. Now the gloves come off and we represent our fellas.' They should present all the screw-ups of the last 5 yerars on this website or their own because the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent. They also have a right to know how those dollars are being mis-spent. I doubt the SPOA will do more than what their legal counsel suggests. That will be a mistake because this is a visceral labor issue.........creating a new rank to take away members. I think that one thing the SPOA will be forced to do is to find a new President since Campas becomes management (some think that's been the case for the past few years....) when the new captain rank is created.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: maxx To: Gyas Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 14:15:40 (PST) Email Address: anonymous Message: Regarding SPOA.... --- Can anybody tell me exactly what Campas does all day... other than playing golf on a regular basis with Venegas, Parker, and Najera? Is it just me, or does anybody else see the conflict of interest here?

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: SupCop To: maxx Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 01:52:32 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Don't forget Sgt. wannabe Lt. Kuntz! Since you asked....he attends meetings alone with the top brass. He's too afraid to take another member with him to keep both sides honest! He can not afford to have someone else know about his covert meetings because he wouldn't be able to do his dirty deeds! The selling of SPOA is in progress and it's happening behind closed doors, to the highest bidder! Or whomever can furnish the most brass.

Subject: Re: UPDATE: Another Shot From: Dave Jenest To: maxx Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 20:24:48 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Steve won't return my calls anymore ... questions, questions, questions. UPDATE: Lieutenants are hunkering down for a meeting tomorrow, so maybe this report being whispered about Captains has merit? Does the term, 'endanger species' ring a bell? Did anyone hear that DC Powers made the rounds today suggesting we have a problem with transients? Maybe the Neighbor's Police Blotter, where just about every crime, lists the arrestees address as 'Residentialally Challenged,' raised his conscience level. I hear he dodged a bullet on a question about the chief? Anyone want to confirm? Oh well... maybe the 187 of Robert Troball has politicians worried ... they may find a way, but it's tough to register a 926 to vote in the next special election.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: disgusted To: maxx Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 17:15:06 (PST) Email Address: none Message: I agree SPOA should be more active in these issues. But the fact is that we are an apathetic membership in general. We sell out new members and vote sgt. and Lts. to represent us although they are the ones who investigate us. Does anyone remember us having an active president? People sit around and complain but do nothing. This forum gives us an opportunity to change things but look at how the messages have dried up since word got out about IA reading this. But, as long as a few of us speak out maybe some things will be exposed. We need a grand jury investigation of management. Anyone know what's up with our new computers and dispatch system. More federal money sitting around paying the salary of how many people that could be on the street. Trivia Question: How long does it take SPD to get a new computer dispatch sytem?' Answer: Depends on how long they can keep a couple people on it and paid for with federal money.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: CopSup To: disgusted Date Posted: Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 02:04:54 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: You hit the nail on the head! Apathy is the greatest killer. Unless an issue effects many officers, no one cares. If the issue effects one or two persons, 'it's only one or two officers effected'. If no one wants to step up to the plate and take on an issue, we let it go and pay for that mistake later. And we will pay dearly! We don't have the guts to sue, sue, sue! We might lose! I would not so easily give up on all Sgts and Lts...they may have to investigate you and correct your mistakes, but, would you rather be investigated by Gibbs or Najera? There are Sgts and Lts who hold SPOA sacred and will do what they can to defend YOUR rights! Even to the extent of forcing their careers to a halt.

Subject: Re: Another Shot at Community Policing From: COPS Sub-Committee To: disgusted Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 18:32:42 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: Seldom on time DEC - look at the history with DOJ. But.... City Council agenda item last week: 4.3 Agreement with Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in the amount of $635,100 for Police Department. (D-1) RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF:ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING AGREEMENT COUNCIL ACTION: CC99-023 AG99-011 VOTING RECORD: MOV: KERTHSEC: WATERS AYES:COHN, FARGO, HAMMOND, KERTH, PANNELL, WATERS, YEE ABSENT:SERNA If you want to see the grant for $7 million that will free up 289 police officers to be redeployed to Community Policing I'll upload it. It too suggests fraud by massive overstatement. BUT Wait .. scream our crititcs ... unfair! unfair! Judge for yourselves folks - just a sample from your COPS More '96 grant application: Sacramento Police Department ORI#:CA 03404 The COPS MORE grant funds requested by the Sacramento Police Department will enable the Department to increase the deployment of 289 officer full-time equivalencies (FTEs) each year into Sacramento community-oriented policing services. This was determined based on the following analysis: 542 sworn officers will be impacted by the new technology. Currently, while on duty, these officers spend approximately four hours per shift (as described below) in non-policing activities, for an aggregate of 791,320 hours per year. Through the use of the new technology that would be funded through COPS MORE, there would be approximately 60% reduction in time spent by these officers in non-policing activities, for a total savings of 474,792 hours. In addition, the Sacramento Police Department employs 47 Community Service Officers (CSO) and 13 Crime Scene Investigators (CSI). These non-sworn positions relieve sworn officers of much report-taking and report-making duties in assigned areas, and enable sworn officers to engage in more community policing activities as a result. Currently, CSOs and CSIs spend approximately four to six hours per shift taking and filing reports. Through the use of the new technology, CSOs and CSIs would further increase their capacity to relieve sworn officers of non-policing activities. The new technology would create an additional savings of 52,560 CSO and CSI hours at minimum. 542 sworn officers 3 shifts per day Approximately 181 officers per shift 4 hours non-policing activities per shift 542 officers x 4 hours/day x 365 days/year 791,320 hours lost per year 791,320 x 60% = 474,792 hours reclaimed through use of technology 60 CSO/CSIs 3 shifts per day Approximately 20 personnel per shift 4 -6 hours in report writing per shift 60 personnel x 4 hours/day x 365 day/year 87,600 hours lost per year 87,600 x 60% = 52,560 hours reclaimed through use of new technology Sworn officer savings due to technology....474,792 CSO/CSI savings due to technology.............52.560 Total Savings...................................... ..........527,352 Divided by 1,824 FTE hours per year....... 527,352/1,824=289 FTEs per year Impacted by the new technology, 602 sworn officers, CSOs and CSIs would result in the redeployment of 289 FTEs into policing activities each year. The actual number of total FTEs redeployed to community policing activities (289) exceeds the minimum required by the Cost-Effectiveness Worksheet (282) and demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of the Police Department's proposed project. As further evidence of the cost-effectiveness of this system, the increased full-time staffing equivalents gained through these technology purchases will continue for the life of the equipment, which the manufacturer estimates as ten years. --- --- --- --- --- end --- --- --- --- --- - You have to inhale if you buy that laptops equate to: there would be approximately 60% reduction in time spent by these officers in non-policing activities. In my prior life, I spent many years, fine tuning CAD and wireless integration stats for field report writing applications, measuring such things as floppy disks vs porting the laptop to a docking station vs wireless export of the form data via RAM Mobile Data (The CHP model) or CDPD cellular or Motorola MCT/Trunked data. The maximum efficiency gains with real agengies like West Covina, Morgan Hill, Aneheim, Econdido and others? The conservative number used was 25-35 % MAX. But hey, SPD overstated 34 cops into 101, so the ratio's about right! You work the streets, some of you have laptops ... you be the jury. Dorthy... you're one of the best ... make SPD's case for us ... you wanted intellegent discussions here... go for it!

Subject: Thanks CHP From: I.C.U. Com Watch To: All Date Posted: Mon, Jan 18, 1999 at 20:33:38 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: We would like to thank CHP Officers Stuart, Pope, Lamm, Jacobs, Warmerdam and Uhleberg for their efforts and help in a gameplan to catch the window smash burgulary and graffiti crooks. These officers along with the people from Community Watch set out to catch these crooks and CHP succeeded in catching the (RIOT) tagger and 2 others. Another person was booked for warrants after running from officers earlier. Great job! The other people who volunteered their time are Paul Harriman, Dennis Baird and Dave Jenest Thanks to these people also. Now what we need, is more people like these, to help in order to catch the crooks that are stirring up such a nightmare for the merchants in Midtown. Thanks again everyone... now you know everyone who helps makes a big difference in our Community. Phil I.C.U. Community Watch.

Subject: Re: Thanks CHP From: Embarrassed To: I.C.U. Com Watch Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 17:22:54 (PST) Email Address: none Message: Emabarrassing. Now the community has to go to CHP to help solve city problems.. Maybe SPD can do like East Palo Alto and get the govenor to send CHP in on an emergency basis to put more offficers on the street. Seems like this will be the only way we can get more cops on the street..Wonder how many officers we have on admin. leave or admin. office duty........Note I'm not Bad mouthing CHP or their officers. As a city taxpayer I'm happythe crooks got caught.

Subject: Re: Thanks CHP From: SCCW To: Embarrassed Date Posted: Tues, Jan 19, 1999 at 20:37:59 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message: SPD was invited to the party ... staffing shortages, no NPOs or POP officers, a rather busy night and a questionable cellphone in Sam-1's unit precluded their direct involvement in CHPs arrest of Ben Lopez, aka RIOT and two of his juvenile students. Now an adult serial tagger, who told me in juvenile court in front of mom's, 'no more man!' (That was in 1997) he faces fresh felonies, another filed by SPD/POP La Grassa today and the hope the DA will slam him and his friends on the video tape they used to document their crimes. But please give former SPD/POP COP Steve Salandez his due and the partnership that was formed nearly two years ago with CHP and Community Watch. CHP Officer Stuart took the point when Steve left SPD. Capt. Williams, Lt. Hensley and Sgt. Lamm supported it then, and I think the proof is in the pudding now, that such things are possible here. Phil from ICU Community Watch was a little modest, as usual. He's been a trooper in his hood and ours, sat out in 34 degree weather at 0300, hunkered down on J Street, more than once. 212 businesses were asked to pitch in. Guess how many did? ZIP Oh well.

Subject: New POP/Sector 1 Map From: SCCW To: All Date Posted: Sat, Jan 16, 1999 at 03:00:57 (PST) Email Address: Not Provided Message: Here's the new District POP Team map for Sector 1. Clink here to view

Subject: COPS & Clinton From: Dave Jenest To: All Date Posted: Thurs, Jan 14, 1999 at 18:29:14 (PST) Email Address: watchdog@pacbell.net Message:

  As the Congress of the United States opens the impeachment trial against President Clinton it boils down to a matter of 'I do' vs 'is, is?' Does the oath mean anything, or do we breakdown the semantics of 'I do' next? Deception has become the hallmark of Washington politics and the capitol of the wealthiest state in America. The birds of a feather seem to flock together. Where is the President Today? Once again, with police ordered to stand behind him, much like the photo opps of 1994 to defeat the evil gun lobby, President Clinton vows to place even more police officers on the streets of America. There were protests by FOP lodges and rank and file then, there were questions about Chief Venegas sitting in uniform behind Clinton and