Black Lives Matter Sacramento

Dear Cheif Hahn,

On March 27th 2020 at around 5pm, Sacramento Police terrorize a Black family at their home. They first said they were coming for a probation search. They demanded all people leave the home with guns drawn on the home and on the family. The search, if that was why they were there, would have only had to have been on the room of the person on probation, who was not present.


Recent incident

The story from the officers then changed to a “possible homicide.”

They violently detained the family, searched the entire home without a warrant. They took the mothers rent and bills money equalling $2700.00, but wrote on the citation that it was $2190.00 that was confiscated. They cited the man for having packaged marijuana from a dispensary, as if he was selling marijuana.

This is not the first time, and there is a paper trail of previous harassment by Officer Chad Lewis, Officer James, and Officer Patterson on this family.

On April 18, 2019 Officer Chad Lewis went to this family's home and accused them of having a “gang house” when him, his mother, brother and cousins barbecued in front of the home. Again, they had AR’s drawn on the family. (The family's origin is in Vallejo and they have no ties to gangs).

Between April 2019 and March 202, Officer Chad Lewis has made it tradition to drive by the families house on a regular basis. This family lives on a court so there is no reason to drive past his home. They often yell things out of the window and threaten that they are going to “get him soon.”

Every time that something happens in the vicinity of this home, SacPD uses it is as an excuse to come and terrorize this family.

Cheif Hahn, we have some demands.

• 1. We demand that the Sacramento Police Department stop terrorizing Black families that have members that are on, or have been on parole or probation.

  2. We demand that this family is given all names of officers involved and that these officers are GPS monitored with demands to stay away from the home of Owens and his family.

  3. We demand all belongings, including the full $2700.00 be returned to this family.

  4. We demand that the Sacramento Police Department stop using “probation searches” as an excuse to terrorize and criminalize Black communities that are in, and outside, predominantly Black neighborhoods. These officers are not probation officers.

  5. Officers found to have engaged in abusive behavior towards Black people in the community they patrol should be immediately removed and barred from any further engagement in that community. We consider the action of the officers listed in this complaint as demonstrating such abusive behavior and should be immediately barred and removed from further engagement in that community.

  6. We demand monthly drug tests of all officers employed by the Sacramento Police Department. Officers should not be patrolling our neighborhoods while under the influence of any substance.

  7. We demand officers stop using retaliatory methods that intentionally keep Black community members control by, and beholden to, the current criminal system.

  8. We demand an investigation into why guns were drawn on civilians when officers stated that they were initially there for a probation check.

  9. We demand a clear explanation as to why the full home was searched without a proper search warrant, if officers were there for a probation search.

  10. We demand an Investigation and explanation as to the actions of your officers who detained the family because they were looking for someone who committed a homicide. Why did officers take valuable time removing personal property from the residence and citing the residents instead of prioritizing the search for said person(s) who committed the illegide homicide?

  11. We demand a written transcript of the original 9-1-1 call(s) that caused officer(s) to be dispatched to Owens address

  12. We demand all audio and video footage be released to the family of the incident in question and any other incidents in which the officers listed above have been dispatched and or otherwise found it upon themselves to stop at Owens home

  13. We demand the abolishment of the Gang Enforcement Team, and the practice of officers using “gangs” as an excuse to racially profile Black men who are not involved in gangs.

  14. We demand that the current vacant role of the Director of the Office of Public Safety and Accountability be filled immediately as to ensure proper complaints are registered against officers and furthermore to ensure that there is an independent level of oversight and accountability and public safety.

  15. We demand a written response within 7 days to the address provided above as to what action(s) you have taken and or are going to take to resolve these important demands as they have been listed and to ensure that your officers stops the continued harassment of Owens and his family  

We look forward to seeing swift accountability.

Black Lives Matter Sacramento

Incident from one Year Ago