Sheriff’s station commander calls the recommendations reasonable
The Avalon City Council discussed and unanimously approved a resolution supporting the #8CANTWAIT reform campaign to reduce police brutality.
A resolution in support of the campaign was the next-to-last item on the City Council agenda for July 21. This item was requested by Council member Lisa Lavelle. A similar measure was removed from June 23 agenda of the LA Board of Supervisors.
“This campaign outlines eight policies to reduce police brutality,” wrote City Manager Denise Radde in her staff report.
According to Capt. John Hocking, commander of the Avalon Sheriff’s Station, all eight polices basically mirror Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department policy, though some of the wording is different,
“All those recommendations are reasonable and we are in favor of them,” Hocking said.
During the discussion, Council member Yesenia De La Rosa suggested that Hocking no longer include names in the Sheriff’s Log, an article he contributes regularly to The Islander. She was concerned that putting names in the log would promote racism.
Hocking indicated he would do what the City Council wanted him to do, be that leaving out names or discontinuing the Crime Log.
Council member Cinde MacGugan-Cassidy said she would like to have conversations about that.
Radde pointed out that the matter of the Sheriff’s Log was not on the agenda. According to Radde, that issue would be discussed in August.
Cassidy moved approval of the 8CANTWAIT
According to the staff report, the eight proposed #8CANTWAIT policies are:
“1. Requiring officers to intervene to stop another officer from using excessive force.
“2. Restricting, or prohibiting, the use of chokeholds, strangleholds, and carotid restraints.
“3. Requiring officers to de-escalate situations, when possible, before using force,
“4. Using a Force Continuum or Matrix that defines and limits the types of force that can be used to respond to specific types of resistance.
“5. Requiring officers to give a verbal warning before using deadly force.
“6. Prohibiting officers from shooting at people in moving vehicles unless the person poses a deadly threat by means other than the vehicle.
“7. Requiring officers to exhaust all other reasonable alternatives before resorting to using deadly force.
“8. Requiring comprehensive reporting that includes both uses of force and threats of force.”
Prior to the meeting, the Islander asked current Avalon Sheriff’s Station commander Capt. John Hocking for his take on the issue. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is always updating our policy and procedures. The reasons for the updates are because lessons are learned and new tactics are developed. The Sheriff’s Department uses the best practices from around the country. With regards to the “8 Can’t Wait,” the recommendations mirror the Sheriff Department’s current policies,” Hocking wrote.