Essay: Vallejo’s Siege Mentality
A recent piece in the Economist calls into question the lessons of the âStanford Prison Experiment,â that influential psychological study done in 1971 that examined the power dynamics between both the jailers and the jailed. Professor Philip Zimardo separated the experiment participants into two groups in a simulated incarceration scenario, with âguardsâ and âinmates.â He had to call it off prematurely because the âguardsâ were getting too sadistic.
Many scholars have challenged Zimbardoâs findings, but I think they have some merit. One need only look at another âexperimentâ done in 1968 between blue-eyed and brown-eyed children in a third grade class. The teacher, Jane Elliott, spurred by the assassiation of Martin Luther King, Jr, wanted the kids to understand how easily people can be grouped into âusâ and âthem,â causing cruelty and sometimes, ultimately, violence.Â
The Economist piece asks the reader to relook at the Stanford Prison Experiment.Â
âA danger sign is when a community develops (and its leaders proclaim) an absolutist sense of right and wrong, in which one side sees itself as the sum of all good and therefore eliminating those who threaten that side becomes a defence of the good,â writes Stephen Reicher.Â
In short, in order to behave badly, people must justify it to themselves, and what better way than believing that the âotherâ is an adversary and, to put it plainly, not worthy of humanity. This is something I have always believed, separate of course from psychopathy. And certainly Nazi Germany depended on a few well-placed sadists who were more than happy to exercise their fanaticism. But over all, Anne Frank was right: âIn spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.â
I have been studying the Vallejo Police Departmentâs OIR report commissioned by the city council (Independent Assessment of Operations, Internal Review, and Agency Culture) developed by independent investigators and law enforcement experts to holistically analyse the issues and mechanics of the department. One thing that keeps popping out to me is the assessment that many Vallejo Police officers feel put-upon by the community, which they see as antagonistic and unappreciative.Â
âWe appreciate the dedication that we encountered from VPD officers of all ranks,â reads the introduction to the report, âand at the same time believe that a shift from the âsiege mentalityâ from recent years would redound to the benefit of officers and residents alike.â
The siege mentality exists.Â
The police union, the Vallejo Police Officers Association (VPOA), regularly excoriates âthe mediaâ in its Twitter posts. Journalists have been told, âWhy would I speak to you?â from police officers. I myself have never had a call returned by the union, nor lawyers who represent it, even if I am working on a story in their favor.Â
Thereâs also a now infamous line allegedly made by a VPD officer, that the best thing about Vallejo is seeing it in his rear-view mirror on his way home.Â
Well gee, thanks dude.Â
Truthfully, the VPD is mostly staffed by dedicated, professional law enforcement officers who respect the public and even those that end up suspected of crimes. The VPOA is right in the sense that we only hear the bad stuff about police here, though as a journalist it is my job to hold those in power accountable. But when I worked at the Times-Herald and called the Watch Commander every day to get the latest police activity, I regularly reported about de-escalation, such as when a man having a mental breakdown was whacking bushes with a machete over by Applebees, or when a man with a gun was safely apprehended breaking into a house. Iâm sure incidents like this go through the heads of officers who only see deadly department incidents publicized.Â
The OIR report highlighted this siege mentality because itâs deadly important. I believe Chief Shawny Williams knows this, as he is always careful to praise the âbrave men and womenâ of his department and how hard they work. They need to hear it. But itâs deadly important because of the rise in officer-involved shootings after the tragic death of VPD Officer Jim Capoot in 2011, murdered after a foot pursuit of a robbery suspect.Â
After that death, their job became scarier and they, perhaps, became angrier. Suspects became the Them with a capital T. People who decried the killing of residents by police gave rise to Blue Lives Matter rallying from cops, as if by saying that these killings of civilians were not justified, we were also saying that the death of Officer Capoot didnât matter to us, as well. His death matters to me. But we further became Us and Them.Â
âMuch of the Department seems to have an aggrieved perspective toward local politicians, the media, and its critics in the activist and legal communities,â says the OIR report. âIt becomes easy in such circumstances to perceive even the most fair-minded critiques from outsiders as attacks, and to let the less fair-minded ones become a breeding ground for defensiveness and resentment.âÂ
Interim City Manager Anne Cardwell recently caught flak for comments she made to the Times-Herald, where she cited community activists and other âvocal minoritiesâ for wearing down morale at City Hall and on council, making it hard for them to do their work; she also said that these people are not telling the truth. It would appear that City Hall is having the same siege mentality that the OIR report outlines.Â
Nothing good comes from this black and white perspective. It leads to resentment and fosters hatred. As public servants, both the police and city staff should expect pushback. As a journalist– and for many years a columnist– I got hate mail on the regular. It was hard at first but soon I realized it is part of the contract I made when I chose a field that opens me up to criticism. People who send me angry letters now always get respectful responses from me, especially if I have been wrong and they are pointing that out. Invariably we end up with mutual respect. And they always know they can give me feedback in the future, which they often do.Â
Iâm not saying that public employees have no right to be angry, or sad, or to feel worn down. But it is important to channel those feelings appropriately. Nothing good has ever come from demonizing groups of people who, at heart, probably have the same motivations you do– to do their best, make this town a better place, and protect the people we care about.
September 6, 2021 @ 12:08 pm
Well written, Katy.
I really appreciate and respect this viewpoint. Thanks for starting this new means of reporting!
September 9, 2021 @ 12:50 pm
Thank you so much for your kind words!
September 8, 2021 @ 9:36 am
Thanks for your informed perspective Katy. Words worth reading.
September 9, 2021 @ 12:50 pm
Aw thank you, that means a lot coming from you.
September 11, 2021 @ 3:09 am
A seige mentality does exist amongst Vallejo police and city staff. The mentality is a defense mechanism. Itâs evident in VPD officers as well as City staff because they arenât operating within a vacuum. If they were trying to tackle the complex challenges that Vallejo faces within a vacuum and without any criticism or interference, they wouldnât feel and be defensive.
Who is on the offensive? The entire Vallejo Community? No. There is as several Vallejoans have now stated publicly a relatively small, tight and close knit determined vocal faction of activists that at times come across as indignant, sanctimonious and self righteous. they can come across as relentless and utterly rigid. As if they see the world in only black and white. In this current state, there is no oxygen for grace to bloom amongst the community which is necessary for the healing process. That has to occur prior to the hard work getting done. Self righteousness burns. Itâs like
magnesium. When magnesium reacts with oxygen, it produces light bright enough to blind temporarily. VPD and City staff have an Enormous mountain of challenges that they are faced with daily. In the most ideal circumstances they might feel respected and supported by their community which might serve to inspire and motivate. Yet they feel âdemoralizedâ. There IS a revolving door. They are not operating in a vacuum without criticism or interference. They are working in a crucible. And, it is clearly a destructive and corrosive environment in which to work, and it is unsustainable. Nothing positive will be accomplished with this scorched earth tactic. There cannot be progress without reconciliation and cooperation.
Do you want examples? Take the âTacos with a Copâ initiative slated for 9/25/21. Tacos Jalisco is providing the tacos and refreshments. These types of events are meant to build rapport and trust where it has been lacking. Yet one of the activists of the âvocal factionâ recently wrote on social media to a large group of followers: â Thereâs been no accountability for the badge bending or the murder and abuse of our neighbors, but now weâre supposed to eat tacos?
I was sad to hear that a longtime Vallejo business that I used to support is providing tacos for a police department PR event. I guess Iâll just add them to the list of police apologist businesses in Vallejo I donât patronize. All money ainât good money.â
And,
âI will bring a PB&J from home or miss a meal before I spend a nickel with any business that supports the police in any way. â
These are absolutist statements. This is a rigid, scorched earth approach and clearly displays a lack of tolerance and respect for an entire group of people, as well as anyone that supports them. It is offensive, and it is no wonder that a defensive âsiege mentalityâ continues to perpetuate as well as an âUsâ vs âThemâ reality. And the very same is true for our city staff. I could show you hundreds of posts just like this ine on social media, and within op-eds. And these are on too of the verbal and reputational attacks city staff have faced during council meetings. This is precisely why Anne Cardwell stated publicly that there is a negative segment of the community that is incredibly critical of city staff; that itâs demoralizing; and, it impacts the cityâs ability to make progress and effectively attract and retain staff.â
This is a fact! Why else would our former mayor Bob Sampayan state almost exactly the same to the VTH? Why else would our current mayor Bob McConnell feel it necessary to install ârules of orderâ for speakers at council meetings, and give a word of warning to prospective city manager candidates that we have a very âinvolvedâ group of citizens? Are ALL of these servants playing victim and throwing up the white flag, or are they possibly accurately assessing the corrosive dynamics that exist here in our city currently? Without a detente of sorts and mutual respect shown, there will be no progress. Anne Frank WAS right: despite EVERYTHING, she STILL continued to believe that the majority of people were really good at heart. If she had that capacity in her dire circumstances and was able to see the good in others, our community could certainly try to show respect at a minimum during council meetings despite the ongoing challenges Vallejo faces. Even the most fervent activists can be respectful. Scorched earth tactics will get us all nowhere.
September 12, 2021 @ 8:46 am
Ashley,
Your example of the social media reaction to the “Tacos with a Cop” event reveals that you do not understand the depth of the problem with the police. The tacos are like a cheap grocery store bouquet that a man brings his battered spouse the morning after, when what is needed to save the marriage is in-depth counseling. To make it worse, they’ll be demonstrating a drone and a SWAT truck at a time when increased surveillance and militarization of police are of great concern to activists.
If I asked Chief Williams, at this event, how an officer like Jarrett Tonn was allowed to remain on the force after multiple incidents of shooting unarmed people, how would that go over? What if I asked how the DOJ investigation is going? I’ve been to the “Coffee with the Cops” events held by the former chief. It’s not a good format for a serious conversation.
So yes, there is rancor and indignation, but it isn’t there because we activists think it is fun. It exists because we’re tired of our concerns – and these are life and death issues – being routinely dismissed.
“These types of events are meant to build rapport and trust where it has been lacking”.
Sorry, these types of events are way too superficial to build the kind of rapport and trust that is needed. I agree with the person who called it a publicity stunt.
You’ve helped to illustrate the problem, but blaming the critics and casting police and city staff as victims only deepens the divide.