Please identify date, where and describe what took place which constitute incidents of "physical abuse, rights' abuse, vicious police harassment" that Sacto PD officers have inflicted on the homeless. I've seen numerous encounters between PD and homeless over the past years, and was impressed with law enforcement's patience and courteous approach. However, I did see occasions where officers had to convey firm messages to the homeless but got some nasty reactions back on the part of those receiving the message. PD did not, as they should not, nor should Copwatch tolerate the homeless misbehavior on people's private property.

So will Copwatch also watch the misbehavior of the homeless to ensure that they do not loiter and vandalize business and resident's properties too?

This tripe which reads as though it were written in purple ink by a third grader is exactly that, as well it is riddled with poor grammar and spelling errors.

Example from the first line: "Sacramento Copwatc in August of his year."
Really? You couldn't get through one sentence? Your crazy left-wing Berkely activist hatred for the police is brimming out so fast you couldn't use the spellcheck?

That blue line is stretched thin enough as it is. I have personally experienced many scenarios wherein I felt the police were not doing their utmost to protect me and others where I felt I was being unduly harrassed for something that wasn't a big deal.
To suggest however that the police are abusing the homeless, to infer that the problem is so serious you must form a watchdog group on their behalf is a serious charge. I want citations / evidence that this has happenned at all or I want the awful, poorly-written article removed.
I was excited about Sacramento Press and I am a daily reader because this kind of filth was missing. Ignore it, and you'll be the BEE in no time flat.

Some weeks ago several homeless persons spoke to the City Council regarding abuses by police in removing them from the lot they had occupied near North 16th Street. I believe this is probably true, and especially cruel with the onset of the fall and winter.

Police in general, and Sacramento police in particular, have a history of abuse, particularly with those unable to fend for themselves, including the homeless and the poor, who have no one to speak on their behalf. This sort of behaviour was the genesis for the Police Oversight Commission when Joe Serna was Mayor.

Because of the number and quality of the reports in the case of the homeless, I believe the people who told their stories at Council, and I further believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of abusive conduct by the SacPD...

America has become a fascist militarized police state; every aspect of your life is controlled and monitored. There is no question that interactions with the police are most often dependent on your socioeconomic status. The police are in fact more likely to abuse and violate the civil rights of the marginalized, those who are less likely to sue or to have their complaints taken seriously by anyone.

That being said, SPD (and most other police agencies) have made improvements in the level of professionalism over the last two decades. Police agencies now have better educated and more intelligent applicants than in the past. SPD had a quite a reputation for regularly beating and abusing the homeless in the late 80's and early 90's. At the time, I was in CSUS Criminal Justice department and I know that there was even a rumor going around town amongst the homeless that an SPD officer was actually killing homeless people ( Obviously, reputations can be spurious, and may have been greatly exaggerated, and often even self-cultivated...who knows...) If anything though I believe that most of the abuse complaints came out of the County Jail. From what I recall the Grand Jury forced the Jail to install cameras...(but not on the elevators...thus came the notorious "elevator ride")

When I graduated from the police academy in 85, it was my opinion that most applicants who became cops, should have never have been hired. It was a different time then. The pay and benefits were not nearly what they are now. With an increase in pay and benefits, you get a better crop of applicants.

Given someone a badge and authority almost always brings out the worst in people. Unless you've been there to see the changes for yourself...its often difficult for civilians to understand. This change, coupled with the police culture, can easily lead to abuses. I know, I have seen it first hand.

I firmly believe in police oversight. All levels of government should have oversight by civilians. This is a Republic of the People. When the People look the other way, ignore, or abdicate their roles as involved citizens, history has proven EVERY single time that government officials will abuse their power.

For every Yin their must be the Yang...a balance... This goes for government and police power, authority must be counterweighted by public involvement. I applaud the efforts of those trying to keep an eye on any police agency. If the police don't abuse their power, they have nothing to fear from citizen revue.

I applaud Copwatch--

"Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” Haile Selassie

While I would have used different words and syntax, I actually agree with Jim Knapp -- perhaps for the first time...

this is josh from copwatch,

if you want to know how the police treat homeless people, why don't you actually go talk to some and hear their stories instead of relying on perception or stereotypes about them? it's real eye-opening to hear their stories and listen to what they have to say. if enough of them are saying the same thing -- that they are harassed by the cops constantly and without justification-- then there's probably some merit to it. all you have to do is open your eyes and mind to a problem and then you'll start noticing it. if you don't believe it's possible, then you could be watching a homeless beat down and still think it's justified force or something.

i did a quick youtube search of police violence against the homeless. here's what i found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXujVD6pp_Q

if you want more information on copwatch, check out the web site at www.saccopwatch.wordpress.com

justin: i think your story is a little more accurate this time around, but i think if it's going to be published on a credible web site then it needs to be thoroughly comprehensive of our missions and goals, it needs to address the history of police violence, and last, it needs to be spell-checked and grammar checked. i like that it's more formal this time, but i still think you left out some of our key ideas and the reasons why we're out there videotaping the cops. remember: rodney king and oscar grant would've never blown up like they did if they weren't caught on tape. they would've been swept under the rug, never to be found again. that's what happens in racist society's where the police have the power of the courts and public opinion behind them- they literally get away with murder and nobody investigates any of it.

thanks for the coverage.

josh
i did a quick youtube search