Nonsense. This is merely a UPD excuse to NOT do anything. They can't solve a murder... because they didn't see it? Really? As stupid as it sounds... the Ukiah Police officers will fart that excuse at you, almost mechanically. Like a built-in defense mechanism. I received the same line while holding about 9 hours of video showing repetitive code violations.
This line is merely a UPD excuse to do nothing,
If the above tactic fails to abate the complaint (versus abating the code violation), expect the UPD to tell you that the issue-du-jour is a "civil issue". This is the UPD seeking an out so that they don't have to enforce the law. They dump it on an already overburdened court system, where they know it will likely not end up. Ukiah Police know that the citizen will find it all too difficult, and simply go away. Problem solved, at least for the police.
When the above two tactics fail the Ukiah Police, the next tactic to expect is offsetting penalties. Rather than simply enforce the law that is clearly being broken, the UPD instead begin looking at the complainant, to see what they can find to use as leverage, to abate the complaint instead of abating the code or law violations. I have seen this dozens of times over 20 years, as I watched the UPD deal with many encounters. I have had the tactic deployed against me, as you will read on this site. This is the point where encounters with the Ukiah Police will become hazardous to your health and liberty. Expect it, and prepare in advance. Filming the encounter is recommended.
I name this one after the man, the myth, the now accused-rapist, Ukiah Police Sergeant Kevin Murray himself. The "Kevin Murray" is when an officer sets himself up in a speed trap, with a body camera, and two car cameras... with loads of training on how to use both to gather evidence of crimes and code violations... yet the officer somehow manages to point the cameras at, say, restrooms in an apartment complex adjacent to his position, and fails to capture any evidence whatsoever. Of course, because of his willful incompetence... he now needs to show up in court... with only his recitation of what he claims to have seen... and the courts must put great weight on his testimony since, after all, not only is he an accused-rapist-to-be... he is a sworn Law Enforcement Officer. Yes, even though you prove to the court through testimony of the officer, that the officer violated several motor vehicle codes to set up his speed trap... the court still relies on the testimony of the officer.
Yes. This happened. Ironic that an officer now accused of rape, positioned his car illegally as he violated motor vehicle codes without cause, so to aim the camera at apartments instead of at the INTERSECTION. I told the court about Kevin Murray. The judge... Night Court Harry let's call him, spent more time cracking jokes and amusing his bailiff, than he did listening to the evidence. I told him, on conviction of the moving violation, that he... the court... would see Kevin Murray again.
The court is seeing Kevin Murray again. His trial for multiple rapes, illegal assault weapons, fraud, drug charges, burglaries, etcetera, begins on December 6th.
In Ukiah, the Court doesn't need no stinking evidence... just badges.
Again, named after the man, the myth, the now accused-rapist, Ukiah Police Sergeant Kevin Murray himself. The "Other Kevin Murray" is when an officer stops you for some subjective reason, and then attempts to escalate the encounter by issuing false allegations, and then by trying to create a struggle. For example... holding the ticket book out to you, for your signature and, when you attempt to take the ticket book to sign the ticket, the officer refuses to let go of it, and then accuses you of trying to steal it. You know, there is a BIG BLACK MARKET for UPD ticket books. The officer might get aggressive in his tones, without cause, to strongarm you. The officer will usually have his bodycam strategically away from the action.
Murray did all of this to me. My response was to spread my legs, raising one a bit... making an exaggerated "O" face, as I gave him a prolonged, international sign for being a "wanker". He allowed me to then sign the ticket and depart without further negative interactions.
Kevin Murray and the City are in a lawsuit in which elements of "The Other Kevin Murray" are claimed. I experienced elements of this pattern, "The Other Kevin Murray", in my interactions with UPD Rodello in the Todd Grove Park dog issues. This is pattern and practice for the Ukiah Police Department.
I have the video of the incident, from Kevin Murray's body and car cameras. If it is still good, I will publish the example of this game.
When UPD officers want to abate a complainant's complaint, versus abating the problem, they might resort to the "Eric Rodello". The "Rodello" is when an officer responds to a complaint, and decides that he/she doesn't want to deal with the code/law violations. Instead, they decide it easier to threaten a complainant. So, they whip out salacious sexual accusations, perhaps related to "filming children". They then subject you to an "investigation"; a word they might use several times throughout their interrogation. They might detain you,, preventing you from leaving, while they subject you to an "investigation"; an investigation that doesn't pursue any real evidence... like asking to see your devices. No... an "investigation" in which the officer simply keeps repeating that you are being investigated... for some horrible crime.
The officer might then threaten you with reprisals... should you continue to complain about the code/law violations.
Of course, at the end of the whole incident... the officer fails to record his oft-repeated investigation into any kind of official police report. It doesn't even appear in the daily UPD police logs released vby the UPD.
The "Eric Rodello" is crappy policing, at it's finest.
The City maintains and supposedly manages their contract with the trash company. Yet, when the trash company fails to provide its services, and you call the trash company 3 times to get a refund for the missed services, the City will NOT intervene. They will direct you to call the trash company... again. This is noted right on the city's own website. The city, therefore, doesn't want to accept complaints about the trash company, since they simply refer you back to the trash company, without taking any complaints. The City is not managing their own contracts if they refuse to do the PUBLIC SERVICE, the customer service required to ensure the quality of the service and the satisfaction of the customer base.
What is it exactly... that attaches itself to something in order to feed, and gives nothing back?
A LEECH. That is exactly what the City is. The city makes money to provide the customer service that they then REFUSE TO PROVIDE. If you call to complain, they simply hang up the phone on you. If you go down to City Hall and demand a correction, they call the RIOT SQUAD on you.
The folks in the City billing offices have a watercooler game that they play... pitting customers that have customer service issues against the Ukiah Police Riot squad. I know this to be an actual game, because I have heard this firsthand from a City of Ukiah employee, who verified this abusive practice to be a running joke within the Billing Department.
In my case, after 3 massive incorrect billings (one which I paid), several hang-up calls by billing clerks, and now an issue with getting reliable trash service and a corrected bill for the lack of service, my call to the city to deal with this FOURTH billing issue was disconnected by the billing clerk. I then went to City Hall. I explained to the clerk that the trash company were not being responsive and were not correcting the bill. The billing clerk refused to say anything other than for me to call the trash company again. I insisted to speak to management.
As I waited, I heard her tell the manager that a customer needed to speak to her. As I stood amongst many people waiting, the manager began a litany of "why do I have to, I don't want to..." She was down a passageway, and I couldn't see her, but I and all others could hear her insulting speech all the way down the passageway, as she approached the Billing Dept. and locked eyes with me. At that point, she pursed her lips tightly in disgust.
The interaction with her was the same as with the clerk. She refused to correct my bill. I insisted that I speak to her manager, She refused. She then tipped her head to the clerk, in a practiced motion. the clerk called the police.
After some time... I began hearing "hut hut hut". The UPD Riot Squad came double-timing it in formation on a half-assed show of force... against one disabled man... who had threatened no one. I turned to face them, and then turned my back to them... a show that I was not impressed.
Only then, did "leatherface" take my number. She asked for my name, number, address, etcetera. I gave it to her, and then scolded her. I told her that had I been in her shoes, I would have asked for that within the first 15 seconds of the encounter, and then assigned one of the billing clerks to DO THEIR JOB, CORRECT THE BILL, and MANAGE THEIR TRASH CONTRACT, since I cannot do that for them. I am not a party to the contract. I have no standing.
But, it didn't end there. After giving my information to Sea Biscuit, I then went to the lobby to leave. A short little blonde UPD officer stepped between me and the door. I estimated how bad I would have to hurt him, to move him. I decided to turn and confront the gathering crowd behind me.
When I turned, I found a semi-circle of cops. Maybe 20 people in total. The billing clerks were looking on, amused and glad for the entertainment.
I then addressed the clear leader of the mob. I asked him how I could help him. He asked for an accounting of what happened. I gave that to him, in detail. He asked about my payment history; paid on-time always. The only billing issues I have had were generated by the city.
I explained to the officer about the insulting behavior of Sea Biscuit, the general lack of concern about providing customer service, and now, the watercooler game of wrongfully wielding force against a person that has not provided any threat whatsoever. I told him that the practice was UNACCEPTABLE. I scolded the police, on their own turf, for the response... over what was a matter of approximately SIX DOLLARS.
I turned to leave. The short little blonde buster moved like a swinging gate. I walked past him to the door. The leader shouted to my back, "If you are done with your business, leave". He did this aggressively. I stopped, turned slowly to face him, and stated, "I was leaving. You folks stopped me to talk. ARE YOU DONE?". No response.
I then left.
I did try to file complaints. The process was stopped by Kristine Lawler. Ms. Lawler refused to provide the names of those involved, insulating her employees from responsibility of their own bad behaviors. The complaint form provided to me was not a complaint form.
My bill was never corrected. However, Ms. Kristine Lawler issued an approximately $50 credit on my bill, over an approximately SIX DOLLAR bill correction. In other words... when city employees misbehave, and wrongfully deploy force... the city shoves $50 at the victim... like the victim is a hooker. Shut 'em up with a little cash, and obfuscation regarding officlal complaints against city personnel.
This game is employed by city employees in order to obfuscate, to avoid accepting or acknowledging responsibility for the actions of city employees, including but not limited to police officers. Should you have a complaint against any city employee, and file a complaint verbally or in writing, you will likely get this response from city employees. Bank on it. There are few ways to overcome this game. You can hire an attorney, who can get depositions, etcetera. This can be expensive, but if the matter is serious enough and happens to cause injury, this might be the way forward. You can surely get discovery and release that information to the media, should there be no court orders preventing it.
The other way is to become a burr in the butt of city officials. File a complaint, which is your right by law. Regularly demand answers. You have a right to know whether the elements alleged in your complaint were investigated, and whether they were affirmed or denied. Demand to know, until the city produces a finding. Copy the media on your demands. You might not have a right to know what is done to an officer or city employee, should allegations be affirmed. THAT might be an actual, real personnel issue. A determination in your complaint is not a personnel issue. A finding is a finding; and a victim should have the right to a finding in the matter of their complaint. All complaints must be investigated by law. If they are investigated, there must be findings. You are entitled to the findings, based on law and based on the Ukiah Police Department's own published policies which clearly state that the UPD is required to issue findings to the complainant.
Should the UPD not follow law and policy, you can find CA State and Federal forms in the RESOURCES section of this website, to take your complaints to a higher power than the obfuscating individuals in local government who seek to protect their own little fiefdoms versus follow established law and policy.
Another method is to file a FOIA demand for the findings. You can find links to FOIA information in the RESOURCES section of this site.
Don't play this game with city employees.
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