Lack of response and distribution of old records by El Camino College’s Police Department leaves The Union concerned.
Multiple attempts to speak to the ECCPD have been made regarding numerous stories yet The Union is met with silence or what seems to be repeating limitations.
Over 15 emails have been sent to Ruben Lopez, ECCPD’s interim chief of police as well as the Chief of Police’s Assistant Cristina Kato, none of which have been acknowledged or returned.
Reporters have called and even went to the police department in person but were denied access to anyone The Union requested to speak with these individuals, claiming they were too busy, out on campus, on lunch, or that they had to be approved by Chief Lopez before contact.
Lopez has also been seen exiting the back side of the Civic Center after the officer located at the front desk claimed he was not in the building.
Being unresponsive isn’t the only problem The Union has run into.
Kerri Webb, director of public information and government relations, and Chief Lopez had been invited to meet in the ECC newsroom for a meeting, but Lopez did not arrive.
With the meeting being confirmed and planned numerous weeks in advance, Lopez’s empty seat was a surprise. To this day, The Union has not been given a reason for this perceived unprofessional absence.
The Union is also worried that the ECCPD might not be updating the Public Records Department as it should be.
The Union has been given outdated documents several times when requesting public records on recent crimes committed on campus.
As the press, The Union’s job is to present news to the public, including public safety like open and closed cases.
Due to ECCPD seemingly avoiding contact with The Union, it prohibits the press from doing its job and could put the community at a disadvantage or even in unnecessary danger.
With innumerable experiences regarding this behavior from the college’s police department, it sparks worries for The Union.
Could this avoidance be ordered by ECC’s Administration or perhaps a choice Lopez has made since his term as Interim Chief of Police is coming to an end in the near future?
If the police have been unreliable when responding for interviews or providing updated public records, how reliable are they in serious situations where students or staff could be on the line?
