Username:
 Password:
 

Are you not a member?
Register here
Forgot your password?
 
 
 
 
 
 



NEWS > 09 April 2008

Other related articles:

India: Police under scanner in
The crackdown on the officers of the Kolkata Police in the Rizwanur Rehman case seems to have begun in right earnest.

On Friday, the government made its intention known to remove two junior officers from their posts and on Saturday the CID called in two deputy commissioners of police.

The spotlight is now on Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee and whether he will be called next by the CID for questioning.

Deputy Commissioners Ajoy Kumar and Gyanwant Singh made a hasty exit from the CID headquarters at the end of a grueling three and a half hour interrogation i... Read more

 Article sourced from

By ZEKE MINAYA The Press-Enter
09 April 2008
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.


Gathering accuses Colton polic

About a dozen people gathered in front of the Colton Police Department on Wednesday to oppose what they called officers' racially motivated harassment of the Latino community.

Among the issues they raised were an officer-involved shooting and what they called an illegal raid at a Mexican restaurant.

Police officials denied that the department targets minorities. The head of the officer's union said the event was politically motivated, organized in part by a supporter of the recall effort against Colton Mayor Kelly Chastain. The association backs the mayor.

The event was organized after an April 2 incident at La Villa, a restaurant owned by Maria Serrano, a recall supporter, said Latino activist Gil Navarro. Police went to La Villa to serve an arrest warrant against Serrano's nephew after receiving a tip that he was there.

Activists said it was no coincidence that a fundraiser was being held at the restaurant that same night for an opponent of Chastain.

The illegal raid, as activists described the incident, was meant to intimidate supporters of Mel Albiso, a Latino mayoral candidate.

Police officials said officers acted professionally. Police Chief Bob Miller said an audio recording of the encounter, not released to the public, indicated officers were not abusive.

He said by the time officers arrived, the fundraiser had ended.

"(The critics) are making frivolous and false allegations against police officers," said Sgt. Kyle Kershner, president of the Colton Police Officers Association.

Serrano, who attended the news conference Wednesday, declined to say she was a supporter of Albiso. But Gary Grossich, a recall leader and Colton business owner, said Serrano has been active in the drive.

"Maria is a wonderful person," Grossich said. "She does a lot of work in the community."

Dr. Manuela Sosa, a retired dentist and a Latino activist who said she saw an encounter officers and Serrano, said Serrano was distraught.

"I feel angry that they could come in and do whatever they pleased," Sosa said.

Miller said Serrano has not filled out a formal complaint. He said he would speak with anyone who questions the department's integrity, but added as police chief he cannot get involved in community politics.

Navarro, who helped organize Wednesday's event, said the conflict between Serrano and police was only the latest example of their heavy-handed tactics.

"Residents of this city have to sleep in fear," said Navarro, a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education and candidate for the 62nd Assembly district, which includes Colton.

Also at the event was the family of Antonio Cornejo, a 63-year-old Colton man who, his family said, had an adverse reaction to medication and took to the streets naked.

Family members said Cornejo, a retired laborer, was unarmed and carrying a Bible and stepladder.

Police said he threatened an officer, who fatally shot him. Police said he had a weapon, but declined to say what it was. County officials are investigating whether the shooting was justified.

Cornejo's daughter, Maria Reynoso, said she attended the event because "we want (police) to know we are not going to leave it alone. We want justice."

 

EiP Comments:

 


* We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper or periodical. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and we will remove the article. The articles republished on this site are provided for the purposes of research , private study, criticism , review, and the reporting of current events' We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper , periodical or other works. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and where necessary we will remove the work concerned.


 
 
[about EiP] [membership] [information room] [library] [online shopping]
[EiP services] [contact information]
 
 
Policing Research 2010 EthicsinPolicing Limited. All rights reserved International Policing
privacy policy

site designed, maintained & hosted by
The Consultancy
Ethics in Policing, based in the UK, provide information and advice about the following:
Policing Research | Police News articles | Police Corruption | International Policing | Police Web Sites | Police Forum | Policing Ethics | Police Journals | Police Publications