Activists call for overhaul after police auditor’s exit
Community advocacy groups rally Thursday to assail the integrity of police oversight after recent resignation by Aaron Zisser
SAN JOSE » Community activists, angered by the unceremonious departure of the city’s police auditor, assailed the influence of the police union and called for an overhaul of civilian oversight during a rally outside City Hall Thursday.
An assembly led by families of people killed in police encounters in San Jose, and joined by socialjustice groups including Silicon Valley De-Bug, San Jose- Silicon Valley NAACP, and the Asian Law Alliance, said the unrelenting criticism of Independent Police Auditor Aaron Zisser, which hastened his resignation, had broken their faith in police accountability in the city.
“The IPA had an ear to the community,” said Sharon Watkins, whose son, Philip, died in an officer-involved shooting in 2015. “Families were treated with re--
spect and their pain acknowledged.”
Watkins also objected to the San Jose Police Officers’ Association’s contention that a rally in July to memorialize people killed by officers was anti-police, which became a major source of criticism for Zisser when he met with demonstrators beforehand.
“They labeled us as antipolice, and criminalized each of us,” she said. “We are pro-justice, and we were starting to believe that the office of the IPA was pro-justice aswell. (The union) will not tolerate anyone willing to support families in the aftermath of police violence.”
Jason Reyes, cousin of Anthony Nunez, who died in a police shooting in 2016, reaffirmed that the rally was meant “to ensure the city of San Jose did not forget.”
Attendees including Rev. Jethroe Moore, president of the local NAACP chapter, and Richard Konda, head of the Asian Law Alliance, echoed previous calls for SJPOA President Paul Kelly to step down, calling him an obstacle to bridging police and disenfranchised residents.
The union matched the rally’s hostility in a written statement Thursday.
“The usual anti-police crowd should be ashamed of themselves for exploiting the families of individuals with mental health issues who were shot after wielding knives, guns, and power saws at police officers. Police officers are not clairvoyant, they can’t just look at an individual and determine their mental health status, especially if they are armed with a deadly weapon,” union spokesman Tom Saggau wrote. “Where were Richard Konda or Jeff Moore or the anti-police fringe groups in the days, weeks or months prior to these deadly encounters to offer mental health services or programs for these individuals who clearly needed help? They’re too busy pointing fingers to provide actual solutions to those most in need.”
Konda was undeterred Thursday, holding up amock application for San Jose IPA that had fields pre-filled with “Yes” next to questions asking about a pro-police stance. It was also marked at the end with “Forward to POA” as critique of the the perceived undue influence that the union had in pressuring Zisser’s departure.
“I fear that no one will apply,” he said. “The POA should not run this town.”
Cephus Johnson, a San Jose resident whose nephew Oscar Grant was killed in 2009 by a BART police officer in one of most infamous police shootings in Bay Area history, said the circumstances of Zisser’s exit are grounds to install a civilian oversight commission. Deputy Public Defender Mica Estremera called Zisser’s resignation “a grave wound to community trust” and a “serious failure of elected leadership.”
Mayor Sam Liccardo, who along with the rest of the council was a periodic target of the rally rhetoric Thursday, reaffirmed his confidence in the city’s current IPA structure, calling it a national model that is on the verge of gaining increased authority. He also pushed back against the no- tion that the office, or the selection process, has been compromised.
“I got elected over the vehement opposition of the police union four years ago. I strongly supported the appointment of (previous IPA) Judge ( LaDoris) Cordell over police union opposition, and I appointed Zisser over the same vocal opposition of the same union,” he said. “I will continue to push for police accountability regardless of the political consequences.”
Police Chief Eddie Garcia also weighed in, saying the SJPOA’s public statements don’t reflect the role the union has played in meetand- confer talks that have accelerated the adoption of progressive measures including body-worn cameras and crisis and deescalation training.
“I understand the pain people feel for the loss of loved ones. We’re doing our best to move forward to ensure those incidents don’t occur,” Garcia said. “They don’t understand the dayto- day of what it takes to move this forward, and the POA has been a partner in that.”
Zisser, who has kept a low profile since he resigned Aug. 23, said he was heartened by the community support for him, but he sought to redirect the focus back to the families who lost loved ones in police encounters.
“It’s much more important that families are the ones charting the path forward, than it is for the POA,” he said. “They deserve a meaningful process to address these very legitimate concerns.”