HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - #31 Orozco, Norma
From: Greg Camphire <gcamphire@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2022 3:52 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Agenda Item 31
Greetings Mayor Sarmiento and other members of the Council,
My name is Greg Camphire and I am a resident of Ward 2, writing to express my opinion of Agenda
Item #31, which is the discussion of SAPD's use of military equipment. I am strongly against the
militarization of the SAPID or any other police force.
Military equipment has no place in a civil police force that is meant to protect and serve its
communities. Instead, the presence of military equipment increases the chances of escalating
conflict, harm, and violence; and decreases the level of trust that citizens have for police officers. It's
well-documented that the very same military equipment provided to U.S. police departments is also
used abroad by autocratic or fascist government forces for acts of intimidation, oppression, invasion,
apartheid enforcement, genocide, and other war crimes. We also now have an April 2022 report Law
Enforcement Departments Have Not Adequately Guarded Against Biased Conduct, which proves
significant racial bias among California police officers, as well as disturbing connections with
extremist hate groups linked to the January 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Giving military-
grade arms to these untrained and violence-prone officers would be a grave mistake.
For these and many other reasons, I ask that you all vote against allowing SAPID to continue using
military equipment. The health and safety of our Santa Ana communities depends on it.
Thank you,
Greg
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Orozco, Norma
From: Nathaniel Greensides <mynci90@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2022 1:52 PM
To: eComment; Hernandez, Johnathan
Subject: Agenda Item 31 - May 3 2022 City Council Meeting
Dear City Council Members,
I write in support of the transparency aspect of the agenda item/ordinance which requires disclosure of military
equipment owned and desired by SAPD - greater transparency of how and where our tax dollars go is never a
bad thing in my opinion. Please, however, consider disallowing SAPD from procuring and maintaining military
equipment in our City.
I question the necessity of the military equipment which SAPD has listed out in Exhibit 2. Military equipment
which can see inside structures of buildings without entry, drones which surveil from above outfitted with
special sensors and cameras, and specialized vehicles are all equipment which
1. may infringe upon 4th amendment rights under the US Constitution, as well as Sections 5, 11, and 13 of
Article 1 of California's state constitution and
2. Seemingly will not even be used for SAPD alone. It seems that SAPD equipment procurement is meant to
bolster cross agency equipment inventories among various PDs in OC as well as OCSD. Santa Ana shouldn't be
fronting the bill for other cities' desires to militarize their police.
Santa Ana does not need military equipment on our streets. Maintaining such may only serve to make our
streets more dangerous and increase the chances of PD causing unnecessary collateral damage in events where
public safety is concerned. To militarize our streets would be irresponsible to many immigrants who call our
City home after escaping from their home countries and towns where militarized police forces and groups exist.
To protect and serve the community should not require lethal force. If any officer kills a person in their own
community, that's not protecting and serving the community. Better mechanisms by which violence and
"criminal" acts are pursued are necessary in lieu of militarization of our streets. Our streets are already over-
militarized.
To continue to militarize the police would serve as a direct statement that the City doesn't actually believe in its
own motto of"Education First". Some of the technology procured by SAPD costs as much as it does because
there are not enough engineers and firms to create such technologies. The money spent on the militarized
equipment listed out by SAPD in Exhibit 2 would have been better spent ensuring that residents (youth and
adults alike) have access to education for increased economic opportunities.
I ask that you all vote against allowing SAPD to continue using military equipment. The wellbeing of our
community depends on it.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Greensides
Ward 5 Resident
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Orozco, Norma
From: Chelsea Drake <cdrake1221 @yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2022 10:38 AM
To: eComment
Subject: Agenda item 31
Greetings Mayor Sarmiento and other members of the Council,
My name is Chelsea and I am a concerned community member. Today, I write to you to express my opinion of
Agenda Item #31, which is the discussion of SAPD's use of military equipment. I am strongly against SAPID
using any military equipment for the following reasons.
First, the military equipment must keep civilians and their civil liberties safe, according to AB 481. However,
based on our community's experience, this equipment does the opposite. There have been multiple instances
in which this has happened including the Santa Ana George Floyd protest of 2020.
Second, SAPID should not have military equipment at their disposal because they are known to act violently
towards the community. They are the 10th most deadly police force in CA, based on police killings.
I ask that you all vote against allowing SAPID to continue using military equipment. The wellbeing of our
community depends on it.
Thank you,
Chelsea Boyle (they/she)
Sent from my iPhone
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