Law Enforcement

Sunday Commentary: Budgetary Shortfalls Leave Us Vulnerable to Wave of Burglaries

burglarOn these pages, we have not talked much about the rash of burglaries in Davis in the early part of the year.  As of early March, there had been 31 break-ins, along with eight attempted burglaries in Davis this year.  That number may now be approaching 50.

I was reading a letter to the Davis Enterprise discussing citizen patrols and whether citizens should be patrolling neighborhoods.

Council Still Not Ready to Go Forward with Minor Alcohol Preclusion Ordinance

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Police Chief Landy Black was back before the Davis City Council to push for passage of the Minor Alcohol Preclusion Act, that would make it an infraction, payable with what would ultimately be a 240 dollar fine for an individual under 21, to be caught having consumed enough alcohol to register a .01% blood alcohol content, in the City of Davis.

However, Mayor Joe Krovoza’s motion to adopt the staff report died for a lack of a second and the remaining three members, in the absence of Councilmember Stephen Souza, were not ready to pass the ordinance, citing the lack of support and buy-in from students who had assembled, as well as concerns about the civil liberty implications of the ordinance.

Sunday Commentary: Fundamental Distrust Between Youth and Police Underlies Current Issues on Campus and in the City

Student_protest_november_2009On Tuesday we will find out the long-awaited results of the pepper-spray report.  Many are bracing themselves for a whitewashing, but I don’t think that is going to happen.  The reason that is not going to happen is that Cruz Reynoso is not going to allow it to happen.

I know that he would have preferred to have been able to speak with, or at least have the Kroll investigators speak with, Lt. John Pike and the police chief, but apparently they have enough to know who did what and who ordered whom to do what.

Despite Unanimous Opposition From Student Commission, Police and Staff Push For Adoptions of Minor Alcohol Preclusion Ordinance

drunk_college_kid.jpgOn January 10, 2012, Davis Police Chief Landy Black and city staff caught the Davis City Council off-guard by presenting an ordinance to preclude minors from drinking.

Chief Black told the Council, “We’re trying to do this in our efforts for 2012’s Picnic Day.”  He added, “Regardless of when it’s adopted it’s a good ordinance, it’s not going to be just a Picnic Day ordinance.”

City of Davis Expands Safety Enhancement Zone Into Old North Davis

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In an effort to prevent a repeat of Picnic Day 2010’s problems, the City of Davis created a Safety Enhancement Zone which basically doubled the fines and penalties for a variety of acts of public nuisance on Picnic Day 2011.  In addition, the city brought in a huge amount of out-of-town police to beef up patrols.

Despite a notable tragic event, the number of major incidents during Picnic Day last year was lower.  However, the heavy enforcement and safety enhancement concept have been a source of concern by residents in Old North Davis, who live just north of 5th Street and just above the safety enhancement zone.

Staff Pushes For Additional Stop Signs to Improve Safety and Reduce Speeds on Russell

yourspeedisThe December death of Megan Glanville, a Davis resident originally from Chico, has pushed the city to take further steps to protect pedestrians and others at the intersection of Russell Blvd and Lake Blvd on the westernmost outskirts of Davis.

Staff has come forward with a consent item, based on council’s direction to staff to evaluate Russell Boulevard west of SR-113 and other high-speed rural roads entering the City, for possible traffic safety improvements.

Student Liaison Commission Unanimously Votes to Oppose Minor Alcohol Preclusion Ordinance

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The City of Davis and the police department have a lot of work to do if they want to get student buy-in for the proposed alcohol preclusion act.  Following a lengthy discussion, where students consistently expressed concern with the ordinance and distrust for the intentions of the police, the Student Liaison Commission, comprised mainly of students with a few voting members from the public at-large, voted to oppose the ordinance.

The final version of that motion did incorporate language that left issues open and encouraged future discussions.

Students Propose Changes to City’s Noise Ordinance

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Another issue that is permeating this community is a proposal from students to make some changes to the current noise ordinance.

Like the alcohol issue that we covered last week, this issue of the noise ordinance appears be dividing the city’s residents from the student population.

Sunday Commentary: A Community Divided

drunk_college_kidWhen I was growing up in San Luis Obispo and later attended Cal Poly, the city always had a love-hate relationship with the students.  The businesses liked the business they got from students, but the residents of the community considered the students an annoyance who made noise, drank and partied.

Moving to Davis, that element seemed less pronounced.  There were active efforts here to make students a greater part of the community, whether it was their inclusion in Neighbor’s Night Out Parties or the UC Davis Liaison Commission.

City Proposes Minor Alcohol Preclusion Ordinance

drunk_college_kidOrdinance Addresses the Wrong Problem and May Be Unenforceable With Unintended Consequences

It was billed as a routine measure by Police Chief Landy Black, giving the city the ability to charge minors who had consumed alcohol.  At the same time it was acknowledged only one other jurisdiction has a similar law on its books, and students expressed concerns about profiling and due process concerns.

The council passed the first reading of the ordinance, under the understanding that the UC Davis Student Liaison commission would weigh in and the matter would come back before the council.  This action preserved the ability for the council to get the matter on the books prior to Picnic Day, which appears to be the real target of this measure.

Fatal Accident At Russell and Lake Illustrates Danger of Stretch

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Back in late October, the County Board of Supervisors held off on raising the speed limit, on the stretch of Russell from Pedrick Road to Lake Blvd, to 45 mph from the current 35 mph.

At that time, Supervisor Don Saylor recommended for the four roads studied that there be additional study for the next year, to include consideration of traffic-calming measures and to look toward a state law change.

Sunday Commentary: Parents Need to Trust Their Instincts To Avoid Worst Nightmare Scenarios

crim2Few in the community are likely shocked by the news that a young soccer coach and licensed foster parent would be charged with 48 felony child molestation counts with a child under 14.  These charges stem from alleged conduct with two children from June 2007 until November 2011.

It is sad that we are not more shocked by these charges, but even in a small community like this one, these charges and stories are not foreign to us.  It is only when these stories penetrate into the inner circles of our private lives that they gain more resonance.

Former Councilmember Calls on Council to Re-Think Mutual Aid For UC Davis Police

lamar_heystekby Lamar Heystek

The following is an open letter to the Davis City Council:

My heart goes out to each of you. Having borne the burden of your office myself, I know the weight. I can only imagine how much harder it has become in the months since I have left the City Council. Nevertheless, I come to you and suggest an additional burden you must take on, for the sake of our community and before the nation and beyond.

Off-Topic Column: Will We Ever Learn?

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Occupy This: Will We Ever Learn?

One of the most riveting moments of the civil rights movement was when Bull Connor turned the firehoses and attack dogs on protesters.  It galvanized public sympathy and support for the civil rights movement.

After that, officials, at least those with a semblance of self-control, quickly realized that reacting in such a heavy-handed manner actually bolsters the message of the protesters, creating attention for the issue and sympathy.  Smart leaders allow the protesters to say their piece, which is, after all, a First Amendment right, and be done.  That is, so long as there is no real danger to public safety.

Fire Incident at Bicycle Hall of Fame – More Excitement than Fire

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Just as Stephen Souza was pushing off from his announcement at the steps of the Bicycle Hall of Fame, fire engines and emergency vehicles were rolling in.  First, UC Davis’ fire engine and hook and ladder truck, then Station 32 from Davis rolled in.

Suddenly, there seemed to be over a dozen firefighters and it became clear that the target was the museum on the corner of Third Street and B Street in Davis, around 10:30 on Saturday as the park was packed with those shopping and enjoying the Davis Farmer’s Market.

Davis Suffers First Murder Since 2004

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According to a report from the Davis Police Department, on Saturday, Davis Police officers were dispatched to 945 J Street, an apartment in the College Square Apartments on J Street, to a report of a dead body.

Upon arrival, officers found that the victim, a 42-year-old male, was deceased on his bedroom floor.

Is Davis’ Police Ombudsman Investigating DHS Incident?

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The Vanguard is receiving conflicting reports about the extent to which Davis’ Police Ombudsman, Robert Aaronson, is investigating an incident that occurred on May 12, 2011. At that time, a Davis High student, Alana de Hinojosa, was, according to attorneys at the ACLU, “pulled out of her class at Davis High in front of her teacher and all her classmates, and escorted by a school staff member to the office of the head campus supervisor.”

The ACLU continues, “There, Ms. de Hinojosa was questioned by a sworn officer of the Davis Police Department, Officer Ellsworth, the High School’s vice-principal, and another school staff member about her newspaper article.”

DHS Student Describes Being Threatened By Police, Betrayed by School Staff

Art-or-Vand.pngLast week, the ACLU sent a letter to Superintendent Winfred Roberson alleging that on the morning of May 12, 2011, a Davis High Student, Alana de Hinojosa “was pulled out of her class at Davis High in front of her teacher and all her classmates, and escorted by a school staff member to the office of the head campus supervisor. There, Ms. de Hinojosa was questioned by a sworn officer of the Davis Police Department, Officer Ellsworth, the High School’s vice-principal, and another school staff member about her newspaper article.”

The ACLU claims that at no point was she informed of her right not to answer questions or advised that she was free to leave the room.

Free Speech and Journalistic Shield or Hindering a Police Investigation?

ACLU Challenges Coercive Police Interrogation of Students at Davis High School –

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It all began with an article in the Davis High HUB entitled “Art or Vandalism,” printed in the April 27, 2011 edition under the byline of Alana de Hinojosa, Editor-in-Chief.

The article depicted graffiti and taggers, protecting their names.

Are Red Light Cameras A Problem?

Red-light-cameraTraffic intersections have proven to be one of the most dangerous locations for drivers.  One of the chief problems are vehicles running red lights, trying to race to get through in time.

In trying to make these intersections, many cities utilized new technology and have installed red light cameras, much as Davis has done so at the intersection of Russell and Sycamore.