You will soon have the opportunity to participate in a survey we are working on right now that will give us a better understanding about how you feel about the job the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) is supposed to be doing. We think we have a pretty good idea about your feelings for the 'new and improved' citizen oversight division but we still want to capture your thoughts.
The OCC should be an agency that works hand-in-hand with the Department, sharing information that will improve performance standards rather than acting like a watchdog with a hammer. Can you imagine an educational system that punishes students every time they make a mistake. Think they'd learn much?
That's why we need a report card to gauge just where we stand with the agency that has, historically, been asked to serve as an oversight committee for the San Francisco Police Department when, actually, they are the ones who need to be watched . . .
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Officer Lori Lamma has an extensive knowledge of all the players in the Alice Griffith Housing Development so when she noticed a substantial increase in activity at one particular unit she investigated. Turns out she had the opportunity to conduct a probation search at the residence along with Officer Dave Correa, Officer Mike Chantal, and Officer Matt Pashby. The search yielded a loaded shotgun, bullet-proof vest, and a subject wanted on a $100,000.00 arrest warrant.
A few days later Officer Lori Lamma was driving with Officer Monty Singleton and Officer Jessi Ortiz. The officers stopped a car the driver was operating with no license plates. This time the driver wasn't the problem. The passenger bolted from the vehicle and threw a bag he had over a nearby fence. The officers detained this subject and later found a loaded, 9mm handgun in the bag.
Residents of the Kirkwood area of Bayview were walking home when they were set upon by several armed suspects. The suspects punched their victims knocking them to the ground and then pulled out guns threatening to kill them. The victims turned over all their belongings and were lucky to be left alive. Officer Rigoberto Haro and Officer Eric Chiang were the first to respond and got the description out immediately. Fortunately, Officer Gerald Lyons, Officer Ryan Doherty, Officer Reginald Scott, and Officer Jason Kirchner knew the area really well having worked it for several years, and were able locate the suspects before they were able to rob anyone else. Victim's property and the loaded guns used in the crime were all recovered.
Nearby Officer Ed Zeltser and Officer Rigoberto Haro were simply conducting a routine traffic stop of an individual known for his affinity to somehow become involved in major crimes in the Bayview District when they noticed that he and his companion were in possession of a fully-loaded, semi-automatic weapon as well as a rather substantial amount of illegal narcotics.
A few days later Officer Zeltser and Officer Haro again detain an individual for failing to drive at the posted limit and this time they find that the driver has a suspended license. Subsequent investigation reveals a loaded, 9mm semi-automatic weapon with an extended clip ready to go.
The restaurant was robbed by several suspects with guns. They escaped in a nearby neighborhood. Officer Gabriel Alcaraz thought he knew the exact location but couldn't be sure. Officer Alcaraz, along with Officer Ryan Doherty and Officer Reginald Scott, set up on the house where they thought the suspects were hiding. Sure enough, a short time later a car pulls up outside with several young children and a man comes out to meet the occupants. The man leaving the house matches one of the robbery suspects. The officers converge on the group and find that the suspect who went to the car left a fully-loaded gun in the backseat with 3 small children hoping he could walk away. Turns out the gun was stolen from Louisiana and the suspect was a wanted felon from the same state.
Two other robbery victims call 9-1-1 from Silver and Dartmouth Streets where they had been relieved of their property by two individuals wearing masks who threatened to shoot them with the guns they were brandishing. Off-duty Officer Glen Ortega stopped to see what was going on and immediately broadcast a description. Not far away, Officer Conroy Tam and Officer Carlos Padilla were able to pull over a car that matched the description of the getaway vehicle. A short cold show took place and the victims positively identified their suspects. Once again, victim's property was recovered and 2 more fully-loaded, semi-automatic weapons were taken off the street.
The criminal defendant in the Officer Nick Birco incident went on trial this week. We had the opportunity to attend a few sessions. It had to be extremely difficult for the members of Nick's family to sit there and listen to the details of the incident that took Nick's life - but they did. And we couldn't help but notice the professionalism displayed by each and every police officer witness - never an easy thing to do.
Stay safe.
