Let's Conversate

By Bobby Lopez

When Sean Webby first called me yesterday for a comment on a story for today’s Mercury News, my initial reaction was: This must be a publicity stunt.

You see, Raj Jayadev was back at City Hall, holding a rally and calling for meetings with Mayor Reed, councilmembers, Chief Davis, and the SJPOA to have an open dialogue about community concerns with police and our union.

It makes sense that Mr. Jayadev would request a meeting by using a microphone instead of a cell phone. After all, he CC’d the mayor and the entire city council on an email he sent to me on June 4th to request just such a meeting. He also posted it on San Jose Inside as well as this website before I’d even had a chance to respond. (See comments here.)

Of course, if he wanted to sit down, he could’ve just called me. That’s what Skyler Porras of the ACLU did several weeks ago. I ended up meeting with Ms. Porras, and we had a productive conversation, even though we don’t see eye to eye on everything.

In my mind, there’s a pattern developing. Remember, Mr. Jayadev’s comments at the City Council meeting on May 5th, which were featured in our now-infamous YouTube video? At that meeting, he used the vague notion of a “street response” as a political threat to intimidate the council into judging arrest data before an independent analysis could happen. I think he believed protests would not reflect well on politicians at election time and the council would indeed feel threatened.

In another case, just a week before that council meeting, Mr. Jayadev walked off the Public Intoxication Task Force in protest. This was an interesting move because he was among the most vocal community members who called for the mayor to create such a task force.

These were the thoughts running through my mind when Mr. Webby called. I got ticked off and said I wouldn’t meet with Mr. Jayadev.

But after I hung up, I remembered my email response to Mr. Jayadev’s request for a meeting almost a month ago. I told him exactly what I later told Ms. Porras: I have an open door policy, and I’ll meet with anyone who wants to talk.

So I called Mr. Webby back and said I would meet even though, given Mr. Jayadev’s track record, I’m skeptical that he wants to engage in a real dialogue.

I’m used to working with all kinds of people, even difficult personalities. I’ll be interested to see if Mr. Jayadev walks out of our meeting to call a press conference if we disagree. What do you think?

Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.