There needs to be independent review of all police matters that escalate into anyone being hurt and for any complaints made against law enforcement. What will work is the model used by state hospitals such as At Atascadero SH where they have patient’s rights advocates. The patients have a red telephone in every unit that dials directly to the advocates office to notify them when any abuse or rights violations happens. These advocates then independently investigate the matter and have full authority to access any and all files, reports, to demand interviews with all those involved, including state hospital police officers and their records. After the investigation the advocates office makes a determination as to whether a right was violated or abuse occurred then forwards the report to their office in Sacramento and to the authorities involved and all those involved in the investigation. They have no authority to take any action against those involved but do offer what they see as solutions to the problem. If nothing is done about it after the findings are reported and the abuse is severe enough the Sacramento legal department might file a civil suit on behalf of the patient to settle the matter in court and possibly set a precedent so that things improve for the patients in the future.
We can follow that model for detainees’ or defendants’ rights Advocacy.
RA237: draw the line at unnecessarily infecting others.
Making excuses for wrongdoing by saying we all sin is insane. Yes we do all fall short of being perfect, but when that fall includes victimizing others it is not just as simple as finding it in our hearts to be forgiving and moving on. It is holding the wrongdoer responsible and then taking appropriate remedial action. What that remedy might be is for the entire congregation and perhaps the courts to determine. If there were criminal acts involved then the police should be notified. If it is civil in nature then the civil courts can be employed to determine liability, unless the church offers compensation outside of court.
After theyve been convicted you dont say allegedly anymore. Thats only when they are innocent until proven guilty. Theyve been proven guilty or admitted their crimes so you can now say they committed the act of...
mistreatment, rights violations, and abuses started and were ongoing before Ian took office. As far as I can tell nothing has still been done to stop the institutional unspoken and unwritten policies and procedures that allow for and condone such massive abuses, other than to file a report and issue a press release about hiring extra doctors and mental health providers at the jail. the problem is the abusive guards are the ones in charge of deciding who merits going to see the doctor after inmates put in a "kite" to request a medical appointment, and if they just don't like the inmate they can decide his request is not merited. What is needed at the county jail level is the same thing they have instituted at the state mental hospital level, install a red telephone that has a direct line to rights' advocates so that inmates can report acts of abuse and rights violations to an independent entity that investigates through access to records and interviews with those involved, then makes it determination as to whether any abuses or violations have occurred and then have the authority to see to it that those abuses or violations are remedied.
@PaulEmbry, Shredder IS respected writer, s/he/they have won numerous literary and journalistic awards and is/are the only watchdogs this county has! The articles in shredder tell it like it is from a pessimistic, sarcastic and realistic point of view and its contributors don't give a damn about whether anyone is offended intellectually, socially or morally. Keep up the good work shredder! You're the only reason I read the slo new times, well besides the back page ads!
Re: “SLO County DA says Paul Flores raped and murdered Kristin Smart”
steve, its the whacky democrats that arrested him.