Police Chief Harassing Journalist in Berkeley…What next?

First, it was Berkeley Campus police using unnecessary force on students peacefully protesting. Then UC Davis Police attack peacefully (sitting) protesters with Pepper Spray. Now Berkeley Police Chief Mike Meehan dispatches a police officer to the home of Journalist Doug Oakley to force changes to an on-line editorial. Was this harassment and intimidation by the Chief? Of course, it was, as the matter could have easily been handled over the phone, by the Chief himself during normal business hours, or do what most people do these days and post a response on-line outing the error in the article. Furthermore, by no means was the matter a police emergency necessitating a police response to Mr. Oakley’s home.

Rest assured if a journalist or student showed up at Mr. Meehan’s home in the middle of the night demanding action be taken on some police matter, this person surely would have been arrested, possibly tasered, peppered sprayed or physically subdued.

Ironically, the article that Chief Meehan disagreed with was related to the death of Berkeley resident, Peter Cukor due to questionable response by the Berkeley Police Department. Chief Meehan has attempted to blame the Occupy Movement for problems that occurred on the evening of Mr. Cukor’s death. However, now, Chief Meehan diverts valuable Berkeley Police assets to address a personal concern of a self-serving nature. His actions are the pinnacle of self-contradiction, as the police department he oversees was unable to divert an officer to Mr. Cukor’s home in a timely manner to address an actual citizen’s report and request for police assistance that resulted in a murder. As far as we know, all police calls were responded to while Chief Meehan dispatched an officer to Mr. Oakley's home.

Only after the story came to light regarding Chief Meehan misuse of police assets, did he apologize to Mr. Oakley. However, Chief Meehan refuses to acknowledge that the failures of his police force on the night of Mr. Cukor's death were in anyway his responsibility or that of the Police Department he oversees. It would appear that Chief Meehan’s attempt to spin blame for Mr. Cukor’s death on the Occupy Movement is now completely moot. If Chief Meehan has the power to divert police assets for personal matters that are by no means public serve & protect issues, and later apologizes for doing so. Then by logic, he would also be just as responsible for the failure to divert police assets when citizens of the community he is hired to protect & serve need those services.

It would now appear that Officers of the Berkeley Police Department also strongly disagree with Chief Meehan’s actions and leadership. They apparently feel he is playing politics at the expense of the department’s reputation in an effort to further his career and personal image. The officer who was ordered to Mr. Oakley’s home last week has admitted being very embarrassed in having to do so. She has since hired an attorney to address the matter. It also appears a formal complaint from Berkeley police officers may be in the works, as Chief Meehan’s actions would appear to be in violation of police policies which have certain required consequences. Those consequences do not appear to have been enforced on Chief Meehan. This raises legitimate questions of a double standard within the ranks of the Berkeley Police Department. Further, despite an initial attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet, an investigation has apparently been ordered by the City of Berkeley.

Mr. Oakley has indicated he will not file any claims against the City of Berkeley, though there are reporters, bloggers, and many from the Occupy Movement who feel Mr. Oakley should file a claim to assure the message is clearly heard, harassment and intimidation of journalist will not be tolerated, especially in Berkeley where the Free Speech Movement has a deep foundation.

We at the Back Story can only speculate about why Mr. Oakley feels a claim is not merited, though it is possible he believes his journalistic rights will be a much more powerful form of justice in exposing further wrongdoing by Chief Meehan and his Police Department then any protracted legal claims regarding violations of his constitutional rights.