San Diego Police K-9 Policy Called Into Question

Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, December 12, 2024…

• San Diego’s police commission is reviewing the department’s K-9 policy, after complaints of excessive force. Data show large racial disparities in who gets bitten by police dogs.
• Former San Joaquin Valley Congressman TJ Cox has agreed to plead guilty to two financial crimes.
• Crews continue to make progress on the Franklin Fire burning in Malibu. It’s burned more than 4,000 acres, but is 7% contained.

Community Calls For Changes To San Diego Police K-9 Policy

Officers surrounded a home in the Valencia Park neighborhood of San Diego close to midnight on Oct. 24, responding to a 911 call that 31-year-old Marcus Evans threatened a woman with a gun. Body camera footage of the incident has yet to be released. Community members have seen what happened because a freelance videographer showed up and started filming.

That video shows Evans getting into a verbal confrontation with officers. Here’s some of the conversation.

“If you’re armed you will be shot or bit,” officers warned Evans inside. Evans walked out slowly, hands in the air, in drawstring basketball shorts, no shirt and no shoes, illuminated by police lights. Officers told him to stop. He took a few more steps before stopping. “I’m trying to figure out why you guys are in front of my house,” Evans said. “I have no nothing,” he said twice, turning around to show them. “I’ll sit right here,” he said, easing onto a low wall with his hands still in the air.

“You’re going to be shot!” an officer yelled. “Why are you going to shoot me?” Evans asked. Before he received an answer, an officer fired a bean bag at his stomach at about 300 feet per second. Evans collapsed into the fetal position on the stairs.

Officers can be heard yelling to Evans that if he tries to run, they’ll release a police dog on him. He didn’t try to run, but he was shot twice by bean bags rounds, and two K-9s were released, with one biting and wrenching his arm back and forth.

Community advocates are calling for more oversight of the department’s K-9 unit. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said they’re reviewing the incident and he is committed to exploring what they could’ve done differently. SDPD data show Black people are nine times likelier to be bit by K-9s than white people.

Former Central Valley Congressman Pleads Guilty In Fraud Case

TJ Cox, a former one-term Congressman from the Central Valley, has reached a plea deal, agreeing to plead guilty to two financial crimes.

Cox was originally indicted  on 28 counts, including money laundering and campaign contribution fraud. Now, only two counts remain related to wire fraud. Cox appeared briefly in federal court on Wednesday in downtown Fresno.

Cox was elected to Congress in 2018 and served one term before being defeated by Republican David Valadao. His next hearing is scheduled for January. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Calmer Weather As Crews Battle Franklin Fire

A fast-moving brush fire in Malibu has grown to more than 4,000 acres, officials said Wednesday, but firefighters were able to slow the spread under more moderate weather conditions.

The Franklin Fire is still at just 7% contained as of Thursday morning, but the red flag warning has ended.

Evacuation orders and warnings affecting roughly 20,000 people, including 6,300 forced from their homes, remain in place. Malibu schools are closed and Pacific Coast Highway, the main way in and out, is shuttered as firefighters work in tough conditions.