A Santa Ana councilman known for his hostility to law enforcement has proclaimed that September 28 will be known in the city as a “Day to Remember Victims of Police Violence.”
30-year old Johnathan Hernandez, who represents Ward 5 on the Santa Ana City Council, used the “Ceremonial Presentations” period of the council meeting to make the proclamation. That segment is for councilmembers to recognize individuals and organizations for their accomplishments and contributions to the community.
Hernandez took the opportunity to declare a fixed day of remembrance, and did so explicitly in the name of “the mayor and city council and the city of Santa Ana” – even though there had been no official council action or vote on declaring a “police violence victims” day. In fact, Councilman Phil Bacerra left the council chamber when Hernandez began his proclamation. Mayor Vince Sarmiento and Councilmembers Thai Phan and Jessie Lopez looked on from the dais.
When asked if councilmembers have the power to unilaterally make such official proclamations, city spokesman Paul Eakins replied that each councilmember can request one ceremonial presentation for each meeting, which must be submitted in advance of the agenda’s publication.
I pointed out to Eakins that Hernandez went well beyond a ceremonial presentation and unilaterally arrogated to himself the declaration of an official city day of remembrance, on a fixed annual date, and did so in the name of the mayor and city council.
Eakins said “Councilmember Hernandez did not violate any policies related to ceremonial presentations.”
The language of Hernandez’s declaration did not distinguish between those fatally shot in justified and unjustified police shootings.
Hernandez invited several families of individuals who had been killed in police shootings, including the family of Hernandez’s cousin Brandon Lopez – who was killed after fleeing Anaheim and Santa Ana police after a long stand off (Lopez was shot by Anaheim police officers in control of the scene at the time).
The Lopez family is now suing the Anaheim Police Department and the City of Santa Ana. They are being represented by Mayor Sarmientio’s sister Vickie and her husband, Dale Galipo. Mayor Sarmiento has a business interest in his sister’s law firm, and receives income from it.
Official crime data undercuts the bleak picture painted by Councilman Hernandez. According to departmental statistics, the number of people killed in officer involve shootings in Santa Ana has declined precipitously since 2016, when SAPD officers began wearing body cameras.
Hernandez said he “encourages all residents to honor and to remember individuals who have had violent and even deadly interactions with law enforcement officers.” Hernandez did not distinguish between actual innocent victims and individuals who had initiated the violence, or whose interaction with law enforcement stemmed from the commission of a crime, or whose actions presented police officers with no choice but to use deadly force.
Hernandez closed by talking about what he sees as the necessity to “still fight for us to be treated as human beings on land that is stolen.”
