California Police Brutality Lawyer Blog

This week, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article by Ron Cottingham, President of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, addressing recent allegations of police misconduct and abuse committed against Occupy Oakland protesters. Occupy Oakland is a part of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement. The movement began last fall as an attempt to highlight and bring more attention to the vast wealth divide among citizens in the United States. In recent months, Occupy Oakland demonstrators have clashed repeatedly with local police.

In his Open Forum article, Cottingham described his disappointment in the conduct of Oakland police officers and discussed what he argues are acts of senseless violence between police and protesters. According to Cottingham, an Oakland law enforcement officer was recently punished for attempting to conceal his name badge using tape while responding to an Occupy Oakland protest. Although his superior officer removed the tape prior to his arrival on the scene, a federal judge is weighing whether to sanction the officer.

Cottingham, a peace officer for almost 40 years, stated he has been tasked with maintaining safety during a variety of protests throughout his tenure. According to Cottingham, maintaining safety is the chief goal of any police presence during a protest. Cottingham also argued the rights of protesters should always be both respected and protected by police.

Despite his belief in the rights of protesters, Cottingham condemned the actions of hackers who publicly posted the names, telephone numbers, addresses, and even social security numbers of some police officers online. According to Cottingham, in a time when everything is photographed, videotaped, and immediately posted online, law enforcement officers are experiencing a new level of vulnerability. In his article, he discussed his belief that some Occupy Oakland protesters are not actually seeking to find solutions or be heard, but are instead seeking to widen the divide between police officers and demonstrators.

Cottingham closed his article by cautioning against further anger and violence. He stated that all citizens have the right to make their voices heard through protest and engage in honest discourse. Cottingham also argued this cannot always be accomplished without a certain degree of chaos. Finally, despite calling for more accountability on both sides, he stated "an officer's badge should not be used as the next calling card for an act that is criminal."