Sacramento police chief calls out ‘second-guessing’ over his handling of latest protests

After downtown endured another recent surge in demonstrations over the mistreatment of Blacks and other minorities at the hands of law enforcement, Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn rebuked some local officials for “second-guessing” him in an op-ed published by The Sacramento Bee.

Hahn, who as led the department for three years, said his agency has been tested in recent weeks as a rash of violence following peaceful protests played out on city streets, damaging local government buildings and small businesses.

And while the Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones called for an escalation in law enforcement to quell what he called an “insurrection” — including bringing in the National Guard — Hahn pointedly did not.

“So far, no one in Sacramento has been killed or seriously injured. No buildings have burned,” Hahn wrote. “There’s no smell of teargas wafting across our city, no ‘rubber bullets’ have taken out eyes. On balance this is a good outcome.”

Hahn faced criticism for his force’s actions including the shooting death of Stephon Clark in 2018. A year later, the agency was denounced by Black Lives Matter Sacramento and questioned by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg after a volatile response to shutdown a peaceful Clark protest in East Sacramento. Police ended up arresting 85 people, none of whom were charged.

Hahn attributed recent outcomes to the “restraint” of Sacramento police officers, he said.

In the latest outbursts of vandalism in which demonstrators — promoted by Antifa Sacramento and other activists, and not connected to Black Lives Matter or other mainstream protest groups — smashed doors and windows at the Sheriff’s Office old headquarters on G Street, and even attempted to light at fire unsuccessfully at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, officers did not directly intervene.

Sacramento Police in riot gear, bolstered by mutual aid from other agencies, instead guarded City Hall, equipped to engage, and patrolled at a distance, a tactic that drew criticism.

“Still, there are those who criticize my department and me,” Hahn said. “We’ve not been tough enough, they say. Bring in the National Guard, they say. Break out the hats and bats, they say. In other words, let’s go crack some heads.”

“Make no mistake about it: If violence escalates, my department’s response will escalate. ... But to do so prematurely is foolish. It only invites more violence.”

Rift with Sheriff’s Office?

While Hahn didn’t explicitly use Jones’ name, the commentary and previous interviews with other news outlets has exposed cracks between Sacramento County’s two largest agencies.

In a live interview with KCRA on Aug. 28, Hahn spoke at length about the violence — drawing distinctions between the vandals and peaceful protesters — as well as the lack of injuries and escalation by his officers amid heightened tensions.

When asked how his department’s relationship was with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, he said: “Working relationship is fine.”

When asked about Jones’ prediction of more arrests and the use of the National Guard, which Jones had requested but was never fulfilled, Hahn spoke directly.

“Sheriff Jones has a responsibility to run his department, I have a responsibility to run mine,” he said. “This is my city. The city I’ve lived every single day of my life in. A city that I’ve spent over 30 years in this police department in. And I will continue to do my responsibility.

“I’m extremely proud of the men and women that worked last night in tenuous circumstances, not only in this uniform but in the uniform of the members that came from other agencies, and I’ll continue to be proud of them because we kept our city from burning and nobody got hurt.”

Hahn pushes back on rhetoric

Hahn criticized one unnamed Sacramento County supervisor for posting photos to social media of destruction in Kenosha, Wisconsin, saying that behavior “inflames” the situation by suggesting similar violence is in store for Sacramento.

County Supervisor Sue Frost — who represents parts of Antelope, Citrus Heights and Orangevale — made a Facebook post August 27, showing a photo of Kenosha burning and throngs of protesters wearing face coverings, saying “We need to support our police who are trying to protect our streets, and ensure that we don’t devolve into the rioting occurring in Portland, Minneapolis, and other cities.”

Hahn also specifically called out Sacramento County Deputy Sheriff’s Association President Kevin Mickelson, who he said often criticized the police chief’s leadership on social media.

“Fellow law enforcement leaders who publicly second-guess my response make my job, and the job my brave officers do, even harder,” he said. “It also weakens the ties that bind us and the cooperation necessary to respond together to emergencies across our region.

“Got a problem with my actions? Pick up the phone and call me. Let’s talk about it.”

This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 6:23 PM.