Policing Archives - Page 19 of 20

Group may ask for CPD citizen oversight board David Phillips pushes for independent probe of police killing

photo by Karen LasloDave Phillips at a recent meeting of Chico City Council — photo by Karen Laslo

Dave Phillips at a recent meeting of Chico City Council

by Dave Waddell

In the wake of the killing of Desmond Phillips, community activists expressed support Monday for establishing a citizen board to review the Chico Police Department’s internal investigations.

Pastor Vince Haynie said proponents of citizen oversight are researching the practice in other cities and gathering support from various community groups.

“In light of recent events, we really need that,” Haynie said at the May 1 meeting of the Human Relations Network of Butte County. read more

Swift siege leads to fatal shooting, family’s ire Home had calmed at time cops entered

by Dave Waddell

The night of Desmond Phillips’ March 17 killing, a Chico police officer shined a flashlight at a window a few paces to the left of the front door of his father’s apartment.

Before that door was forced open, before the knife-holding Desmond was first shot with a Taser and then riddled with police bullets, and before Dave Phillips, shocked and wailing, crawled down the hallway to his dying son’s side, the officer saw an eye peeking through the closed blind. read more

Sheriff’s captain blasts Chico police crisis training Duch quits training role after 'deceptive' claims

Captain Andy Duch — photo courtesy of Andy Duch

Duch instructing a “Tac Com” class

by Dave Waddell

A Butte County sheriff’s captain is so bothered by the Chico Police Department’s “overstated and deceptive … propaganda” following the shooting death of Desmond Phillips that he has quit the crisis intervention training academy he led for seven years.

Phillips, a 25-year-old mentally disturbed black man, was gunned down March 17 in his father’s West Fourth Avenue living room, just 21 minutes after medical aid was first called to help him. Together, Chico officers Alex Fliehr and Jeremy Gagnebin fired 16 rounds. A report on the shooting is expected next week from an investigative team headed by Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. (See our story index in the column at right and click to read backstories.) read more

Speakers call for outside investigator in police shooting review 21 minutes from medical call to killing

Phillips family photo Desmond Phillips — Phillips family photo

Desmond Phillips

by Dave Waddell

Just 21 minutes elapsed between the time medical aid was first summoned to help Desmond Phillips and the moment when he was gunned down in a hail of Chico police bullets.

Authorities disclosed details this week about the shooting of Phillips, a 25-year-old mentally disturbed black man, who was killed by police in his father’s living room.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey told an April 3 meeting of the Human Relations Network of Butte County (HRN) that two young officers, fearing for their safety, fired 16 rounds at Phillips, hitting him 10 times. Phillips died shortly after being rushed to Enloe Medical Center, he said. read more

Chico police deploy body cameras in wake of Phillips shooting Advisory board to launch discussion about treatment of mentally ill

by Dave Waddell

The Chico Police Department – criticized for not having body cameras on its officers in the recent killing of a mentally disturbed young black man – deployed those cameras on Saturday, Chief of Police Mike O’Brien said today.

O’Brien made the surprise announcement at the somewhat raucous April 3 meeting of the Human Relations Network of Butte County (HRN), at which he and Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey revealed more details and answered questions about the Chico police shooting of 25-year-old Desmond Phillips on March 17. Two officers fired 16 rounds, with 10 bullets hitting Phillips, Ramsey said. read more

Fatal shooting by Chico police sparks protests Community calls for probe by outside agency

photo by Karen Laslo

Bethel AME Church service

by Dave Waddell

An estimated 200 people turned out Sunday evening to protest the fatal shooting by Chico police of a mentally ill black man who officers say threatened them with a knife.

The demonstration began with a remembrance for Desmond Phillips, 25, at the Bethel AME Church on Ninth Street. It then moved to the front of the Chico Police Department, where an emotional candlelight vigil was held. Speakers expressed outrage at the killing “of this dear brother of ours,” as one put it, and called for a federal investigation into the shooting. read more

Cindy Daley recognized for sustainability work

Chico State professor Cindy Daley this week received a major award for her role at the Chico State University College of Agriculture and CSU’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems.

The $100,000 Gayle E. Hutchinson Award for Excellence – the largest in the California State University system – recognizes people who lead innovation in campus technology, academic research and creative activity, according to Cathy Pleasant, chair of the Chico State University Foundation.

Daley has taught at the College of Agriculture since 1996 and served as the campus coordinator for the University’s Agricultural Research Institute and as a member of the Campus Sustainability Committee. For four years, she also was faculty chair for This Way to Sustainability, the nation’s largest student-run sustainability conference.

“Cindy has been on the forefront of whatever she has tackled for decades, and it is our hope that not only will this further her research and her prominence in the field but it will make other people, both scholars and students, want to come to Chico State because of it,” Pleasant said in a statement.

Daley’s work founding the Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems is the focus of the award. Since 2019, her work has helped promote sustainable farming practices that reduce greenhouse gasses, restore soil resiliency and address food and water insecurity. — Natalie Hanson

ChicoSol garners five awards for 2023 reporting

ChicoSol was awarded first place in the Community Focus category in the statewide newspaper contest run by California News Publishers Association (CNPA).

ChicoSol competed with major California newspapers for the award, announced by CNPA July 14.

ChicoSol won a third place in the Youth and Education category, fourth in Investigative Reporting, fourth in Health Reporting, and fifth in Housing and Land-Use Reporting.

Read more here, and thank you ChicoSol donors and readers for making possible our independent and in-depth reporting.