Last year it was utility bills. This year, the San Jose Independent Police Auditor’s office has placed signs on more than 100 buses in San Jose, asking residents to reach out if they think a police officer has has broken the law or acted inappropriately.
Judge LaDoris Cordell, who oversees the IPA office, says the buses on which the ads are displayed—in English, Spanish and Vietnamese—come out of the Chaboya garage line and criss-cross East San Jose and downtown.
“Those are the hot spots that we’ve identified,” Cordell said. “We identified the hot spots working with the mayor’s gang task force and the San Jose Police Department.”
Working directly with acting Police Chief Larry Esquivel, Cordell says, the signs’ language and photos were finalized in agreement.
“We were trying to figure out what’s the best way to convey it,” she said. “Working with him, he said, ‘I suggest concerns instead of problem.” In Spanish, that presented a somewhat difficult task, as “problema” is the word for “concern.” In the end, they found common ground.
“I sat down and showed him the photographs,” Cordell added. “Picking the right photos was very important, so people can relate.
“What we’ve done is no different than what we did with the utility bills. Some people said, ‘You’re just trying to drum up business.’ And I said, ‘No. This is our mandate.’”
So she is posting only on the east side. Sounds like racial profiling. Or if she is independent then why not post all over city? AND why post a picture of a black person? Is this not helping create the prejudice and stereotype that there is some type of conflict between blacks and cops? She sure does not sound independent. So if SJPD has fewer complaints then all the other big cities is this even necessary to spend money? Are we saying that the people that want to file a complaint are to dumb to think of calling in to complain? More complaints, job security I guess for Cordell. And did I read somewhere else that she fired the only white women in her office when she first took over? I bet the few 800 cops that are left are very excited to see how well supported they are by the leaders of this city. Maybe Cordell and the COP should have the officers hand out fliers to everyone they meet with a survey on it of the service they get.
1. Did the officer smile when he saw you?
2. Did he meet your concerns?
3. etc.
” AND why post a picture of a black person?”
It’s called subliminal messaging. If she was going to show an image of a person, what she should have done was to make the image smaller and include four different people on their phones; one Asian, one Hispanic, one African American and one White. Showing the image of only the African American sends a underlying message that police are not treating minorities properly.
The picture posted was selected for no other reason than it’s written in English. There are many variations of the sign, with both genders for white, black, Hispanic and Vietnamese people.
JK
Thank you for that information. It’s good to know that this wasn’t the way all was presented.
So they’re only going to display these “targeted” ads on the East Side and downtown?
So dollars to donuts, we are going to get some statistics next year that say that such-and-such percentage of complaints come from the East Side and downtown areas, or from the ethnic groups that are concentrated in those areas.
Is this called stacking the deck?
In related news, “Independent Gang Auditor” office places outreach graffiti on more than 100 overpasses reminding its members not to snitch… Back to you Josh.
An how much did this cost to further demoralize a police department that the city sees fit to destroy?
What an F’ing Joke ! No money for public safety , but plenty for the IPA.
This is an absolute disgrace….the women and men of the SJPD are some of the finest people and do not deserve this. Unfortunately, this attitude from Cordell is just a manifestation of the the culture of hate towards the SJPD condoned by the mayor, city manager, and most of the city council. They have made hating the SJPD quite in vogue with the community at large. These ads on the side of county buses are a pathetic way for the IPA to try and justify her bloated salary and bloated staff.
so many shills here posting for the sjpd. it’s quite transparent and typical. they’re either on dope or dirty san jose cop family members. cordell is a bought and paid for puppet by reid and city council, who are mostly owned by the dirty cops and their unions. for all you stupic people, who do you thing provides protection for reid? it ain’s the state police from Minnesota. not all that much different with the fireman who also lobby thru their unions for exhorbidant salaries and benefits, etc., except they don’t constantly and regularly prey on the citizenry. most of both groups can’t function at a high school level. cordell, is an old, retired east palo alto judge that has zero authority in her position to do anything but give stump speeches to take focus away from the real issue of zero police independent accountability. in retirement, cordell needed more income and the city of san jose wanted to do something cheap to spruce up their image and sine a light on anything but their ongoing sjpd gang of thugs with guns that prey on honest and decent citizens. so in pops a black, former judge to make that puppet master reid, superficially at least, look as if he did something. not! there is no oversight between sjpd and the internal affairs (I.A.) office. I.A. whitewashes over or rubber stamps, whatever the police say or do. they’re one in the same, just different offices. they are all part of code blue. a second grader could devise objective, arms-length civilian run oversight and true independent investigatory body to fire and prosecute the dirty cops. but not these power mad city of san jose council members or reid. sure they had to cut back a bit on their grossly swollen salaries and benefit and retirement packages, because this city doesn’t know how to do anything but throw money at blocks of voters to stay in power. bunch of whores. what a sham. need to run at least 90% of the current dirty cops out of town for good. don’t need them. if not for fear from them, we could all do much better policing for ourselves. lying miserable punks and criminals, all. they don’t turn each other in because all the laws are written to protect their gang, with the union hacks always fighting their fights and running interference for them. but what do i know as a business owner who’s witnessed hundreds of incidents of police misconduct, assault, battery, false arrest, falsifying reports, retaliation, and lots more.
$1,065,761 out of which $1,035,431 pays for salaries/benefits while the remainder is spent on non-personal/equipment stuff. Wonder who paid for the bus signs cause those ain’t cheap: http://links.lamar.com/2013TransitRates/2013_CA_SanJose.pdf
Why doesn’t the independent auditor just walk to every residence (door to door) and solicite complaints or even better yet offer a complaintant $100 to make a complaint. I’m sure she’s worried that no complaints = no job! That must worry here, it might get in her way of another pension.
I think a more effective method would be for every officer to pass out a stamped, pre-addressed, check box complaint postcard to pass out with every citizen/arrestee/detention contact he/she has. This way the auditor would not have to walk door to door. Additionally, she could establish a help line for those unable to understand what boxes to check. She is such a joke and a waste of our tax dollars.
That is an excellent idea. Now why didn’t Cordell think of that? Because it makes too much sense.
Oh, I guess I will call the number and see if I am hold as long as I am when I try to call 911 to report a crime in progress or that other damn number to report a crime that police are to under staffed to investigate. (ie. my house was broken into, car stolen, etc.)
This city council has lost its mind. (THEY HATE PUBLIC SAFETY AND WANT THE PUBLIC TO FILE COMPLAINS AGAINST OFFICERS TO JUSTIFY THEIR HATE FOR PENSIONS)
We could hire 10 officers on the IPA salary..
It never ends. The city seemingly does everything it can think of to further erode morale, then seems surprised that officers are bailing. It’s nice that the Chief helped out on this one, too. I suppose he might have thought, as long as Cordell was doing this, it was better to have some input than none, but the better choice would have been to stand up for your officers and denounce this insulting waste of city money.
This message from Cordell is so destructive to the community. First generation people from third world countries already do not trust the police, or the government, from their own experience in their native country. This message, plastered on the side of buses, just further undermines and erodes the small inroads of trust the police department has been able to foster, and makes it MORE UNLIKELY THAT THESE PEOPLE WILL EVEN REPORT A CRIME. The men and women of the SJPD are very honorable and good people. They do not deserve to be disgraced with this huge and slanderous advertisement plastered on the sides of over 100 city buses. Morale at the SJPD has already been crushed by what has happened the past few years; this just exacerbates the problem, like rubbing salt into the gangrenous wound of a dying soldier on a battlefield. This mayor, city manager, and most of the city council tacitly support this message by funding the IPA, and saying NOTHING when she pulls stunts like this.
I feel the same way. The police have been disgraced and this will just be another step further to make them leave. Pretty soon, the morale will be so low officers will have to look up to see the ground. This is an absolute disgrace and not a slap in the face, but a punch in the face. I also agree that it will further erode the trust of the community as the signage makes it look as if PD is not acting properly toward the citizens and the City is eliciting complaints. This is a sad, sad day.
And the Hits just keep on coming! Brilliant San Jose…simply brilliant.
CRY BABIES! Your responces tells it all! Go back into your holes, and don’t come out till it’s dark!
Dudly Do Right!
“Cry babies!” I disagree. You are educated, trained, practiced hence skilled in your art. You take pride in your work and it commands respect.
If you produced junk your customers would tell you that you produced junk. If you produced junk that made it to market and your junk failed your customers and all who were harmed as a result would have recourse against you, your product and your business.
If people reported to some bureaucratic oversight board that had some level of oversight over you and your product that your product was flawed and launched and investigation you would be outraged.
If that committee was composed of poets and musicians and police officers and others who had no training or experience in your discipline and they were to find your work was flawed you would be a bit upset.
If that same committee found your product was first class but that you had a poor disposition and decided to sanction you – then you might be outraged. If you protested would you accept that some think you’re just a “cry baby?”
That is what is happening here. Police officers are educated, trained and practiced in what they do. It is a thankless profession made even more so by entities like the IPA.
Society’s malcontents say they are victims of widespread police abuse in San Jose – data is collected and analyzed by statisticians who admittedly start with the conclusion and attempt to manipulate the date to support their position. Try as they may they fail. study after study shows that there is NO PATTERN OF ABUSE OF ANY KIND.
Hundredes of thousands of contacts between SJPD and the public each and every year result in fewer than 300 complaints per year. Most of those complaints are dismissed for what they are – sour grapes. The IPA’s office itself agrees with the outcome of those cases.
Then there are the ones that the IPA disagrees with. They take issue with points that elevates nit-picking to some level higher than saving the rainforests.
d
The arrest was made, the women and children are now safe, the force used to subdue the suspect broke his face and was entirely justified… BUT ONE OF THE OFFICERS WHO SHOWED UP WHEN THE DUST SETTLED WAS CHEWING TOBACCO! (I kid you not!)
That is where the “cry baby” tone comes from. THE IPA’s office is an unnecessary waste of tax dollars. Every year the IPA comes out with some new waste of money in order to drum up business for it self – to justify its existence. Every Year the solicitation FAILS – not because there is some shortage of people willing to complain BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT!
time to crawl back under your rock and come back out when are a crime victim.
IPA employees and others in the lucrative racial divisiveness industry are “celebrating diversity” all the way to the bank.
The City should augment this program by issuing “KICK ME” signs to taxpayers to apply to our buttocks.
OHHHHHH, that is so ugly! What is she doing, trying to drum up business to justify her high paid position? This is so wrong. I’m sure she has no shame. reed should have quashed that really quick. This is just another step to make officers leave just a little faster. What in the world are they trying to do to this city??????
Chuck and all his clowns have gone to a new low to attack there own police officers. What is next the dissolve the department and contract with the SO?
You all make me sick!
You get what you pay for, more dead bodies on the street, gang violence, home invasions, do I need to go on?
Thank you 10% of voters for Measure B, you got what you voted for.
According to the SJ IPA, their mission is “four-fold: (1) to provide independent oversight of and instill confidence in the complaint process through objective review of police misconduct investigations; (2) to conduct outreach to the San José community; (3) to propose thoughtful policy recommendations to the City Council; and (4) to strengthen the relationship between the San José Police Department and the community it serves.”
Why does outreach have to mean drumming up complaints against the police? What about number 4 above? How about some outreach explaining that police are generally well trained, not bigots and just want to keep the peace. I would like to see that bus ad in East SJ and downtown.
Sure police make mistakes and there are bad apples, but I don’t draw conclusions to the entire organization any more than I assume Cordell is sexist against men because the ENTIRE staff at the SJ IPA Office is female.
Nobody from the City dare stand up to the IPA, but this ad campaign has everything to do with her own office racially profiling minorities she wants to cherry pick to make complaints. It is demeaning to minorities, portraying them as victims of the system, with the IPA as the savior. Disgusting.