The results of the UC Davis task force regarding the pepper spray incident have been delayed again.
The task force, lead by California Supreme Court Associate Justice Cruz Reynoso, was supposed to announce the results of their investigation today at 3 p.m. However, a union representing UC campus police announced that they will be requesting a court order to stop the public release of the findings today.
“Due to the uncertainty created by this legal development, General Counsel has advised that any information relating to the Task Force Report or Kroll should not be released publicly by the University or individual members of the Task Force,” said Reynoso in a letter to the task force members.
Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi requested the task force on Nov. 21 and it was put together by UC President Mark Yudof.
Yudof said that he was working to make sure the results were released so that the UC Davis campus could move past the pepper spray incident.
“I am disappointed and I have asked the UC General Counsel’s office to do everything in its power in court to turn back this attempt to stifle these reports,” Yudof said in a press release.
━ Hannah Strumwasser
It is an outrage that this police union is blocking the report paid for with public funds— from being made known to the public. The offending officers are enjoying a lengthy paid vacation on taxpayers back. Interesting how we are not hearing from faculty and staff anymore including the previously very vocal rabble rousing ones—turns out they are uniionized too and stand together in solidarity–not with students, but now with police unions (and now are they all part of the cover up?) Will we all just let this go away–or will we demand answers? Who ordered or permitted this police misconduct, who did what to whom and who knew in advance.
This is disappointing. Though the police officers have a right to privacy to a certain extent, the public has a right to know the findings of this investigation. Ultimately this move by the officer’s union only serves to suppress the truth and to further damage whatever credibility the police have on this campus.