PLATFORM : Nothing Will Change

This report will soon be forgotten. It will collect dust along with studies such as those conducted by the Kerner Commission and the McCone Commission. We’re not likely to have a solution to this problem unless there is an incident involving deputies similar to the Rodney King beating, a development that galvanizes public opinion and forces Sheriff (Sherman) Block to resign.

The vast majority of the population is not concerned because they don’t have unpleasant contact with sheriff’s deputies. Those most affected by the brutality are the disenfranchised. The discipline system at the Sheriff’s Department is deficient. There is a built-in desire to resolve any conflict in favor of the deputies. I know that their method of evaluating complaints is skewed in favor of deputies and that there is no honest effort to objectively assess the evidence.

There is a need for an independent prosecutor for brutality cases. The district attorney--no matter how much he seeks to prosecute these cases--is unable to do so because of a conflict of interest. The conflict exists because the prosecutor must rely on law enforcement and law enforcement must rely on the prosecutor. I don’t expect any major reforms. The bottom line: Nothing will change.