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Santa Rosa Copwatch works to eliminate or radically change police institutions.
Know Your Rights:
Under the U.S. Constitution, all citizens are afforded equal, basic protection under the law, regardless of your color, gender, age, political views or other personal beliefs. Copwatch stresses "Knowing Your Rights" because whatever your beliefs about the system may be, you are still granted legal protection by that system. Many people are not aware of their rights when dealing with law enforcement. Understanding your rights and the rights of your community may prevent police abuse. For basic information, check out The Bill of Rights . For more extensive information, feel free to contact us.
Important phrases:
WHEN STOPPED BY THE COPS, IF YOU ONLY REMEMBER A FEW KEY PHRASES, REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING! SAY THEM LOUDLY ENOUGH FOR OTHERS TO HEAR YOU! AND IF YOU CAN, RECORD THEM...
Click the phrases for more information!
- "I do not consent."
- "I'm going to remain silent."
- "I wish to speak to an attorney."
- "Am I being detained?"
- "Am I under arrest?"
If you don't have papers or fear you may be deported, don't say anything except "I am going to remain silent and wish to speak to an immigration attorney." Don't sign anything without an immigration attorney present. Asking for an immigration attorney does not mean you do not have legal status in the U.S. If you are on parole, your rights to search and seizure have probably been altered, so simply saying, "I am going to remain silent and I wish to speak to an attorney" is a safer bet.
And always, if you see someone being engaged by the police, stop and watch. You have the legal right to observe or film police activity.
About Copwatch:
Copwatch Berkeley started Copwatch in 1990. Since then, branches of this grassroots organization have flourished nationwide, in response to endemic problems with police harassment, misconduct, brutality, and even death. Because every Copwatch is part of its own unique community, different approaches and insight come from each chapter. Santa Rosa Copwatch feels diversity is one of humanities greatest strengths, and Copwatch encourages all persons to perform acts of great social justice -- holding police accountable when others turn a blind eye, simply by watching (preferably with a video camera, but a good report can serve just as well). Copwatch serves all citizens, educating them about their rights, about how to interact with the police, about what laws the police are truly bound to, and most simply, to encourage our neighbors to exercise their simple right to observe the police and advocate for one another. Isn't that what community is all about?
Local Police Brutality & Misconduct Issues:
In November and December, two men were killed by run ins with law enforcement involving tasers, Nathan Vaughn who was tased 3 times and Guy James Fernandez . Both men were unarmed when they were killed by the police.
Recently, the lawsuit brought by the family of Jeremiah Chass against the Sonoma County Sheriff's dept was settled with the County Gov't giving $1.75 million to the family. The Sheriff publicly stated after the announcement that the settlement was not an admission of guilt.Racial, Structural & Socioeconomic Factors:
Santa Rosa is a city of 160,000 people. Its population is approximately 50% Latino and 2-4% African-American, with 8.5% below poverty level. Over 50% of the county homeless population is located in Santa Rosa. The officer-involved fatality rate currently exceeds that of Miami, Florida, and, with 17 deaths in a 2 year period in 1997, surpassed even New York City.
In 2006, the Santa Rosa Police Department had a $46 million dollar budget totaling more than 1/3rd of the cities entire General Fund Budget. Unlike many other cities in the Bay Area, Santa Rosa has no oversight committee for police review except through the Sheriff's Department, with whom it partially shares law enforcement.
In other words, the police are solely responsible for investigating the police.
A Serious Call For Action:
Due to Santa Rosa's extremely high level of officer-involved fatalities, both currently and historically, there is public outcry for civilian review boards, from the NAACP, the ACLU, NAMI, numerous other social justice organizations, and countless outraged citizens. This call for oversight has been advocated since 1998. In July of 2007, CA Senate Bill 1019 was overturned. The Bill would have reversed the Copley ruling of last year, which blocks public access to records of police abuse, in conflict with both the California Public Records Act and general police transparency toward further social justice.
For a local group that's creating a PEOPLE'S database to help legally reign in crooked cops, check out the Police Accountability Clinic and Helpline (PACH)
Other than the organizations and individuals already mentioned - the ACLU - the American Civil Liberties Union- the NAACP - the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illiness - a call for Civilian Police Review specific to Santa Rosa specifically is currently supported by Abolition Road; American Indian Movement of Sonoma County; Bay Area Police Watch; Blackwell Homes Inc.; Concerned Citizens for S.W. Area Youth; Idriss Stelley Foundation of San Francisco; Petaluma Cop Watch; Sonoma County Free Press; Voces de Mujeres Radio Collective; Rev. Ann Gray Byrd; Maryloud Hadditt; Dian Hardy; Elbert "Big Man" Howard; Willie Garrett; Patricia Robles Mitten; Mary Moore; Peter Phillips (of Project Censored); Karen Saari (former head researcher of the Stolen Lives Project; aand Pat Thurston).
Human Rights Watch , the largest human rights organization in the United States, reports that "Police abuse remains one of the most serious and divisive human rights violations in the United States. The excessive use of force by police officers, including unjustified shootings, severe beatings, fatal chokings, and rough treatment, persist because overwhelming barriers to accountability make it possible for officers who commit human rights violations to escape due punishment and often to repeat their offenses."
The American Civil Liberties Union also firmly supports Copwatch activities, encouraging people to reduce police violence through the 1st Amendment protected power of witness.
Even if an independent civilian review board is put into place, the need for Copwatch will continue, due to the depths of brutality, abuse, hatred, and corruption in our paramilitarized police force.