Guest Opinion | Joyce Perry: Are The Wheels of Justice Turning in Pasadena?

THE COMPLAINT PROCESS

As a resident of NW Pasadena for more than 20 years, it became increasingly frustrating for me to watch how people of color were being treated by Pasadena Police Department (PPD). Whether they were walking, riding a bike, on a scooter, sitting in a car, or driving…..the police found a reason to stop them and search them in the most degrading manner. My piercing stares were not meant to add to their humiliation, but were from a desire to help. The incident that precipitated my involvement with the ACLU family occurred in 2011. A law enforcement agency in military fatigues executed a no-knock warrant raid on the house of a nearly 70-year-old neighbor. They rammed the gate, shot projectiles through a window that went off like bombs, then brought her out in handcuffs and sleeveless on a chilly day. She was on display for what seemed like hours. I had to offer to bring her a blanket. It was a call to action!

ALCU was a vehicle for me to learn about and participate in the work being done to combat these issues, as well as the politics and its players. Whether it was voter registration, Racial Profiling petitions, or workshops, I was fortunate to be introduced to and work alongside of many dedicated organizations striving to improve the lives of those in the community. You know who you are, and I commend you. The most consequential volunteer experience was my efforts to promote the Know Your Rights Workshops.

I am a retired teacher with a BA in Criminal Justice. My goal was to become a lawyer. After passing the LSAT and being courted by Loyola Marymount, I took a teaching job to pay for the hefty price tag. Needless to say that things didn’t work out as planned. Nonetheless, my passion for criminal justice still drives me to help those who are being victimized by the unjust system. Let’s not pretend that it doesn’t exist in Pasadena.

During one of the many Public Safety Committee meetings I attended, then Chief Sanchez made a statement that resonated with me -”We [PPD] must be doing a good job; we only had two complaints last year”. His remark was so contrary to what I was seeing and hearing on the streets. This was the missing component of the Know Your Rights Workshops that needed to be amplified since he equated job performance with the number of complaints. With Tyron Hampton’s unwavering support, I volunteer to assist those who may want to file a complaint against PPD.

There is no shortage of opportunities in NW Pasadena to file a complaint against PPD and LASD. I filed my first complaint in 2017 after PPD officers swarmed my street- with helicopter- to detain a young Black man who was just sitting in his car. I confronted the officers after the handcuffed victim stated that he had not given PPD permission to search his car. The young man was released without even a ticket. Our tax dollars at waste! I experienced numerous issues when I filed my complaints online. Some were attributed to a “computer glitch” or “info not uploaded when website was upgraded” (They changed the time frame for when they would respond). I eventually handed off the complaints at a Public Safety Committee meeting. Regardless of the roadblocks we may encounter, it is imperative that we document the unconstitutional, policy-violating actions of PPD. Public defenders contact me regularly due to the complaints I have filed and have subpoenaed me to be a witness. They have asked that I stress to the community how important it is to file complaints so that the information can be used to show a possible pattern of behavior. The first thing they do on a case is look to see if there are any complaints against the officer(s).

We are not ignorant of the predictable outcome of these complaints. It has been 4 years since my complaints were filed, along with the nearly 200 community complaints stemming from the Chris Ballew beating on video (which, by the way, counts as 1 complaint since it is 1 incident). But, Chief Perez said he would send letters of acknowledgement. Have you received yours? I thank everyone who let her/his voice be heard via your participation. What is the status of Lujan and Esparza?

Tornek promised “substantial changes”… Sanchez resigned… a new Chief Perez…two more Black men killed by police and more officers firing their weapons on Chief Perez’s watch. PPD consistently engages in perfunctory community meetings and workshops to “improve relations between the police and the NW Pasadena community”, but it hasn’t changed the reality on the streets. That time could be better spent objectively investigating themselves and resolving complaints in a timely, unbiased manner. If PPD really wants to see improvement, I have a suggestion. They could come to NW Pasadena with the intent to listen and implement behavioral changes, not to justify their actions, not to dismiss us and shift the blame, and not to improve their own image. Case in point: During a WHY’D YOU STOP ME? WORKSHOP, an officer told a young Black male that it was on him to deescalate the situation if the officer is getting out of control. I’ll leave it at that! What can we expect under Mayor Gordo’s leadership since the status quo seems to be entrenched in Pasadena’s politics (despite the optics)?

PPD documents its contact with you for a record; it would be in OUR best interest if you do the same. There are at least two sides to every encounter. Feel free to contact your district councilmember when you need guidance on the complaint process or reach out to me on Facebook.

PPD’S “Compliment/Complaint Form” can be accessed at https://www.cityofpasadena.net/police/complaint-compliment-form/