{"id":8280,"date":"2026-09-02T23:08:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T23:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8280"},"modified":"2026-09-02T23:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T23:08:08","slug":"letters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8280","title":{"rendered":"Letters:"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Re: \u201cCivilian police watchdog is retiring\u201d (Page B1, Aug. 13 https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2026\/08\/11\/san-jose-announces-retirement-of-police-auditor-put-on-sudden-leave-with-no-public-explanation\/).<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018Bachelor\u2019 star calls Ronn Owens\u2019 daughter \u2018a threat to others,\u2019 urges prison after guilty plea<\/a><\/p>\n

San Jose is preparing to hire its sixth appointed Independent Police Auditor since 2010. Before doing so, the city should ask what it wants the office to be.<\/p>\n

The City Charter gives the IPA a straightforward job: determine whether police misconduct investigations are \u201ccomplete, thorough, objective and fair.\u201d Yet the office increasingly speaks of \u201cover-policed communities,\u201d \u201csystemic inequities,\u201d \u201csocial justice stakeholders\u201d and community \u201cempowerment.\u201d<\/p>\n

That matters because allegations are not findings. In 2019, the IPA reported 877 closed allegations but only 23 sustained \u2014 none involving force or biased policing. The 2024 report prominently lists allegations of bias and force while making what investigators actually sustained impossible to ascertain. It was intentional.<\/p>\n

Mayor Matt Mahan and the City Council were right to reject former IPA Eddie Aubrey\u2019s proposed expansion of authority.<\/p>\n

An independent auditor needs independence to do the job. That doesn\u2019t mean independence to define the job.<\/p>\n

Steve Smith
\nScotts Valley<\/p>\n

Submit your letter to the editor via\u00a0this form
\nRead more\u00a0Letters to the Editor<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Is there a list of administration accomplishments for all of the American people?<\/p>\n

Read more $88 slow-braised beef short ribs prove popular at new Bay Area Korean spot<\/a><\/p>\n

From where I sit, I see the feathering of his and his family\u2019s nest, the broken promises of no wars and lower inflation. I see alienation of our allies, elimination of aid that saves millions of lives and fosters the American message worldwide, flagrant violations of the Constitution and court orders, and blatant disregard of the rights of freedom of speech. I see the absence of a firm grasp of consequences from the executive orders handed out like penny candy, the unvetted pardons, the deals that are pushed through without review because of a friendly White House meeting. In short, I see Project 25 in full force.<\/p>\n

None of these things, and there are many more, are in the best interest of the American people.<\/p>\n

Vote with all of this in mind.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Angela Boles King
\nLos Gatos<\/p>\n

Submit your letter to the editor via\u00a0this form
\nRead more\u00a0Letters to the Editor<\/p>\n

Re: \u201cGiants announce partnership with prediction market Kalshi\u201d (Page C3, Aug. 26 https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2026\/08\/25\/sf-giants-kalshi-prediction-market-partnership\/).<\/p>\n

As I read with disgust, but not surprise, of my heretofore beloved SF Giants\u2019 decision to climb into bed with the gambling platform Kalshi, I couldn\u2019t help but think of the old baseball adage, \u201cIf you\u2019re keeping score at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beginning with majority owner Charles Johnson\u2019s support of ultra right-wing, homophobic politicians, including despicable Marsha Blackburn, who endorsed the dangerous and proven fraudulent \u201cconversion therapy,\u201d for LGBTQIA+ kids, followed by the team\u2019s partnership with the likewise homophobic fast food chain Chick-fil-A, and more recently the June 12th Pride Night debacle, where the team allowed four players to specifically disrespect the gay community, and has yet to offer a meaningful apology, the dumpster fire continues to burn.<\/p>\n

With the unapologetic reaping of Kalshi money the Giants deliver the same message to those addicted to gambling that they previously delivered to their legions of LGBTQIA+ fans and their allies.<\/p>\n

Read more Photos: \u2018Dancing with the Stars\u2019 Season 35 cast reveal<\/a><\/p>\n

Barry Goldman-Hall
\nSan Jose<\/p>\n

Submit your letter to the editor via\u00a0this form
\nRead more\u00a0Letters to the Editor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Re: \u201cCivilian police watchdog is retiring\u201d (Page B1, Aug. 13 https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2026\/08\/11\/san-jose-announces-retirement-of-police-auditor-put-on-sudden-leave-with-no-public-explanation\/). San Jose is preparing to hire its sixth appointed Independent Police Auditor since 2010. Before doing so, the city should ask what it wants the office to be. The City Charter gives the IPA a straightforward job: determine whether police misconduct investigations are \u201ccomplete, [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion"],"yoast_head":"\nLetters: - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8280\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Letters: - Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Re: \u201cCivilian police watchdog is retiring\u201d (Page B1, Aug. 13 https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2026\/08\/11\/san-jose-announces-retirement-of-police-auditor-put-on-sudden-leave-with-no-public-explanation\/). San Jose is preparing to hire its sixth appointed Independent Police Auditor since 2010. Before doing so, the city should ask what it wants the office to be. 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