In a decision likely to prove problematic for both the public and police officers, Alameda County Judge Evelio Grillo ruled that parts of the UC Davis Task Force report investigating November’s pepper-spray incident should be released to the public, with most of the names of the police redacted.
Grillo’s decision to allow the actual documentation of the day’s events to be released is beneficial to the public, but will likely be contested by the police officers’ attorneys.
The Federated University Police Officers Association will have 21 days to appeal this decision. John Bakhit, an attorney working for the police union, said although he did not agree with the decision to release details of the officers’ actions, the decision to withhold the officer’s names was a small victory.
In the meantime, a small amount of the information will be released to the public as agreed upon in a meeting between lawyers from the union and UC lawyers. The contents of the approved materials relate to policy issues rather than specific details of the event.
Though the final decision regarding full disclosure of the document is still on uncertain terms as the appeal process has not taken place, Grillo’s decision demonstrates an acknowledgment of the public’s need for a full explanation of the events of Nov. 18.
Grillo stated Wednesday that he believed the names of the police officers that have not yet been made public should not be released in light of the storm following the naming of Lt. John Pike, who became the focus of the now-iconic picture in which he is shown pepper-spraying a line of students.
Pike allegedly received close to 10,000 text messages, 17,000 emails, and hundreds of letters following the event, most of which were threatening or reprimanding him for his actions.
As unacceptable as Pike’s actions might have been perceived, the public should not be responsible in handing out his punishment. Punishment should be decided by UC officials and the court system as necessary.
Since the task force report deals directly with procedural issues and full accounts of the UC Davis pepper-spraying incident, its release will be a boon to students, police officers, protesters and the general public alike.
It is not our duty as students or citizens to punish the offending police officers, though the students who were personally harmed by the police’s actions should exercise their right for legal recourse as they see fit.
While the public should not be kept in the dark regarding the events of Nov. 18 and any subsequent changes in police policy, the general public should not be left to issue any punishment to officers affiliated with the incident.
Email Kass at gkass@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to opinion@media.ucla.edu or tweet us @DBOpinion.