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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport on Protest and Related Activity in Huntington Beach - I 7 � Y City of Huntington Beach iy File #: 20-1711 MEETING DATE: 6/15/2020 Report on Protest and Related Activity in Huntington Beach City of Huntington Beach Page 1 of 1 Printed on 6/10/2020 powered*Legistar— a o g N C: O 0 N U N L _ 0 N v 3 E c Q U j G E �7 N N Off + N (0 7 O \ O V i Vl ro Q O N O — Z m 1 `~ @ au v c-I fo > aL+ ccC � y U N � s ++ C -0 T O c v v 4+ O Y v CC C 7 7 lO V a) i L O c � CC m a v o V m +�+ �- V V1 N M t O r L m m N N Q C aJ V m N O O _ +J m � N -7 O a u Q O s @ N N H a (A 41 @ � > Q iA N s .20 O v +� H > M (7-a O ^V W O m U m +� O N m U O tiA � C O C- 4- 2 - > Q , U Q cc 4-1 \\^ Q) ( + O CLO m / \ \ ( ) §! m f e i ® �\{{ ) z/E \\ 0 at » 3±±k;m { / ae? § 16E a) : u§<�£et5 / ' / /) . . . ] < . E cu A E ƒ } § < \ / \ G ƒ � kk � 7 — � g 2 \ Q \k ® O 2 ) \ � \ \ u / ate U u ) { CD \ o = m \ § & § ) g § > \ ] E \ to 7 § \\ / cu tv � e cm: \ { a = ) n 7 2 7 § ° § § o \ e V) & = _ 2 / -a 2 § / § U ƒ 2 ± \ W \ ® § \ \ � 7 \ 4 0 & ( E _ �on c_0c c o / c ' > E M } k \ < >. i > O & 2 = 2 '7 Ln : : t ƒ 3 m _ _ � / � m \ � O 7 ` � j § cLn 0 - m 0 _ _ \ { - & »0 03 7 0 \ > —/ / f u / ) § § \ @2 iE \ f b % w � F = � u ( E « 0 �� ) �2 (U \/ 5a co / ' � m J$ - � co . \ 2 \: � » 4-J O -® � 0 o Ln 0 0073 \7 $ cE %§ cu 0 / \ t � &/ CL (U2 = § � ( 22 " {� } } E s > � c = = � ® � % \ S � « § \ § � k » /I a)m f o c« 2 � # � � \ m/ £ E7 § �-$ � � �� �� �« � > . �_ " o _ 0 < u = u C O V) v cr From: Fikes.Cathv To: Agenda Alerts Subject: FW:Protester/rioters/criminals Date: Thursday,June 11,2020 3:41:18 PM -----Original Message----- From:Steve Crowley<steve.crowley@yahoo.com> Sent:Thursday,June 11,2020 3:27 PM To:Semeta,Lyn<Lyn.Semeta@surfcity-hb.org> Cc:Fikes,Cathy<CFikes@surfcity-hb.org> Subject:Protester/rioters/criminals Lyn, I have been stunned and mortified by all the violence and injustice that has been allowed to happened throughout our country.There was one injustice in Minneapolis,which triggered thousands on injustices throughout this country.I am so relieved that no businesses were looted in HB and I want to believe that this is due to a determined resolve within the City Council and Police Force to make sure that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated. I am very concerned that so many city majors and city council members throughout this country do not have the courage to support their police officers. Please do not wilt to the pressure to even consider defunding the police department. I want to live in a city in which I can depend on the city government to protect our safety. I would normally agree that most public employee positions are over compensated in annual salaries and pension benefits and I would support reform in this area. However,I believe the police department is an exception and the more,the better.These individuals most likely deserve every dollar spent considering the difficulty of doing this job in an environment that has become increasingly hostile towards their occupation. Please stand up for the benefit for the mostly silent majority,Steve Crowley From: FIkeS.Utlry To: elaeuda.91e6s Cc: Subject: FW:Fxcess Use of Force by HBPD Oats: War,June 12,202011:39:34 AM Att.ci-b: Video.— From:Shammy Dee<shammyd@mac.com> Sent:Friday,June 12,202011:37 AM To:CITY COUNCIL<city.council@surfcity-hb.org> Cc:Todd Spitzer<Todd.Spitzer@ocgov.com> Subject:Excess Use of Force by HBPD Dear Councilmembers: On May 31,near the intersection of PCH and 6th Street,the HBPD shot pepper bullets at a group of peaceful BLM protesters lying,sitting or standing with their arms raised.Those bullets the police fired hit several protesters,particularly in the second round as people were running away.Here's a video of that event. The HBPD Policy Manual expressly forbids the use of pepper bullets(see page 57)in this situation.One of the reasons this is so important Is that document informs the community of what the rules are,what to expect the police to do,where the lines are drawn.When the police break the rules,as they did here,they break trust with the community. 3 PM Tue Jun 9 ^19%r 0 www3.huntingtonbeachca.gov 308.7 OLEORESIN CAPSICUM(OC)GUIDELINES As with other control devices, oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray and pepper projectiles may be considered for use to bring under control an individual or groups of individuals who are engaging in, or are about to engage in violent behavior.Penner projectiles and OC sprav should not hr+wpvpr be used against individuals or groups who merely fail to disperse or do not reasonably appear to present a risk to the safety of officers or the public. 308.7.1 OC SPRAY Uniformed personnel carrying OC spray may carry the device in its holster on the equipment belt. Plainclothes and non-field personnel may carry OC spray as authorized, in accordance with the needs of their assignment or at the direction of their supervisor. 308.7.2 WATCH COMMANDER RESPONSIBILITIES The Watch Commander shall monitor the use of control devices in the same manner as all other use of force incidents. (a) The Watch Commander shall review each use of control devices by any personnel within his or her command. (b) The Watch Commander shall ensure training on the use of control devices is provided as needed. 308.7.3 PEPPER PROJECTILE SYSTEMS Pepper projectiles are plastic spheres that are filled with a derivative of OC powder.Because the compressed gas launcher delivers the projectiles with enough force to burst the projectiles on Copyright Lewpa.uc 202DOMS.AN Ryhcs Res—ea. Control Devices and Techniques•57 PuG6sw wan perm,sson by Huntington Beach Police Department Huntington Beach Police Department Huntington Beach PD Policy Manual Control Devices and Techniques impact and release the OC powder, the potential exists for the projectiles to inflict injury if they strike the head,neck,spine or groin.Therefore,personnel using a pepper projectile system should not intentionally target those areas,except when the officer reasonably believes the suspect poses an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death to the officer or others. Officers encountering a situation that warrants the use of a pepper projectile system shall notify a supervisor as soon as practicable. A supervisor shall respond to all pepper projectile system incidents where the suspect has been hit or exposed to the chemical agent.The supervisor shall ensure that all notifications and reports are completed as required by the Use of Force Policy. Each deployment of a pepper projectile system shall be documented.Accidental discharges shall be promptly reported to a supervisor and documented on the appropriate report form.Only non- incident use of a pepper projectile system,such as training and product demonstrations,is exempt from the reporting requirement. They should acknowledge that mistake,deal with the officer who gave the order,and apologia to the community.Please address this problem in the next council meeting. This is a small thing here in HB—but it's a taste of what the whole nation is demanding right now.Police accountability. Shammy Dee 8932 Modesto Circle Huntingrton Beach,California 92646 From: Fikes.Cathv To: Acenda Alerts Subject: FW:Strengthen Our Community,Divest from Police Date: Saturday,June 13,2020 2:30:49 PM From:Carlos Parache<carlosparachel0@gmail.com> Sent: Friday,June 12, 2020 9:15 PM To: Fikes, Cathy<CFikes@surfcity-hb.org>; Carr, Kim <Kim.Carr@surfcity-hb.org>;Semeta, Lyn <Lyn.Semeta@surfcity-hb.org>; Brenden, Patrick<Patrick.Brenden@surfcity-hb.org>; Delgleize, Barbara <Barbara.Delgleize@surfcity-hb.org>; Peterson, Erik<Erik.Peterson @surfcity-hb.org>; Hardy,Jill<Jill.Hardy@surfcity-hb.org>; Posey, Mike<Mike.Posey@surfcity-hb.org> Subject:Strengthen Our Community, Divest from Police To my government representatives, My name is Carlos Lopez and I am a resident of Huntington Beach near Adam and Magnolia. A graduate from Cal State Fullerton and employee of a small business in Costa Mesa. I am heartbroken to see my city become the center of national attention for such disgraceful reasons, but believe it is far beyond time for city leadership to acknowledge the long and powerful history of white supremacy in Huntington Beach, and the need for city leadership to unequivocally condemn supremacy in all its forms, including within the Huntington Beach Police Department. It has become more than clear that a radical shift in our concept of policing and community health must take place at the local level. It is unacceptable that black and marginalized communities are living in persistent fear of being killed by state authorities like police, immigration agents or even white vigilantes who are emboldened by state actors. We call for divestment from the police and for those dollars to be rerouted to strengthen our community's services. Huntington Beach leadership has consistently claimed that the city has departed from its past as a haven for white supremacy. Unfortunately, that statement is violently dismissive of the lived experience of people of color in this community. With only 1.1% of Huntington Beach is black, I struggle to see how former Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey saw "Huntington Beach [as a] blended, diverse culture where everyone is welcome" in 2018,just after the 2018 rally at Bolsa Chica State Beach that was attended by multiple white supremacy groups including the Rise Above Movement, to the deafening silence of Huntington Beach leadership. The Huntington Beach Police Department has a history of violence towards minority communities, upholding anti-immigrant, anti-unhoused people, and anti-black policies. City leadership seems to forget that just 26 years ago Huntington Beach saw the brutal murder of Vernon Windell Flournoy in our own community. Every member of the city council was alive during this incident. Racism is not part of Huntington Beach's past. It is a lived reality for the black and latin residents of this city every day that is conveniently forgotten by our all-white city council. I know, I have seen it and felt it. It is time to not only acknowledge the way racism impacts our community, but to take active steps to reform city policy to protect black and hispanic residents. The problematic nature of the HBPD was exemplified in the viral comparisons of their response to the anti-corona lockdown protests and the recent Black Lives Matter protest. Declaring the BLM protest an unlawful assembly was a violation of HB residents' first amendment rights. Scenes like these being shared across the internet reflect poorly on our city and demonstrate the way our police department stands complicit in systemic violence against black and brown people. We have a chance to boost our city's reputation while making our community a better place to live by reallocating funds away from the police. Despite continued profiling, harassment, terror and killing of Black communities, local and federal decision-makers continue to invest in the police, which leaves Black people vulnerable and our communities no safer. Moreover, this deep lack of trust that the government is breeding by terrorizing its own people, rather than safeguarding our health, is an alarming risk for future generations to live peacefully and safely with each other. Youth in our city are quickly becoming disillusioned from our local government with our representatives' failure to address systemic issues of inequality and lack of social services. Residents across the city feel anxiety due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and subsequent economic downturn. You as city leaders need to address these growing concerns amongst your citizens. The time has come to defund the police. This experiment of excessive policing encourage across our country has proven to be a failure. We must prioritize spending funds elsewhere more useful. The proposed Huntington Beach budget for 2020/2021 allocated 22.9% of funds to the police, while only 4.4% of funds are set to be allocated towards community services. Rather, we need a radical increase for funding towards community services and healthcare. We need youth programs, increased mental health services, neighborhood infrastructures, childcare, and community outreach for those who need these services most. We need to address our city's rapidly growing homelessness crisis. We need to improve our local parks and beaches. We need more funds for rehabilitation and the re-entry process for formerly incarcerated individuals, and help increase employment and education rates. We need to build a society that does not respond unilaterally to social challenges through police intimidation. Money cut from police budgets can be reinvested in services that can tangible improve HB residents' lives. We are not asking for your empty words, we want accountability. We do not want a single tax dollar going to fund white supremacy in our community, to fund violence against our residents, or to result in the eventual death of a member of the community at the hands of the HBPD. We join in solidarity with the freedom fighters in Minneapolis, Louisville, and across the United States. And we call for the end to police terror. Sincerely, Carlos Lopez 9191 Crawford Cir Huntington Beach, CA 92646 carlosparache10Qgmail.com (951)834-5078