Chief Sellers Needs to Speak To Us Now

Op-Ed by Allen Bacon
The Daily Bosco
Photo by Jesse LaTour

Enough is enough.

As another round of protests is happening this morning as I write this outside the Fullerton Police Department over the Brutal Beating Death of Kelly Thomas at the hands of the FPD, we still have yet to hear from the head of the Fullerton Police Department Michael Sellers.

And while I appreciate Councilman Bruce Whitaker stepping up and writing an unofficial apology and a call to full disclosure from the FPD on this matter on City letterhead, this is really not the Councilman's job or place to do that. I believe, and I can't speak for Mr. Whitaker, that he (as most of the citizens of Fullerton) is embarrassed that it has taken so long (almost 3 weeks) for a statement from the Chief of Police. He probably felt he had to say something. Anything.

And you can't fault the FPD Spokesperson Officer Goodrich. He has been a public voice, but he is just following orders and repeating the policy of the department.

According to one report, Chief Sellers has been on vacation.

I appreciate that our Police officers and especially the Chief need to take periodic breaks. This is important because a Police' job is extremely stressful and I'm sure it was pre-planned before the incident. It is the summer after all. But this is an extremely urgent matter and so many things are riding on this. Like the fact that who is going to want to come to downtown Fullerton to shop and enjoy a meal, music, theater and art and everything our fine city has to offer without the fear (probably the wrong perception) of looking at the officers of the FPD the wrong way and getting pulverized to death?

This is a major disservice also to our fine men and women who wear the badge in Fullerton that do their job correctly and wonderfully and with outstanding merit.

In my opinion, it is so important, that the chief should have, by now (almost three weeks after the beating) arranged to speak from his vacation place to make a statement and answer questions....even if it is to just say "We are still investigating and we will have an answer by such and such a date".

Because the longer this goes on, the beating and taser death of a 135 pound unarmed man at the hands of six uniformed Fullerton Police Department officers is looking more and more like uncontrolled police brutality and even worse a cover up by the FPD.

There is a recording of the incident somewhere. You know there is a recording of the incident. If not by the city camera pointed directly at the place of the beating in the Transportation Center...there was one made by a private citizen. According to Tony Bushala's video interview on the FFFF blog with Mike Turgeon who witnessed the beating, a real estate agent was recording the incident. That recording will either exonerate our officers or damn tham.

And where is the mainstream media in this? Outside of a few reports on ABC 7 and a couple of weak articles by the OC Register's Lou Ponsi, there has been little or no coverage of this major event. This is big news. This should be on CNN nationally it is so big.

Of course the Tribune is not reporting anything, the Daily Titan is off on summer break, and not even the Observer has weighed in yet. Most of the investigative reporting on this matter is coming from Tony Bushala, Jesse La Tour, and even the guys at the Fullertonian have uncovered the fact that there were no police injuries, as orginally reported.

So, we can speculate even more...or Chief Sellers...do the right thing and talk to us. Let us know what is going on. Exonerate the FPD or take disciplinary action.

And do it today if possible.