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Santa Rosa City Council Debates Need for Civilian Review October 13, 1998 By Karen Saari Stolen Lives Researcher

I just returned from a meeting held by the Santa Rosa City Council on the need for civilian review. The meeting opened with a presentation from Santa Rosa Police Chief Michael Dunbaugh who spoke at some length about the "good works" of the police force in the community. He talked about their support for soccer leagues, the Boy Scouts and organizing Neighborhood Watch groups (snitch networks). He was followed by a city attorney who gave a biased and inaccurate description of the five shooting deaths of the past three years. After well over 30 minutes of mind-numbing police propaganda, the floor was opened up to the public. Over 80 people had signed up to talk for three minutes each.

Public input time included the expected contingent of goose-stepping police "groupies" extolling the virtues of the police. This tiresome group seems to have been quite thoroughly brainwashed by their revered authority figures long ago. They were a minority in the room and as the night wore on their numbers diminished dramatically.

But many people came with stories of brutality and sorrow perpetrated by police and their actions.

A man who works with the families of people who have been killed by the police spoke of the hateful way they are treated and how the victim is cirminalized by the police and the press.

Members of a local family support group spoke of their grief, their loss and the unjust deaths of their loved ones.

A soft-spoken elderly woman told of a beating she had received from police in recent years which has left her severely disabled.

A middle-aged black man spoke of the years of harassment he has received from police which has caused him to lose jobs and which is affecting his children.

A woman told of being put into a mental hospital three times by police because she called police for assistance in dealing with an abusive ex-husband.

Another woman spoke of the disdainful treatment she had received from a police officer when she reported a sexual assault. She did some research and discovered that officer had been accused of sexual assault by his former wife.

Several people spoke of the intimidation and harassment they receive when they attempted to file complaints with the police department.

A young black father of six told of being arrested for drinking in a park and having his arm twisted so severely that he lost two weeks of work. Although he filed a complaint several weeks ago, he has not received any information about its progress from the department.

A father who filed a complaint against the Santa Rosa police some years ago told how the following day his daughter was deliberately run down by a truck driven by a man who is closely associated with Santa Rosa police officers.

A social justice activist spoke of the arrogance of the police in the way they kill and then complain about the sorrow it causes them.

A youth explained to the council that the police is their gang which is there to protect them and their way of life.

I made the point that none of the people killed in Santa Rosa was a career criminal and that nearly all of them were having psychiatric episodes. In my opinion, they were not killed because they posed a deadly threat, but because they did not obey police commands.

I am not very hopeful that anything of substance will come from this meeting but it felt good to be there and hear the truth spoken for a change.

WEAR BLACK ON OCTOBER 22ND, THE NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST TO STOP POLICE BRUTALITY , REPRESSION AND THE CRIMINALIZATION OF A GENERATION!!!!

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