The ugly truth of police brutality and piss poor excuses

Unchecked police brutality is real in Guam and our governor and chief of police are dressing up that ugliness in a sequin mestiza they hope no one will notice.

The problem is that if we remain quiet about this reality, it will grow and a time will come when the viral video of a dirty cop on Guam killing an innocent civilian all in the name of testosterone will end up on the news marquis of Times Square.

Throughout the Lou Leon Guerrero administration several viral videos depicting police officers assaulting civilians in their custody, and several more complaints of police brutality have all ended in silence from Guam Police Department and the governor who has direct oversight of its operations. Every time there is a public outcry, chief of police Stephen Ignacio holds a news conference or an interview, proclaims he will open a thorough investigation, and then nothing.

Several times – thanks in part to the media’s failure to follow up – there has been no word about the outcome of these internal affairs investigations. And only when reporters dog Mr. Ignacio and his office – and only after several requests for information – has the police chief ever provided follow up information.

This is the summary of that information: ‘The investigation has been completed and because this is a personnel matter, we cannot disclose anything further.’

Really? There is no public interest to be satisfied here? This so-called ‘personnel matter’ immunity from the Sunshine Act of 1986, amended in 1999, overrides the public’s right to know whether you are holding your officers accountable for their use of police force?

Taki lalo.

Bob Klitzkie, the host of Tall Tales on The Point, and an attorney and former jurist, has explained many times how the government of Guam’s interpretation of the transparency laws is flawed and should be challenged.

Shane Healy of the Guam Daily Post recently reported that Mr. Ignacio confirmed investigations into two recent police brutality cases has been completed. Guess what he said next?

I’ll take “This is a personnel matter” for $1,000, Alex.

It’s the Daily Double!

The first investigation was into an incident a few months ago caught on surveillance camera of four police officers continuously beating a man who had not resisted their apprehension. The man, Joshua Taitano, sustained severe damage to his eye. In the viral video, he was wearing a motorcycle helmet.

The second investigation was into an unnamed cop who allegedly shoved a table into the breast of an elderly woman, causing an immediate seizure and physical, emotional, and mental harm to this day.

That woman, Veronica Patao, confirmed with Kandit she was never notified about the completion of the investigation. She learned about it from the Post article.

You’re a real gentleman, Stephen Ignacio. Mes Chamorro is in a few months. Might want to have some of your people brush up on that whole ‘respect your elders’ thing we’ve got going on in our culture.

This is not a personnel matter. This is a police brutality problem. And if Stephen Ignacio is not forced to tell the public how he has handled this problem, then how is the public supposed to hold leaders accountable for the disposition of this problem?

Are we supposed to blindly trust the police to police the police? With their track record of blunders? Red Jeeps, anyone? Ray Tenorio?

If we don’t have our day in the court of public opinion on this matter, then Stephen Ignacio and everyone under him and after him can continue covering up the misdeeds of their fellow officers with absolute impunity, having confidence they never will be held accountable for their violation of Americans’ rights in this little piece of America.

If there is any issue of transparency Governor Lou Leon Guerrero needs to get a hold of immediately, it is this. “It’s a personnel matter,” is a piss poor excuse for police brutality and a piss poor record for Stephen Ignacio and Lou Leon Guerrero to have.