There was an article posted on Mayor Sam’s blog that if true is really quite disgusting. The article states that city officials used police, health and sanitation department assets to harass a dad and mom trying to get signatures to change a poorly worded police order.
The parents I’m writing about are Jamiel Shaws Jr. parents.
Jamiel Shaw Jr. was the young man who’s life was cut short by the bullet of a gang member who was in this country illegally. Jamiel was killed while his mom was serving in Iraq.
I’ve been following this case for some time and a little over a month ago I had a chance to meet Mr. Shaw. There is no way that I could ever feel the loss and pain that this couple are going through. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to sign his petition. One dad to another. Both with an 18 year plan.
The Shaw’s have been are trying to get enough signatures to place on the ballot a measure called Jamiels Law. Jamiel’s Law is a measure to change Special Order 40 (pdf) which now forbids officers from asking gang members their immigration status. Some of the most dangerous criminals in Los Angeles are gang members and many are here illegally. Deportation would be a great tool to get rid of them.
Apparently this weekend city officials had used the LAPD, the Health Department and the Sanitation Department to harass this couple and keep them from obtaining enough signatures. (editors note: www.ronkayela.com reports that the police performing the operation were the city’s General Services police, not LAPD although the latter were there as seen in the pictures. Probably there to provide backup support)
According to the article, LAPD was sent down to break up his effort to get signatures.
Suddenly, the park was surrounded with Los Angeles Police Officers. Some in plain clothes and some in uniform. At least 7 or 8 black and white cars and a couple of police vans, if not more. They started with our family. Asking for identification and asking for our social security numbers. We showed our identification, but we refused to give our social security numbers to the Police Officer. The officer was not happy with this and said, “You know, I could give you a ticket for blocking the sidewalk”.
We did have a table up against a fence, with plenty of room to walk. We told the officers, “We’re here to get signatures to put Jamiel’s Law on the March 3, 2009 ballot. We’ll move our table to the inside of the fence”. He said we couldn’t do that. His words were, “you can’t get signatures in a public park”. So we said, “we’ll talk to people as they walk by”. According to the same officer, “You can only get signatures going door to door”!
One of the officers refused to give us his business card. However, another officer did hand us his card and he told us, “Many officers do support what you all are doing, but this is very political. ‘They’, are trying to shut you guys down. I hope you get the signatures you need”. A third officer told us this raid was planned a week ago. He said, “We’re just following orders, it’s not us”.
While closing them down, a Health Department official walked up to them and stated that they cannot give away water, soda and chips without a permit. We had about 4, 6 packs of water and sodas and small bags of chips. They told us, “load it up”. Then the trash truck shows up ready to haul everything away.
I’m really quite disgusted but not surprised that city officials would use our LAPD police, our Health Department and our Sanitation Department to shut down a simple effort to collect signatures.
Side note: At our July 4th community picnic I was working in our neighborhood council booth registering stakeholders, passing out peanuts and water. I don’t think we had a Health Department permit to do that. I wonder now if our activity was illegal?
City officials, especially the mayors office probably see Jamiels Law as a double barrel threat. Not only does it threaten Special Order 40, it was also written by Walter Moore. A former Westchester resident who is now running for mayor against Villaraigosa.
Posted on August 18th, 2008 by westchester dad
Tags: GENERAL
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