What was supposed to be time for the council to ask questions of police, turned into an afternoon of residents venting their frustrations and demanding that the city defund the police. Damian Trujillo reports.
San Jose's mayor, police chief and city council got another earful of criticism Friday.
What was supposed to be time for the council to ask questions of police, turned into an afternoon of residents venting their frustrations and demanding that the city defund the police.
During Friday's meeting, the city released a memo from the mayor and some councilmembers officially calling for changes to the police duty manual, including banning the use of rubber projectiles simply to disperse crowds.
But critics say they're missing the point.
“The recommendations in this memo today are less than short sighted,” said one of the callers. “They are literally backward looking.”
San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia already announced a similar ban earlier this week. A decision critics say is “too little too late."
Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian also wants to look at tactics in the sheriff’s office. On Friday, he formally called for new limits of deputies use of tear gas and rubber projectiles.
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He also added his support to the so-called '8 Can't Wait' proposal - a series of reforms advocates say law enforcement could enact today. To reduce the risk of bias and police abuse.
“There is really no doubt that our criminal justice system is deeply flawed and our existing policies not only allow abuse, but in some instances, foster it,” said Simitian.
The Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office also issued a statement saying it's reviewing all its tactics and had recently banned the so-called choke restraint. But also stressing the dangers law enforcement faces, while trying to protect the community.
