On Wednesday, the results of the Reynoso Task Report were released to the public.
The report was jarring and provided much-needed information about the pepper spray incident on Nov. 18.
The most disturbing part of this report was the administration’s failure to communicate with and understand students. The report provides examples that suggest the administration did not and does not understand the needs of the students. We don’t merely recommend that this change; we demand it.
The report suggested that administrators had no real evidence to back up their concern that there were outside agitators involved in the tents on campus. Administrators cited this issue as a main reason for removing the tents, showing that the removal of the tents was completely unnecessary and the entire pepper spray incident could have been avoided.
The report clearly outlined the incompetence of the UC Davis Police Department. It was clear that there was a blatant lack of communication among the officers and the police chief, with evidence showing that officers disobeyed orders. This information further discredits the UCDPD and adds to the mistrust between students and police officers on campus.
The report also stated that the type of pepper spray used was not the pepper spray that UCDPD is supposed to carry, and that there is no evidence that any UCDPD officers have ever been trained to use this pepper spray. This is more than disturbing; it’s illegal.
The task force provided recommendations for the campus, the UCDPD and the administration. These recommendations are valuable; however, it will be difficult to make sure that the administration follows through. It is our job as students, faculty and community members to ensure that the administration, UCDPD and the campus adhere to these recommendations and make the necessary changes needed in order to avoid another event like the pepper spray incident.
Many of the individuals and groups indicated as responsible for the pepper spray incident may now be able to wash their hands of the incident, and we as a campus still do not have any concrete way to hold them accountable in the future.
According to the task force, “The pepper spraying incident that took place on November 18, 2011 should and could have been prevented.”
But we didn’t need a report to tell us that.
