We want to give readers an update on an incident that happened Feb. 22 in the parking lot of the Humboldt County Library, reported in last week’s paper, especially since it has become the topic of much discussion on the Journal website and in this week’s letters to the editor.
Journal Editor Carrie Peyton Dahlberg was returning books that day when she came upon a crime scene. It was well after a suspect was in custody, cuffed and in the patrol car. Three officers were searching a vehicle and pawing through several large garbage bags of, possibly, pot. There appeared to be no imminent danger. There was no police caution tape and officers were allowing other library patrons to come and go. Carrie pulled out her cell phone camera and went to work. It was then a Eureka police officer told her, “No photos” — which she took as an order.
Carrie, who had worked as a reporter and editor for the Sacramento Bee for 23 years before moving to Humboldt, knows it is perfectly legal to take any picture in any public place — as a reporter or a member of the public — so she began to protest. It escalated from there. She was ordered to step back and she was threatened with arrest for interfering with an investigation. When she requested the names and ranks of the officers to file a complaint, she was initially met with refusal — in the form of silence. Later, she announced she was going to move in close enough to read their name badges. Eventually one officer complied with her request for identification in what can be described as a sarcastic, demeaning and unprofessional manner.
On Wednesday, Feb. 27, Carrie filed a formal complaint. Police were video recording the incident — we’ve requested a copy — and there is an internal police investigation in progress. We should know those results soon and what actions the city will take.
We know what actions we’d like the city to take. Whichever officer told a reporter, “No photos,” needs further training. (“Step back” is OK; “No photos” is not OK.) We’ve requested information on what regular training EPD officers receive on handling photography at a crime scene, and we will have a follow-up story soon.
There’s also the matter of bullying and intimidation. If you don’t get it, pretend you’re 5’1″ and female. You’re facing three large, physically fit, far younger men — all in uniform, with badges, carrying weapons. One of them tells you not to take photos. Another orders you to step back, threatening you with arrest. He refuses to comply when you first ask his name.
Because they are big, strong and are wearing a uniform, and they speak in a commanding, authoritative voice — that doesn’t mean they are right. The officers involved need to be reminded of the law, have Carrie’s complaint placed in their personnel folders and most importantly — get some retraining on how to treat members of the public and the press.
And an apology would be nice.
This article appears in Unleashed.
I am pleased and relieved that the Journal’s main owner/publisher is supporting its current courageous editor.
Truth be told, I’d had my doubts. Perhaps they were not justified.
You will both continue to attract nasty comments on your blog and, surely, nasty and threatening letters to the editor.
Thank you both so much for doing your jobs. It’s really wonderful to see journalism committed in the county.
Hold on a minute here,Judy?! By your own admission there exists a police video recording of the incident and they are conducting an internal investigation. You have not yet reviewed either of these things, so it appears you are soley basing your clearly biased conclusions on the word alone of your reporter. She is obviously overly emotional and biased about this situation. Where is the journalistic integrity and objective reporting in this?
Your reporter sounds like a spaz who probably did her share to unnecessarily escalate the situation. Common sense and courtesy would dictate she should have asked the officers for permission to walk up so closely to their investigation. I heard she literally walked in for a close up of the weed. If true, how ignorant is that! They shouldnt have to string up crime scene tape everytime just to keep nosey gawkers out of their immediate vicinity.
Now I say this with the caveat that there is a good chance one of the officers could have communicated more professionaly with her and perhaps deescalated the situation. But your job Ms. Publisher is to present objective, unbiased facts to your readers not premature opinions. Or the NCJ has no validity as a media source.
I also noticed that the NCJ has now seemed to have back tracked from Dahlberg’s claims she was specifically threatened with arrest for taking photos to arrest for interfering with the officers’ investigation. There is a huge difference between the two. In fact, her right to take photos being infringed upon was the heart and sole of her complaint. If in fact the investigation/video reveals this was untrue, Dahlberg’s honesty and the validity of her claims are seriously undermined…and I will no longer be a NCJ reader.
As citizens we must never, never ever take the 1st Amendment right for granted.
The Humboldt County Grand Jury has an
excellent record of internal investigation
of local “law” enforcement. We can confidentially file our complaints online to the Grand Jury.
Carrie’s article subsequently followed a SWAT raid in the neighborhood….. NO CHARGES were filed, but all electronics confiscated or stolen, depending on which side you’re on. I guess I would rather have a home invasion by a bunch of thugs (SWAT) than be targeted by a Drone. “OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPLE!”
Our county is full of ignorant, paranoid delusional people. When the dollar crashes and anarchy reigns in our streets, who are you to call to save your butt? Kim Starr and her merry pack of jobless haters?
Nancy, what do you base your allegations it was SWAT who raided a home without cause? I’ll bet you have not a single FACT to offer and your allegation is based soley on your cop-bashing automatic assumptions. Put up or shut up!
Thank you Judy and Carrie for having the courage to bring this issue to the fore in this small
town. The EPD needs some reform and it should start at the top. I am sure there is a core of
decent officers at EPD who would like to be serving in a modern better respected police department
but standards need to be raised. Decent officers should be given reasonable time to achieve these
standards, among which needs to be a four year liberal arts education at an acredited instituion.
How much attention is paid to Costitutional rights at the CR Police Academy. Is the topic on the
curriculum? If not, then there has been gross negligence in training program. The EPD needs to
reflect the diversity of the population, with more women, more blacks, more native americans, more
latinos. Progress must be made on this. There is much more. We need at the least an organized
pressure group to come forward with organized proposals to improve the EPD. Someone want to
volunteer?
Your constitutional rights have been trampled on under color of authority. Sue the
bastards until they change their ways it appears to be the only way until we the people gather the
political will to do something.
Again, good work, thanks for standing up!
have a peaceful day,
Bill
A citizens committee of about 20 or so citizens armed with video cameras and police scanners could converge on these scenes, staying far enough away to “cause no concern” yet close enough that the police could clearly see what they are doing, and spread out in a ring, would do the job. What are they going to do? Call the SWAT team?
You’re a dork, Bill the Chimp. What are you going to do, try to follow the cops to the 200 or so calls they respond to a day?! Get a job and a life bozo!
Notice how Judy has nothing to say now.
Joe, you are so spot on with both of your comments.
The first set of comments on the first blogpost and on the Flying Heraldos, as moderated by our own conspiracy oriented Mitch, have practically nominated Carrie for sainthood, while the personal attacks on Drake Goodale, who is a great guy doing a tough job are disgusting.
I hope Drake is printing all this drivel for a pending lawsuit when it turns out that Carrie LIED, Judy COVERED IT UP and they try to remove some of the damaging derogatory online posts.
Remember, its a crime to file a false police report.
Thanks Judy for your calm and intelligent response to this matter. I do not think you are coming across as a “cop hater”…like so many of those who work with cop watch, or PARC….that is a relief. I also notice that some of these responses are from those that think the Police are above the law….not the case. We expect them to behave in a respectful and honorable nature….avoiding this “cocky”…and rude behavior discussed in this article. Wearing their uniform, does not give them the right to ignore the rights of US citizens….and it does not give them the right to treat us with disrespect. I am not sure what the motive was for your reporter to show such a passionate interest in this criminal case….or the bags of pot…..I am hoping it was just not to “challenge” the police..as that would seem petty to me. If the police did treat her with a rude and disrespectful nature, they should “man up” and apologize…..
“If the police did treat her with a rude and disrespectful nature, they should “man up” and apologize…..”
And there’s the rub, Maniac. IF….IF
From what I have heard, EPD has full video that exposes Carrie as someone who tried to create a story by prevaricating, and she may well get sued and charged with filing a false report.
Crazy Cat Ladies Run Wild In Eureka.
That is the real story, why can’t the journal hire normal people, instead of these crazy people? And I mean the last editor of the NJC went insane, is this one following as well?