|
|
|
| |
|
Vol.
I No. 8 CHP Now Patrolling Westside By Charles Douglas
CHP officer Tom Dannerhall pulled over Eureka resident Indigo Mishad, which unnamed sources close to Mishad indicate was due to allegedly expired vehicle registration tags. These sources also indicate that Mishad, who is homeless, was merely coming down to the well-known vacant lot at Second and I Street to walk his dog in an area frequented by canine lovers, and these sources allege Mishad was told to “mind your ‘p’s and q’s’” because the CHP was now “here in force.” While the Humboldt Sentinel journalist taking photos of the incident was ordered by Dannerhall back to the other side of I Street in front of the publication’s office, the patrolman was willing to comment after releasing Mishad with a warning. “We’re looking for absolutely any violations at all and we will aggressive enforce vehicle codes and [city] ordinances,” Dannerhall said. “It’s a heck of a day to start this out but so far the weather is cooperating.” While Dannerhall defended the privacy rights of the suspect he had just released, he believed his presence would help to enhance the community instead of intimidate. “That’s how you meet people, you talk to them and find out who they are,” he said. Dannerhall insisted that CHPs presence isn’t a power grab against any local or county authorities. “The state isn’t here to take over things,” he said. “EPD has lost a lot of manpower, they have a lot of property crime. They need our help, it’s a part of doing our job.” Police Chief Dave Douglas agreed on Thursday, describing the CHP role as mostly self-initiated with some backup provided on service calls to EPD when needed. “There were the radio communication issues that were minor as far as we were formatting those, as well as a couple of paperwork issues in terms of how we do those, but otherwise they’re doing a great job,” he said. City Manager David Tyson said on Friday that he wasn’t certain about the level of CHP training on how they would enforce possibly unfamiliar Eureka Municipal Code sections, although their officers have attended briefings with City staff. “I know they are doing mostly traffic stops and if they come across something they are trained as sworn personnel to handle that,” he said. Tyson said the City had not run into the sort of jurisdictional issues that have bogged down the as-yet theoretical cooperation between the Arcata Police Department and the cops at Humboldt State University. “They have been working the Westside of Eureka as well as the Downtown and Old Town areas…to free up resources for our service calls,” he said. “It allows other officers to be more proactive instead of just responding to calls. It also provides a presence to address quality of life issues in the Westside area.” Concerns have been expressed, however, about the role of CHP in local
law enforcement by members of the Coalition for Police Review. While not
willing to go on the record as their group has not taken a position on
the subject, more than one CPR participant asked how a potential Police
Review Commission for Eureka would be able to monitor the conduct of what
is effectively a state police force in regards to law enforcement in the
city. The next meeting of CPR is on Wednesday Jan. 11, 6:00 p.m. at the
law office of Peter Martin on Third Street in Old Town. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2005-06, Humboldt Sentinel. All rights reserved. |
EUREKA
– The evidence presented itself right in front of the Humboldt
Sentinel office on Wednesday as the California Highway Patrol made
its first stop under a new agreement with the City of Eureka to provide
police services for a wide swath of Westside Eureka in cooperation with
the Eureka Police Department.