Memorial for the Oakland police officers today

[wryter2000]

The whole city is in mourning. Don't believe the media-whipped-up stories about people who think that murder/rapist is a hero. You can find someone who'll say anything if you look hard enough.

:cry:

[keepCAblue]

1. Beyond sad...

How sad for the OPD, the city of Oakland and surrounding communities.

Sadder still, that mine is the only rec and comment on this posting. Four police officers brutally gunned down and DU all but ignores this tragedy.

[musette_sf]

2. i have some thoughts about today's memorial events

first let me say that i think they definitely should have had a significant memorial for the four cops who died, and i support that.

HOWEVER

now i must say that i was highly offended at the police from every damn place in NorCal commandeering the local highways during rush hour this morning enroute to the memorial.

they didn't have to bring every damn squad car and motorcycle from every damn LEA within a 100 mile radius. it was disturbing to see miles and miles and miles (and i do mean miles and miles) of lit up squad cars, unmarked cars, and motorcycles, with all lights blazing, preventing commuters from using the diamond lane (if you had a carpool and tried to get into the diamond lane, the squad cars ran you off), and taking over two lanes completely on one of the bridges. it looked like a giant police state action, and it scared the living crap out of me.

would the memories of the four slain officers been sullied if the forces from the other LEOs had ridden to the memorial and burials in buses?

wouldn't the OPD squad cars and motorcycles have been sufficient?

i thought it was a huge FY to the citizens, and a total inappropriate grand show of paramilitary police force, not to mention being extremely environmentally unconscious. it was not at all about honoring four of their brothers - it was about a GIANT SHOW OF POLICE FORCE.

[mackerel]

3. Yes they did and it didn't bother me. Brought tears to my

eyes. A lot of those officers heading into Oakland were doing relief duty so that the OPD could go to the funeral. It's the same policy for firefighters and police a like.

Why was Dellums asked not to speak?

[musette_sf]

4. buses with black bunting would have brought tears to my eyes.

hundreds and hundreds (and maybe you didn't get to see it going on for 30 miles like I did) of LEO vehicles, impeding ordinary access for the citizenry in a non-emergency situation, was not necessary. it was an inappropriate and intimidating show of force, to my mind.

[EFerrari]

5. Wow. I didn't see that.

[musette_sf]

12. i saw about 30 miles of police.

very paramilitary looking.

[wryter2000]

8. I felt bad for people who got caught up in the traffic mess

Still, I was glad that so many officers came from other places. Even the mounties.

[musette_sf]

11. i hope that you got that i am NOT complaining about "inconvenience".

i am livid at the Police State Display that was put on for this memorial. it was all about a giant power trip that looked like a paramilitary action.

[wryter2000]

7. Thanks

Don't feel bad about the thread disappearing. Things drop off the front page at DU so fast. I think people probably missed the thread.

:hi:

[ronnykmarshall]

6. I called my best friend and she was in tears

she and her coworker were watching the services at work. It's just horrible.

[wryter2000]

9. Thanks, Ronny

:hi:

[mackerel]

10. I commute on 4 different Hwys and I saw officers

in convoys on all of them. I didn't mind and it's a rare occasion. I know getting stuck in traffic is frustrating and when I get frustrated I turn off the radio and chant.

I can empathise with those of you who were frustrated.

Sad to see on the news last night that two women were shot-one died-2 hours after the services were over. Alameda Sheriff's department were filling in on that call.

I still wonder about the situation with Mayor Dellums not speaking at the services.