Sherman R. Frederick
I’m not a cop but I read a lot of cop logs and I can stipulate for the sake of argument that many calls for police help do not require an armed response.
For example, this recently graced a cop log I monitor: “A homeless man took a dump in a carport on Locust Street. He did not wash his hands. Did not wear a mask. Gone on arrival.”
You could cogently argue that there’s no need to send armed police officers to examine the scene of that “crime”. It could, I suppose, be handled by a social worker in the MPMD — Municipal Poop Monitoring Division.
Then there are calls like this one last weekend: “At 2 a.m. Saturday, a car was pulled over on a routine traffic stop. The driver was arrested for a suspended license. A subsequent search of the car discovered a loaded firearm with an illegal high-capacity clip.”
Look, we could as a community get to a place where some work tasked to cops could be off-loaded to a separate, unarmed force. But it would cost more money to do so. And, try as we may, you can bet some of these unarmed officers would find themselves in dangerous situations despite best judgments.
Anyway, I’m trying to envision a Black Lives Matters world. Can anyone tell me how we’re supposed to respond to gangbangers cruising the streets at 2 a.m. with illegal weapons under their seats? Anyone?
Dr. Sonia Angell
ANOTHER COVID-19 SCREW-UP
The Associated Press nailed Gov. Gavin Newsom for his less than transparent performance on the exit of his public health officer Dr. Sonia Angell. The news service wrote:
“SACRAMENTO — A day after announcing that California’s public health director suddenly resigned, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday dodged questions about her departure even as he stressed the importance of transparency and accountability.”
As Californians are finding out, this governor is an expert at humping his own leg. So, allow me to cut through the BS: Dr. Angell is a FOG – Friend Of Gavin’s. She perfectly parrot’s the governor’s desire for “equity and justice” in public health.
But talking a good game ain’t good enough during a deadly pandemic. You must also be competent, and that means accurately counting active cases and analyzing the spread of the virus. She failed horribly in that.
Look, people need confidence in the state’s ability to handle this pandemic. This governor’s administration has made at least three serious errors inside of six months — nursing homes (quickly reversed), San Quentin infection (fired prison doctor), and undercounting the numbers (exit Dr. Angell).
This administration is on the brink of losing credibility. The governor knows this. He couldn’t afford to slough off the failure to accurately count coronavirus cases. Dr. Angell had to go and the governor needs to be perfect through the end of the year.
It’s as simple as that.
CHRONICLE PULL BACK
I am sorry to see the San Francisco Chronicle pull back from home delivery around the Bay Area. I know it’s happening in Pacifica. Don’t have word on whether it’s happening in Marin.
VACCINE FEAR
Here’s a disturbing fact: One in three Americans would not get a coronavirus vaccine if it were available today. That’s the result of a Gallup poll released last week. Hope it’s not reality when the vaccine rolls around.
ONE MORE THING
— If 2020 were a drink, it would be a colonoscopy prep.
— Sunday School Loophole: It’s not premarital sex if you never get married.
— Does anyone really “jump in the shower?”
— I’ve been sneakily plotting with the Peruvian owls. We’re Inca hoots.
I’ll let myself out. Until next week, stay safe and mask-up.
Sherman R. Frederick is the founder of Battle Born Media, publisher of intensely local community newspapers in Nevada and California, including the Novato Advance, the San Rafael News Pointer, the Mill Valley Herald, the Ross Valley Reporter, the Twin Cities Times, the Sausalito Marin Scope and the Pacifica Tribune. He may be reached at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)
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