Uniform Doesn’t Give Police Right to Break Laws
Uniform Doesn’t Give Police Right to Break Laws
Editor,
Shouldn’t the police and Highway Patrol set a good example to the community by obeying the very same laws that the people of the community get arrested for?
Example: during the biker visit here the police were riding their bikes on the sidewalks, yet giving out tickets right and left to anyone going on the sidewalks with their bikes. Also riding horseback on the sidewalks – what’s with that? Does the uniform give them the right to break the laws because they are police?
I’ve many times encountered Highway Patrol and city police going way over the speed limit, and not be chasing anyone, either.
The final straw was when the Highway Patrol stopped this poor woman with two small children near the American Legion for not having the wheels in her car turned the right way, and had her car towed. That beats anything I ever saw. I do hope the police department made its quota for all the unnecessary tickets that were made to pay for all the police that were hired.
Barbara Bailey Valdez
Hollister
Police Ruined His Dinner
Editor,
After an afternoon ride on my motorbike June 30, I stopped in downtown Hollister to peruse the vendors’ booths and maybe have dinner. The time was around 8:30pm (just after sunset). As I approached the corner leading to the tent a group of 8 to 12 persons wearing DOJ Police jumpsuits surrounded me. I began to walk around the group but they moved in front of me, I then turned to walk through and was pushed and elbowed as I passed, I entered the vendor tent until the pack of “Law Enforcement?” people moved on.
I did not stay for dinner, my stomach was turned and my mind furious this was happening. At a very discrete distance I observed this group move down the street, forcing people out into the road or flattened to buildings. This was law enforcement acting like a Gang with weapons and clubs exposed looking for a fight. I understand the need for crowd control and protection of the public at large but this was a gross abuse of power.
Those responsible for this fiasco should be very ashamed for authorizing and/or condoning what happened. As a Hollister resident and taxpayer I am seething with anger that I now have to pay be assaulted in MY OWN TOWN by the very same people that are supposed to protect me.
Jeffery W. Kennedy
Hollister
