Video Scandal rocks Bayview Police Station
The videos were not shown at the Dec 3. event after new Bayview Captain Albert Pardini reviewed them and deemed the material too offensive to be shown. Officer Andrew Cohen (the video's creator) then posted the videos to his website, www.insidethesfpd.com.
Although Captain Pardini had seen the videos several weeks ago he did not immediately report the contents up the chain of command. He only went to SFPD Chief Fong about the matter on Tuesday, after learning from Police union leader Gary Delagnes about the material on Cohen's website.
Mayor Gavin Newsom called the videos the tipping point that will lead to changing the culture of the Police Department, including the creation of a panel to review the entire department's operations.
At a City Hall press conference, SFPD Chief Heather Fong stated "This is a dark day -- an extremely dark day -- in the history of the San Francisco Police Department for me as a chief to have to stand here and share with you such egregious, shameful and despicable acts by members of the San Francisco Police Department."
More Info
• Quicktime video of conference [The Chronicle]
• Controversial SFPD Videos [CBS 5]
• Video Scandal rocks S.F. Police [The Chronicle]
• New images found in police scandal [The Chronicle]
• SFPD videotape shows much more [Examiner]
[Editor's Note: Although most of the outrage around the videos is centered around sexism, racism, etc., what I find most annoying is that in one of the video skits, uniformed officers are ignoring requests for assistance at 20th and Arkansas. In light of the numerous armed street robberies that have occurred in our neighborhood, I'm truly hoping that in reality the SFPD is taking their duties seriously.]
6 Comments:
i think it's hilarious. i mean, what do you expect from the police department? an art film? come on. don't forget, this is a city that has a tradition of racial discrimination. if i live in SF about 60 or 70 years ago, my only hope for any sort of career would have been in a laundry mat washing a white man's socks.
bring down your expectation for this city and you'll be much happier.
80% of the new hires for the San Francisco Police Department over the last five years have been people who didn't live in San Francisco; in other words, it's the dumb nephews in Novato who are getting the jobs, and they could care less about most San Franciscans.
Last week a middle-aged man was getting mugged by three kids (10-15) on McAllister Street between Franklin and Gough at 9:30 in the morning, right in front of the San Francisco School District parking lot. While that was happening, a fat motorcycle policeman was slowly cruising by and didn't even bother to look over to the sidewalk, let alone stop. Horrified onlookers at the corner screamed for him and directed him to the crime, so he slowly turned around and slowly went in the direction of the projects where the kids had run away. Do you think he did a damned thing? Naaaah.
The first thing we ought to be doing is hiring San Franciscans who actually know their own neighborhoods. Secondly, it would be nice if the present crew got off their fat asses and out of their patrol cars and off of their motorcycles, and actually interacted with their fellow citizens instead of acting like an occupying force.
The truth, Mike, is that they're really only here to protect the top 1% from the other 99% (that's us). And we have to pay for them.
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The bad judgment and sheer stupidity of creating these videos is staggering; those involved have the broadest of discretion to say who has, and who has not, committed a crime, goes to jail, etc. Then, to create or be involved in these videos makes it even scarier that we have to rely on the good judgment of these police officers - judgment that was so badly lacking when the videos were produced. When even the head of the POA says the videos were bad judgment, you know the "judgment" was non-existent. And, those who say the videos were a "joke" or "just blowing off steam" or that we citizens should just "lighten up" are just so wrong that they should simply be ignored. None of these officers should be allowed back on the job until they demonstrate - publicly and sincerely - that they at least understand why the videos are so offensive. If they don't ever realize it then they should find another line of work because being a police officer means protecting the respecting the community, not being a member of a high school club that makes fun of those they protect and serve. With regard to Captain Bruce, I think we should take him at his word that he knew nothing about the videos; everything I ever saw about him was that he truly believed in community policing and in working to make the lives of citizens better. Chief Fong and Mayor Newsom, with the advice of Supervisor Maxwell, need to take charge of this situation and begin to hand out some serious discipline so that the members of the police department know this behavior disrespect for citizens is unacceptable, and that there are very adverse consequences to such behavior.
I looked at the videos that were publicly posted. Some of them made me smile. Some left me scratching my head. None left me with a feeling of outrage.
I hear the mayor and the chief of police telling us we should feel really really really really outraged...I prefer to choose for myself what to feel and why.
The cops who made these vids should have been told by any aware command staff to knock it off and get back to work. If they were told and then persisted in an insubordinate manner then yes they should be disciplined.
Cops like Captian Rick Bruce who have done a good job and were neither aware nor involved should be afforded the respect they deserve.
I thought the video was kinda funny. the real problem is the mayor and chief wern't invited to the retirement party to view it in it's real meaning(to relive the stress of having to put up with the crap they see every day/night).
Too the guy who complained about the teens robbing someone and the "fat" cop who couldn't catch them, My question is what did you or all those whitness do other than complain? I live in a poor neighborhood in San Jose, and when there's a problem I'll call the police but until they arive those punks are in MY control. Try that and take a proactive approch next time and you'll have a better place to live.
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