Ordinary People Meet Police, Police Meet Ordinary People

In the Line of Community and Duty: A Question pegged to Sacramento Case

Setting aside all colors, tribes, pageantry and hysterics, my question is this: Are police officers not given special pre- and in-service training in

(a) Service weapons’ capability,

(b) Service weapons’ use, and

(c) Shooter precision, targeting (practice and proficiency), care in the discharge of their weapons?

And if the answer to a-b-c is yes, is it not also true that a trained police officer’s “fear” is far less than an ordinary person’s fear? And would the officer’s (the professional’s) skill and precision in using, discharging, and directing fire not be far superior to any ordinary person or civilian (or “threat”)? And given this, wouldn’t an officer be fully capable of disabling a “threat” (person or cellular phone), targeting a limb or organ other than a vital organ—without drilling multiple bullets into a person or killing (shooting to kill) a person? 

I

n the final analysis, whatever hearings or prosecutors or courts decide after the fact of a police officer’s (law enforcement professional’s) deadly strike against an ordinary person, if the officer has undergone (and continues to undertake) rigorous pre- and in-service training with his firearms(s), there would seem to be no reason (surely less likely a chance) — barring officer impairment by some dormant or undiagnosed psychological problem—for an officer to shoot dead anybody.

I pose these questions and offer these thoughts as someone who has never wanted, owned, been threatened by or even seen a firearm up close. But I am a professional (as police officers are professionals in their work) who was trained prior to entering a profession and periodically retained in in-service studies and activities.

Lists of people killed by law enforcement in the United States, both on duty and off.     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2019 (listed: 25)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2018 (listed: 383)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2017 (listed: 136)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2016 (listed: 198)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2015 (listed: 849)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2014 (listed: 634)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2013 (listed: 343)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2012 (listed: 609)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2011 (listed: 173)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2010 (listed: 297)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, 2009 (listed: 73)     List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States prior to 2009 (listed: 178) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforcement_officers_in_the_United_States

List of Killings by Law Enforcement Officers by Countries Philippines (Southeast Asia) - 3,451 - Year listed 2016 Brazil (South America) - 5,012 - Year listed 2017 South Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa) - 409 - Year listed 2013 Kenya ((Sub-Saharan Africa) - 193 - Year listed 2018 United States (North America) - 996 - Year listed 2018 - Population: 328,485,000 Sudan (Sub-Saharan Africa) - 37+ - Year listed 2018 France (Western Europe) - 14 - Year listed 2017 Germany (Central & Western Europe) - 14 - Year listed 2017 India (South Asia) - 135 -Year listed 2016 United Kingdom (off northwestern coast of Europe) - 3 - Year listed 2015 Poland (Central Europe) - 2 - Year listed 2016 China (East Asia) - 4 - Year listed 2016 - Population: 1,394,140,000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforcement_officers_by_countries

L

ist of U.S. Police Officers Killed in the Line of Duty

Excluding incidents in which officers were killed in accidents in the line of duty, “an average of 85 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed each year during from 1980–2018 (FBI data in Uniform Crime Reports)

January – February

2019-01-05: Master Police Officer Joseph Shinners - Provo Police Department, UT – by Gunfire

2019-01-07: Police Officer Dale Woods -  Colerain Township Police Department, OH - Struck by vehicle

2019-01-08: Police Officer Clayton Townsend - Salt River Police Department, AZ - Struck by vehicle

2019-01-10: Police Officer Natalie Corona Davis Police Department, CA - by Gunfire

2019-01-12: Trooper Christopher Lambert Illinois State Police, IL - Struck by vehicle

2019-01-13: Sergeant Wytasha Carter Birmingham Police Department, AL - by Gunfire

2019-01-20: Police Officer Sean Tuder Mobile Police Department, AL - by Gunfire

2019-02-12: Police Detective Brian Simonsen New York City Police Department, NY - by Gunfire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_police_officers_killed_in_the_line_of_duty#Lists_of_officers_killed

Current California Incident

On the night of March 18, 2018, Sacramento Police Department (SPD) officers responded to a call regarding vandalism. They arrived on the scene and engaged in an incident that resulted in “an officer-involved shooting.”

This week the office of the California Attorney General announced that no charges will be filed against the police officers involved in the incident.

T

hese deadly shootings are too many and too often and they must not be brushed aside or adjudicated on one side or another depending upon the course of the wind, the social standing, the club in blue, or the relative wealth of individuals or communities.

Communities in the United States are troubled and have been troubled for many years, in severity extending at least to the 1980s—from the influx of illicit drugs to emptied out mental institutions, returning even-more-impaired veterans and prison releases, to homelessness, lack of rehabilitation and poor education and training, joblessness and meaninglessness.

Communities in trouble need mending not a worsening of problems.

Anywhere, anytime, in any town or city or hamlet, it is essential that communities not fear; but trust and respect the law enforcement establishment. It is equally important that a well-staffed and rigorously trained law enforcement establishment diligently serve, respect and protect all communities. 

Sources

News Peg Sacramento, California

Sacramento Bee “In their own words: Sacramento officers who shot Stephon Clark give their side of the story” Sam Stanton, March 06, 2019 02:40 AM, https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article227160064.html

Sacramento Bee “Stephon Clark: No charges to be filed against police officers by California attorney general” Sam Stanton, Darrell Smith, and Sophia Bollag, March 5, 2019 12:07 PM, Updated March 05, 2019 04:27 PM https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article227127344.html

Sacramento Bee “Sacramento mayor, City Council want independent investigation of Stephon Clark protest arrests” Tony Bizjak, Ryan Sabalow, Michael McGough, and Theresa Clift March 05, 2019 10:21 AM Updated March 05, 2019 04:01 PM https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article227124634.html

Sacramento Bee “Police end Stephon Clark protest in East Sacramento with arrest of 84 people” Benjy Egel, Dale Kasler, Sam Stanton, Ryan Sabalow, and Tony Bizjak March 05, 2019 01:45 AM, Updated March 05, 2019 03:46 PM https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article227116519.html

Sacramento City Sources

OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING:  March 18, 2018

Summary

On Sunday, March 18, 2018, at 9:13 p.m., officers from the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) were dispatched to the 7500 block of 29th Street regarding a subject breaking into vehicles. The caller stated that the male subject had broken car windows and was now hiding in a backyard. The caller described the subject as a male, 6’, thin, wearing a black hoodie and dark pants. SPD Officers arrived on scene at approximately 9:18 p.m. This incident resulted in an officer-involved shooting.

Due to the severity of the event, Detectives conducted a thorough canvas of the neighborhood. During the canvas, investigators identified at least three vehicles with damage believed to have been caused by the suspect. In addition, an adjacent and occupied residence had a sliding glass door shattered. Orbiting deputies in the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department’s law enforcement helicopter had witnessed the suspect shatter the door and run from one property and jumped the fence into another property where the shooting occurred.

Prior to the shooting, the involved officers saw the suspect facing them, advance forward with his arms extended, and holding an object in his hands. At the time of the shooting, the officers believed the suspect was pointing a firearm at them. After an exhaustive search, scene investigators did not locate any firearms. The only items found near the suspect was a cell phone.

The Sacramento Police Department (SPD) recognizes the significance of this incident and the impact it has on our community. We are committed to providing timely information and communicating openly with our community. https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Police/Transparency/Officer-Involved-Shootings/Incidents/March-18-2018

SPD #18-82449INVESTIGATIVE BENCHMARKS

• 03/18/18Officer-Involved Shooting Call-Out / Investigation started.All body-worn cameras and additional videos were collected and downloaded for later analysis.Sacramento County Crime Lab requested to process scene for trajectoryevidence.
• 03/19/18Sacramento County Crime Lab processed involved officers’ handguns.
• 03/20/18Evidence processing on involved vehicles completed.Stephon Clark’s autopsy was conducted at the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office.
• 03/21/18Sacramento County Crime Lab completed involved officers’ handguns. Additional witness identified and interviewed.
• 03/22/18Major case prints obtained from Stephon Clark.
• 03/23/18Additional area surveillance video obtained from the neighborhood.Detectives obtained information that Stephon Clark’s Probation Officer received text messages from him prior to the shooting. Detectives attempted to obtain information and interview his Probation Officer.
• 03/27/18Department of Justice was assigned to perform a parallel investigation.Their work space was identified, and logistics started to get investigators access to all needed work areas and computer programs.Search warrant for Stephon Clark’s cell phone was signed by a Sacramento Superior Court Judge. Detectives contacted FBI for potential assistance with unlocking/downloading of Stephon Clark’s cell phone.Stephon Clark’s toxicology results were received.Investigators began the review of over 100 body-worn camera videos.
• 03/28/18State of California Death in Custody Form (BCIA 713) completed and sent to the Department of Justice.03/29/18Stephon Clark’s cell phone was shipped to a third-party company(Cellebrite) to try and unlock the password protection.
• 04/02/18Detectives met with DOJ agents and briefed them on the case.04/05/18 Detectives interviewed Stephon Clark’s Probation Officer.04/10/18Detectives continued to review body-worn camera videos.
• 04/11/18Detectives wrote a search warrant for Stephon Clark’s Facebook account.
• 04/16/18Additional officer interviews were conducted as a result of body-worn camera video review.
• 04/17/18 Search warrant for Stephon Clark’s Facebook account signed by a judge and served on Facebook.
• 05/08/18Stephon Clark’s prior Sacramento County jail phone calls/emails were downloaded. The review of over 500 calls and emails began this week.  Detectives received results from the search warrant served on Stephon Clark’s Facebook account.
• 05/10/18. SPD Detectives and DOJ Agents met with SPD Forensic Investigators who provided a preliminary overview of the scene diagrams, trajectory for review.
• 06/04/18.  DOJ Agents contacted a family member of Stephon Clark in Elk Grove, CA to attempt an interview. The family member refused to be interviewed without an attorney. DOJ agents contacted the family member’s attorneyand scheduled the interview for the week of 6/25/18.DOJ Agents contacted two additional family members of Stephon Clark to attempt an interview. Both refused the interview without their attorney present. DOJ Agents contacted the attorney of these family members and scheduled the interview for 06/05/18.
• 06/05/18DOJ agents interviewed two family members of Stephon Clark at their residence.  06/20/18DOJ Agents contacted Attorney Crump and requested Dr. Omalu’s autopsy report. DOJ Agents attempted to confirm a time to interview a family member of Stephon Clark during the week of 6/25/18, voice message left.
• 06/21/18 SPD Detectives authored a search warrant for Stephon Clark’s probation file and sent it to the DA’s Office for review/approval. 
• 06/27/18 Search warrant signed for limited information from Stephon Clark’s probation file.
• 06/28/18 Served search warrant on Sacramento County Probation for Stephon Clark’s probation file. 
• 07/02/18 SPD received Stephon Clark’s probation file as a result of the search warrant dated 6-27-18.
• 07/03/18Detectives were advised that Cellebrite was successful in accessing and downloading Stephon Clark’s cell phone; company sent cell phone and content back to SPD.
• 07/10/18 Detectives received Stephon Clark’s cell phone back from Cellebrite. DOJ and SPD detectives conducted independent download reports of the content.  DOJ made another attempt to schedule an interview with a family member of Stephon Clark. Contact was made with the attorney-no interview scheduled.
• 07/11/18 Review and summary of Stephon Clark’s cell phone report began by detectives; the PDF of the cellphone report is over 1300 pages.
• 07/18/18DOJ received a call from the attorney of a family member of Stephon Clark, who requested dates in August for an interview. Several potential dates in August were provided. No interview was scheduled.
• 08/01/18 DOJ made another attempt to schedule an interview with a family member of Stephon Clark. Contact was made with the attorney’s office, but no interview scheduled. Tentative dates were set for 8/13/18 or 08/14/18. 
• 08/03/18 Sacramento County Crime Lab report released for DNA evidence in Toyota Camry.  08/09/18 Detectives obtained a search warrant for subscriber records from (3) separate cell phone carriers related to numbers identified from Stephon Clark’s cell phone.
• 08/14/18 Detectives received subscriber records from a cell phone carrier resulting from a search warrant dated 8-9-18 (Sprint).
• 08/16/18 Detectives received subscriber records from a cell phone carrier resulting from a search warrant dated 8-9-18 (Verizon).
• 08/17/18  Detectives interviewed the registered owner of the Toyota Camry. 
• 08/17/18 Sacramento County Crime Lab report released for the crime scene (3DScan and bullet strikes-trajectory).
• 08/21/18  Detectives conducted (4) additional witness interviews after having analyzed the cell phone report and cell phone records.
• 10/02/18 Sacramento County Crime Lab report released for shell casings/bullet comparisons to Officers’ firearms.
• 10/03/18DOJ compiled all reports, photographs, notes, and other pertinent information from the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office concerningStephon Clark’s Autopsy.
• 10/04/18 Sacramento County Crime Lab report released for physical evidence (Stephon Clark’s clothing/metal security bars, glass comparisons and paint transfer comparison, etc).
• 10/09/18 Sacramento County Crime Lab report released for DNA from the Ford Explorers.   10/09/18 Sacramento County Crime Lab report released for the brick (inside white Explorer) and earbuds, chap stick and cinderblock.
• 10/09/18 Detectives received subscriber results from a cell phone carrier (T-Mobile) from a search warrant.10/15/18 Detectives conducted additional officer interviews.
• 10/25/18Detectives delivered the investigation to:Sac County DA’s Office-Special Investigations and Public Integrity UnitCA DOJSacramento City Attorney’s OfficeSPD Professional Standards Unit 
• 12/05/18DOJ received a letter from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office with an independent review of the Sacramento County Autopsy.
• 1/17/19DOJ delivered their investigation to SPD.

https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Police/Transparency/Officer-Involved-Shootings/03182018_OIS_Records_and_Findings/Investigative-Benchmarks.pdf?la=en

Public records released as of March 29, 2018 pertaining to the Officer-Involved Shooting involving two Sacramento Police Department Officers and Stephon Clark.  This incident occurred on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at the 7500 block of 29th Street. http://www.cityofsacramento.org/Clerk/Services/Public-Records/Proactive-PRAs

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