City PD Distances Self from UC Davis Police

As pepper-spray videos go viral and the world focuses on Davis, the City of Davis Police Department wants to make a distinction between itself and the UC Davis PD.

Two of the UC Davis officers have been placed on leave, although Chief Annette Spicuzza did not provide their names. has been shown that have since gone viral.

The City PD wants to clear up confusion about their role in what happened between the Occupy UC Davis demonstrators and campus police on Friday.

“The City of Davis and the City of Davis Police Chief exercise no authority over the UCDPD,” said Lt. Paul Doroshov of the City’s PD. “While Davis PD officers were called to assist UCDPD officers, they arrived late in the operation, were in a support role only, and used not force on protestors, including pepper spray.”

I shortly after the Occupy camp was erected in Central Park, breaking a city camping ordinance.

"Our job is to keep the peace and protect people," he said. "Our actions are dictated by the actions of the protestors. We evaluate the situation based on the overall circumstances."

That camp has existed for about five weeks without confrontation. The police chief showed up last week with a (dead grass, flammable tarp), but the occupiers are making attempts to meet those concerns.

Back to the UC Davis situation. The City of Davis PD has mutual aid agreements with the university and other public safety agencies in Yolo County. A letter in the Vanguard today suggests that agreement should be reexamined.

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