Attention: Executive Director, Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices,
I'm writing to you today in response to the thoroughly disappointing manner in which numerous officers have conducted and continue to conduct themselves at the 'Occupy San Diego' events. Of particular concern is the behavior which several officers exhibited during the evening of 11/20/2011 and morning of 11/21/2011. These officers (about 24 officers) were clearly harassing and intended to intimidate a small gathering of peaceful protestors (about 12 people) who were attempting to exercise their right to assemble peaceably and exercise their freedom of speech. Officers harassed these American citizens one these, and other dates, and arrested many of them for their sole crime of sleeping in public. Seriously? Sleeping in public? This was clearly in an effort to suppress peaceful protest rather than the 'crime' of sleeping in public. Officers didn't comb downtown arresting the plethora of non-protestors who can be found sleeping on San Diego City streets nightly; they targeted only the Occupy San Diego protestors.
As documented by audio/video evidence of the aforementioned dates, one officer badgered a man whom was sitting against a building within the civic center while wrapped in a blanket. The officer ridiculously demanded that the man could be "wrapped in the blanket, like a coat" but not be "wrapped in the blanket, like a sleeping bag". Again, really? Is this what the citizens pay our taxes for; officers to nitpick regarding how we wear blankets? I thought it was to protect and serve? Who are they protecting? Who are they serving?
Another instance of overreaching and abuse of power is when the same officer later baited and spoke in a provoking manner to a person whom was preparing to smoke a cigarette. The officer refused to permit the man to smoke, stating that smoking was prohibited and that she would arrest him if he did smoke. However, he was not near the entrance of a building and in fact there were large stationary ash trays within arms reach. While this continued badgering is not as severe an action as being pepper sprayed or having a stun gun used on a person, it is still unwarranted harassment of citizens who are simply trying to exercise their freedom to speech and assembly peaceably. Police Officers continually behaved in an overly aggressive manner, attempting to instigate conflict. I was under the understanding that police officers were to always behave in an honorable way; nothing about their behavior was honorable.
I had previously been under the impression that all City and State budgets were becoming depleted, therefore, future expenditures (specifically new expenses) would be considered in a responsible manner. Clearly this is not the case with the San Diego Police Department or the California Department of Corrections; officers were/are patrolling, on high alert, for people sleeping and often outnumber those people by a two to one ratio. So, if City officials and police officers think that these are appropriate uses for $2.4 Million taxpayers' dollars which they've already spent targeting these peaceful protests, then these departments obviously have too much money ("City's 'Occupy'", 2011, November 22). Additionally, these same police officers believe an appropriate use of our (the taxpaying citizens of California) correctional facilities is to detain peaceful protestors for up to four or more days, exponentially adding to the cost of the officer's attempt to stifle and end free speech in San Diego.
The one compliment I may be able to offer to the San Diego police officers is that they haven't pepper sprayed any peacefully protesting students who were sitting on the ground like officers at UC Davis did. Nor have San Diego officers murdered an unborn child by kicking her mother in the stomach and then hitting her with a bike as officers in Seattle, Washington did...yet (that we're aware of) (Farrell, 2011, November 22).
I am the proud father of two girls and I've always taught them to respect police officers, but there was nothing respectable about the numerous instances of inappropriate intimidation, suppression and denial of freedom which I've seen them perpetrate during the past few months (both locally and Nationally). I long thought that the police wanted to work with the citizens of our nation; apparently, I was wrong.
Lastly, I'd like to ad that I'm generally very supportive of any and all workers getting a decent pension versus gambling their retirement security on the stock market. However, in consideration of the naive, elitist, and often violent behavior of many San Diego police during the past few months, I wonder how many voters will choose to replace new officer's pensions for risky 401ks when they have the opportunity next year.
Information and video footage of the officer's harassment and shameful conduct in regards to the above mentioned dates and additional dates may be viewed at http://www.occupysandiego.org and http://www.livestream.com/occupysandiegolivefeed
Sincerely,
Dustin Teske
Sources
U.A. (2011, November 22). City's 'occupy' -related costs reach $2.4m. San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved from: http://www.10news.com/news/29837780/detail.html
Farrell, K. (2011, November 22). Pregnant occupy protestor miscarries after being beaten, pepper sprayed by police. Unicorn Booty. Retrieved from: http://unicornbooty.com/blog/2011/11/22/pregnant-occupy-protestor-miscarries-after-being-beaten-pepper-sprayed-by-police/
Below is the letter which I wrote to my daughters (10 and 7 years old) shortly before I joined with fellow peaceful protestors at Occupy San Diego on 11/20/2011. They were to receive the letter later, if necessary.
Hi Girls,
This is a weird letter for me to write, but I figured I should just in case something happens to me today. I'm heading downtown to Occupy San Diego where people are demonstrating about the inequalities in this country. I don't think its right that so few have so much and so many have so little and I don't think its right to hope others fight this fight for me while I sit at home with the furnace on and keeping me cozy. I don't expect anything to happen to me while I'm there; I'm not going to do anything too crazy, just support us. I love you both very much and I want to make this world better for you.
Love,
Dad
