Delays, Fees, Records Destruction: Police Departments Block Public’s Right to Know in Santa Ana/California
Across California, police departments shield their misconduct records by delaying their release, charging high fees, or outright destroying them at times. Photo by City of Santa Ana.
Report: SanTana Not Getting Its Money’s Worth for Police Spending
If showering the department and its police officers with money is supposed to improve safety, the desired outcome has failed to materialize.
Lawsuit: Former SanTana Cop Union Boss Alleges Retaliation for Opposing Union’s “Illegal” “Election Scheme” in 2016
Excerpt: Lawsuit by former SAPOA boss, John Franks and Laura Franks, alleges he was forced to resign as union president for refusing to participate in the union’s successful election scheme that supported city council candidates in exchange for their pledged to vote for the removals of then-City Manager David Cavazos and then-Chief of Police Carlos Rojas.
We Challenged Councilman David Penaloza to Defend his Vote for the $25M Police Contract
We challenged Councilmember David Penaloza to defend his vote for the $25M Police Contract. See the letter we sent him to learn why. Photo Credit: City of Santa Ana.
Police Union President Lashes Out at Villegas for Vote Against Police Pay Hikes
On February 5th,the Santa Ana City Council wrote a $25.6 million blank check to the Santa Ana Police Officers Association (SAPOA) in the form of a new contract, despite having no money in their pockets to approve the largest police pay raise in decades with a vote of 4 to
SanTana Cop Pay Raise and Misconduct Record Decisions Threaten to Break Public Trust
On January 31st, the City Manager and Police Chief made a joint statement in response to the Santa Ana Police Department’s (SAPD) request to destroy police records. In their statement, SAPD Chief David Valentin stated that the destruction of police records is a “routine process,” and not a response to
Santa Ana Police Department Moves To Destroy Officer Misconduct Records
This year began with a new state law, SB 1421, going into effect and giving the public access to exclusive police records of misconduct and internal investigations. In Santa Ana, decades of officers’ use of force, in-custody injuries and the department’s handling of incidents, lay in boxes ready to be
Karla Cordero’s Poetry Is A Call To Home
Poet Karla Cordero’s backyard in carlsbad, california holds sugar snap peas, broccoli sprouts, and young to towering sunflowers that greet you as you sit down. Before talking about her book on a cool December morning, Karla gave photographer Arlene Mejorado and I a tour of all the plants she harvested
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Chispa is a brave organizing political home for young Latinx identifying peoples. Chispa seeks to engage with excluded peoples to uproot systems of oppression and cultivate systems grounded in community accountability, solidarity, and self-determination for our communities to thrive.
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