November 21, 2011 | Posted by

Take a closer look at UCD Police pathology

The video and pictures of Lt. Pike calmly pepper spraying students on campus like he was spraying his roses for aphids tells me there is something rotten in the UC Davis Police Department.

I do not want to see Lt. Pike or other officers singled out for punishment unless it is established that they specifically disobeyed orders. Are we supposed to believe that an officer in the UC police force can get promoted by habitually disobeying orders or that after 10 years on the force he’s suddenly gone rogue? I don’t buy that. This is a failure of management and a failure of leadership.

Chancellor Katehi’s true feelings are between her and her conscience. Either she was too busy to have a conversation with her Chief Annette Spicuzza, or she is lying about her reaction. If it’s the former, the chief needs to go. If it’s the latter, they both need to go.

Police Chief Spicuzza wants us to believe the officers felt they were in danger. Eyewitnesses and the video record show that can only be a subjective impression of the police. There just isn’t any objective evidence to support that. If members of the UC Davis police are afraid of students who engage in non-violent protest, they shouldn’t be working on a UC campus.

This is a political crisis that tests the leadership of the UC system. The students are making a desperate attempt to wake the rest of us up to the systematic destruction of our higher education system. The chancellor and the UC Davis chief of police owe the students and the rest of us taxpayers an apology and a pledge to amplify and facilitate the protest over this destruction, not to suppress them. These protests are in no way hampering the mission of the University as the chancellor tries to argue. What’s hampering the UC system is the continued privatization, de-funding, and exclusionary tuition and fees. Linda Katehi needs to get in one of those tents, not order them removed.

Finally, I call on our mayor and city council to review and reconsider any mutual aid or reciprocal agreements that may be in place for UC Davis police services. I don’t trust the training or marching orders given to UC Davis police and really don’t want the city of Davis Police Department to face the potential financial and political liability of partnering with the UC Davis Police.

Dave Hart

Davis

Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=107225

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Posted by on Nov 21 2011.
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1 Comment for “Take a closer look at UCD Police pathology”


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  1. Clinton Lawrence
    November 21, 2011 - 2:57 pm

    There have been plenty of letters rightfully condemning the conduct of the UCD Police Department and Chancellor Linda Katehi.

    Let’s not forget that UC Davis does have something to be proud of in this incident: its students. They made me proud to be an alum. Their nonviolent, disciplined response to the police assault was awe-inspiring in its effectiveness, herding the perpetrators off the Quad with their voices and their resolve, without ever threatening to return the act of violence the police so callously committed. I hope this serves as a model for other Occupy protesters when faced with law enforcement intent on inciting violence.

    The police need to learn that they work for us. They don’t command us. And what they did on the Quad on Friday is not the job we hired them to do.

    Reply

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