Police Official Acknowledges ‘Polarization’

“Some polarization” has developed recently between San Diego police officers and the minority community in Southeast San Diego, but the Police Department has not forgotten its commitment to “treating everyone with human dignity,” a ranking police administrator said Friday.

Assistant Police Chief Robert Burgreen, the department’s No. 2 man, conceded that relations between the department and blacks living in inner-city neighborhoods have eroded since the March 31 shooting death of Officer Thomas Riggs.

However, Burgreen discounted the explosiveness of the situation, saying, “I see the overall mood as . . . constructive rather than destructive.”

Burgreen was among police administrators and city officials present Thursday night at an emotion-filled community meeting at Lincoln High School during which dozens of residents angrily recounted instances that suggest a recent rise in police abuses.

More than 400 people attended the meeting. Some urged that the city establish a citizens’ review board to more closely supervise the Police Department.

Burgreen said he was encouraged because the complaints, while often “vociferous,” were not mixed with “threats and name calling.”

“I was also impressed by the size of the turnout,” Burgreen said. “It showed me there is a lot of interest, particularly in the black community, as to the condition of community relations. . . . There are perceptions that black people are not always treated with human dignity by our officers.”

Burgreen said he plans to discuss those perceptions Monday with Police Chief Bill Kolender, who was in Sacramento and did not attend Thursday’s community meeting.

“How are we going to address these concerns? I’m not prepared to discuss that at this point,” Burgreen said. “But it is a given with our chief that we are committed to treating everyone with human dignity.”

Instances of police brutality and excessive force in Southeast San Diego have skyrocketed since Riggs’ death, according to black leaders. They contend that officers on the street have informally adopted a “get tough” policy against blacks, in large measure because the man accused of killing Riggs, Sagon Penn, is black.

For many in San Diego’s black community, Penn, 23, has become a symbol of what they regard as a pattern of police oppression. Some witnesses to Riggs’ killing have said that Penn, who remains in jail awaiting trial in the case, was provoked and beaten by officers who forced him to defend himself.

While not specifically mentioning alleged police abuses against blacks, Burgreen said he could understand the sentiments of officers upset over Riggs’ death. He said he also was sympathetic to the frustrations felt within the black community.

“On the one hand, we have a dead officer who was a friend to many and valued member of the Police Department,” Burgreen said. “On the other hand, we have a young man whose future is in doubt who was seen by many as a rising star. It has caused some polarization that is going to have to be worked on.”

Councilman William Jones, whose 4th District includes all of Southeast San Diego and who attended Thursday night’s meeting, said Friday that he hopes this month to make public his own report on ways to improve police-community relations. One way may be to form a citizens’ review board, he said.

“There have always been cases of reported police misconduct,” Jones said. “There is not one solution alone that will solve the problem.”