‘Siege Mentality’ Toward Public Noted : Changes in Police Training Sought

Acknowledging that San Diego police have developed a “siege mentality” in response to citizen complaints in recent years, a joint police-citizen task force has proposed a comprehensive revamping of the department’s human relations training program to help officers deal better with the public.

Deputy Police Chief Norm Stamper, chairman of the Task Force on Human Relations Training, announced the group’s findings Wednesday to the City Council Public Services and Safety Committee. The 14-member task force recommended a program in which all departmental personnel--from patrol officers to the chief--would receive instruction on proper police conduct and values.

The task force was established in July to implement the findings of a Citizens’ Advisory Board on Police-Community Relations. The advisory board had been formed in October, 1985, after a rash of citizen complaints of abusive behavior by police, particularly toward black San Diegans.

In September the City Council approved the revamping of the human relations training program in concept, but delayed final approval until the task force worked out the details of the revisions. The Public Services and Safety Committee voted, 4-0, Wednesday to approve the specific recommendations and allocate $500,000 to fund the new training program. The final proposal will be considered by the full council next month.

Stamper said the new training program consists of four phases, each directed at a different level of the department’s hierarchy.

- Training at the police academy will be restructured to give recruits greater contact with the public and with active-duty police officers. Curriculum at the academy will place greater emphasis on officer safety, cultural awareness and cultural literacy.

Active-duty officers and detectives will also be given courses on cultural awareness and cultural literacy, as well as the citizen complaint process and the issues of equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment in the work place.

- Sergeants and lieutenants, who comprise the department’s middle management, will be trained in the department’s philosophy and expectations, and in how to handle conflicts between those expectations and reality. They will also be encouraged to become more involved with community groups.

- Members of the department’s highest echelon, from the rank of captain up to the chief of police, will participate in a workshop to evaluate whether police procedures reflect “the values articulated by the task force.” Before the workshop, as part of their training, these officers will solicit public opinion by walking the city’s neighborhoods and talking with those who deal with beat officers.

Stamper said the training reforms represent the department’s attempt to respond to public criticism stemming from allegations of police abuses in Southeast San Diego as well as questions of administrative improprieties uncovered during the recent ticket-fixing scandal.

“We have admitted to ourselves that over the last two years we’ve had a tendency to have a siege mentality,” Stamper said. “In response to the Sagon Penn incident and other traumatic incidents we’ve had a tendency to circle the wagons and become defensive. . . . Now, we’re trying to create the future rather than just react to events.”

(Sagon Penn was acquitted in June of murdering a San Diego police officer and attempted murder in the shooting of a second officer. The jury, which leaned toward acquittal on other charges, did not reach a verdict on manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and attempted murder of a civilian riding along in the police car. Witnesses testified during the trial that officers attacked Penn and used racial slurs.)

Although he said most police officers are “excited” about the new training program, Stamper agreed that it will not be a panacea.

“Training is never the answer to all administrative concerns or all community concerns,” Stamper said. “Once (officers) get out on the streets, away from the influence of instruction, things change.”

Councilman William Jones, in whose district many of the citizen complaints originated, was not at Wednesday’s committee meeting. However, Jones aide Barry Schultz said the councilman supports the reforms.

“William is satisfied with the program,” Schultz said. “He says the report really identifies a lot of the problem areas. However, some problem areas remain. . . . I think it would be inappropriate to think that this human relations program is going to solve all the problems that caused the citizens advisory board to be formed.”