Crime

Public Forum: “To Protect and Serve, How to Fix America’s Police”

Published

8 years ago

July 28, 2017

Author Norm Stamper, Measure LL organizer Rashidah Grinage, police expert Deacon Reginald Lyles and host Lakeshore Baptist Church Pastor Jim Hopkins at July 26 public forum: “To Protect and Serve, How to Fix America’s Police.” Photo by Sue Taylor.

Norm Stamper, author and former police chief of Seattle, Wash., spoke to an audience in Oakland in a public forum Thursday night about police reform.

“It will not happen from within the department; keep up the pressure from the citizens,” was his main message of the night.

“Police belong to the people, not the other way around,” he said during a short opening presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session.

The moderator was Reginald Lyles, former deputy for public safety and liaison to Oakland Police Department (OPD) for former Mayor Jean Quan. The event was held at Lakeshore Baptist Church in Oakland and was a Who’s Who of political activists, who gave a standing ovation to independent police commission Measure LL activist Rashidah Grinage.

Grinage’s long-time commitment to police reform precedes the negotiated settlement agreement – still not completed by OPD – and she’s currently on the selection panel for the new Police Commission. There were 125 applicants for seven commissioners and two alternates. The selection panel has narrowed the field to just over 20 candidates.

In opening remarks, Reginald Lyles said: “We are suffering from issues of police culture – often mean-spirited and deadly. This is low-grade terrorism.”

“There is a callousness of leadership in this town…actually an absence of leadership,” said Lyles.

There were no police or city representatives in attendance.

The purpose of the event was not only to present Stamper’s book but to give those attending a chance to ask questions, and hear ideas for changing police conduct in the United States. The rash of police murders in the U.S. were mentioned often, and Stamper’s general reply about police law-breaking was, “They should be fired.”

“There are police who believe, ‘We’re the cops and you’re not’,” said Stamper. “This cries out for partnerships between people and the police.”

When asked why he was attending, playwright and police officer Jinho “The Piper” Ferreira said, “I want to keep learning.” His play, “Cops and Robbers” was originally written for high school students and has had tremendous success at the Marsh Theater in San Francisco.

“We know ‘what’ is happening, but not ‘why’,” said Stamper. He explained that policing in the U.S. dates back to slave patrols and lynchings, and until the culture is changed, the current problems will continue. Stamper also made clear that change cannot come from within police departments.

“We need to end the ‘drug war,’ set national standards for policing, and make a commitment to authentic community policing,” he said.

Watch the Post newspapers for continuing articles on police reform. Norm Stamper’s book: “To Protect and Serve, How to Fix America’s Police,” is available online and at Walden Pond Books, 3316 Grand

CORRECTION: The article in the July 26 Oakland Post, “To Protect and Serve, How to Fix America’s Police, said that Rashidah Grinage is a member of the selection panel for the new police commission. That is incorrect. Also, there were 150 applicants for commission positions, now narrowed down to 28 finalists. The name of the church where the event was held omits the word “Avenue” – It is Lakeshore
Avenue Baptist Church.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

Published

3 days ago

March 28, 2025

Oakland Post

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Group Takes First Steps to Recall District Attorney Diana Becton

The group, called “Recall Diana Becton,” says they have lost faith in her prosecution decisions and her lack of transparency. On their social media post, they say: “We the victims of crime, their families, local business owners and employees, as well as residents of Contra Costa County, have reached our limit and are initiating the recall of District Attorney Diana Becton,” the notice states. “We are increasingly concerned about the persistent cycle of unaddressed criminal activity. We are frustrated by her continuous empty promises to victims and their families that justice will prevail while she permits criminals to roam free.” Becton, 73, is a former judge who was appointed district attorney in 2017 by the Board of Supervisors and then won election in 2018 and again in 2022.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2025

Oakland Post

Diana Becton has served at the Contra Costa County District Attorney since 2017. Richmond Standard photo.

By Post Staff

After gathering more than 100 verified signatures, a group led by crime victims delivered a ‘notice of intent’ to the offices of Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton seeking her recall.

The group, called “Recall Diana Becton,” says they have lost faith in her prosecution decisions and her lack of transparency.

On their social media post, they say:

“We the victims of crime, their families, local business owners and employees, as well as residents of Contra Costa County, have reached our limit and are initiating the recall of District Attorney Diana Becton,” the notice states.

“We are increasingly concerned about the persistent cycle of unaddressed criminal activity. We are frustrated by her continuous empty promises to victims and their families that justice will prevail while she permits criminals to roam free.”

Becton, 73, is a former judge who was appointed district attorney in 2017 by the Board of Supervisors and then won election in 2018 and again in 2022.

Becton has seven days to respond. According to the East Bay Times, her office spokesperson said her “answer will be her public comment.”

After Becton responds, according to the Contra Costa County Elections Office, Recall Diana Becton must then finalize the petition language and gather signatures of a minimum of 10% of registered voters (72,000) in 160 days before it can go on the ballot for election.

She is the third Bay Area district attorney whose constituents wanted them removed from office. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was removed from office in 2021 and last year, Pamela Price lost her position in a recall election.

Of the top 10 proponents of Becton’s recall, three are the families of Alexis Gabe, Thomas Arellano, and Damond Lazenby Jr.

In each of those cases, the families say Becton failed to pursue prosecution, allowed a plea deal instead of a trial in a slaying and questioned the coroner’s report in a fatal car crash.

Some political science experts suggest that, in the Bay Area there may be a bit of copycat syndrome going on.

In many states, recalls are not permitted at all, but in California, not only are they permitted but the ability to put one into motion is easy.

“Only 10% of registered voters in a district are needed just to start the process of getting the effort onto the ballot,” Garrick Percival, a political science professor told the East Bay Times. “It makes it easy to make the attempt.”

But according to their website, the Recall Diana Becton group express their loss of faith in the prosecutor.

“Her lack of transparency regarding crime in this county, and her attempts to keep her offenders out of jail have left us disheartened,” the recall group wrote.

Petitioners say they are acting not just for themselves but other crime victims “who feel ignored, exasperated and hopeless in their pursuit of justice for themselves or their loved ones.”

KRON TV, The East Bay Times, and Wikipedia are the sources for this report.