Four officers provide 24/7 emergency response to over 6,000 students and faculty at Cal Poly Humboldt. While patrolling the campus grounds Feb. 2, Sergeant Andy Martin detailed how staffing shortages have stretched the force thin.
“If we stay short-handed, something has to give somewhere, and it might be the quality of our calls,” Martin said.
Dispatchers are working twelve hour shifts for weeks on end. Officers are forced to respond to calls without backup, on top of running a part-time shuttle service. Compounding these issues, the UPD does not have a police chief.
“We want to be that community-based police department. We work really hard to achieve that,” Martin said.
Staffing issues have not only made the job more difficult, but also needlessly more dangerous.
“There was a call I went on last year, where a transient was on campus with a knife, which is a felony level crime. Arcata [Police Department] couldn’t send anybody because they were caught up and I was here by myself,” Martin said.
Another time, the sergeant responded to an alleged domestic violence dispute. Martin was the only officer on campus that day.
“It’s very hard to detain two people by yourself,” he said. “We have agreements with the CSU that minimal standards are generally considered two officers on at all times, 24/7. But we’ve been short officers for so long. Now we have just single officers at a time.”
The satellite properties around Humboldt County that the university now owns are also patrolled by the UPD.
“Our expanded footprint is quickly becoming an issue,” Martin said. “I am the only officer working right now. So, if I’m here checking on this property, then I am not on campus.”
The university’s “bridge” housing system presents a transportation problem to a university that is already struggling to meet current students’ needs. The UPD has been acting as a shuttle service for the students housed three miles north of campus in the Comfort Inn.
“Yesterday I transported four students myself. Someones gotta do it,” Martin said. “It goes back to staffing issues. Everybody is left scrambling. We don’t want it to be any of our students that are suffering because of it.”
Inside the campus police station, dispatcher Jennifer Gomes sits at the helm, facing an extensive assemblage of screens. Gomes revealed the consequences of an understaffed dispatch center.
“This is my 18th day in a row, 12 hour shifts,” Gomes said. “I love it, though. I love the unknown.”
Gomes said that positive work culture at the station is one of the reasons she has stuck around.
Without a police chief, UPD’s single lieutenant is forced to fill the role in the interim. The strain of absent leadership is dispersed through the entire force.
The UPD says they’re working to fill the position as quickly as possible, but it is a multi-stage hiring process with many potential delays. In addition to background checks, medical tests, polygraph tests, and a psychological evaluation, there is also an eclectic group of community members that candidates for chief must interview with.
Candidates go through the committee process, speaking with two people from the police department, along with representatives from the leadership team, athletics, resident managements, students, and the chief of the Arcata Police Department.
“[It’s] a whole collection of people that provide feedback and opinions on how the candidate did,” said Martin.
Ultimately, the decision is made by the University president and vice president. Candidate Kevin H. Williams recently answered questions at a search committee led forum on March 2nd. Still, it is anyone’s guess when CPH will again have a police chief.
“The hiring of any police officer usually takes many, many months,” Martin said. “Maybe they’ll start soon. We never know.”
Martin says that the nationwide law enforcement hiring crisis has made the UPD unrecognizable from when he first started.
“When I applied here eleven years ago, there was an excess of like thirty applicants, because this used to be the place to come,” he said. “The equipment was solid, you’d be working with a solid team, it was community-based policing at its finest. It was what a police department should, and could, look like.”
There are currently only four new applicants for police officer. The required background checks, medical and psychological examinations, and polygraph testing, on top of the training itself, mean that these potential new officers are still months out from serving the Cal Poly Humboldt community.
“Before I get those applicants on the street, I’ll probably lose another officer,” said Martin. “Redding is offering a $50,000 signing bonus. How do you compete with that?”
The Chief of Police Search Committee held an open forum on Wednesday, Oct. 19 for students to ask questions of Thomas Calucci, one of the police chief candidates. A Cal Poly Humboldt email stated the meeting was being held in the Library Fishbowl but was changed at the last minute to the Great Hall above the Marketplace. In total, only two students were present to ask questions.
Calucci is a former police captain from the University of Texas at San Antonio and was a member of the Behavioral Intervention Team, an organization that provides mental health checks. While at UTSA, Calucci collaborated with school counseling faculty to provide crisis training to university police.
Calucci wants to bring a similar program to Cal Poly Humboldt.
“I want social workers to ride with our police officers,” Calucci said.
He went on to explain how he wanted police to integrate with the community and was against the us vs. them mentality of the thin blue line.
“I need our cops to understand at this university, we are not here to kick ass and take names, we are here to protect you all,” Calucci said.
Still, Calucci made it clear his main goal was to protect the university from those whom he saw as outsiders.
“I’m fairly certain that somewhere, someone in this community has a grievance against this university,” Calucci said. “Whether it be a faculty member or other student, I’m fairly certain that person is planning revenge… I wanna be here to protect you from them, not from yourself.”
When Calucci was asked who “them” was, he answered, “there are people who intend to do you harm, those are the people who I don’t like.”
Calucci appears to understand that policing has caused problems, specifically citing police-related generational trauma. Though he is aware of it, Calucci does not consider it his role to solve this problem.
“I did not sign up for the things you are asking me to do,” Calucci said.
Humboldt student Elizabeth Rubio explained how the police system has a history of racism, prejudice, and violence, and asked how Calucci would handle prejudice in his staff and himself.
“First thing you said is we live in a racist society and that sucks you feel that way.” Calucci said. He acknowledged that racism was present in society. “ If I could wave a magic wand and make it go away I would because of that crap,” Calucci said in response to Rubio.
Rubio proceed to asked if Calucci was aware of the murder of Josiah Lawson and the case surrounding the alledged murder. Calucci said he saw a sign supporting Justice for Josiah, but he did not know any specifics of the case.
Rubio also asked about the police response to student homelessness. Calucci said police would not harass students sleeping in cars and wanted them to feel safe. He stated his main goal was to get students off the streets and find temporary housing for them.
Jue Smith, the other student at the forum, felt that both police chief candidates were unprepared.
“Neither candidate did their homework about this area or legislation that’s been passed,” Smith said.
The Cal Poly Police Department has a total of eight vacant spots in its organizations: two administrative, three dispatchers, one officer, and two sergeants. The CPD has enough staff to work all necessary operations, but this significant gap in positions and recruitments is now common throughout the nation.
Sergeant Chance Carpenter has noticed fewer people willing to become officers. The College of the Redwood police academy has also had lower recruitment.
“When I went to an academy in 2006, approximately 27-28 graduated from that police academy,” Carpenter said. He explained how the current number of graduates has dropped to only twelve at an academy that once graduated over double the members yearly. Carpenter added most law enforcement is having staffing issues, not just the ones in Humboldt. Speaking of his feelings, Carpenter feels some portion of society is less supportive of law enforcement.
Black Lives Matter protests and reaction to police violence changed the public opinion on policing. A recent Black History Month protest in the Arcata Plaza articulated community concerns regarding police officers.
“I think society should always be critical of professionals that offer services,” said Carpenter in response to questions about the change in the public view of police. Carpenter explained in his view that law enforcement should be invested in their communities and positive changes in policing should be supportive.
There is still a disconnect between students and the CPD despite Carpenter’s hopeful sentiment. Cal Poly Humboldt freshman Elaina Wargala expressed her feelings about law enforcement.
“I think that a portion of society may be less appreciative of the work law enforcement does,” said Wargala. She expressed her own discomfort with law enforcement in general.
“I think a lot of people take advantage of their position,” Wargala said.
The disconnect between campus law enforcement and the student body makes it difficult to maintain staff and even harder to hire new staff. Despite the high number of vacant positions, the CPD has still been able to maintain operations successfully.
Cal Poly Humboldt is struggling to find a new police chief in the wake of yet another resignation
For the last two years, Cal Poly Humboldt’s University Police Department has been plagued with resignations at the very top of their hierarchy. Anthony Morgan, the most recent chief, resigned early in Jan. 2022 after a year in the position.
UPD is still in the early stages of searching for a new chief.
“Cal Poly Humboldt has not yet made the public announcement for accepting applications,” said Grant Scott-Goforth, a communication specialist in the CPH’s News and Info department.
The search for UPD’s next leader will be nationwide. Representatives from different university sources will be involved in the decision, including students, faculty, and university police department staff.
“The University aims for a July 1, or sooner, start of the new permanent chief,” said Scott.
Morgan was only the latest chief of the campus police to resign. Cal Poly Humboldt’s current acting chief of police is Peter Cress, a 25-year police veteran. He started his career at what was then Humboldt State before moving to Sacramento, and eventually returning to UPD in 2021. Cress stated he will likely apply to become the permanent chief of police.
Even if the position is filled, the UPD has barely enough officers to be fully staffed. With a more critical eye on police nationwide, the UPD is struggling to maintain leadership and swear in new officers.
“A lot of people have just said no, they are not interested in living under that kind of criticism,” said Cress.
For students interested in giving their input for the hiring process or for UPD, the police conduct bi-weekly phone calls with students. The university directory also provides all officers’ contact information, and the general UPD contact number is 825-55-55.
HSU notifications lack conviction or specific plans of action
If you’ve checked your email at all within the past couple of months, you’ve most likely read one of the several notices Humboldt State University sent to the campus in regards to incidents of vandalism, racist messages or off-campus crimes.
Just this semester, HSU notified students via email of numerous instances including racist graffiti on Dec. 7, racist vandalism in a residence hall restroom on Nov. 13, anti-Semitic flyers put up around the campus on Oct. 25 as well as on Sept. 17 with an email notification of a stabbing that happened off campus.
An HSU notification sent out Dec. 7 regarding racist graffiti found on campus.
The emails for the first three incidents listed came a day or less after the occurrence and after the police department had found and cleaned up the perpetrators’ messes. However, the notice about the off-campus crime was sent out a month after the crime itself, which was the stabbing of a student on Aug. 26. HSU seemingly weighed in to clarify because, “recent media accounts and headlines about the incident were filled with many different narratives.”
Each message HSU sends follows a general formula.
One paragraph is what the University allots for all of these incidents of crime on or near campus. They follow it up with multiple paragraphs about how the University has no place for racism or violence, and provide the usual list of resources students can take advantage of if they need support.
But aside from erasing the evidence of the crimes and repeating where students can go ad nauseam, they have never taken any direct action to combat the trend that is clearly going on.
The messages claim that the University Police Department is investigating these issues, but they have not given any further information as to what they actually plan to do to prevent any further instances of hate speech or vandalism in the future.
Students have a right to get their education at a school that strives for active protection, not just passive written defense.
Benjamin Zawilski
El Leñador reported that “the NAACP penned a letter in April of 2018 condemning HSU’s administration for failing to take an active role in addressing racism and safety concerns in the City of Arcata and Humboldt County, thus endangering the lives to whom it extends acceptance letters.”
HSU students ought to be able to trust the administration of their school to communicate with them in these situations. But the administration’s lack of vigilance and initiative extends even to direct threats to the safety of students. Last April, they took almost a full 24 hours to send a message that a student had committed assault on campus.
The administration will not show any sign of actually protecting the safety of the students like they claim to until they take real steps to improve their transparency.
Students have a right to get their education at a school that strives for active protection, not just passive written defense. The first step might be for administration to disclose crimes that have happened before they have absolutely no choice but to do so.
Officer John Packer recounts racist remarks from UPD Chief Donn Peterson
In August, nine of 10 University Police Department officers made votes of “no confidence” in Chief Donn Peterson. Now, UPD Sergeant John Packer has released a statement detailing some of the racist remarks made by Peterson to Packer.
In one instance, Packer was in an evaluation meeting with Peterson and UPD Lieutenant Melissa Hanson. Hanson told Packer that she and him weren’t friends and never would be. Packer didn’t know what that had to do with the evaluation, but he agreed.
Then Peterson escalated the situation, according to Packer.
“It went right from the first statement of me saying ‘I agree’ to him saying, ‘You know, John, you’re obligated to work as a slave unto his master,’” Packer said. “’And I’m like, in my head, ‘What the heck?’”
Packer said the next morning, Peterson made another comment to him while walking in the hallway.
“He says to me, ‘Hey John, I can say that because we both read the Bible,’” Packer said. “And now I’m speechless. So now you’re justifying what you said last night?”
John Packer shows his Sergeant’s badge. Packer has been a police officer for 26 years. 16 of which have been with UPD. | Photo by Deija Zavala
Earlier this month, Packer, who is the only African American officer on Peterson’s staff, wrote a statement distributed by the Statewide University Police Association detailing Peterson’s remarks.
However, Packer said before he released his statement, Peterson purposefully moved him to graveyard shift. According to Packer, sergeants have priority pick of shifts, but on Aug. 28 Packer was moved to graveyard under the guise of a Personal Improvement Plan.
Packer told the Lumberjack that the PIP listed two reasons for the shift change: compliance with university procedures and documentation, and maintaining a professional and equitable relationship with all members of the UPD team.
According to Packer, Peterson wrote on the paperwork that he suspected Packer’s “inability to perform” in the first reason was closely tied to the indifference Packer demonstrated in the second.
Packer, an HSU graduate, has lived in Humboldt for nearly 40 years. He served with the Arcata Police Department for 10 years before coming to UPD. He has been with UPD for 16 years.
After serving under seven police chiefs during his 26 years as an officer, Packer said that although he has faced racist comments from people in the workplace and some he has arrested, he has never faced such consistent racism from a superior.
Packer’s statement was released in response to statements made by Peterson in interviews with the North Coast Journal and the Times Standard. According to Packer, Peterson’s claims of misinterpretation of his statements are insulting and do not excuse his actions.
Although he has faced racist comments from people in the workplace and some he has arrested, Packer said he has never faced such consistent racism from a superior.
Packer said six to nine months after the first incident, Peterson, while frustrated, made another comment.
“He said, ‘John, you’re like dealing with the North versus the South,’” Packer said. “And I’m like, okay, I have no idea what you mean by that. I’m not going to get into that.”
Packer wrote that such remarks have only become worse over time.
“Chief Peterson has become more emboldened over the past four years, and moved from making private remarks in our meetings, to demonstrating obvious displays of racism and contempt towards me in whatever audience is available,” Packer wrote.
SUPA’s press release came almost a month after the nearly unanimous vote of no confidence, and Packer’s statement came soon after.
In the statement, UPD Officer Billy Kijsriopas accused Peterson of frequent absenteeism, manipulation of crime statistics and the creation of a hostile work environment that included racial slurs.
The statement also noted that Peterson left his previous job with Florida’s Broward County Sheriff’s Department “amid scandal.”
“Chief Peterson has become more emboldened over the past four years, and moved from making private remarks in our meetings, to demonstrating obvious displays of racism and contempt towards me in whatever audience is available.”
UPD Sergeant John Packer
According to a 2015 article from a Florida news channel, Peterson was involved in a scandal in which multiple department officials used impounded vehicles to avoid toll fees. The Broward Sheriff’s Office was eventually assigned to investigate itself and no arrests appear to have been made.
Peterson denied the recent UPD allegations last month over the phone, but said he supported the investigation as he wanted to strive for transparency.
Peterson declined to comment for this story, and instead referred The Lumberjack to HSU Director of News and Information Aileen Yoo, who then forwarded an email from Vice President for Administration and Finance Douglas Dawes.
In the email, Dawes said HSU has retained the Office of Independent Review, an independent law enforcement firm, to investigate the allegations.
“Out of respect for the process, which could take several months, I have asked Chief Peterson not to comment further until the investigation has concluded,” Dawes said.
SUPA President Jeffrey Solomon said over the phone that it wouldn’t be fair for him to comment on the investigation either, as he called it a local matter. However, Solomon acknowledged what he called “an overwhelming amount of information” that has come forward.
“I have no reason not to believe those officers and their allegations,” Solomon said.
The SUPA Facebook page shared articles from the Times Standard and Lost Coast Outpost on Friday, Nov. 8, about the vote of no confidence and the retention of the OIR.
A Humboldt State University University Police Department vehicle on Nov. 10. UPD Chief Donn Peterson is curently under investigation for the use of racist slurs, frequent absenteeism and the manipulation of crime statistics. | Photo by James Wilde
Despite the events of the last two months, Packer said the UPD office environment does not feel awkward or uncomfortable, as the department already made a vote of no confidence before Packer shared his experiences.
“It’s not awkward right now amongst the officers and dispatchers because we already knew that we had a consensus before I released my statement,” Packer said.
Packer returned to the office, and normal day shifts, after several days off on Nov. 7. It was Packer’s first time since the release of his statement.
Thus far, Packer said no words have been exchanged between him and Peterson.
“I got a nod, and you know, that’s fine,” Packer said. “But no conversations so far. Nothing negative happened.”
Packer said Peterson has always been very professional in public. However, Packer said he has begun to be critiqued through department emails.
“Included in that email will be, you know, ‘We still have divisiveness in the department and you’re still at the center of that and I need you to own the fact that you’re the center of that,’” Packer said.
Packer said Peterson has also berated him to other officers behind his back.
Packer said interviews with the OIR are coming up in a few weeks, and he hopes the investigation will examine and validate the allegations and bring them to HSU.
“They will put together a packet for the University—I assume that will go to the vice president,” Packer said. “These are the things that are inherently prohibiting this police department from functioning professionally.”
Full Statement from Sgt. John Packer:
My name is John Packer and I have served under seven Chiefs during my 26 years as a police officer in this community and currently serve as a sergeant at the University Police Department (UPD). I am the senior police officer in the department and have served under Chief Donn Peterson for approximately five years. I am the only American of African descent serving at University Police Department under Chief Peterson.
I am compelled to share my experiences after reading Chief Peterson’s statements in the October 11, 2019 online issue of the North Coast Journal and the October 14, 2019 online issue of the Times Standard. Chief Peterson claimed that “Anyone who knows me knows I don’t talk politics or religion in a professional setting or during work.”
Chief Peterson’s claim is not true. Chief Peterson claimed that “The racist remarks never happened in the way the officers say.” Chief Peterson’s claim is not true.
I firmly believe that the color of one’s skin, as with all immutable characteristics, is not a predictor of behavior or intelligence or ability, etc. While I have experienced incidents of racism and bigotry during my life, it has been my practice to disregard the ignorance expressed by the person and not carry an angry sentiment with me. I do however clearly remember the times when I have been targeted by racist and bigoted intolerance related to my race and beliefs.
I clearly remember being at a scheduled evaluation meeting with Chief Peterson and Lt Hansen. During that meeting in the Chief’s office, Chief Peterson was extremely upset to the point of using profanity directed at me. The Chief’s frustration and anger stemmed from his opinion that I did not respect Lt Hansen, that I created division at the Department and that I fail as a leader because I am not a “follower.” At the end of the meeting, Lt Hansen stated to me, “We’re not friends and we never will be, admit it.” I agreed with her statement. Chief Peterson followed with, “John you know you’re obligated to work as a slave unto his master.”
At the beginning of my next shift Chief Peterson approached me in the hallway outside the dispatch center and stated, in reference to the slavery comment he made in our meeting, “John I can say that because we both read the Bible.” I was speechless and walked away without responding to the Chief.
Over time Chief Peterson has made additional derogatory statements to me such as, “John you’re like dealing with the North verses the South,” and he excuses himself with follow up statements such as, “I’m just trying to find analogies that work with you.”
Chief Peterson has become more emboldened over the past four years, and moved from making private remarks in our meetings, to demonstrating obvious displays of racism and contempt towards me in whatever audience is available. What once only occurred behind closed doors, has now progressed to belittling statements in department meetings, and to outright derogatory statements at sergeant’s meetings.
Any claim that Chief Peterson’s analogies, historical quotes, nuances or his intent were misinterpreted by me or other officers is insulting and does not excuse the impact or justify Chief Peterson’s actions.
John Packer
Full Statement from Vice President for Administration and Finance Douglas Dawes:
As communicated to the campus community in October, the University has retained the OIR Group (Office of Independent Review) to review the allegations and complaints against Chief Peterson.
The OIR is an independent and respected law enforcement assessment firm. The University has been working with the OIR by providing information the firm needs to conduct a thorough and rigorous investigation. Out of respect for the process, which could take several months, I have asked Chief Peterson not to comment further until the investigation has concluded.
HSU officers cast an almost unanimous vote of no confidence in police chief
The Statewide University Police Association published a press release on Monday stating that officers of the Humboldt State University Police Department submitted an almost unanimous vote of no confidence in Police Chief Donn Peterson.
Nine of the ten officers in the department cast a “no confidence” vote while one abstained. Peterson has allegedly manipulated crime reports, frequently left the office to go out of state, created a hostile discriminatory work environment and violated labor laws.
In a phone interview with Peterson, he said he does not agree with the allegations. However, he enthusiastically supported the association’s examination.
“I have a profound respect for the seriousness of the allegations and the people who made them,” Peterson said. “So I want to respect that.”
Peterson said he wants to be as transparent as possible, but he hopes to continue to be the UPD Chief.
Associated Students President Yadira Cruz said she was surprised when she learned about the vote on Monday.
“I was genuinely shocked,” Cruz said. “Like what the fuck?”
After thinking about it more, Cruz said she wasn’t all that surprised. Cruz said UPD’s problems probably go beyond the chief.
HSU’s Vice President for Administration and Finance Douglas Dawes sent out a campus memo at 4:50 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30. Dawes said he has high expectations for all employees within UPD and remains committed to helping them be effective.
“Chief Peterson and his team have enhanced outreach to students through the Chief’s Advisory Panel, created the safety escort program, and worked closely with Equity Arcata,” the memo said. “We will thoroughly investigate all of the allegations brought to our attention.”
While the Justice for Josiah movement previously worked closely with UPD, they also inspired the Chief’s Advisory Panel. On Monday the Justice for David Josiah Lawson Facebook page posted a call to action in regards to the news.
“Who is going to protect our students, because it is obvious Humboldt State does not give a damn about their safety?” the post read. “It’s time to start cleaning house President Tom Jackson, get rid of the slackers. Put OUR students first.”
The press release noted that the vote does not automatically oust Peterson. However, UPD Officer Billy Kijsriopas hopes a new chief will take Peterson’s place.
“The damage to morale and the risk to campus safety is too great,” Kijsriopas said in the memo. “It’s past time we had a new chief.”
The full press release from Statewide University Police Association:
Arcata, CA. — According to officials with the Statewide University Police Association (SUPA), its officers at the Humboldt State University Police Department have cast a vote of no confidence in the Department’s police chief, Donn Peterson. Nine of 10 officers who completed the survey voted against the Chief, while the remaining voter abstained.
SUPA conducts annual leadership surveys at each CSU campus. The most recent nearly unanimous vote of no confidence in Police Chief Donn Peterson is in line with previous year’s results. Chief Peterson took the job at HSU after leaving his former post with Florida’s Broward County Sheriff’s Department amid scandal. Peterson still regularly spends time out of state with his family in Florida.
According to HSU Officer Billy Kijsriopas, “Chief Peterson’s frequent, extended bouts of time out of state leave the department in the hands of a Lieutenant who also spends an unusual amount of time away from campus. Our officers look to the Chief for guidance and leadership, but he has fallen short of the standards they and the University community deserve.”
According to Officer Kijsriopas, absenteeism is only a fraction of the failure in leadership the Department has seen since Peterson came to HSU in January 2015. Among the Chief’s other offenses, Kijsriopas cites manipulation of crime statistics reporting, creating a hostile work environment including making racial slurs aimed at minority officers, multiple violations of the Public Safety Officer’s Procedural Bill of Rights Act and blatant violations of labor laws that include a derogatory, anti-labor letter which Peterson authored and posted publically [sic].
Says SUPA president Jeff Solomon, “Our members in the Humboldt State University Police Department have consistently reported absenteeism, mismanagement and more in departmental leadership. When you have a department united like this, clearly there is a problem.”
When asked what steps he and other HSU officers would like to see, Kijsriopas replied, “The damage to morale and the risk to campus safety is too great – it’s past time we had a new chief.”
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