Ask this cop; Sacramento’s police ‘culture’ is just fine

City Council need change, not police

Re “How an embarrassing blunder by the police chief explains a larger problem at Sac PD” (Marcos Breton, March 26): I read Marcos Breton’s column bashing the Sacramento Police Department’s interim chief over the City Council’s new policy of releasing police videos within 30 days. As a member of the law enforcement community for nearly 35 years, I find this quite interesting.

Did any of those council members consult with the chief to see if the policy was feasible? Did any council members consult the district attorney to see if the policy would affect investigations or the rules of evidence? I doubt it. Does any member of the council have a background in law enforcement? No. They listen to a small number of citizens groups, some of which meet the federal and state definitions of criminal street gangs, in an attempt to please them so they don’t burn down the city.

The council is trying to run a police department and clearly doesn’t like cops. Mayor Steinberg said: “This is about changing the culture (of the department).” Maybe it’s your City Council that needs to change. Have some respect for the people who protect and serve.

About that law on the death penalty

Re “DAs must follow law, not feelings” (Letters to the Editor, March 27): Michael Rushford misleadingly suggests that a prosecutor who declines to seek the death penalty is not following the law. There is no such law. The decision is entirely within the discretion of the district attorney. Any law that would require a prosecutor to seek the death penalty would be unconstitutional under clearly established U.S. Supreme Court law.

 

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This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Ask this cop; Sacramento’s police ‘culture’ is just fine."