Bring On The Rubber-Stamp

Tomorrows the day!

I wonder how many people in Eureka believe they had some say in the choice and the hiring of the new Eureka Police Chief?

According to Lorna Rodriguez for the Times-Standard newspaper: "The Eureka City Council on Tuesday (tomorrow) will vote on approving the hiring of Eureka's new police chief."

She continues: "San Diego Police Department Capt. Andrew G. Mills is expected to start leading the Eureka Police Department on Nov. 4, according to a staff report. He will be paid $142,500 annually."

"The city has searched for a new chief since June 2011, when former City Manager David Tyson fired Garr Nielsen without cause. Nielsen was popular with the public, but met strong resistance from some within the department."

The last police chief, the one before and after Murl Harpham "was popular with the public, but met strong resistance from some within the department." That should tell you something about this new guy, specially when Murl Harpham gives his blessings. I'd say he deserves what he gets and so do the people of Euraka.

-Joe

Dream On

[UPDATE Below]

Dream On "Send A Message." Meet the Joke called Accountability.

Attorney: Cotton verdict sends message; City: $4.5 million award will not impact general fund

Anyone see the joke?

So who will it "impact"? Will it "impact" the Eureka Police Department? Are these offending officers still working in Eureka on the E.P.D.? How many people were brutally beaten in Eureka during the past ten years, but didn't have the misfortune of dying?

The next time you are confronted by one of these three police officers and you see their name tag, Laird, Winkle or Whitmer, you'd better realize they're no joke.

When you read what Police Chief Murl Harpham has to say about this incident and his defence of his and his officer's continued right to use excessive force anytime they determine some "suspect" is not "compliant" you should clearly understand his definition of and what he means by "tough cop." It certainly doesn't have anything to do with restraining someone for transport. It has everything to do with beating or torturing someone into submission. When the city endows a group of people with that right - a right that puts them totally above the law, with complete impunity, you empower a gang or pack mentality and Cotten was just one of the many  guaranteed casualties. Read the deeper meaning emphasized by what Murl Harpham says as quoted in the Tuesday, September 29, 2011, issue of the Time-Standard. Harpham's defense of this kind of police action makes him and his officers defacto judge, jury and executioners. What he fails to understand is that his attitude in trying to make such a defense is what delegitimizes the justification of his authority and mandates the pack or gang mentality that permeates policing today. As such, they become the law, dictating to everyone what they can and can't do on any given whim.

What impressed me is how candidly Murl Harpham defines the war and simplifies whose lives are most valuable in this community.

The only people that award, if paid, sends a message to are the people that own property and pay taxes in the City of Eureka. Problem is, THEY ARE NOT LISTENING. If they are "hearing the word," they're afraid somone might brand or accuse them of being a "cop hater."

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[UPDATE] Humboldt Herald has some terse and wanting re-write of this matter. He says: Eureka Police lose big in Martin Cotton case – How he comes to that conclusion is a rather dark mystery. Sounds like this blogger's been spending too much time with the people over at the Times-Standard.

--Joe

The Supreme (City) Council Speaks War

Yeah! That's right. They went on record about the firing of Eureka City Police Chief Garr Nielsen. Remember, the facts are in what people do -- NOT what they say. In a working Democracy people select representatives to REPRESENT them. That means the voting public needs to see exactly what their representatives are doing, since they ostensibly work for the people and the people's best interests. That requires an open and transparent process. To aid in that responsibility we have a (supposedly) free and unbiased press.

The latest Times-Standard report Friday, July 1, 2011, demonstrates and defines the attitude of a representative that works for himself and is not answerable to anyone. Notice what Mayor Frank Jager said to Thadeus Greenson in the front page article "Eureka calls special meeting on Nielsen."

Mayor Frank Jager, who called the meeting, declined to specify why he wanted the matter to be addressed at a special meeting today rather than at Tuesday's regularly scheduled council meeting.

”(There are) a number of reasons, but I just don't want to discuss it with you right now,” Jager said when contacted by a Times-Standard reporter late Thursday afternoon. “I'm not interested in fighting this battle in the newspapers. You do what you do, we'll do what we have to do. Other than that, that's all I'm going to say.”

"Not interested in fighting this battle in the newspapers," he says. What "battle" exactly is he talking about? He says he has "a number of reasons." Well, then, tell the paper, lay out his "reasons" so everyone can see what and why he's doing the things he's doing. Then ALL of us can make up our own minds if his reasons are valid or if he's just being an insulting, worthless representative skulking around in the dark.

This sounds exactly like a declaration of war: "You do what you do, we'll do what we have to do."

Considering the tone of today's editorial, this is certainly NOT a "war" anyone at the Times-Standard has any backbone for fighting. The Editorial concludes by saying:

While the actual decision to fire Nielsen was made by City Manager David Tyson -- which is part of his authority -- it was done so after consulting with council members in a closed session meeting last week.

The decision may have already been made and the council majority is unlikely to be swayed by public comment, but they still have a responsibility to listen to their constituents -- whether it's pleasant or not.

So, while David Tyson did the actual firing, it was the City Council's decision. ULTIMATELY the City Council speaks and votes by what they do. That's their irrefutable record.

"Responsibility to listen"? What kind of nonsense is this? If the decisions already made, the council made up their minds and acted totally out of sight of "their constituents," then what's the point of trying to talk to them? It is demeaning and a total waste of time and energy. Jager set down the City Council's rule: "You do what you do, we'll do what we have to do."

Accept their dictates, it's nothing about "talking" or "listening," and act accordingly.

If you think the city (YOU) are going to get a pass on this "war," think again. Interim Police Chief Murl Harpham is already on record stating that he's making changes. Be interesting to know what they are.
[Source]

--Joe