Page 11 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2018

#3 - Law enforcement agencies across the country have been accused of “shoot first –
ask questions later” where victims of police killing were found to be innocent. Civilians are charged with different murder convictions depending upon whether they killed in the heat of passion, fear and self-defense, or pre-mediated murder. Do you think these same laws apply to police officers, or should they be shielded from these convictions behind their badge?
Ernesto Olivares
John Mutz
Officer involved critical incidents can be very complex and do require a high degree of scrutiny and transparency to determine if the officers actions were justified under the circumstance.
Excessive use of force by law enforcement is a glaring problem in Sonoma County as it is in many places around the country. Drawing one’s gun can be a
reflex in a situation perceived as dangerous, but often it makes a tense situation worse, not better, for the officer and the perpetrator. In an ideal situation, our officers
Policies and procedures are the foundation of any law enforcement agency. They direct police chiefs and sheriffs, and their employees
toward optimal safety and professionalism. They help create the culture of the organization and set the standard for everyone to be successful and to meet the community’s expectations. Policies must be legally defensible and regularly reviewed to ensure they meet changes in
the law, legal standards, community expectations, and relevance.
would be trained to exhaust all options to de-escalate
a situation before they resorted to use of a weapon. Additionally, if it is deemed that a weapon MUST be used, officers must be trained to take a shot, assess, then take another shot only if the first shot did not disable
Many law enforcement agencies across the county have been making changes to policies which have resulted in a reduction of officer involved shootings. There is research showing that in cities where use of force reporting policies have been changed, the number of citizens killed in
a dangerous assailant. We have seen time and time again in the tragic incidents in our county that no such protocol has been followed. This is a failure in training and a failure in leadership.
police shooting has dropped. A standard policy in law enforcement is the documentation and investigation of circumstances where a firearm was fired. Some cities have changed their policies to require reporting and investigation anytime an officer draws their firearm.
By review the incidents of when firearms were drawn, training needs can be identified and policies changed to reduce the number of officer involved shootings.
The number of acceptable fatalities at the hands of
law enforcement is zero. If and when it happens, the incident must be fairly and transparently investigated
by an uninterested third party. If a mistake was made, the officer must be held accountable, the department must take responsibility, and the system that allowed the mistake to occur must be systematically reviewed and corrected.
Interactive scenario-based training is commonplace
in today’s police use of force training. The scenarios are derived from real life experiences where officers have had to make use of force decisions. The interactive scenario can change based on the actions of the officer. After each scenario, training officers debrief the officer to discuss their decision-making process. By developing scenarios that replicate the circumstances where officers draw their firearm but do not shoot, they can learn effective methods to de-escalate potentially volatile situations.
The shooting of young Andy Lopez was one tragic example of a much larger problem. At the core the question is, who does law enforcement serve and what is its commitment to the community? The ever-growing list of mishandled cases demonstrates that at the moment, the Department is not focused on providing service with dignity and respect for all. This doesn’t make any of us safer. In fact the opposite is true. I know this firsthand because I’ve been part this system from the inside. We are less safe when law enforcement is
I will work to ensure Procedural Justice is at the
core of all Sheriff’s Office training. This is based on four basic principles; Treating people with dignity and respect, Giving individuals “voice” during encounters, Being neutral and transparent in decision making, and Conveying trustworthy motives.
so out of touch with the community. Taxpayers are on the hook for enormous legal expenses, and our officers don’t get the training and support they need. After years of moving up the ranks and watching what was happening around the country, I knew I could no longer be a part of a culture that would find disrespectful and abusive behavior acceptable; I had to find the courage to do it differently. It’s time to reset the relationships that have been strained or broken with communities around Sonoma County.
Key to success will be a strong collaboration
with employees and the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach in the review and development of department policies.
Mark Essick
I will make building trust a priority by engaging the community, employees, and IOLERO in identifying strategies and programs to strengthen relationships. My goal is to build a strong culture of Community Policing in the Sheriff’s Office. Strategies will include creating opportunities for positive non-enforcement activities
Mark was unable to meet our deadline before press time. Please attend the candidate forums scheduled from now until the election. This is an IMPORTANT election - Please REGISTER & VOTE! Look for Mark’s answers to these questions on our website
to engage communities that typically have high rates of investigative and enforcement involvement with the Sheriff’s office.
Finally, I will support the mission of the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach and its Community Advisory Council.
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