Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Refuses To Answer Questions

This is the third and final submission piece to CopBlock from ‘Nasty’ Nathanial Thomas, who from here on out will be producing content directly as a contributor to CopBlock.org and CopBlock Network activist.

Last weekend (January 24, 2016) I decided to make the three hour drive from my home in Santa Maria out to beautiful Fresno, the city of sun and sin. The purpose of this trip was to meet up with my good friend, legendary activist Brian Sumner. whom had recently returned to the area after being on the road with the MAC Tour.

Shortly after arriving in Fresno I met up with Brian and two fellow Cop Blockers. We all crammed into my little Fiat and began cruising around the city.

While traveling on Blackstone Avenue we noticed some red and blue flashing lights down one of the side streets. I quickly turned around and proceeded into this quiet residential neighborhood. A Fresno County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle was parked in front of a house. So I parked a little ways down the street and me and Brian headed over to see what was going on.

Soon we were confronted by a deputy sheriff whom responded to our presence by shinning his flashlight in our camera’s lenses. This here is pretty typical of police when they come in contact with someone with a camera. It is only to make it more difficult for the individual filming. Even when Brian politely asked the deputy to stop shinning his flashlight on us, he continued to do.

So this deputy wanted to know what we were doing and why we were there. But when Brian asked him what was going on, the deputy responded by asking us if we were with KSEE24 News. When Brian stated that we were not affiliated with KSEE24, the deputy simply said that he couldn’t tell us. When pressed further, the deputy asked for a card which Brian produced which you can see in the video. Still nothing. I guess Brian’s Cop Block card wasn’t good enough for him.

But here’s the thing. Why do we need to be affiliated with a television news station in order to get information from a public servant? A public servant whom our tax dollars are used to pay. Wouldn’t you expect someone your paying money to, to answer your questions? A public servant is supposed to serve the public right? Apparent this deputy sheriff didn’t think so.

This is something that has always bothered me about law enforcement. When you go to them for answers they are either very hesitant to tell you anything, or they just flat out refuse to, often times very rudely. But when they want answers by golly they expect you give it to them. More often than not they will use fear, intimidation, and even lies to get information out of you. Doesn’t this seem like a double standard? To me it does. What do you all think?

Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Refuses To Answer Questions is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don’t Grant Extra Rights