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Citizens should applaud not criticize Copwatch

Elena Pérez
Friday February 01, 2002

Editor: 

 

When I opened the Planet on Tuesday, I was soon shocked at the gross mischaracterization of Copwatch as presented by the anonymous woman from South Berkeley. As I live near Sacramento and Ashby, I observe the police at work on a daily basis and understand the potential for misconduct is great, as their job is quite frustrating.  

Regardless of a department’s history of misconduct, the police force is an institution of violence and ought to be monitored by the citizens who pay their wages and whom they are sworn to protect and serve, to ensure that they are not overstepping their boundaries.  

I have deep respect for Copwatchers who understand their duty as members of this society is to be on the streets, observing, recording, witnessing, and holding the police accountable for their actions. I attended their Decal class at UC Berkeley in which I participated in a Know Your Rights training and was trained how to Copwatch properly.  

I was struck by their deep commitment to nonviolent principles and the absence of blame placed on individual officers for the acts of violence occasionally required by their job. Not once did I feel the organization was dehumanizing officers or demonizing them—I listened to solid institutional analyses gained through observation and research. I never heard them object to everything the BPD does. I never got the impression that “cops = bad guys”—that is far too simplistic a treatment of the situation.  

Perhaps the writer of Tuesday’s letter failed to make the connection that if the BPD is more than tolerant, more than cautious, and more than restrained in their use of force, it might be because this community maintains a consciousness about their rights and the limits society has placed on the police force—which might have something to do with the fact that Copwatch has been around for twelve years in Berkeley educating people on that very subject. I am glad that there are Copwatchers on the streets in my neighborhood reminding the BPD that although they have violent means of keeping peace at their disposal, they are still accountable to the community in all its manifestations. 

 

Elena Pérez  

South Berkeley Resident