Fact Checking The Palm Springs Police Officers Association Again

After a brief hiatus out of the public eye, the Palm Springs Police Officers Association (PSPOA) returned to public media with a fallacious analogy to an LAPD story last week. Unfortunately, reportage by Megan Terlecky of KESQ was not complete in that it left out germain facts.

The report involved 2 LAPD officers who shot to death a homeless man on skid row. The 2 officers were victims of a new practice called "Doxxing". This means their names and addresses were put on line as well as where their children go to school. This was clearly wrong and should be illegal.

But on the KESQ report, William Hutchinson the head of the PSPOA said this justified the PSPOA's restraining order against the city releasing the names of cops in Officer Involved Shootings or OIS. This lawsuit currently involves the Desert Sun. The Desert Sun and in particular reporter Brett Kelman and editor Greg Burton have stood up to the bullying tactics of the PSPOA. (Full disclosure, I have had to block William Hutchinson from my Facebook account because of his vituperative comments on my posts. Many having to do with the now disgraced Ferguson, Missouri PD.)

Let it be known that I understand as much as the PSPOA does about the safety of Law Enforcement and their families. My father was a 23 year veteran of the FBI and an expert on the Mafia. His badge and his commendation from Attorney General RFK hang in my office. So yes growing up there was a sense of insecurity However we were  even listed in the phone book!! This is a different era so maybe a law against doxxing is necessary.

But comparing the disclosure of OIS to doxxing is not accurate.

1;) The recent article highlighting PSPD Officers Chad Nordem and Michael Heron and the shooting of Corporal Allen DeVillana in 2012 was based on information from the Riveriside County DA's office, not subject to any legal restraint and certainly not doxxing.

2.) If someone shot by a PSPOA member or their survivors chooses to exercise a civil remedy, the officers names will be disclosed in any lawsuit. No restraining order will apply.

3.) If a reporter finds out through sources, trying to stop publication of the names of the OIS involved will become a legal fight that will be very hard for the PSPOA to win. 

What also makes it interesting in this case is the PSPOA's choice of venue. One of Megan's fellow on air personalities is married to a PSPOA member. When the PSPOA attacked PS Councilman Lee Weigel viciously 4 years ago, the only venue they went on was with this person. The PSPOA has recently stated that it wants to have its own "media forum". I wonder if Channel 2 and 3 are it.

The safety of Officers and their employers the general public must always be a high priority. If the CHP and other law enforcement agencies can disclose OIS names in a regulated manner, the PSPOA can work to achieve that as well. To throw up side issues such as doxxing will ultimately not serve any constructive purpose but rather are a temporary sideshow.

Steve Kelly can be heard weekdays from 4p to 6p PDT on 1450 KPTR or on I Heart Radio.