Inglewood needs to form an INGLEWOOD GRASSROOTS CITIZENS COMMISSION to
Investigate the killings by the Inglewood Police.
The Inglewood community is obviously extremely concerned and outraged about
the recent series of killings of Inglewood residents by the Inglewood Police.
There have been calls for the resignation of Inglewood Police Chief
Jacqueline Seabrooks. There have been demands that Inglewood Police Officer
Brian Ragan be fired.
There have also been calls and demands for various agencies and entities
to do investigations of the recent killings and calls and demands for
investigations of the Inglewood Police in general.
But just who should do that Investigating???? Who does the Investigating
just might be a big, big factor in what the results of the investigation
produce.
It is pretty sure that having the Inglewood Police and/or any of the
Inglewood Police Officers investigate the incidents is not an unbiased or fair
way to conduct the investigations. Essentially that would result in the
Inglewood Police investigating the Inglewood Police. Does anyone want to
make a bet on what the results would be if the Inglewood Police is the agency
that is chosen to do the investigation of the Inglewood Police?
It has been suggested that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's
Office, the United States Department of Justice and/or the FBI might more
appropriate as agencies to investigate the Inglewood Police and the killings by
the Inglewood Police. Although having any or all of those agencies involved in
the investigations of the Inglewood Police might be better than having the
Inglewood Police investigating itself it must also be remembered that the Los
Angeles District Attorney's Office, The United States Department of Justice and
the FBI are also Police and Law Enforcement agencies and that each of them have
long standing relationships with the Inglewood police. So having the Los
Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the United States Department of
Justice and/or the FBI involved in the investigation of the Inglewood Police
is not exactly the same as having the Inglewood Police investigating itself but
it is more like having some close relatives of the Inglewood Police
investigating the Inglewood Police. It is pretty clear that because of the fact
that each of the agencies being suggested are law enforcement agencies and each
of the agencies being suggested have long standing relationships with the
Inglewood Police that neither the Los Angeles County District Attorney's
Office, nor the United States Department of Justice nor the FBI can or would
conduct an impartial or fair investigation of the Inglewood Police and the
recent killings by the Inglewood Police.
It has also been suggested that an "Independent Investigator" (i.e
Christopher Commission Model) be appointed to do the investigations of the
Inglewood Police and the killings by the Inglewood Police. Now that is better
than having either the Inglewood Police investigate itself and it is better
than having other law enforcement agencies like the Los Angles County District
Attorney's Office or the Justice Department and/or the FBI investigate the
Inglewood Police but there are still serious problems with the so called
"Independent Investigator" method of doing the investigation of the Inglewood
Police.
The problem with the "Independent Investigator" method of doing the
investigation of the Inglewood Police is that the so called "Independent
Investigator" has to be appointed by someone or some entity and it has to be
funded by someone or some entity and it has to report to someone and some
entity. In other words whoever or whatever entity does the appointing and
funding and receives the reports is the person or entity that actually controls
the so called "Independent Investigator". Now the entity and the person most
likely to do the appointing and funding and receiving to the reports of the
"Independent Investigator" would be the City Council of Inglewood and/or the
Mayor of Inglewood. Now that might be better than having the Inglewood Police
directly investigating itself and it might be better than having other law
enforcement agencies investigating another law enforcement agency like the
Inglewood Police but it still seem to have some major problems.
Does everyone really trust the Inglewood City Council and/or the Mayor of
Inglewood to have the real control over the Investigation of the Inglewood
Police and the investigation of the killings by the Inglewood Police? The
Inglewood City Council and the Mayor of Inglewood have the final control over
that Inglewood Police since Inglewood was founded as a City. The Inglewood City
Council and the Mayor of Inglewood appointed the Chiefs of Police of the
Inglewood Police over the years and they have the final say in the decisions of
policy and procedures and training and hiring and firing of the Inglewood
Police - yet that has not prevented or stopped the police abuse and killings by
the Inglewood Police. And again in the end having the Inglewood City Council
and/or the Mayor of Inglewood Police investigate the Inglewood Police is yet
another way of having the same entity investigating itself since in the end the
Inglewood Police is just one more department of the City of Inglewood which is
controlled by the Inglewood City Council and the mayor of Inglewood.
Do we really want, and do we really trust, any of the above "One hand
Washes the Other" methods of investigating the Inglewood Police?????
WHO THEN SHOULD DO THE INVESTIGATION OF THE INGLEWOOD POLICE!!!!!!!!
My suggestion: THE PEOPLE OF INGLEWOOD themselves should be in control of
the Investigation of the Inglewood Police!!!
An Inglewood Grassroots Citizens "Committee" or a "Commission" or whatever
we might want to name the new entity should be immediately formed to conduct
and control the Investigation of the Inglewood Police and the investigation of
the killings by the Inglewood Police and that "Inglewood Grassroots Citizens
Commission" should (and Must) have the power to obtain any and all documents
and reports and interview witnesses and take statements and appoint
investigators and then make a report on its findings. But some might say that
such a Grassroots Citizens Commission might not have the training or the
experience to do such a complicated investigation. I would answer that ordinary
Citizens do have both the training and experience to be in control of such an
investigation of the Inglewood Police and that , in addition, it is the
Grassroots Citizens of Inglewood that will, in the end, have to live with the
results of the Investigation of the Inglewood Police. It is also the case that
such a Grassroots Citizens Commission would have the power to appoint
"professional" investigators" and/or "Independent Investigators" of great
experience and great "professional" credentials to assist the Commission in
the Investigation of the Inglewood Police. And the Inglewood Grassroots
Citizens Commission would also have the power to call in any persons and/or
agencies and/or entities that they might thing might be able to assist them in
the Investigation of the Inglewood Police. Thus the Inglewood Grassroots
Citizens Commission could call in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's
Office and/or the United Stated Department of Justice and/or the FBI and or any
attorneys or academic Professionals" and or any prominent person or agency or
entity that they want to bring in to assist them in their Investigation of the
Inglewood Police. But some might say that if either the Los Angeles County
District Attorney's Office and/or the United Stated Department of Justice
and/or the FBI and or any attorneys or academic Professionals" are called in
by the Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission to assist them in the
investigation then what is the difference form having those agencies in charge
of the Investigation in the first place. The difference is that, in the end,
the POWER AND CONTROL would be with the PEOPLE OF INGLEWOOD in the form of an
Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission and the power and control would not be
in the agencies and/or persons called in to assist the Inglewood Grassroots
Citizens Commission.
But one very, very important thing remains in order to make such an
Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission truly be the PEOPLE OF INGLEWOOD doing
the investigation and having ALL the power and control over the Investigation
of the Inglewood Police - and that is who is on the Inglewood Grassroots
Citizens Commission.
Of course the Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission must be board and
it must have members from every segment and part of Inglewood.
But who chooses the members of the Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission?
For the long run solution the answer must be to get signatures on a
Petition to change the Inglewood City Charter to have an Elected Civilian
Police Review Board (or "Commission"whatever it might be called) with the
powers to hire - and fire - the Inglewood Police Chief and to hire and fire
any and all Inglewood Police Officers, and the power to investigate Inglewood
Police Officers and to discipline Inglewood Police Officers and to set the
policies and regulations for the Inglewood Police Department and for such an
Elected Citizens Police Review
Board have total control over the Inglewood Police Department and over every
part of the Inglewood Police Department.
But until such a City Charter amendment is passed by the Citizens of
Inglewood then, in my opinion, the answer is to have the Inglewood Grassroots
Citizens Commission be formed and composed of any and all Citizens of Inglewood
(and interested non-citizens of Inglewood as "at large" members) who volunteer
to be on and serve on the Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission. Yes all the
Citizens of Inglewood (and interested "at large" non-citizens of Inglewood) who
want to be on the Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission should be on it.
"Chaos" some might say. And "What power would it have?" "And can we really
do that?" "Is that legal?" "Would such an Inglewood Grassroots Citizens
Commission really be able to function efficiently?" and "Who would pay any
attention to it?"
I suggest that if the Citizens of Inglewood have call for and begin to have
some large public meetings (at the Inglewood Library and/or at various churches
and/or at the Inglewood High School Auditorium and/or at the Forum) then the
POWER and influence of such a Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission would
begin to be immediately felt and that NO ONE could ignore the POWER and
influence of such a Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission formed by the
Citizens of Inglewood.
And YES forming such a Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission is legal.
And YES it would have POWERS (the power to obtain any and all documents under
the California Public Records Act for one thing. And it could obtain court
documents and it might even decide to file its own laws suits and many other
powers) And if a large part of the Citizens of Inglewood do call for and
participate in such an Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission then could the
Inglewood City Council really ignore the actions of such an Inglewood
Grassroots Citizens Commission? And then the publicity and public attention
that such an Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission directs to issues and
actions would be very, very powerful itself. Shine the light of day (and the
attention of the radio and T.V and newspaper publicity ) on any and all actions
and events that have surrounded the killings and other abuses done by the
Inglewood Police and such abuses will not be able to be ignored. The Citizens
of Inglewood want to know why the killings by the Inglewood Police took place
and the Citizens of Inglewood want to know any and all the names of those
responsible for the killings and why they were allowed to continue.
So let's get busy forming an Inglewood Grassroots Citizens Commission -
now!
Who wants to sign up to be on such an Inglewood Grassroots Citizens
Commission?
And when and where will the first Inglewood Community Meeting take place to
begin to organize against the police abuse and killings of the Inglewood
Police?
Submitted by:
Jim DeMaegt (32 year Inglewood resident)
Law Offices of James DeMaegt
500 W. Queen St. #3
Inglewood, CA 90301
310-673-4302
Fax - 310-673-4302
jdemaegt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx