An Open Letter From Redwood Curtain Copwatch

This is a guest post from my good friends at Redwood Curtain Copwatch concerning the abysmal behavior of the EPD and the Harassment of our friend and fellow community member Shannon Hodgson.

From Redwood Curtain CopWatch. Redwood Curtain CopWatch can be reached at (707) 633-4493 or at copwatchrwc@riseup.net. Here is a link to the PDF of this letter: https://app.box.com/s/rx8wt8ojag05auenyxkf


November 29, 2013
RE: Harassment By Eureka Sergeant Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez
Open Letter To Eureka Police Chief Mills,
It has come to our attention that on or about Wednesday, November 27, 2013- one day before
Thanksgiving- Mr. Shannon Hodgdson was unfairly targeted and told to “get out of town” by Eureka
Police Sergeant Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez. Mr. Hodgdson was on the corner of V and 5th Streets in
Eureka, holding a sign (asking for help), which is constitutionally protected activity.1 Officer Sanchez
drove up in his patrol car and told Mr. Hodgdson that he better get off that corner and he'd better get out
of town. This is wholly inappropriate behavior. The intended and actual intimidation and the inherent
threat in Officer Sanchez' actions is not only unprofessional, inappropriate, and unethical, it is also
unlawful. Officer Sanchez violates a person's civil rights by seriously discouraging their exercise of
Constitutional rights. The blatant and serious discouragement of Mr. Hodgdson's exercise of his rights
by Officer Sanchez, or any officer, must cease. Mr. Hodgdson was not breaking any laws or blocking
any passage, nor was his first amendment expression triggering any lawful restrictions by the
government. As you must know, the government is prohibited from controlling or restricting the
content of a person's speech, except in very rare instances, and cannot impede a person's right to travel
or simply exist in a public space. This was not a rare instance wherein government may restrict a
person's expression, and Officer Sanchez has no authority to “order” or intimidate Mr. Hodgdson “out
of town.” While Mr. Hodgdson was behaving lawfully, Officer Sanchez was not.
Mr. Hodgdson observed another Eureka Officer in the vehicle, who did nothing to stop Officer Sanchez
from threatening Mr. Hodgdson and chilling the exercise of his rights. While we are disappointed that
another Eureka police officer would not fulfill his mandate to stop misconduct and/or civil rights
violations by another officer in his presence, we are not surprised. The Eureka Police Department
(EPD) has a history of covering up, and even encouraging, disregard for peoples' rights, abuse and
crimes against vulnerable people with little means to challenge them, routine civil rights violations,
cruelty, and gratuitous physical and verbal violence by its officers. Officer Sanchez is one of the
primary perpetrators of such depravity and violative behavior against the people of Eureka. If the other
officer, a complicit witness to Officer Sanchez' unlawful actions, had been you, we would hope that
you'd have intervened on behalf of Mr. Hodgdson's civil rights.
Unfortunately, threatening a person who is simply holding a non-commercial sign on public property is
a common practice of Officer Sanchez. We ask that you hold this officer accountable by, at a
minimum, commanding him to stop such abusive behavior.
We are seriously concerned for Mr. Hodgdson's safety, given the inherent threat made by Officer
Sanchez against him and Mr. Hodgdson's vulnerability as a houseless Eureka resident. Officer Sanchez
should be admonished from telling anyone that they must leave town, something that we know he has
also told other people. Evidently, Officer Sanchez believes that he has the authority to tell people that
they are “better off dead,” that “no one will miss you if I shoot you in the back of the head” (true
quotes), and that they cannot be on public property. This abusive conduct by Sanchez is often
witnessed and even emulated by the officers around him. Throughout our years of observing Officer
Sanchez and documenting hundreds of experiences by members of the public involving this officer, we
1 Mr. Hodgdson's activity is protected by the U.S. and California Constitutions. Please see September 21, 2012
Humboldt County Superior Court Ruling/Order regarding the unconstitutionality of Arcata's “aggressive panhandling”
ordinance. http://www.scribd.com/doc/107095113/Arcata-s-panhandling-ordinance
understand that he not only feels emboldened to intimidate and hurt people, but he seeks applause and
glorification for his bullying behavior. By any civilized standard of decency and community
protection, Officer Sanchez' attitude and record of abuse should be, at a minimum, grounds for his
removal from the EPD and for a ban on him owning or carrying weapons.
We do not want Mr. Hodgdson harmed or again threatened by Sanchez. This letter should serve as an
heads-up in the event that Mr. Hodgdson disappears, is arrested on dubious charges, or is found
seriously injured, we will have every reason to suspect Officer Sanchez (or someone acting on behalf
of him, EPD, or other local "law enforcement.") That being said, we much prefer that you (and each
entity to which this letter is going) protect Mr. Hodgdson and all similarly situated residents against any
further abuse, threats, and/or violence from Officer Sanchez and other EPD officers. Mr. Hodgdson
does not intend to leave town and should not be intimidated from exercising his basic constitutional
rights.
Please be sure that your officers know that retaliation for this letter (or any other complaint) is not only
illegal, but also unacceptable in your department.
Given that this county's poverty level is highest in the state, we hope that you begin your tenure as
Chief of Police making clear to your officers that harassing poor people is unacceptable on your watch.
Sincerely,
Redwood Curtain CopWatch
cc: Eureka City Council
Eureka City Attorney, Cyndy Day-Wilson
Eureka City Clerk, Pamela Powell
Civil Liberties Monitoring Project
Civil Liberties Defense Center
Peoples' Action for Rights and Community
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
District Attorney, Paul Gallegos
Humboldt County Human Rights Commission
Editor, North Coast Journal
Editor, Times-Standard
Editor, Greenfuse Publication
Tracy Rain, Attorney at Law
Peter Martin, Attorney at Law

D. O. A. A.P. B. A. T. C. O. A.G.

Days of Action Against Police Brutality and the Criminalization of Youth for the acronym impaired like myself. October 22nd and 23rd every year we put on an action to stand in solidarity with thousands of groups around the nation and the world. October 22nd is the national Day of Action, we add the 23rd in remembrance of Chris Burgess a young man criminalized by the system at age 10 and murdered by the police just a few short years later on October 23rd. With the help of many dedicated volunteers we held an action lasting 36 hours, serving hundreds of meals, covering almost every neighborhood in Eureka at one point in time. We had a live concert in Carson park as we dined on wonderful vegan vittles by candle light under the grape arbor.

Fighting Back

If you haven't been paying attention the police state has been out in force. The CHPiglets shot peaceful protesters with rubber bullets and tried to throw them from trees. Fair Warning the video is upsetting to watch.


Here are some events to help with the struggle. They are willing to risk lives and kill ancient trees and the town of Willits for 10 fucking minutes.

1 Down

The Mayor thinks I should be ashamed of myself for standing up for my civil rights. Murl Harpham could barely remember his own name but I misidentified the name of a cop and I was pure evil. I corrected that error before proceeding and dismissed my case against the misidentified individual by the way. They claimed we had no community support. Hundreds of people were coming to rallies at Occupy Eureka in October and November. It was police repression that shrank the crowds over time.When a segment of the population held a counter protest we out numbered them 3 to 1. The case has been, "Taken under advisement" and I will hear within the next 30 days. I don't care what the commissioner says in the end. We have already won. We have stood up to an evil repressive regime and said no more. You cannot treat us as serfs we are free people. We have stood together. More then 15 months after the fact people are still coming to support our actions and testify to the wrongs done by the city and by the criminal thieves and killers of the Eureka police department. I am honored to have taken part in the action at Occupy Eureka with comrades such as these. It is the Mayor and the Chief of Police that should hang their heads in shame.
We are not done. Not done fighting this evil regime or fighting for our rights in court. The morning of the 19th of February at 8:30 am Verbena will be proceeding with her civil rights cases. I look forward to seeing you all there.
ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE
James Decker.

Days Of Action

I took part in the National Days of Action Against Police Brutality and the Criminalization of a Generation.

We began at Sunrise on Monday by remembering those killed by the police here in the county of Humboldt. It was shocking to see how many graves the fascists have filled.

We gathered at the Gazebo in Old Town. Food, Music and fellowship followed. Baked blue potatoes and broccoli were on the menu in the rain.

The rain intensified and so did our resolve.

We moved in the rain to EPD and Angie told the bastards what we thought of them.

From there we marched on city hall and I ran my big mouth for a bit.

In Eureka we marched to Cesar Chavez park to have a meal and dry off a bit under a huge tarp our comrade Jack rigged up. We lit candles and feasted. We sang to our favorite "Granny". Martha celebrated her birthday with us with a delicious vegan cake.

In Eureka we call it the days of action and march through the city to remember Chris Burgess, a young man shot down by the EPD on the 23rd of October. In the morning we served breakfast at city hall.

We ended our Action with a little food at Highland Park and parted with this chant.