Ann Polivka's LTE

New details in pair of police shootings On-line newspaper Chico-Sol and investigative reporter Dave Waddell recently published a 3-part series revealing disturbing new details of the officer-involved shootings of Tyler Rushing and Desmond Phillips in 2017… reports and videos which Chico Police Department and DA Ramsey had been withholding for four years, only now releasing under threat of lawsuit, and pressured by Public Record Act requests. As a long-time Chico resident, and Butte County Public Health Nurse Practitioner, I’m appalled by CPD and Ramsey’s lack of response to requests for information, withholding evidence, unresolved factual discrepancies, and unsubstantiated claims in these cases. The investigations of these shootings were severely criticized by a leading U.S. expert on police use of force, Seth Stoughton. He noted “significant factual discrepancies” in official accounts of Tyler’s killing. He described Ramsey’s investigation of Desmond’s case as incompetent. July 23, 2017, CPD officers, a Deputy Sheriff, and his offleash canine went for Tyler, already seriously wounded . Using the “medical rescue” pretext, they “sic”ed the biting dog, choked, shot … finally tased Tyler, as he lay face down in blood, dying. His weapons?… a pen, a piece of broken toilet, which had no deterrent effect whatsoever on his attackers. The Rushings are appealing for a jury trial. More information: chicosol. org, www.cc4jchico.org Sign petition: https://sign. moveon.org/p/LicensedToKill — Ann Polivka, Chico