ARE THEY REALLY FOR YOU?

A Letter to Skid Row
By Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph

I have maintained my silence on this issue for a long time.  But I just cannot take it any longer.  There are groups in the Skid Row area that claim to be for the homeless, but they are truly for exploiting them.

Since I became a Senior Lead Officer (SLO), this group and other alike groups have fought us tooth and nail over crime prevention in Skid Row.  They have been allowed to tell lies, and use racial and homophobic language against officers and myself who patrol the Skid Row area.  Moreover, when the police officers respond to them, even in a respectful manner, they run down to Central Station, and encourage others to follow suit in filing false complaints.

I am for residents filing righteous complaints against officers who treat them poorly.  If you do not believe me, then just ask the staff members of the Volunteers of America (VOA).  The VOA called me when an officer and a sergeant responded to their location when they (VOA) needed assistance and were treated in a disrespectful manner by the officer, who neglected to do his duty.  When I discovered this, I was very upset and personally initiated a complaint on those officers.  But the activist group will not tell you about that.

I do not consider enforcing laws, whether it is for jaywalking or murder, as harassment.  If you ask honest members of the Skid Row community, it is long overdue.   Yet, if an officer while conducting his or her enforcement is righteously disrespectful or cruel to any member of the community, it should be dealt with.

Now I am the first to admit that police officers are not perfect people. At Central Division thre are 400 officers doing the best job they can to police 45,000 human beings living in a 4.5-square mile radius, and the hundreds of thousands who come to visit, work and shop in the downtown area.  In doing so, one must realize that our job is as unpredictable as humanity is, and that no two situations are the same in this Division.

At no time in my tenure of policing Skid Row did I ever feel that I was above the people I serve, because I am no better than you are.  I just have a greater responsibility.  Yet, I shall never apologize for being tough on crime in Skid Row because for years, I have observed my people in this area destroy one another, via drug addiction, alcohol abuse, gang crimes, drug sales, and violence.  I truly want to see this change, because I do believe in the good in all of you, and desperately want to bring that out in this community before I leave.

It concerns me that this group truly wants Skid Row to go right back to where it was before, with people overdosing and slowly dying on the sidewalks, so they can continue to paint pictures of your pain to their donors, without seeing one bit of improvement in your lives.

I honestly could care less about the ramifications of writing this letter to you.  I am fed up with the lies of this group who has witnessed me testify to keep the Single Room Occupancy programs functioning in Skid Row.  They were aware of my speaking on behalf of the Union Rescue Mission’s (URM) efforts to place women and children in a better place where they can truly benefit from the URM’s services.

Their tactics are solely designed to keep the lines of communications and understanding between Central police officers and the Skid Row community closed, so that chaos will continue to reign in Skid Row.  Why, because that is how they get their funding.  If we make the streets safe here, they will not be able to profit from people’s pain.  Poverty is a business to groups like the ones that I speak of.

On top of exploiting poverty for funding, their hypocrisies remain boundless.  I have observed members of these groups selling knives to homeless people and pornography on the sidewalks where women and children walk.  Community members have also advised me of one of their members selling single cans of beer to drunk men in the area.  They preach against racism and sexism, but I had a very interesting conversation with one of their members who used homophobic slurs against a man he believed “snitched” on him.  I have the proof.

As I stated many times before, I do not care what anyone thinks of me, but I do care about every one on Skid Row.  So, love me or hate me, I am going to continue to try and make it safe for you because it is my job.  I refuse to let activism or politics hinder me from doing that job.  Whether Safer Cities Initiative stays forever or leaves tomorrow, I will still continue doing what I feel is right within the law, regardless of the tactics of activist groups, and the powerful law firms that back them.

Look at what is occurring in Skid Row, today.  Skid row is safer now, and the activist groups had nothing to do with it.  When juveniles were coming into the area and brutalizing the elderly and handicapped right in front of their office, they sat back and watched, and said nothing about it. 
I asked for their assistance in talking to these kids and referring them to programs because I did not want to “criminalize” these kids as they say, and because this group appeared to be bold enough to do so.

For the record, I must state that not all of the members of this group are of the same caliber as their leadership.  Few of them are very caring people with whom I have met and prayed with. 
If those members' influence was stronger than the majority of this group, just imagine what we could do for people on Skid Row.

With these truths, one must truly ask if this group is really for you or not.  As for Central Division, whether you think we care or not.  Whether you think we are here for gentrification or not, we have a duty to stop the lawlessness that has ravaged the quality of life in this area for decades, and will continue to do so.

If I have to verbally battle with this group at every meeting, I do not mind, because, it is worth fighting over to create a positive relationship between the people of Skid Row and Los Angeles Police Department Central Division.

Now who is this group I speak of?  It is kind of hard to say.  There are several groups that operate down here.  But they will probably be the group running down to make a complaint about this letter of truth.  Somehow they forget that police officers are not excluded from
the 1st Amendment Right to the Constitution privileges, and I will take full advantages of that right whenever they try to slander the leadership and the frontline of this Department, that is truly making a difference.

Sincerely,

From your SLO Deon Joseph, Serial No. 32511

Comments

[Erin]

Deon - thank you for speaking up; refreshing honesty. I don't know you, but having had the privilege and honor to be part of the skid row community for over 2 years now, we need community members like yourself with the heart and sensitivity, integrity and service-minded efforts toward excellence for the common good. More people ready to build authentic community and unity. Amidst the brokenness, you recognize your own brokenness - thank you. Like many trying to get back on their feet and not lose hope, you do not despair or cynicism, instead you walk towards health, wholeness, well-being, and hope - all while believing this for our neighbors. Continue to spread the compassion.

May you and all of us always believe that we are never better than our neighbors. May we always believe the best in each other and hope for each other. May we always acknowledge the potential good and inspiration the other may bring today. May poverty never become a business that is unwilling to go out of business, donor addiction become too great that the cause and mission is never revisted for relevancy, and personal interest override the betterment of all society members.

[Bill]

I don't know the facts of the matter, but your commitment and dedication comes through loud and clear. LAPD is lucky to have you on board, and we are lucky to have you at LAPD.

[juststartover]

You've got one heck of a tough, thankless job. I pray that when you finish your shift you are able to go home, love your family and separate yourself from the tragedy and misery that you see every day. We are no good to anyone if we let that misery consume us.

[Loves LA LEOs]

For the good you have done, for the good you have yet to do, I thank you. You are the change we needed; you make a difference just by being Deon Joseph. I'm glad you are in my world. Your life matters to me. When my grandsons struggle with issues related to being black men in America, they can take heart by the example you set. When they want to know the quintessential meaning of the words "adult" and "hero"they can look to hundreds of Law Enforcement Officers in Los Angeles County; real men and women of all races working hand in glove for the betterment of the world. Anyone reading this, please pray for the officers in Hawthorne who are being vilified by fools like the ones Officer Joseph describes. They will have the physical and emotional scars of a terribly traumatic incident with them for a lifetime. They should not have to deal with race baiters and police haters, too, but unfortunately that is the focus the media promotes by giving air time to jackals taking advantage of a mother's grief and pain. In time I am sure that mom will be grateful that the officers were able to save her grandchild. Stay safe, Officer Joseph.

[Grade F]

I'll second Bill. And thank you, Ofcr Joseph, for doing your job with this kind of passion and for taking the extra step to communicate so effectively with the public.

[ron]

All of the homeless that left L.A. have come to Santa Monica. You can't go into a store or fast food place without having someone ask you for change. When you read to SMDP (NEWSPAPER) on Friday's they have a crime watch section that gives a description of crimes that people were arrested for 95% of the crime are by homeless.

[Anthony]

Im sorry to say but the department is asking for this type of thing, for its unfair complaint system. They just dont understand. The leaders on the department are in denial as to what the cops out there have to put up with. This complaint system is reflective of that. They want cops to be gentle, caring and helpful to people, and that is fine and the way it should be. But i don't understand this complaint system where anythings goes even if there is no misconduct. These leaders are in denial. They should investigate real misconduct but at the same time good cops are getting false complaints that countless man hours are wasted being investgated. They are in denial. They are not encouraging citizens to come forward to complain about real misconduct, they are encouraging criminals to come forward to make false complaints against good hard working cops. This is demoralizing and a morale flusher to cops. Sure they will overcome it and go back out on the street to do their job. But i have seen numerous street cops who have been hard working men and women get benched by this department soley because they had to many unfounded complaints.
The so-called leaders need to wake up, get out of denial as to what real cops face everyday and support their men and woman out their. How quickly they forget what it is like, and just to support the citizen out there they say any complaint goes. Well support your cops, be a leader and do the fair thing. Investigate real misconduct and trash the "lets get back at the cops complaints". Be a leader!!

[anthony sullivan]

nice job we post something and then u take it of the first pade of the blog site!!

[anthony sullivan]

Hey LT why dont u email me so we can discuss why oure(us officers)blogs are not being posting or are put on the back burner. This is rediculous.. Other blogs take about 20 secs to post or almost immediately. I know u might have to review the blogs but if u were truely a post all blog it would not take days to post. Get some help and post our blogs. Email me if care to talk..but i dont think u will..
Anthony

[Loves LA LEOs]

Happy Birthday Officer Joseph!!!!!!!!!!!