Crime

OP-ED: Letter from a Local Marin City Resident

Published

11 years ago

July 17, 2013

To Whom it May Concern

I have been a homeowner in Marin City for 17 years, and I have never had a problem with anyone here, except for the Sheriffs who have stopped me and my daughter for NO apparent reason. The Sheriffs have come pounding at my door numerous times, without a search warrant, looking for people I do not know. They come in three’s and four’s and are very scary. It would have been crazy for me to ask for a warrant or badge number. A neighbor encouraged me to mention that I am a white woman. Their aggression is not limited to one segment of our community.

I understand that this is a training ground for new sheriffs, and also a disciplinary assignment for sheriffs who have had trouble because of their actions in other counties.

As for me, they have been an irritant, but when it comes to, I’m assuming a trainee, who cant’ figure out how to handle a routine traffic stop without shooting the driver, it has now become outright scary.

One of my neighbors is selling his house due to this incident.

What I am really worried about are the young black men who live here, many of whom I have known since pre-school and kindergarten. They are all good young men. Some have held responsible jobs for years, and others have gone on to college.

As for the comments about the killing under the bridge, the perpetrator was a disturbed young man from Mill Valley who viciously stabbed a Marin City kid to death.

In any case, a few bad apples do NOT represent the community at large, and there is no need to treat an entire City on the actions of few.

To have a bunch of white, (from what I can tell) trainees, practicing on a largely African American population, appears to be a recipe for disaster. Something must be done.

My neighbor’s first thought would be to petition the Governor, Attorney General, and all of our State Senators. We most certainly get no relief from our local government.

Sincerely,

Susan Schwartz

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

Oakland Post

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California Black Media

Anti-Theft Bill with Jail-Time Requirement Gets Wide Ranging Support

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24. Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Published

4 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

San Bernardino Police Chief Darren Goodman speaks as Asm. James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), left, stands beside him at a news conference in Sacramento concerning retail theft across the state.

By California Black Media

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24.

Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Co-authored by Assemblymembers James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) and Devon Mathis (R-Tulare), AB 1772 would require jail time “of one to three years for theft crimes depending upon the circumstances.

“Offenses would include grand theft, theft from an elder or dependent adult, theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary, carjacking, robbery, receiving stolen property, shoplifting or mail theft,” the bill language reads.

Ramos said the need to act is urgent.

“It’s time for us to reverse the spikes in theft crimes since the pandemic. Our law enforcement members and district attorneys need additional tools such as AB 1772. We must reverse the trend before the problem grows worse. Last year I requested a state audit of the impact of Prop 47 on Riverside and San Bernardino counties,” said Ramos.

Prop 47 is the California initiative, approved by voters in 2014, that reclassified some felonies to misdemeanors and raised the minimum amount for most misdemeanor thefts from $400 to $950.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, the rate of occurrence of petty crimes like shoplifting and commercial burglaries have increased by double digits over the last four years.

In Orange County alone, commercial burglaries have spiked by 54%.

“Our communities are experiencing an increase in retail crime and deserve appropriate action from their legislators,” Valencia said.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus thanked Ramos.

“This bill, designed to impose stricter penalties on serial retail theft suspects, responds urgently to the escalating consequences of shoplifting and related crimes on our communities,” he said.

AB 1772 supporters who spoke at the gathering included Sacramento Sheriff Jim Cooper and San Bernardino Chief of Police Darren Goodman. Listed as supporters are the California State Sheriff’s Association, City of Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez and Redlands Chamber of Commerce.