This came over the transom this morning from the Anaheim Police Association, in response to recent mailers from the Tat for Mayor campaign. The APA says the mailers use “photographs of Tom Tait with Anaheim Police Officers and Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada…without consent from these officers and violate California Government Code Section 3206” and criticizes the Tait campaign for “suggest[ing] that Mayor Tait has Anaheim Public Safety support” when the “Anaheim Police Association has strongly endorsed Lucille Kring against Mayor Tom Tait in the 2014 election.“:
Here is one of the mail pieces to which the APA is objecting, which landed in mail boxes over the weekend 9I haven’t seen the other to which the press release refers):
Last week, the Anaheim Firefighters Association issued a similar demand.
Following is the text of the press release.
ANAHEIM POLICE OFFICERS DEMAND TOM TAIT CEASE USING THEM AS A CAMPAIGN TOOL. REAFFIRM SUPPORT FOR LUCILLE KRING FOR ANAHEIM MAYOR
ANAHEIM – In an apparent act of desperation and outright lie to Anaheim voters, two campaign mailers sent in the last three weeks by Mayor Tom Tait, displays photographs of Tom Tait with Anaheim Police Officers and Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada . These photographs have been used without consent from these officers and violate California Government Code Section 3206. The mailers suggest that Mayor Tait has Anaheim Public Safety support and that he has been supportive of law enforcement and protecting the public, which he does not. The Anaheim Police Association has strongly endorsed Lucille Kring against Mayor Tom Tait in the 2014 election.
In a letter sent to Mayor Tait’s campaign office, Anahe im Police Association President Kerry Condon demanded that Mayor Tait not use photographs of Anaheim Police Officers,especially the Chief of Police, in any endorsement mailers or campaign literature. “Mayor Tait knows that all of Anaheim Public Safety is united in opposing him and the use of our image otherwise is dishonest to every resident he seeks support from,” said Anaheim Police Association President Kerry Condon.
Concerns about Mayor Tait’s view of public safety, his actions during the Anaheim Unrest of 2012,and his lack of city leadershi p that has hurt Anaheim Public Safety and much more has made the job of Anaheim Police Officers more difficult and dangerous. Condon further stated, “Mayor Tait does not know what it is like to live in the neighborhoods controlled and plagued by gang violence every day, and for him to send out a mailer claiming that gang crime has dropped in this city due to his leadershi p is not only false, it is insulting to all Anaheim Police Officers who put their lives on the line daily to serve those residents in the same gang infested neighborhoods and to the four other council members of Anaheim who have truly supported public safety through their words and actions.” A similar tactic was used by Tom Tait with Anaheim Firefighter photos and received a similar cease and desist demand by the Anaheim Firefighters Association and President.
“We are simply amazed that a politician who lies about so many issues and is so pro criminal and anti public safety as is Tom Tait,shows photos to depict him as strong and good for public safety over and over” Condon said. “It is a sign of a completely deceptive politician who is a confused individual and has no business serving the public because of his lies and deceit. His campaign must be desperate and in disarray and needs to outright lie to the public and voters to try and win re-election. We know the voters will see through this.” District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and all others in law enforcement and public safety agree on this point.
The Anaheim Police Association has endorsed strongly, early and unequivocally Lucille Kring for Mayor, and Kris Murray and Gail Eastman for re-election to city council.
Seriously, when is the Mayor going to explain why police and fire don’t support him? How does a ‘leader’ have this happen and say nothing?
Sadly there has been no communication from police or firefighters to voters. As residents we have no way of knowing who they support and who they don’t. I hope they will weigh in soon. I’ve just started reading this blog but most people I know do not.
As a former peace officer from decades past in a neighboring city, anyone running for office AND opposed by the Anaheim Police Officers “Union” is someone that is always guaranteed to get my vote!
When I served, unions weren’t permitted and it forced all officers to be accountable to police and city management. The way things are now, the tail is wagging the dog, and all these constant cries for more money and benefits, especially pensions, makes me ill! I own a small business and I don’t get those things and neither should the people who supposedly work for we the taxpayers. These guys are severely overpaid and in fact they need a pay cut if the city, county and state are to remain solvent.
There have been more than a few cases of out of line police conduct with weapons that are promptly swept under the rug. I’m in favor of disbanding all public sector unions, and have benefits cut back massively to keep them in line with the private sector. Unions have politicians in their pockets and even FDR knew how potentially dangerous they were.
All this nonsense about “such a dangerous job” and “they put their lives on the line” is pure crap. I drove in a black and white for years with a plain .38 pistol, nightstick and a shotgun. These guys pack an immense arsenal. Far too many are poorly hired, poorly trained and poorly supervised. They aren’t accountable, and that’s where the problems lie! If you don’t want to take some risks, get a job a the candy store at Disneyland!
Hundreds of people apply for police jobs for a single position, many very well qualified. It seems to me that if you have more supply than demand then prices (pay) need to come down. Supply versus demand. Same thing here, that reality.
In terms of the union complaints about the photos used by the candidate, I don’t see a problem. The photos were taken during a public event and are a matter of public record. They are sore that the candidate doesn’t support their union agenda, and that’s just fine by me and anyone else who demands accountability. We don’t have it today and things need to change massively. Far too many cops answer to their union, instead of their superiors. This is unacceptable.