Publication Date: Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Board of Contributors: An e-mail blitz on police policies, practices
Board of Contributors: An e-mail blitz on police policies, practices
(February 02, 2005) by Jeff Blum
I receive a lot of e-mail, and the blitz increased when I recently became chairperson of the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission.
Lately, the hot topic has been the Palo Alto Police Department. Many of the e-mails consist of articles from newspapers concerning police related issues. Sometimes, they describe how despicable the police allegedly behaved, in Palo Alto and in other cities. As these e-mails continue and more people become recipients, I receive even more e-mails.
It is an understatement to say these prolific e-mailers are unhappy with our police department. They accuse Police Chief Lynne Johnson of lying, racism, violating public records access laws and incompetence. They want her fired immediately.
These persistent e-mailers are also demanding a Citizen's Oversight Committee to monitor police actions.
The HRC has long monitored police behavior on behalf of Palo Alto citizens and the public. I believe Chief Johnson's predecessor, Pat Dwyer, retired two years ago at least in part because we wore him out.
He definitely felt we were overly intrusive. At our last meeting shortly before he retired, he angrily read a letter accusing us of "outrageous" conduct. He was upset because we allowed unflattering perspectives to be aired on the department's interrogation practices.
I was not enamored with the timing of things or the format of the meeting. However, his comments were over the top, in my view.
Police Chief Johnson has been a breath of fresh air in comparison. She has allowed us to expand our monitoring role. She brings informed staff members to our meetings and provides requested documentation whenever possible, making our job easier and our relationship with her and her department more productive and positive.
Our last meeting with Chief Johnson in December 2004 lasted about 2 1/2 hours. We asked her questions about racial profiling, procedures she will use when cameras are installed on patrol vehicles, possible police acquisition of taser guns (now on hold), use of "early warning" systems to identify officers consistently having problems with citizens, and police-community relations in general.
In addition to attending HRC meetings, Chief Johnson regularly meets with a subcommittee on which I serve -- established to review police practices, sponsor forums on issues of concern and create other ways to improve police-community relations. At her suggestion, we will have a police-community meeting on Feb. 23 at a local church.
I appreciate Chief Johnson's candor. Because I am an attorney, as another way to monitor the police, and as "due diligence," I recently verified the accuracy of some information provided in a report from Chief Johnson and her staff. It checked out 100 percent.
There have been some rough spots. When she decided to reduce the data the department compiles on racial profiling she failed to forewarn us of this change. However, she apologized for this oversight and pledged to be proactive in keeping us informed.
Chief Johnson is attempting to establish better relations with minorities. Her decision to compile less data on racial profiling appears to undermine this goal, so there is room for improvement.
The police department has had a few high-profile cases involving minorities in recent years. I wonder if this is unusual for a city of its size. Unusual or not, apart from the decision to reduce the amount of racial profiling data compiled, Chief Johnson appears to be reacting in positive ways to problems in her department that were perhaps highlighted by these cases.
Despite the flood of e mails and pressure for immediate action from what appears to be a few unhappy residents, the HRC is taking a deliberative approach as we consider whether to recommend to the City Council a Citizen's Advisory Committee to oversee police conduct. I am conducting research, including learning whether and how other cities monitor police misconduct.
This deliberative process includes reviewing correspondence from the faithful e-mailers. The decision is not mine alone to make, as there are seven commissioners on the HRC.
But we are all committed to assuring that every person is treated with due respect and fairness, and that appropriate policies and practices are in place to assure that occurs to the utmost extent possible.
Jeffrey Blum is a Palo Alto resident, a family law attorney based in Redwood City and was recently elected chair of the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission. He can be e-mailed at blumesq@aol.com.
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