Who’s Watching the Watcher?

Who do you call for help when the gang members are wearing blue?

Since 2003, the Oakland Police Department has been under close watch by a federal judge, Thelton Henderson.  In 2003 the City of Oakland agreed to implement fifty-one police reforms.  These reforms included stopping racial profiling, and changing the way the Police Department investigates and disciplines rogue officers.

Now, after nine years, Judge Thelton Henderson is laying the groundwork for staging the first-ever court takeover of a city police department.  He sees the Oakland Police Department as “a force unto itself that defies civilian management.”

Or as a local attorney said:  “Every department has bad cops. It's what you do with those bad cops.”

Judge Henderson’s latest step has been to increase the authority of his police monitor, Robert Warshaw.  Warshaw is now able to petition the court to countermand specific orders from the Oakland police chief.

If this isn’t enough, let the court takeover begin.

And speaking of racial profiling, rogue cops and court takeovers:  Who ever thought you could get gunned down in the mean streets of a gated community in Florida?

A 17-year-old black male, Trayvon Martin, had been visiting his father and stepmother in The Retreat at Twin Lakes, a gated community near Orlando.  He was walking back to the house after going to a nearby convenience store.  While he was walking back, the gated community’s Neighborhood Watch captain, George Zimmerman, called 911 to report a suspicious person.

George Zimmerman then got in his car, drove up to where Trayvon Martin was walking and got out of his car to confront him.  By the time police arrived, Trayvon Martin had been shot to death by Zimmerman.

The only “weapons” Martin had were a bag of Skittles and a can of Arizona Iced Tea.

The article ends with “Zimmerman could not be reached for comment.”

WTF???  So this is how The Retreat at Twin Lakes cracks down on murderous rogue cops?  Nice work if you can get it — shoot somebody in cold blood and then sit at home and be unavailable for comment.