Editorial: Transparency, accountability best for San Rafael

Eight months after a Canal neighborhood man was allegedly roughed up by San Rafael police officers – a bloody incident caught on video – the community is still waiting for answers and accountability.

What it has heard, so far, are promises from City Hall, Police Chief David Spiller and Marin District Attorney Lori Frugoli, as well as reading reports about mounting city expenses for hired independent investigators and, lately, the hiring of a consultant to help the city with its public presentation.

Details about the progress of the investigation presented to the public have been slim. Trust, however, hangs in the balance.

The months between the July 27 arrest of 37-year-old Julio Jimenez Lopez, who was not charged by the DA, threaten to unravel years spent by police in trying to build community trust between the department and Canal residents. They continue to wonder why the process is taking so long.

The city’s hired independent investigator is expected to deliver his report to Chief Spiller this month.

We hope so.

What the community is being told is that the city may never release the details of the investigation as it is also bound by state personnel laws to protect the privacy of the police officers whose conduct is being reviewed.

Spending a lot on PR is not going to help if the public has a general lack of trust in the city.

The city, from the City Council to the police department, has to be as forthcoming and transparent as legally possible.

Its officers have state-required personnel rights, but the community is troubled, feeling that City Hall is being too careful by not saying much of anything.

Jimenez Lopez already has a lawyer and filed a claim against the city. Infringing on the officers’ personnel rights could create a target for another lawsuit.

But the city should worry less about getting sued than doing the right thing – for justice, community trust and the police department.

Healing must be about the relationship with the community, not about fear of the labor rules.

To the city’s credit, it continues to hold community meetings in the Canal. These are good and right steps toward building respect and understanding of the process.

Part of the city’s PR consultants’ job will be community outreach. Let’s hope that it is free of PR spin.

The city has repeatedly promised that its process will be fair and as transparent as possible. Its strength in delivering on that promise is going to have to stand up to the video of Jimenez Lopez allegedly being roughed up after arguing with officers over showing his ID. He suffered a broken nose and what his lawyer has called “traumatic brain injury” in the incident.

Any thoughts that public concern would wither as time wears on does not appear to be coming to fruition.

After eight months, the public deserves to see progress. Both Frugoli, who called the DA’s Office investigation of the incident “a top priority,” and City Hall, with its costly review, need to show they are getting close to conclusions. If not, why not?

Transparency and accountability are the best ways to build trust.