Posted on 04/22/2006 6:03:59 AM PDT by radar101
I am writing to commend the work of the San Diego Police Department at the recent Immigrants Rights March.
As a member of the organizing team's effort to keep the march orderly and peaceful, I was struck by the contrasts in style between the San Diego Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. As the march began, I looked over toward an off-ramp from the freeway near Balboa Park, and there stood the California Highway Patrol, seven to 10 strong. They were in riot gear. Their long, black sticks and helmets gleamed in the Palm Sunday sun. Ominously dangling from their legs were coils and coils of plastic cuffs to be used in case of mass arrests. It was an anachronistic picture of the police of old. Ready for confrontation, adversarial, menacing, distant.
Fortunately, for the rest of the parade we, those who had come to exercise their constitutional right to peaceably assemble and ask for redress of grievances, were treated to the incredible professionalism of San Diego's Finest. The police did a magnificent job. I truly felt as if they looked at us as fellow citizens with every right to do what we had come to do. They worked with us to ensure that the march was peaceful. Instead of riot gear, most of the police did not even wear hats much less helmets. Their style, demeanor and low-key approach facilitated, in great part I believe, a beautiful and peaceful day that the city of San Diego can be proud of.
Over 50,000 participated in one of the largest demonstrations in San Diego history and there was not one arrest. As organizers we did our part to make sure the march was orderly and peaceful. But I believe that we also must take our hats off to Chief William Lansdowne, Capt. Chris Ball and all the rest of the men and women of the San Diego Police Department for the job they did that day. As a citizen of San Diego, I thank you.
PAUL M. HERNANDEZ San Diego
If total disregard for our country's sovereignty and laws mean nothing, then perhaps the San Diego police did a good job. I think the CHP officers took the right approach and perhaps negated problems.
I would encourage you to go south of the border, organize and participate in a demonstration and enjoy the results.
IMHO -If I were in command of the police presence at the event, I would have kept the CHP or similarly equipped officers hidden, and I suspect the SDPD did just that with a portion of their officers. Hiding them lessens the potential for confrontation (something the whacko element of a demo looks for), kept them flexible in terms of direction and point of response if needed (i.e. not subject to an organized blocking tactic by the whacko element), increased the "shock" element when they did respond, if needed, and does not unnecessariy intimidate those who truly are simply exercising their rights and who have no intention of acting out violently (a sense of which can be gained by the police meeting beforehand with the group leadership and by feedback with officers engaging in community policing, something I also suspect that SDPD did).
And the only problem I see here is that they didn't use any of those cuffs.
The CHP Officers were standing at the bottom of a freeway ramp. Their mission was to keep the marchers off the freeway. Demonstrations in L A had went up on the freeways and blocked traffic.
See, Paul left out some critical info.
CHP would NOT have been in San Diego City UNLESS requested as mutual aid by the SDPD.
Another aspect: These types just love to get a "free shot" at an unprepared cop.
"at the recent Immigrants Rights March."
Immigrants rights = illegals demands for amnesty and takeover of this country along with their anchors that are an anchor weighing down this country.
I wonder if this guy ever heard of "good cop, bad cop".
Freud would have a field day with this guy.
There were about 150 people waving American flags, and signs against amnesty on the other side of the court house, and a couple of mexican flag waving trouble makers decided to cause problems, and guess what? the SD police on their horses, and on foot patrolled the 150 or so group for a while and then instructed the Pro American group against amnesty to leave because they could not guarantee their safety... this was not reported either... I was there..
Thanks for that report.
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