CHP: Plainclothes officer justified in drawing gun at protesters during Oakland melee

[Newsjock]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

The California Highway Patrol has concluded a plainclothes officer acted within department policy when he drew his gun and pointed it at protesters during a melee at a December anti-police brutality protest.

The unnamed officer was found to be justified for drawing his gun after his partner wrestled with a protester who struck him on Dec. 10, Avery Browne, chief of the CHP's Golden Gate Division, said Thursday. The investigation concluded about three weeks ago.

"Was it unnerving? Yes. Shocking? Yes," Browne said Thursday. "We take that seriously when there's a display of a firearm, but had he not done that, today we might be having a different discussion.

... Multiple protesters, including Oakland resident Etta Johnson, said the officers did not identify themselves as police officers when asked, and the officer who drew his gun did not show his badge as CHP officials have said he did.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_27657569/chp-plainclothes-officer-justified-drawing-gun-at-protesters

[ananda]

1. Key words: did not show his badge as ..

.. CHP officials said he did.

Hmm...

[elias49]

2. '..concluded the investigation 3 weeks ago.'''

and we're just nw hearing how everything is just fine. Nothing to see here. Move along.
Thanks to the San Jose Mercury News for digging that out.
To me, nothing says 'bull****' like not talking about results of an investigation. Until pressed.

[1Greensix]

3. Why was the protester wrestling with his partner

Pulling the gun was the second part of the problem. Why was his partner, obviously another plainclothes cop, at the demonstration in the first place. Acting as a spy?? Did protesters realize that cops were infiltrating their ranks and maybe causing all the problems in order to make them look bad on camera? If he has shot ten protesters he still would have been justified, as far as the cops are concerned. That's
America in 2015.
I would love to see a police department in America dedicated to protecting civil rights, instead of violently violating them.

[Thor_MN]

4. Brandishing a firearm is a crime in most areas.

If he did not identify as a LEO, why would this not be brandishing? In "Defend your Ground" states, I'd assume he could have been shot dead with no repercussions as soon as his holster was empty?

[Kelvin Mace]

5. One of these days

one of these agent provocateurs is going to pull a gun and someone else is going to shoot him dead. When they do, I am sure it will not take a three week "investigation" to charge the shooter with premeditated murder.