We welcome to the blog Diane Goldstein, 21-year law enforcement veteran and speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP.) This piece was first printed today in the Huffington Post, but Ms Goldstein, an OC resident, will also be writing original pieces for us that are “specific to OC while wrapping around California drug war issues.”
Law enforcement historically has been asked to deal with many sociological issues that, quite frankly, we either have not been adequately trained for or don’t have the appropriate resources to fix. Notably, one of the most difficult issues is the question of how to work with people who are homeless, many of whom have mental illness and/or drug abuse issues.
The beating and death of Kelly Thomas by Fullerton police officers caused outrage and backlash not just in Orange County where I live, but across the nation. Ron Thomas, Kelly’s dad, ensured accountability by snapping this shocking photograph. The incident resulted in the criminal prosecution of several officers and a trial which is exposing the stigma associated with drug addiction, mental illness and the culture of law enforcement made worse by the drug war. You need look no further than the online comment sections of police magazines to see the callous language that surrounds the discussion of drug policies, drug addicts or even the death of Thomas.
Make no mistake: our law enforcement leaders assume that Kelly’s death is an anomaly, that it was rogue cops operating outside of policy and procedure. By firing and prosecuting them, they believe the problem is solved. There is some truth to their belief, but by continuing to not critically analyze the failure of our national drug policy and how it impacts the mentally ill and our homeless population, we invite other incidents such as this — this is simply a more extreme example of what happens on the streets every day. No one has asked could Kelly’s death have been prevented. But I believe that if law enforcement leaders recognized that mental illness, drug addiction and the homeless are better served by public health resources than by the criminal justice system, Kelly needn’t have died.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) has been working to remove barriers to drug reform by creating safe spaces for politicians and criminal justice professionals to admit to the many failures of the drug war. The list is long. Prohibition contributes to addiction, death, disease, and police malfeasance to name a few. But for me, raised in a law enforcement agency that emphasized service above self, the picture of Kelly Thomas and the words uttered by one of the suspects reflects poorly on a profession that has sworn “to protect and serve” their communities.
“Now you see these hands? They’re going to fuck you up.”
These words express the contempt felt not by all officers, but by enough that it contributes to a culture in law enforcement where those with drug addictions or mental illness are considered not worthy of compassion. This contempt is brought on by the frustrations of the job, a critical lack of training on mental health issues and a forty-year strategy by law enforcement leaders that refuses to consider a public health model to help manage America’s drug problem.
Why is it that those who have the ability to change the culture of law enforcement instead keep the war — not on drugs, but on people — alive by opposing policies based on science, evidence based best practices, and compassion? How long before law enforcement sees that the faces Americans see when they look upon us are not the warriors we believe we are, but the faces of Kelly Thomas and the many others we have failed?
Welcome to the swamp, where the ankles are always tasty and the fevers always hot!
Fever swamp. Miasmic.
That’s how we roll, baby.
Thanks for the warm welcome! We may not always agree but I will provide an alternative, albeit a more conservative voice to the blog!
More conservative than Ryan and David? OK, forewarned!
I doubt you’re more conservative than Ryan, David or Cynthia. And I think you’ll fit right in with MOST of our thinking on the Drug War, excessive force, and the Prison-Industrial Complex … except you’ll know what you’re talking about better than the rest of us!
Ms. Goldstien,
You look to be an interesting addition to the OJB. Welcome.
I appreciate your use of the word “fuck” in your piece. I believe that the DA, The news media at large and especially bloggers have done a disservice to the public at large. Leaving us to believe that the use of a word was somehow inappropriate but beating a man to death was ok to describe blow by blow, including reciting his cries for life.
This oft unquestioned factor speaks volumes, at least to me.
On point, todays testimony was interesting, especially the issue of the latex gloves as a sign of intent. If there was no intention of beating the man bloody, why the gloves?
“If there was no intention of beating the man bloody, why the gloves?”
I think that is too far a jump. However, it is safe to say that Wolfe and Ramos anticipated physical contact of some sort, from a simple search to a massive beat down. On the other hand (from an expert’s point of view) it would be interesting to assess the time Ramos put on the gloves in the overall sequence of events.
Some have speculated that the whole episode was concocted by the cops as a favor to the Slidebar that was trying to get rid of the Thomas nuisance. The gloves issue could be an indicator of a predetermined attack.
“The gloves issue could be an indicator of a predetermined attack.”
No shit Sherlock:
Ramos (With gloves on to Thomas): “See my fists, they’re going to fuck you up.”
You missed the point. The question was whether there was a premeditated conspiracy to get rid of Kelly that was put in effect and that led to the phone call.
Please try to keep up.
I know that Capt. Obvious
Ramos is seen turning his back and walking away from Kelly Thomas.
Rackauckas: “If a person being detained is a threat to police or anyone else would a police officer walk away and leave him sitting there?”
Wilson: “Clearly, no.”
Rackauckas: “Why?”
Wilson: “It gives the suspect the opportunity to act, it’s inherently dangerous to turn your back on someone you think may have committed a crime. It increases your risk by turning your back on a suspect you haven’t frisked […] It’s extremely dangerous in a situation like this.”
At the next point where the video is paused, Ramos has returned from his patrol car to Thomas, putting rubber gloves on.
Wilson was asked whether putting on the rubber gloves was a show of force by Judge Froeberg, after Barnett objected to several Rackauckas’ questions about the gloves.
Wilson: “It indicates that there is going to be contact made, where blood or some body fluid may be exposed due to some form of contact.”
A few more seconds of the video is played and paused (15:39). It now shows Ramos, with gloves on, standing over Thomas, still sitting.
Ramos is heard saying, “See my fists, they’re going to fuck you up.”
Rackauckas: “Did you hear that threat?”
Wilson: “Yes.”
Rackauckas: “Did you see any indication that Kelly Thomas was being arrested from the point Ramos returned from his patrol car to Thomas?”
Wilson: “No.”
http://thetrialdivas.com/2013/12/09/kelly-thomas-trial-update-former-fbi-expert-testifies-on-whether-thomas-was-threat-to-officers/
There’s physical force and NECESSARY phyiscal force. There is no place for unecessary force. This was murder, plain and simple.
Very well written piece.
*Our recent trip to the Canceled Fullerton Christmas Faire was enlightening. Some lunatic/maniac screaming obscenities went on for at least 10 minutes that we were forced to observe and no police were called or ever seen. Whether it was Kelly Thomas or the recent nutcase….they should have been detained and thrown into a cop car within 30 seconds. They should have been taken to Western Medical for a clinical evaluation.
The SOP and the unbridge that was given law enforcement, plus the lack of oversight…..is truly distrubing. The problems however are not restricted to the PD. It all started from the top and even today……..
Fullerton has no Santa Claus and no Christmas decorations, because they blame Downtown Jerry Brown for taking away “their Redevelopment Money”. No effort to engage the Chamber of Commerce or Merchants Associations in the process. No volunteer efforts generated to decorate the city at minimal cost. The City Manager Canceled the Christmas Faire and then doesn’t bother to reschedule another……..the City of Fullerton needs a “FBI Conscent Decree” to get these folks attention, perhaps?