158999~Private Rally meetings raises concerns —The
closed-session meetings between the City of Hollister and Police
Chief Jeff Miller to discuss the police presence at the
Independence Rally is a troubling display of hiding local
government’s action from the public.
Chief Miller and the city council are absolutely right to not publicly state the number of uniformed and undercover officers working the event.
The entire law enforcement cost for the weekend is paid for by the Hollister Independence Rally Committee, not the city, so I do not see a reason for the chief or council to publicly announce the levels of law enforcement working the event.
Anyone who has attended the rally will tell you that there is no shortage of law enforcement officers in town that weekend.
It’s too bad that The Free Lance is trying to create a public concern over an issue such as this.
