HSU Commits to Address Issues Within University Police Department
Press release from HSU:
An extensive review of alleged misconduct within the University Police Department has been completed by an outside investigative group, the OIR Group (Office of Independent Review), which concluded that one alleged act did not occur while others lacked sufficient corroborative evidence and were “not sustained.”
At the same time, the OIR Group concluded there were broader problems within the department that need to be addressed. These include communication and leadership at all levels, internal division, and organizational dysfunction.
Report of Outcome of Investigation (pdf)
Based on the findings, the University will be undertaking an effort to address the issues and make improvements. This will be guided by additional outside review as well as leadership from Interim Police Chief Christina Lofthouse. It will take into account recent calls for changes in police practices that are being made across the country, and include implementation of the recommendations of The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, reported to President Barack Obama in May 2015. (See: Pledge from CSU Police Chiefs)
“I see this as an important time and opportunity,” said Vice President for Administration and Finance Doug Dawes, whose areas of responsibility include the police department. “We strive for constant improvement in every process and effort on campus, and the OIR Group uncovered organizational issues within the University Police Department that very much need attention.”
The OIR Group’s investigation involved more than 35 hours of interviews on campus, including every member of the University Police Department. They also conducted reviews of documentary evidence.
In the summary of their findings, OIR Group concluded: “While we found that the UPD generally provides effective public safety services to its academic community, interpersonal conflict and poor communication has created dysfunction from within. Our reporting to the University provided insight into the underpinnings of that conflict so that University leadership could use available tools to remediate and repair that divide and facilitate a climate of effective communication and respect.”
The University contracted with OIR Group following serious allegations about the former Police Chief Donn Peterson and Lieutenant Melissa Hansen, by members of the police department. OIR was asked to look at the allegations as well as any related complaints and matters. While the alleged acts were determined to have either not occurred or to have lacked sufficient corroborative evidence, the months-long process revealed the larger issues that the University is now seeking to address.
“This review has been very revealing and speaks to several areas, at all levels and by all officers, that warrant significant action,” said HSU President Tom Jackson, Jr. “It’s vital that we understand any issues in our police department. I’ve been very clear that I expect to see immediate and clear steps taken to begin resolving these issues.”
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Vague.
I worked at HSU for 23 years and saw a huge change in the campus police. When I started the campus police acted just like any other campus staff employee. They were friendly and easy to talk to. The campus police began assisting Arcata more and more. They began hiring people from other police departments who were brainwashed into believing that every one they approach is going to attack them and the department drifted into a zone of their own, sort of like all the other police departments in this area. Almost like it is the police against the public instead of the police are there to protect and serve the public. The whole attitude of the department had changed.
In other words, they’ll address issues that didn’t happen. I see, makes perfect sense.
Well, realistically I think they’re saying the complaints of the employees who stated the admin were racist or inappropriate were deemed not substantial enough to act. Yet they’ll move on to now mildly retaliate against those employees by offering them re-education in the name of social justice even though they were minorities and toiling under a chief who did a crafty “resignation in lieu” at his job in Florida.
Thanks state of California, this is essentially exactly what I’d expect you to do if I were living in a Dilbert cartoon.
They’ll address issues that didn’t happen because it’s police. If it were BLM they wouldn’t have even spend enough time to see that issues with that group actually did happen.
…you’re comparing a loose network of activists that oppose verifiable systemic racism, such as being targeted by the police at grossly disproportionate rates, to the official government institution of the police? what? that’s entirely incoherent. it’s like comparing a retail franchise with the DMV: there are no meaningful comparisons to be drawn.
looks to me like some white person just wants to gripe about black people not wanting to be murdered by the police.
Working on campus, I saw that UPD was a mixed bag. Some officers were humane, caring people who enjoyed a joke and connected well. And some weren’t. UPD is isolated from the community in the way police departments usually are, physically and culturally. Their office is a fortress. For the most part, they don’t make friends with “civilians” in other departments on campus.
A janitor sees the backside of many things. I can tell you that while the trashcans of most university staff and faculty might contain take-out boxes from the school cafeteria or Wildberries, smelling of balsamic vinegar and spices, the cop shop trash was full of Colonel Saunders and McDonalds. Just sayin’.
Yes of course, the ole “what they eat” yardstick. Combine that with how they trim their toe nails and we’ll know all about them. What could be more apparent?
Well, you are what you eat… and some people eat garbage.
There isn’t a Kentucky Fried Chicken is Arcata. I’m confused, who is Colonel Saunders? Merl Saunders was fun to go see, but he wasn’t a colonel.
I do know that I’m going to add balsamic vinegar and spices to my diet, lest I become a racist cop.
roflmao
Don’t forget the roadkill McPatty for your wonder bread. Yeah, yeah, I know it has flies and smells like sh*t, but look on the bright side, you can pretend you’re manly. You’ll save money and so many tears.
Thank Gawd soy has someone to defend it! Maybe the sarcasm’s going right over my head, but you seem a little peeved by the soy comment. The fact that it raises estrogen levels must be a lie left over from Imperialism. Not a problem for me. I already blamed my moobs on plain old bad luck, long before soy was a thing, though God surely hates me. Now I just stay away from it because it tastes like shit.
That’s why they’re all so fat.
You can draw whatever conclusion you want about UPD, or about me, but I stand by the fact: that department eats differently from anywhere else on campus.
The work of janitors often goes unappreciated, but I see your observation as valid and astute. It says they aren’t really a part of the community at all.
If you send in any agency to investigate anything they WILL find something … cause if they don’t they become non – essential.
Job security!
Can anyone tell me exactly what they found and what their solution is? Other than endlessly investigating?