Shepherd on Kubrick, warning re police commission

Duncan Shepherd flashback

Alert the Guinness folks! Duncan Shepherd’s passive-aggressive, backasswards Mr. Mxyzpkik’s — Google it, kids — “praise” (Movie Reviews) for the Stanley Kubrick classic 2001 (which Mr. Shepherd actually awards four stars, while making the film sound like Big Budget Ed Wood) surely sets SOME record for smug, film critic self-pleasuring. One star, but only ‘cause Mr. Shepherd worked so hard to get himself off.

• Mark Barsotti
• Midway

Confusion and fear

At 1 pm, on July 11, the Rules Committee meets to consider a community ballot question that would create a Commission on Police Practices (“Food and parking enough for San Diego police watchdogs,” News Ticker, June 23, 2017). The new Commission would have its own legal counsel, investigators and much-needed autonomy to thoroughly investigate complaints. This is because San Diego has a policing problem. Another person suffering a mental break around Memorial Day was shot multiple times and killed by three SDPD officers. Instead of calling upon a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, SDPD escalated his confusion and fear. Unfortunately, the family has little recourse for a fair investigation if they file a complaint. They have a much better chance with a lawsuit. Because the Community Review Board on Police Practices (CRB) uses only SDPD Internal Affairs investigations to make its findings. Residents repeatedly point out this fatal conflict of interest. Even when the Board does find cause for the complaint, that finding has little impact on police accountability and changes in procedures. The San Diego Grand Jury recently reviewed the CRB’s effectiveness and recommended an independent, investigative agency to hear complaints about police. It also called for more PERTs to intervene in cases of mental health - this could have saved the life of Raoul Rivera. The Commission would also independently track officer-involved shootings and assaults. The District Attorney’s online list is shockingly incomplete; nor has the DA charged any officer involved in the shooting death of a resident. The Commission will also bring additional weight to improving police training and policies. Racial justice advocates have been demanding the end of dangerous police practices like chokeholds used mostly in communities of color. The Rules Committee must move to put the proposed charter amendment as written on the November 2018 ballot. Let the voters decide on who polices the police.

• Anne Marie Barron
• City Heights