Views on The City Manager
Since he was promoted on an interim basis last year I have believed that former museum director Joe Felz was in way over his head. His role in handling the Kelly Thomas homicide has been fuzzy, at best. He seems to have been prepared to let his underling, Chief Sellers make the decisions (or choose not to make any decisions at all) and let police union boss Andrew Goodrich be the official voice of Fullerton – passing half-truths, irrelevancies, or outright lies.
My guess is that Felz abdicated the authority given him by the City Council and handed it over to Pat McKinley.
The only thing I’ve heard from Felz was a lame-ass attempt to play word games by saying no settlement offer was made to Ron Thomas, father of the victim. Of course that was such a sniveling lie that it alone should have earned Felz a half-hour stay in Jay Cicinelli’s basement Taser room.
Here’s an observation made by one of our commenters “Do you know”:
One person the citizen’s of Fullerton are letting fall under the radar is City Manager Joe Felz. The mayor and city council of Fullerton are largely part-time figure heads. The real power in the day to day operations of any small city is in the hands of its city manager. The city manager is also the boss of the chief of police. The chief of police does not even have the power to terminate an employee. The chief can suspend, or place officer’s on administrative leave, but they can only recommend termination. The city manager is the only one with the power to permanently remove an officer from their employment.
Chief Sellers initial inaction in this case is every bit the fault of Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz, as there is no way he did not know what is going on. Chief’s of police throughout California are on the phone with their city manager’s several times a day over one issue or another. City manager’s get their daily marching orders from regional heads of the California League of Cities. Since Chief Sellers did not take action in the early stages of this case, City Manager Joe Felz is every bit as culpable as Chief Sellers. Possibly more.
I’m inclined to agree. We are always told what a nice guy Joe Felz is. Maybe so. But it looks like he’s turned over the keys of the City of Fullerton to a rogue police department.
I’m sure he’s getting lots of bad advice from his old boss Chris Meyer, too. Incompetence is a multi-generational malady.
Is it possible to recall this knucklehead too? Or get him fired for negligence? Who would determine this? Hee Haw dick jones? The city council? or someone from the state?
Soon… As soon as we get the recall done and get our people in office, we can fire him and put in our own person. We’ll house clean real good.
Dream on!
Too many parasites will fill the Host.
To many parasites kill the Host.
Yes, do a real deep cleaning. Remember General Patton? After WW2, didn’t he want to rearm the Germans to fight the Bolshevics after the Allies wiped out Germany’s upper management? Maybe Sellers is also a real victim here, a victim of poor management. The people should work on this parasite too, Why Does the pyramid structure of management always seem to let people, without conscience, run things. Don’t forget the city of Bell. God, please save us all from these con artists.
Yes, I have seen that Meyer dude wandering the city halls quite a bit since he retired. He’s hard to miss, actually.
I’d been wondering about this guy, knowing that in a city manager style of government he is the one with the real power. Why not try for a Fox News style, stake-out surprise interview of him?
Great idea, if you could actually find him doing his job!
City managers get daily marching orders from the regional heads of the California League of Citie? Daily?
I’d love to read a post expounding of that claim.
ck out this police blog article and comments
http://www.officer.com/news/10316515/training-eyed-calif-police-kill-mentally-ill-man
You people will never be happy. No matter what happens there will always be some “conspiracy” against the public by the government. You should all move to an island together so you can hug trees, grow your hair long, smoke pot and be suspect of each other.
wwjd
I understand cops have a dangerous job. No doubt there are encounters that can turn deadly.
However, the Thomas incident was not a typical subdue and arrest.
I’ve said it before. If these cops were innocent or wrongdoing, the city video would’ve been released and they wouldn’t have confiscated witness videos at the scene.
Unless you’re one of the Fullerton 6, there’s no need to keep defending them.
This movement is not an attack on all cops. Police are necessary to keep order in society. The FPD 6 acted as a rogue gang that night.
At the very least they, need to be removed form service without further pay, pensions and not allowed to work in law enforcement ever again.
Any other gang of 6 people that did what they did would have been arrested and jailed by now.
This incident is worse than what happened to Brian Stow but the FPD 6 are being handled with kid gloves instead of the criminal suspects they are.
From the moment after the incident until now, subterfuge has been ongoing.
Reality Check
“This movement is not an attack on all cops. Police are necessary to keep order in society. The FPD 6 acted as a rogue gang that night.”
If your saying that than you haven’t read all the comments posted on this site. For example just read any of merijoe’s rants. Not only is it an attack on all cops, but also an attack on the Government of the city, the Government we all voted in. (those of us who vote). My guess is that most of these people didn’t even bother to vote.
I’ve read articles on your protests every Saturday and have driven by. I am disgusted by some of the signs I’ve seen. I am also disgusted at the actions by some of the protesters at booing and yelling obscenities at the police as they drive by. You tell me that is not an attack on all cops.
Just by your statement that “The FPD 6 acted as a rogue gang that night.” shows that you have already passed judgement on this incident. Unless you have watched the video or were there and saw the ENTIRE incident, you really don’t know what happened. The youtube and bus video DOESN’T show the incident.
I’m sure you are more level headed than most of the sheep posting on this website but most of what is written is garbage.
I realize that many people on this site are extremist and have beliefs that not everyone shares, but you are asking me not to lump all of you together as having the same extreme beliefs. I don’t have a problem doing that, but in the same token everyone should not have the same beliefs about all cops, or all city officials.
You see teachers on the news getting arrested for child molestation 2x as much as you see an incident involving police, yet you send your kids to school everyday knowing that all teachers are not the same. Why doesn’t everyone get treated in the same way? Who do you want living next to you, on of the “already assumed guilty 6” or one of those teachers? Why isn’t there outrage like this when an incident occurs?
Why can’t people just let the system do it’s job without assuming all Government is corrupt? Do you really think anyone in the city wants to “cover up” this incident? I’m sure the men and women of FPD want this incident investigated just as much as everyone else does. If they take pride in their job, than they want just that. Just as every teacher wants the one who is accused of inappropriate behavior to be fully investigated.
I’m sure merijoe or some other idiot will post something and prove my point.
wwjd
If there’s truth to what multiple witnesses have reported, the cops are criminal suspects. At some point, they crossed the line from “doing their job” to becoming as I’ve labeled them, “a rogue gang of cops”.
I tend to believe the witnesses because they tell a similar account. Common sense leads me to ask what do they stand to gain by lying?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVCgCbY2z14
On the other hand, certain members of the police department have a lot to lose if what’s been reported is true.
The main point noting in all this is:
When the government (in this case, police) doesn’t police itself, this will continue happening in other encounters. That’s why concerned citizens need to make themselves heard.
As to your question, “Do I think the city officials want to cover up the incident?”
That remains to be seen.
Again, you are going on witness statements that only saw PART of the incident.
“When the government (in this case, police) doesn’t police itself, this will continue happening in other encounters. That’s why concerned citizens need to make themselves heard.”
It is common practice for an independent investigation to occur after an incident like this. If you read all the articles relating to this event you will know the PD asked for the DA’s office to investigate immediately (way before FFFF was involved) so it would not look like anything is being covered up. Nobody from this site seemed to care about that.
Wwjd
we do not presume all government is always suspect. The brutality of FPD is obvious. The insensitivity and incompetence of Fullerton’s elected officials is obvious. The repeated patterns of police brutality, intimidation, perjury, false arrest, etc across
California and the US is obvious. Government serves the people. It is our patriotic duty to ensure that criminals, incompetents and corrupt officials are removed from office. That is what we’re doing. It is our patriotic duty to ensure that those who abuse the public trust and abuse the public literally are removed from their positions of authority. That is what we demand. If you don’t like that I’m sure they’d be glad to have another jackbooted thug in Syria or North Korea. Bon voyage!
Granted, we see more teacher cases on the [TV] news than we do about cops, but that says more about the establishment media than it says about cops. If you get a lot of the news on the web, and not only from blogs but from local news websites, you see rampant acts of police misconduct every day.
I do agree that teachers and cops share one big problem: government union protecting them when they should be disciplined or fired. At least prosecutors don’t line up on the side of the teachers, though.
Sounds like your the extremist.
Yawn…the trolls are getting boring lately.
“When they took the Fourth Amendment,
I was silent because I don’t deal drugs.
When they took the Sixth Amendment,
I kept quiet because I know I’m innocent.
When they took the Second Amendment,
I said nothing because I don’t own a gun.
Now they’ve come for the First Amendment,
and I can’t say anything at all.”—Tim Freeman
1) I am sick and tired of the dangerous job excuses. Everyone knows there are dangers and high pressure, it comes with the job. It’s not like they didn’t know when they wanted the job. If they can’t handle it then they are not fit to be a police officer. Find some other line of works. Don’t use the execuses to justice the excessive forces and cover ups. Many of you who defended and ass kissing the cops will be quick to condemn and criticise these type of brutalities when they happened in other countries or when it happened in the US, it’s always the suspects faults.
2) Ok, not all cops are bad but if they turned a blind eye when they knew about the misconducts then they are not any better.
Is it just me or does this guy look like he could be the twin of the guy from the Drew Carey show that is also on Outsourced?
Wwjd apparently thinks Jesus would beat instead of feed the homeless. Any good cop keeping the code of silence on bad cops, ARE bad cops. Fpd thugs are on city council. City council is ultimately responsible for policing the police department, and the da only files charges handed to him by the police.
I do not see any good or logical reason why this wwjd could possibly defend the conduct of these six officers. All you need to know is that Kelly Thomas was unarmed and 135lbs and then see his hospital photo after which he died five days later. Any unbiased, intelligent person wouldn’t even need a video or witnesses to know that there was excess brutality. Some people can’t see the forest for the trees.
idiot, am I? nope too easy, not going to go there
i will say WWJD-if you dont like whats being said here by one of us, “idiots”, then why do you come here? and comment?
Since no one is going to stop saying or doing whatever they want to that you dont like, based on what you say -I guess you have a major problemo to deal with-oh yeah, Kelly was MURDERED by your friends in blue and their friends in government are covering it up so they can attempt to save theirlying butts.
Yes, Im sayin that loudly, I believe that, Im passing it on to others and Im protesting every saturday with signs you find disgusting -and all before the investigation is done-What WOULD Jesus do?
See Reality Check? I told you she would say something stupid. I’ll disregard it and chalk it up to her off her medication.
Yes Wwjd, and tragically, we all know exactly how the gang of six, and their defenders, like to treat people who are off their medication, don’t we??
You won’t earn any respect or trust by simply disregarding the truth spoken by the people you “serve and protect.”
I see the trolls who support the Gestapo police “no matter what” are in full force on this blog.
Instead of pointing the finger at these disgusting psychopath cops who beat Kelly to death, they use the same tactics the ultra-left do. They demonize the father, accuse of him being a money hustler and many other idiotic accusations.
WWJD and the rest of these trolls are so obvious it’s painful. They’re obviously bloated parasitical tics who suck at the government tit.
Just like most civil service assholes that produce absolutely nothing in society but take take take.
California taxpayers are getting quite sick of paying for your fat asses. Look at what happened in Bell California. Those council members are sitting in prison with an orange uniform being someone’s bitch. Good! They took from the taxpayers and they need to pay, especially that fat pig Rizzo.
WWJD – you and your other police lovers are disgusting pigs. You’re all sociopaths of the highest order. You sit there and condone the brutal beating of a homeless man in all the name of your fascist law and order.
In addition, I know merijoe personally. She’s a delightful woman. Very bright, law abiding and a great Californian. You and the rest of your little pukes aren’t fit to lick her bootstrap.
I guess you think its ok for TSA to stink their hands down your pants. It’s all the name of national security right? Patting down grandma, beating up homeless people. You’re all the same.
So let me get this straight, if the police beat the fuck out of one of your own, then it’s ok right?
So if TSA or some other sick government goon twists your wife titty in a pat down that’s ok too right?
Self-righteous sick puppies. In all actuality Kelly is saner than people like you.
Admit it Anonymous, you don’t give a shit about Kelly. Your using this incident to voice your anti-government crap. Why didn’t you speak up before this incident if things were so horrible?
I’ll say it again, I’m glad you and merijoe disagree with me. I don’t need you two on my side. You both continue to prove my point by making ignorant statements.
Wwjd,
WE don’t care about Kelly?? Please, don’t make me laugh. The only thing YOU care about is your yourself, your deadly oversized ego (bolstered by your badge and your taser) and your pension. The public, the weak, unfortunate, and the sick be damned.
BTW, it’s a LOT more than just Anonymous and Merijoe that disagree with you. It’s the majority of Fullerton and the majority of California, the majority of the country and, in fact, the majority of all people, even internationally, who learn about the brutal murder of Kelly Thomas. You might not need us to agree with you, since you have such a powerful union, but you do need us to pay your salary. It is WE THE PEOPLE, who do not need, or want, the likes of you on our payroll.
Admit it WW, you only give a shit about your union friends-Where’s your concern about witnesses being intimated not to say anything, and cameras being stolen from them? wheres your concern over a man’s head being split open while he lay unconcious? where’s your concern that this MURDER wasnt looked into until 3 wks later? Where’s you concern that the animals that did this as shown on tape, were still working on the street, 3 wks after they killed someone? Wheres your concern that the tape is being released to the SOB’s so they can write nice little reports, but not to us citizens that paid for that city camera with taxmoney? I’ll tell you why you arent concerned with any of that, because you are one of them thats why
Im pained that you dont need me on your side-I was so worried – maybe I can find a support group to help me deal with that.
WHAT GOES ON IN THE DARK, COMES OUT IN THE LIGHT
Good, but don’t slander the ultra-left. The left and libertarian right are in complete agreement on police brutality and related issues. Like it or not, they are a notable presence in this movement and at the protests.
Well said, Anonymous. Bravo.
FFFF is crawling with blue trolls. They’re sounding more screechy every day.
Everyone on this site knows what happened to Kelly, and everyone on this site knows what is happening right now. It’s pretty simple, really.
The FPD killed Kelly Thomas. They beat him to death, he died, and now they’re trying to cover it up.
Everyone knows this.
Now, the FPD and their confederates are circling their wagons, hoping we will lose interest and go away. This will never happen.
2-6 months for tox reports? Ask anyone you know who has endured a DUI. That’s bullshit.
Kelly was a meth-head? Really? The smurfs like to say this, but I wonder about that.
Drug addiction is expensive, even at the street level. I doubt Kelly had the resources. And even if he was a user, he certainly didn’t deserve to be murdered by the police.
The blue trolls continue to attack Kelly’s dad — the very same man Kelly was crying out to as the FPD was murdering him. This is loathsome beyond hope — but not surprising.
The lines have pretty much stabilized now; the FPD and their supporters are in full-blown rope-a-dope and will stay there for a year, maybe two — or more.
They’ll kick this can down the road as long and as far as they can. Some of these miserable old geezers will likely die before Kelly has his day in court. Good.
The sooner the better.
The need of the hour for us is to stay on point. The smurfs will continue to misdirect; bashing Kelly, his dad, Tony, you, me, and everyone else who demands justice for Kelly.
We’ll stay on point, we’ll be patient, and we won’t be moved.
Make that, “To many parasites kill the host”.
FUCK YOU and your Jesus.. YOUR Jesus is truly a freak if you are one of his recipes..
DONT COMPARE anything to this incident..
FOCUS idiot.. on this incident
FOCUS on this dept.
FOCUS on the MURDER of a homeless man who resisted arrest
NEVER invoke the name of Jesus unless it is in your last breath or unless you know you are worthy of claiming you have a clue how he would act in a given situation
you have not a clue and are a heartless coward
FOCUS on this ONE incident and stay focused on it.. and STFU about anything else.. if you do not have the courage to FOCUS on this ONE incident then go away coward.. you really are the scum of the earth to try and use Jesus as a shield while you spout your trash nonsense
Oh WWJD – I do care about Kelly. This beating sets a serious precedent for the future.
Am I anti-government? Hell yes and proud of it. I’m an anarchist libertarian and would love it if most civil servants were fired today. I’m glad you’re not on my side.
You’re a typical civil service government asshole who produces no value to society. You’re a leech and a drain to humanity. Most of your fellow cops, dispatchers, prosecuting attorneys, court employees are all part of this sick dark environment who loves crime, illegal immigration, illegal DUI checkpoints and other facist practices. Keeps people like you in a job.
Here’s the rub parasite. Many Americans are out of a job and on their last leg. The last thing they wanna do is pay for your sorry ass and your cronies pension.
I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again. Most government employees are as worthless as a tit on a boar hog.
@# 36> well said but i am sure it went on deaf ears there only concern is there selfish motivations.
this pigs all wallow in there own filth although the blame should partly be on the dumb asses who allowed this in the first place the laws need to be changed to rid the country of this cancer.No above the law special favors cops are not above the law it gives them the mind set they can’t be touched.This type of treachery can not be tolerated any more
@# 36> well said but i am sure it went on deaf ears there only concern is there selfish motivations.
WILL THIS DIRT EVER STOP?!!?
Joe’s nice guy – I knew him when he was a senior rec leader. He’s gone a long way! Just like the guy before him, Chris Meyer; both had humble beginnings and went up through the ranks. Chris started out as the guy who followed the head the maintenance dept around with a clip board. Fullerton needs a fresh face at the top. With this crisis that will be next to impossible and that’s a pity. I liked Joe, when I knew him, but don’t think he has the balls to handle this well. Too bad for Joe to be put in this position; to correct a possible misconception here… Chiefs of Police may be under the City Manager on the organization charts — but they are more equel in power and influence, in the community and certainly the Council. As this fiasco fades into the background, Joe might want to look to make a lateral move, maybe consulting. We need a manager with the experience, temperament and balls to be the big gun in this city’s governance.
We care about our city and wouln’t want the likes of you running it.
Good 2 shoes, you obviously have not paid attention to who is actually speaking up, showing up to council meetings, or protesting. They aren’t all pot smoking hippies as you accuse them of being. Were you to have shown up to last nights city council meeting you might have been surprised at the amount of right wing, shirt and tie businessmen who raised their voices in protest. The only conspiracy theorist here is you buddy. And in starting your post with WWJD, maybe you should consider that jesus would definitely qualify as a political radical. I mean you no disrespect, but don’t make ridiculous accusations, you sound like the type of person who would have criticized civil rights protestors. Are you?
Is anyone else amused by all of the cowards who have lot’s of angry things to say but lack the courage to attach their names to their statements? I know of another hateful group that enjoys fiery rhetoric and total anonymity, you might know of them too, they like to wear bedsheets and cone-shaped hoods to hide behind when they puke out hateful nonsense and accuse others of being a dangerous element.