Pomona Resisting Racist Pomona PigD Checkpoints

Checkpoint rage lingers in Pomona
Topic breeds anger at council meeting
Monica Rodriguez, Staff Writer, Daily Bulletin
Article Created: 05/28/2008 10:33:24 PM PDT

POMONA - Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa has requested the issue of traffic checkpoints be discussed next week after a heated City Council meeting Tuesday that brought out all sides and viewpoints.

At issue is the need and operation of checkpoints, which Tuesday spawned broad comments on subjects as wide ranging as racism, illegal immigration and heavy handed police response.
Carrizosa requested the checkpoint topic be placed on Monday night's agenda after almost two hours of discussion Tuesday.

The discussion resulted from a massive checkpoint May 3 at Mission Boulevard and San Antonio Avenue. City police were joined by multiple law enforcement agencies in a checkpoint that halted traffic in all directions for several hours.

Carrizosa along with residents have said the checkpoint was heavy-handed and impacted the poor and those without driver's licenses.

Carrizosa said Wednesday something positive has already resulted with Police Chief Joe Romero's announcement that four-point checkpoints will not be repeated.
"He's willing to find a middle ground," Carrizosa said.

Romero said at the meeting that after the May 3 checkpoint, "the decision was made that the four-way checkpoint was never to be in our community again."

Two-way checkpoints will remain, he said.

Romero said Wednesday it's possible to address the matter of checkpoints but it's also necessary to see what direction the council wants to take.

If the police department alone makes changes in its strategy, it will be an incomplete product, Romero said.

"It has to be that triangle of the council, the police and the community," Romero said.
Councilman George Hunter said Wednesday he is open to having a meeting that involves community members, police, City Council members and city administrators.

Two issues are at hand, the residents' concerns about checkpoints and the need for safe streets.
"There's a point in between the two that resolves peoples' concerns and fears," Hunter said.
Such a forum would offer a place to answer questions including how locations of checkpoints are selected and how they are conducted, he said.

Arturo Jimenez, an organizer with Pomona Habla/Pomona Speaks, a coalition of several groups and Pomona residents, said Wednesday if (coalition) leadership sees little effort is being made to address the situation it will mobilize residents for another large turnout like Tuesday's.
Jimenez said coalition members don't oppose checkpoints.

"We're not against the checkpoints but we don't want these abuses" associated with them, he said.

Those participating in Tuesday's rally outside City Hall want checkpoints stopped until a policy is developed. They also want to stop to checkpoints from being conducted before 9 p.m., he said.
Tuesday's meeting drew more than 400 people, some carrying signs calling for a halt to checkpoints. Most remained outside City Hall after seats filled.
Some in attendance spoke in favor of checkpoints.

On both sides, speakers included residents and nonresidents of the city, and both sides often got out of hand, heckling and jeering the opposition.

Speaker Sherrie Wood began by saying Carrizosa shouldn't be on the council "if you don't feel your red, white and blue."

She said police carried out checkpoints because it was part of their job and then went on to criticize city leaders, saying they were "responsible for the citizens, not the illegals" in the city.
Another speaker Marco Rendon said he thought the matter at hand had to be resolved.
"The problem is that cars are being taken away," he said in Spanish.

"It's the children who go without eating because parents have to pay" fees for the release of cars, he said.

Please go to: http://www.dailybulletin.com/ and vote:

What do you think?
The Pomona police department has drawn criticism for its traffic checkpoints, with some claiming the checkpoints are a burden to minorities, the poor and hardworking citizens. Others praise the checkpoints for keeping unlicensed drivers and would-be criminals off the street. What do you think?
Police are doing a fine job.
Checkpoints are heavy-handed.
Keep checkpoints, but with changes.
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Otra Pomona Hablo/An Other Pomona Spoke
Voz Popular Anonimo/Popular Anonymous Voice
May 28, 2008

Mujéres, niños, jóvenes y hombres salieron hoy a las calles de Pomona para denunciar las tacticas racistas-reténes y redadas-de la policía y el gobierno de la ciudad. Pomona es la ciudad con más reténes de cual quiera otra ciudad en el condado de Los Ángeles.

Womyn, youth and men took to the streets today in Pomona to demand an end to the racist tactics-checkpoints and raids-of the police and city council. Pomona is the city with the most checkpoints in all of L.A. county.

Las demandas: "alto a los reténes" “Si Maywood ganó, Pomona ganará” y "Fuera Norma Torres"-la alcalde de Pomona quien apoya los reténes.

The demands: “stop the racist checkpoints” “If Maywood won, Pomona will win” and “Kick out Norma Torres”- the mayor of Pomona who supports the checkpoints.

Varias compañer=s consejaron al pueblo, “no confíen en las tacticas de los políticos"

Otra compañera nos consejó, “hay que seguir denunciando las injusticias[…]uniéndonos mas a nuestr=s vecin=s, jamás seramos vencidos.”

Several community members urged us, "don’t trust in the politicians, they are paid to so-call represent us during the council meetings/negotiations."

One womyn urged the people to “keep denouncing the injustices and build stronger ties with your neighbors so that we are not defeated.”

Se convoca a todos los pueblos, barrios y comunidades en resistencia salir a marchar en solidaridad con el pueblo de Pomona para denunciar la Policía.

Please come out to support the people of Pomona organize in resistance against the Pomona Police Department.

Este Lunes el 2 de Junio a las 5 de la tarde en la esquina de Hamilton y Grand.

This Monday, June 2nd at 5pm on the corner of Hamilton and Grand in Pomona.

¡Fuera Norma Torres!
¡Alto al ICE, a los rétenes, y las redadas!

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Coalition Pomona Speaks/Coalición Pomona Habla

Demands to the Pomona City Council / Demandas al Concilio de la Ciudad de Pomona

Stop Police Abuse at checkpoints / Alto a los Abusos de la Policía en los Retenes

Demands / Demandas:

1)Checkpoints should not be carried out during the day time. Set up after 10:00PM /Los retenes no se deben llevar a cabo durante el día. Deben de comenzar después de las 10:00PM.

2)If a driver is not able to produce a driver license he/she should have the right to call a friend or a relative with a valid driver license to drive his/her car. / Si un conductor no tiene licencia de manejar debe tener el derecho a llamar a un familiar o a un amigo para que maneje su carro.

3)If the driver is not able to find a relative or a friend the City should provide transportation to the person’s home. / Si la persona no se puede comunicar con un familiar o amigo la Ciudad debe de proveer transporte a la casa.

4)A person should be allowed to pick up his/her car the next day without paying a 30 day penalty. / Una persona puede recoger su carro al siguiente dia sin pagar una multa de 30 días.

5)Checkpoints should not be set up in residential areas. / No se deben establecer retenes en areas residenciales.

6)After September 30, 2008 the Pomona City Council should not approve federal or state funding for the purpose of carrying out checkpoints. / Después del 30 de septiembre, 2008 el Concilio de la Ciudad de Pomona no debe de aprobar propuestas federales o estatales para financiar la implementación de los retenes.

7)The police should give proper notice and the location where the checkpoints are taken place. The notice should be in English and Spanish. / La policía debe de dar aviso adecuado del lugar en donde se va a llevar a cabo el reten. El aviso debe de ser en Ingles y Español.

8)The Pomona City Council should conduct a study as to how the towing truck companies are selected by the City of Pomona. / El Concilio de la Ciudad de Pomona debe de hacer un estudio de como las companias de gruas son seleccionadas.

9)The Pomona City Council should carry out an investigation of the May 3, 2008 checkpoint where Police Departments from other cities participated in the operation. / El Concejo de la Ciudad de Pomona debe de llevar a cabo una investigación sobre el reten que se llevo a cabo el 3 de mayo, 2008 donde varios departamentos de policía de varias ciudades participaron en el operativo.

10)The Pomona City Council should appoint a committee of community representatives, including the Chief of Police to oversee the implementation of these demands. / El Concejo de la Ciudad debe de establecer un comite integrado por representantes de la comunidad, incluyendo el Jefe de la Policía que vigile la implementación de estas demandas.

11)The Police Department should stop the checkpoints until these demands are met. / El Departamento de Policía debe de suspender los retenes hasta que se cumplan estas demandas.