City Government

OP-ED: When Police Plant Evidence, They also Plant Seeds of Distrust

Published

11 years ago

April 7, 2015

By Publisher, Post News Group

The recent allegations involving Michigan Police officers who are being accused of planting evidence on a retired Black gentleman, along with dozens of other equally odious police confrontations around the nation, require that we seek some solutions and strategies to change the ways Oakland polices.

Oakland is still responding to the criminal-like behavior revealed in the “Riders” case where our own police officers were also found guilty of planting evidence, along with the use of unnecessary and excessive force and many other criminal acts involving drugs and mistreatment of citizens, especially to Black men.

Too few of the victims received settlements, and to many, the police are still too unsettling. Too much money has been spent for too many years trying to oversee and change our police community relations.

And after more than a dozen years of federal oversight, we no – instead – need local oversight by and for Oakland citizens.

Because of the steadfast, courageous demonstrations and spontaneous resistance movements of groups such as Black Lives Matter, State of Black Oakland (SOBO) and faith and community based leaders, people are moving, monitoring and motivating our official leaders to explain themselves and commit to change.

We also need the voices of elected officials and regular citizens to speak up and offer ideas and solutions about our public safety needs.

We all generally agree that police officers are needed to help keep the peace and keep our neighborhoods safe.

The Post is offering space to anyone who cares or dares enough to propose some answers that we can all debate, discuss and implement.

In the last election, we provided a prodigious amount of space to issues such as development, public safety, jobs and community development. We have another election scheduled for next year and these issues, especially public safety, can’t wait until a few weeks prior to voting to voice our opinions and influence the decision makers and/or their challengers.

In our upcoming issues, we will seek answers and responses from the District Attorney, City Attorney and elected officials.

The Post wants to know what plans or ideas you have. What would you do if you were mayor, city administrator, city attorney, auditor, chief of police or a member of the Oakland City Council?

We would like to see someone step forward to analyze and recommend helpful changes. All lives matter. Our police officers matter. The DA and city attorney must ensure fairness. The mayor and council must insist on equitable fair treatment to Black citizens because their lives matter too.