By Betty Williams
Because the President of The Higher Sacramento NAACP, a really troubling state of affairs has been delivered to my consideration and desires a right away response.
It’s alleged that Sacramento County Sheriff’s Captain and Rancho Cordova Chief of Police, Kate Adams, was positioned on an prolonged administrative depart earlier than she retired final yr. I’ve been made conscious that Captain/Chief Adams was positioned on depart as a result of she despatched a racially charged textual content(s) footage(s) to many different Sheriff’s Division workers. I even have been made conscious of different “official” complaints in opposition to Captain/Chief Adams involving homophobic slurs. I used to be made conscious an investigation started and stopped when Captain/Chief Adams retired.
Amongst a few of the proof that I’ve seen, is a really disturbing image which was 
handed round to many Sheriff’s Division workers with feedback in regards to the image, none of which had been condemning Captain Adams from sending it or condemning the content material of the image. Within the occasion you haven’t seen the picture, let me briefly describe it to you;
“A white man who appears to be in his yard, holding a beverage can (probably a beer) in a single hand and a backyard hose within the different. The water hose is on and projecting a excessive stream of water instantly onto the again of a 6–8-year-old black boy’s head. The boy is standing in a blue plastic swimming pool and the caption on the image is – “GO BE A (N-word Redacted) SOMEWHERE ELSE.”
Seeing what I’ve seen, there isn’t a “punchline” or “humorous quip” to the image. It can’t be categorised as a joke. It’s an apparent racist depiction of a grown white man degrading a younger black boy simply because he’s Black. Interval.
I perceive that Captain Adams now not works for the Sheriff’s Division. I additionally perceive if an worker of the Sheriff’s Division is underneath investigation and so they retire, the investigation is stopped.
This incident is abhorrent, particularly when it instantly includes a Sheriff’s Captain, a high-ranking regulation enforcement officer, who was additionally serving because the Rancho Cordova Chief of Police on behalf of the Sheriff’s Division. Moreover, there are different workers who noticed this image. Did they cross it on? What was their response? Had been there complaints? Had been they investigated to an consequence or did all the investigation conveniently die for them too when Captain/Chief Adams retired? Since Adams didn’t get investigated to the extent of an consequence, is she allowed now to hunt different alternatives of employment in regulation enforcement?
I’m additionally asking, who knew? Who on the Rancho Cordova Metropolis Council knew and even noticed the proof I’ve seen, or has been instructed about it? What did, or didn’t the Sheriff, Undersheriff or Chief Deputy share with the Rancho Cordova Metropolis Council or Metropolis Supervisor? The identical questions are requested of the Board of County Supervisors.
Most significantly, who within the Sheriff’s Division management was concerned within the resolution to cease the investigation as soon as Captain/Chief Adams retired? Was it the Sheriff, Undersheriff or the Chief Deputy who made the choice? Was it a collective resolution between everybody? Was Captain/Chief Adams allowed to retire in “good standing”. Is there documentation of the which might stop her from being rehired with one other Legislation Enforcement company, or in every other regulation enforcement capability? Because of the alleged allocations will Captain/Chief Adams going to be passing on the identical attitudes in her new working setting? This can be a main concern to me and nicely as Higher Sacramento NAACP.
The Higher Sacramento NAACP and I would like solutions NOW. We don’t want some smoke screens of deflections that coverup the reality.
Our total neighborhood must face this reality that racism and intolerance haven’t any place in Legislation Enforcement. To keep up profitable relationships, we should proceed constructing partnerships and construct belief with our elected officers.
Sadly, we’ve seen that racist conduct is ignored till it reaches a degree that the general public turns into conscious of it. Comparable instances of racist texts between regulation enforcement officers in Los Angeles, Torrance and San Francisco ought to have taught us that transparency on this concern is a should.
It’s my understanding that the Sheriff’s Division handed these investigations to the County as a substitute of dealing with it instantly. If that is true, what attainable purpose may there be to cross off the investigation or any concern this vital aside from the aim of both having deniability or masking up this concern? We demand solutions.
The Higher Sacramento NAACP is anticipating your responses instantly.
Betty Williams is the Higher Sacramento NAACP Department President
