"Sensitivity training"
So there is an interesting little story in the Press Enterprise about the San Bernardino Police Department and the city's West side.
The headline is pretty rough: "San Bernardino police chief moving too slowly on sensitivity training, activists say," but the story is comparably mild.
The story doesn't get tough until about seven paragraphs in, then goes on like this:
"Activists said they appreciate the officers' overtures. But they worry that a departmental culture that appears to condone arrogance and brutality could persist.
Linda Heart, who helped organize the community forum in January where Chief Mike Billdt promised the increased training, called the Museum of Tolerance visits inadequate.
"Because of the long history we've had here in San Bernardino, I think we're going to need a more intense intervention than going on a field trip," she said."
The history and context of the story is this: The Westside contains the city's poorest and most heavily Latino and black communities. It also is wracked by crime. The Police Department is overwhelmingly not Latino or black, and has had a number of public relations nightmares in the West side over the years. The Justice Department intervened late last year to mediate the squabbles.
The last flash-point was when 16-year-old Terrell Markham was shot and badly-maimed by an officer last year. The boy was allegedly carrying a handgun, and the shooting was deemed justified by the District Attorney, but the community was outraged.
Chief Billdt's reform appears to be sending officers on day trips to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angleles. As reforms go, that's obviously not too radical, costly or difficult. This story seems to indicate there is some discontent over whetber a museum trip is enough to heal the wounds.
Whether it is ultimately enough to make a difference, to soothe relations that clearly are raw, is for the future to decide. .
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
The problems in SBPD are not limited to black and latino citizens living on the Westside. I am white, I live in the Central District, and have problems with Police response time. I have had officers not take action on complaints that I have called in. I have had Police dispatchers try and talk me out of calling in complaints. My friend’s minor son was roughed up by a SBPD officer because he wouldn’t comply with directions. However these have been incidents with specific SBPD personnel- not the entire force - and when brought to the attention of the local Sergeant and Lieutenant, they were handled. Most of the officers I have dealt with have been responsive and want to see a better city.
I was at the City Council Meeting where a group of Westside residents came to accuse the SBPD of "brutality" when breaking-up their activity. And while listening to what all the Westside residents said I noticed one common thing – they all described residents not following the instructions of the police officers during the melee. That type of activity can get you injured or killed whether you are black, white, or green and is not limited to San Bernardino. That could happen in any city in this country.
I am not a fan of Chief Billdt’s. I think that sending officers to the Museum of Tolerance for sensitivity training is not likely to accomplish what the residents of the Westside expect, however I’m not sure that anything will.
The residents of the Westside are quick to point out that the majority of the SBPD officers are white, and that they, the residents, are black and latino. Maybe some of them should apply, I hear that SBPD is hiring.
What would satisfy the Westside residents???!!!
If what the Chief has proposed is not good enough, what is their suggestion?
Maybe the "Community Activists" should take a more hands on approach to fixing "their" community!
Quit complaining about what the Police are doing, and fix what your community is doing! Last time I checked there have been more black-on-black crimes and hispanic-on-hispanic violent crimes than any violence committed by the police against the community.
Think about it...the Police are typically a responsive Department. They respond to crimes and problems that exist in the community. What have these "Community Activists" done to educate "their" community to treat one another with respect and dignity? What have they done to teach family values, the values of human life? What have they done to show the value of work, and not continuing a generational drain on local government services?
San Bernardino Police Officers are some of the most HIGHLY trained PROFESSIONALS that the Law Enforcement community has to offer.
They have a job that not everybody can, or want, to do.
Not every officer that comes to San Bernardino makes it...one left saying that San Bernardino needed the National Guard and not a Police Department.
The officers you have TRY to make a difference, WANT to make a difference, and DO make a difference!
When you point one finger at the Police Department, you are pointing three fingers right back at yourself!
Start fixing the community's attitude and let the Police do the job that they have sworn to do.
SBPD has a bad habit of covering for their own. I reported one of their officers for spousal abuse and it was swept under the rug.
WHEN YOU ADD PEOPLE LIKE TURNER TO THE POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE REMAINS SILENT, AND YOU ARE BLACK,OR HISPANIC YOU UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF YOUR POLICE DEPT.REMEMBER SILENCE GIVES CONSENT.
WHEN YOU ADD PEOPLE LIKE TURNER TO THE POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE REMAINS SILENT, AND YOU ARE BLACK,OR HISPANIC YOU UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF YOUR POLICE DEPT.REMEMBER SILENCE GIVES CONSENT.