Written by: Tessa Paoli

Published: 07 May 2021

During this week’s special Santa Rosa city council meeting, spanning almost two full days, the public heard three reports interrogating Santa Rosa officers’ responses to the 2020 protests. They say Santa Rosa police used an unparalleled amount of tear gas and four unauthorized barricade rounds injuring several people. Subsequent reporting by the Press Democrat found that force has cost the city millions of dollars in lawsuits.

"The city’s effectively on trial here with the public about how we responded to this situation and we are asking the public to see it from our perspective," Council member Jack Tibbetts said.

Tibbetts said he felt good overall with how the police handled the protests. He also suggested releasing the hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage to the public as evidence. This footage was reviewed by the two city-contracted consulting firms as part of their report of the department’s response during the protests. Both firms concluded that SRPD’s use of force was within policy. But those reports gave several system-wide recommendations, such as better documentation and more supervision. 

"None of us ever want to go through something like we did last year again," Santa Rosa police chief Rainer Navarro said. "We made mistakes but these deficiencies have been corrected and we are using these reports to improve our organization."

Navarro said the department was overwhelmed, especially at the beginning of the protest. And that protesters did get violent, throwing fireworks and frozen water at officers, although that claim is contested. Navarro also said he takes responsibility for what transpired and that his department has made changes since last summer, like more oversight on use of force during protests and a better sound system for dispersal orders. And most critically, stricter rules for munitions like the unauthorized barricade rounds that mysteriously made it into officers' hands during the demonstrations. Santa Rosa police captain John Cregan noted that this was one of their biggest failures.

"The unfortunate situation is that some of these munitions were mixed in with the lethal rounds, they look strikingly similar, especially at night but we have taken substantial steps to make sure this never occurs in our community again," Cregan said.

Dozens of residents and protesters spoke out, demanding more systemic change and accountability within the department. Some also expressed concern about the potential for a new sound device, which the New York City police department was forced to stop using this year.

"We need a deep review of implicit bias and outright racism in the force," Santa Rosa resident Katheleen Finigan said.

"And when you ask us what we are fighting for, we are innately fighting to keep each other safe," Chantavy Torando, founder of local nonprofit Love and Light, said.

Many residents also mentioned a lack of attention to the first report presented at the special meeting by Sonoma County’s Human Rights Commission. The report included testimonials from protesters and outlined several human rights violations by SRPD, like excessive and discriminate force, disparate enforcement against protesters of color and sexual harassment. The report demanded independent investigations into SRPD officers involved in these activities and a ban on the use of military grade weaponry on the public. The chief did not directly address this report or testimonials by protesters in his presentation. 

"I saw many blunt force trauma injuries to backs of legs of people who had been retreating, I saw head wounds with facial injuries. I saw gas fired ahead of withdrawing groups, forcing them to move through the gas to flee the advancing police lines," Ted, a local EMT and Street medic, said.

"I was shot in the behind running from cops with a barricade bullet. I was then surrounded by police officers and I couldn’t walk, Fate, a local teenager who was at the protests last Summer, said. "This was something that was tragic to me and it made it to where I have no complete trust in the police department whatsoever."

Community members also said the city must hire a new police auditor, a position that’s been vacant since 2018. Santa Rosa resident Michael called in to demand this position be filled.

"The community doesn’t trust SRPD because of what SPRD has done and we need to hold them accountable for that," he said. 

Santa Rosa’s Community Engagement Team presented information it says is based on listening sessions with communities of color throughout the city. And they suggested Santa Rosa join dozens of other cities across the state in declaring racism a public health crisis. 

You can find the three reports here: 

Commission on Human Rights 

OIR Group's Independent Report on SRPD

After Action Report 

Written by: Tessa Paoli

Published: 30 April 2021

Before the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was paused, Dr. Brian Prystowsky, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Sutter Health in Santa Rosa, was excited about the one-dose shot.

"I think that two weeks ago, I was primarily recommending Johnson and Johnson vaccine to everybody, literally before this news, because I was like one shot, you're totally done," Prystowsky said.

But on April 13th, distribution of the single shot J&J vaccine was halted across the nation after 6 women under the age of 50 suffered severe and rare blot clots. County officials lifted the pause last week, following the lead of federal and state health officials.

Prystowsky said because the side effect is very rare, two cases per million overall, he still believes the J&J shot is safe and effective. But he also hears more hesitancy among community members, and doesn’t blame them.

"For the most part it’s so rare to have these side effects but in many ways you have to qualify with the new information we have and you have to be honest with people and own that," Prystowsky said. "We should say that particular side affect is scary, just own it."

And for Prystowsky it’s all about context. If you’re a woman younger than 50 and have the option for Pfizer or Moderna he understands why you would think twice about getting J&J.

But for some groups who have a hard time making it back for a second appointment, like unhoused people or those who travel for work, J&J is still a valuable option. Director of West County Health Dr. Jason Cunningham says his clinics can go to encampments with J&J again. And that the day after use of the vaccine was resumed,  his colleagues were able to vaccinate a group of fishermen in Bodega Bay who can’t return for a second shot.

"And it was really important to them that it was Johnson and Johnson rather than Pfizer because they'll be out in the water," Cunningham said.

And for Prystowsky resuming the J&J in the U.S. means more than a shot that can reach more people. He also believes it sends a message across the globe, that it’s safe enough to use again.

"The pause in the United States and Sonoma County being an extension of that is relevant for not just us but for our global community because they can say un-pause here, un-pause everywhere else," Prystowsky said.

Officials say the temporary stoppage didn’t affect the county’s rollout much since J&J is the newest and the least common vaccine in the County. While Sonoma isn’t receiving any new doses next week, it has 3,000 leftover shots that were allocated to clinics. 

Written by: Marc Albert

Published: 29 April 2021

Written by: Tessa Paoli

Published: 27 April 2021

In accordance with recommendations by federal and state health officials, Sonoma County is once again distributing the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine after a two week pause. In a statement Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase said the vaccine is safe and the risk of developing blood clots is extremely rare, less than 2 cases per million doses overall and seven cases per million for women between 18 and 49 years old. Mase said she supports an additional warning label so people can make an informed decision.

The majority of 3,000 still-good J&J doses being stored in the county will be distributed to Fox Home Health, a private health care agency that is vaccinating homebound seniors and unsheltered residents. Because the J&J vaccine is just one dose, it’s been especially useful in vaccinating vulnerable, hard to reach individuals. But Fox Home Health CEO Cheryl Fox says offering choice is key.

"We are in hopes that the people that are unsheltered will accept the Johnson and Johnson. And if they will not then we will be giving them the Moderna and following up with them in four weeks to give them the second dose, and hope for the best," Fox said.

Fox said five community vaccine clinics throughout the county closed due to the J&J pause but will resume within a week. The county did not receive any J&J doses this week and will find out Wednesday how many doses it will receive for next week.