[Editor’s Note: the video in this post contains obscenity]
Last week, at a press conference following the Los Amigos meeting, Donna Acevedo led a press conference claiming “Working-Class Anaheim Neighborhoods Say “Enough” To Police Brutality and Harassment.”
Leaving aside the question of whether Ms. Acevedo and the half-dozen other participants can legitimately claim to speak for the working-class Anaheim neighborhoods, one of Ms. Acevedo’s demands was “a respectful dialogue with the new leadership of the department.”
Is this video an example of “respectful dialogue” she hopes to have?:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYSXCjl4BgE&w=420&h=315]
Wow – thank you for modeling “respectful dialogue”: stalking Anaheim police officer Kelly Phillips in his minivan at a carwash, calling him a “murderer” and dropping f-bombs.
The urbane, articulate videographer is some guy who uses the YouTube handle “Sinnah Back.” He’s a collaborator of Donna Acevedo’s (you can see her next to the back SUV at about the 40 second mark -“Sinnah” is asking her “where’s the other one at?”
Sinnah Back’s YouTube channel is full of pretty boring videos of him filming Anaheim police (usually in the company of Ms. Acevedo) – and videos of himself hopping freight trains (these are much more popular). Sinnah’s videos are accompanied by written and verbal commentary suggesting the police are going to shoot him down at any moment, adding a strong odor of paranoia to his videos. In the video above, was Sinnah rolling tape in order to deter the police from gunning down car wash customers?
Ask yourself: how would the average Anaheim resident react to this video? Would he or she think it strengthens or undercuts the credibility of claiming to want a “respectful dialogue” with the Anaheim police? Would he or she want city council policy about policing and the police department driven by these individuals?
It’s hard to take demands for “respectful dialogue” seriously when those making the demands practice the opposite.
[UPDATE: I posted a link to this post on Orange Juice Blog, buuuuut…it must not fit OJB proprietor Vern Nelson’s narrative, so he deleted it. That isn’t surprising, given Vern’s refusal to link to this blog, lest his own distorted view of Anaheim reality be subjected to an unflattering comparison.]
Don’t Donna Acevedo and this Sinnah know Mayor Tait declared this the “Year of Kindness?”
Donna Acevedo, a very classy and civilized lady (obvious sarcasm).
The sad fact is Donna Acevedo is harming her children emotionally by teaching them to make false statements and harassing every officer she comes in contact with.
An James you should not even do such comments since your stomping on dead people’s graves every time you go to city council.
I was pumping gas when this was being videotaped. I was not yelling obscenities.
No one said you were yelling obscenities. But it’s pretty obvious you were there in conjunction with the guy with the video camera. Or was that a total coincidence?
That is where I’ve been getting gas for years. I was already at the pump when I spotted Kelly Phillips. But I did not know until reading this that he was washing his own car there. Is that something the city pays for?
Was the guy with the video camera there with you already?
Donna, I live across the street and apparently this station is where the Anaheim PD wash their vehicles. See them there all the time washing the cars.
By the way, I was not even aware of which car Kelly Phillips was driving. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Why is Kelly Phillips getting his personal car washed along with police vehicles?
Is there a law against police officers getting their cars washed?
No there is not but why does kelly phillips have to have a badge plate on an a gun on hin leg strap while at the same time been in a civilian vehicle. Why does he carry a gun in a minivan which is not a police officer vehicle just because he is a cop does not make the minivan a police vehicle or is all police officers exempt from the law an can carry a firearm loaded in a vehicle. Civilians would go to jail for bearing a loaded firearm in a vehicle right?
Is there a law against a peace officer being armed while off-duty?
If I had some lunatic following me around with a camera and yelling obscenities and slanderous accusations at me, I might consider self-protection measures.
yes even i would carry a gun for protection does not mean you are allowed to have it loaded gun an bullets have to be seperate while in a vehicle. http://www.californiaconcealedcarry.com/legal/pc12031.html
He is person just because he is a police officer he is not excluded from this law.
How do you know it wasn’t a police vehicle or part of the city’s fleet? Not all police vehicles are identified for obvious reasons.
why is he armed and off duty in my neighborhood?
I’m surprised he hasn’t obtained a restraining order.
Like I just mentioned to Donna, I live across the street and see anaheim pd washing cars there. The fact that Donna shops at the Von’s and CVS nearby means that her encounter with these cops at the Arco is randomn. To imply that Donna has the resources at her disposal to “stalk” Kelly Phillips is the actual obscenity.
I have taken note however that this officer has now crossed paths with Donna twice now – with the subsequent brujaja
It is actually quite interesting that Kelly Philips has now appeared along Donna’s path twice now.
I make note of this because though Donna Acevedo does not have the resources available to stalk and harass any Anaheim police officer the Anaheim police department has demonstrated anincredible ability to stalk, harass, intimidate and provoke residents in Anaheim. I say this because I’m the victim of it.
Perhaps you can answer the question: were you riding along with Ms. Acevedo and just happened to see Kelly Phillips at the car wash? Dd she see him and then call you and you arrived on the scene to stalk him because you believed car wash patrons were in some sort of imminent danger that only your video camera could prevent?
Ms. Acevedo – your friend won’t deny it so let’s hear from you. You’ve claimed you weren’t involved – was it or was it not your son in the video the entire time screaming at the officer and then chasing him down the street? Your silence will be answer enough. If you confirm it was your son, then how did you not know it was officer Phillips until you read this post. You have a serious credibility problem.
Donna- active acceptance is the same as tacit acceptance. Condoning his behavior or the behavior of the kids throwing eggs at police does nothing productive to resolve the issue. Can we agree on that?
Why would I condone any of Kelly Phillips behavior? And I was not present at the egg throwing and did not know that until the next day. Tensions are escalating because there have been no positive changes being made. The events of Saturday night and Sunday morning forced me to ask for a respectful dialogue in the presence of media, which I have been requesting for months. I tried on several occasions to make an appointment with Chief Welter, and was later sent a letter denying my request. I am hoping the meeting with Quezada will bring about a beginning to improvements in our community and the interactions with our police department. Wouldn’t you like to see that as well?
Donna: a resident called for police assistance at 4:30 in the morning on Sunday, saying there was an armed gang member in his home. Accord to the PD, the firs unit was on the scene in less than 2 minutes – and an angry crowd was already there to greet them.
Beside that being odd, how did it help that man to harangue the police who responded to his call? How does this behavior make the neighborhood safer?
Well thank you so much for the insult creator of this article. An well first of a all yes my videos are boring but I do record all police activity that happens because I do it for the security of my neighbors an community, do you know how many innocent people have been killed by the Anaheim Police Department? Many have. An second of all I was dropping f bombs as you say it but is this country not a free country anymore that we can’t say the simple word — you at all. An third an final I’m transgender so I’m not a he, so before apply sexist characteristics you someone get it right first.
I don’t know, Sinnah: how many innocent people have been killed by the APD?
Also, please be warned: obscenity isn’t allowed on this blog. Yes, this is a free country. For example, people are free to act like fools and idiots – but that doesn’t mean they ought to do so – and it certainly doesn’t give them the right to do so at the expense of others.
Congratulations on being transgendered. How exactly was I supposed to know that? Perhaps you can supply the proper pronoun to be used.
Perhaps you can answer the question: were you riding along with Ms. Acevedo and just happened to see Kelly Phillips at the car wash? Dd she see him and then call you and you arrived on the scene to stalk him because you believed car wash patrons were in some sort of imminent danger that only your video camera could prevent?
The truth is that I was getting a pack of cigarettes while Ms. Acevedo was pumping gas an we just got to see that Officer Kelly Phillips was there also in a crowd of innocent civilians an we opted to let them know who he was. An no, no one was in imminent danger but i will record every an all activity involving Kelly Phillips or any officer of the law for my security an the ones around me. An im a she thank.
You are strongly implying that were it not for the presence of you and Ms. Acevedo, then car wash patrons were in actual danger from Kelly Phillips. Do you really believe that?
What were you and Ms. Acevedo doing at the time? Driving around looking for Anaheim police to film?
I stopped for gas before going to Von’s to buy some ground beef, tortillas, and lettuce. That is where I shop for food. Then I stopped at CVS to pick up my prescription for iron. If any of that matters….
No we where not driving around looking for Anaheim Police to film. We where going to the grocery store to go buy food but we stopped at the ARCO gas station to pump gas because Ms. Acevedo was running on gas fumes only an to get my pack of cigarettes. An no they where not in danger I didn’t say that I said we opted to let them know who he was the real Kelly Phillips. Please do not put words in my mouth. Thank you.
I’ve watched Donna Acevedo and her son at council meetings – that was her son chasing Officer Phillips down the street. She is absolutely misleading people to say she wasn’t participating in this action. At least own your actions Ms. Acevedo – your actions and those of your young son who is clearly yelling at the officer throughout this video. Why would you condone this if you were just there to pump gas. Give us all a break!
You need a break then maybe you should go get one an be in the communities of Anaheim a little more an see the corrupt actions of the police. When they stop everyone an try to accuse them of crimes that they have not commited. So if you want a break do that.
You film officers all day long – if this is true then stop saying it and prove it. APD has not been accused of any corruption and local, state and federal authorities have been engaged in exahaustive review and oversight over the past year. You are part of a group baiting the police hoping they will respond with any aggression and you still don’t have proof. APD has responded with utmost professionalism given the hateful speech and actions in the past year. Now Donna Acevedo and other mothers of gang members shot by APD are calling for a massive protest in Anaheim to commemorate the riot last year. This is NOT respectful dialogue so stop pretending it is.
No they have not but because everything they do is justified. An they are not calling a massive protest to commemorate the riots as i can remember council member Gail Eastman said Thank god for the riots not the mother that lost there kids to the Anaheim force.
It speaks voumes that you didn’t deny it was Donna Acevedo’s son participating in the video throughout and chasing officer Phillips down the street.
Donna Acevedo drives around town in her car with Film The Police written all over it. She regularly pulls over when she sees officers and verbally accosts them. How disingenuous to claim you were there by pure coincidence.
Educate me a little is it wrong to write on the back of a car or truck “Film the Police”?
No one said it is wrong – it’s just proof that she is not an innocent bystander…
An neither are you. No one is perfect in this world. An your point about driving around town with fill the police on he back of her vehicle is? Its a public announcement to spread awareness.
So now no one is perfect … that’s your clever answer? You, Donna Acevedo and your supporters are creating havoc in our communities – making it unsafe for your neighbors who are under real attack from gang members who are stabbing Anaheim kids for walking down the street, selling them drugs, intimidating residents. This seems like an elaborate scheme to given them runway to expand their illegal acts by focusing so much hatred at the APD. Why haven’t these mothers of convicted gang members who lost their sons attempted to find ways to work with the city and police to stop gang violence and prevent additional kids from being caught up in their criminal lifestyle. But your answer is to drive around town and swear at police officers pumping gas. I guess you’re right – no one is perfect. The real shame is the Mayor hasn’t used his kindness to campaign to champion a constructive dialogue – he just invites these women attacking our city as special guests to his campaign events. So sad for all involved.
Residents have tried to work with the police before. But how can a community trust them at all if what the do is come out intimidate, harazz, an talk down on our community by saying that where we live the places around like playground, appartments an everything around us looks like trash? http://ustream.tv/recorded/29906537 if you really like to know what is going on out in the communities where yall say there is gangs an all that maybe yall should come an stick around an see whats really going on. Gangs don’t don’t you think by now I would of been stabbed or shot by gangmembers for been dressed at a female while I’m a male biologically? I’m still here. Gangmembers are people too an they have rights also just because a cop wants to shoot someone does not give them the right to shoot gangmembers just because they made a bad choice in life.
Laterz im bored this is not appealing to me anymore. I have better things to do.
Acevedo was shot at because he shot at the police first.
What do those residents do to discourage gang violence? What do they do to stop it? It can’t solely rest on the police. It also takes the community getting involved to stop it as well. Instead, they are teaching kids to disrespect law enforcement. That will only lead you down the wrong road. It does nothing to solve the problem and only escalates it. I’d love to hear an honest answer as to why kids in those areas or any area join gangs. It’s not about building a park. Parks in gang areas are only a haven for criminal activity. Between YMCA, boys and girls club, after school programs and the like, how are there not enough community programs? I think it’s safe to assume that no one wants gangs. So instead of all the mud slinging, why don’t we actually make constructive efforts to stop it!
APD Supporter and Sick of Politics: You raise alot of valid points. Don’t waste your breath. It’s not even worth your time to try talking to a wall. It’s apparent Mrs Acevedo and Sinnah are in denial and are not rational. I’m done. That’s all I’ve got to say.
A good place to start would be for this law enforcement community in Orange County, CA to refrain from using gang member/drug addict types for the commission of crimes against the people here. Not intelligence gathering … not even entrapment … I mean crimes; harassment/intimidation/provocation/property damage/privacy violation/attempted murder. And if your law enforcement community in Orange County is capable of attempted murder then it means that your law enforcement community in Orange County is capable of murder.
When I asked Chief Welter about this to his face at an Anaheim city council meeting, I received no response except the following. The next morning 3 Anaheim police vehicles were parked outside the front entrance to my apartment building and when I arrived home an Anaheim fire truck parked in the same spot with 3-4 firemen standing outside closer to my apartmemt building front entrance. AKA no response except for the usual mafia trash terrorizing behavior (all on video tape per usual).
Another question that I did not get to ask now that I’m on the subject: What does law enforcement operating in Orange County, CA do after you’ve taught these criminals that it is OK under certain circumstances to commit crimes? That it might actually gain them leniency from previous crimes commited. Are you releasing them back into these poor neighborhoods; sort of like a revolving door of criminal insanity where you are the only winner with your six figure salary and jackpot pension afterwards?
Random note: Doesn’t it suck that we can’t all just get along? Suggestion! I like to imagine a community that works in tandem with it’s law enforcement. Where officers aren’t people you are afraid of, you can go up and talk to them. Were officers care more about the people’s genuine well being then there authority or job. There are rules for a reason yes, but cops who care more about what it means to be a cop. (Hopefully that meaning being that they protect people, that they serve the peace and the welfare of the community.) I think this is possible, I imagine that perhaps it would help if the law enforcement had a bit more wisdom. If they worked a bit more on understanding people. Of course I imagine that with the level of distrust and hurt existing now that would be incredibly difficult.
Perhaps donna and sinnah are going about it the wrong way, I’m not entirely sure that either side is 100% right on this one, or 100% wrong. I can only imagine what kelly phillips is thinking, he ended another person’s life. Joel did not shot first I can assure you, but at the same time we aren’t kelly, we don’t know what made him pull the trigger that night. Only he knows that and he’ll have to live with that whatever it is for the rest of his life. Unless the cops really are just sociopaths and then we really are screwed. It doesn’t matter what you say or think, because eventually they’ll just start killing people and then we’ll see who has the last laugh. If it were even possible to try to strip away all the bravado and stupidity and get the cops and the people together and just hug it out. I mean that would be a miracle, I’m sure. Just getting them to talk more and fight less, and perhaps be willing to humiliate themselves a little bit. There was a suggestion I heard a little ways back that perhaps the chief and all the cops could come down and throw a little fair, and all the cops let themselves get dunked by the neighborhood. I think that would be absolutely perfect, the neighborhood just needs to realize that the cops are people, and the cops need to do the same. Hang out and have some hot dogs, let kelly really apologize, and maybe even volunteer to do some good. Let him try to make up for what he’s done directly, and perhaps others could follow in his stead. They might be doing their jobs, but it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t care when they take a life. I don’t think joel’s death was justified, but I was there and I know what happened. I wasn’t there for all of the other deaths caused by their hand, and I don’t know if there was good reason or not. I know that to take a life is still taking a life and it isn’t something you should feel good about, ever. I would hope that anyone who has to do that, even for the right reasons. Would try to honor the person they ended, and try to make right with those left behind.
Alright that’s all my blather-y nonsense, I don’t know if it counts for anything.
How do you know Joel Acevedo didn’t shoot first – have you seen a DA report the rest of the public is still waiting to see? Are you also going to deny he was a convicted gang member who participated in stealing a car and leading police on a chase?
You ask – Why don’t the police care more about people’s well being? They put their lives on the line every day to protect the residents of Anaheim – how is that not caring about people’s genuine well being?
You state that Donna Acevedo may be going about it the wrong way … driving around making purposeful traffic violations that require her being cited by the law – for the sole purpose of screaming at officers and doing so in locations where her supporters are lieing in wait to attack officers IS the wrong way. There is nothing respectful about her dialogue – what a pretense to hold that press conference and ask for respectful dialogue.
Trust me as a city employee (not law enforcement) I wish that the people attacking our city were interested in reasoned solutions and a respectful dialogue – in point of fact, they are only interested in attacks and further unrest.
Well if you say so do you have proof that Joel stole a vehicle an lead the police on a chase? If so I would love to see it. Or are you just going based off something the police said. The DA report is always going to make the other person look bad not the police. An to finish this off again maybe for the last time how is driving slow in a neighborhood street a traffic violation don’t you have to drive slow in a neighborhood street because of children. Oh since your a “City Employee” maybe you should get your cities police force in line an to follow all the rules that they have too, an to not violate civilians rights. When y’all get that cleared then ill talk to you. An get the officers that have taken life’s out of your force an investigate really good both sides not just the polices side an they come out justified. So thanks an have a very good screwed up day. >:)
Sinnah, it sounds like you’re saying the police just decided to kill Joel Acevedo and then made up a story to cover it up. You’re the one who sounds paranoid and ridiculous.
Answer me this: was Joel Acevedo a gang member?