Time To Wise Up For The Palm Springs Police Officers Association

As the fallout from both the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases continues, passions are running high. People are out in the streets demonstrating their view that the system needs change. Many police officers and police unions are upset with what they feel are the public's lack of knowledge in the cases and police procedure. And among those unions is our local Palm Springs Police Officers Associatrion.

Of course, for the record the PSPOA as individuals or as a group have the right to express their viewpoints in the public arena. Equally as true is the right of any individual, to accept, refute or ignore those viewpoints. Wearing a badge may give one insight into some issues but certainly not all. Nor does it make any of the union's policy or political views sacrosanct or render them immune from criticism.

Now for the record, I like the PSPD. For the most part they are hard working investigators and do a lot to help the city. Many in the LBGT community rave about the relations between them and the police. But that does not give a pass to the PSPOA on a few recent disturbing events.

1.) The PSPOA is involved in a lawsuit against the Desert Sun about officer involved shootings and the release of the names of the officers involved. If the CHP can do this, why not the PSPOA? They will lose this suit but it is disturbing and the legal arguments expressed by PSPOA seem ludicrous.

2.) A recent posting was on the PSPOA Facebook page for at least 5 weeks. The "news" story was from toprightnews.com, a right wing conspiracy themed website. We learned that a crazy man killed by the NYPD after a gruesome hatchet incident may have been linked to ISIS. After I complained to the PSPOA President that the post was a joke from a tin foil site, he did look into it and after 3 more weeks it is gone. Still for a group that routinely calls the local paper "tabloid" when it dislikes unfavorable coverage, this was pretty stupid.

3.) The same PSPOA President recently posted on the Palm Springs Politics Facebook page. "What Ferguson Means For America's Cops." He claimed it was written by "Family and Friends Of Law Enforcement". That of course could not be further from the truth. The piece was authored by Bob Lonsberry, a far right talk show host in upstate NY. A Tea Party radical, Lonsberry is a real class act who sells a line of FUBO clothing wear. Barack Obama is the last part of the acronym. You can guess the first. I have to say or at least I hope to think  that this was posted due to the laziness of the PSPOA President which resulted in his failure to vet the post properly.

Opposing views and discourse are part and parcel in our society. But it is very hard to hold a civil or frank discussion about issues with a group  who either by ignorance or accident have chosen to align themselves with a foul mouthed buffoon and a conspiracy website. Their input has zero credibility.

Many a police officer has counseled a youth by saying that they need to stop hanging out with the "Wrong crowd". My advice to the PSPOA and it's leadership is similar. Wise up and stop hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Now I may be attacked for not supporting the police. So be it. There are some things that just have to be said.

Steve Kelly is on KPTR 1450 Weekdays from 4 to 6p.